nokia - Thanks for the links! The second one looks pretty nice, so I'll check out if the local PC World has it (it's only about a 45min drive away). Although I agree - that box hasn't got a bad graphics card, but with the budget I've got it could do with a little upgrade (for when I'm around, you know?)
//Yeah, IMHO dell make the cheapest budget systems they can with the cheapest parts they can get away with, and if you ever have a problem with it and need to talk to their customer support....... well, you might as well just not bother!
Hm...I found something similar with Compaq. I've had two of their laptops in the past - my first one's battery charging slot moved (so I had to force the charger in until it broke completely), its BIOS password changed itself (I had to open the whole thing up and re-insert the battery), it's push-button to open it got stuck (so it was permanently pressed in), and its NIC broke. With my second, only the battery charging slot moved - but it's still an outright pain in the backside. So, I tend not to like their laptops any more - bad quality IMO.. Although I assume that can't be said for their desktops?

I would say go for an AMD Athlon 64 between the 3000 - 3700 range. Depending on your budget. 3500+ is a safe bet if it's not too expensive.
Thanks for your contribution mofokuban - I think I'll be getting a 3700+ if God and PC World's stock permit..

Thanks everyone for your help! Oh, and @tt - read the posts before you post..

Cheers,

-jk