[Dillinja]

I'm looking to upgrade my (aging) PC, however due to the amount of new compoents needed (CPU, MOBO, RAM, hard disc, CD/DVD writer, graphics card and even the case) I think it might be better just to buy a new one.

The spec. I had in mind is something along the lines of:

3GHz + cpu (either P4 or Athlon 64)
1gig PC3200 ram
6600GT (PCI-E)
CD writer + DVD combo (or DVD writer)
80gig(ish) HD
+ case, PSU etc.

The only thing I don't need is a monitor (and maybe keyboard, mouse and speakers).

What sort of price do you think I should be looking to pay and which are the best places to buy from?

I know it's cheaper to build my own, but I don't want to.

[Belloni]

Hmmm i don't know really lol i would say around the 700pounds mark ?! :S Don't ask me doe :P

You should really build your own mate ... MUCH more worth it !

[Reefsmoka]

Theres loads of sites that sell good pre built PC's but everyone here would strongly recomend you build your own, you can be saving loads of money, and with that money getting an even better PC.

If your scared of building your own PC, you shouldnt be, its relativly simple, just make sure you read the guidlines/instructions.

Anyway, heres some pre built computers if you must.

Overclockers
Komplett
Aria
Savastore

If i were you I would be looking at a system that contains an AMD 64+ processor, 1 gig memory, 100gig+ hd and a decent graphics card.

[Dillinja]

Originally Posted by Reefsmoka

If your scared of building your own PC, you shouldnt be, its relativly simple, just make sure you read the guidlines/instructions.

I'm fine when it comes to doing a simple upgrade such as adding more RAM and swapping graphics cards etc. I just don't know where to start when building a machine from scratch i.e. which case and PSU to get, making sure all the components are compatible, which fans and heatsinks to get etc.

Ideally I think I want some sort of 'barebones' sytem which comes with MOBO, CPU and RAM which are compatible with each other, plus a case, PSU and all the relevant fans and heatsinks and then the option to add other components of my choice such as graphics card, HD and optical drives.

Also if I buy a pre-built one I can get one with Windows XP already installed, as the only copy I have is a Windows 98 upgrade version.

[CSUnited14]

hmmm u can get a windows xp kinda cheap a oem version... but i just built my comp it was easy only thing hard is getting the cpu on and heatsink and fan thats all everything just slips in a clips.

[1nteger]

Dillinja - it's safe to say that in a forum like this where we mostly build our own machines, you're likely to get a lot of recommendations to do the same and build it yourself. While i would always build my own rig now, I only made that first jump into DIY when I had developed a lot of background knowledge and had a couple of friends with experience of self-building PCs - so i could esily get help.

We're always eager to help, but you might find that our online support is not fast enough when you're in the middle of a build. It sounds to me like you really do want to buy off the shelf for now (and maybe get into building later on) so as far as you spec goes, I would say that £600-£800 is reasonable.

For that kind of price though, you may end up with socket 754 rather than skt 939, and the case and PSU maybe a little cheap. Make sure you're not getting things like micro-ATX mobos with onboard sound and vid, rather than seperate video cards. If you want to play top end games, the vid in a basic off-the shelf PC may well be below what you need. A common weakness in shop-bought systems is the minimal consideration they give to things like internal cooling - use of only a single fan and so on. Also keep an eye on the warranty agreement that's included - what it costs for calls to their service helpdesk etc. What upgrades can you do yourself without voiding the warranty? etc...

Anyway, I hope the advice you got from here so far is useful...and come back if you want to get views on systems you think might fit your bill

[Dillinja]

Well i've decided to bite the bullet and build my own

Due to my financial situation i'm going to do it a bit at a time over a few weeks. I get paid weekly at the moment so i'll probably buy a new component or two every couple of weeks.

During this period i'll be a real nuisance to this forum and constantly ask questions, but i'll try to keep it to this one thread

I'd appriciate a list of good suppliers (and also the ones to avoid).

My first purchase will be the case, PSU and fan(s) for the case. These are the parts I know least about, so the more advice the better.

I've heard it's better to spend a bit more on the PSU, to get a good make. Which ones would you recommend (I think i'll need 400W at least, as I plan to have 2 GeForce 6600GT's running off of it one day.

Also can somebody recommend me a good case fan(s).

[Dillinja]

I've done a quick estimated cost of individual components:

case inc fan £40
PSU £40
MOBO £100 (Socket 939 nVidia SLi chipset)
Graphics card £120 + DVI cable (GeForce 6600GT)
HD £50
Memory £60 (1 gig PC3200)
Optical drives £35
Floppy £5
CPU inc. heatsink/fan £110 (Athlon 64 3000+)

Total: £560

Is anything there wildly out price wise? Also have I missed anything crucial?

[1nteger]

Originally Posted by Dillinja

I've done a quick estimated cost of individual components:

case inc fan £40
PSU £40
MOBO £100 (Socket 939 nVidia SLi chipset)
Graphics card £120 + DVI cable (GeForce 6600GT)
HD £50
Memory £60 (1 gig PC3200)
Optical drives £35
Floppy £5
CPU inc. heatsink/fan £110 (Athlon 64 3000+)

Total: £560

Is anything there wildly out price wise? Also have I missed anything crucial?

PSU may cost a little more for a top brand. You could consider an Antec case with a PSU installed...would cost around the £80 you budgeted for both and you'd be netting a good quality PSU.
Memory will probably be more than £60 for a gig of branded stuff (I'd avoid unbranded or 'generic' ram)
I think you'll be closer to £600 and then don't forget delivery charges.

I tend to get most of my stuff from Scan Computers in Bolton - I keep an eye on their 'Today Only' offers and order at reduced prices, then I collect everything from them at the weekend. It's only a 20 minute drive for me so it's convenient.

Other suppliers that seem ok are: eBuyer (probably the cheapest place for most parts); Overclockers.co.uk (good stuff but more expensive I reckon). I've also used Aria and several others. They all seem to have products that they keep prices low on (Aria are good for cases, for example)...but I guess you'll have to shop around

[Dillinja]

Originally Posted by 1nteger

PSU may cost a little more for a top brand. You could consider an Antec case with a PSU installed...would cost around the £80 you budgeted for both and you'd be netting a good quality PSU.
Memory will probably be more than £60 for a gig of branded stuff (I'd avoid unbranded or 'generic' ram)
I think you'll be closer to £600 and then don't forget delivery charges.

I tend to get most of my stuff from Scan Computers in Bolton - I keep an eye on their 'Today Only' offers and order at reduced prices, then I collect everything from them at the weekend. It's only a 20 minute drive for me so it's convenient.

Other suppliers that seem ok are: eBuyer (probably the cheapest place for most parts); Overclockers.co.uk (good stuff but more expensive I reckon). I've also used Aria and several others. They all seem to have products that they keep prices low on (Aria are good for cases, for example)...but I guess you'll have to shop around

I'm from Nottingham so Bolton's a bit far for me Will look on their website though.

I've been looking at Savastore.com as their prices seem quite good.

Which memory brands are good - the price I used was for Aries. The Corsair value select range is only slightly higher as well.