Big Custom Built PC Retailers - Any Experiences?

Big Custom Built PC Retailers - Any Experiences?

Author
Discussion

Baldchap

Original Poster:

8,371 posts

99 months

Friday 9th February
quotequote all
In before being told to build one: I've built probably hundreds of PCs over the course of my life either for work or mine or the Boy's gaming. I'm not doing it, I can't be bothered.

Ok, the question at hand: Has anyone any direct experience of buying a high end custom gaming PC from Scan or Overclockers (or any I may have forgotten?) and how was the process and end result? Hassle free is my mantra.

Thanks. smile

scjgreen

588 posts

141 months

Friday 9th February
quotequote all
My mate bought a Prebuilt from Alphasync via EBuyer and it's been fine. Was very good value aswell

Slowboathome

4,460 posts

51 months

Friday 9th February
quotequote all
I've had a couple of PCs from PCspecialist. One mid range and one poverty spec. Both experiences were hassle-free, both machines have been fine. Their support line and user forum are good too.

Narcisus

8,247 posts

287 months

Friday 9th February
quotequote all
I've been here and thought exactly the same but eventually caved and just bought the bits and did it myself ... Only took an afternoon and it was built exactly how I wanted it.

I did loads of research and heard good and bad ...

If I could be 100% sure of the quality of the build then yeah for the £100 quid odd extra it would have cost I would have gone for it but I couldn't so I didn't hehe

If you do buy a decent spec prebuilt and are please with it do post back because I may go with them next time !

GuyW

1,081 posts

210 months

Friday 9th February
quotequote all
Couple of high end machines over the years from Scan. No issues at all, built well and price wise really not much more than DIY.

Derek Smith

46,503 posts

255 months

Friday 9th February
quotequote all
Slowboathome said:
I've had a couple of PCs from PCspecialist. One mid range and one poverty spec. Both experiences were hassle-free, both machines have been fine. Their support line and user forum are good too.
My experience also. I didn't have to phone them after delivery. Everything spot on, but they were very helpful for deciding what to include in the build.

Baldchap

Original Poster:

8,371 posts

99 months

Saturday 10th February
quotequote all
GuyW said:
Couple of high end machines over the years from Scan. No issues at all, built well and price wise really not much more than DIY.
That's good to hear. I think Scan are my front runner.

vaud

52,399 posts

162 months

Saturday 10th February
quotequote all
I had good experiences with CCL and like Scan they have been going for a long time.

Baldchap

Original Poster:

8,371 posts

99 months

Saturday 10th February
quotequote all
As an update, Scan have just got my money after what I can only describe as the most fantastic customer service I have experienced from an online retailer.

I went on the online chat to ask a couple of config and delivery questions and the chap I was talking to (Robert S.) absolutely knew his onions and basically saved me £2,000 whilst ending up with a better machine for my purposes. He did all the config for me, got rid of all the RGB rubbish for black and grey, swapped a few bits and bats and I just went to a payment link and paid. I'll bet he was helping me for well over half an hour.

If they deliver as well as they pre-sale, I'll be a happy bunny.

Digger

15,181 posts

198 months

Saturday 10th February
quotequote all
Can we critique your chosen spec for the next few days until it arrives?

I'm guessing you originally specced it with a 4090 right?

biggrin

colin79666

1,973 posts

120 months

Sunday 11th February
quotequote all
I had a bad experience with PC Specialist (probably 15 years ago now). They snapped the SSD sata connector which was hanging by a thread and then refused to deal with it. SSDs weren’t cheap back then! They lost my custom for life.

Baldchap

Original Poster:

8,371 posts

99 months

Sunday 11th February
quotequote all
Digger said:
Can we critique your chosen spec for the next few days until it arrives?

biggrin
Absolutely not. laugh

dapprman

2,462 posts

274 months

Sunday 25th February
quotequote all
Slight segue on this one as it won;t be till April at the earliest before I replace my PC and Scan is the fore-runner.

Any one any knowledge/experience of CyberPower ? I'm thinking of their offerings through Costco as these differ spec wise from their website. Presently Costco has this one at £300 off. Looking at lower spec ones in store yesterday I note it does not come with the Corsair disk caddy installed (so I'd have to pick that and some additional cables up).

MesoForm

9,159 posts

282 months

Sunday 25th February
quotequote all
colin79666 said:
I had a bad experience with PC Specialist (probably 15 years ago now). They snapped the SSD sata connector which was hanging by a thread and then refused to deal with it. SSDs weren’t cheap back then! They lost my custom for life.
Friend has something similar about 10 years ago, hopefully they’ve got their customer service sorted now.
Another friend used Chillblast and was happy with how they helped him.

Digger

15,181 posts

198 months

Sunday 25th February
quotequote all
Baldchap said:
Digger said:
Can we critique your chosen spec for the next few days until it arrives?

biggrin
Absolutely not. laugh
Have you got it yet?!

What's the spec? biggrin

22

2,398 posts

144 months

Sunday 25th February
quotequote all
Bought my lad a PC from CyberPower ~£2200 Dec 2020 for Flight Sims. 9 months later The LED controller failed. They replaced it straight away.

Colleague at work just bought a ~£3.5k PC from PC Specialist. It seemed to spend quite a few days in testing but then when it turned up - one bit of RAM wasn't working properly. It was replaced quite promptly (exchanged by DPD). They got the day wrong, but the early email meant we sorted it. He loves it.

Baldchap

Original Poster:

8,371 posts

99 months

Monday 26th February
quotequote all
Digger said:
Baldchap said:
Digger said:
Can we critique your chosen spec for the next few days until it arrives?

biggrin
Absolutely not. laugh
Have you got it yet?!

What's the spec? biggrin
I've been overseas so I ordered it for the end of the month or thereabouts. I can't honestly remember what the spec is but it's pretty good.

My G9 Oddessey OLED monitor has just arrived from Samsung... biggrin

Better get clearing a space...

Narcisus

8,247 posts

287 months

Monday 26th February
quotequote all
Baldchap said:
Digger said:
Baldchap said:
Digger said:
Can we critique your chosen spec for the next few days until it arrives?

biggrin
Absolutely not. laugh
Have you got it yet?!

What's the spec? biggrin
I've been overseas so I ordered it for the end of the month or thereabouts. I can't honestly remember what the spec is but it's pretty good.

My G9 Oddessey OLED monitor has just arrived from Samsung... biggrin

Better get clearing a space...
Can you test the Samsung before your main rig arrives ? I gave up on Samsung due to shocking quality control at least in my experience.

Baldchap

Original Poster:

8,371 posts

99 months

Saturday 9th March
quotequote all
Pleased to report all is absolutely fantastic! CP77 runs full width absolutely amazingly.

3DMark score isn't too bad either...





Who doesn't love a photo of a screenshot? laugh

dapprman

2,462 posts

274 months

Saturday 9th March
quotequote all
Baldchap said:
Pleased to report all is absolutely fantastic! CP77 runs full width absolutely amazingly.

<snip as not relevant>

Who doesn't love a photo of a screenshot? laugh
Willing to say what spec you went for ?