new computer..build or buy?
 

to those that know computers fairly well, my friend sent me to this and said i wouldnt be able to build one much better for THAT much less. i dont use it for much. music 24/7 (*nice soundcard or hd audio, whatever they have nowadays), games here and there, internet obviously, fat hd, needs to be able to burn dvds/music and such, but i guess that ---- is pretty standard nowadays. what do you guys think about this? last i heard hp wasn't very good but hes guess it has good specs. would I be better off building something? price of that is right around my budget. thanks

http://www.ecost.com/Detail/Desktops.../40348052.aspx

Re: new computer..build or buy?
 

What kind of games? You may want to change the video card if you're playing something any more graphics intensive than HL2.

Re: new computer..build or buy?
 

build it from newegg.com

Re: new computer..build or buy?
 

i was looking in to building my own computer just for the experience, not really to save money, but everything i saw was already bundled together so cheap at the px on base that it wasnt worth the trouble, so i just bought a laptop instead.

Re: new computer..build or buy?
 

when i build computers I usually spend more than what the over the counter computer I was looking at costs.

nowadays in my opinion it's hard to justify building a computer. Fry's has deals of a complete computer combo with an LCD monitor for like 450-600 from time to time. Not to mention they sometimes have cheap desktops for like 200 bucks. Computers are just cheap nowadays.

Re: new computer..build or buy?
 

you can do it cheaper than that if you reuse some of the stuff you already have, like the case for one.

Re: new computer..build or buy?
 

The only thing with buying a pre-built system is it might be as cheap as building your own, but they will use the cheapest parts available. I would much rather spend just as much or maybe even a little more knowing I get exactly what I want and the brands I want.

Re: new computer..build or buy?
 

buying is the same price
plus you have a waranty with the store

Re: new computer..build or buy?
 

thats what im finding nowadays. never used to be like that. was always build build build

Re: new computer..build or buy?
 

Better check the insides, some of the store bought ones can't upgrade some parts. My aunts has one slot for memory and a cheap ass power supply.

Re: new computer..build or buy?
 

build, go to newegg.com for everything

a quad core desktop with a 19-22inch lcd with plenty of hp can be built for under $1200 without skimping on anything

or here is a quick build idea

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811156092 case -$65

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115018 cpu- $234

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813186116 motherboard -$50

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820227267 memmory- $85

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814150277 video card- $144

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824155053 22inch gaming lcd- $234

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822145137 hard drive - $89

and you are at $901 and if you have a $1000 budget you still have enough for a $10 cd/dvd drive and about $80 for an opperating system but i recoment umbatu witch is free (google it) and is just as good as windows

but if you don't want to build a computer but would like having a quality pc that is custom made,upgradable, and affordable then i recomend www.ibuypower.com

http://www.ibuypower.com/ibp/store/c...r.aspx?mid=224 here is an awsome build that for $1200 you get an awsome setup that comes with games and ---- and a temp display on the case and everything to run any game out there (it even has a 20.1inch high def 1080p monitor witch will make the games look awsome)

Re: new computer..build or buy?
 

Here is my current PC that I built back in July of 06 all from Newegg.


Logitech MX3000 2-Tone USB + PS/2 RF Wireless Standard Desktop Laser Mouse Included
$68.99

ASUS EAX550GE/TD/256M Radeon X550 256MB 128-bit DDR PCI Express x16 Video Card
$59.99

XION II XON-103 Black SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 450W Power Supply
$64.99

AMD Athlon 64 3500+ Orleans 2.2GHz Socket AM2 62W Single-Core Processor Model ADA3500CNBOX
$114.99

pqi 1GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667 (PC2 5400) Desktop Memory Model MAC41GUOE
$64.49

MSI K9N Neo-F AM2 NVIDIA nForce 550 MCP ATX AMD Motherboard
$76.95

BenQ 16X DVD±R DVD Burner With exclusive SolidBurn Technology Black E-IDE/ATAPI Model DW1650 BK
$32.99

Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD2500KS 250GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
$84.99

Total: $568.38

A few of them came with rebates which I think totaled around $75-100 that I kept screwing around and never sent in. Things have gotten a lot cheaper since then.

Re: new computer..build or buy?
 

Yeah I always just transform the computer I have now into a newer one. Just upgrade one component as it lags behind. it also gets rid of the big price-tag up front.

Case, power supply, keyboard, mouse, monitor, HDs ect can just keep movnig from one computer to another. No need to rebuy them.

Re: new computer..build or buy?
 

Build.

You don't want to deal with the BS storebought computers that use the cheapest possible components, don't offer as much flexibility or upgradeability, and come preloaded with tons of BS slow-your-computer software.

You can build a computer for cheaper, that will run better, and give you full control over everything.

Screw the warranty, most of the components you buy will come with one, and newegg is good about replacements. I bet getting a part replaced is a helluva lot easier than dealing with getting it fixed by dell or hp.

Re: new computer..build or buy?
 

Yep my keyboard started messing up like 6 months later and they said just send it back no questions asked. Don't pay for a operating system either. Bootleg ftw :P