Where to buy computer stuff in UK?

December 16, 2007 9:41 AM

Where to buy PC components in UK (both online and in store)?

Have just moved back to the UK and am not really up on where to get computer parts (things like Motherboard etc). The place I'm after has to offer more selection than somewhere like a PC World. Was therefore after 2 things:
1) On-line - something similar to Newegg.com ideally, (they don't shop overseas otherwise I'd probably use them). I've seen Dabs.com and microdirect.co.uk, but can anyone recommend anything else?
2) A computer store in central London (again, PC World etc not going to cut it). Maybe somewhere on Totenham Court Rd?

Any help/advice appreciated!!

posted by Mave_80 to Computers & Internet (14 answers total)

I'd suggest Maplin, who do mail order and have dozens of branches around the UK, including one on Tottenham Court Road.
posted by Ulleskelf at 9:47 AM on December 16, 2007

Response by poster: Unfortunately had a look at Maplin, and looking at a lot of their stuff it seemed mostly no-name stuff. For example, looked at power supplies and they didn't have one major name. They even only had 10 motherboards to choose from - just didn't seem that great a selection. Thanks for the suggestion though
posted by Mave_80 at 9:58 AM on December 16, 2007

For online I'd suggest overclockers.co.uk or aria.co.uk. Both I've bought from many times without issue and have many friends who have done the same.
posted by Leud at 10:00 AM on December 16, 2007

I always end up going with overclockers.co.uk.
They tend to be fairly priced, their forums can be useful, and they've never let me down. I've had places taking ages to send things out, things getting lost in transit, all the usual shit, but never from overclockers.
posted by opsin at 10:01 AM on December 16, 2007

Best answer: overclockers even...

Doh.
posted by opsin at 10:02 AM on December 16, 2007

Best answer: I've never had any problems with Dabs, price or service wise. Ebuyer is really popular as well.

If I've needed something in a hurry, I've usually visited one of the Micro Anvika shops on Tottenham Court Road, but they can be a bit pricey.
posted by phax at 10:25 AM on December 16, 2007

Best answer: eBuyer is the most NewEgg-like and consistently the best to me at least. I ordered a graphics card at 7.30pm on Friday night and it turned up at 9am on Saturday morning.. can't beat that! Scan also have a pretty good reputation and you can order from them and pick up the order from their warehouse in Bolton, Lancs, which is pretty nice.

For Central London walk-in, Tottenham Court Road is always worth a crawl. If you have the time you can price the vendors off against each other. I don't really see the point though when eBuyer can deliver within 24 hours in nearly all cases. Oh, and consider Amazon.co.uk too. They've started doing a wide range of components now.
posted by wackybrit at 10:35 AM on December 16, 2007

Nthing TCR.
posted by k8t at 11:36 AM on December 16, 2007

I had a very bad customer service experience with Dabs when attempting to return an item and will never buy from them again: as an indicator of their approach, they don't publish a telephone number on their website because their policy is not to communicate with their customers except by email or their laughable live chat system. Scan on the other I have found to be reliable and I was able to speak to a real person on the phone who gave me useful advice on the component I was trying to get hold of.
posted by amestoy at 12:24 PM on December 16, 2007

Ebuyer are fine until you have a problem with them, then it becomes a Kafka-esque nightmare of petty bureaucracy. After my last run-in with them, where they decided to cancel all my orders and close my account without explanation, I've decided to never go near them again.

So, yeah, nthing Overclockers.
posted by influx at 12:50 PM on December 16, 2007

For 1) (not been in London but do like Cex)

PC Pro (imho the nearest thing we have to Byte magazine) has had their readers annual awards. This page is their awards winner which is:

Mesh for their hardware quickness

CCL won

LAPTOPSDIRECT.CO.UK, MORECOMPUTERS.COM
were highly commended.

Personally i prefer to support my local retailers. Also online i've liked Dabs and CCL.

Also try computer prices for uk stuff which is a bit newegg.

I also love scan's only today stuff - v. addictive. Always has cool stuff.
posted by Vroom_Vroom_Vroom at 1:14 PM on December 16, 2007

I buy nearly all of my PC component hardware either from Scan (they're close enough geographically to go in person) or from eBuyer. I've even had a positive-ish experience with eBuyer's aftersales service (like Dabs, they have no telephone support, only email and "eNotes" after a graphics card was DOA.

I had a very bad experience with Microdirect while living in Manchester, and hence avoid them like the plague, and recommend others to do so as well. Dabs, I've generally had good experiences with.

Funnily enough, I was expecting to have to post a reverse of this question (online suppliers in the US after living in the UK) in a couple of months' time.
posted by Nice Guy Mike at 2:50 PM on December 16, 2007

influx: That seems to be kinda luck of the draw. Half of people seem to have experiences like yours, half have a perfect experience. I've RMAed stuff before and it was all fast and simple, all very "by the book". Not ever had to call them or anything though. Others claim to have problems with City-Link, the courier company, too, but again I've never had an issue, although I'm always here to pick up the stuff.
posted by wackybrit at 3:07 PM on December 16, 2007

I used to use Scan almost exclusively, but they put up their shipping prices (perhaps just for where I live) which pretty much put paid to using them any more - a bit of a shame, as their service and range is good, and their prices are very competitive.
Vroomx3 also mentions MoreComputers - I had very good service from them when putting together a MythTV box (they had components in that nobody else did, at good prices, and quickly and painlessly resolved a situation where the case was initially missing - they immediately despatched a replacement, only for them both to turn up together! )
posted by Chunder at 2:27 AM on December 17, 2007