new system - where to buy

[effectica]

Hi,
I have been looking for quite some time around for a good PC shop.
In my hometown unfortunately the only shop that would be able to build a computer with the specs I want, has already conned me once, so now I was looking for some retailers that have a website from where I can chose the PC I want.

I guess many users have my same problem: who to trust when buying online?
I bought many PC magazines and in all of them there is a lot of advertisement for MESH computers. Luckily I came across this site before making the big mistake of buying from them.

My other option was Alienware, but finally I came across VADIM computers which has a lot of good products and options for buling your custom system, and I definetly prefer the system I came up with on the VADIM computers site rather than the one I came up with on the Alienware site.

My question is, has anyone ever bought a computer from VADIM computers? Can one trust them ? Or is there any way to verify if it is a reliable company.
I don't want to pay and lose thousands of pounds to some "stranger" on the net. I have goggled their name up, but haven't found anything really.
I don't want to offend anybody, it is just that anybody can build a nice website and say that they are the best thing that you ever came across.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and I appreciate any help
Regards
effectica

 

[ChristopherP]

You can buy the components you want from places like www.overclockers.co.uk , www.aria.co.uk and www.ebuyer.com and put the PC together yourself... that way you know you wouldnt be getting ripped off.

Whats your max budget, what does it have to include, and what do you want?

 

[effectica]

Hi,
thank you for the reply.
I agree that one of the better options is to buy components from the places you mentioned, but I do not have the knowledge necessary to build a computer.
I've heard so mabny times people saying that it is easy, but for the money I am willing to spend on it, I dont' want to take any chances.

I was looking to spend around those £2500, and I was looking for a system along the lines to the one I came up with at the VADIM computers site:

CASE:
Thermaltake Aluminium Silver Kandalf Window (No PSU)

COOLING:
Antarctic Cooling (3-5 Fans digital controlled+VGA|HD Cooling)

PSU ( Power supply Unit):
Seasonic S12 Silent 600w PSU

Motherboard:
Asus A8N32 SLI Deluxe (skt 939)

CPU:
AMD X2 4800 SKT 939 Retail (2.4GHz 2x1Mb)

CPU Cooling:
Zalman CNPS9500-LED Aero Flower Cooler Copper

Memory (RAM):
Corsair 4 Gb XMS PT DDR500 CL3 Non ECC

Graphics Card x 2:
XFX Nvidia 7800GT Extreme LED 450Mhz 256Mb PCIe TVO

Hard Drive 1:
74Gb Raptor 10000 8mb E-SATA

Hard Drive 2:
300Gb Barracuda 7200.9 16mb Cache SATA2 NCQ

CD ROM:
Sony CDRW DVD Combo 52x32x52x16 OEM Silver

Floppy Drive:
Mitsumi Silver 1.44 FD with 7in1 card reader

Network Card :
BELKIN PCI High-Speed Mode Wireless G Card

Sound Card:
Creative 7.1 Audigy 4 OEM

Operating System:
Windows XP Professional 64 bit OEM

I think this is a pretty good computer.
Anyway, thanks for the help
effectica

 

[chelseafc2005]

ok i think it would be better to build the computer, do you have any friends that could do it for you and know what they are doing?? Also i dont think you need the soundcard as there is good onboard 7.1 sound on the motherboard you want to get. Also is this machine for gaming?because if it is the dual core is not the best one to go i would get maybe an amd fx of somesort i think that would be a faster gamer and if the system aint for gaming is there really any need for the two graphics cards?? Also with xp64bit from what i believe it does not have all the compatibility that xp pro 32 bit has like with drivers and i think with software so if you do get it i heard it is better to run it dual boot with a standard 32 bit xp.

 

[effectica]

Hi and thank you chelseafc2005, I agree with what you say and thank you for the tips.

One last thing.
No the computer isn't for gaming, it is mainly for graphics design.
But I like to play when I get a chance , and since I have never had a good pc that would handle games i like to play, smoothly; I thought I would go for 2 graphic cards.
So you suggest to get only 1 anyway?

Thank you

 

[Me__2001]

thats one hell of a spec you've got there, a few changes though

for the RAM drop the CAS 3.0 DDR500 and get some Corsair XMS DDR400 CAS 2 TwinX

personally i'd get a DVDRW aswell as the CD writer

drop the soundcard, the onboard sound is perfectly acceptable unless your an audiophile

dont bother XP pro 64bit, it will be more trouble than you think normal XP pro is fine

 

[effectica]

Thank you Me_2001 member.php?u=5660 for the advice, I will certainly keep that in mind.

 

[CITech]

Nice spec mate! A few suggestions for you ....

I agree with Me_2001, don't even bother wasting your time with XP64 for the moment, take it from someone who tried and gave up! It will have it's time, but there just isn't enough decent software and drivers out there to make it worth the grief at the moment.

Second thing, double check that your MOBO can actually handle XP32 with 4GB RAM. I have 4GB in mine but XP only recognises 2.45GB within the O/S so you might be able to save a few pennies! (I'm not sure whether its a MOBO or O/S restriction )

 

[effectica]

Thanks for the heads up CITech.

 

[muckshifter]

Nice spec mate! A few suggestions for you ....

Second thing, double check that your MOBO can actually handle XP32 with 4GB RAM. I have 4GB in mine but XP only recognises 2.45GB within the O/S so you might be able to save a few pennies! (I'm not sure whether its a MOBO or O/S restriction )

It is an MS “feature” of XP32 for compatibility purposes ...