New PC

[Edt]

Anyone got any recommendations for a cheap custom PC builder?
Was look at nice new SONYs, but £1K plus a but rich for me right now.

So looked through ebay - very tempting deals - but without knowing any of the advertisers there cant tell whether good or rouge

Ta

Ed

[rich-uk]

I would recommend you have a look at www.dell.co.uk

Very good PC's backed up with good service.

If they're still too expensive, there's a Dell outlet somewhre on the website.

[stevieb]

Upgrade your own one over the coming months and spread the cost

Buy the main bits Processor Motherboard Memory Graphics.

Use the old case keyboard monitor HD soundcard etc you should be able to get a P4 2.8Gig system for around 400 to 500 depending on your choices



Steve

[Marvt74]

www.ebay.co.uk

Many of the computers for sale on there are good and reliable and some use suprisingly good components.

Or dell are also fairly good,

Though my main recomendation would be to go to www.aria.co.uk you can select your own components and they assemble it for 50quid, this allows you to use quality parts unlike what most pre built ones use. And if your not in the know many people on here could recommend what parts to use.

[plotloss]

Ed,

If you want a custom build I'm happy to help out...

[Edt]

Thanks fellas...

I did consider upgrading bit by bit.. but would like to keep this PC as is, for testing products on a different OS etc.

So, considering a replacement, decide I'd go for something I could rule the world with, like ...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=51144&item=2780017598

...and shove a DVD writer in there too. Possibly swap gaphics card for something meatier.

Anyone heard of these people ?

Regards
Ed

[Robbo1]

I'm looking at www.novatech.co.uk at the moment - they seem quite reasonable for Athlon 64 systems.

[Plotloss]

Edt said:

Thanks fellas... I did consider upgrading bit by bit.. but would like to keep this PC as is, for testing products on a different OS etc. So, considering a replacement, decide I'd go for something I could rule the world with, like ... http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=51144&item=2780017598 ...and shove a DVD writer in there too. Possibly swap gaphics card for something meatier. Anyone heard of these people ? Regards Ed

That looks like a good deal.

But he has to buy the bits from somewhere and there aint much margin in components so I will still say buy the bits and build it yourself...

[pdV6]

Edt said:

Thanks fellas... I did consider upgrading bit by bit.. but would like to keep this PC as is, for testing products on a different OS etc.

Get hold of a copy of Microsoft VirtualPC - for me, its made testing software on different (MS) platforms a piece of cake. Only one PC needed as well (but give it plenty of memory!)

[Edt]

Plotloss said:

Edt said: Thanks fellas... I did consider upgrading bit by bit.. but would like to keep this PC as is, for testing products on a different OS etc. So, considering a replacement, decide I'd go for something I could rule the world with, like ... <a href="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=51144&item=2780017598">http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=51144&item=2780017598</a> ...and shove a DVD writer in there too. Possibly swap gaphics card for something meatier. Anyone heard of these people ? Regards Ed That looks like a good deal. But he has to buy the bits from somewhere and there aint much margin in components so I will still say buy the bits and build it yourself...

Ahhh.... but the one thing I didnt mention is that I'm a lazy b*gger !

[stevieb]

Edt said:

Plotloss said: Edt said: Thanks fellas... I did consider upgrading bit by bit.. but would like to keep this PC as is, for testing products on a different OS etc. So, considering a replacement, decide I'd go for something I could rule the world with, like ... <a href="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=51144&item=2780017598"><a href="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=51144&item=2780017598">http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=51144&item=2780017598</a></a> ...and shove a DVD writer in there too. Possibly swap gaphics card for something meatier. Anyone heard of these people ? Regards Ed That looks like a good deal. But he has to buy the bits from somewhere and there aint much margin in components so I will still say buy the bits and build it yourself... Ahhh.... but the one thing I didnt mention is that I'm a lazy b*gger !

Ed i would consider buying a branded machine for that money as the components they will be using will be the budget end of the market and my not be up to the Job in hand.

Phone up dell and if you only need the base unit ask them to delete the monitor fromnthe order.. also checkout the dell outlet canceled orders and discounted

steve

[puggit]

Dell sale ended last week - mother Puggit got herself a 2.4 GHz, 256Mb, 15" TFT, DVD etc etc for £699

[Thumper]

Go on, try building one yourself! I'm in the middle of one (my first) at the moment.

Brand new tower case with lots of slots and spaces, £26. Top of the range Asus motherboard with every bell and whistle you could imagine (about £70), 3 GHz processor (about £80), 512 Mb RAM, 120 Gb SATA hard drive (£66), DVD/CD-RW (£30), plus various sundries from canibalised systems I had lying around (including 2 more CD readers, supplementary 10 Gb hard drive, floppy drive, extra cooling fan, twin-screen graphics card, as well as monitor, keyboard and mouse etc), total cost around £370.

On top of that, I've got the satisfaction of having built it myself, and I can upgrade it cheaply and easily when I need it. Well, that's the theory anyway.

[Edt]

Thumper said:

Go on, try building one yourself! I'm in the middle of one (my first) at the moment. Brand new tower case with lots of slots and spaces, £26. Top of the range Asus motherboard with every bell and whistle you could imagine (about £70), 3 GHz processor (about £80), 512 Mb RAM, 120 Gb SATA hard drive (£66), DVD/CD-RW (£30), plus various sundries from canibalised systems I had lying around (including 2 more CD readers, supplementary 10 Gb hard drive, floppy drive, extra cooling fan, twin-screen graphics card, as well as monitor, keyboard and mouse etc), total cost around £370. On top of that, I've got the satisfaction of having built it myself, and I can upgrade it cheaply and easily when I need it. Well, that's the theory anyway.

Have to admit I a little tempted.. all that for less than £400 is fab. But if I had problems I'd really be stuck, which would not be fab!

Ed

[ARCTURUS]

Whoa Thumper - 3GHz CPU for £80?!! Please tell me where from, 'cos I can't buy them that cheap even at trade prices!! Could we have a bit more info please?

[Roadrage]

Thumper said:

Go on, try building one yourself! I'm in the middle of one (my first) at the moment. Brand new tower case with lots of slots and spaces, £26. Top of the range Asus motherboard with every bell and whistle you could imagine (about £70), 3 GHz processor (about £80), 512 Mb RAM, 120 Gb SATA hard drive (£66), DVD/CD-RW (£30), plus various sundries from canibalised systems I had lying around (including 2 more CD readers, supplementary 10 Gb hard drive, floppy drive, extra cooling fan, twin-screen graphics card, as well as monitor, keyboard and mouse etc), total cost around £370. On top of that, I've got the satisfaction of having built it myself, and I can upgrade it cheaply and easily when I need it. Well, that's the theory anyway.

bet it was the A7N8X deluxe want it

great board aint it. I just stuck one in my main system.

but if you doing any over clocking m8 dump the north bridge cooler strait away and put a desent fan on it.

I stuck a blue orb on my the only thing about them boards is there a bit fussy on mem with the dule channel mem slots and realy need so good matched sticks of mem to run at it best.

its piss easy building a pc if you got half a brain.

just every now end then you come across a odd problem that takes some sorting.


just dont panic if some thing dont work at first

and there plenty of guides about on the net to building.

[ErnestM]

Thumper said:

Go on, try building one yourself! I'm in the middle of one (my first) at the moment. Brand new tower case with lots of slots and spaces, £26. Top of the range Asus motherboard with every bell and whistle you could imagine (about £70), 3 GHz processor (about £80), 512 Mb RAM, 120 Gb SATA hard drive (£66), DVD/CD-RW (£30), plus various sundries from canibalised systems I had lying around (including 2 more CD readers, supplementary 10 Gb hard drive, floppy drive, extra cooling fan, twin-screen graphics card, as well as monitor, keyboard and mouse etc), total cost around £370. On top of that, I've got the satisfaction of having built it myself, and I can upgrade it cheaply and easily when I need it. Well, that's the theory anyway.

Thumper - just finished building (and installing software on) my new system. Specs:

3.2Ghz Pentium 4 HT
Asus P4C800-E Deluxe (Intel 875 chipset 800mhz FSB)
1394, 6 USB2.0, Promise Raid/Intel Raid, Onboard Digital Audio, 1000Base TX net adapter
1 Gigabyte of PC3200 DDR 2CAS RAM
1 terrabyte of internal storage (All SATA)
1 DVDR/RW #R/#RW
1 DVD/CD-R/W
Asus V9980 Ultra (Nvidia GF 5950 based - 256m ddr ram)

I recycled my 20" LCD and my 5.1 surround sound...

Oh, almost forgot - additional 500GB of external storage...

Cheers All
ErnestM

[Thumper]

ARCTURUS said:

Whoa Thumper - 3GHz CPU for £80?!! Please tell me where from, 'cos I can't buy them that cheap even at trade prices!! Could we have a bit more info please?

I bought that (and quite a few other bits and pieces) from a computer fair - risky, I know, but I checked out the company by asking the organisers for a bit of history on them, they vouched for their reputation.

[Plotloss]

Ed, if you do give it a go and get stuck I'm only down the road and happy to help out...

[Thumper]

Roadrage said:

bet it was the A7N8X deluxe want it

Indeed it was! That's one reason why I went for the SATA hard drive.

Roadrage said:

but if you doing any over clocking m8 dump the north bridge cooler strait away and put a desent fan on it.

I got the fan, but forgot to pair the memory, so I'll get another 512 Mb next time I'm out.