Custom Built PC's

[chez]

Have any of you used the net to buy a custom built PC rather than just picking one from PC World or Dell?

If so where was the cheapest price? I've been quoted £270 including delivery from www.arbico.co.uk for this one and am wondering if I could get it cheaper anywhere.

Windows Vista Ready
64 Bit AMD AM2 Athlon 64 Dual Core 4000 x 2 CPU
Gigabyte GA MA69VM-S2 Motherboard
512MB nVidia 7300GS PCI-E Turbo Cache Graphics Card (256MB on board and 256MB shared from system RAM)
1 GB Kingston 667Mhz PC5300 DDR2 RAM
160GB SATA Hard Drive
20X Dual Layer DVD +/- Rewriter
7.1 Channel Audio
Onboard 10/100 Ethernet - Broadband ready
Onboard 256MB X1200 Graphics Card
Xblade Silver ATX midi tower case

£209.78 £246.49 Inc VAT


All help greatly appreciated.

 

[bhaexpress]

It's all well and good saying that you can get a custom built PC cheaply but you have to ask how much on the kit is actually new and then are they of good quality. Anybody who's owned a Time or a Tiny PC (for example) will know what I mean. I'd rather pay a bit more and get one from Dell or similar.

 

[chez]

It's all well and good saying that you can get a custom built PC cheaply but you have to ask how much on the kit is actually new and then are they of good quality. Anybody who's owned a Time or a Tiny PC (for example) will know what I mean. I'd rather pay a bit more and get one from Dell or similar.

Just looked on their site for an answer to this question as its obviously something to consider and found this in the FAQ's.


"We only use quality PC parts and components. Our product range comprises brands such as INTEL, AMD, ASUS, CORSAIR, KINGSTON, GIGABYTE, MSI, MAXTOR, SEAGATE, WESTERN DIGITAL, IBM, PIONEER, LITEON, PHILIPS, NEC, XFX, FOXCONN etc. If you buy a custom built PC from us you can be sure that your PC will be built with the best of care using quality components."

Seems that they use good quality components, nothing however about whether they are new or used though.

Really I'm just after info on whether people reckon its a decent price or not.

 

[ridda]

Try this place http://www.autdirect.co.uk/
I got my last one from them, very good value for the money.

 

[Wozza]

I've built/upgraded PCs for nearly 20 years, but couldn't resist this Dell at Xmas (won't be as cheap now)...

VostroTM 200 MT
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo E6550 Processor (2.33GHz,1333MHz,4MB cache)
Memory: 2048MB 667MHz Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM [2x1024]
Keyboard: Logitech™ Cordless Desktop™ EX110 - UK/Irish (QWERTY)
Video Card: Integrated Intel® Graphic Media Accelerator X3100
Hard Drive: 500GB (7200rpm) Serial ATA Hard Drive with 16MB DataBurst™ cache
19-in-1 Media Card Reader
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Basic - English
16x DVD +/- RW Drive
Integrated 7.1 Channel High Definition Audio
Internal Wireless PCI Card
Microsoft® Works 8.5 - English
£282.01 inc VAT

(The standard model was actually under £200 - I upgraded the processor and a few bits)

 

[Wozza]

PS Good Dell deals appear here: http://www.hotukdeals.com/all/all/new?mf=28

 

[chez]

Cheers Wozza. Thing is from what I've heard Vista is a big no no so I do want one without an OS so that I can load my current version of XP onto it, and a hard drive isn't even a necessity to be honest as I can just switch mine over.

 

[chez]

Try this place http://www.autdirect.co.uk/
I got my last one from them, very good value for the money.

Seems like a decent place Ridda. Had a look at one on there that fits my requirements for under £200. Gonna try and get them to change the case though as the one given initially is pretty uninteresting.

Cheers

 

[Wozza]

Cheers Wozza. Thing is from what I've heard Vista is a big no no so I do want one without an OS so that I can load my current version of XP onto it, and a hard drive isn't even a necessity to be honest as I can just switch mine over.

Dell offer a choice of XP or Vista.

 

[Marc]

Have any of you used the net to buy a custom built PC rather than just picking one from PC World or Dell?

I've custom built since the days of 286s in the early 1990s, probably because I'm picky as to what I want in my system but it just seems better to me. Do whatever suits you, if you're into upgrading GPUs/CPUs every year then Custom all the way. If you want a PC that will last 3-4 years then just grab a Dell or similar.

 

[Raphael Meade]

I've built/upgraded PCs for nearly 20 years, but couldn't resist this Dell at Xmas (won't be as cheap now)...

VostroTM 200 MT
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo E6550 Processor (2.33GHz,1333MHz,4MB cache)
Memory: 2048MB 667MHz Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM [2x1024]
Keyboard: Logitech™ Cordless Desktop™ EX110 - UK/Irish (QWERTY)
Video Card: Integrated Intel® Graphic Media Accelerator X3100
Hard Drive: 500GB (7200rpm) Serial ATA Hard Drive with 16MB DataBurst™ cache
19-in-1 Media Card Reader
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Basic - English
16x DVD +/- RW Drive
Integrated 7.1 Channel High Definition Audio
Internal Wireless PCI Card
Microsoft® Works 8.5 - English
£282.01 inc VAT

(The standard model was actually under £200 - I upgraded the processor and a few bits)

that is a BLOODY good deal!

 

[perseus]

I rang up Dell and they will provide one without Vista with XP instead.

What you need is the guarantee the bloody thing works for three years. Basically, you are buying the use for this period.

The only trouble with Dell is their parts are not interchangeable with standard computers.

 

[Cian]

I rang up Dell and they will provide one without Vista with XP instead.

What you need is the guarantee the bloody thing works for three years. Basically, you are buying the use for this period.

The only trouble with Dell is their parts are not interchangeable with standard computers.

Motherboard and powersupply are the only non-standard components in a Dell (except for the low profile ones, and even then low-profile PCI is a standard)

 

[Wozza]

that is a BLOODY good deal!

Aye, not as good as this though (early January offer)...

Intel Celeron 420 Processor (1.6GHz,800MHz,512k cache)
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Basic - English
1024MB 667MHz Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM [2x512]
160GB (7200rpm) Serial ATA Hard Drive with 8MB DataBurst cache
Integrated Intel Graphic Media Accelerator X3100
Dell Entry Quietkey USB Keyboard - UK/Irish (QWERTY)
Dell 2 Button USB Optical Mouse
Integrated 7.1 Channel High Definition Audio
Microsoft Works 8.5 - English
16x DVD +/- RW Drive
£125.72 (inc VAT) - note: offer now finished

System builders can't hope to compete with offers like that.

 

[clippedgull]

Aye, not as good as this though (early January offer)...

Intel Celeron 420 Processor (1.6GHz,800MHz,512k cache)
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Basic - English
1024MB 667MHz Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM [2x512]
160GB (7200rpm) Serial ATA Hard Drive with 8MB DataBurst cache
Integrated Intel Graphic Media Accelerator X3100
Dell Entry Quietkey USB Keyboard - UK/Irish (QWERTY)
Dell 2 Button USB Optical Mouse
Integrated 7.1 Channel High Definition Audio
Microsoft Works 8.5 - English
16x DVD +/- RW Drive
£125.72 (inc VAT) - note: offer now finished

System builders can't hope to compete with offers like that.

Very basic though!

And for the non techies these deals do not include a monitor.

 

[Grizz]

Picked my system up from www.pcspecialist.co.uk and in over a year she's run like a dream playing the latest games with no problems at all.

 

[Conkers]

I really can't understand why people are so against Vista. I have had no problems with it apart from a few "old games" being incompatible (and I mean OLD).
Networking is much easier than XP and it does everything you would ask of an Operating System.
Most of these problems have been spouted by Mac fan boys who believe Vista is a copy of their operating system. Of course it is! It's a good operating system (to some extent). They are just jealous PC users can now experience a nice looking (although demanding) operating system just like Mac users have done for many years.

Unless you plan to be designing the next space shuttle using Vista then you probably won't have any problems with it.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Buy a mac.

 

[moggy]

hey chez.

our old drinking mate steve, the macca bros mate has just opened up a shop called evolution in southwick square building custon pcs.

you may wanna try him

 

[Cian]

Unless you plan to be designing the next space shuttle using Vista then you probably won't have any problems with it.

UAC - causes problems with *everything*. Including currently sold and supported versions of Microsoft software (Access 2003, for instance), ironically.

If you're designing mission critical applications for anything you will have problems with Vista.