Build OR BUY???

[GreenGhost]

I'm thinking about a new computer, and for the first time, I do not see any $$$ advantage in building one. I added up the prices for all components for a 266A system, and it added up to $590 WITHOUT shipping, (no fans or cables) which puts me in the same league of the Dell 4300 (they don't sell those anymore, do they?). I was very disappointed, I thought I could build one for much less.

I also thought of buying things at the hottest prices (the Office keyboard for $16, the GTS-V for $49, etc), but that's also silly, and by the time I buy everything, the components will be already cheaper.

Coin toss....

BTW: What are good places to buy a complete assembled system, OR
which places give discounts if you buy the whole system diassembled?

 

[Dufusyte]

If someone is a complete newbie (i.e., has never upgraded a component on their own), then they should buy a pre-built system the first time.

It should not be from a large OEM or else there may be proprietary parts.

From then on, he/she/it should just upgrade individual components ad infinitum as the years go by.

 

[Jerboy]

How come only I and one other person mentioned about SOFTWARE?

This is a hardware forum, but when we're talking about price, its very critical that you include the cost of frequently used application program and the operating system.

Putting the computer together yourself maybe $50(give or take) different WITHOUT an OS or softwares compared to pre-built system you'll find at CompUSA and such with WinXP Home edition and some softwares installed.

Functional computer is formed when you have the hardwares and softwares.

 

[Imdmn04]

<< How come only I and one other person mentioned about SOFTWARE?

This is a hardware forum, but when we're talking about price, its very critical that you include the cost of frequently used application program and the operating system.

Putting the computer together yourself maybe $50(give or take) different WITHOUT an OS or softwares compared to pre-built system you'll find at CompUSA and such with WinXP Home edition and some softwares installed.

Functional computer is formed when you have the hardwares and softwares. >>




maybe because there are only handful amount of good moraled (and rich enough) people left in this world to acutally pay for all of their software

 

[killmeplease]

<< Why buy everything from newegg? In fact, why buy anything from newegg? Go to pricewatch and buy from the cheapest source (keeping shipping in mind too). He may end up saving another $50 to $100 dollars by shopping around. >>



Even if you have a problem with Newegg,...............the rest is just stoopid for too many reasons to list. I'm sure that some will try to list them TO you given the provocative nature of the statement. 🙂

 

[VTrider]

<snip>



<< I feel sorry for all the people who post, my cpu caught fire, my system shuts down after running for 10 minutes, AMD sucks because (basically I do not know what I am doing).... >>



Lol! That's funny, but seriously like everyone else basically said, there are advantages and disadvantages to buying and building. I don't want to be redundant here, your probably will be hearing the same thing over and over but I feel the biggest advantage to building is: #1 It's fun, it's rewarding, you can upgrade, choose your own parts (okay my 4 biggest advantages!). I think the biggest disadvantage is that you must realize that if you build for others, YOU are the tech support guy

Also keep in mind (like others have pointed out) the cost of the software (if you want it all legal and all). $$ wise, I think most will agree here that you basically don't save more money or spend more money either way, building or buying with some wise choices pretty much works out about the same, if anything - it's not a significant factor that you should base your decision on. I still think you should build this system yourself.

-VTrider

 

[Howard]

I can't believe I'm the first person to say this...

Why Intel?

 

[Howard]

From Newegg.com

AMD Athlon XP 1800+ retail - $160
ECS K7S5A - $58
Western Digital 1000BB 100GB 7200RPM - $190
Lite-On 24x10x40 CD-RW - $82
Lite-On 16X DVD-ROM - $53
MSI MS-8851 Geforce3 Ti200 - $152
Enlight 7237 /w 300W AMD Appr. PSU - $47

From Crucial.com with Anandtech 15% discount on front page of GH Forum

(2) Crucial PC2100 256MB DDR SDRAM - $121

Total - $863 + shipping

Um... When it comes to software, er... When in Rome, do as the Romans do. 🙂

BTW this system will beat the BB system in terms of price and performance. Floppy, keyboard, mouse can come from older system.

 

[Maggotry]

<<

<< Why buy everything from newegg? In fact, why buy anything from newegg? Go to pricewatch and buy from the cheapest source (keeping shipping in mind too). He may end up saving another $50 to $100 dollars by shopping around. >>



Even if you have a problem with Newegg,...............the rest is just stoopid for too many reasons to list. I'm sure that some will try to list them TO you given the provocative nature of the statement. 🙂 >>


You may have misunderstood. I wasn't trying to be provocative or flame anyone. I have nohing against newegg. I've used them several times and have always been happy with them. I was very very very simply trying to say "shop around". No different than if you were buying a new car, TV, dishwasher, etc.

 

[guzik]

Buying is better when:
- it's the first computer person owns (I bought a system in 1992 and since then through countless upgrades it multiplied into 6 under three roofs).
- it's dramatic upgrade ( I plan to upgrade my server - currently P3/1GHz on i820 to new Jackson enabled Xeon <preferably dual>, which would involve new mobo, CPU, RAM <more and faster>, PS. If I just upgrade I would have to discard old and still not so bad hardware, so adding another system to home network can be considered <just where could I need it: bathroom? garage?>);
- one doesn't have to be on the very edge of technology, if you're patient and look hard you can get awesome systems from Dell with 20% off coupon codes and/or free shipping etc. or some other places on Internet;
- software IS important thing, I own several different Windows versions, those I upgrade when necessary. I check many illegal copies of games or applications and those few I like - I buy, of course after scrupulous price researching. The only OS I use without proper compensation to MS is 2k Advanced Srvr ($1500 is far beyond my reach, and I just love that OS).
Building is better when:
- one's overclocker, thus needs handpicked components
- one has drawers and closets filled with spare components (case for most of us)
- one has to much free time (case for some of us, not me)
Pride of building by yourself is outdated, was important in times of Dark Ages (80s, maybe still first few years of 90s). Soon you're bragging will get you so much attention, as pride of building your own toaster or microwave oven. Personal relationship, feeling of closeness with your computer???! Give me a break, or get yourself some sexy vacuum cleaner.

 

[BillClo]

One thing to be careful of with a prebuilt system, ESPECIALLY Best Buys: Make SURE they give you all the CDs with the drivers, etc on it. A friend of mine bought a system there before I knew him, and they didn't give him the CD for Windows, nor videocard drivers. Man, talk about a pain in the ass trying to update anything w/o the disk. They actually wanted him to take the system back into their store, and wait several days while they "updated" it for him...screw that.

I tell people that if they want a plain vanilla system for the 'Net, get a prebuilt, if they want a high performance machine, have someone build a custom system for you. It's the potential difference between a Ford Escort and a Mustang. 🙂 IF done correctly.

 

[Howard]

$863 + shipping sure beats $1099 + tax.

 

[FlippyBoy]

to answer the original question, if you're feelin' lucky, then go for a build. seriously, we need more people that are knowledgable and empowered to maintain their own computer. its not really that hard, and he will be the better person for it (or at least less dependent on you).

now for a little off-topic question: as it has only been mentioned twice before in this thread (much to my surprise), why intel? do a little research, and i think you'll find that amd has comparable offerings for less money.

 

[J Heartless Slick]

If your cousin should buy if:
He is a newbie to computers.
He is works on his computer with the power cord plugged in and the powersupply switch on the on position.
He pours water on his cpu\motherboard.

 

[Bovinicus]

I have never seen a pre-built system reach the stability and performance levels of a system I have built myself. Some companies like Alienware or Corsair offer excellent pre-built systems. However, they definitely charge a lot more than it would cost to build the thing yourself.

 

[freebee]

In the future I am never building a system again. (Is probably a special case for me) because I get 30-35% off all prebuilt systems. So basically a Dell thats 1000 dollars, i'll only pay about 650 for...(a purchasing agent is buying for me and he gets tax writeoffs). I bought my last Dell couple of weeks ago with such a discount. Only bad thing is this guy can't be ordering a lot of systems so I can never make money off reselling these discounted systems.

My current t-bird system, while faster than most pre-builts, is just too noisy and worrisome for my taste. New Audigy is having trouble, the Via southbridge doesn't like me, flaky modem drivers causing BSOD, etc.) The problem with building your own systems is sometimes things that are supposed to go together often have undocumented incompatabilities that may only show up on your system.