Novatech for me! (Helps that I live nearby, and can collect if I want to, but I'd use them anyway.)

The only problem that I have ever had with anything from them was a video card that was playing up. After about 5 minutes online chat with one of their reps (to be fair I had to wait a couple of minutes for one to be available) I had a returns no. They then e-mailed me a pre-paid label to print off, so all I had to do was wrap it up and post it at no cost to myself. A couple of days later and there's a telephone call confirming that the card is faulty. I took the opportunity to exchange it for a better one (OK I had to pay the difference, but....) and it was with me next day.

I don't think that I could expect better service than that. (Oh, and although it was all free postage, rather than paying extra for next-day delivery, both the original and the replacement arrived the day after I ordered them.) And, no, I don't work for Novatech; just a satisfied customer for the past 10 years or so.

Good to know

I live near Misco or rather what was Simply Computers - not sure they are even there now since the Misco buy out. I'd avoid ordering from them though, even though I'm still in contact with our old account manager. They were our supplier when I worked for the council

If you regularly suffer voltage fluctations / brown-outs / black-outs on the mains in the long run it would probably be financially advantageous to invest in a decent UPS that will step in and stabilise the line voltage as required. Your PSUs will thank you and in turn your other PC components will thank you when your PSU doesn't go pop and kill them.

Just food for thought

Exactly my thinking, despite the PC's age

I have a "low supply" typically 215 to 220 V for a lot of the day but that should not be a problem as most good supplies are rated 90 - 265 V and 45 to 65Hz.

People criticise Dell but experience of their reliability and longevity still tells me they are one of the best brands around.

If not my local computer shop I use Scan first choice - they're about 30-40 minutes drive. Second choice is Microdirect - 15 minutes drive. Though I have reservations with buying RAM from MD, I've too often seen their staff handling unbagged memory cards with their bare hands, fingers on contacts. That was a few years ago so perhaps they're better now.

E-buyer, Microdirect, Dabs and occasionally overclockers.co.uk

Depends on the best price/delivery situation. Sometimes better to split orders between them.

PSU delivered and waiting for me at home

http://www.corsair.com/power-supplies/non-modular-ps...

Good choice Nicola in my humble opinion.

Same here. Ive got one of their modular PSUs and it just oozes quality.