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The-WebWorks Computer Sales And Service Centre |
New Computers
Windows 7, Vista or Windows XP.
With us, its your choice
Microsoft's release of their operating system, 'Windows Vista', has been the subject of many a debate. When XP was released it was riddled with bugs, many of which were still not fixed until the release of service pack 2 - and Microsoft is still fixing it! It needed compatible accessories and more powerful hardware, just in the way that Vista does now. XP computers didn't like 'talking' to computers with other operating systems and Vista has been fraught with the same difficulties.
Back then this was an issue for big, corporate IT departments. The difference this time round is that computers are now as common as fridges or TVs and when people buy new computers it is our experience that they are usually adding to an existing home network and just want them to work in a way that they know with the minimum of fuss and cost. For example:
A typical household may have 3 or more computers all sharing a single printer and possible a library of music and films. why should the printer have to be replaced just because it is incompatible with a new Vista machine? Not to mention that some tasks can take up-to five times longer with Vista than XP on identical computers.
Now, with Windows 7, the game has changed again! the good news is that after extensive testing by ourselves Windows 7 is what Vista should have been. Feedback suggests that backwards compatibility has been intensively thought about with a very few reports of issues. So whilst our advice to go with Windows 7 compatibility with older peripherals should be considered. A wise thing to do would be to go the the website of, for example, a printer's manufacturer and check that drivers are available for that device.
Unfortunately the only Operating system we can supply on our new computers is now Windows 7 but there is still a concession that will allow up to continue to supply XP: buying a Windows 7 Ultimate or Professional license entitles a customer to install and use the professional version of XP. The are no differences in the way XP Pro works for the average user but it will add around £40 to the cost of a new computer.
Unfortunately the only Operating system we can supply on our new computers is now Windows 7 but there is still a concession that will allow up to continue to supply XP: buying a Windows 7 Ultimate or Professional license entitles a customer to install and use the professional version of XP. The are no differences in the way XP Pro works for the average user but it will add around £40 to the cost of a new computer.
Laptops or Desktops
Here is another great debate and here is our opinion
Laptops are very fashionable. They are portable, compact, convenient and appear to be cheap. but there are a number of serious down sides:
- In terms of power for your pound you get a bad deal with a laptop:
- Hard drives are smaller in capacity, and slower DVD drives are less than half the speed of a desktop
- Processors are slower. Typically laptops are ony around a third of the speed of desktops for the same sort of money.
- Due to their portability they are more vulnerable to developing faults. Hard drives have very little tolerance to being dropped especially while they are on for example.
- There is much less that can go wrong with a laptop before it is not economical to repair:
- Spill a drink on a desktop's keyboard and it's a tenner for a new keyboard. but do that on a laptop keyboard and without immediate action it will usually mean the end of the laptop and is not covered under most warranties.
- Close the lid on a laptop with a pen on the keyboard and the screen will probably break. Costing between £100 and £200 to fix - uneconomical for some older laptops
- When a laptop can be repaired the costs are normally much higher:
- Several times each week we see laptops that have had their power connector broken, usually by the power cable being tripped over or pulled out without the highest level of care. This can cost up to £105 to repair but if the same did happen to a desktop the normal repair cost is only £42.50.
- If the motherboard fails on a laptop it is usually, once again and uneconomical repair. but on a desktop it is normally a simply replaceable part costing around £50.
- Laptops have very limited upgrade options. More memory and a bigger hard drive and thats about it. but with a desktop the sky is the limit. If a new game comes out that requires a better graphics card it can normally be fitted in a matter of minutes.
- Laptops are more nickable - a serious consideration when buying a computer for a son or daughter off to university.
So when considering a new computer have a think about what really is suitable for your needs. if this little list has left you confused then give us a call and we will gladly help you.