New computer

[CESIL]

Hi All,

 

I have just come into a small windfall (ok, so it's £500) and want to treat myself to a new home computer.

 

Any suggestions as to the best (INYHO) place to either buy a complete system or the parts to build one?

 

Cheers

 

Mark

[synaesthesia]

eBuyer usually. £500 gets a lot, depends what you want to do. A good bet has always been the i5 3570k on Z77 mainboard, 8GB ram, SSD, HDD of choice for storage and a midrange graphics card if needed. Of course never scrimp on the power supply, if you need cheap then coolermaster do both case & psu for under 60 quid. Of course the new Haswell range of processors is out too which provides yet more graphical boost if you're not gaming/enough for a discrete card.

[jonnykewell1]

Just been looking at this nice little bundle, add a good PSU and a decent graphics card and you have a really good system in the 500's. The hyper link takes you to the scan website.

 

3XS - Hardware Bundle with Core i5 4430 Quad Core Haswell CPU

[CAM]

Does that bundle come with thermal paste?

[jonnykewell1]

It's usually already in place and mounted on the motherboard when you get these bundles I believe.

[dhicks]

Any suggestions as to the best (INYHO) place to either buy a complete system or the parts to build one?

 

What sort of home system - where are you going to put it and what are you going to do with it? I have an all-in-one at home as we're a bit limited on space and wanted something pretty much silent. I actually got mine from Currys, but I see that VeryPC are doing a nice-looking all-in-one now complete with touchscreen. I do also have a completly silent Intel NUC in a Tranquil PC fanless case - that should make a good general workstation, if you want something quiet but with a decent bit of power.

 

If you're making your own "desktop" PC, I'd go for one of Streacom's fanless cases - very similar construction to Tranquil PCs, but generally with enough room for a graphics card and so on if that's the kind of thing you're aiming for.

[ICTDirect_Dave]

Check out Custom Build PC | Gaming PC | Desktop PC | Gaming Laptops PC - MESH Computers - Award Winning Since 1987 They usually have some cracking deals on hom / gaming PCs

[Danp]

Also depends if you need monitor (s), Windows licence and keyboard etc

 

How about this for just a base Novatech Barebone Bundle - Intel Core i7 4770 - 8GB DDR3 1600Mhz - Intel Z87 Chipset Motherboard - Novatech Gaming Tower Case & 500W PSU | BB-47708A

[jonnykewell1]

that's a nice little machine that isn't it Danp.

[synaesthesia]

not bad but adding storage soon gets expensive - add another 120 quid for a decent ssd/hdd combo, a little more for an optical drive etc. Depends what you've already got really.

[mac_shinobi]

not bad but adding storage soon gets expensive - add another 120 quid for a decent ssd/hdd combo, a little more for an optical drive etc. Depends what you've already got really.

 

That only has onboard Intel / Haswell graphics ( from what I could tell ) so if you wanted it for gaming then a better graphics card of your choice ??

[CESIL]

Thanks for all the suggestions...

 

As Novatech are just round the corner from me I have chosen most of what I need but can't work out the difference between the Intel B85M and B85 Express chipsets...as in these two

 

Novatech Motherboard Bundle - Intel i5 4430 - 8GB 1600Mhz DDR3 Memory - Intel B85M Chipset Motherboard | MBB-44308B

Novatech Motherboard Bundle - Intel Core I5 4430 - 8GB DDR3 1600Mhz - Intel B85 Chipset Motherboard | MBB-44308A

[synaesthesia]

You say "only has" though. The onboards from Ivybridge onwards (HD4000+) are more than capable of playing many games at "full HD" resolution with medium settings. As said, depends what you're doing with it though

Can't tell what the difference is, seems just the mainboard - so whatever's different between the "b85" and "b85m". Would help if it said what make they are (they're not Intel)

[Danp]

Ask them via their online chat, they are very helpful.