London novice question: Where can I buy cheap computer and home network gear in London - i.e. a well-stocked store known for good prices? The closer to Canary Wharf the better. Any help greatly appreciated!

On Saturdays there are generally a couple of Computer Fairs open in the area around Totenham Court Road. What generally happens is that who organises them, rents a big hotel hall (or university room) and calls lots of people from computer shops around London. The entrance generally costs around 1 or 2 pounds, but the prices are generally slightly better than those you can obtain in other places in London. The nicest thing is that even if it is necessary to ask for discounts, it's not as tiring as it is with shops on the main road, and you can simply walk around the fair and write down the prices for all components, and then when you found the one who sells (on average) for the cheaper price, you can ask him to revise the prices for the more expensive products showing him that the competitor at the other side of the room shows a better offer...As far as the real shops in Totenham Court Road, I've been so bored by their behaviour of Bazar market, that I don't feel about suggesting any.Alternatively, www.scan.co.uk has good prices too! Delivery is within next working day, so it's worth considering.gc

Sadly the places near the Wharf are all pretty much Computer World clones - and so expensive. I tend to order from DABS.com. You can try going to the Totenham Court Rd and looking along the street for a deal (most of those small shops haggle - but beware being sold outdated kit).

Good advice! I see advertisements for Dixon's and PC World on the web. Do they have physical London stores or only internet retailers?

I think that Dixons and PCWorld are the same chain (only for unknown marketing reasons kept as separate brands). They have lots of shops. A big one is the one in Totenham Court Road (but I found the people working there useless). You can check on www.pcworld.co.uk the address of a shop closer to you (the main menu in pink has an icon with title: "Store Finder")gc

There's a dixon's in the canary wharf shopping centre.. not that I recommend using Dixons, in the past I always seemed to have to take things back because they're faulty there. Admittedly that was a long time ago, they may have improved since then.

I couldn't find thhe address foor the Canary Wharf location on the website - it was showing mile end road as the nearest shop in E14. Are you sure there is one in the Canary Wharf shopping center? Else, I may try taking a look on Tottenham Court Road...

Linuxuser is sadly right, dabs.com have never screwed me around, and their prices are rarely bettered.Overclockers do some fun stuff, though they're not so good at bargain basement. Morgans do interesting deals, and generally do as they say.I must say that I regard Dixons & PC World as the lower grade of public toilet.You use them when you're in a rush and there's no alternative.

I bought a knock down (end of line) plasma screen on DABS a while back - and was delighted that it came with a "free PC" attached. Apparently they were originally a bundle and since the PC was obsolete (2GHz) they just threw it in as part of the deal. Storming!If you want a PC World in Taxi range from the Wharf there is one on the Whitechappel Rd (ask for the Old Brewery near the Sainsbury's) - will be about £10 in the Cab - (nearest tube = whitechappel + 3 min walk) - it's OK - but DCFC made me smile - really best only if you just have to do it there and then!.

How about buying a Dell online?

dc, the Dixons in the Wharf next to Clintons Cards, to the west side of the DLR stations on the lowest floor on the left as you head towards HSBC & Citigroup

Correction: Dixons is not next to Clinton Cards. It is at the western end of the Cabot Place shopping mall's lower level, roughly under the DLR station. Find Tesco from the DLR stop, and go down two levels.

csparker is just talking bollocks.Dixons is not under DLR station, it's location is generally referred to as Cygnus X-1, a black hole where matter, technology and money lose cohesion to be spat out as thick film of catastrophically degenerate matter to form new Dixons staff.I used to be Test Director of PC Magazine, and I can tell you here & now there is no place on the Earth that is worse to buy computers from. Journalist lurrve Dixons. When a freelancer is short of a story he can merely wander in these shops of ill repute and watch the action. Never disappoints.There is a conspiracy theory that their customer service department was offshored to Baghdad, and that the last war was because Bush was sold a computer by these jerks, and it was simpler to invade and conquer Iraq than to get them to honour their warranties.This is of course not true, most terrorist groups have both better after sales support and more self respect than Dixons staff.

QuoteOriginally posted by: csparkerCorrection: Dixons is not next to Clinton Cards. It is at the western end of the Cabot Place shopping mall's lower level, roughly under the DLR station. Find Tesco from the DLR stop, and go down two levels.Wonder when they moved Tesco under the DLR stop. Last time I bought a Krispy Kreme there, I just walked out onto the platform... that would make me on the same floor as DLR. Dixons is definitely two floord "under" Tesco...

Well, wherever Dixons actually is, you probably shouldn't buy computer kit there anyway. Mind you I did hear DCFC say he 'likes' windows once.