Computer Illiterate?

There are so many different computer components out there today, and the market for computers moves at an extremely fast rate. You may be a computer expert or a first time user. Either way it doesn't matter, there will most likely always be something to do with computers that you are unsure about. On our system builder there are over 25 different drop-down menu options containing numerous products. What we are attempting to do is to make your choices easier for you by providing some basic information about each option. This information should help you decide firstly if you need the product, and secondly if you need a powerful or moderate version.

Please select the components you wish to learn about:

Processor (CPU)

Memory (RAM)

Motherboard

Operating System

USB Options

Bluetooth & Infrared Options

Memory - 1^st Hard Disk

RAID (HDD 1 & 2)

1^st DVD/BLU-RAY Drive

Graphics Card

Sound Card

Network Facilities

Modem

Floppy Disk Drive

Memory Card Reader

Case

Power Supply & Case Cooling

Processor Cooling

Firewire & Video Editing

TV Card

Monitor

GeForce 3D Vision

Keyboard & Mouse

Speakers

Webcam

Headsets (VOIP)

Surge Protection

Printer

Anti-Virus

Office Software

Stands & Port Replicators

Battery

Power Lead & Adaptor

Carry Case

External Hard Drive

Home Installation

Insurance

Laptop Spares

Quantity

Processor Speed:

The processor/CPU (Central Processing Unit) is the brain of your computer. The CPU is a piece of etched silicon that does some very powerful things. It co-ordinates the real work of your computer, telling all the peripheral devices what to do and how to act. The speed of a processor works in megahertz (MHz). One thousand megahertz is equal to one gigahertz (GHz). Therefore a 3.2ghz Intel processor will run at 3200mhz.

Many people believe that the faster the processor, the faster the PC will be. When choosing your processor speed, rather than throwing all your eggs in one basket and spending your budget straight away, choose a more balanced system:

Example 1:

Intel® Core™2 Duo E8500 (2 X 3.16GHz) 1333MHz FSB/6MB L2 Cache with 1024mb DDR memory and a well balanced motherboard.

Example 2:

Intel® Core™2 Duo E8400 (2 X 3.00GHz) 1333MHz FSB/6MB L2 Cache with 2048mb DDR memory and a well balanced motherboard.

Which computer will be faster? Although we haven't conducted tests, for gaming or demanding use we would go for example number 2. It may work out to be a cheaper option, but having double the amount of RAM will allow for more programs to be open at once, better stability for gaming and a more responsive computer. See Memory (RAM) for more information.

Dual Core Processors

Dual core processors are designed to give a high performance using applications that support multi-threading. Besides the Microsoft Windows operating system, which supports multi-threading, the main applications that support multi-threading are high end professional video editing packages, and games. If you're going to be doing lots of multi-tasking, for example, running lots of programs at once, the Intel Core 2 Duo Processor is the one for you.

For a very useful demonstration of how Dual Core processors work, please click here.

See also:

Hyper Threading Technology (HTT)

FSB

THE BIG QUESTION

What is the difference between AMD and Intel? Which processor route should I choose?

The answer - there is no real answer. Each processor available has its advantages and disadvantages. We can only offer you our advice, in which we will try our best not to include any bias.

Firstly, you have to decide whether you are looking for a performance computer, a basic computer for general use, or an extremely powerful computer.

I want a performance computer
I want a basic computer
I want an extremely powerful computer

I want a performance computer.

You have two options - an Intel Core™ 2 Duo or AMD Athlon 64.

Intel Core™ 2 Duo processors have a similar clock speed to Athlon 64 processors. Intel Core™ 2 Duo processors have a large cache and make use of a technology called Hyper Threading Technology. This generally means that Intel Pentium processors are very good at number crunching, encoding videos and all round multi-tasking. The type of customer (based on our own findings) who generally chooses and Intel Pentium processor will be looking for a computer for video editing, photo editing and number crunching tasks.

AMD Athlon 64 processors have a large cache and make use of Hyper Transport Technology. The type of customer (based on our own findings) who generally chooses and AMD Athlon64 processor will be looking for a computer for gaming, movies and home entertainment.

Nevertheless, both processors will perform all the tasks mentioned here to a very competitive extent. You will find that the more people you ask about processors, the more confused you will become. This is because you will hear so many different conflicting stories as to which processor to choose. The only real way to decide which processor is best for your needs would be to search the internet yourself for reviews on the processors around your subject area. For example, if you want to play Doom 3 on your computer, search for processor reviews on Doom 3.

I want a basic computer.

You have two options - an Intel Celeron or AMD Sempron.

An Intel Celeron Processor will have a higher clockspeed than an AMD Sempron processor and a large Front Side Bus. The type of customer who generally chooses an Intel Celeron processor (based on our own findings) will be looking for a computer for internet usage, emails, office and light gaming.

An AMD Sempron processor has a low clockspeed compared to the Intel Celeron processor and a smaller cache. However, these two processors perform very closely to each other. Have a look at this review here. The type of customer who generally chooses an AMD Sempron processor (based on our own findings) will be looking for a computer for internet usage, emails, light gaming and light photo editing.

I want an extremely powerful computer.

You have two options - an Intel Core 2 Extreme or an AMD Athlon 64.

An Intel Core 2 Extreme processor has a fast clockspeed, a "super-sized" Front Side Bus, and Hyper Threading technology. This processor will be able to handle anything you throw at it. The type of customer who generally chooses an Intel Core 2 Extreme processor will be an extreme gamer or professional business man/woman, looking for a computer to aid his/her business, which is usually in video or imagery.

An AMD Athlon 64 processor has a slower clockspeed than an Intel Core 2 Extreme processor, but a "super-sized" cache and Hyper Transport technology. The type of customer who generally chooses and AMD Athlon 64 FX processor is an extreme gaming enthusiast.

Memory (RAM):

RAM (Random Access Memory) is vital to a computer system. The more RAM your computer has, the more information that can be processed simultaneously. All your programs, games and applications that are currently in use are stored in your RAM, and so the more RAM you have inside your computer, the more applications you can run.

Memory Brand

Our memory is fully tested and comes with a lifetime warranty. Unless otherwise specified, the memory chips are manufactured by a major memory manufacturer (i.e. Samsung, Infineon etc) and are of a low latency. Unfortunately though, we cannot guarantee what chips of memory you will receive or the brand that it may be, but we can guarantee that the memory will be of a very good quality and comes with a lifetime swap out warranty. The memory may well be original memory (i.e. original chips on an original board) or major-on-third memory (i.e. Samsung chips on a board manufactured for our company). Either way, you can be guaranteed of its quality.

Unfortunately, we cannot and we will not supply a customer specific brand of memory, whether cheaper or more expensive, as all our memory is fully tested and guaranteed to work. Therefore, if you have any problems, you can be assured to receive a direct replacement rather than having to pass through the returns process.

But how should you determine your RAM requirements? As time passes by applications are getting more powerful, which usually means that they will require more RAM.

In order to work out your RAM requirements we recommend that you gather all of your applications together and check their minimum RAM requirements. Then simply make sure you purchase enough to cover everything - and don't forget to give yourself a bit extra to make your computer future-proof as well!

Besides the amount of memory you can have in a computer, you can also choose to have faster memory. Faster memory will communicate with your CPU quicker and allow for an even better performance.

Don't worry if you find it difficult to work out how much RAM you need, our website is updated very regularly and therefore the minimum amount of RAM on our system-builder will be enough for moderate usage.

Motherboard Information:

The motherboard, like it suggest in its name, is the mother of all boards in a computer. Just about every component in a computer system will somehow connect to the motherboard. It is therefore important to make sure that your computer has a powerful and reliable motherboard. Our computers systems always use motherboards from the top manufacturers, some of which include ASUS, Foxconn and ECS. Motherboards have several features built into them, which include controllers, chips, buses and so on. We have included a few definitions of individual parts of a motherboard to help you along your way:

PCI PORTS

Motherboards have a number of PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) ports. You put items such as the modem, network card, USB card, TV card etc into these ports.

PCI EXPRESS PORTS

Motherboards have a number of PCI Express (Peripheral Component Interconnect) Express ports. You put items such as the modem, network card, USB card, TV card etc PCI-Ex x1 ports and graphics cards into PCI-Ex x16 ports.

USB PORTS

USB (Universal Serial Bus) ports are ports on your computer that allow you to connect peripherals such as the printer, scanner, webcam, external cable modem, mobile phone, portable hard disk and much more to your computer quickly and fast. It is therefore recommended to have a large amount of USB ports so in the future you can add components quickly and easily.

AGP PORT

An AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) port is where you connect your graphics card to. An 8x AGP port is the fastest AGP port currently available, although PCI Express ports superseed AGP ports and are much faster.

ATA

ATA (Advanced Technology Attachment) is a disk drive implementation that integrates the controller on the disk drive itself. There are mainly 3 tiers to this: ATA 60, ATA 100, and ATA 133. Basically an ATA hard drive will talk to the rest of your computer via an ATA cable which connects to your motherboard. Most computers these days have 2-4 IDE ports via 1-2 IDE channels which connect via the ATA interface.

IDE PORT

An IDE port is what you would connect your optical drives, or hard drives to. Each IDE cable has 2 connectors for connecting a device.

SERIAL ATA (SATA) (Serial - Advanced Technology Attachment)

SATA is a serial interface. The speed of the interface for the current phase is ATA 150, ultimately being envisioned to rise to 600 megabytes/sec (ATA 600). Existing ATA drives use a 64 bit wide bus to communicate with the IDE drive. To do so requires a wide, flexible ribbon cable. One of the main problems with the ribbon cable is that, with multiple disk drives (HDD's, CD, and DVD), the Ribbon cables begin to block the airflow through the chassis, impeding cooling. SATA solves this problem by replacing the ribbon cables with thin cables containing two differential cable pairs. In addition, SATA promises a higher speed interface for the future. Another reason for the SATA is that it reduces the number of traces on the motherboard as the connector has significantly fewer pins than the parallel ATA. With Serial-ATA there is no master/slave configuration, and therefore you can easily and hassle free add or remove hard drives. Additionally, with a Serial ATA card you can add additional hard drives. This breaks the barrier of only being able to add 4 IDE devices with parallel ATA. You could, if you needed the storage, have say 4 hard drives as well as a CD writer, DVD writer and DVD ROM.

FSB

FSB stands for Front Side Bus:- The speed of the front-side bus is the basic clock speed of the motherboard. Many system components, for example the processor, the PCI and AGP buses, all run at speeds derived from the front-side bus speed. In general, a faster front-side bus means you will have higher processing speeds.

HYPER THREADING TECHNOLOGY

Hyper threading technology brings increased performance to computer users in two ways: using multithreaded software or using software in a multitasking environment. Software applications that have been written to use multiple pieces of code called “threads” view the Pentium 4 processors with HT Technology as two processors. HT Technology allows the processor to work on two separate threads at the same time rather than one at a time. In addition, applications can benefit in a multitasking environment - operating two or more different software programs at the same time when run under operating systems such as Windows XP. Both ways add up to extra performance and less waiting for the computer user.

Click Here to download a Hyper Threading Demo. This demonstration is extremely informative and explains everything you will need to know. In order to view the demo you will need to have Macromedia Flash Player

PARALLEL PORT:
This is the port for connecting older printers to so that you don't have to buy a new printer when upgrading your pc.

PS/2:

This is simply a connector for the keyboard and mouse.

Shared Memory Architecture (SMA)

1. Integrated SMA

A Shared Memory Architecture (SMA) is where the graphics chip is integrated into the motherboard. Instead of the graphics having dedicated memory, for example 256mb or 512mb of memory, the graphics share the memory with the computers RAM, and the total memory available to applications is reduced. This is cost beneficial to general home or office users, who do not play extreme games or require a system purely for high end video editing.

2. SMA on a graphics card

When a graphics card uses a Shared Memory Architecture (SMA), this means that the graphics card only has a certain amount of memory onboard, for example 256mb. To make up the rest of the memory, it shares the RAM available. For example, a 512mb Geforce 7300GS (256MB SMA) has 256mb onboard and will make up the rest of the memory from the installed DDR RAM. It will only work if you order 1GB or more RAM and if you order 1GB of RAM, will result in 768mb of RAM left for applications. This is called TurboCache on NVIDIA cards and HyperMemory on ATI cards, and can be disabled if you do not wish to use this facility.

How do I change my motherboard?

Our computer configurators are usually based around the motherboard as the motherboard often determines the majority of the specification inside the computer. If you would like to upgrade to a more powerful motherboard, please consider configuring a system using the "Top Spec Computer" option as opposed to the "Home/Office" option as this will allow a better upgrade potential, such as more PCI cards, hard drives and graphics cards.

USB Options:

On our system builder you can choose to have a USB card in addition to the USB ports provided with the motherboard. This will make your computer more future-proof for expanding using USB devices and allow you to connect more devices at once. You can also choose to have a USB HUB, which basically plugs into one of your existing USB ports on your computer, and creates 3 additional ports (4 in total). You could have a USB HUB sat on your desk which will allow you to quickly connect USB devices without having to connect them to the unit itself.

Bluetooth & Infrared Options:

On our notebook configurator and depending on the particular laptop you are configuring, there is sometimes the option to select an internal or external Bluetooth adapter.

Bluetooth is a technology that lets your computer, monitor, mouse, keyboard, mobile phone - in fact anything which is Bluetooth enabled communicate wirelessly instead of using cables.



Should I order Bluetooth?

If you wish to be able to quickly and easily transfer files to and from your PC or laptop, and communicate with your mobile phone or other Bluetooth devices, we recommend that you order a Bluetooth adapter. If possible choose an internal Bluetooth adapter, as this will prevent you having to carry an external Bluetooth adapter when taking your laptop with you.

Memory (Hard Disk):

The hard drive is where all the information on your computer is stored.

Our hard drives are branded either Maxtor, Seagate, Western Digital, Hitachi or Samsung. We cannot guarantee which brand of hard drive you will receive on your new computer, but as you can see, we only use leading brands.

To decide what size hard drive you will need, you need to consider that for example an 80GB hard drive is 81,920 megabytes. Confused? Data in volume is called bytes:

1,024 Byte = 1 Kilobyte (KB)
1,024 Kilobyte (KB) = 1 Megabyte (MB)
1,073,741,824 Bytes = 1 Gigabyte (GB)
1 Gigabyte (GB) = 1,024 Megabyte (MB)

To safely install Windows XP on your computer you need approximately 5 gigabytes of space. A massive computer game may take up 1 gigabyte of space, but usually games only take up a few hundred megabytes.

Most programs range from 5 to 500 megabytes, and therefore the average computer user will struggle to use up 80gigabytes of hard drive space. However, if you download movie clips, music and install lots of games, you may find you will need a 120gb or larger hard drive to cope with everything.

RPM

RPM (Revolutions Per Minute) is the speed that your hard drive rotates. The more revolutions per minute a hard drive rotates, the more data it can copy/move within the given period of time. A 7200rpm hard drive can copy/move data faster than a 5400rpm hard drive.

See also:

SATA

RAID

RAID

RAID is the linking together of two hard drives, either for performance (RAID 0) or security (RAID 1). Most computer users do not need to use RAID. If you are unsure of what RAID is, have a quick read below to see if you think it will benefit you.

A dictionary definition: What is RAID? - RAID "(Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks) is a method whereby information is spread across several disks, using techniques such as disk striping (RAID Level 0) and disk mirroring (RAID level 1) to achieve redundancy, lower latency and/or higher bandwidth for reading and/or writing, and data recoverability."

RAID 0: Striping

RAID level 0 refers to striping data across multiple disks without any redundant information.
Striping can be used to enhance performance in either a request rate intensive or transfer rate intensive environment. Unfortunately. Striping reduces the level of data availability since a disk failure will cause the entire array to be inaccessible.

Advantages:

High performance
No cost penalty - all storage is usable

Disadvantages:

Significantly reduced data availability - all data is lost if one hard drive fails.

RAID 1: Shadowing/Mirroring/Duplexing

RAID level 1 refers to maintaining duplicate sets of all data on separate disk drives. Of the RAID levels, level 1 provides the highest data availability since two complete copies of all information are maintained. If one of your hard drives fail, you will have an exact copy of all your data on your other hard drive, meaning that you can carry on working as normal without having to restore lost files. You could see it as having a permanent automatic back-up of all your data. Even if one hard drive fails, you can then use the other hard drive to create a new RAID array and so in theory (unless you have an electrical surge, or both hard drives fail simultaneously) you can never be caught out when you turn on your computer one day to find that your hard drive has failed, because you always have a backup.

Advantages:

Excellent data availability
Higher read performance than a single disk

Disadvantages:

Expensive - requires two hard drives (if you order 2 x 160Gb, you will only have 160GB total storage space and not 320GB)

Summary

RAID 0 requires two hard drives. Data is written to both hard drives (part of the data on one hard drive, and part of the data on the other) to give faster write times and also faster read times. Hard drives act as one drive - e.g. one large 320GB hard drive consisting of 2 x 160GB hard drives. However, if one hard drive fails, the array will be broken and all data will be lost.

RAID 1 requires two hard drives. Data is written to both hard drives simultaneously (files are written in full to each hard drive) and therefore you will have an automatic back-up should your hard drive ever fail. However, this security comes at a cost - two hard drives are required and you can only fill one hard drive, (as the other will be automatically filled as you go along) but for some people the added security is well worth the extra cost.

To learn more about RAID, please see this very useful website here:

http://linux.cudeso.be/raid.php#raid1

Please note that we only offer RAID 0 and RAID 1 configurations, and have no plans at present to change this.

Second Hard Disk:

See also Memory (Hard Disk):

Using our system-builder we give you the option to have two hard drives installed in your computer. Although a first hard drive is essential, a second hard drive is a luxury. We would suggest that you will only need a second hard drive if:

• You need to store masses of data. (Two smaller hard drives may also be cheaper than one large hard drive.)

  
  

• You plan to use a RAID configuration. (Don't worry if you have never heard of this.)

  
  

• You prefer to store your data on a separate drive to your operating system. Your data is then safe if you have to re-install Windows on your other hard drive.

  
  

Optical Drives:

Our optical drives are currently manufactured by LG (www.lge.com). The drives will come in silver (for a silver case), black (for a black case) or beige (for a beige case).

Optical drives are vital to the majority of computers these days. The majority of people use optical drives to write data to CD's and DVD's. For information on what each optical drive can do, please see below:

CD Writer

A CD Writer/CD ROM is an optical drive which allows you to read, write and re-write data onto a compact disc. For example if the speed of a CD Writer is 52 x 32 x 52 this means that you can read CD's at 52 speed, re-write CD's at 32 speed and write CD's at 52 speed.

DVD ROM

A DVD ROM/CD ROM is an optical drive which allows you to read both CD's and DVD's. If you do not have a DVD drive in your computer you will not be able to watch DVD movies, or read DVD's.

DVD Writer

A DVD Writer is an optical drive that can read DVD's, write DVD's and re-write DVD's. It can also read CD's, write CD's and re-write CD's. There are several types of DVD Writer available, some of which can read and write the DVD-RAM format and the + and - format. Some DVD Writers can also burn a label of the DVD itself using the laser. This technology is called Lightscribe. For this to be possible a special DVD must be used (which can be obtained from most major high street retailers). For further information see http://www.lightscribe.com/.

BD-ROM

A BD ROM is an optical drive which allows you to read both CD's, DVD's and Blu-ray discs. If you do not have a BD-ROM drive in your computer you will not be able to watch Blu-ray movies, or read Blu-Ray discs.

BLU-RAY Writer

Blu-ray ROM/Writer, also known as Blu-ray Disc (BD) is a drive that can read (BD-ROM) and/or write (BD-R) to Blu-ray discs. The format was developed to enable recording, rewriting and playback of high-definition video (HD), as well as storing large amounts of data. The format offers more than five times the storage capacity of traditional DVD's and can hold up to 25GB on a single-layer disc and 50GB on a dual-layer disc. Blu-ray drives can also read, write and re-write DVD's and CD's.

For further information on Blu-ray, please see here: http://www.blu-ray.com/faq/#bluray

What combination of drives do I need to choose?

On our website you can choose from the following drives for desktop PC's:

22x DUAL LAYER DVD WRITER ±R/±RW/RAM
4x BLU-RAY ROM DRIVE, 16x DVD ROM (£52)
8x BLU-RAY ROM DRIVE, 16x DVD ±R/±RW (£75)
10x BLU-RAY RE-WRITER DRIVE, 16x DVD ±R/±RW (£122)


and the following drives for laptops:

NERO 9 ESSENTIALS
POWER DVD 9 BLU-RAY SOLUTION
8x SATA DVD±R/RW/Dual Layer (+ 24x CD-RW)
2x SATA BLURAY ROM + 8x DVD±R/RW/Dual Layer & 16x CD-RW (£99)


Please choose what combination is best for you from the following options below:

1. I want to be able to copy & write/re-write CD's and DVD's quickly and easily.

On our system builder you need to choose:

2. I want to write/re-write CD's, DVD's and play Blu-ray movies easily. I rarely copy CD's or DVD's.

On our system builder you need to choose:

3. I want to write/re-write CD's, DVD's, play Blu-ray movies and burn to Blu-ray discs. I occasionally copy CD's/DVD's.

On our system builder you need to choose:

* The brand name of our optical drives (i.e. LG) is subject to change without notice.

Graphics Card:

A graphics card is vital to a computer. Although most people know what the purpose of a graphics card is, you can still easily get caught out when choosing the right graphics card for your system. Not only do you need to look our for a graphics card with a decent amount of memory, you also need to look for a graphics card with a powerful GPU (graphics processing unit). You can also choose to have two graphics cards in your computer. This enables gaming enthusiasts to have up to double the power when matching two identical graphics cards which means an ultimate gaming experience!

When searching for the right graphics card for you, just like when you are looking for a new computer, you will be looking for a graphics powerful processor and a large amount of RAM. For example:

• 1GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GT220 PCI EXPRESS
  
  
• 1GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GT240 PCI EXPRESS (3D BluRay Ready!)
  
  
• 896MB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX260 PCI EXPRESS
  
  

Which is best? The third option is the best, followed by the second option and then the first option. Even though the third option has a smaller amount of memory, the GPU on the third option is much more powerful, and in a gaming experience the game will be more realistic and more responsive. It will be a totally different experience.

To discover which graphics card is best for you (and your budget) you could try visiting the manufacturers websites on:

www.ati.com

www.nvidia.com

HDMI

HDMI stands for High-Definition-Multimedia-Interface and has been designed to carry umcompressed digital audio and video signals from the transmitter (i.e. graphics card) to the receiver (i.e. monitor). For any modern High Definition computer, a HDMI interface is a must-have as it will provide an unrivalled quality digital signal to your TV/monitor and because it can also carry the audio signal, it also reduces the need for extra wires.

DVI

DVI (Digital video Interface) is a digital connector for a digital monitor - the future of all monitors eventually. A graphics card with DVI enables users to choose whether they want to connect a normal monitor to it, or a digital monitor through the DVI connector. It is especially good for the latest digital TFT monitors.

TV-OUT

The TV Out feature provides an alternative display device besides your normal CRT/TFT monitor. Since a TV Set usually has a larger screen and lower resolution, the display on the TV Set is best suited for business presentation or games requiring a low resolution.

SLI Technology

PC enthusiasts and professionals are constantly searching for ways to increase the performance of their PCs…. And now they can with NVIDIA breakthrough 3D platform technology.

NVIDIA® SLI™ (Scalable Link Interface) technology is a revolutionary approach to scalability and increased performance. NVIDIA SLI takes advantage of the increased bandwidth of the PCI Express™ bus architecture, and features hardware and software innovations within NVIDIA GPUs (graphics processing units) and NVIDIA nForce4 MCPs (media and communications processors). Together the NVIDIA SLI patent-pending technologies work seamlessly to deliver heart-pounding PC performance. And depending on the application, NVIDIA SLI can deliver as much as 2x the performance of a single GPU configuration for unparalleled gaming experiences.

This extract was taken from http://www.nvidia.com/page/sli.html where you can read all about SLI Technology and its benefits. Please also note on the NVIDIA website which graphics cards in particular support SLI Technology, as not all NVIDIA graphics cards support SLI Technology.

In order for SLI Technology to function, you need to choose two identical graphics cards for your system, i.e. you cannot put two different graphics cards into your computer in any circumstances. SLI Technology is only available on selected systems where you have the choice of two graphics cards and does not function on any ATI graphics cards. You can only configure SLI Technology on PCI Express systems and not AGP systems.

The advantages of SLI technology are:

• Up to double the power during games - the ultimate gaming experience!

• Support up to 4 monitors - brilliant for financial services/stock exchange etc.

Crossfire Technology

ATI’s CrossFire propels your gaming PC to a new pinnacle of performance with the ultimate multi-GPU consumer graphics solution.
Enjoy the highest image quality modes and resolutions that you have always wanted, even with the most demanding 3D titles. Get out-of-the-box compatibility and afterburner acceleration for all your games without special game software or patches.

Unite and Dominate — with multiple ATI GPUs

CrossFire’s unique parallel processing technology has development roots going back to ATI’s multi-GPU Rage Fury MAXX™. Based on the same technology used with ATI-based commercial flight simulators, CrossFire soars into a new dimension of graphics capability with multiple Radeon® graphics processing units (GPUs) working together in your PC.

Divide and Conquer — with ATI’s Supertiling

ATI’s CrossFire speeds your gaming momentum with “supertiling,” high-performance GPU sharing that evenly divides the processing and graphics rendering workload.

How Supertiling Works:

Think of your screen image divided into subsections like a checkerboard, with alternating black and white “tiles.” CrossFire’s Supertiling intelligently alternates rendering duties of these tiles to each Radeon GPU for consistent, efficient load balancing with hassle-free compatibility. CrossFire’s options include a multiple load-sharing “scissor” mode and an alternate frame-rate mode, combining optimal performance with game-conquering compatibility.

Render and Rule

ATI’s CrossFire boosts image quality along with rendering speed, eliminating the need to crank down screen resolutions to get the high image quality you want.

CrossFire ignites with the higher antialiasing, anisotropic filtering, shading, and texture settings you desire. Adjust your display configurations, experiment with your advanced 3D settings, and check the effect with a real-time 3D-rendered preview within ATI’s Catalyst™ Control Centre to rule your CrossFire system.

CrossFire — Now and Future

Keep ahead of fast-moving gaming effects and technology changes with CrossFire’s advanced features. Upgradeable components allow you to gradually improve your system performance with the reliability and support that only ATI delivers. Supporting a wide range of ATI-based graphics cards and motherboards, the CrossFire platform offers flexibility and compatibility with all of today’s Radeon® X800, X850, and the X1000 Series graphics cards and the latest powerhouse processors to make your next gaming experience the zenith of PC perfection.

This extract was taken from http://www.ati.com/technology/crossfire/features.html where you can read all about Crossfire Technology and its benefits. Please also note on the ATI website which graphics cards in particular support Crossfire technology, as not all ATI graphics cards support Crossfire Technology.

How does Crossfire Function?

In order for Crossfire Technology to function, you need to choose a master Crossfire card and a slave Crossfire compatible card when configuring your computer. A Crossfire system can be configured here. All ATI Crossfire compatible cards are slave cards unless they are specifically stated as Crossfire master cards. If you would like to order a Crossfire ready computer with the idea of upgrading to a Crossfire system in the near future, order only a slave Crossfire compatible card. This way your system will function as normal, allowing you to upgrade to a Crossfire system by adding a master Crossfire compatible card at a later date.

Crossfire Technology is only available on selected systems where you have the choice of two graphics cards and does not function on any NVIDIA graphics cards. You can only configure Crossfire Technology on PCI Express systems and not AGP systems. Don't worry - if you make a mistake our website will not allow you to order an incompatible Crossfire system!

The advantages of Crossfire technology are:

• Up to double the power during games - the ultimate gaming experience!

• Support up to 4 monitors - brilliant for financial services/stock exchange etc.

See also:

PCI Express

Shared Memory Architecture (SMA)

Sound Card:

In order for your computer to produce sound, it will need to have a sound card/sound device installed. The onboard sound is usually enough for most computer users, but if you are:

• a serious gamer

  
  

• a musician

  
  

• a music/film editor

  
  

• a serious music lover

  
  

• someone who already has surround speakers

  
  

It might be worthwhile purchasing a creative soundcard. Otherwise, you will probably be fine with the onboard sound, in that you will not notice a difference in sound quality.

Modem:

In order to connect to the internet, 99% of people either connect via a 56k modem, ADSL modem, or cable modem. If you are unsure of how you connect to the internet look at the computer you are on now, did you have to dial up to connect via your telephone line? If the answer is yes you will most likely connect via a 56k modem and you will need a modem in your new computer. Otherwise you will probably not need a modem in your new computer.

Network Card:

A network card (usually onboard) allows you to do the following (and more...):

• Network a computer

  
  

• Connect to the internet via broadband

  
  

• Connect a laptop or other device to a computer

  
  

All our computers come with this facility and there is no extra charge for this as this facility is onboard.

WIRELESS NETWORKING

Wireless networking is now available on all our computer systems. To allow you to use your computer in a wireless environment, you will need to ensure that you select a wireless network card in your new computer. The wireless network card will allow you to search out wireless networks available to you and connect to these. All this can be configured using your operating system or by using the software provided.

Setting up a wireless network connection

It is very easy to set up a wireless network in your home, but how successful your wireless network is depends on several factors:

• The thickness of the walls in your house (old houses can be challenging)

• The distance each computer is apart (you may need access points)

In order to setup a wireless network, you need a wireless network card in each computer/laptop that you wish to connect to the network, and also a router and modem. Where specified, our routers come with built in ADSL modems, so you will not need to purchase a modem.

To simplify wireless networking, your internet connection comes into your premises and into the modem (the router). Each computer/laptop connects to the router (either wired or wirelessly) and each computer/laptop can receive signals from the router. Therefore each computer can receive high speed internet wirelessly.

Your computer can also send signals to the router and the router can relay these to other computers. Thus, you can access the hard drives on computers in other rooms and transfer, edit and even delete files. You can manage this through "My Network Places" in Windows XP, and you can choose which folders you would like to share, and which folders you would like to make private.

Floppy Disk Drive:

A floppy disk drive allows for the usage of the increasingly obsolete 1.44mb floppy disks. We are still allowing the option of a floppy drive on some of our configurators for the benefit of backwards compatability if a user has data stored on a floppy disk. However, we only recommend selecting a flopy disk drive if you require a RAID configuration with a Windows XP operating system.

Memory Card Reader:

A memory card reader is a device that allows you to connect flash memory and other such memory to a computer for fast access and modification. If you have a digital camera you may wish to purchase a memory card reader to transfer your photos quickly and without having to use a program to do so.

At present, our 52 in 1 memory card readers can read the following media types:

* Need Adapter

Features:

• Complies with 480Mbps Universal Serial Bus specification Ver. 2.0
• Complies with USB Storage Class specification Ver.1.0(Bulk only protocol).
• Support Plug & Play and Hot-Swap.
• Support slot-to-slot read/write operation.
• Support auto-detecting slot with card inserted.
• High efficiency Card interface hardware engine for data transfer.

This specification is subject to change without notice.

Case:

The computer case is an important part of any computer. All of our computer cases will support the components you choose to have installed inside your computer and all of our cases (apart from the "affordable" cases) can support extremely high specification systems with our advanced cooling solutions, for example 80mm & 120mm fans, Intel TAC 1.1 approved air vents, and other vents to allow air to flow freely through the computer. If you are ordering a very high specification system, for example a system with a very powerful processor or graphics card, we recommend you call us just to check that you have selected a good case for your requirements.

To see pictures of the cases that we are currently selling, please click here.

Power Supply (PSU):

A PSU is the Power Supply Unit for your computer. The average PSU nowadays ranges from 350W up to and above 600W. If you are ordering a powerful computer, for example a processor of 3.2ghz or above, we seriously recommend you choose an ultra quiet power supply unit with advanced CPU cooling fan. They may add a small amount to you order, but it will make your computer super quiet instead of fairly noisy.

Each component in your computer uses a proportion of your power supply's power output capabilities. As a rough guide, the following components use:

As you can see, the minimum power supply you should have in a computer is approximately 350W from doing a little maths, but if you're willing to spend that little bit extra, you can get a more powerful power supply with an ultra quiet cooling system. We recommend our dual rail power supplies for optimal power.

A Popular question

Q. I think I need a really powerful power supply, and I have seen a 600W or above model for around £20 - £30 in the shops. Why are your power supplies more expensive?

A. There are no rules that are set in stone governing how you can rate the wattage of a power supply, and naturally people think that more power is better. The rated wattage of power supplies we sell are the true, constant power output and not the peak output. (Peak output is that power that a power supply can output for a few seconds.) Not naming any brands, if you search the high street, you can purchase what apparently appear to be 600W or even 700W power supplies for around £20, but be warned - these are likely to be power supplies that have been rated on their peak output and not their constant output. Some power supplies do not even give their stated output at peak. For a 600W or above power supply with a true constant output using reliable components, you should be looking at paying anything from £50 upwards.

Our high end power supplies (even though they may only be 400W - 500W) are tried and tested to give your computer a constant supply of quality power. Component manufacturers, such as graphics card manufacturers often over label the power supply requirements of their cards to cover for PSU manufacturers who have labeled power supplies as peak output and not constant output.

Operating System:

To learn more about the operating systems available, please click the "Windows" box below:

Q. What is the difference between the versions of Windows 7?

A. Click Here to find out...

Q. What is the difference between Windows XP Home and Windows XP Pro?

A. Click Here to find out...

The Windows Genuine Advantage

Genuine Microsoft® software is published by Microsoft and supported by Microsoft or a trusted partner. Using genuine Microsoft software offers you greater capabilities and easy integration with the widest variety of hardware, software, and services. It also provides the confidence of receiving the latest product features, updates and ongoing improvements to help keep your PC performing at its best.

PC Specialist Ltd supports genuine Microsoft software. Microsoft products licensed by PC Specialist Ltd and accompanied by a Microsoft Certificate of Authenticity (COA) affixed to your computer are genuine. To validate that your copy of Windows is genuine, visit www.microsoft.com/genuine. The validation process is easy to use, only takes a few moments to run and once completed enables you to more quickly receive genuine Windows downloads in the future.

Firewire: (also known as "IEEE" or "1394")

Firewire is a 1995 Macintosh/IBM PC serial bus interface standard offering high-speed communications. Firewire can transfer data between a computer and its peripherals at 400 Mbps.

Firewire is most commonly used for camcorders, external hard drives, and networking. Firewire is faster than USB 2.0 over sustained throughput. A firewire card is only required if you currently use a firewire device, or you plan to purchase a device that requires firewire in the coming future.

Monitor:

We offer several types of flat screen monitor on our website. A display screen made with TFT (thin-film transistor) technology is a liquid crystal display (LCD) monitor. A TFT monitor is only a few inches deep compared to the older CRT monitors, which have a large behind area containing the tubes for the display.

Flat panel displays are revolutionising the way people look at their computers. Thin, light, space-saving, brighter, flicker-free, low power consumption, and better for the environment... these monitors are the wave of the future.

DVI

For a definition of DVI, please see here.

HDMI

For a definition of HDMI, please see here.

RESPONSE TIME

Response time is a measure of how long a display takes to change the image. A typical LCD television is 2 to 3 times faster than the average computer monitor LCD. Fast response time is superior for playing computer games and viewing action movies and sports.

RESOLUTION

Resolution is the basic measurement of the amount of information on a display. Typically this is defined as the product of two numbers (ie, 640 x 480), which indicates the number of pixels displayed horizontally multiplied by the number of pixels displayed vertically. The higher the number the better as there is more ability to display more details. Raising the resolution from 1024x768 to 1280x1024, for example, will provide enhanced image quality but generally at the expense of lower frame rates.

Keyboard & Mouse:

We currently offer keyboards and keyboard and mouse combos (where you get a matching keyboard and mouse). We only offer Logitech keyboards and mice as they have a long standing reputation for excellent quality keyboards and mice.

We currently offer the following keyboard & mouse options for desktop computers:

Logitech® Internet 350 USB Keyboard (£9)

Logitech® Deluxe 660 Cordless Keyboard & Optical Mouse (£18)

Logitech® Cordless 1500 Keyboard & Rechargeable Mouse (£36)

Black Logitech® Optical Wheel Mouse USB (£4)

Logitech® G5 Laser Gaming Mouse (£44)

Logitech® G9 Laser Gaming Mouse (£58)

Logitech® MX Air™ Rechargeable Cordless Air Mouse (£85)

Logitech® G15 Gaming Keyboard with Gamepanel LCD Display (£65)

Logitech® G9x Laser Gaming Mouse (£65)

Logitech® G19 Gaming Keyboard with Gamepanel LCD Display (£144)

Logitech® MX™518 Optical Gaming Mouse (£29)

Logitech® G500 Laser Gaming Mouse (£49)

Razer CopperHead Tempest Blue 2000DPI Gaming Mouse (£39)

Razer Deathadder Re-Spawn 3500DPI Infrared Gaming Mouse (£39)

Logitech® Cordless Desktop EX100 Keyboard & Optical Mouse (£16)

and several keyboard & mouse options for laptops:

Logitech® Internet 350 USB Keyboard (£9)

Logitech® Deluxe 660 Cordless Keyboard & Optical Mouse (£18)

Logitech® Cordless 1500 Keyboard & Rechargeable Mouse (£36)

Black Logitech® Optical Wheel Mouse USB (£4)

Logitech® G5 Laser Gaming Mouse (£44)

Logitech® G9 Laser Gaming Mouse (£58)

Logitech® MX Air™ Rechargeable Cordless Air Mouse (£85)

Logitech® V320 Cordless Optical Mouse (£19)

Logitech® G15 Gaming Keyboard with Gamepanel LCD Display (£65)

Logitech® VX Nano Cordless Laser Mouse (£39)

Logitech® V470 Cordless Bluetooth Laser Mouse (£26)

Logitech® Cordless Desktop EX100 Keyboard & Optical Mouse (£16)

INTERNET KEYBOARDS

Our internet keyboards, besides the usual features, offer you internet hotkeys such as "Play/Pause," "Calculator," "Email," "Internet," "Volume Down," "Volume Up," and "Mute" keys. For further information on our internet keyboards, please click here.

MICE

Our entry level mouse offer great ergonomics and even comes with an optical sensor rather than a ball, reducing the risk of the sensor becoming blocked.

CORDLESS KEYBOARDS & MICE

Our Cordless keyboards and mice are ideal for any home PC. Convenient hotkeys work without drivers and an 800 dpi optical mouse ensures precision control. They are fully Windows 7 compatible with the new Windows start key.

CORDLESS KEYBOARDS WITH RECHARGEABLE MICE

Our Cordless Keyboard with Rechargeable Mouse combination offers a premium combination of functionality and design, delivering superb cordless freedom and energy-saving optical performance to your PC. For further information on this product, please click here.

Speakers:

Using our website you can select several types of speaker starting from a standard pair of speakers through to deluxe 7.1 speakers systems.

What is 2.1, 5.1, 7.1 etc?

Standard speakers and 2.0 speakers consist of two speakers to cover the left and right sides.

2.1 speakers consist of two speakers and a sub-woofer (for bass) that adds a little extra quality to your computing experience.

5.1 speakers consist of five speakers and a sub-woofer (for bass). Having five speakers allows for a front left, front right, rear left, rear right and a center speaker in addition to the sub-woofer, and this enhances the sound dramatically. Providing the product that you are playing supports surround sound, you can experience sound in a much more realistic mode. For example, when playing games you can hear what's going on behind you so there's less chance you'll get caught out if your enemy is creeping up on you.

7.1 speakers consist of seven speakers and a sub-woofer (for bass), allowing for the ultimate sound experience. In addition to the center, front and rear left and right speakers, you will also have a side right and a side left speaker. For further information and a diagram, please click here.

Printer:

You can choose a printer from our list to suit your needs. We only sell multi-function printers that have a printer/scanner/copier built in, so they are "all-in-one". These are the most cost effective, space-saving and useful printers currently available. For more information on each printer, please visit the manufacturer's website.

www.hp.co.uk

Surge Protection:

A surge protector is a device that protects your electronic equipment from power surges and power spikes. A surge protector usually has four or more sockets, from which you can connect and power four or more electrical devices with the safety of knowing that should a power surge occur, the chances of damage occuring to your electrical equipment as a result of a power surge is very much limited. Surge protectors are now very affordable and we strongly recommend that if you do not already own a surge protector with a minimum of two spare sockets, that you purchase one with your order.

Webcam & VoIP:

If you're thinking of chatting to your friend in Australia, or your parents in Spain, a webcam is an absolute must! A webcam allows you to stream live video content over the internet in a matter of seconds. The majority of households have at least one webcam nowadays, and companies use webcams for video conferencing so that they can have a virtual meeting with their partners all over the world.

We offer the following webcams & VoIP headsets:

Logitech® Webcam C200 - built-in-mic & VGA quality video sensor (£16)

Logitech® Webcam C500 - 1.3Mp, built-in Mic and clear, detailed video (£36)

Logitech® QuickCam® S 7500 High-performance with sophisticated optics (£46)

Logitech® Webcam Pro 9000 - 2.0Mp, AutoFocus and Carl Zeiss Optics(£79)

Logitech® QuickCam® Sphere AF The ultimate in video-calling freedom (£85)

Antivirus:

If you want a computer that's protected from known worms and viruses, or you're not sure whether the files that you are opening are malicious, we recommend you order Norton Antivirus with your system. By ordering Norton Antivirus you receive the following key features:

• Automatically removes viruses, Trojan horses, and worms.
• Checks incoming and outgoing email attachments for viruses.
• Automatically scans incoming instant message attachments for threats.
• Checks compressed file archives for viruses.
• Keeps dangerous Internet worms out, blocking them before they infect your system.
• Automatically downloads updates to protect against new threats.
• Automatically scans for viruses upon downloading updates.
• Uses smart technology to detect emergent worms and other new threats without waiting for updates.
• Disinfects your system prior to installation, starting you off with a clean, virus-free computer.

New viruses and malicious software trojans are being produced every day, and no Antivirus software can guarantee a virus free computer. However, with Norton Antivirus you can be assured that as soon as a virus or worm is identified and the definitions are updated, your computer will be able to download the latest definitions to ensure your computer is kept clean period.

Office Software:

Office software does not come provided as standard with Windows. Using our system builder, you can choose office software to complement your computer. We currently offer the following office software:

FREE 60 Day Trial of Microsoft® Office® 2007 Professional Edition

FREE OFFICE SOFTWARE (see www.openoffice.org)

Microsoft® Office® 2007 Basic (1 Licence) (£139)

Microsoft® Office® 2007 Home & Student (3 Licence) (£66)

Microsoft® Office® 2007 Professional (1 Licence) (£226)

Microsoft® Office® 2007 Small Business (1 Licence) (£182)

Microsoft® Works 9 - Word Processing, Spreadsheets, etc (£8)

Microsoft® Works Plus 2008 (inc. Microsoft Word 2003) (£34)

NO OFFICE SOFTWARE

FREE OFFICE SOFTWARE (see www.openoffice.org)

OpenOffice.org was the first product to deliver the benefits of open-source software to mass-market users, delivering essential everyday software tools completely free of charge. OpenOffice.org is now in use by tens of millions of delighted users worldwide.

OpenOffice is the first office suite to use the new OASIS OpenDocument format, the future-proof international standard for office software (ISO/IEC 26300) easier to install, with a whole new look and feel, matched to the type of computer in use more intuitive, more easy to use than ever, with a host of new usability features introducing a major new component, Base: an easy-to-use database manager with a fully integrated database more compatible with other software packages – now understands even obscure and rarely used features in major competitors.

You may download OpenOffice.org Version 2 completely free of any licence fees, use it for any purpose– private, educational, government and public administration, commercial – and pass on copies free of charge to family, friends, students, employees, etc.

What’s so great about OpenOffice.org?

As the name suggests, OpenOffice.org is the most open office suite available:

• No commercial licences or software compliance issues to worry about
• No language barriers - if it’s not yet available in your language, the chances are it will be soon
• Available on all major computing platforms
• The first office suite to comply with the OASIS OpenDocument format
• The source code for the software is freely available under a full OSI certified licence

OpenOffice.org is synonymous with quality

The roots of OpenOffice.org go back twenty years, creating a huge wealth of experience hundreds of thousands of users have participated in the beta testing of version 2 with a fully open development process, OpenOffice.org has nothing to hide - the product stands or falls on its reputation

OpenOffice.org is friendly

The software looks and feels familiar and is instantly usable by anyone who has used a competitive product. It’s easy to change to OpenOffice.org - the software reads all major competitors’ files. OpenOffice.org is supported by a global community of friendly volunteers, only too happy to provide assistance to newcomers and advanced users alike.

What’s in OpenOffice.org?

WRITER is OpenOffice.org’s word processor: use it for anything from writing a quick letter to producing an entire book with embedded illustrations, cross-references, tables of contents, indexes, bibliographies... Auto-complete, auto-format, and real-time spelling check make light work of the hardest task. Writer is powerful enough to tackle desktop publishing tasks such as creating multi-column newsletters, brochures – the only limit is your imagination.

Use CALC to bring your numbers under control. This powerful spreadsheet has all the tools you need to calculate, analyse, summarise, and present your data in numerical reports or sizzling graphics. A fully-integrated help system makes entering complex formulas a breeze. Sophisticated decision-making tools are just a few mouse clicks away. Pull in external data using the Data Pilot, and sort it, filter it, and produce subtotals and statistical analyses. Use previews to select from thirteen categories of 2-D and 3-D charts including line, area, column, pie, XY, stock and net with dozens of variants.

IMPRESS is the fastest, most powerful way to create effective multimedia presentations. Your presentations will truly stand out with special effects, animation and high-impact drawing tools.

DRAW will produce everything from simple diagrams to dynamic 3D illustrations and special effects.

New to Version 2, BASE enables you to manipulate database data seamlessly within OpenOffice.org. Create and modify tables, forms, queries, and reports, either using your own database or Base’s own built-in HSQL database engine.

For further information on this product, please click here.

Please note that we do not physically provide this product but it can be downloaded for free here.

Microsoft® Works 9 - Word Processing, Spreadsheets, etc (£8)

Microsoft Works 9 makes your everyday household tasks easier by giving you all of the essential tools you need to get things done—including word processor, spreadsheet, database, calendar, e-mail and Internet browser. Enhanced features help you get organized and plan ahead with ease and confidence. Here are some of the ways Works 9 helps you and your family:

• The Works Calendar is better than ever, with multiple calendars, better appointment setting, colour-coding and improved printing.
• Share and edit word processing and spreadsheet files with Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel users
• Take the guesswork out of creating resumes, letters, reports, and budgets with easy-to-use templates.
• Stay connected with family and friends through Address Book and E-mail.

For further information on this product, please click here.

Please note that the copy of this product we provide is OEM and not a retail product.

Microsoft® Works Plus 2008 (inc. Microsoft Word 2003) (£34)

Microsoft® Works Plus 2008 makes your household tasks easier by providing a set of basic home productivity programs, including Microsoft Office Word 2003 (with Service Pack 2 for Office 2003) and the Works 9 spreadsheet, database, calendar and over 300 templates. With Microsoft Works Plus 2008 it's easy to manage your to-do's and stay on top of your busy schedule. Here are the top 10 ways Works Plus 2008 can help you:

• Create letters, resumes, and greeting cards.
  Spend more time writing and less time formatting professional-looking documents with the advanced word processing tools of Office Word 2003.
• Track your budget, plan for home improvements or maintain your medical history.
  Use the Works Spreadsheet to do common calculations, basic formatting and simple charting. It's easy to track expenses or keep your lists organized.
• Access everything you need from one place.
  The Works Task Launcher enables you quickly get started on your personal or household tasks by enabling you to access your calendar, contacts, Works programs and helpful templates - all from one place.
• Manage your busy schedule.
  Easily manage multiple schedules with the Works Calendar. Create up to 32 individual colour-coded calendars and combine all or any combination into one view to keep track of everyone's plans. It's also easy to share your calendar with others with iCalendar format support.
• Stay in touch with family and friends.
  Manage your personal address book with Works Contacts. Keep track of everyone's latest contact information and easily start an email with a single click on a name.
• Share and edit Microsoft Office Word and Microsoft Office Excel® files.
  With Works Plus 2008 it's easy to share files with people using Microsoft Office Word or Microsoft Office Excel. Using Work Plus 2008 you can open Word documents and Excel spreadsheets, edit and then save them.* Works 9 even supports the new Office 2007 file formats - DOCX** and XLSX.
• Organize important household records.
  Store addresses, membership lists, or keep home inventory information in the Works Database. Manage up to 32,000 different records.
• Get started on any task quickly and easily.
  Works 9 has hundreds of pre-designed customisable templates organized in convenient categories to help you get started on a variety of different tasks including letters, resumes, greeting cards, personal budget, home improvement, school work, travel planning and more.
• Find the help you need.
  Discover all that Works has to offer with the Quick Tour and get the assistance you need with in-product Help, Task Pane Tips of the Day and Microsoft Customer Support.
• Upgrade as your needs grow.
  Move up to a qualifying Microsoft Office suite for a low upgrade price and get more done at home, school and work.

*Microsoft Office versions 97-2007.
**Office Word 2003 requires download of Microsoft Compatibility Pack to open, edit and save as DOCX

For further information on this product, please click here.

Please note that the copy of this product we provide is OEM and not a retail product.

Microsoft® Office® 2007 Small Business (1 Licence) (£182)

Microsoft Office Small Business Edition 2007 is a powerful and easy-to-use suite of productivity and contact management software with new tools to help you save time, stay organized, and deliver better customer service. Easily manage your prospect and customer information in one place. Quickly create dynamic documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. Develop professional-looking marketing materials for print, e-mail, and the Web, and produce effective marketing campaigns in-house. You can manage your calendar, tasks, and e-mail more efficiently, and filter out unwanted e-mail messages to help keep your computer safe and secure. And you will spend less time learning new features by using improved menus that present the right tools automatically.

Office Small Business Edition 2007 Contains

• Word
• Publisher
• Outlook with Business Contact Manager
• PowerPoint
• Excel

Features

• Spend less time learning new software by using improved menus and commands that present the tools you need when you need them.
• Find what you need faster and more easily by using Instant Search.
• Help protect yourself by using improved junk mail and anti-phishing filters. New graphics capabilities make it easier to produce professional documents, spreadsheets, and presentations that are publication-ready.
• Schedule tasks in Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 that will appear on your calendar.
• Use the new To-Do Bar that presents a consolidated view of tasks, calendar information, and e-mail messages flagged for follow-up.
• Use new Microsoft Office Word 2007 templates and tools that make it easier to reuse content, apply professional-looking formatting, and quickly preview changes.
• Use new Microsoft Office Excel 2007 tools for filtering, sorting, and visualizing information to help you analyze business data more effectively.

For further information on this product, please click here.

Please note that the copy of this product we provide is OEM and not a retail product.

Microsoft® Office® 2007 Basic (1 Licence) (£139)

Microsoft Office Basic Edition 2007 is the essential, preinstalled software suite for homes and small businesses with new computers that enables you to quickly and easily create great-looking documents and spreadsheets and manage e-mail. The latest release features a new streamlined user interface that exposes commonly used and familiar commands, enhanced graphics and formatting capabilities that enable you to create high-quality documents, new time management tools to help manage your schedule, and more reliability and security such as an improved junk e-mail filter to reduce spam e-mail. With these enhancements, Office Basic 2007 makes it easier and more enjoyable for you to get tasks done at home or work.

Office Small Basic Edition 2007 Contains

• Word
• Excel
• Outlook

Features

• A results-oriented user interface that makes it easier for you to find and use product features.
• More stable bullets and numbering to help you consistently format documents.
• Enhanced text effects, SmartArt diagrams, and graphics and charting galleries that provide more formatting choices.
• Document Themes that help you create a consistent appearance across Microsoft Office system programs.

For further information on this product, please click here.

Please note that the copy of this product we provide is OEM and not a retail product.

FREE 60 Day Trial of Microsoft® Office® 2007 Professional Edition

Microsoft® Office® 2007 Professional (1 Licence) (£226)

Microsoft Office Professional Edition 2007 is a complete suite of productivity and database software that will help you save time and stay organized. Powerful contact management features help you manage all customer and prospect information in one place. Develop professional marketing materials for print, e-mail, and the Web, and produce effective marketing campaigns in-house. Create dynamic business documents, spreadsheets, and presentations, and build databases with no prior experience or technical staff. You will learn new features rapidly using improved menus that present the right tools when you need them.

Office Professional Edition 2007 Contains

• Access
• Word
• PowerPoint
• Publisher
• Outlook with Business Contact Manager
• Excel

Features

• Spend less time learning new software with improved menus and commands that present the tools you need when you need them.
• Find what you need faster and more easily using Instant Search.
• Protect yourself with improved junk mail and anti-phishing filters.
• Produce professional-looking documents, spreadsheets, and presentations that are publication-ready without spending hours on formatting and refinements.
• Schedule tasks in Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 that also will appear on your calendar.
• Use the new Office Outlook 2007 To-Do Bar that presents a consolidated view of tasks, calendar information, and e-mail messages flagged for follow up.
• Use new templates and tools in Microsoft Office Word 2007 that make it easier to reuse content, apply professional formatting, and quickly preview changes.
• Use new tools in Microsoft Office Excel 2007 for filtering, sorting, and visualizing information to help you analyze business data more effectively.

For further information on this product, please click here.

Please note that the copy of this product we provide is OEM and not a retail product.

Microsoft® Office® 2007 Home & Student (3 Licence) (£66)

Microsoft Office Home Student Edition 2007 is the essential software suite for home computer users that enables you to quickly and easily create great-looking documents, spreadsheets, and presentations, and organize your notes and information in one place, making it easier and more enjoyable for you to get things done. The latest version features a new streamlined user interface that exposes commonly used commands, enhanced graphics, and formatting capabilities that enable you to create high-quality documents, plus a powerful note and information organization tool, and more reliability and security with the Document Inspector tool and improved automatic document recovery. With these enhancements, Office Home and Student 2007 makes it easier and more enjoyable for you to get tasks done at home.

Office Small Home Student Edition 2007 Contains

• Word
• Excel
• PowerPoint
• One Note

Features

• Results-oriented user interface makes it easier for you to find and use product features.
• More stable bullets and numbers help you to consistently format documents.
• Enhanced text effects, SmartArt diagrams, and graphics and charting galleries provide you with more formatting choices.
• Themes create a consistent appearance across Microsoft Office system programs.

For further information on this product, please click here.

Please note that the copy of this product we provide is OEM and not a retail product.

Port Replicator (Docking Station):

On our notebook configurator there is the option of adding a port replicator (which is sometimes also referred to as a docking station) to your order. A port replicator is a device that allows you to connect your peripheral devices such as your printer, scanner, monitor, speakers, internet/LAN) to the docking station, which then connects to your laptop via one USB cable.

Do I need a port replicator?

For people who use their laptop in several locations, for example at home and at the office, a port replicator saves time and hassle by making it easy to "dock" your laptop, connecting to all your devices in one simple step.

Laptop Stand:

On our notebook configurator there is the option of adding a laptop stand to your order. A laptop stand, when combined with an external keyboard and mouse, helps the user achieve a comfortable working position and more importantly a better posture, as the user does not have to bend toward the screen - the screen can be positioned on a desk at shoulder height. We currently offer Logitech® laptop stands. An example (Logitech® Alto™) can be seen below:

Do I need a laptop stand?

For people who use their laptop at a desk for longer periods, a laptop stand will give you the same freedom as a desktop computer when combined with a separate keyboard and mouse. A laptop stand will also help businesses comply with current UK legislation Health & Safety, which recommends the use of equipment which avoids the ergonomic disadvantages of portable equipment.

Battery:

On our notebook configurator there is sometimes the option of upgrading your battery or ordering additional batteries. The length of time a laptop battery will operate varies on individual notebook computers, based on the applications being used (i.e. high end graphics, gaming), the number of times something is saved or retrieved from the hard drive, how often the CD/DVD drive is used, and the amount of memory in the notebook. The realistic average run-time is 1.5 to 3 hours, but obviously the more you use the notebook, and the more devices you order when configuring the notebook, the lower the battery life will be. Using devices like a wireless adapter will also reduce the battery life.

Should I order extra batteries?

If your laptop is generally used in or around the home or office, ordering extra batteries is not a priority. However, if you often take your notebook away, for example on business trips, school trips, on holiday, camping, etc., then a spare battery will allow you to continue using your laptop after a quick exchange of batteries.

Power Lead & Adapter:

When configuring a laptop on our website, we provide the option of selecting additional power leads and adapters. Ordering an additional power lead can beneft you in several ways:

• You can place the adapters in the key areas around the home where the notebook is used, meaning you don't have to carry the adapters round with you.
• You have a spare power lead & adapter should the original lead be misplaced or damaged.
• You can leave adapters in the office or key business locations, reducing the weight you have to carry round on a day-to-day basis.

Carry Case:

When selecting the accessories for a laptop on our configurator, you have the option of adding a notebook carry case to the order. We recommended you order a carry case with your laptop for the following reasons:

• A carry case offers some protection against scratches, shock and damage should you drop your notebook, or an item be placed on top of it.
• A carry case allows you to transport many of the accessories for your notebook, such as the power lead & adapter, mouse/keyboard, Bluetooth dongle, etc. with ease.
• Our generic carry cases, although generally basic, were designed for the laptops we manufacture and so may provide a better fit than other brands.

We also offer high quality and trused solutions, such as the Logitech® backpack or briefcase, which will make taking your laptop out and about easier than ever before.

TV Card:

A TV Card allows you to receive television, radio and teletext through your computer (depending on which TV card you purchase). Some TV cards can also be used for transferring videos and images to your computer through a composite or S-Video connection.

We currently offer the following TV cards:

DIGITAL SATELLITE TV CARD (Connect Satellite to your PC)

HAUPPAUGE DUAL TUNER TV CARD & WINDOWS MEDIA CENTRE REMOTE

MULTIMEDIA REMOTE CONTROL FOR VISTA & MCE

HAUPPAUGE DUAL TUNER DIGITAL FREEVIEW TV (WinTV-NOVA-TD-500)

PCTV SYSTEMS DVB-T DUAL TUNER DIGITAL FREEVIEW TV CARD

PCTV SYSTEMS DUAL TUNER TV CARD & WINDOWS MEDIA CENTRE REMOTE

DIGITAL SATELLITE TV CARD (Connect Satellite to your PC)

This TV card is compatible with Microsoft Windows 7, although you may need to download the latest drivers from Twinhan before all the specified features function properly. To download the drivers, please login to your account and visit the download section.

With reference to the above picture the TV card will need connecting to an aerial if you wish to have the facility to watch digital TV. Note that you do not necessarily need a digital aerial, and a connection splitter may enable you to connect just one aerial and split the signal for ease of use/less wires.

HAUPPAUGE DUAL TUNER TV CARD & WINDOWS MEDIA CENTRE REMOTE

This TV card is compatible with Microsoft Windows 7, although you may need to download the latest drivers from Twinhan before all the specified features function properly. To download the drivers, please login to your account and visit the download section.

With reference to the above picture and starting from the connections on the left hand side of the rear of the TV card, the connection on the left hand side is the satellite LNB signal connection, followed by the S-Video and Composite connections. Both the aerial connections will need connecting to an aerial if you wish to have the facility to watch digital and analog TV. Note that you do not necessarily need a digital aerial, and a connection splitter may enable you to connect just one aerial and split the signal for ease of use/less wires.

HAUPPAUGE DUAL TUNER DIGITAL FREEVIEW TV (WinTV-NOVA-TD-500)

The Media Center kit allows you to operate Windows Media Center from a remote control rather than your mouse. Combined with Windows Media Center the remote control converts your PC into a digital entertainment center, allowing you to control TV, Personal Video Recording (PVR), Movies, Music, Photos, Videos, and Radio.* from anywhere in the room.

Please check that you live in an area where you can receive digital TV before ordering a computer with a Digital TV card. You can check this at http://www.dtg.org.uk/retailer/coverage.html.

External Hard Drive:

An external hard drive is quite literally a hard drive enclosed in a solid case which you connect to your computer by USB or firewire, depending on the drive. An external hard drive can benefit your computing experience in many ways, some of which include:

• Extra storage capacity - an external hard drive provides extra storage capacity.
• Backup - you can use an external hard drive to backup your important files, videos and images.
• Improved performance - in some circumstances, for example on slower had drives, data can be accessed quicker from an external hard drive than the computers internal hard drive.
• Portability - external hard drives allow you to transfer large amounts of data from one computer to another easily.

For further information on hard drives, please see our hard drive help by clicking here.

Home Installation:

We offer a home installation service allowing those in need of a little extra help in setting up their order the peace of mind that is often lacked when ordering a new computer. This ranges from a basic installation right through to family surf control and that all important data transfer. Below is a breakdown of each service and what it covers:

• Technician Assisted Installation & Set-Up (£79)
  • Unpack PC, connect plugs and power supply.
  • Establish internet connection (must already be up and running).
  • Set up e-mail account (must already be purchased).
  • Set up security updates and demonstrate key security features.
  • Connect 2-3 peripherals (printer/fax/camera etc.). This includes a maximum of one printer.



• Technician Assisted Installation & Set-Up + Wireless Internet + Family Surf Control (£99)
  • Unpack PC, connect plugs and power supply.
  • Unpack wireless router and connect to the existing internet connection.
  • Connect the network to up to 3 wireless ready PCs.
  • Set up e-mail accounts (must already be purchased).
  • Secure the wireless network, set up security updates and demonstrate key security features.
  • Connect up to 3 peripherals (printer/fax/camera etc.). This includes a maximum of one printer.
  • Set-up surf control for family members.



• Technician Assisted Installation & Set-Up + Data Transfer (£119)
  • Unpack PC, connect plugs and power supply.
  • Establish internet connection (must already be up and running).
  • Set up e-mail account (must already be purchased).
  • Set up security updates and demonstrate key security features.
  • Connect 2-3 peripherals (printer/fax/camera etc.). This includes a maximum of one printer.
  • Transfer of end user and application files including email, internet favourites, My documents, My pictures, My Videos, My Music.
  • Placing these files in the appropriate places on the new computer.



• Technician Assisted Installation + Wireless + Family Surf Control + Data Transfer (£139)
  • Unpack PC, connect plugs and power supply.
  • Unpack wireless router and connect to the existing internet connection.
  • Connect the network to up to 3 wireless ready PCs.
  • Set up e-mail accounts (must already be purchased).
  • Secure the wireless network, set up security updates and demonstrate key security features.
  • Connect up to 3 peripherals (printer/fax/camera etc.). This includes a maximum of one printer.
  • Set-up surf control for family members.
  • Transfer of end user and application files including email, internet favourites, My documents, My pictures, My Videos, My Music.
  • Placing these files in the appropriate places on the new computer.

The Home Installation Service is available Monday - Friday between 9am and 5pm only. Terms, Conditions and Limitations apply. Click here for more information.

Warranty:

You can choose to have our 1, 2 or 3 year return-to-base warranty. A return to base warranty would allow you to return the computer to us if it were to develop a fault (we will collect it from you for free for a limited period as specified when you order). Please Click Here for warranty terms and conditions.

Insurance:

To protect your purchase of a tailor-made computer from PC Specialist, you may wish to purchase an insurance package which protects against theft, accidental damage, breakdown and also liquid damage. With laptops being used all over the home, it can be very easy to spill your drink or knock it from your kitchen worktops and therefore insurance is strongly recommended.

Why Do I Need Insurance for my Computer?

• 80% of household insurance policies do not adequately cover portable electronic equipment.
• Half of all street crime involves portable electronic equipment.

If your portable electronic equipment is damaged or stolen this could cost you hundreds of pounds as well as cause a lot of inconvenience, stress and hassle.

Repairing your Computer

You may believe that damaging your laptop is unlikely, yet they are so easy to drop or knock. This is the most common grounds for insurance claims today, with thousands of claims being made a week.

• Cosmetic damage and battery damage can cost upwards of £60 to repair.
• Liquid damage can be irreparable.

For as little as 7p a day you are protected worldwide against:

• Accidental damage
• Liquid damage
• Theft
• Breakdown

Should you need to claim; the process is simple with a 48 hour turnaround for theft claims and 7-10 day turnaround for repairs.

What does it cost?

FAQ's | Terms & Conditions

Insurance policies are provided to you by PC Specialist Ltd and arranged on our behalf by Pier Insurance Managed Services Ltd. Pier Insurance Managed Services Ltd is Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Registration Number 311798.

Quantity:

On orders of 1 - 30 computers, you can expect the usual lead time for delivery. On orders of 30 - 60 computers, please add 3-5 days to the delivery lead time. If you wish to purchase more than 60 computers, please contact us for estimated delivery lead times. Although only very small in comparison to your purchase, we can offer a discount for orders of 4 or more computers. Please contact us on 0844 499 4000 for further information.