PC recommendations

[bluenose1940]

That one looks to be pretty similar to the 3671 from the US site. I would go with the configuration that has the i5 processor. It comes with a 1TB HDD, 8GB RAM and has a DVD drive. You could absolutely add an SSD to it. Dell does offer that option but it seems an expensive option to me so you're probably better off adding an SSD yourself.

Hiya strollin, I have been going through all of the detail on this pc and it is referring to it constantly as a 3671.

I'm trying to work out if I can choose to have an SSD as the main drive rather than the normal one as shown in the advert. I'm not particularly techie savvy regarding pc's but I would have thought that what used to be the norm is old hat now with the advent of SSD's

 

[pete.i]

All the SSDs that I have seen so far are 2.5 inch.I couldn't see any sized spec in that advert for the HDD size but I would it's a 3.5 inch mechanical drive. It is SATA so a 2.5 inch SSD would connect electrically but you would have to make or buy some sort of adapter to accomodate the physically smaller drive. You would also have to either re-install Windows and all the software you would want, which to be honest I would do anyway with any new computer that I buy just to get rid of the manufacturer's spam. You could, of course clone the existing drive to an SSD using something like Macrium Reflect but you would need an external caddy or install the SSD into an internal second drive bay to do that. This is all getting a bit technical and whilst I don't think Dell would change the existing drive for an SSD the best and really the only way to find out is to ask them.

 

[strollin]

The configuration offered by Dell is to have an SSD as the boot drive along with an HDD for data storage. This is a very popular way of integrating an SSD into a system. I have my own system setup this way and can attest that it works very well.

You can go to the extra trouble of getting an adapter for the SSD to install it in a 3.5" drive bay but frankly an SSD weighs very little and the adapter is overkill. I have installed them by simply leaving it hanging inside the case. If you don't like that idea, a single screw is more than adequate to hold an SSD in place. Other perfectly adequate ways to mount an SSD would be double-sided tape or even Velcro.

 

[pete.i]

Thing is this UK. There is no SSD offered, that I can see, in that advert. If the OP does the work himself, bearing in mind that he has addmitted he isn't technically computer savvy, he could well invalidate any guarantees, such as they are. Also yes he could just leave the ssd hanging but that isn't very, was going to say professional but that isn't the right word, but you know what I mean. He will also have to re-install the software on to the SSD and that would invalidate any guarantees and from the OP's own words he probably isn't capable of that. Although if Dell do supply and install an SSD then the guarantees will remain intact. The other consideration is price. A 1Tb SSD will, significantly, increase the price.



As I said the best way for the OP to get his specific questions answered is to ask Dell. They have a very good on-line chat service, or at least it was when I last used it. Click the "We're here for you" button on the right hand side of the screen and select "chat".

 

[strollin]

I wonder why the UK site lacks the options that are available on the US site?

On the UK site, it looks like you would need to go with the more expensive XPS 8930 in order to have the option to have a SSD boot drive along with a 1TB HDD.

I agree that bluenose should go with a system that comes from the factory already setup with an SSD. It's a good idea to call Dell and talk to them about it. However, it looks like including an SSD will push the cost over the £500.00 budget.

 

[bluenose1940]

Hi again chaps. I spoke with Dell this morning and they offered me this

https://www.dell.com/en-uk/shop/des...on-desktop/spd/inspiron-3671-desktop/cd367109

They said that they were prepared to offer it to me at the discounted price of £764.10 but that is above my budget and it doesn't come with a monitor. The chap said that this is a very new model and would probably not be included in any likely January Sale.

 

[strollin]

You didn't make it clear that your budget needed to include a monitor.

I think maybe an all-in-one or a laptop might be right for you after all.