computer brand advice

[drothgery]

Just as an example, I just put this together. I did not do a lot of research on this, but this is from my memory of what was good when I put my current machine together in August. This is just an example! All items and prices are from Newegg.

RAM: CRUCIAL MICRON 512MB 64x64 PC 2700 DDR RAM $169.00
(This may not be the right type of memory, Crucial’s site is down, put in for a comparative price.)

It's not. For that motherboard, you'd need PC1066 RDRAM, which Crucial doesn't sell (it's a front for Micron, and Micron doesn't make RDRAM). 2 256MB RIMMS will cost a little over $200.

Also FWIW, when I put together a comprable Dell box, I came up with a price tag of $2173 (since I wasn't going to stick a GF4 MX in a 2.8 GHz P4, I went with the default Radeon 9700 non-Pro, which seems to be about $110 more than a typical GF4 Ti4200).

Which makes it ~$2000 for the homebrew vs. ~$2200 for the Dell (not including the $150 instant rebate that they had until Friday, and will almost certainly restart again in a few days). And if you're building a more mainstream system (use an 845PE motherboard and a P4 2.66, compare to a 4550), the Dell can come out ahead.

One other note: no matter who makes the computers in your computer lab, they suck because they're in a computer lab and subject to whatever abuse random students can put on them. When I was an undergrad, my home PC performed much better than most of the PCs in the labs, despite a somewhat lower clock speed and less memory (running the same OS), and my experiences at other college computer labs has been similar.

 

[Silvanos]

But the Dell is going to have crappy parts. Spend your money as you choose. PC's are the biggest racket in town. Nevermind if you are buying a P4 you are getting screwed in the first place.

S

 

[saduff]

Silvanos is correct. Build your own computer. Its alot cheaper and even if money is not your problem. Buy nice expensive parts. Building a computer is nothing more than putting "Lego's" together. Everything has its own place and nothing else can go there. So you can't make a mistake. The only tip I can think of is buy a "motherboard/cpu combo".

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Not everyone has the tools/expertise/desire to make their own system. I have noticed that those who are capable of assembling their own systems urge everyone to do it, regardless of capability.

Having seen a system get pretty thoroughly destroyed by somone taking that advice despite not having any skill I can only remind the 'techs' out there that the average user is NOT capable of putting together their own system.

I sometimes suspect that the 'build your own' advice is a form of bragging.

The Auld Grump, no it wasn't my system that got toasted, but I was there when both CPU and motherboard lost their magic blue smoke...

 

[Luke]

Not everyone has the tools/expertise/desire to make their own system. I have noticed that those who are capable of assembling their own systems urge everyone to do it, regardless of capability.

There's a constant wave of new CPUs and motherboards coming out. Its pretty common to find that particular bits of lego don't go together to well.
The guy who did my last computer upgrade/rebuild went through 2 different issues of CPUs that weren't up to scratch - and he does this for a living. Its also his policy to do a 24 "burn-in" of CPU, motherboard and disk before handing it over to the customer. Too frequently it turns out to have been a good idea.

In my part of the world there's not that much margin on retailing hardware, so there's not that much to be gained from doing it yourself.
Personally, I prefer for somebody else to worry about the different bits fitting together reliably. Its could be a lot of hassle to try and hand back parts that you claim are the problem in your hardware jigsaw.

 

[mojo1701]

Well, if you can't build your own computer, then get it custom-built. Remember to make sure it's from someone reputable who has familiarity with it (as with any other service) than someone who only thinks that they can do it.

 

[Silvanos]

Its all good. People are simply scared of computers. I see it everyday. It is not rational though! I have built, ohhh. Over 1000 computers. The only time I have ever had a problem was when someone wanted to save a few bucks and get a generic part. Well that and the 5% of parts that are bad out of the box.

If you are not comfortable, I can understand that. But I have a hard time accepting the Lego argument. You get what you pay for. Buy crappy parts, you get crappy results.

I'm not an expert or anything, I just build and maintain computers for a living. Oh wait, guess I am an expert.


"Bragging"? Not sure where that came from. How about advice. Also note I pointed the poster to a very good site where he could look at reviews, and get advice on what to get. Granted, he bought a best buy bargin, and the people at that site are laughing their collective behinds off right now. But that is beside the point.
S

 

[KenM]

I'm comfortable putting in RAM or a card, but i don't want to put a system together from scratch. I'm just more comfortable having someone else do it or get a system with most of what i want.

 

[mojo1701]

Yeah... Why operate on yourself when you can get a real doctor?

 

[Mugatu]

build your own or buy a Dell