Decision!

[ffutures]

I've ordered the Zoostorm PC - 3.2ghz quad processor, 2TB hard disk, 8gb RAM, Windows 7 premium 64 bit, gigabit ethernet, etc. Ought to be plenty fast enough for my current and future needs, a bit more expensive than I'd originally planned but considering how much of my life is spent in front of a computer I might as well spend accordingly. Should arrive on Monday if their site isn't lying to me, we'll see how it goes.

http://www.ebuyer.com/570064-zoostorm-haswell-desktop-pc-7873-0494

They also do a version with an AMD 4.1GHz processor that only costs £269.99 after cashback, but it doesn't include any operating system. If I were building a Linux box or a machine primarily for games I'd be very tempted.

Now I need to get some CAT6 cable to run from the Gigabit socket on my router to the PC...

Comments

[alexmc.livejournal.com]

I only have a tiny bit of CAT-6 - I probably ought to upgrade most of the cables in this house. It is running Gigabit "ok".

[nojay.livejournal.com]

Cat5E cable will usually run GigE signalling OK but if there's a lot of electrical noise or cheap not-quite-spec GigE NICs and routers connecting long runs of cable then there's a chance the error and retry rate will go up. I fit Cat6 patch cables to everything nowadays as the cost difference is negligible.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

The cable from the router to my work room is quite long - about 20M since it has to go over doors and round rooms - and fairly old. The switch I've got in my work room is already gigabit, so I've just spent a tenner or so Cat6 cables to replace the old cable and link the switch to the PC and to my network hard disk, which is also a gigabit network collection. Everything else can stay on Cat5e for now.

[vicarage.livejournal.com]

I'm typing this on a Zoostorm machine I've had since 2008, and used very heavily. Only now is it getting cranky.

[draconin.livejournal.com]

If you don't mind my asking, what is the cost? The site doesn't say. My desktop is going flaky at the moment and I suspect that I'm going to be looking around for a replacement. It looks like a really good system. I'm printing out the specs to take with me when I go looking here in Perth.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

£429 including VAT and currently free next day delivery.

Prices are to the right of the picture of the PC on my screen.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Reassuring - the computer I'm using is pretty ancient, belonged to my nephew originally, and is well overdue for replacement, so I don't feel guilty about spending the money.

[draconin.livejournal.com]

Thanks. :-) It's showing now, but when I looked earlier it was just showing "Out of stock" & no price. Apparently they only display the price if they have stock, which is rather an odd choice.