View Full Version : Am I able to custom build a computer from retailers?
Moderatators, please edit thread title to say Please help me buy a new computer!
For example, could I talk to people at Dell and ask them to custom build me a computer?
would it cost extra?
As well, i want to pay for my computer montly, im not rich and i dont feel like saving up money for 4 months to get a computer.
From what I have done at Dell, it seems like i can sort of customize a computer and from what i wanted, it will cost me 40 bucks a month and i would get it febuary 17th
But dont just talk about Dell
I made a custom build from a retail store with my first computer..
You can do it all over in Denmark thats for sure..
*NOTE : If you build a custom computer from retail, you will only get the separate parts assembled into a computer with store price and will not receive the same amount of savings as you would from a computer assembled by the store themselves*
Whitestuff
11-02-04, 21:35
Alienware Inc. (http://www.alienware.com)
I have one. I have had it for 2 1/2 years. It owns. They are more expensive, yes, but you can customize it however you want and you can pay for it monthly.
alienware are meant for games correct? There really expensive though... I'll take a look at it.
and i quess i wont customize my comp like that.... just from options they have. cause then it will cost more.....
Which company is best? Ive heared bad things about dell.
that and i dont want any integrated shit in my PC. like software i mean.
IBM and dell let me pay monthly, future shop doesnt seem to let me.
please guys, your input is GREATLY apreciated.
Whitestuff
11-02-04, 21:42
Alienwares come "blank" with XP only, no other software (unless you have a DVD rom or CD/DVD burner, then they install the burning software.). Yes Alienwares are expensive, but much worth it. Like I said, mine is still the shit just by upgrading it slowly over the years.
They are geared toward games. They come complete with benchmark tests.
Another good company I have heard great things about is Falcon Northwest. My friend is getting one of these in a month or so, but I have never seen one in action.
And if u r up to the challenge of building ur own newegg.com (http://www.newegg.com) is an awesome site where you can buy components extremely cheap. With plug n play the way it is today, its fairly simple to throw a comp together.
Hope all this helps. Ask more questions if you need.
as far as i know dell and ibm only sell massproduced computers and are mainly targeted at home users and for buissneses (sp?) and i would rather recomend you went to your local pc vendor and placed an order from them for a custom built one tahn something from dell and ibm
Just remember that I would like to pay montly for my computer.
I cant really ask questions...... Just any advice and help is greatly apreciated.
try www.simply.co.uk , if you phone up you can normally get stuff cheaper too. Its been a few years since i got stuff from there though (bro use to work there) so dont know what its like now...
holy shit alienware IS expensive!
92 bucks a month for there best model that ive seen!
AMD Athlon 64 FX-51 Processor
1GB Registered DDR SDRAM PC-3200
120GB Seagate Serial ATA 8MB Cache
NVIDIA GeForce FX 5950 Ultra 256MB
Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS
Test this system's performance
Price: $3,069.00
Before all applicable rebates.
Apply for Financing Online!
As low as $92 per month!
Six Months Same As Cash!*
Customize
darkservent
11-02-04, 21:52
Originally posted by Nexxy
try www.simply.co.uk , if you phone up you can normally get stuff cheaper too. Its been a few years since i got stuff from there though (bro use to work there) so dont know what its like now...
The guys from canada. I too worked at simply and found it a miserable company to work for.... but cause of there merger with systamax i suggest u goto
http://www.systemaxpc.com/
You may have to phone them to see if they do custom builts and the monthly option.
Whitestuff
11-02-04, 21:59
Originally posted by Zanathos
holy shit alienware IS expensive!
92 bucks a month for there best model that ive seen!
AMD Athlon 64 FX-51 Processor
1GB Registered DDR SDRAM PC-3200
120GB Seagate Serial ATA 8MB Cache
NVIDIA GeForce FX 5950 Ultra 256MB
Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS
Test this system's performance
Price: $3,069.00
Before all applicable rebates.
Apply for Financing Online!
As low as $92 per month!
Six Months Same As Cash!*
Customize
How much you looking to spend?
Dell / IBM are not good alternatives if you want a good gaming PC. Games take more resources to run and EVEN MORE to run well. Hell my system runs UT 2003 at full resolution full detail and NC gives me 30 FPS (which I bloddy cannot understand at ALL!?!?)
Anyway, if you want a pro game PC, its gonna cost more if you have it built or if you build it yourself, though it costs less than store bought, it still costs more.
Well, it does seem like alienware is the best for gaming PC's which is what I want.
im currently working on my computer setup, i took the most expensive AMD processor computer and now im downgrading it or changing it to the stuff that i really dont need.
anyone care to say otherwise?
SeXy Happy
11-02-04, 22:02
falcon-nw.com
Falcon Northwest makes some killer systems too. Last I ever looked they were cheaper than Alienware and on test they were out performing Alienware too.
keep em commin guys, im goin home right now as school is over, cyas, thanks for your help.
Originally posted by Zanathos
Well, it does seem like alienware is the best for gaming PC's which is what I want.
im currently working on my computer setup, i took the most expensive AMD processor computer and now im downgrading it or changing it to the stuff that i really dont need.
anyone care to say otherwise?
You can get the spex of the alien ware and then go to a computer trade store and buy the parts and build the pc for a hell of a lot cheaper..
part from you not gettin the case..
unless u cant build PC's then i suggest the alien ware;)
Whitestuff
11-02-04, 22:21
Originally posted by Ascention
You can get the spex of the alien ware and then go to a computer trade store and buy the parts and build the pc for a hell of a lot cheaper..
part from you not gettin the case..
unless u cant build PC's then i suggest the alien ware;)
True.
Did this the other day 4 fun:
$2,600 system on Alienware.
Went to newegg.com, built it theoretically (minus XP cost of $93) and it came to $777 with shipping. All that's left is to slap it together.
Not why people are saying dell doesn't make gaming systems, they've been around since last year, unless they discontinued the line already.
The XPS series is made for gaming, IIRC...there were several articles about it, TechTV had something on it as well.
However, they were around the same price as alienware, I believe. If that's still the case, the main benefit from Dell would probably only be a bit better financing.
Best bet is ALWAYS to build your own though, saves you so much it's worth the time spent saving up money.
Actually I have a friend that could build me the computer.
not only that, my mom has a friend that can build me the computer
I could go to these websites like alienware, customize a computer, write down all the parts, then find out how much each part actually costs.
Damn man.
Now i need websites that have lists of parts like this and their costs.
and btw, my mom is a friggin idiot.... honestly
she doesnt want to talk about it now, rather when i get the money, when if i talk about it now, i can find out how much money this will cost me.
I was thinking of going with a lab top before but nah, in my experience, there pretty crappy for games.
RuriHoshino
11-02-04, 23:06
Originally posted by WhiteKrAkRBOi
Dell / IBM are not good alternatives if you want a good gaming PC. Games take more resources to run and EVEN MORE to run well. Hell my system runs UT 2003 at full resolution full detail and NC gives me 30 FPS (which I bloddy cannot understand at ALL!?!?)
Actually easy to understand....the engine that KK is using right now does not use the processing power of the graphics card other than the shear (?) speed of the card. Almost all the processing is handled by the main CPU. o_O
BDoY will have an updated engine that offloads a lot of the processing to the GPU so it won't be as bound by the speed of your PC/background programs (can you say Winamp? :p ).
SeXy Happy
11-02-04, 23:11
try pricewatch.com they have a lot of companies that compete with each other to try and advertise the lowest prices. You can get some good stuff for cheap from there.
Check out TigerDirects (http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/category/category_slc.asp?CatId=114) deals and they're barebones kits....
They provide good service and have some good prices to, on the upgradeable components(extra memory, etc.).
My son bought a barebone kit from them last year, I intend to, as soon as I get my tax refund back.....
Your from the US, aren't you?
Canada.
Im thinkin im just gonna order the parts and get a friend to build it, much cheaper.
So i gotta go to alien ware, customize my computer, right down the part names and go to a website and check the prices, then get the total, then there we are, buy the parts :)
I want that alienware area 51-m :( tbh the desktops are a rip-off u could build them for alot less.
Look at www.voodoopc.com also "high end gaming systems"
I think alienware is a great company, and no doubt you will get an amazing system from them that you can be sure will last you a long time.
But i have a problem with them because you can buy the parts and put it together yourself for a very HUGE discount.
I personally never get the top of the line cpu either cause a month later, the price will drop like 20%, i know you can argue that the faster cpu is worth that 20% to have it an extra month, but the price you pay just doesn't justify it for me personally. I never ever ever have spent more than 1000 dollars on a new system, admittedly I don't think i've ever once built an entire system(i replace various parts at different times and when i have the money, even though i have the knowledge to build one from scratch). Building a computer would be a skill worthwhile for you to learn. Just going inside your current computer and looking and getting familiar with the different parts would potentially give you enough skills to build your own computer. The only real tricky part for anyone is placement of the cpu and heatsink(you can break the cpu if you don't know what you are doing).
Or if you have any geeky friends, i'm sure one of them will know how to do it. But to wrap things up, yeah i would build your own. You can have an alienware computer, same exact setup for probably around 1/3rd of the cost if you shop smart. pricewatch.com used to be my bread and butter, but I am with others on this board and prefer newegg now more than the others.
Im actually taking a ComTIA A+ certification course right now so I will learn how to build a computer.
I somewhat know how to build a computer right now. but im certainly not confident in my skills.
at any rate, thanks for the input, keep it commin, im gonna go to work right now for about 2 to 4 hours, depending. Cyas.
thanks.
Dade Murphey
12-02-04, 09:34
I looked at the sites that the people posted before...and they're all damned xpensive...
Try this (http://www.ibuypower.com/mall/lobby.htm)
I like this site...not very xpensive either and you can make some nice setups...or buy one of their own
Gotterdammerung
12-02-04, 10:14
If you wanna pay monthly as you mentioned try dell or ibm. I can't say I have much exp with ibm but last time I bought a pc from dell they had an online format where you can customize your pc any way you want. I know some of the "don't sellout to the man" kinds of people will recommend you don't use a large company like dell or ibm but large = large buying power. Dells site regularly has sales on things and/or outright giveaways (ie: when choosing a plaform to build from if you choose 512 of ram and hit save the next page may have a box to check offering you an additional 512 for $10 etc....) Bigger companies with more buying power mean cheaper prices & better savings for you. You never have to worry about if something goes wrong that dell will be out of business and in my exp their cust service was great. About 1 month after I bought a pc from them the cd/dvd failed, initially they offered to send a new drive & a tech to my home to repair but i pushed instead for a total replacement. They agreed and sent me a new pc with an rma for the old one and some device (really for the non-tech savy users) to transfer whatever data you have from one pc to the new one. I still have that pc to this day, it's a 2.2 p4 w/i a gig of ram and aside from that initial prob i had it's always performed flawless
angelsenior
12-02-04, 10:15
If you're not sure about your skills, you can always ask at a local store to put it together for you, they should be insured if they break anything but you're not.
You can always lend money to a bank to purchase it and pay the loan at a monthly fee (dunno the rates in canada though).
Pre-constructed pc's are mostly shit (ie dell and Ibm), because they're targeted for people who dont use it often (and certainly not for gaming).
They also mostly contain very low versions of graphic cards etc.. but not the performant ones.
And lastly they're cheap because they're built with cheap parts (there goes quality out the door).
Originally posted by Zanathos
[B
AMD Athlon 64 FX-51 Processor
1GB Registered DDR SDRAM PC-3200
120GB Seagate Serial ATA 8MB Cache
NVIDIA GeForce FX 5950 Ultra 256MB
Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS
Price: $3,069.00
[/B]
I wouldnt jump on the 64 bit bandwagon yet. Hardly any programs and games utilizes 64 bit instructions yet, and probly wont for the next 2 years. You'd be better off getting a 3200xp for half the price. I built my brothers computer with these specs
MSI K7N2 Delta L motherboard
AMD XP 3000+
GeforceFX 5900
512 Kingston PC 3200
21 inch monitor
8x8 DVDRWriter
Thermal Take Xaser III case
2 green neons
Microsoft Intelle 6 button optical mouse/Keyboard
Total $1,250
And I upgraded my computer way cheaper and i beat his computer in alot of benchs except dx 9
MSI K7N2 Delta L
256X2 OCZ DDR PC3200 Dual channel
AMD XP 2500+ Barton Week 31
Custom CPU ducting
Leadtech TI4600
(overclocked to 11x211 = 2.321ghz, temps @ 15-20c)
For my comp, only spent 359 beans on it. Best and cheapest way to go is custom build it yourself
robinitnow
12-02-04, 10:49
at Gotterdammerung
ye use the internet service with dell DO NOT! phone up.
That was my mistake if you do then it could get very fun
:mad: . The lassie on the phone made a mistake and spent the next 4 months trying to get out of it intend of getting on with it. I talked with my bank and I was not the first person that the person at the desk had talked to about this same problem with that company.
Plus they almost gave me a bad credit history for life. :mad:
But on a happier note I looked at the cheep AMD system from alenware and well I can build it for £57 less or £222 less with out the OS.:eek:
With alienware, your not just buying the computer, you're also buying the best support package available for a computer. If the support isn't that important to you, you could arguably save alot of money and just replace parts as and when they break (plus you also have the manufacturers warrenty on each item).
Personally I have always built my own PCs from components, as I like to know exactly what parts are going into my machine and I'm a cheapskate.
Lots of luck with your machine mate.
RuriHoshino
12-02-04, 18:01
The biggest reason I don't normally recommend Dell/IBM is that the machines tend to have some proprietary setups. Ie netcard on the MB, built-in video that can be a pain to disable sometimes, IBM ships with OS installed and if you change it you're SOL for support, things like that. If you want the best configurability so you can get the best performance by tweaking over time, build it yourself or get it from someplace like Alienware. Yes, expensive but *you* get to choose whats in it, not some Marketing flunky.
Ive decided that im just gonna customize an alienware computer, then right down all the part names, find out their costs, and then build the computer from one of my friends (or even from a store)
As far as I know, its cheaper.
im gonna have about 1,ooo canadian to spend just on the computer parts.
after that i still need a monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc...
i want CRT monitors, not LCD....
QuantumDelta
12-02-04, 18:09
Most of my suppliers are local and trusted.
Alienware is the only one in this thread I'd recomend as for the price of their top end system;
Yes, it's expensive, it's a 64 bit processor.
It is also a "$)(%&"$)"(& hot system.
Specs like that ARE worth that kind of money when you compare them to current systems BUT......
There's no software around that really makes full use of the 64bit-ness of the processor.
so whilst in terms of raw power it is worth the cash, it ain't really worth it in terms of what you'll get out of it with software.
Clyde's systems aren't bad for their prices, actually, they're better than mine by about a factor of 3, even if mine cost me less than 200 quid (excluding monitor)...
I'd be quite happy with a system like that I think, though I suppose I'd have to do some research on the mobo.
WHOA!!!!!
I AM NOT getting a 64 bit porcessor, those things are fuckin expensive!
QuantumDelta
12-02-04, 18:22
Originally posted by Zanathos
WHOA!!!!!
I AM NOT getting a 64 bit porcessor, those things are fuckin expensive! That would be the thing you just quoted for the 3Grand PC :p
I might make a machine with this later on just to see what a good stable, solid, non-conflicting PC would come up as..
Processor
AMD Athlon XP 3200+ "Barton", 400MHz FSB, 512K Cache Processor - Retail
(limit 5 per customer)
Specification
Model: AMD Athlon XP 3200+
Core: Barton
Operating Frequency: 2.2GHz
FSB: 400MHz
Cache: L1/64K+64K; L2/512K
Voltage: 1.65V
Process: 0.13Micron
Socket: Socket A
Multimedia Instruction: MMX, SSE, 3DNOW!, 3DNOW!+
Packaging: Retail Box (Heatsink and Fan included)
Model#: AXDA3200BOX
Item#: N82E16819103390
cost 217 at newegg
ASUS nForce2 Ultra 400 Chipset Motherboard for AMD Socket A CPU, Model "A7N8X-E Deluxe" -RETAIL (limit 5 per customer)
- Specifications -
Supported CPU: Socket A AMD Athlon XP/Athlon/Duron Processors
Chipset: NVIDIA nForce2 Ultra 400 + MCP-T
FSB: 400/333/266/200MHz
RAM: 3x DIMM support Dual-Channel DDR400/333/266/200(Non-ECC) Max 3GB
IDE: 2x UltraDMA 66/100/133 up to 4 Devices
Slots: 1x AGP Pro/8X, 5x PCI
Ports: 2xPS2,1xLPT,1xCOM,2xLAN,6xUSB2.0(Rear 4),SPDIF Out,Audio Ports
Onboard Audio: NVIDIA SoundStorm APU(AC3) + Realtek ALC650 6-Channel Codec
Onboard LAN: Realtek 8201BL 10/100Mbps + Marvell 88E8001 GbE
Onboard SATA/RAID: 2x Serial ATA, RAID 0/1
Form Factor: ATX
Model#: A7N8X-E Deluxe
Item#: N82E16813131478
Rating: Vote(s): 102 Review(s): 73
Free FedEx Saver Shipping
Yes $115.99
Add to Wish List
Asus K8T800 Chipset Motherboard for AMD Socket 940 CPU, Model "SK8V" -RETAIL
- Specifications -
Supported CPU: Single Socket 940 AMD Athlon64 FX Processors
Chipset: VIA K8T800 + VIA VT8237
FSB: Scalable HyperTransport
RAM: 3x DIMM for Registered ECC DDR400/333/266 Max 8GB
IDE : 3x UltraDMA 133 up to 6 Devices
Slots: 1x AGP 8X, 5x PCI, 1x WiFi
Ports: 2xPS2, 1xLPT, SPDIF Out, 1xCOM, 8xUSB2.0(Rear 4), 1xLAN, 2xIEEE1394(Rear 1), Audio Ports
Onboard Audio: ADI AD1985, 6-channel CODEC
Onboard LAN: 3COM 3C940 Gigabit Ethernet
Onboard SATA/RAID: 2x SATA, RAID0/1; 2x SATA, RAID 0/1/0+1(Total 4 Serial ATA)
Form Factor: ATX
Model#: SK8V
Item#: N82E16813131481
or this for 200$
That 2nd one is only for Athlon 64 FX procs not for regular 32-bit procs ;) So I'd say go for the 1st one.
The Nforce chipset combined with an Nvidia gfx card r0x0r. Not sure if u want all the onboard crap tho.
QuantumDelta
12-02-04, 18:37
That's just the processor/heatsink/fan....
and I just managed to put together a 64bit baby monster for 1200 quid o_O
I'll play around with this a little more later.........
Hmmm
new aproach since my original plan isnt working so well.
What exactly are all the things that are needed in a PC for it to play games.
like the basic components of a computer.
processor
motherboard
video card
OS
Sound Card
etc...
not actuall processors and stuff, just all the parts that make up a PC, i will then search for parts for those things (I have good idea of whats good or bad, but know nothing about the technical stuff)
Ive got some knowledge with computers... not alot.
QuantumDelta
12-02-04, 19:56
MotherBoard.
Processor(s).
RAM.
Graphics Card.
Sound Card.
Hard Drive(s).
(Network or Modem Card).
Monitor(s).
Keyboard.
Mouse.
Joystick(?).
Operating System.
Technically that's about it o_O
$1k CAD is about $750 USD right now according to www.xe.com. Should be able to build a decent core system with that:
$188 - Retail Pentium 4 2.8C
$ 4 - Cooler Master thermal compound (doesn't matter what brand, just don't use the black pad that comes with the P4)
$127 - Asus P4P800 Deluxe motherboard (Audio, LAN, FireWire all onboard)
$ 88 - x2 KingMax PC3200 256MB DIMMs (512MB total, and they're red!)
$209 - Powercolor ATI Radeon 9700 Pro retail vid card
$ 74 - Western Digital 80GB SE hard disk (3 yr warranty)
$ 50 - Sony CD-RW/DVD-ROM combo drive
$ 50 - Antec SLK2600AMB case
------
$790, from Newegg.
A little over budget, but you can shave off money with a less expensive video card or a P4 2.6C CPU.
Assuming you're not posting from work or from someone else's PC, you seem to have the peripherals you need - keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers, network connection. If not, figure $200 more USD for the rest.
If you want to add another $100, you can get an Athlon 64 3000+ and board to go with. The A64 3000+ retail is about $230, and a board is around $160. RAM, you'd probably change the x2 256 for a x1 512MB stick.
Just my $0.02
thanks, this helps more, me go to newegg. when i get the parts id like to have in my PC, ill post em here, and their prices. etc...
I prefer to get an athlon btw, there more for gamming.
If i really wanted to... i could build a fuckin cheap computer and upgrade it over time.....
I prefer to get an athlon btw, there more for gamming.
Neither one is "for gamming" more than the other. It really depends on which games and what CPUs you're comparing. The older Athlon XP series don't hold up as well against the 800Mhz FSB P4s as they did against the 533Mhz FSB P4s before them. The A64/Opteron perform quite well, but you had mentioned sticker shock. Northwood P4s on an 800Mhz FSB are in the middle - a 2.8C runs neck-and-neck with AMD's XP 3200+ CPU, but costs about $30 less retail kit vs retail kit. Up to you, though.
PROCESSOR
AMD Athlon XP 3200+ "Barton", 400MHz FSB, 512K Cache Processor - Retail
(limit 5 per customer)
Specification
Model: AMD Athlon XP 3200+
Core: Barton
Operating Frequency: 2.2GHz
FSB: 400MHz
Cache: L1/64K+64K; L2/512K
Voltage: 1.65V
Process: 0.13Micron
Socket: Socket A
Multimedia Instruction: MMX, SSE, 3DNOW!, 3DNOW!+
Packaging: Retail Box (Heatsink and Fan included)
Model#: AXDA3200BOX
Item#: N82E16819103390
216$ (canadian? U.S.? Dont know)
MOTHERBOARD
GIGABYTE nForce2 Ultra 400 Chipset Motherboard for AMD Socket A CPU, Model "GA-7NNXP" -RETAIL
- Specifications -
Supported CPU: Socket A AMD AthlonXP/Athlon/Duron Processors
Chipset: NVIDIA nForce2 Ultra 400 + MCP-T
FSB: 400/333/266MHz
RAM: 4x DIMM support Dual Channel DDR400/333/266 Max 3GB
IDE: 4x UltraDMA 66/100/133 up to 4 Devices
Slots: 1x AGP Pro 8X/4X, 5x PCI, 1x DPS
Ports: 2xPS2,1xLPT,2xCOM,6xUSB2.0(Rear 4),2xLAN,Audio Ports
Onboard Audio: Realtek ALC650 6-Channel Codec
Onboard LAN: Intel 82540EM GbE + Realtek 8201 10/100M
Onboard SATA/RAID: 2x Serial ATA/GigaRAID controller
Onboard 1394: Support 3 ports
Form Factor: ATX
Model#: GA-7NNXP
Item#: N82E16813128190
Cost 157.99 (canadian? US?)
RAM
2 of this
OCZ Performance Series 184 Pin 512MB DDR PC-3700 - Retail
(limit 5 per customer)
Specification
Manufacturer: OCZ
Speed: DDR466(PC3700)
Type: 184 Pin DDR SDRAM
Error Checking: Non-ECC
Registered/Unbuffered: Unbuffered
Cas Latency: 3-4-4-8
Support Voltage: 2.75V
Bandwidth: 3.7GB/s
Organization: 64M x 64 -Bit
Special Features: Extended Voltage Protection
Warranty: Lifetime
Model#: OCZ466512PF
Item#: N82E16820146944
Cost 110$ (canadian? US?)
VIDEO CARD
ABIT nVIDIA GeForce FX5600 ULTRA Video Card, 128MB DDR, 128-bit, DVI/TV-Out, 8X AGP, Model "Siluro FX5600 Ultra OTES" -RETAIL
- Specifications -
Chipset/Core Speed: nVIDIA GeForce FX5600ULTRA/400MHz
Memory/Effective Speed: 128MB DDR/800MHz
BUS: AGP 1X/2X/4X/8X
Ports: VGA Out(15 Pin D-Sub)+TV-Out(S-Video Out)+DVI connector
Support 3D API: DirectX®9, OpenGL®1.4
Cable/Accessories: VGA via DVI Adapter, 4 Cables, 2 CD, Manual
Max Resolution@32bit Color: 2048X1536@85Hz
Retail Box (See pics for details)
Model#: Siluro FX5600U 128MB
Item#: N82E16814123127
Cost 198.99$ (canadian? US?)
SOUND CARD
Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy2 ZS PCI Sound Card, Model "SB0350" -RETAIL
- Specifications -
Channels: 7.1
Max Sampling Rate: 192kHz
Signal-Noise Ratio: 108dB(SNR)
Hardware Decode: Dolby Digital EX
Digital Audio: 24-bit
Hardware Polyphony: 64 Voices
PC Interface: PCI
Connectors: Line-out,Line-in,Mic-in,Digital Out(5.1),Firewire(IEEE1394),Analog/Digital CD Audio in,Telephone Answering Device in,GAME/MIDI port via extension header,Internal IEEE1394 header and AD_EXT extension header to Audigy 2 ZS Internal I/O Drive(See Details)
External Box: N/A
Remote Control: N/A
Package included: See pics
Special Features: DVD Audio,THX certified,EAX Adva
Model#: 70SB035000000
Item#: N82E16829102162
Cost 89$ (canadian? US?)
HARD DRIVE
Seagate 80GB 7200RPM IDE Hard Drive, Model ST380013A-RK, Retail
- Specifications -
Capacity: 80GB
Average Seek Time: 8.5 ms
Buffer: 8MB
Rotational Speed: 7200 RPM
Interface: IDE ULTRA ATA100
Features: not specified
Manufacturer Warranty: 1 year
Remark: Retail box (see pics for details)
Model#: ST380013A-RK
Item#: N82E16822148029
cost 95.50$ (canadian? US?)
CD Reader, writer, etc...
LG Electronics 52X32X52X16 Combo Drive, Model GCC-4521BI, Retail
- Specifications -
Write Speed: 52X CD-R, 32X CD-RW
Read Speed: 52X CD-ROM, 16X DVD-ROM
Interface: ATAPI / E-IDE
Buffer: 2MB
OS Support: Windows XP/2000/Me/98SE
Features: SuperLink Buffer Underrun Error Protection
Remark: Retail box (see pictures for details)
Model#: GCC-4521BI
Item#: N82E16827136025
cost 63$ (canadian? US?)
NETWORK CARD
I have NO CLUE what to get for a network card, all I know is that I got cable internet access from rogers cable! HELP!
Mouse, Keyboard, Monitor I am not too worried about, I'll just buy those at the staples depot we got here.
my computer is gonna cost me about 1,500 dollars or so...... URG!
prolly 1,750$ after mouse, keyboard, monitor... etc...
Anything im forgetting?
Maybe I should get a cheap computer built then upgrade it slowly over time...
I can always sell the old parts on E-bay
RuriHoshino
12-02-04, 20:41
you can pick up a Linksys 10/100 network card for about $40 US.
You probably want to check benches before buying the vid card. Last I checked, the FX 5600 sucked compared to the ATI 9600 Pro (depending on game) and the FX 5700 Ultra (across the board) You can get FX 5700 Ultra cards for the same price as the Abit FX 5600 you mentioned. At $200 for a vid card, the 9700 Pro is very hard to beat and I strongly recommend you read over reviews before deciding on an FX 5600 or FX 5700 over a 9700 Pro. About the only non-review reason to choose nVidia over ATI at that price point would be Linux support, where nVidia still appears to be better than ATI in terms of driver support. www.tech-report.com does decent reviews if you don't like Anand or Tom's.
I'd check www.storagereview.com before buying a Seagate disk for $20 over a WD which has similar performance and two more years of warranty.
You probably don't need the sound card. I'd at least try the onboard before getting one. Most onboards today are decent and don't suck up CPU power.
You don't need a NIC. There's a built-in Intel NIC on the board (irony of ironies). The difference between built-in and a PCI card is that the PCI card uses up a slot. Both are wired to the same PCI bus so there's no benefit to using an add-in card over the onboard.
You left out a case and power supply.
What do you think guys? Save up for this PC, or build a shitty one and upgrade it over time?
(BTW, i want a computer pretty damn soon, like in a months time)
Prolly what ill do is save up money for the next month, then add that to the 500 im getting, then figure out a custom PC that is within those costs (this now includes monitor, speakers, mouse, keyboard costs)
Save until you're ready to buy, then re-evaluate what's out - your mom isn't as much of an "idiot" as you would believe. Once you have the money, then decide on what to buy. AMD has Socket 939 coming out this year, Intel's switching to Socket 775 and respinning Prescott, there's a new form factor coming (BTX), AGP's getting displaced by PCI Express, and DDR-2 will arrive by year's end.
I'm not saying wait until Fall, but I am suggesting you save up your money and buy the best you can when you're ready. Don't go peacemeal, especially if by piecemeal you mean nonfunctional parts collecting dust.
Actually best buy very often has linksys 10/100 ethernet cards for 19.99 brand new. But the only things I have on my computer are.
Motherboard
cpu
ram
Video Card
hard drives
cdrom
cdr burner
I don't even have a 3.5" floppy on mine. And i've used the same case for quite some time cause i just personally could care less if my case looks "1337" or not.
If you're looking for other sites that may help you research what you want, you might want to try Ars Technica (http://www.arstechnica.com). The system guides (http://arstechnica.com/guide/system/index.html) get updated quarterly based on information from the posters in the forums (http://episteme.arstechnica.com/6/ubb.x). I've been reading/posting at Ars for over four years. The enthusiasts are pretty good there.
MOTHERBOARD
GIGABYTE nForce2 Ultra 400 Chipset Motherboard for AMD Socket A CPU, Model "GA-7NNXP" -RETAIL
- Specifications -
Supported CPU: Socket A AMD AthlonXP/Athlon/Duron Processors
Chipset: NVIDIA nForce2 Ultra 400 + MCP-T
FSB: 400/333/266MHz
RAM: 4x DIMM support Dual Channel DDR400/333/266 Max 3GB
IDE: 4x UltraDMA 66/100/133 up to 4 Devices
Slots: 1x AGP Pro 8X/4X, 5x PCI, 1x DPS
Ports: 2xPS2,1xLPT,2xCOM,6xUSB2.0(Rear 4),2xLAN,Audio Ports
Onboard Audio: Realtek ALC650 6-Channel Codec
Onboard LAN: Intel 82540EM GbE + Realtek 8201 10/100M
Onboard SATA/RAID: 2x Serial ATA/GigaRAID controller
Onboard 1394: Support 3 ports
Form Factor: ATX
Model#: GA-7NNXP
Item#: N82E16813128190
Cost 157.99 (canadian? US?)
It's an all in one mobo, well sound and LAN anyways. Nforce sound is quite good, but the Audigy has more options I guess.
The onboard LAN will do for your cable connetion, so dont worry about that.
Smartest thing to do is save up till u get enuff money to buy it all @ once tho, as IceStorm said, some nice things are coming this year :)
This means current hardware prices will go down a bit when newer versions are released etc...
I agree with the above poster, i have inboard sound and lan, and i must say i've been very happy to eliminate the need for extra cards, however if you are into recording music or doing anything above moderate sound work on your computer, then the onboard sound isn't the way to go.
I buy my computers from www.mwave.com
in the catelog there is a section called "motherboard bundles" you have many many selections. to narrow it down for myself I just choose asus motheboards.
you can look up the different types at mwave.com and asus.com and if you need more help, ask a friend. many asus motherboards have audio, ethernet, and video onboard.
it saves money to use onboard stuff until you have extra cash to purchase better stuff and install it.
from there, all you need is
case
power supply
hard drive
cdrom drive
plus of course the externals like monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc.
since I tend to have stuff lying around, building from parts makes sense for me. especially since my pc just died, so I could take parts from that one. I definately saved money. I got a new pc just by buying motherboard bundle and reusing the old stuff. I paid only $250us including shipping. I could have spent as much as $350 or $400 and gotten the uber of the uber, but I didn't want to spend the cash right now.
If however, you don't have parts lying around and you need to buy things like a monitor it definately makes sense to purchase a bundle from a place like dell. When you have to buy all the parts from scratch -- it's quite hard to beat the deals from places like dell. unless of course you are friends with a reseller.
of course... you gotta know how to put stuff together. and be comfortable with ordering stuff over the internet. broken stuff does arrive sometimes and it is a hassle sending it back. to a degree, I don't want to deal with that either - so I buy the motherboard, cpu, and memory together and they are tested as a unit.
good luck
General Crazy
13-02-04, 03:34
Zanathos I would suggest as you are in Woodstock, Ont. to check out some of the large retailers is London, Ont. Call around and get quotes on the system specs you want.
I work for one of the Wholesale/Retailers in London but i don't know if it is against forum rules to advertise on the forum so i will not give out the company name
Hope this helps you out!
Just PM me then.
Hmm.....
Well, damn, I didnt want to save up money, but I just hope you all realize that by the time I do save my money, the "expensive good" stuff now will become cheaper, but then there will be new "expensive good" stuff to get :(
I'd say thats a good thing :)
Well, damn, I didnt want to save up money, but I just hope you all realize that by the time I do save my money, the "expensive good" stuff now will become cheaper, but then there will be new "expensive good" stuff to get
first, you will save money by going AMD over INTEL, and the performance is better too. second, now a days even new "low" level stuff is pretty good.
and you don't even need to settle for the low of the low to still have a pretty good price. play around with the 'motherboard bundle' options at www.mwave.com. just to get an idea of prices. price rises pretty slowly until you get about mid-level quality and then it goes through the roof. as for me, I try and save money by getting a very new motherboard and putting one of the mid-level cpus in it.
of course, yes - if I wanted to spend the cash I'd buy alienware. they are very nice looking.
Are the prices at www.newegg.com all in american?
im canadian
FUCK!
never mind..... it IS american!
if you have any questions about resellers, check out www.resellerratings.com
Psycho_Soldier
14-02-04, 00:46
http://www.ibuypower.com/mall/lobby.htm
first, you will save money by going AMD over INTEL
So you missed the part where I said a 2.8C runs neck-and-neck with an XP 3200+ and costs less, I take it?
Pricing on Intel and AMD are very close in the mainstream and performance CPU ranges. AMD does better at the lower end as Intel CPUs typically don't go below $100 to $150 for mainstream CPUs, even when they're no longer "mainstream".
Are the prices at www.newegg.com all in american?
Yes, that's why I did the www.xe.com conversion of $1000 CAD to USD and priced out a decent system core for ~$800 USD.
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