Vote for Novatech in the Custom PC & Bit-Tech Awards 2012 if you think we deserve to win Best PC Manufacturer and / or Best Retailer.
By completing the awards survey, you’ll be automatically entered into a prize draw to win one of three fantastic prizes.
To vote now click here: http://www.demographix.com/surveys/TWHI-SO67/FMJ3G3W9/?novatech
Novatech is one of the first manufacturers to include the new 3rd generation Intel Core processors in PCs across its range so you can work smarter and brighter no matter which machine you choose.
Need a smaller, lighter machine that will work faster and use less power?
That’s what the new 3rd generation Intel Core processors will give you and your business. The new processors – code-named Ivybridge – are a major advance in what your CPU can do, the speed at which it can do it - giving more computational power while using less energy.
Saves money by working faster and more efficiently.
On average 3rd generation means about 20% more processor performance using 20% less power, and power means electricity and that in turn means money of course.
The simple example is if your old car did 50mph at 40 mpg at, your new one equipped with 3rd generation Intel Core processors will do 60mph at 50 mpg. So if your business has numerous cars doing numerous miles a year, the benefits accumulate fast.
As with previous ranges, the new 3rd generation Core processors have and an integrated GPU (graphics processing unit) built in, rather than a separate graphics card, which again give some of the biggest advantages – both visually and under the bonnet. Graphics, videos and imagery not only load faster and play more smoothly, but also are richer and more vibrant.
Novatech is one of the first manufacturers to include the new 3rd generation Intel Core processors in PCs across its range.
What will it do for my business?
Improve Business Productivity
Work Faster
Future Proof
Upgrade to Intel 3rd generation Intel® Core™ Today…
With responsive performance and incredible processing speed, the 3rd generation Intel® Core™ processor family should be the first choice to power your business PCs. 3rd generation Intel® Core™ processors deliver top-of-the-line performance for your desktop or laptop computer, so you can keep up with your most demanding tasks.
Features:
Intel® Turbo Boost Technology: provides even greater performance when needed on PC’s powered by 3rd generation Intel® Core™ processors. Intel® Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 automatically allows processor cores to run faster – meaning you can get more done at any one time without your PC slowing down or crashing.
Intel HD Graphics: on 3rd generation Intel ® Core™ processors is twice as fast as Intel HD Graphics on 2nd generation Intel® Core™ processors. The graphics engine and media processing is embedded onto the processor to deliver life-like graphics without the need for a separate graphics card – saving you money.
Intel’s Mark Bohr gives the boffin’s explanation of 22nm – what the ever-shrinking Intel processors really means.
A nice interview with our FD Duncan Payne-Shelley in this month’s The Business magazine that neatly sums up where the company is headed.
Award-winning Novatech on fast track
From the latest hi-tech helicopter simulators for the military to the relatively ‘humble’ desktop PC, fast-growing computer company Novatech is a Solent and Thames Valley success story. The Business Magazine’s Alison Dewar reports.
In the past 18 months, a change of focus and strategy has reaped major financial rewards. The firm is now the fifth largest PC manufacturer in the UK, is Microsoft’s fastest growing partner and is well on the way to exceeding its sales target of £50 million in the next year.
Finance director Duncan Payne-Shelley told The Business Magazine that the company is now unrecognisable from its roots as a mail order supplier of computer components. “We have come a very long way and although the majority of our work is now planning technology for businesses, we still have amazing people taking care of customers at the centre of what we do. That much hasn’t changed.”
Payne-Shelley is quick to credit their recent successes to a combination of evolution and revolution. “We’ve not only put in place a great management team who have tightened and improved our systems, but also we have looked carefully at where we can be most competitive and thrown our energy and resources at winning market share in those sectors. Our evolution to becoming a business technology specialist has seemed like a natural progression, because of our engineering prowess and our history of building powerful custom-built PCs and servers.”
In recent years, Novatech has won numerous awards for the quality of its products and service and in 2010 the readers of Which? Magazine rated it top for reliability and service, above every other brand. In 2011 it was ranked second, behind Apple, but ahead of every other international giant like Dell, HP and Sony, but that’s OK with Payne-Shelley.
“These kinds of accolades are great but we are a very different company from any of them. At our heart, we are an engineering company that make custom-built computers for our customers’ individual needs. Businesses and schools tell us what they need their technology to do and we make sure they get the ideal machines to do it. That’s not something any other PC company can really match and that’s what more and more of them are looking for.”
Although the company grew and continues to thrive because of its expertise with gamers, Payne-Shelley points out that the vast majority of their work is now driven by longer-term projects with larger businesses in the finance, training, aerospace and education sectors.
“We tend to work more closely with firms to plan the lifecycle of their IT, so that all their technology keeps pace with, and drives their own innovation over time. We own the entire process from design and assembly to support and maintenance, which gives our business customers confidence that we can truly treat them as individuals. We get to know them very well so we can look after their IT and they can get on with what they do best – their own business.”
“We have recruited over fifty new staff in the past year and they are all positions that look after our customers directly. We believe passionately that Novatech’s purpose is much more than just selling technology – it’s about becoming a trusted adviser to the customer.”
Payne-Shelley admits that they are a very ambitious management team, who are keen to take Novatech from a ‘well-kept IT specialist’s secret’ to a household name, and that there is still plenty of work to do to build the brand. A profile-raising exercise has seen Novatech exhibit at various industry events, produce new marketing materials and develop a social media profile. It has also teamed up with media partners such as The Guardian, with whom it is currently sponsoring an ICT Leadership programme for schools.
The Novatech team is also clearly proud of its UK manufacturing heritage; all its equipment is assembled in Portsmouth – up to 5,000 PCs a month – and in-house teams of engineers and design teams are constantly developing new ideas. Current projects include expanding its virtualisation offering and Novatech’s simulation & special projects division; an area which is growing fast, thanks to increased use of simulator-based training in areas such as the military, marine, aviation and medical industries. The team at Barclays continues to offer support to the ongoing expansion plans.
Well-known customer names include Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems, Porsche UK and Oxford University, and Novatech is also a major player in the education sector, where it has been providing IT for schools, colleges and universities for more than 20 years.
Novatech has also found time to gain both ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications and is proud of its reputation for sustainability and products which offer a more reliable and energy efficient approach.
Existing stores in Reading, Cardiff and Bristol have been reorganised and the Portsmouth showroom has been given a full re-design and facelift to reflect the company’s new focus. A new partner benefits scheme has been launched to reward and encourage the company’s loyal following amongst independent IT contractors and support companies. Payne-Shelley points out that despite the tough economic conditions, very few manufacturers take the time to understand and to look after the community of professionals who keep the country’s small businesses running smoothly.
“We have an amazing community of Novatech ‘fans’ who have been using us for years and many have grown up with us. We’re now working with many senior IT professionals who are proud to admit that they built their first PC with our components when they were teenagers. It’s that kind of relationship that is so valuable and we know that looking after today’s gaming enthusiasts will mean that we have the ears, and hearts, of the decision makers of the future.”
This is the first in a series of films we are making about what we do and how we do it.
It doesn’t matter if we’re building a simulator to train helicopter pilots or building a high performance PC for a business – the collaborative process is the same. We listen to what the customer wants and then bring twenty five years of expertise to bear and provide them with all the technology they need from one trustworthy source.
We have new company motto: ”It takes people to make technology to work. And we are those people.”
Novatech celebrates turning 25 with a major accolade, a record year and soaring growth figures.
Novatech was founded In February 1987 with a simple ethic of supplying high quality products at the lowest possible prices with excellent customer service. Twenty five years later and the Portchester-based company is now the fifth largest PC manufacturer in the UK and is Microsoft’s fastest growing partner. Despite the economic gloom Novatech’s Business & Education team has trebled in size, breaking all the company’s previous records for growth, new customers, turnover and profit.
Founder and MD David Furby thinks that the company is now unrecognisable from its roots as a mail order supplier of computer components. “We have come a very long way and although the majority of our work is now planning technology for businesses, we still have amazing people taking care of customers at the centre of what we do. That much hasn’t changed.”
In recent years, Novatech have won numerous awards for the quality of their products and service and in 2010 the readers of Which? Magazine rated them top for reliability and service by above every other brand. In 2011 they were ranked second, behind Apple, but ahead of every other international giant like Dell, HP and Sony, but that’s OK with the MD.
“These kinds of accolades are great but we are a very different company from any of them. At our heart, we are an engineering company that make custom-built computers for our customers’ individual needs. Businesses and schools tell us what they need their technology to do and we make sure they get the ideal machines to do it. That’s not something any other PC company can really match and that’s what more and more of them are looking for.”
Although the company grew and continues to thrive because of its expertise with gamers, David Furby points out that the vast majority of their work is now driven by longer-term projects with larger businesses in the finance, training, aerospace and education sectors.
“Our evolution to becoming a business technology specialist has seemed like a natural progression, because of our engineering prowess and our history of building powerful custom-built pcs and servers. We tend to work more closely with firms to plan the lifecycle of their IT, so that all their technology keeps pace with, and drives their own innovation over time.”
He continued, “We own the entire process from design and assembly to support and maintenance, which gives our business customers confidence that we can truly treat them as individuals. We get to know them very well so we can look after their IT and they can get on with what they do best – their own business. We have recruited over fifty new staff in the last year and they are all positions that look after our customers directly. We believe passionately that Novatech’s purpose is much more than just selling technology - It takes people to make technology work. And we are those people.”
It is always exciting to see how our customers use Novatech PCs and one of the most interesting is Transas, who specialise in simulators to teach sailors how to drive tugs and super tankers. Although the Simulators don’t actually move, the immersive graphics are so realistic it is a very life-like experience – people have been known to get seasick – and the student sailors were sweating with stress as they practised engine failures and towing warships into a busy Portsmouth harbour.
Every window of the tug bridge in the picture is a LED screen and each one is driven by a bespoke Novatech rack PC. Even more then drive the graphics for the weather, sea-state, traffic and a whole bank of them are needed for the tug’s controls.
Building bespoke PCs, either one-offs or hundreds at a time is Novatech’s speciality so if that’s what you need, do get in touch with the business team. 02392 322700
Pictures courtesy of Graham at Transas
We’ve been building & repairing our own computers for over 25 years. But did you know we now repair & upgrade all brands of PC’s & Laptops?
In a rush? Come into your local Novatech store & we might be able to fix your laptop while you wait with our quick fix service.
With our fixed price repair at only £69.99, we’ll diagnose and fix your computer no matter how long it takes*.
If your machine is beyond economic repair, we will even issue you with a £50.00 voucher towards your next purchase of a PC or laptop.
For a complete list of services avliable check out: www.novatech.co.uk/fix
* This does not include the cost of components.
We all know that engineers like to take things apart to see how they work and learn most when putting them back together. The inquiring minds of children are really no different.
So when several old PCs were donated to West Hill Park School, head of IT John Adam, saw it as the perfect opportunity to develop real life skills for his students. He decided to run a project whereby a number of year 8 pupils would focus on dismantling and re-building the machines, and bring them up-to-date.
Letting Imaginations Run Riot.
Due to the popularity of the scheme, Mr Adam developed the idea further still. The students chose their own components; costed them out on a spreadsheet; purchased them from the Novatech website and built the computers at school before taking them home. The children’s enthusiasm and creativity was evident from the garish and fantastical selection of colours, neon lights and outlandish designs. However the technical quality of the machines was not in doubt and the schools’ DT department even commissioned the pupils to build a bespoke PC for their classroom too.
Driven by the students.
The project has now become a permanent part of the IT curriculum at West Hill Park and they are considering extending it to other year groups due to the level of interest.
John Adam said, “The success of this project has not only been driven by the students’ predictable enthusiasm for building their own computers, but also by their appetite to learn how the components work on a deeper level”.
Who knows with this level of enthusiasm for IT at such a young age West Hill Park School could even give us the next Steve Jobs or Bill Gates!
NVIDIA, I GPU-se you!
A GPU is a Graphics Processing Unit, and like the CPU consists of a single circuit. Highly specialised, the GPU’s job is to manipulate memory quickly and efficiently in order to render computer graphics; essentially it converts the binary data from the CPU into a picture on screen. However, in modern computing GPUs really shine when they are rendering 3D objects, lighting effects and animation. Many PCs (especially laptops) have integrated GPUs, which are far less powerful than those found on dedicated video cards, with the most common GPU brand names being Intel, NVIDIA, AMD and ATI.
If you were to attempt to follow the process of producing 3D graphics step by step (no mean feat considering that the following can happen around 60 times per second), it would go roughly as follows:
As well as power, graphics cards must also have access to a motherboard, processor and sufficient memory in order to function correctly.
Looking for a more portable PC and not able to decide whether to get a new laptop or a tablet (especially as they’re both currently more affordable than ever)? If so, it’s probably worth taking a look at
the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer as it gives you the best of both worlds. Usable either as a thin, light tablet or able to be clipped onto an optional docking station complete with keyboard, £417.98 really is a steal for what is effectively two pieces of tech. With two in-built cameras, impressive battery life, Polaris Office 3.0 and the Android 3.0 Honyecomb OS with ASUS Waveshare UI there’s not a lot your ASUS Eee Pad Transformer won’t be able to handle. Its impressive array of features include:
