First4Insights

3 Year Warranty on all new PCs

2011-05-17T11:06:00.000+01:00

I am delighted to announce that all new PCs supplied by First 4 Computers will have a three (3) year warranty as standard.

The industry standard is typically only one (1) year with some retailers offering two (2).

A three (3) year warranty gives you added confidence in the product you are buying and the knowledge that you are getting great value for money.

Please visit http://www.first4computers.com/range.htm to see the current range of PCs.

All PCs can be customised to your requirements. Alternatively I can build a bespoke machine from scratch to suit your budget.

Wireless Networking

2010-02-04T17:41:00.000Z

Recently it has come to my attention that a lot of people are having problems with their wireless networking setup. It is often the case that the wireless router (often provided by their Internet Service Provider) is of poor quality.

Consequently, users experience slow Internet speeds, connection drop outs and poor wireless reception. The solution is simple, buying a high quality router built by a trusted manufacturer. High quality doesn't mean high cost either, most routers First4Computers supply start from just £65 including installation and setup. A high quality router will ensure, greater security, faster Internet, greater reliability and far improved wireless reception.

First4Computers can supply wireless routers for Cable or ADSL Internet connections. Setup takes approximately one hour.

So call on 0117 922 0686 or e-mail today for more information.

Apple iPhone 3G/3GS + iTouch Repairs Now Available!

2010-01-15T11:19:00.000Z

First4Computers is please to announce that we can now offer repairs for the iPhone (3G/3GS) and iTouch.

Currently we are only doing glass screen repairs, but a greater range of services are soon to follow. Please feel free to get in contact if you have a problem with your Apple device and we will advise on the best course of action. We offer some of the most competitive rates in the area and pride ourselves on delivering excellet customer service and satisfaction.

In the meantime, keep checking the iPhone repairs page at: www.first4computers.com/iphone_repair.htm for updates.

Thank you.

Laptop Repair Now Available

2009-12-23T17:32:00.000Z

First4Computers is pleased to announce that we can now offer laptop repair as part of our wide range of services.

Our rates are very competitive and repairs can be done onsite or in our workshop.

Please click this link for a list of rates and services, www.first4computers.com/laptops.htm

Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from all of us at First4Computers!

Holiday Open Hours

2009-12-16T17:49:00.000Z

Holiday Opening Hours announced at First4Computers.com

Please visit http://www.first4computers.com/holidays.htm for more information

Have a very Merry Christmas and a fantastic New Year from all at First4Computers.com

New Media Centre PC Announced! Perfect Gift For Christmas!

2009-12-01T21:57:00.000Z

First4Computers.com is proud to unveil its new Media Centre PC, the perfect gift for Christmas!

Presented in an elegant, slimline case, the MediaLite has everything you need for a computer in your living room. It includes a powerful yet low wattage AMD dual core processor, 2GB of DDR3 memory, a large 500GB hard drive and a Blu-Ray reader with DVD-Rewriter. Best of all it includes a Hauppauge Dual DVB-T Freeview receiver. This means you can record one channel while watching another.

It is supplied with Mircosoft's latest operating system, Windows 7 (Home Premium). With this in your living room you can watch HD films, use it as a PVR (personal video recorder), browse the web and view all your photos and home videos thanks to a front bay card reader with USB and Firewire ports. Rear connectivity includes HDMI, DVI and VGA outputs. As well as RJ45 network ports, 4 USB2.0 ports and 6 channel sound capability.

First4Computers uses only the best quality components to ensure your computer runs cool and quiet (near silent in most cases).

All this for £770 including V.A.T. and delivery. Supplied with a twelve (12) month return-to-base warranty parts and labour. As with all our PCs, components can be added or removed as per your specifications. Visit our website for more information or go direct to the media centre page.

Alternatively you can e-mail or call 0117 922 0686

Did someone say ID-51 error?

2009-11-26T00:26:00.000Z

Is your computer suffering from an ID-51 error? If you're not sure I urge you to check by doing the following:

Goto Start -> Settings -> Control Panel
Goto Administrative Tools -> Event Viewer
In Event Viewer click on "System"
In the "Event" a list of error IDs are displayed
If you have a 51 or 52 error you have a problem that needs to be correct.

Having recently had a lot of experience with ID-51 and 52 errors at First4Computers we know that they can be very detrimental to the functionality of your computers. We can take steps to get rid of these errors and ensure a smooth running computing. ID-52 errors are particularly bad as they indicate hard drive failure is imminent and may result in a loss of data. If you are experiencing these problems or similar then please contact First4Computers today by e-mail or by phone.

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

2009-11-13T01:19:00.000Z

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!

2009-11-13T00:07:00.000Z

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.

New! Our cheapest PC announced

2009-11-12T20:03:00.000Z

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

Student & Senior Citizens Discount

2009-11-12T18:55:00.000Z

A 10% discount is available for all Students* and Senior Citizens when you purchase any services for First4Computers.

*On production of a valid NUS card.

New Range Of Home & Office PCs

2009-11-12T18:04:00.000Z

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.