Custom-built desktop PCs?

[konisaan]

I need a new desktop PC. So far I've looked at two options

1. Ordering online from a company like InvadeIT who seem to have a good reputation. The problem with this is that if there is a hardware problem, then there are hassles and delays in shipping the PC back-and-forth to the supplier.

2. Buying an off-the-shelf system from one of the larger IT/electronics shops. The problem with this is that they usually sell 'one size fits all' PCs without options.

The third option would be to find a local store with a good reputation that builds PCs to order.

Would anyone like to recommend one?

[WelshPagan]

I went to JIB Computer north side of the moat, Very good service and you can pick the parts you want it built with.

[ukrules]

JIB or Banana IT will build a computer to any spec you want.

[konisaan]

Thanks all. I've bought stuff from JIB before. Never disappointed.

Banana IT is an unknown to me. Are they a chain of similar size?

[WinnieTheKhwai]

People still buy made-to-order desktop computers?

Or perhaps: people still buy desktop computers at all?

Unless perhaps for *serious* gamers..

[FolkGuitar]

Goodspeed Computers (facing the moat in the computer plaza on the north-west side of the city) has made three custom-built desktops for me over the course of 15 years, and I couldn't be more satisfied with the outcome.

I tell them what I need to use to computer for, and that I want the very best to suit, and they do the rest. I'm very specific in my needs, and very specific in detail of the tower. For my last desktop, I needed a LOT of USB power, especially USB3 these days, and Goodspeed set me up with a motherboard with six USB 3 ports in back, and two USB 2 in front. Good sound and an extremely powerful graphics/video card with multiple out-put ports, and lots of RAM. I told them around noon, and it was ready for me the next day at 3pm. I've been using it for the past year and a half. It's never turned off, running 24/7.

People still buy made-to-order desktop computers?

Or perhaps: people still buy desktop computers at all?

Unless perhaps for *serious* gamers..

No games for me, but I do a LOT of Adobe 'Photoshop' work on still images, and a lot of Adobe 'Primiere' work on video editing.

Trying to do that on a laptop is an exercise in futility. I want a big monitor in front of me. I have a laptop for travel use, and even an iPad-Mini for daily walking around. But at home, it's always a desktop.

[elektrified]

Goodspeed Computers (facing the moat in the computer plaza on the north-west side of the city) has made three custom-built desktops for me over the course of 15 years, and I couldn't be more satisfied with the outcome.

I tell them what I need to use to computer for, and that I want the very best to suit, and they do the rest. I'm very specific in my needs, and very specific in detail of the tower. For my last desktop, I needed a LOT of USB power, especially USB3 these days, and Goodspeed set me up with a motherboard with six USB 3 ports in back, and two USB 2 in front. Good sound and an extremely powerful graphics/video card with multiple out-put ports, and lots of RAM. I told them around noon, and it was ready for me the next day at 3pm. I've been using it for the past year and a half. It's never turned off, running 24/7.

People still buy made-to-order desktop computers?

Or perhaps: people still buy desktop computers at all?

Unless perhaps for *serious* gamers..

No games for me, but I do a LOT of Adobe 'Photoshop' work on still images, and a lot of Adobe 'Primiere' work on video editing.

Trying to do that on a laptop is an exercise in futility. I want a big monitor in front of me. I have a laptop for travel use, and even an iPad-Mini for daily walking around. But at home, it's always a desktop.

Same here. Always a desktop PC at home with a big monitor; graphics and sound editing, etc. Samsung Tablet for traveling...never used at home.

[Tokay]

Just make sure to tell them not to load it with crap software and games. Many Thais will load it with nonsense that you will never use. Also ask for a genuine version of the OS, and not a bootleg copy. Of course, you can get a bootleg, but it may give you hassles down the road. Always worth a few more baht to get the real deal. Ask for the disk when they are done and keep it.

[jonwilly]

Now a Mac user but back in my Dark Days my last computer was built for me by Goodspeed Computer.

Good company to know.

Boss has a positive attitude and has a well led workforce.

I still place any 'Orders' for external Hard drives and other peripherals with Goodspeed.

john

[elektrified]

Just make sure to tell them not to load it with crap software and games. Many Thais will load it with nonsense that you will never use. Also ask for a genuine version of the OS, and not a bootleg copy. Of course, you can get a bootleg, but it may give you hassles down the road. Always worth a few more baht to get the real deal. Ask for the disk when they are done and keep it.

True. My PC that I bought from Computer or Icon Plaza (I forget which one now as it was years ago) came loaded with all kinds of pirated, cracked programs, stupid games, as well as hundreds of MP3's of Thai and Korean music, and hundreds of pornographic images including that of khatoeys. I went back and complained about it all as well as the fact that Windows was pirated. The guy just shrugged his shoulders and said that he had one DVD image that he ran across his server to load up the new computers. Not an original Windows OS in the whole shop. I ended up reformatting the HDD and installing a Windows OS on my own.

[zippydedodah]

i had 3 computers built for my friends in the last 4 months... i got an idea of what they wanted and then on the first two, i checked

prices on exact same parts at a few different vendors... JIB was always cheaper...

No OS, no garbage installed... i put win 8.1 on the machine and it works fine...i have been using the 8.1 image since it first

came out, a long time ago... never a problem...

they assemble machine in about 20 minutes and test in front of you to show you it has all the right bits and give you

the original OEM boxes

[ukrules]

i had 3 computers built for my friends in the last 4 months... i got an idea of what they wanted and then on the first two, i checked

prices on exact same parts at a few different vendors... JIB was always cheaper...

No OS, no garbage installed... i put win 8.1 on the machine and it works fine...i have been using the 8.1 image since it first

came out, a long time ago... never a problem...

they assemble machine in about 20 minutes and test in front of you to show you it has all the right bits and give you

the original OEM boxes

This is the best way, always install your own OS, you never know what else they're putting on there.

[manarak]

People still buy made-to-order desktop computers?

Or perhaps: people still buy desktop computers at all?

Unless perhaps for *serious* gamers..

Or people who do serious business on their computers or who handle important data.

Off the rack desktops rarely are equipped with RAID-1 HDDs for example.

It's not always about gaming.

[tonytigerbkk]

Thanks all. I've bought stuff from JIB before. Never disappointed.

Banana IT is an unknown to me. Are they a chain of similar size?

In the ‘Internet, computers, communication, technology’ forum there is a pinned topic with online computer stores (including Banana IT).

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/61857-on-line-computerelectronic-stores/

Personally, I would use these as a guide to find out the current part prices and then ask a computer shop to build the computer using similar parts.

This way you get the computer that you want at a workable price.

For example, I would have an SSD drive for my OS and a normal SATA drive for storage.

You are also getting what you want without the added extras that you don’t want.

[FolkGuitar]

.................................This way you get the computer that you want at a workable price.

For example, I would have an SSD drive for my OS and a normal SATA drive for storage.

This is just what Goodspeed recommended to me on my last build. The SSD is small (don't need a lot of room for just OS and applications,) and very fast, while all my other drives are large SATA storage units.

[tonytigerbkk]

.................................This way you get the computer that you want at a workable price.

For example, I would have an SSD drive for my OS and a normal SATA drive for storage.

This is just what Goodspeed recommended to me on my last build. The SSD is small (don't need a lot of room for just OS and applications,) and very fast, while all my other drives are large SATA storage units.

The last time I updated my current PC I changed my OS drive to an SSD drive and the difference in speed is shocking.

A full reboot takes around a minute, as apposed to around 5 minutes with a SATA drive.

[masuk]

i had 3 computers built for my friends in the last 4 months... i got an idea of what they wanted and then on the first two, i checked

prices on exact same parts at a few different vendors... JIB was always cheaper...

No OS, no garbage installed... i put win 8.1 on the machine and it works fine...i have been using the 8.1 image since it first

came out, a long time ago... never a problem...

they assemble machine in about 20 minutes and test in front of you to show you it has all the right bits and give you

the original OEM boxes

This is the best way, always install your own OS, you never know what else they're putting on there.

I bought a new HP 'all in one' desk top here in Chiang Mai. It's rather nice, apart from an annoying hum which vibrates through the desk, but what really annoyed me was that it was the same price in Australia, but has a bootleg Windows OS.

Every now and then it crashes and I get a message telling me the OS is not genuine. Haven't had an update in 18 months.

So when Windows 10 hits the streets, looks like I'll have to buy a genuine copy.

I don't know how they get away with this piracy.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I bought a new HP 'all in one' desk top here in Chiang Mai. It's rather nice, apart from an annoying hum which vibrates through the desk, but what really annoyed me was that it was the same price in Australia, but has a bootleg Windows OS.

Every now and then it crashes and I get a message telling me the OS is not genuine. Haven't had an update in 18 months.

So when Windows 10 hits the streets, looks like I'll have to buy a genuine copy.

I don't know how they get away with this piracy.

Windows 10 will be a free upgrade, so you can just get 8.1 now and then upgrade free later.

At the larger stores (Siam TV, Chi Chang, etc.) you won't find pirated copies.

But smaller shops are pretty up-front about it. In the specs it'll say it doesn't come with an OS (or, PC-DOS or a Linux flavor), but of course they'll load a pirated Windows copy if customers (think they) want that.

[zippydedodah]

i had 3 computers built for my friends in the last 4 months... i got an idea of what they wanted and then on the first two, i checked

prices on exact same parts at a few different vendors... JIB was always cheaper...

No OS, no garbage installed... i put win 8.1 on the machine and it works fine...i have been using the 8.1 image since it first

came out, a long time ago... never a problem...

they assemble machine in about 20 minutes and test in front of you to show you it has all the right bits and give you

the original OEM boxes

This is the best way, always install your own OS, you never know what else they're putting on there.

I bought a new HP 'all in one' desk top here in Chiang Mai. It's rather nice, apart from an annoying hum which vibrates through the desk, but what really annoyed me was that it was the same price in Australia, but has a bootleg Windows OS.

Every now and then it crashes and I get a message telling me the OS is not genuine. Haven't had an update in 18 months.

So when Windows 10 hits the streets, looks like I'll have to buy a genuine copy.

I don't know how they get away with this piracy.

you don't know how....? as in, from a technology sense? or from an intellectual copyright piracy sense?

the technology part is very straight forward after all these years...

the piracy part is also very straight forward, as in the countries that allow it, really don't care about it.