Can You Still Build a PC for Less?

[hurtstotalktoyou]

Dell is almost always more expensive than a build-it-yourself PC. Heck, HP/Compaq is generally cheaper than Dell. That article is flat wrong.

EDIT: If you need a warranty or tech support, then you had better get a Dell or HP/Compaq. Otherwise, it's cheaper to build it yourself.

 

[Budmantom]

Originally posted by: CalamitySymphony
Wait if your time is worth sometime, why post here? All your doing is trying to convince nameless and faceless people across the WWW the merit of searching for a REFURB DELL (Which iS HARD TO DO!! If I could get that PC for 399, who the f*k wouldn't?) and checking their Outlet every 5 seconds.

Dell's are cheap, and they're not that bad. But you must get in on a HOT DEAL (coupons, outlet w/e), and you MUST be prepared to get an INTEL and you must be prepared to NOT GET TOP OF THE LINE (Motherboard, chipset, memory speeds, Intel processors all kill it).

Why we build? So it costs more, but there is greater performance, customization, and w/e. Oh, and we build AMDs, so Dell totally cannot compete there.

I have nothing against Dell. Atleast they're laptops are good, (Pentium M actually a GOOD intel processor).

English please.


Intel is fine with me.

Your talking top of the line and that means top dollar and I can't justify that, top of the line CPU is $2267 - opteron 875 not worth it in my book, my loyalty doesn't belong to Intel or Amd it belongs to my wallet.


Tom

 

[Budmantom]

Originally posted by: Viditor
Bamacre, you should qualify your statements by letting people know that you have bought over 800 of these Dells and are trying to sell them...it might make a difference.

What difference does that make?

You and I could of bought those systems, does he have a inside source at Dell?


Tom

 

[Budmantom]

Originally posted by: hurtstotalktoyou
Dell is almost always more expensive than a build-it-yourself PC. Heck, HP/Compaq is generally cheaper than Dell. That article is flat wrong.

EDIT: If you need a warranty or tech support, then you had better get a Dell or HP/Compaq. Otherwise, it's cheaper to build it yourself.

Well somebody is wrong.....

 

[hurtstotalktoyou]

Originally posted by: Budmantom
Intel is fine with me.

Your talking top of the line and that means top dollar and I can't justify that, top of the line CPU is $2267 - opteron 875 not worth it in my book, my loyalty doesn't belong to Intel or Amd it belongs to my wallet.

You're forgetting that those high-end Intel CPUs can be out-performed by midrange AMD chips.

 

[Budmantom]

Originally posted by: hurtstotalktoyou

Originally posted by: Budmantom
Intel is fine with me.

Your talking top of the line and that means top dollar and I can't justify that, top of the line CPU is $2267 - opteron 875 not worth it in my book, my loyalty doesn't belong to Intel or Amd it belongs to my wallet.

You're forgetting that those high-end Intel CPUs can be out-performed by midrange AMD chips.

How much do you have in your system?

 

[hurtstotalktoyou]

Originally posted by: Budmantom

How much do you have in your system?

How much what? Money? It's tough to say, since one component was a gift, and most of the others were re-used from an old system. To buy what I have now it would probably cost about $400 or so.

EDIT: That reminds me, you can't overclock a Dell or HP/Compaq--just another of many reasons to build your own.

 

[hurtstotalktoyou]

Another point: Big-name PC vendors don't use old parts. You can get the components for an old Duron-powered system for less than $300. So, if you need something super, super-cheap, byo is still the only way to go.

 

[Budmantom]

Originally posted by: hurtstotalktoyou

Originally posted by: Budmantom

How much do you have in your system?

How much what? Money? It's tough to say, since one component was a gift, and most of the others were re-used from an old system. To buy what I have now it would probably cost about $400 or so.

EDIT: That reminds me, you can't overclock a Dell or HP/Compaq--just another of many reasons to build your own.

I think I would rather have this, but that's just me.

 

[Budmantom]

Originally posted by: hurtstotalktoyou
Another point: Big-name PC vendors don't use old parts. You can get the components for an old Duron-powered system for less than $300. So, if you need something super, super-cheap, byo is still the only way to go.

Or this....

 

[hurtstotalktoyou]

Originally posted by: Budmantom

I think I would rather have this, but that's just me.

It's just you. That 3 GHz Pentium is crap next to my Sempron @ 2.4 GHz. It only has an 80GB hard disk. No DVD burner! I *need* a DVD burner. Also, the thing is USED. I can get a USED system on Ebay for less than that.

Finally, where can you buy it? That's a spec sheet, and that price doesn't include tax or shipping.

 

[Budmantom]

Originally posted by: hurtstotalktoyou

Originally posted by: Budmantom

I think I would rather have this, but that's just me.

It's just you. That 3 GHz Pentium is crap next to my Sempron @ 2.4 GHz. It only has an 80GB hard disk. No DVD burner! I *need* a DVD burner. Also, the thing is USED. I can get a USED system on Ebay for less than that.

Finally, where can you buy it? That's a spec sheet, and that price doesn't include tax or shipping.

Most Dell refurbs are new and all still have a warranty, dvd burners are around $30 or top of the line for $38. You can buy that system from Dell all the time.

If it was just me wouldn't AMD be the largest cpu manufacturer and Dell be out of business?

Ebay..... um ok.


Tom

 

[hurtstotalktoyou]

Originally posted by: Budmantom

Most Dell refurbs are new

I'm sorry, but I just don't believe that. If you want to argue that used systems are just as good as new ones, then you'd have a point--but, again, I could buy a used system off Ebay for even less than that.

and all still have a warranty,

I don't need a warranty.

dvd burners are around $30 or top of the line for $38.

I could buy a DVD burner and install it myself, sure. It's always cheaper to do that, which is what I've been saying all along.

You can buy that system from Dell all the time.

Where?

If it was just me wouldn't AMD be the largest cpu manufacturer and Dell be out of business?

No. People like you buy Dells, and it keeps them ahead.

 

[bamacre]

Originally posted by: hurtstotalktoyou

Originally posted by: Budmantom

Most Dell refurbs are new

I'm sorry, but I just don't believe that.

It's true. I posted why this is true in this thread.

 

[hurtstotalktoyou]

Originally posted by: bamacre

It's true. I posted why this is true in this thread.

At times, Dell needs to move inventory, quickly, so they sell new systems as refurb's dirt cheap. Why? Well, they don't want to de-value "new" systems they sell to the public.

I have bought over 400 dell refurbs. I'd say 90% are physically brand new. And since the warranty is the same, and transferrable, IMO, they are the best way of finding cheap computers.

Sorry, but I still don't believe that. You're just saying something outrageous, and somehow you expect me to accept it as God's truth.

But let's say you're right. Let's say that is a new system, not used. It's still quite inferior to what you can build yourself with the same money.

 

[hurtstotalktoyou]

Another thing...

This whole argument is impractical. It's based on the premise that you can't re-use old components, when the real world proves otherwise. For example, I haven't bought a new computer in many years. I started out with a custom Athlon 950 system, and through upgrade after upgrade it has turned into a Sempron 64 @ 2.4 GHz. Heck, I still have my old Maxtor hard disk from five years ago (it's the 60 GB PATA in my sig). I could not have done that with a brand-name pre-built system.

 

[Budmantom]

Originally posted by: hurtstotalktoyou
Another thing...

This whole argument is impractical. It's based on the premise that you can't re-use old components, when the real world proves otherwise. For example, I haven't bought a new computer in many years. I started out with a custom Athlon 950 system, and through upgrade after upgrade it has turned into a Sempron 64 @ 2.4 GHz. Heck, I still have my old Maxtor hard disk from five years ago (it's the 60 GB PATA in my sig). I could not have done that with a brand-name pre-built system.

You are correct, many times I have bought Dell systems used them for a year or more and sold them for more than my original purchase price.

My wife's last laptop was purchased for $500+/- she used it for over 18months, I sold her laptop for $650 and bought her a newer faster Dell laptop for $600.


Tom

 

[bamacre]

Originally posted by: hurtstotalktoyou

Originally posted by: bamacre

It's true. I posted why this is true in this thread.

At times, Dell needs to move inventory, quickly, so they sell new systems as refurb's dirt cheap. Why? Well, they don't want to de-value "new" systems they sell to the public.

I have bought over 400 dell refurbs. I'd say 90% are physically brand new. And since the warranty is the same, and transferrable, IMO, they are the best way of finding cheap computers.

Sorry, but I still don't believe that. You're just saying something outrageous, and somehow you expect me to accept it as God's truth.

I make a living based upon that statement being true. It is, and I have seen it with my own eyes, countless, times. Well, countless isn't true. I'd say over 400 times at least.

But let's say you're right. Let's say that is a new system, not used. It's still quite inferior to what you can build yourself with the same money.

Not true, in regards to what I am able to get from dell. There's a link to a screencap of an XPS 400 I bought, and it wasn't the only one I got for that price. There is NO WAY in HELL anyone, but Dell, could build that system for less that what I bought it for.

 

[Budmantom]

The joy of building your own computer and upgrading

 

[Matthias99]

Originally posted by: Budmantom

Originally posted by: hurtstotalktoyou
Another point: Big-name PC vendors don't use old parts. You can get the components for an old Duron-powered system for less than $300. So, if you need something super, super-cheap, byo is still the only way to go.

Or this....

The problem is, that system is overkill for just email and web-surfing, but doesn't have enough RAM or a fast enough video card to be a real gaming system unless significantly upgraded. And at that point you're then buying essentially a Dell CPU/MB/PSU/case for $300, which, while not a bad deal, isn't exactly earth-shattering. Also, as several people have pointed out, you don't get much of a warranty with the "refurb" systems (even if they are often good-as-new in terms of components), and you don't get a choice of parts with any Dell system.

Dell makes some nice systems, and sometimes they can be a *great* value at the low end. But if you really want a rock-bottom dirt-cheap system, you can usually do better buying used parts (used AthlonXP/Duron CPUs and motherboards are very cheap these days), and if you want a high-performance system, you'll do far better to build it yourself as well.

 

[Lonyo]

Originally posted by: Budmantom
The joy of building your own computer and upgrading

No, the joys of you being an idiot.

Originally posted by: Remy XO
for someone

Originally posted by: Budmantom
The joy of building your own computer

You fail at comprehension.
Goodbye.


Also, anyone touting Dell warranties is an idiot.
If you use a standard Dell 1yr warranty, you can build your own machine for about the same price, if you use a 90 day warranty to take the price down, you get the Dell cheaper, yes, but you don't get a warranty, since building your own gives 1~3 years on most parts, if not more, so it's better to build your own, unless you're happy with a 90 day warranty and limited upgradability/performance, or unless you're getting the PC for someone else (where Dell gets the lovely job of handling support and problems).

 

[bamacre]

Originally posted by: Matthias99

Originally posted by: Budmantom

Originally posted by: hurtstotalktoyou
Another point: Big-name PC vendors don't use old parts. You can get the components for an old Duron-powered system for less than $300. So, if you need something super, super-cheap, byo is still the only way to go.

Or this....

The problem is, that system is overkill for just email and web-surfing, but doesn't have enough RAM or a fast enough video card to be a real gaming system unless significantly upgraded. And at that point you're then buying essentially a Dell CPU/MB/PSU/case for $300, which, while not a bad deal, isn't exactly earth-shattering.

Yeah, it is. A Pentium 630, PCIe mobo, 512MB of ram, nice case, good psu, and an OS, all for $330 shipped is a fantastic deal.

I bought a similar 9100, upgraded it to 2GB of ram, and replaced the x300 with a 7800GTX. I got a great gaming system, with a legal Windows OS I might add, for a little more than $900.

 

[Budmantom]

Originally posted by: Lonyo

Originally posted by: Budmantom
The joy of building your own computer and upgrading

No, the joys of you being an idiot.

Originally posted by: Remy XO
for someone

Originally posted by: Budmantom
The joy of building your own computer

You fail at comprehension.
Goodbye.


Also, anyone touting Dell warranties is an idiot.
If you use a standard Dell 1yr warranty, you can build your own machine for about the same price, if you use a 90 day warranty to take the price down, you get the Dell cheaper, yes, but you don't get a warranty, since building your own gives 1~3 years on most parts, if not more, so it's better to build your own, unless you're happy with a 90 day warranty and limited upgradability/performance, or unless you're getting the PC for someone else (where Dell gets the lovely job of handling support and problems).

Normally people with a low IQ will start name calling and using profanity when they are having a hard time expressing themselves.


Tom

 

[Matthias99]

Originally posted by: bamacre

Originally posted by: Matthias99

Originally posted by: Budmantom

Originally posted by: hurtstotalktoyou
Another point: Big-name PC vendors don't use old parts. You can get the components for an old Duron-powered system for less than $300. So, if you need something super, super-cheap, byo is still the only way to go.

Or this....

The problem is, that system is overkill for just email and web-surfing, but doesn't have enough RAM or a fast enough video card to be a real gaming system unless significantly upgraded. And at that point you're then buying essentially a Dell CPU/MB/PSU/case for $300, which, while not a bad deal, isn't exactly earth-shattering.

Yeah, it is. A Pentium 630, PCIe mobo, 512MB of ram, nice case, good psu, and an OS, all for $330 shipped is a fantastic deal.

This depends a lot on your definitions of "nice" and "good" (I would not consider their cases or PSUs particularly high-quality, although they are certainly usable). Factoring the OS in does sweeten the deal quite a bit in their favor -- that's what volume purchasing gets for you.

I bought a similar 9100, upgraded it to 2GB of ram, and replaced the x300 with a 7800GTX. I got a great gaming system, with a legal Windows OS I might add, for a little more than $900.

But you could build a system with a longer warranty and better-quality parts yourself for not much more.

 

[bamacre]

I don't think this conversation is going any further