pre-built PC's

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11-01-2005, 10:30 PM
shiato storm

pre-built PC's

to save me a whole load of hassle, and time no doubt, I've been hunting around (doh! maybe didn't save much time after all, anyways...) and was wondering what various pre-built PC's were like and who were the better to buy from. I'm not a fan of Dell by the way...something about them i don't trust.
found a 64AMD nforce4 computer at carrera Octan NF4 Express (which is cheaper at order247) :) for £703...

Quote:

Carrera Centurion Case (Black) Nfoce 4 Athlon 64 Motherboard, 3500+, 17inch TFT NEC 72VM Monitor, 1024MB DDR (400Mhz) Memory, 160GB SATA 7200rpm HDD, 16x DVDROM + NEC3500a DVD Writer 16x +/- , nVIDIA 6600 PCI Express 256Mb Graphics

- no idea what the NF4 board is though but there aren't that many around at the mo are there?
could anyone point me, suggest, a similar - better! - system? i think a full out of the box one would be best as in my experience components seem to die once I touch them! if I got a whole one I;d just weld the darn case shut and forget about it!
11-01-2005, 10:42 PM
skuzgib

Go on... build it yourself.
You know you want to ;)
11-01-2005, 10:49 PM
shiato storm

corse I do - thing is I'm petrified of burning half of bristol down with it when it goes pop!
11-01-2005, 10:53 PM
0iD

Might as well build your own if you were thinking of buying a Carrera http://forums.hexus.net/showthread.php?t=35610
11-01-2005, 10:56 PM
shiato storm

just found this -

Quote:

PC vendor Carrera SSC, its associated company Demonite Computers and parent Digital Network PLC, have gone into administration. So has their online retail arm Order247.co.uk. We have no information yet on the position over warranties and outstanding orders. We'll post more news when we get it.

edit: so did hexus...!
11-01-2005, 11:01 PM
0iD

So, self build it is then Mr Storm :D
11-01-2005, 11:02 PM
johnnr892

thats what i thought when i built my first but it was worth it in the end :)
11-01-2005, 11:06 PM
0iD

Yeah, you always brick it a bit on your first build. Half the fun.
11-01-2005, 11:15 PM
shiato storm

i'm sure the neighbourhood is looking forwards to the mass power-drain coming their way! :rockon:
11-01-2005, 11:26 PM
Destroyer^

never buy a pc from dell there mobos dont come with agp slots! 2 of my mates brought fromd ell and there agp slot was missing! :heckle:
12-01-2005, 12:17 AM
shiato storm

what?!! mobos with no agp?
not pci-e??
would that be the integrated graphics processor that makes your internet faster then?
dell = money grabbing gypsies perhaps...?
12-01-2005, 12:25 AM
mr_anderson187

someone give shiato a cookie :)

lmao
12-01-2005, 12:42 AM
StormPC

Tell me what you want and I'll build it for you. :cool:
12-01-2005, 01:01 AM
mr_anderson187

lol... something as powerfull as what they use at NASA, just look to stormpc's house,

p.s. u got pm stormpc
12-01-2005, 01:02 AM
shiato storm

something that can take down a satellite at the press of a switch - usually shortly after I click 'start' hehe!

um, well, I was looking along the lines of MSI Neo2 Plat, 3000+ (939), 1gig ram, decent but not massively pricey gfx card (been looking at sapphire 9600xt), might need a psu too, all to fit in existing case... might get a tft at some point too.

there have been some decent bundles about on the web for mobo, psu (939) and 512mb for around (komplett have an ok one but its 745 not 939...figure dual channel is best for 'future proofing' and lastability) leaving me to get gfx and other bits as needed. anyway, bottom line is I want something thats not gonna be a door stop in a years time due to some failure of parts ... its happened before.
12-01-2005, 03:15 AM
AaronTBE

if you dont want to build it which i can understand if your new to building, you could get a friend who knows how or get some one at hexus to build it for a few quid, if you have a local computer store im sure they would put it together for you for a small fee, all you would have to do when you get it back is pop in your copy of windows and voila!

Think if you want to build it first tho, ram slots in, psu screws in, drives slide in, mobo screws in case, gfx slots in, pop power and ide cables in EASY PEASY! All you need to take care of is the cpu, drop it in close bar, drop heatsink on top (already has paste on) and push the bar into place, after all you get instructions and if you need any help hexus is here! You wont realise how easy and money saving it is until you do it yourself.

find out what parts you want, ask hexus i would go definetly 64-939 winchester 3200+ is the better 4 overclocking and cuple o quid more than the 3000,

get a decent PSU!!

decide if you need a case and dvd cd rom drives floppy etc,
mobo you could check cpc magazine to get an idea of what you prefer, a8v series are popular atm

1gb of 3200 is normally around 110 quid make sure its off a decent company like corsair or crucial.

same with graphics a choice of nvidia or ati, take ur pick and choose your budget
12-01-2005, 12:09 PM
shiato storm

well i saw this [posted it before in another thread]
http://www.lowestonweb.com/Products/...3-A7CB90A5A0E6
looks ok to me, just need gfx card and psu...and cpu fan. a quiet one!

p.s. psu i was thinking about is an enermax 420w (or 450w) one, are these good and reliable as I've heard some makes are utterly hopeless and about as stable as the italian government (i.e. not very) burning various components along with itself as it dies!
12-01-2005, 12:19 PM
0iD

Quote:

Originally Posted by shiato storm

well i saw this [posted it before in another thread]
http://www.lowestonweb.com/Products/...3-A7CB90A5A0E6
looks ok to me, just need gfx card and psu...and cpu fan. a quiet one!

p.s. psu i was thinking about is an enermax 420w (or 450w) one, are these good and reliable as I've heard some makes are utterly hopeless and about as stable as the italian government (i.e. not very) burning various components along with itself as it dies!

Stear clear of Q-Tec & Hiper. Enermax are good tho :)
12-01-2005, 12:21 PM
shiato storm

ah yes, I remember now what I read: q-tes & hiper = firestarters! :rockon:
i see you have a tagan...they about the same as enermax?
12-01-2005, 12:59 PM
0iD

Quote:

Originally Posted by shiato storm

ah yes, I remember now what I read: q-tes & hiper = firestarters! :rockon:
i see you have a tagan...they about the same as enermax?

Both reliable brands yes. I think the Tagan has marginally more stable rails, if you're drawing a lot of power.
12-01-2005, 01:02 PM
shiato storm

hmmm...ok. price-wise how are they?
12-01-2005, 01:27 PM
0iD

Tagans seem to be about £5-£10 more expensive then Enermax's
12-01-2005, 01:47 PM
shiato storm

ah ha! how about a neo2 board, 3000+, 512 and ati9800 pro 128mb for a total (inc vat and delivery) just shy of 350. not a bad start me thinks.
12-01-2005, 05:51 PM
0iD

Nope, that's a darned fine start! :)
12-01-2005, 06:05 PM
nvening

So just how much were u thinking of spending? (ex monitor) Get the 3200+ winchester 939 if u cant get a 3500, a gig is plenty and how much on a graphics card? Also i would go for an nforce4 board they are very good and i think pci-e is a must have on a new system.
12-01-2005, 06:07 PM
nvening

oh and i would go for a tagan PSU and a new case (but then i dont no what you have now)
12-01-2005, 06:26 PM
StormPC

I still really like the ASUS A8V. After all, it IS the fastest ASUS motherboard on the planet according to the FM 3DMark2001 ORB. The only reason anyone should go NF4 is if they are running SLI or a PCI-e graphics card, or if they just HAVE to have 10 USB ports on the motherboard.
12-01-2005, 08:01 PM
shiato storm

well i'm not after the latest and greatest or anything, just something that's a relative budget option for longevity - and not 3months as my last computer hadbefore it went to the big black screen in the sky...psu fried it all me thinks!
so i think the above set up is more than enough - expandable yet good to start off with anyway so little need to for quite some time (barring any problems!
12-01-2005, 11:14 PM
shiato storm

ah...now heres a thing. wonder if I could save a bob or two
9800pro at £125 is cheapest i found so far but also the 9600 pro at 68. at about £57 less is it a good 'budget' compromise option instead of the 9800? - for the money saved I'd get some more ram to fit the system I plan no probs. or a psu, or an HDD! or should I chew bullets and get flexed up with the 9800?!
any where cheaper than 125?
13-01-2005, 12:32 AM
AaronTBE

ram is cheaper to upgrade when you have spare 50 quid, graphics will cost u at least 125 when u want to upgrade, id go for the betta graphics and upgrade the ram later 512 will be enough for now
13-01-2005, 12:48 AM
shiato storm

fair point. sold me on that issue. saved me £50 too! :bowdown:
13-01-2005, 01:03 AM
shiato storm

p.s. is a 420w enermax enough for a system not intended for overclocking or would something higher be better...want quiet psu!!
13-01-2005, 01:21 AM
Agent

Its plenty.
13-01-2005, 01:30 AM
shiato storm

fantabulous. right, now to find a deal on 420w silent psu's!! off I go a-ordering :D
13-01-2005, 12:44 PM
shiato storm

what are 3xs psus like?

edit: there's an akasa 460w psu on offer at overclockers.co.uk
are akasa ok psu's?
13-01-2005, 01:41 PM
AaronTBE

Quote:

Originally Posted by shiato storm

what are 3xs psus like?

edit: there's an akasa 460w psu on offer at overclockers.co.uk
are akasa ok psu's?

go for the tagan or ernamax both reliable, i wouldnt bother straying away after all if you want 1 to last you years to come, and will kick the ass of the unlimited upgrade opertunities of a computer, ull make the right choice,
i was like you and bought a 550w silent by some random make after a month it kept crashing my computer and blew up, glad i dint lose all the money of hardware in it.

Better to save your computer and have it run extra sweet for the sake of 20 quid or so, sure ppl will agree
13-01-2005, 01:44 PM
shiato storm

right fair enough
I'v found a 9700pro for £90...i don't need all the 9800's power so I may go for the 9700 instead. is the 9800 significantly faster?
oh hang on - do either the 9800pro or 9700pro need extra power from the psu, as i heard some cards need this...?
13-01-2005, 01:51 PM
shiato storm

darn - wish OcUK's delivery prices weren't so freakin' much!! iguess they want you to buy it all from them to cut the cost
13-01-2005, 10:07 PM
RDL

The 9800pro gives you 10 extra FPS over the 9700pro, however you can easily soft-mod the 9800pro to an XT to give you an added boost. However if you're spending that sort of money you'd be just aswell investing a little more for a 6600gt which will last you longer.