Big Retail Stores in the UK that sell and display PC Components?

[Abe_R]

I'm looking on PC World's site but I don't think they sell any actual PC parts besides pre-builts (you'd think given the name they'd have more). I know quite a few smaller places near where I live but I'm looking for a place comparable to Walmart or Best Buy where everything would be on display and with a wide range.

 

I'm not actually looking to buy from a retail store since the internet will almost certainly have better deals but I'd still like a store that sells cases and parts so I can see them in person. Plus tbh I'm finding the process of looking for parts for my first build to be really fun and going to a store full of parts sounds like something I'd enjoy haha 

[Guest]

Scan have a store in Horwich and OCUK have one in Newcastle

 

Other than that.... not sure tbh

[xcvtop]

tbh I don't think there is anywhere like that in the UK (unless you live near OCUK or Scan etc etc...). Maplin have a few things (not much) but that's all i can think of.

[ThinkWithPortals]

There's Box UK in Birmingham, they do enthusiast stuff.

[TheRandomness]

CEX occasionally has a store that sells PC parts.

[k.m.p]

Depends, if you don't mind me asking, what city do you live in?

[Abe_R]

Just now, k.m.p said:

Depends, if you don't mind me asking, what city do you live in?

I have an easy 20-minute train into Liverpool Street so practically anywhere in London will do as I can make a day out of it. I was reading PC World have a big store on Tottenham Court Road but I doubt they'd have much more than their usual branches.

[C2dan88]

PC World do sell PC components but they hardly stock anything in store (the few I have visited) their prices are a complete joke too.

 

[k.m.p]

Just now, Abe_R said:

I have an easy 20-minute train into Liverpool Street so practically anywhere in London will do as I can make a day out of it. I was reading PC World have a big store on Tottenham Court Road but I doubt they'd have much more than their usual branches.

You'd be surprised, pc world do actually stock proper pc parts, but most of it is online only and the in store stuff is stupidly overpriced.

 

Maplin is another good place, they do stock pc components and do have a decent range on the shelves including some keyboards which are probably most important to see in person.

[TheRedViper]

Overclockers UK

[demonix00]

The amount of components that PC world has is laughable since it all ends up in one small area and the prices are higher then all of the online computer component stores that also have a brick and mortar store of which pretty much all of them also have a brick and mortar store (if they have a collect from store option, then they do have a store).

 

Also CEX don't take motherboards so you can't really get everything from there even with the dedicated PC store.

[ObilvionNizer]

Curry's and maplin display and sell components in-store. 

[IntMD]

My local PC World has a few overpriced graphics cards (mainly 1050s & 1050tis & some other even lower end ones), some overpriced cables, some SSDs & HDDs that while overpriced aren't massively overpriced. They've also got wireless cards, drive caddies, some RAM, and some Corsair keyboards & PSUs but that is about it. 

 

Overclockers.co.uk store is in Newcastle-under-Lyme which is near Stoke, not the more well known Newcastle.

[Abe_R]

Ended up going to my local PC world and it was quite awesome really! The components range was shit but I saw some monitors and keyboards but best of all there was a demo for VR there and it was my first experience with the hardware. Really cool even if not very helpful lol 

[Wrb]

The PC world I went in today had one 1060, 1070, and 1050. The rx470 and 1050ti were sold out. There were some hard drives and SSDs as well. There is usually something, but it's not much.