PC Tech Thread

The simple answer is that I have no idea how to build a PC, don't have much time on my hands to learn, and don't want a grand's worth of consumer electronics sitting in an unruly pile in a cupboard annoying the shit out of me for months.

Yes, it's hideous (aren't PC's intended to be that way?) but seems to represent a lot of bang for buck. Suggestions for any less hideous alternatives that don't require self-assembly appreciated...

Excluding the case, monitor, keyboard, etc there are probably just over a grand's worth of components in there.

It's a long time since I bought a PC so not sure how much is out there. I guess you can buy something like this https://www.novatech.co.uk/pc/range/novatechblacknti301.html and choose your own monitor. Better processor and motherboard, faster RAM, larger SSD and HDD. No OS but cheap Win 10 licences are available (if you require Windows rather than linux).

Building one is pretty easy and the route I'd take but you're probably only going to save £200 or so by going that route.

They are super easy to build. I had no experience and built a dual boot Hackintosh. It's just electric lego really. That quiet PC site has a few nice aluminium cases on it. If it's in your house it should look nice...

Thank you for this, very helpful. I'd probably pay the £200 just for piece of mind/warranty of buying from a reputable source.

Going to contact Novatech and see if they'll do a student discount or something... I think I've a windows 8 license already from a failed bootcamp experiment so might be able to just upgrade that which will save some pennies.

For my budget I'm going for function over form atm-would much rather have the latest NVIDIA graphics card over pretty case or something which seems to be what the more sleek packages like HP Envy offer. I can always disable any ugly blue LED backlighting and tone it down a bit?

Horses for courses and all that, but I wouldn't let any plastic monstrosity into my flat... if inclined you could go custom pre built... https://www.quietpc.com/sys-serenity-umx and then buy a 10xx and get someone to pop it in. Although it may work out more expensive that way.

I'm of the view that it's under the desk so no-one is going to see it. But, building it yourself does give the option of customising components so it is just how you want. I think that's a bit more applicable when you're looking at the mid-end of the market though.

I bought a Win10 licence from here. Not sure how official it is but it is still working fine 6 months on https://uk.scdkey.com/microsoft-windows-10-pro-oem-cd-key-global_1227-20.html?&site=uk

Yeah I see what you mean-that looks much prettier but a quick fiddle with their pricing and it looks like a good £500 more than even the Novatech option for a similar spec :(

might drop them a line and see if there's any refurbs or ex demos going.

Aye, i think they tend to charge a fair whack... where are you based? Surely you can round up a local nerd to help build?

You can check which products it applies to in the SEC advisory (at the top):
https://www.sec-consult.com/fxdata/seccons/prod/temedia/advisories_txt/20170316-0_Ubiquiti_Networks_authenticated_command_injection_v10.txt

I was thinking about getting a wi-fi access point as my new Plusnet One Hub makes a weird noise when transferring data on 5Ghz which is really quite annoying. But I'll be checking if it's on that list now...

Checked Gladiator? https://www.gladiatorpc.co.uk/ - https://www.gladiatorpc.co.uk/configure/config/66908

looks like the toughswitch is affected. by coincidence i just wired up the maintenance port in my new data cabinet to a spare cable so will enable admin only over that port, hopefully this will help mitigate the threat.

Monitors.

Worth splashing on a 29" ultrawide or curved? Seen some decent deals on LG LED ones for 200-250, but not sure if it's overkill for 3D stuff. Next to my 13" laptop screen 24" is already like taking my eyes for a walk in a football field.

I have a 34" ultrawide monitor at work. It's fucking great.

I'd get one at home but may want a 5.1 monitoring system at some point which would be somewhat incompatible :(

5.1 monitoring system

5 screens and a screen under the desk in a corner?

Jeez louise that's huge. Does it not get to a point where you need to sit 10m away just to focus on the whole thing or do you mostly subdivide the screen into different areas for doing different things?

This...

What's a 5.1 monitoring system?

5.1 monitor speakers, e.g. this kind of thing:

Works well with dual monitors so you can have the centre speaker in the middle. Ultrawide screens kind of get in the way.

34" ultrawide isn't that big, it's just very wide. It's basically the equivalent of, like, 2 20" monitors side by side or something.

I sit about 1m away from it.

Ah! Monitors...

Impressive kit

5 screens and a screen under the desk in a corner?

lol

This what it looks like on my desk at work

To answer my own question there is a UK Dell refurb centre.

However they wanted to charge twice the price so I have gone overseas.

Dunno why I hit reply soz.

/csb

Ah, you're a casual home dj with a couple bits and bobs

the 34" ultrawide. does it have a mode for smaller resolutions where it just adds black bars to the sides? like if i wanted to plug my xbox in as well.

I just measured and my desk/bureau is 36" wide and the new monitor arm I installed would centre the screen perfectly but let me adjust it down into my eye line or push it back up and out of the way when not in use and seems like the best use of the limited space.

but I also watch a lot of tv/films on it with headphones on so my gf can watch her crappy reality tv on the main telly so would need to be ok for that as well.