New Desktop Recommendations please ....

[Contreras]

The other thing that puts me off Dell/PC World is the OEM OS licencing scam that they practice, where after a couple years if something goes wrong and you have to resinstall the OS, the licence key on the side of the PC no longer works

I've not seen that behaviour. Using the same "Reinstallation CD" (in effect a Windows OEM CD) on a number of Dell desktops/laptops either to install or re-install, it never asks for a licence key. Somehow it just 'knows' the hardware is Dell and therefore is legit to go ahead.

Albeit this is with Win XP Pro., perhaps later (or non-Pro) releases no longer work like that.

[anonymouse]

No complaints with SCAN, except for the queue, so next day delivery for me.

I usually pick a motherboard bundle, but you can pick a PC, or spec your own for them to build.

Custom PCs, Custom Gaming PCs, Custom Computers, Gaming - 3XS

[VectraMan]

The other thing that puts me off Dell/PC World is the OEM OS licencing scam that they practice, where after a couple years if something goes wrong and you have to resinstall the OS, the licence key on the side of the PC no longer works

I've done that lots of times without issue. Sounds like you were using the wrong CD: it used to be that you needed a Dell OEM XP CD to use the Dell code, a retail XP wouldn't work. But I think they dropped that with Vista and later.

As for support, I wouldn't know as I've never had a reason to call them. I'd much rather have that than a company with great support that I need all the time. But YMMV.

[CloudWalker]

Overclockers.

Mr C bought one from them a couple of years ago and is very happy with it (the hardware at least, he hates Win8.1).

+1 and they will custom build it for you

PC Systems - Overclockers UK

[Boo]

[QUOTE=tractor;1972513]...I have heard that Chilli stuff is good.../QUOTE]

Linky ?

Boo

[SimonMac]

...I have heard that Chilli stuff is good...

Linky ?

Boo

Chillblast - The UK's most awarded Custom PC builder - Cheap PCs - Gaming PCs - Workstations

[SteelyDan]

Last 2 desktops I've bought thru Mesh.
One is XP, other Win 7, both still going strong although XP machine not used much these days. Win 7 was high spec at the time, purchased 4 years ago.
Have no complaints, no component failures, no problems. Plus they do customisation, but I think many suppliers do this, Chillblast, PCSpecialist, et al.
Like most things though, it's subjective and based on user experience, i.e. you get a good machine and you're likely to stick with that brand.

[d000hg]

The other thing that puts me off Dell/PC World is the OEM OS licencing scam that they practice, where after a couple years if something goes wrong and you have to resinstall the OS, the licence key on the side of the PC no longer works

PCWorld gave mum a recovery USB key

[Platypus]

I let Scan build one for me, pretty good, but I had to switch off the overclocking as it kept BSOD'ing

EDIT: fscking huge chassis, now has two monster video cards and 5 hard drives. Nice for expandability.