Friday 13 November 2009

Can you speak up? I can't hear you over the computer

Do you suffer from an excessively noisy PC? It is a common problem for many people and is a nuisance when trying to listen to music or just typing a letter for example. Often the cause is old/cheap fans that hum and rattle as well as generally inadequate cooling devices.

At First4Computers we have a number of methods to make your PC near silent, outlined below;


The Case - A good quality case can ensure components operate at lower temperatures, causing fans to work less hard and reducing noise. Changing a PCs case can make a huge difference as well as improving aesthetics. Alternatively First4Computers can fit foam to the insides of the case to reduce the effects of noise. We can also check that the airflow through your case is ample.

The PSU - A lot of PCs are supplied with low quality PSUs (Power Supply Units). The fans are often low quality and start to hum and rattle relatively early in their lifetimes. Installing a higher quality PSU specifically designed to be near silent will greatly reduce noise.

Heatsink & Fan - To keep a processor cool, a heatsink and fan are installed to dissipate heat. Heatsinks and fans are typically found on the CPU (central processing unit) and GPU (graphics processing unit). Installing a heatsink made of better material (e.g. copper), heat can be dissipated more easily and therefore the fan works less hard reducing noise. In some cases, if a good enough heatsink is installed, there is no need for a fan. Better cooling of the CPU and GPU also increases the ability to "overclock" these processors and achieve better PC performance.

Water Cooling - This is the most expensive but most effective way to cool a CPU and GPU. As the name suggests it uses water to cool processors, removing the need for fans. This is also the best way to achieve the fastest overclocking


In summary, the key to a quieter PC is to make the components run cooler and reduce the work of fans, preferably removing them all together. At First4Computers we have the expertise to design a solution that meets your needs and budget. Please call or e-mail today or visit our website.

Want To Save Money? Try Linux!

Have you heard of Linux? Linux is a free, open source operating system. It is predominantly used in servers but thanks to the popular Ubuntu distribution it is becoming more popular with desktop and laptop users.

Windows by contrast is not free nor is it open source. Linux operating systems are considered to be more stable by many, i.e. they don't crash as much. Previously it has been the case that Linux versions haven't been very user friendly but thanks to Ubuntu among others this is no longer the case. You can also run the excellent and some would say more importantly free OpenOffice on Linux. OpenOffice is an superb rival to Microsoft's Office packages and it can open all your Microsoft Documents. Linux will also run Mozilla Firefox as well as many other applications.

So if you want to save money on your next PC purchase, then why not try a Linux operating system? At First4Computers we can install Linux on any PC in our range or custom builds.

Thursday 12 November 2009

New! Our cheapest PC announced

First4Computers is proud to unveil our cheapest ever PC at just £225!

It features, 64-Bit AMD processor power, 1GB of DDR2 memory and a 250GB hard drive. This is the perfect PC for users on a strict budget. It also has a DVD-ReWriter so you can back up all your important documents.

Although the PC is not supplied with an Operating System, we can install one you may already own for example e.g. Microsoft XP/Vista. For an additional fee we can install Microsoft's newest OS, Windows 7. If you're feeling daring, we can install a Linux Operating system for free including OpenOffice.

Call, e-mail or visit our website today for more information.


PCs are supplied with a 1 year RTB (return-to-base warranty) - click here more inofrmation

New Range Of Home & Office PCs

First4Computers presents its new range of Home & Office PCs. Prices start at £420 up to £999.

All PCs are built-to-order and any components can be removed or added to meet your needs and specifications. As standard all PCs are supplied with:

  • Onbard Network Port(s)
  • 7.1 channel sound capability
  • 4-8 USB2.0 (we can usually add more if you desire)
  • High quality internal cabling
  • High quality quiet power supply units
  • High quality case cooling
  • Front and rear-mounted audio and USB connectors
  • 1 Year Return-To-Base Warranty
You can view our range of PCs at www.first4computers.com/range.htm

Additional: We are planning to produce an even cheaper PC, somewhere around the £200 price tag, please subscribe to our blog to keep updated.