Alright. Here's the story. I have an apartment here at college, but I'll be going home over the summer to work, and I don't want to bring all of my crap from my apartment...including my computer. My parents have given me the ok for a cheap system at home...but I want to know whether I should build my own, or buy pre-built. The computer really should be around 500 bucks, and not much over...like I said, cheap. I found this page...do any of these machines look like bargains. I could replace the "2mb video" that they come with w/a GFMX or something. Thanx for the help...
Build my own Cheap System...or Not?
- Thread starter MattStone
- Start date
Yah...that is what I was thinking. I was really considering a bottom of the line dell, but I'd really like a Duron/Athlon system like my current one.
Build it yourself, it's more fun ............. plus you can skrimp where YOU want to ...... and up-grade as funds become available .........!
Better help and advice here on-line than in most shops, plus you usually get enough input to make your own choices, not just ONE other opinion ......... from someone who has something to sell .............!
Plus, one of the major (expense) components, memory (sdram) is real cheap at the present time....... and prices are falling almost daily on everything else........?
Better help and advice here on-line than in most shops, plus you usually get enough input to make your own choices, not just ONE other opinion ......... from someone who has something to sell .............!
Plus, one of the major (expense) components, memory (sdram) is real cheap at the present time....... and prices are falling almost daily on everything else........?
I would suggest building your own machine, particularly if you have a few months to collect
the parts. Watch for bargains in the hot deals forum and jump on the really good ones. Example: President's Day special at Staples got me a Maxtor 20 gig 5400 rpm hard drive retail kit for $59.95 after rebate and a Labtec Edge 418 subwoofer and flat panel speakers for $19.95 after rebate. Regular retail on those two items was $180. Likewise check out cheap motherboards like at Tekram.com. Of course, ram is cheap, 128 MB of PC-133 from $35 to $45. CD-Rom and floppy combined should be available for around $40 or so for both. I wouldn't scrimp too much, though. Maybe your folks can learn to enjoy it, too!
Good Luck, chuck
PS you may have better luck finding a bargain motherboard in the socket 370 configuration. Not sure you would be able to build a Duron system for your target price.
the parts. Watch for bargains in the hot deals forum and jump on the really good ones. Example: President's Day special at Staples got me a Maxtor 20 gig 5400 rpm hard drive retail kit for $59.95 after rebate and a Labtec Edge 418 subwoofer and flat panel speakers for $19.95 after rebate. Regular retail on those two items was $180. Likewise check out cheap motherboards like at Tekram.com. Of course, ram is cheap, 128 MB of PC-133 from $35 to $45. CD-Rom and floppy combined should be available for around $40 or so for both. I wouldn't scrimp too much, though. Maybe your folks can learn to enjoy it, too!
Good Luck, chuck
PS you may have better luck finding a bargain motherboard in the socket 370 configuration. Not sure you would be able to build a Duron system for your target price.
The only thing that I'm questionable about is...I suck at building my own stuff. I've built two machines, both w/big ass problems...I swear my fingers are the tools of the devil.
Here's a different perspective on your problem:
The PC itself shouldn't be too bad to take home with you. It's probably all the other stuff that gets in the way: monitor, mouse, keyboard, speakers, printer, scanner, etc.
Just buy a second set of peripherals...keep those at home and take the PC with you.
I'd want to take my PC with me anyway, just so that I know it's safe.
The PC itself shouldn't be too bad to take home with you. It's probably all the other stuff that gets in the way: monitor, mouse, keyboard, speakers, printer, scanner, etc.
Just buy a second set of peripherals...keep those at home and take the PC with you.
I'd want to take my PC with me anyway, just so that I know it's safe.
Tough to beat prices on a "cheap system". but, for just a few bucks more you can have a lot more system. Plus it's more fun to build it.
Shipping it is going to be a lot cheaper than building another one. The biggest problem for me is the monitor --- what size monitor do you have, and are you planning on bringing that, or will it have to be included in the $500? Mouse and keyboard are not very big, and unless you have a huge tower, it shouldn't be too much trouble either
yea but notebooks are really limited. i think if you build a cheap system or buy one either way you'll do fine. A cheap system can be done very easily, using coupons at sits, and using cheaper priced but not lower quality parts such as those at the tekram store. You can get an i810 mobo, that has everything built in for $35 there. Tekram is not a crappily made mobo at all, so its a great value. Or you could build a duron or something.
is a monitor an issue here? if not...
ive seen some bare bone duron 800 systems for $280...thats 800 duron..HSF...64 pc133 micron...soyo MB...tower...integrated sound...all u need to get is vid card(ati radeonLE 32mb ddr-$89)which outperforms the gfMX card and HD(30G maxtor 5400 ATA100 at officemax-$99)and floppy $3 used at any mom-pop shop...ranging in your $500 budget...if u need a monitor...go get an emachine...if theyre still around...
ive seen some bare bone duron 800 systems for $280...thats 800 duron..HSF...64 pc133 micron...soyo MB...tower...integrated sound...all u need to get is vid card(ati radeonLE 32mb ddr-$89)which outperforms the gfMX card and HD(30G maxtor 5400 ATA100 at officemax-$99)and floppy $3 used at any mom-pop shop...ranging in your $500 budget...if u need a monitor...go get an emachine...if theyre still around...
Monitor is not an issue here. And toting my comp back and forth isn't one either (Because my parents want something they can use while I'm away).
Ah..sorry.
Well in an attempt to still provide some useful information, you could try starting with a fully customizable bare bones system from adamant.com. You have the option of adding whatever you want to it. Shipping is reasonable.
Well in an attempt to still provide some useful information, you could try starting with a fully customizable bare bones system from adamant.com. You have the option of adding whatever you want to it. Shipping is reasonable.
When you say you had problems with your first two system builds, I am curious. What kind of sytems did you attempt to build? Which motherboards did you use? The reason I ask is that I have built (or built with the help of a very knowledgeable friend) 4 systems, without major problems. And I am one of the least mechanical people you would ever want to meet. All my system builds were with Intel processors, one Tyan (TX chipset) motherboard, one Soyo (Intel 810 chipset) and two with the MSI-6309 (Via apollo pro 133A chipset), and they all went together very nicely. I am helping a friend put together his own MSI-6309 based system this Saturday and (knock on wood...) am not anticipating any major problems. I just wondered if your builds centered around AMD processors or Abit motherboards. For myself, I like the MSI boards and I haven't heard of anyone with major compatibility problems with peripherals with the Intel processor based boards.
Chuck
Chuck
I didn't really explain myself. This is more of a irrational phobia, rather than a real problem. I have motherboards fried...hds go bad...ram fried...video gone bad...etc. I have built my systems w/a "knowlegable friend" that will never touch my machines again...hehe.
As I said, it is a phobia rather than a real problsm...and I think it is a good idea to build my own. This summer, I will be working at a local computer shop on implementing an ecommerce system, and I think I might just get the guys ther to help me.
I was checking out some of the barebones systems at Monarch Computer, and I was thinking that I could set something minimal up there...and then buy some of the other stuff myself.
As I said, it is a phobia rather than a real problsm...and I think it is a good idea to build my own. This summer, I will be working at a local computer shop on implementing an ecommerce system, and I think I might just get the guys ther to help me.
I was checking out some of the barebones systems at Monarch Computer, and I was thinking that I could set something minimal up there...and then buy some of the other stuff myself.
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