HST News Blog

This year for Black Friday, we are covering all your PC needs and offering discounts off selecting gaming and home PCs! Just use the discount code BLACK21 at checkout for some serious savings. 

This Black Friday sale, we are offering 10% off selected gaming PCs so there is no excuse not to treat yourself to new tech this Black Friday!

Our HST F3 Red G Series PC is included in the sales this Black Friday. The stunning red PC Is not only striking on the outside, but the inside too. With a 500W PSU, a 500GB 3.5" SATA HDD and XUM 8GB DDR3 1333MHz RAM this is a gamers perfect match. Coupled with a Nvidia GT730 2GB graphics card, this PC offers stunning game play. 

Also on the Black Friday Sales list, HST Mars G Series is another great option. With the same spec as the HST F3 Red G Series this offers a great gaming experience. These PCs differ in appearance, as Mars G Series is encased in a stunning CiT Mars case, a market leader. The multi-coloured LED case looks perfect with pretty much all peripheries and monitors, and will give you that Instagram perfect set up. 

Both these PCs originally retailed for £269.00 and are just £228.65 in our Black Friday sale!

We are also offering you 15% off a range of home and office PCs. This selection includes our best- selling PC’s, perfect for home and office use (and the occasional bit of gaming). All with Windows 10, or Windows 10 Pro installed, there will be something for every need and every budget in this Friday's sale. All our PCs also come with a 12-month warranty, what's not to love?

One of our favourites is our Dell OptiPlex 790 PC. The Intel i5-2400 2nd Gen is perfect for home and office systems, for internet browsing and MS Office software. The DDR3 RAM is known for its ability to transfer data at twice the rate as its predecessor, enabling higher bandwidth or peak data rates. With Windows 10 Pro installed, DVD Optical Drive and 8 USB's the Dell OptiPlex 790 is an office worker's perfect match. With our discount, this PC is now just £84.15! 

If you're looking to splash out a little this Black Friday, our Dell OptiPlex 7010 PC would be perfect. The Intel Core i5-3470 is a fast quad-core desktop processor, so this PC can work just as fast as you do! As with the Dell OptiPlex 790, our 7010 houses a DDR3 SDRAM, but has an upgraded graphics card, an on-board intel HD 2500. This graphics card means that this PC can also be used for some low-level gaming, so is a great option for anyone just starting out in the gaming community. In our Black Friday sale, this PC is just £110.50.

To see these PCs and more, shop our Black Friday sale here. Don’t forget to use code BLACK21 at checkout to ensure your savings, and if you want to try your luck at winning some amazing tech this Black Friday, head over to our Facebook page! 

With October at an end, we welcome in New Game November!

November brings 4 new games available to download to PC and with pay day just last week now is the time to treat yourself to a brand-new game.

First in the line-up, released on November 5^th is COD: Vanguard. Set in World War 2, the story line follows the birth of a special forces unit created at the end of the war to fight an ever present and growing threat. The single player version of the campaign features very similar game play to its predecessor, Modern Warfare, but with the introduction of more advanced strategies, such as blind firing round corners. Earlier in the month, the new vanguard zombies map name was leaked (War of the Dead) so we can’t wait to see how this map will look.

On November 9^th Forza Horizons 5 is released. As the name suggests, this is the fifth instalment of Forza Horizon and 12^th instalment of the Forza title. As with the previous releases, the open- world racer game is set in Mexico in what has been called ‘the most authentic recreation’. The players will see a variety of different open- world environments including jungles, accident ruins and deserts. The game will also feature the largest line up to date, with well over 400 cars. Newest to this list and what we are most excited for are: the 2020 Ford Super Duty F-450 DRW Premium, the beautiful 1991 Jaguar Sport XJR-15 and the electric addition of the 2020 Porsche Taycan Turbo S.

Battlefield 2042 is releasing on the 19^th and is coming back with a bang: massive 128 player battles will be introduced. 7 huge maps will also be playable on this new release, each with multiple combat areas housed in a single playspace, meaning more variety. Play these maps with a new line up of weaponry, we still have our fan favourites however EA have refreshed the options with gadgets and tech based in the future.

Finally, on the 23^rd of November, we have Final Fantasy XIV: End Walker. End walker is the 4^th expansion in the 8 years the game has been around, and luckily has come a long way from the first instalment. The game sees the final chapter of Hydaelyn and Zodiarks’ storyline and will essentially wrap up everything that has happened in the game so far, with a brand-new story line being introduced. The new release will offer players the opportunity to master new jobs, multiple new locations, new races and several new dungeons to explore.

Which are you most looking forward to?

The International is back, albeit a year late due to the pandemic, for its 10th year. Yet again, the biggest tournament in the Dota 2 calendar has set a new record, as it has every year since the inaugural tournament back in 2011, for the biggest prize pool in a single E-Sports tournament. 

This year, The International 10 has over $40 Million in total prize money, with over 18 Million going to the winning team. The org has also partnered with football club Paris St Germain back in 2018 and shows how far E-Sports has come in the last few years alone, for mainstream sports clubs to expand into the ever-growing E-Sports scene. 

To recap, teams compete to earn points by ranking in the top 8 for Majors and top 6 for Upper Division of the Regional Leagues. If they place within the top 6 for Majors, they can win up to 2,700 points and up to 1,150 points for ranking in the Upper Division of the Regional Leagues. 

The tournament sees faces old and new battling it out for the Aegis of Champions, but the real question is can team OG make it 3 for 3? OG are the only team to win TI twice and they did it in consecutive years (TI8 & 9). The heavy favourite this year, however, is the Chinese powerhouse PSG.LGD. 

The group stages began on October 7th and on the 12th the main stage matches began. Unfortunately, due to rising COVID rates in Romania, a live audience has been cancelled, however it has still been watched by millions online via various Dota 2 The International online platforms, such as Twitch. 

Thunder Predator were the first team to be eliminated in the group rounds, as on day three their record sat at 0-7, a total of 0-14 overall. The teams early losses to OG and Alliance set the tone for the rest of the tournament and although the first eliminated, the team still took home $100,000 of the $40 million total prize pool. 

Popular teams such as PSG.LGD and Invictus Gaming secured the top spots in their groups, allowing them to choose their opponents in preparation for the main stage event. In the upper bracket, Invictus Gaming chose to battle Team Spirit, which kicked off the main event in style with, Invictus Gaming emerging triumphant. 

PSG.LGD  are also living up to expectations, winning their battle against Virtus. pro 2-0 with an impressive 24 kills to 8. 

The main stage event will continue to see teams fight to win the Aegis all week until, on the 17th October, the Champions of The International will be crowned.

Who do you think will take the crown? Join the conversation over on our Facebook page! 

At HST, we offer a huge range of computers from laptops to desktops. We even supply a range of bundles which provide all your needs in a single purchase. We specialise in all kinds of refurbished computers which gives you incredible value for money.

When buying new tech, there’s a lot to get to grips with, especially when there’s so much to choose from! That’s why we’ve put together a guide to understand tech jargon and make your tech buying experience easier.

CPU

The CPU (central processing unit) is the brain of the computer. Whenever you move the mouse, open a program or load a file, the processor makes it happen. The kind of CPU setup you have, can tell you about the kind of tech you’re buying.

Core i3 - If you're buying a basic desktop, it may well feature a core i3 CPU. It's a dual core CPU which should do the job for basic, everyday computing.

Core i5 - This is Intel's main processor. Coming in dual and quad-core, this processor will be found on many desktops and is very popular.

Core i7 - If you’re buying a Core i7 PC, it’s likely that you need a lot of processing power. This is ideal for video editing and playing heavy-duty games. 

Hard drive

Hard drives come in two main types: hard disk drives (HDD) and solid-state drives (SSD). Solid state hard drives use flash memory. You can expect your machine to boot up faster, and applications and programmes to load quicker when you choose an SSD.

Hard drives are measured in gigabytes, and the more you have the better so it’s best to have a hard drive with at least 250GB, while also considering those with 500GB or 750GB). Don't forget too, external hard drives can be bought and plugged into your computer,  so you can expand to as much space as you need.

RAM

RAM stands for Random Access Memory. The more RAM your machine has the better it will run. If your computer doesn't have enough RAM, it will run slowly.

We would recommend 8GB of RAM. The more RAM you have the better set up you'll be for doing more than one thing at a time. Plus, you’ll be able to run apps and multitasking on your computer all the more smoothly.

Graphics Card 

If you're just planning on browsing the web and watching videos, an integrated graphics card should be fine. This is the graphics card that comes already built into your computer and shares the computer's memory, which can make it slower to process video and images.

However, if you plan on playing some serious games, you'll need a decent graphics card. Graphics cards usually have their own dedicated RAM - the amount you need depends on what you plan to do but try to ensure you have enough memory to play your games to the best standard.

Are you heading to university this September? University is a huge step and it’s important to be fully prepared before you head off to start your new adventure. 

Take a look at our top tech picks below that will help you along your university journey.

Game All Day... When You’re Not Studying

When you’re not studying, one of the most fun ways to pass the time is to get into the world of gaming. If you’re new to the world of gaming, it’s advisable to go for one of the more entry-level machines in case you don’t get into it completely (which is unlikely), and you can even use a high-powered desktop if you wish.

We would always recommend a machine dedicated solely to gaming and at HST, some start from as little as £249! Take a look at the HST Seven i5 Quad Core gaming PC. It comes with 8GB RAM, a 500GB HDD and a GT710 NVIDIA graphics card. Many of the components can be upgraded to suit your gaming preferences, whether you’re a beginner or pro gamer, we have something for you!

Take a look at the HST Seven i5 Quad Core gaming PC here.

Get The Full University Setup

Our desktop bundles allow you to get a full setup for university in just one purchase. Meaning you get your desktop, monitor, keyboard and mouse altogether! This is the perfect addition to your university room and our bundles are fantastic for both work and personal use.

The Dell OptiPlex 7020 bundle comes with two monitors, a mouse and keyboard and has all the tech spec you need for work and play. You can get all this from just £260 so you might have some budget to upgrade any of the elements you want to get a little more out of your purchase. 

Shop the Dell OptiPlex 7020 bundle here. 

A Laptop Will Be Your Best Friend At University

At university, you will be adopting a flexible approach to working. Whether you’re studying in your room, the library or your lectures, having a laptop that you can carry around with you is essential!

At HST, our laptops are refurbished; however a refurbished laptop doesn't mean poor quality! You'll get a year's warranty and if you choose one like this Dell Latitude E5450, you'll get an Intel i5 5th gen CPU to give you all the performance you need. It starts at just £260 but you can upgrade parts too if you want more RAM or a bigger HDD. 

See for yourself! Shop the Dell Latitude E5450 laptop here. 

Buying new tech isn’t always an easy decision, from different specifications and models to the look of a new machine, there are many decisions to make. Whilst you might already have your heart set on a new laptop or desktop, do you know which is really the best purchase for your needs?

Although the key difference of portability between laptops and desktops is clear, what are the other differences? Take a look below to help you decide which is right for you.

Laptops

Portability

A laptop is small, light, unpluggable and can be easily popped in a bag and taken wherever you need it. A desktop on the other hand is installed for the long haul. Whilst more people are taking advantage of flexible working, the portability of technology has become more essential than ever.

Desktop PC’s are larger, heavier and require more wires making them much more difficult to be moved. If you require the ability to work from multiple locations, then a laptop is definitely the option for you.

Assembly

Laptops are usually pre-built and are perfect to plug and go once you’ve purchased one. Desktops require a bit more set up so bear this in mind when you are choosing yours.

If you’re an expert at setting up your own tech, this may not be a consideration. But for those who aren’t, it could be a key factor.

Sleek Design

How a device looks isn’t always the selling point, but it’s definitely worth considering if you’re using the device in a room that serves other purposes.

Laptops have sleek, slimline designs and can be easily hidden away when needed. Even better, they still look modern and stylish if you decide to leave them out on a desk. Desktops are a lot bigger and bulkier than laptops and don’t have the same sleek, thin design that a laptop has.

Desktops

Price Options

If you’re on a budget, desktops are often the cheaper option. Once you’ve bought all the hardware for your desktop. you can upgrade the software regularly to ensure it is fully up to date.

A laptop can seem cheaper in the first instance but it is harder to upgrade so would potentially need replacing, making a PC more cost effective in some cases. If you don’t want to upgrade for many years then a laptop might be better thanks to its cheaper initial outlay.

Screen Size

As a desktop remains in the same place, you can utilise whatever screen size you choose - You can even hook it up to a TV screen!

Laptops are more limited in this area. You can connect a laptop to a second screen which not only gives you a much bigger one, it means you have two but this ultimately reduces its portability which is one of the key features of buying a laptop in the first place.

Repair

Desktops can be easier to repair as they can be easily opened up and parts or new software ordered online. A specific engineer would most likely be required to fix a laptop and parts would need to come from the manufacturer itself which drives the cost up.

At HST, we have a huge variety of tech and have something for everyone. But how do you know what tech to get and what best suits your needs?

Whether you’re a gamer, a student or even just an avid online shopper, we’ve got a PC for you. We all use technology, so having the best tech to suit your needs is a huge benefit. Plus, it doesn’t have to cost as much as you might think.

Our machines are refurbished to the highest standard so you know you are getting excellent quality all tested and verified by qualified technicians. It means you get a great price, plus they all come with a 1-year warranty!

The Tech Newbie

Are you just starting out in the world of technology? We have plenty of suitable options for tech beginners.

A basic PC will be more than capable to handle whatever you need to use it for – whether that’s browsing the internet, emails or word processing.

This Dell OptiPlex 790 PC is perfect for all of this and at just £95, it’s a bargain too. It comes with an Intel i3 2nd generation processor and 4GB DDR3 so will handle everything quickly enough, but you can upgrade elements if you so desire.

Shop the Dell OptiPlex 790 PC here.

The Tech Lover

If you are a serious tech lover, we have a range of products that are a great investment for you. When looking for a new PC that is going to fit the bill for a tech lover, it’s essential to purchase a PC that has high performance and is reliable.

Such as a high-performance machine like this HST Optimus Customisable PC which starts at £470. It has an Intel Core i5-9400 2.9GHz, 8GB 2400Mhz Adata Premier RAM and Adata 256GB Ultimate SU800 M.2 SSD. But more than that, it can be customised to suit your needs perfectly.

Take a look at the HST Optimus PC here.

The Gamers

At HST, we understand that it’s extremely important that a gaming kit has an excellent specification. That’s why we make sure that we sell great gaming PC’s that are sure to improve the quality of your gaming experience.

Take a look at the HST F3 Gaming PC with dual screen bundle. It gives everything you would want including keyboard, mouse, headset and two monitors plus it comes in blue or red! It includes a 500GB 3.5" SATA HDD, XUM 8GB DDR3 and Nvidia GT710 2GB graphics card.

Shop the HST F3 Gaming PC with dual screen bundle here.

Buying technology can be one of the best purchases if you’re into that sort of thing. Obviously at HST, we are massive fans of all things technical and love nothing more than browsing the latest machines and considering what we would buy next. But for some people it’s a highly daunting prospect and you might truly have no idea where to start. When you start getting asked questions of how much power you want, or how much memory you need, you might be one of those who stares back blankly, unsure what to say.

Ordering online can sometimes be tricky for these reasons but fortunately at HST, we have excellent support to help ensure that even those with no idea about technology can get the right machine for them. One of the key concerns for a lot of people is overpaying for things that they simply will not use, after being blinded by jargon and convinced they need what is being sold. The problem often comes with buying a standard product straight off the shelf, rather than having something custom-built for you. The perception is often that custom-made products are more expensive but at HST, we are challenging that every day!

The majority of what we sell is made to order, and we often use refurbished parts before our trained technicians fully test everything. This means that you get excellent value for money as refurbished parts are much cheaper than brand new (without having to compromise on quality) you’ll also get the benefits of customisation. These include:

You get what you pay for – with a customised machine, there is simply no paying for hardware that you do not need. If you want to upgrade one element, you can do without having to get a machine which is more advanced on every level

You’ll only have what you need – it would be wasteful to include a load of kit that you’ll never use. Not only would it waste your money, speed or performance might be impacted if you choose to add in things you simply do not need to. There is also a small level of pressure which comes from underusing your technology, that feeling that you should be doing more and more with it. If you don’t need or want to do anything more, you won’t feel guilty if you don’t have the capability in the first place!

Customised means bespoke built – basically, your machine will not have been rolled off a production line by a robot, but will instead be put together by a qualified and trained technician. They will take great care to ensure your computer is crafted as it should be and works efficiently before certifying it and guaranteeing a 1-year warranty.

The ability to upgrade / replace – if you find that you do want certain elements upgrading, you will be able to arrange this when you have had a custom-built machine. Equally, if your computer is aging and there are parts which need replacing, you can have this done much more easily.

When it comes to a customised machine, there is a level of flexibility that simply is not offered by the pre-built tech you order from faceless retailers online or buy within a large chain store. At HST, we are available to chat and as such, can talk you through exactly what you need. We will then create the right computer for you and your requirements whether it be a laptop, desktop or gaming PC. The refurbished nature of them will ensure you get high quality equipment at great value for money, and you’ll have the peace of mind from a 1-year warranty. So when you want some new tech, get in touch with us and we’ll be happy to help.

Technology has been both a blessing and saviour over the past twelve months, throughout the various lockdowns and isolation. It has been a way of buying our necessities, entertaining ourselves for hours on end with very little else to do, and critically, it has been a way of keeping in touch with loved ones and the outside world. In short, technology has been a lifesaver for so many and screentime limits have been relaxed everywhere. But with this increased tech usage comes some additional considerations. So we’ve put together this guidance on how to stay safe around your tech in all ways.

Hygiene

Of course, we have always been mindful of keeping things clean, but the reality is that a global pandemic of a deadly virus will make us a lot more vigilant and rightly so. Now, more than ever, it is imperative that we consider how many germs our technology can carry and how easily they could infect us. Anything that is taken out of the home such as smart phones, tablets and laptops will need to be disinfected with the appropriate cleaning products. After all, our hands are one of the key carriers of bacteria and viruses so it is wise to do this regularly. With sprays and gels and solutions at your disposal, it is more straightforward than ever to keep your tech and work spaces clean.

Physical health

The act of sitting at a desk for hours upon hours at a time can wreak havoc on the musculature and skeletal structures of the body. If you’ve been working from home for an extended period of time, this can be aggravated by inadequate seating or desk set up so it is imperative these problems are remedied as soon as possible. If you’re returning to the office, you can ask for support with a health and safety assessment of your working space. If not, you can usually request these at home. This will help ensure you are sitting in the right position and working in a way that won’t negatively impact you. Having additional monitors can really help this as it prevents you from looking down at a laptop screen which can place stress on the neck and shoulders. Having dual monitors whilst using a desktop can also help with productivity from not having to constantly flit between windows. We sell a huge amount of ‘bundles’, whether it be for working at home or in the office, or even for gaming and these bundles include additional screens, keyboards and mice to help. This Dell Optiplex 990 Monitor Bundle is great value for money at just £299 and includes the extras you need.

Online safety

More time spent online inevitably means more exposure to risk, especially for the more vulnerable amongst us. So we need to be mindful to ensure everyone and the technology is as safe as possible. It’s not only a case of avoiding predatory behaviour from individuals, there are so many convincing scams occurring that it can be very easy to fall foul of them. Texts sent to smart phones from seemingly reputable and well-known senders are one of the key offenders so ensure all your loved ones are educated about them and reminded regularly. Your machines themselves are also open to attack from the likes of viruses or hackers so ensure you have the right software installed to prevent against this as much as possible – we can chat to you about it.

Our lifestyles have changed a lot over the past 12 months and a good deal of the changes look set to continue for the foreseeable – certainly how we use the digital world. It has opened up different methods of communication and ways of staying in contact with people, we do more buying online than ever before and we’ve learnt to entertain ourselves in ways that can be educational too. So in many respects, these changes should be here to stay!

So if you are sold on your tech and know it will play a huge role in your life going forwards, get in touch with us to see how you can get a customised computer that will suit your needs perfectly.

The debate of gaming PCs versus consoles has been solved for a long time - for speed, graphics and storage, both Xbox and Playstation can’t quite compete.

But higher quality hardware can mean the cost rises too - which is why many gamers are opting for the unrivalled ROI of a refurbished gaming PC.

From the convenience of a laptop to the processing power of a desktop machine, more and more players are picking customised systems that suit their needs.

A gaming PC configured to meet individual preferences, without the increased cost of buying brand new, represents real value.

Refurbished doesn’t mean faulty

Some users may be reluctant to trust a refurbished gaming PC simply because of the word itself - believing the system may have had something wrong with it.

In fact, in some cases a PC can be classed as refurbished simply by being ordered by a customer then not actually paid for.

The most important factor to consider is the reputation and testing standards of the business building your gaming PC.

Our machines are put together by professionals over several days, to precision standards trusted and positively reviewed by countless customers.

And aftercare is just as important as initial order fulfilment - our customer service specialists offer impartial advice tailored to suit you and your gaming.

Plus, by subscribing to our newsletter, you can stay up-to-date with the latest trends in gaming technology, peripherals and latest releases.

Bag a bundle

Typically, a refurbished gaming PC package will incorporate everything required to give you the most impressive and immersive experience while playing:

• NVIDIA GPU (for leading edge speed and task completion)
• Microsoft DirectX (for stunning cinematic visuals)
• DDR3 SDRAM (for rapid data transfer rates)
• Windows 10 OS (including all relevant drivers pre-installed)
• Durable plastic tower case (with steel mesh for increased air flow)
• One year warranty as standard
• Trackable delivery via DPD

Our refurbished PC bundles showcase the best value tech for enthusiasts who are serious about getting the greatest gaming experience without overspending.

Many elements of our bundles are customisable, meaning that extra value can be added, including upgrades to further enhance gameplay.

Find out more

To talk to a member of our specialist team and discuss what you want from a refurbished gaming PC, get in touch today.

We’ll be happy to geek out with you over your best options, whether you’re looking to take your first steps into PC gaming or upgrade your current system.