Local Specialist Computer Shops?

[Gemmill 47252]

I'm looking to get a new computer and have been told vaguely what I need to ask for, so was wondering if anyone knows of a decent place I could go to to get it built. I know fuck all about computers, so I'm pretty much going in with a list of 3 requirements: Quad core processor, 2 or 4G RAM, and a graphics card that will allow me to run dual monitors.

 

Any and everything else that needs to go in it, I'm going to be at the mercy of the bloke in the shop, So I'd quite like to know somewhere I can go where I won't be walking out of the place with my trousers round my ankles. Any ideas?

[Gemmill 47252]

So I just thought and if anyone has any advice on what else should go in this thing then please feel free to add your thoughts. Include specific brand names etc even of some of the stuff I've already mentioned if you like cos I am truly clueless!

 

Any idea on likely cost of this exercise btw?

 

Fuck me, I am clueless.

[peasepud 59]

I went to Orbit (http://www.computerorbit.co.uk/) to have mine built, they seem to know what they're doing but at the same time people swear by Dell,

 

http://configure.euro.dell.com/dellstore/c...ils~inspndt_530 - For £769

 

 

EDIT: Anyway? I thought you were a Mac user?

[Gemmill 47252]

I went to Orbit (http://www.computerorbit.co.uk/) to have mine built, they seem to know what they're doing but at the same time people swear by Dell,

 

http://configure.euro.dell.com/dellstore/c...ils~inspndt_530 - For £769

 

 

EDIT: Anyway? I thought you were a Mac user?

 

Aye I am really, but I need to run stuff on it that doesn't have a Mac equivalent. I toyed with the idea of getting a Mac and using Parallels or VMWare Fusion to run Windows software on it, but it sounds like something that is going to be problematic. So I thought about getting a Mac and running Windows on it, but really what's the fucking point when I can get a PC cheaper.

 

Cheers for the links anyway, and for the suggestion of Dell. The computer it links to on Dell is only £449 though, but I'm guessing some of the configuring didn't come through on the link or something?? How do I know if I'm trying to build a computer on there whether the graphics card supports dual monitors?

Edited November 27, 2008 by Gemmill

[Gemmill 47252]

Looks like this monstrosity would do the trick. Any thoughts?

 

http://www.cocc.co.uk/itemcode=E-XM5EBU&am...UNIT~-~AMD.html

[Lazarus 0]

Id go for the Q6600 processor - if you shop around you should find it cheaper than this

 

http://www.aria.co.uk/SuperSpecials/Other+...productId=28356

 

id also go with 4gig of ram not 2gig if your gonna be using vista. you can pick this up in store too. this is where i got my ram from , all 8gig of it! (if link doesnt work its product code 083726)

 

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/store/pcw...p;category_oid=

 

you also need a good quality power supply - something like this

 

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/115010

 

for your hard drive drive id go with the 1tb f1 spinpoint with 32mb cache

 

http://www.aria.co.uk/SuperSpecials/Other+...productId=30998

 

graphics card doesnt have to be high spec if all you want is dual monitor

 

http://www.aria.co.uk/SuperSpecials/Other+...productId=33750

 

for a dvd drive, something like this

 

http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/...productId=31918

 

motherboard

 

http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/...productId=28609

[Gemmill 47252]

Nice one Laz, you are the man. And presumably if I go to one of these nerdshops with these requirements they'll cobble it all together for me?

 

Thanks very much for all the info.

[Tooj 17]

Laz is such a dweeb.

 

Fully aware btw I have over 12000 posts on this message board before anyone mentions that.

[Meenzer 15872]

Laz is such a dweeb.

 

Fully aware btw I have over 12000 posts on this message board before anyone mentions that.

 

And one of the last ones was about frottage avec moi.

[Tooj 17]

Laz is such a dweeb.

 

Fully aware btw I have over 12000 posts on this message board before anyone mentions that.

 

And one of the last ones was about frottage avec moi.

[Renton 22513]

Gemmill, I don't think you need to get one built for you, just use a company like Dell or Mesh and configure what you want on line, or go to PC world. What do you want to do with it other than run two monitors? If you're not arsed about gaming then I don't see why you need to pay more than £300 for the base unit. Just make sure the graphics card can run dual monitors, I would have though even the most basic ones can nowadays mind.

 

I'm getting a new one myself next week as it happens. It's going to cost more than a grand from Dell because apparently the latest i7 chipset shits over Intel's older dual or quad cores or AMD's phenoms. I want to play the latest games and future proof myself for 5 years, hence the cost, it's difficult to upgrade your CPU.

[Kid Dynamite 7329]

Today only I think

 

http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/58_7963.htm

 

http://www.computeractive.co.uk/computerac...-p7300d-desktop

Edited November 27, 2008 by Kid Dynamite

[Renton 22513]

Today only I think

 

http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/58_7963.htm

 

Never heard of 'Medion' but that's a canny offer and will play the latest games let alone run two monitors.

[ewerk 31604]

Today only I think

 

http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/58_7963.htm

 

Never heard of 'Medion' but that's a canny offer and will play the latest games let alone run two monitors.

 

I've got one, never had a problem with it. Very good value systems.

[Park Life 71]

Looks like this monstrosity would do the trick. Any thoughts?

 

http://www.cocc.co.uk/itemcode=E-XM5EBU&am...UNIT~-~AMD.html

 

The first thing Gems is there isn't much programs wise that will utilise a quad core unless you're doing digital music or video editing. IMO it's overkill. A Core 2 Duo is plenty. I was looking at a new pc the other day here and can get it down to €340 (Euro).

Edited November 27, 2008 by Park Life

[Gemmill 47252]

Cheers for all the advice lads. The reason for the computer is pretty much solely poker. But as part of that I use some software that is a big postgresql database. Now I don't claim to know what that means but what I do know is that is very processor intensive cos it's constantly importing new information so apparently the quad core is needed for that.

 

If I can get all this stuff from dell then maybe you are right Renton and I should just go down that route. I'm always just a bit scared I balls it up cos I'm so clueless with this stuff.

[Park Life 71]

Id go for the Q6600 processor - if you shop around you should find it cheaper than this

 

http://www.aria.co.uk/SuperSpecials/Other+...productId=28356

 

id also go with 4gig of ram not 2gig if your gonna be using vista. you can pick this up in store too. this is where i got my ram from , all 8gig of it! (if link doesnt work its product code 083726)

 

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/store/pcw...p;category_oid=

 

you also need a good quality power supply - something like this

 

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/115010

 

for your hard drive drive id go with the 1tb f1 spinpoint with 32mb cache

 

http://www.aria.co.uk/SuperSpecials/Other+...productId=30998

 

graphics card doesnt have to be high spec if all you want is dual monitor

 

http://www.aria.co.uk/SuperSpecials/Other+...productId=33750

 

for a dvd drive, something like this

 

http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/...productId=31918

 

motherboard

 

http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/...productId=28609

 

 

Yeah do this. But get a better graphics card for those little gaming emergencies.

[ChezGiven 0]

Bootcamp?

[Tooj 17]

Cheers for all the advice lads. The reason for the computer is pretty much solely poker. But as part of that I use some software that is a big postgresql database. Now I don't claim to know what that means but what I do know is that is very processor intensive cos it's constantly importing new information so apparently the quad core is needed for that.

 

If I can get all this stuff from dell then maybe you are right Renton and I should just go down that route. I'm always just a bit scared I balls it up cos I'm so clueless with this stuff.

[Lazarus 0]

Theres a pc shop on benfield road that will build a system for you, install xp (they hate vista) and test it to make sure everythings ok. costs £25 (you supply the parts obviously).

 

id imagine most local pc shops will do something very similar.

 

if you cant be arsed with all that just buy one off the shelf - and try not to pay more than £400-£500.

[ewerk 31604]

Also, if you're interested in saving a few quid then it may be better to wait til after Christmas to buy.

[Renton 22513]

Theres a pc shop on benfield road that will build a system for you, install xp (they hate vista) and test it to make sure everythings ok. costs £25 (you supply the parts obviously).

 

id imagine most local pc shops will do something very similar.

 

if you cant be arsed with all that just buy one off the shelf - and try not to pay more than £400-£500.

 

Support for XP is likely to stop next year though isn't it? Is it really that bad????

[Lazarus 0]

Theres a pc shop on benfield road that will build a system for you, install xp (they hate vista) and test it to make sure everythings ok. costs £25 (you supply the parts obviously).

 

id imagine most local pc shops will do something very similar.

 

if you cant be arsed with all that just buy one off the shelf - and try not to pay more than £400-£500.

 

Support for XP is likely to stop next year though isn't it? Is it really that bad????

 

Found this

 

Support for Windows XP will continue, in accordance with the Microsoft Support Lifecycle policy. This means that the Mainstream Support phase will end on April 14, 2009 and the Extended Support phase will end on April 8, 2014. That’s at least another 6 years of support remaining for Windows XP!

 

Dunno what the difference is between mainstream and extended support but it looks like xp still has a bit of life in it yet.

Edited November 27, 2008 by Lazarus

[Fop 1]

Theres a pc shop on benfield road that will build a system for you, install xp (they hate vista) and test it to make sure everythings ok. costs £25 (you supply the parts obviously).

 

id imagine most local pc shops will do something very similar.

 

if you cant be arsed with all that just buy one off the shelf - and try not to pay more than £400-£500.

 

Support for XP is likely to stop next year though isn't it? Is it really that bad????

 

Found this

 

Support for Windows XP will continue, in accordance with the Microsoft Support Lifecycle policy. This means that the Mainstream Support phase will end on April 14, 2009 and the Extended Support phase will end on April 8, 2014. That’s at least another 6 years of support remaining for Windows XP!

 

Dunno what the difference is between mainstream and extended support but it looks like xp still has a bit of life in it yet.

 

 

MS are shitting themselves over Linux and webbooks (that had a similar over Win98 and Linux in developing countries), and XP is their only weapon in that war (as Vista is far too bloaty ) they'll likely keep it extended for quite a bit (security updates are really the only issue anyway).

Edited November 27, 2008 by Fop

[Fop 1]

I'm looking to get a new computer and have been told vaguely what I need to ask for, so was wondering if anyone knows of a decent place I could go to to get it built. I know fuck all about computers, so I'm pretty much going in with a list of 3 requirements: Quad core processor, 2 or 4G RAM, and a graphics card that will allow me to run dual monitors.

 

Any and everything else that needs to go in it, I'm going to be at the mercy of the bloke in the shop, So I'd quite like to know somewhere I can go where I won't be walking out of the place with my trousers round my ankles. Any ideas?

 

 

Don't buy one yet, AMD are bringing out a new CPU early next year which at best will compete with Intel at a lower price and at worst will bring Intel prices down.