Desktop Sweetspot

[JeffreyD]

I'm looking for a new computer

I used to travel for work all the time so had a decent laptop but those days are more or less gone so now looking for a decent desktop

Doesn't need to be sexy as I can hide under the desk

I use Office 365 and need a bit of power to handle some large spreadsheets but nothing too complex (a few large pivot tables with years of data)
Don't need massive storage as I use Onedrive

Would like a decent monitor

Would rather not spend a fortune but would like it to last

I am struggling a bit with the generations of processors and whether 8GB of ram is enough to last a few years

So what's the value sweet spot?

thanks in advance

[xeny]

8 GB isn't enough, the next sensible amount is 16GB

It is (IMO) worth getting a recent gen CPU if at all possible - single threaded performance is what makes a PC feel snappy. I don't think it is worth going crazy with core count - say a 12th gen i5 (but I think you're fine for this use with DDR 4 rather than DDR 5 which saves £), or an AMD 5600G.

Onboard graphics are good enough(so you don't want a F model intel CPU), but check that the motherboard has enough ports for whatever monitors you may want to attach.

Similarly for responsiveness, I think it is worth the small premium of a NVMe rather than SATA SSD.

I recently built a machine with a 5600G, 1TB WD 750 NVMe SSD 32 GB of RAM (but I need to run several VMs) and motherboard graphics and it is very pleasant to use for what you describe. Even without running VMs though, I sometimes see memory use over 8GB, hence my recommendation for 16.

If I was building/buying now, I"d probably build around an i5 12500 or 12600 for somewhat better CPU performance and still good enough integrated graphics. I suspect you would be OK with an i3 12300, but I'm not sure the cost saving is worth risking it.

Edited by xeny on Saturday 8th January 13:15

[130R]

Agree with the above. I was looking at building a new PC for my parents and a 5600G would be my choice (the 12600K is a faster CPU but has worse integrated graphics and I think your build would end up quite a bit more expensive). The B550 Tomahawk seems a decent mobo and has DisplayPort output. Then add (for example) 16GB DDR4 3200 MHz RAM, SSD (ideally M.2), reasonable PSU, and a case. You are probably looking at ~ £700 depending on your SSD/PSU/case choices.

Edited by 130R on Saturday 8th January 13:09

[JeffreyD]

Thanks to you both, very helpful.

As a supplementary question where would you look to buy?
I couldn't make one up myself so am I best at somewhere like dell or should I get a local shop to make one up for me?

[HRL]

I’ve used PC Specialist for my last two PC’s as they could source the parts I was having difficulty obtaining.

No problems with either PC and their pricing isn’t too bad.

Definitely don’t skimp on the M2 NVMe drive as it makes a difference IMO. Personally, I’d opt for one of the AMD CPU’s with integrated graphics as suggested.

[nyt]

JeffreyD said:

Thanks to you both, very helpful.

As a supplementary question where would you look to buy?
I couldn't make one up myself so am I best at somewhere like dell or should I get a local shop to make one up for me?

I've been thinking about buying: https://www.palicomp.co.uk/pc_budget_buy_fac3

[JeffreyD]

Thanks everyone!
I always get terrible mission creep with stuff like this and I'm now going to lose a saturday afternoon speccing one up!

[paulrockliffe]

Why don't you just go on Gumtree and pick up one of your local gamer's cast-offs? The rich ones got new machines for Christmas, so it's a good time of year for it.

You'll get a far better machine for your money and for your use-case you might find one that's worth removing the graphics card to sell, chances are the integrated graphics would do you fine.

Last year I spent £500 on a machine, motherboard and CPU are a few years old, but decent I7 gaming stuff, 32 gigs of decent RAM, 500GB SSD, 3 TB storage. The graphics card is a 1080ti, which last time I looked was selling at £400-500 on eBay, so basically a free machine.

For work purposes I reckon you're generally better going second hand, maybe applying a few upgrades, then keeping two thirds of your budget for monitors. I kept the 1080ti because it'll run 6 monitors, and 3 at 4K and 60Hz, which is far better for work than a bit of extra performance once in a blue moon.

[JeffreyD]

That's not a bad idea - but with regard to multiple monitors my tiny brain can't process that.

My wife runs 2 monitors an I'm still in awe.

[xeny]

JeffreyD said:

That's not a bad idea - but with regard to multiple monitors my tiny brain can't process that.

My wife runs 2 monitors an I'm still in awe.

With lots of wfh roles meaning you need to have applications visible as well as a video call, extra screen space, either as dual screens or one large one can be very handy.

I tend to end up with Teams, Outlook, a couple of remote login sessions and a couple of web browser windows looking at documentation open. I want every bit of screen space I can get.

[JeffreyD]

xeny said:

With lots of wfh roles meaning you need to have applications visible as well as a video call, extra screen space, either as dual screens or one large one can be very handy.

I tend to end up with Teams, Outlook, a couple of remote login sessions and a couple of web browser windows looking at documentation open. I want every bit of screen space I can get.

I agree - I should really try to get my head round that.
New Year, New Me and all that.

[paulrockliffe]

xeny said:

JeffreyD said:

That's not a bad idea - but with regard to multiple monitors my tiny brain can't process that.

My wife runs 2 monitors an I'm still in awe.

With lots of wfh roles meaning you need to have applications visible as well as a video call, extra screen space, either as dual screens or one large one can be very handy.

I tend to end up with Teams, Outlook, a couple of remote login sessions and a couple of web browser windows looking at documentation open. I want every bit of screen space I can get.

All of that, but combine it with Windows Virtual Desktops and the ability to have apps appear on every Desktop, or just one. I have Teams always showing and then can swipe across to desktops with different projects on so everything stays open, accessible, but nice and neat. If I have a meeting coming up I'll load up everything I need for the call on a new Desktop, then go back to where I was working and as soon as someone starts the Teams call I'm a couple of keyboard strokes away from all the stuff I need.

Alternatively with one screen only You can put apps on different desktops and cycle through them to go from one to another.

[JeffreyD]

paulrockliffe said:

All of that, but combine it with Windows Virtual Desktops and the ability to have apps appear on every Desktop, or just one. I have Teams always showing and then can swipe across to desktops with different projects on so everything stays open, accessible, but nice and neat. If I have a meeting coming up I'll load up everything I need for the call on a new Desktop, then go back to where I was working and as soon as someone starts the Teams call I'm a couple of keyboard strokes away from all the stuff I need.

Alternatively with one screen only You can put apps on different desktops and cycle through them to go from one to another.

I definitely need to look into using different desktops and I'll think I'll buy 2 monitors.

Living life on the edge.

[essayer]

If no gaming, I would recommend something like a Dell Optiplex 8060 (8th gen i5) with a decent NVMe drive and 16GB memory - probs £200-250 on eBay, Windows 11 compatible
Then pair with two Dell P2720D or equivalent, 27” 2560x1440 or one ultra wide (depending on preference)

Well under £1k and last you many years

[paulrockliffe]

essayer said:

If no gaming, I would recommend something like a Dell Optiplex 8060 (8th gen i5) with a decent NVMe drive and 16GB memory - probs £200-250 on eBay, Windows 11 compatible
Then pair with two Dell P2720D or equivalent, 27” 2560x1440 or one ultra wide (depending on preference)

Well under £1k and last you many years

Yeah, that's the other option. My spare PC is probably worth £20-50 and would happily cover the use described, so it's pretty much impossible to buy something that won't do the job.

The reason that's the case is because that sort of work has, if anything, become less taxing on the PC over the years, especially if you're talking about O365 online, so the reality is that 'many years' could easily be a decade or more and often the only real reason to upgrade is that £200 buys you something so much better and that's not all that much money if you've got it.

That's why I recommend second hand as the sweet spot, buying new just costs more for performance that isn't used because new stuff is so far beyond what most people do at work and it frees up money for stuff you do benefit from, like more and better monitors.

Virtual Desktops instructions are here, you can try them out right now if you're on Windows 10:

https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/vi...

[paulrockliffe]

I had a quick look on Gumtree this morning and found a machine similar to mine with a 900 series GTX card for £300 and for just under a grand there was a 2070 RTX machine that looked an absolute bargain and various options in between.

The machine I bought last year has cleared £600 in profit mining bitcoin since I bought it, so I'm tempted to buy the 2070 machine and let it pay for itself as well.

[phil4]

JeffreyD said:

I agree - I should really try to get my head round that.
New Year, New Me and all that.

Don't feel bad, my boss at work can't handle it either. The thought of the mouse going from one screen to another doesn't work for him.

For me it's essential, I have 3 screens at work and 2 at home. As others have said, it means that for example I can type this reply to you on one screen, while keeping an eye on Paperclips on the other screen. More work related, it means I can refer to an email on one screen with the details I need for the SQL query I write in the other. It saves having to remember something while you switch back and forth between applications.

Good luck

[JeffreyD]

Going to sort this out tomorrow and will almost certainly go down the second hand route, although there is nothing on gumtree with 30 miles.

Just need to make sure I get the right generation of processor.

Thanks for all the input

edit:-

Any good?

https://www.europc.co.uk/dell-optiplex-7090-ultra-...

Edited by JeffreyD on Tuesday 11th January 20:10

[Captain_Morgan]

You are aware your suggestion is a ultra compact pc designed to fit in the back of specific dell monitors?

If you have the specific monitor then awsum if not then…

Edit: the 1145G7 cpu seems to be a low power laptop version which would fit with the form factor of your suggestion and give a lower performance compared to desktop versions of the v11 of the i5 chip

Edited by Captain_Morgan on Tuesday 11th January 21:33

[JeffreyD]

Captain_Morgan said:

You are aware your suggestion is a ultra compact pc designed to fit in the back of specific dell monitors?

If you have the specific monitor then awsum if not then…

Edit: the 1145G7 cpu seems to be a low power laptop version which would fit with the form factor of your suggestion and give a lower performance compared to desktop versions of the v11 of the i5 chip

Edited by Captain_Morgan on Tuesday 11th January 21:33

No I'm not aware!

Back to the drawing board.