I am in the UK and need to upgrade my PC fast as I want to get Lightroom 4. Currently I have a Medion 2004 model running Windows XP with 1 gig ram. It's slooooooooooow and blue screen shut downs here and there. I may also want to work with video editing in the future pending new camera.

I have been looking at this model as it just over my budget of �400. Would this be good ?

http://www.ebuyer.com/443461-zoostorm-pro-sff-desktop-pc-7873-0357

Thanks.

Lightroom 4 works perfectly well (and fast) on my Lenovo M82 which has similar specs:

2nd Generation Intel� Core� i3 -2120 (3.30GHz)
14 GB ram
Windows 7 Pro 64bit

Yours is an even newer generation: Intel Core 3rd Generation

So I'd say it's fine

Regarding Lightroom, I just bought v.4 and image quality - even after heavy processing - is stunning, better than (already good) previous versions. Said from a Corel user, but especially impressed by this particular Adobe product.

I'm a Mac user so I'm not too up on PC's, but I do note it says 'on-board integrated graphics', I had a feeling that wasn't as good as a good graphics card, or am I completely misunderstanding the specs? Ebuyer are a good place to buy though, good service.

I agree, a dedicated graphics card is much better than integrated graphics.  Ebuyer are great.  I would either buy that PC and put in a graphics card or get one that has a dedicated graphics card.

I nearly did buy that PC on Ebuyer but held back after reading terrible review after terrible review on service, postage and non refunds. Wide berth I will give. Back to drawing board 

This is even cheaper, bigger hard drive ? 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Zoostorm-7877-0095-Premium-i5-2320-Windows/dp/B006ZINMP6/ref=sr_1_3?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1364463281&sr=1-3#productDetails

I've been a fan of Dell for years. The XPS series is great. I even do all my video editing on this PC.

I nearly did buy that PC on Ebuyer but held back after reading terrible review after terrible review on service, postage and non refunds.

I've used ebuyer a number of times, based on their customer service reputation and always had great service. You can find bad reviews of just about any company if you look online.

Here's a quote from PC Advisor magazine

Ebuyer has an excellent reputation for customer service, we see very few complaints about the company in our forum

If you want the best service and face to face contact, use John Lewis.

http://www.johnlewis.com/electricals/desktop-pcs/c60000874

I've been a fan of Dell for years. The XPS series is great. I even do all my video editing on this PC.

I'd vote for Dell too.  My last four PCs have all been Dells and never had a problem with any of them. 

@ the OP, you might want to look at the prices here.  Cheaper prices lower down the page, but (if the site's still the same as last time I used it) you have to click through to make your choices and assemble the PC as you want it.. so keep an eye on the changing price as you go along:

http://www.dell.com/uk/p/desktops.aspx?c=uk&cs=ukdhs1&l=en&ref=hpt4&s=dhs

I recommend you find a local PC repairer/builder, either operating from home or small shop. Upgrading the PC to modern standards by swapping a couple of components is likely to be far cheaper than a complete new PC. You'll also get good advice too.

When my PC fried it's motherboard a few years ago that's what I did. Having a new PC built by the local chap turned out to be significantly cheaper than slightly lower-specced models from on-line retailers like Evesham, Mesh and Dell.

Interestingly both Evesham and Mesh, at the time two of the biggest PC suppliers in the UK, went bust a year or two later.

I've since had the PC upgraded twice by the same chap, again for a fraction of the cost of a new PC. Last year my PC was invaded by a virus which somehow got through my protection. It was good to have an expert on hand to deal with it and be up and running again within 24 hours, with the PC slightly upgraded at the same time.

I've never had anything go wrong with the many items I've bought from ebuyer and I'm not sure I would trust trustpilot

May I ask why you are giving yourself a budget of only L400. Considering that your computer is such an important tool of this profession?

Quote from: Herg on March 29, 2013, 05:08

The terrible customer services reviews are still coming through strong every day for Ebuyer. Apparently they have a poor returns system. Seems to me like a huge risk when spending on a �400+ machine.

Do you know they're real?  I know that often rival sites leave made up poor reviews, that's why I'm wary of the review sites.

Why, how much would you spend ? Surely the spec I have linked does the job for photo editing ?

I hope the camera site you are refering to doesn't begin with "1st" as I have ordered Lightroom 4 from them and still have not received the order a week later, despite paying for 48 hr delivery. they have excellent reviews on Trust pilot.

Thinking about the PC, as I record music and use Cubase I perhaps would be better off getting a very powerful machine that can handle both as photo/audio can use a lot of CPU. My music PC is dated too and crashes regular.

can't wait to get Lightroom 4 working and finally see some more acceptances with SS. I am tired of getting them turned away on the basis of lighting.