computer recommendation

[rembrandt (Noel)]

Hi group,
I'm looking for advise purchasing a desktop for my roll off roof observatory(after my laptop died)

hopefully around the$1000 mark.

running stellarium/sharpcap pro/PHD2/siril/autostakkert /NEQ6/ASI294MCPro

getting confused with so many options for me to get my head around.
any advise would be appreciated.
hoping to get a list of requirements that I can just give a tech. to build for me

TIA Noel.

[sharkbite]

...Depends on what you want out of it....of the applications you list, with the exception of Siril, none of them are particularly resource hungry....

a core i5 or ryzen 5 of any description would do....

Siril needs a relatively good processor and some decent memory,

so a fairly recent core i7 or ryzen 7 with at least 32GB RAM should rip along...a m2 SSD will make the OS nice and snappy, with a big HDD to store all the data...

GPU is optional - as far as i am aware none of these apps use the GPU for processing - happy to be corrected on that...


Even an i7/Ryzen 7 type should be buildable for comfortably cheaper than your budget of one Gorilla.


I have to replace my old desktops before October (When w10 support runs out) so i have been researching this a bit...
I am actually considering buying a refurbished Small Form Factor ex-office machine - these are all over ebay and are around the $500 mark.

These are fairly small, self-contained and easy to move if you dont want to leave it in the obs....and would already have an OS installed.

[Leo.G (Leo)]

Originally Posted by sharkbite

I am actually considering buying a refurbished Small Form Factor ex-office machine

These are good machines reasonably specced with often an exception on the GPU. Keep in mind if a GPU is required/desired you have to get the smaller form factor units.
I have a nice HP compact ex office system with a reasonable GPU fitted and an i7 and extra RAM. i got the unit cheap from Grays auctions a few years back and am very happy with it for my purposes.
Most processing seems to be RAM intensive and upgrading my RAM capacity boosted my processing speed. RAM is cheap..

[Atmos (Colin)]

Something along the lines of…
https://www.mwave.com.au/product/asu...11-pro-ac56291

Better value than a laptop, get a cheap monitor and you’re ready to go. Does need a keyboard and mouse but you may have those laying around.

[rembrandt (Noel)]

thanks so much for the input guys, now i can get a computer made . cheers