I am interested in knowing what ones you trust, especially if you have used them and especially if they allow you to customise the specifications :)
DinoPC.com
Just bought my last PC from there. Mix and match build from a base config
www.dell.com
Recent dells annoy me, as they have some very paranoid BIOS security.
I prefer to buy my parts from a physical shop, with advice from an expert (thus ruling out PC World).
Like you I'd never go to PC world CK, I am not brave enough to build my own computer from nothing though I know how to do it I am afraid I'd screw it up somewhere and I'd rather have the reassurance of a warranty.
Clyde, my last PC was from Dell, my mother also bought one from there and Waynet did as well.. To be honest they are hassle free to do business with, it's all very convenient and very expensive, they all come pre-installed with a load of software like macaffee etc which I just won't need. I'd rather install my own computer right down to the OS.
The best Dell deals are to be had in the Dell outlet, buying a refurbished Dell. Anyway I have decided to try another manufacturer this time.
Nzo, Dinopc look really really good however and I tend to think I'll be getting one from there, I'm playing with the customiser right now while I wait for the dinner to cook. I don't want to get anything too stupidly powerful as I dont have a lot to spend but it looks like I can get plenty of bang for my buck!
Having played with Dinopc's customiser, this is the one I *think* I'll be getting.
Quote
CPU: 02014 - Intel® Core 2 Quad Q9400
CPU Cooler: 03007 - Coolermaster Hyper TX3
Motherboard: 04048 - Asus P5P43TD (Intel P43 chipset, 4x DDR3, PCI-E 2.0)
Memory: 05013 - 4.0GB Corsair DDR3 1600mhz DHX CL9 (2x 2GB)
Hard Drives: 06006 - 1TB S-ATAII 3.0Gb/s
Optical Drive: 07008 - 6x Blu-Ray ROM S-ATA
Graphics card: 09021 - ATI Radeon HD 5850 1GB
Sound card: 10001 - Onboard 7.1 Audio
Operating System: 11015 - Microsoft® Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
Software: 12001 - Nero and PowerDVD
Internet: 13003 - Wireless 802.11G PCI card
PSU: 18010 - 700W EZCool Tornado
Case: 17015 - Antec Three Hundred
Warranty: 1000 - 3 Year Bronze Warranty
How much is that Bro? I'm gonna upgrade just before xmas too :)
Hehe, that one was about £800 worth. Interestingly I researched the components and I couldn't even build it myself for that!
After having thought about it a bit I think that I'll end up with something a bit more modest though.
My mate in work has just bought one of these:
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/170254/show_product_overview (http://www.ebuyer.com/product/170254/show_product_overview)
Says it handles everything he chucks at it. Is running Windows 7 64bit.
ebuyer also give 10% off the cost of Windows 7 if you buy it with the pc.
For what you use it for it will last you a few years.
I need something more future proof though, the motherboard is what puts me off that system. The processor is fine, the graphics card is middle of the road (about £80 worth) and the motherboard can only handle ddr2 ram.
This system with a better card, power supply and motherboard would last you longer. Ideally I'd like a gfx card that can run opengl 3.1 and directx 11.. Did a bit of tweaking over at dinopc.com and came up with this;
It works out at about £720, has a great motherboard, fast processor, a monster of a graphics card, loads of cooling and loads of power. It can take up to 16gb of ddr3 ram too so it's pretty future proof and should last 6 years as long as you change the gfx card every couple of years and keep adding memory :)
CPU: 01018 - AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition
CPU Cooler: 03007 - Coolermaster Hyper TX3
Motherboard: 04049 - Asus M4A785TD-M Evo (AMD 785G Chipset, 4x DDR3, Onboard Video)
Memory: 05028 - 4GB DDR3 1333mhz (2x 2GB)
Hard Drives: 06004 - 500GB S-ATAII 3.0Gb/s
Optical Drive: 07006 - 22x DVD±RW DL S-ATA Lightscribe
Graphics card: 09014 - ATI Radeon HD 4890 1GB
Sound card: 10001 - Onboard 7.1 Audio
Operating System: 11015 - Microsoft® Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
Internet: 13003 - Wireless 802.11G PCI card
PSU: 18010 - 700W EZCool Tornado
Case: 17015 - Antec Three Hundred
Warranty: 1000 - 3 Year Bronze Warranty
Quote
CPU: 01018 - AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition
CPU Cooler: 03007 - Coolermaster Hyper TX3
Motherboard: 04049 - Asus M4A785TD-M Evo (AMD 785G Chipset, 4x DDR3, Onboard Video)
Memory: 05028 - 4GB DDR3 1333mhz (2x 2GB)
Hard Drives: 06004 - 500GB S-ATAII 3.0Gb/s
Optical Drive: 07006 - 22x DVD±RW DL S-ATA Lightscribe
Graphics card: 09014 - ATI Radeon HD 4890 1GB
Sound card: 10001 - Onboard 7.1 Audio
Operating System: 11015 - Microsoft® Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
Internet: 13003 - Wireless 802.11G PCI card
PSU: 18010 - 700W EZCool Tornado
Case: 17015 - Antec Three Hundred
Warranty: 1000 - 3 Year Bronze Warranty
Whoa! :kewl: Very Good PC Spec :)
I like the 3 year Warranty
At the moment I am using Gaming Laptop and I do aware that Gaming Laptop have short life span but I will get Desktop PC maybe in few years time
The 4xxx series from ATI does not do DirectX 11 though, you will need the 5xxx series for that.
Thanks Zawran.
I read some pretty bad stuff about them tonight though :-\
http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/forums/index.cfm?action=showthread&threadid=287563&forumid=2 (http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/forums/index.cfm?action=showthread&threadid=287563&forumid=2)
try look this one
lhttp://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/hdoutlets.html (http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/hdoutlets.html)
There is also SuperStore Address of Novatech
214a Penarth Road
Grangetown
Cardiff
CF11 8NN
There is another good Site called microdirect
http://www.microdirect.co.uk
Good Luck Nick :)
Sorry to jump in on this m8 but i am after a new monitor i have a HP W19 at the mo & i want to upgrade i want to spend about £200 to £250 any ideas guys??
Quote
Sorry to jump in on this m8 but i am after a new monitor i have a HP W19 at the mo & i want to upgrade i want to spend about £200 to £250 any ideas guys??
Have good look in there
http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Home/Search/Monitors-TVs/
Just a quick one for Shockwave:
Dino is great for building top-end PCs. I don't know much about the lower end stuff.
Generically, Intel+Nvidia or AMD+ATI - they have made camps :)
I would plug for an I7 based system if you can. Get the lowest - 920, as it can be easily reclocked - even in s/f realtime!
Give me a shout before you buy - you really should go I7 with Nvidia
QuoteSorry to jump in on this m8 but i am after a new monitor i have a HP W19 at the mo & i want to upgrade i want to spend about £200 to £250 any ideas guys??
I can highly recommend Samsung. Its not the cheepest monitors around, but they are well worth the money. I myself have two different 24" models, and my brother and his wife have a 24" and 22" and none of us had ever had any issues at all and are really happy with the pictures on these.
Which models are they mate so I can check them out?
One of them is not sold anymore, its SyncMaster 244T, (its probably about 3 years old now, but I still use it daily and the image is the same as when I bought it). My newest one is SyncMaster 2494HM (that I use for gaming) runs at 1920x1080 with hdmi input. http://www.samsung.com/uk/consumer/pc-peripherals/monitors/professional/LS24KIQRFV/EDC/index.idx?pagetype=prd_detail (http://www.samsung.com/uk/consumer/pc-peripherals/monitors/professional/LS24KIQRFV/EDC/index.idx?pagetype=prd_detail)
Looks amazing mate whats the sound like through the in built speakers??
The sound is decent, but its not great compaired to a good speaker set. Especially the lower bass sounds suffer. But thats expected on any kind of monitor speakers. I don't use it, I play with headset all the time. On my other pc I use a logitech 2.1 channel set.
That's good then m8 i will be looking to get one of these then after christmas in the sales as i have only found this for £240 on amazon ..