College replacing computers - help me find the best ones

[dullard]

My college is getting a new chemical engineering building, and it needs to be filled with computers. There will be 50 departmental computers (and maybe a few extra for professors, but the number of these is unknown.)

Unchangeable requirements set by those ranked above me:
1) Well known company to manufacture it.
2) Must have all software preinstalled (sorry little companies unless you have Aspen and Fluent available you aren't building them). Major companies will do this only on their networked business line (ex: Dell Dimensions not allowed). Don't include this software in the cost.
3) The first two kick out all AMD computers that I know of, but to make it clearer, no AMD chips allowed. Some of our programs that are most CPU intensive benchmark better on the P4 and while games will be snuck onto these, game performance really isn't a consideration.
4) Under $1500 each (not including software installation) before the volume discount.

Minimal stats:
1.6 GHz P4
256 MB RAM (DDR or RDRAM perferred since most programs will be memory intensive)
15" LCD
40 GB HD
16x CDRW
either Win XP Pro or Win 2k.
NIC
3 year warranty

The computer I found that seemed the best was this:
Dell Optiplex GX400
1.7 GHz P4
256 MB RDRAM
matches all requirements above
$1625.
Unfortunately it is above the $1500 limit. Can you help me find better? I'm afraid they will go with SDRAM if I cannot find get under $1500.

One option I've considered was getting 3rd party RDRAM - that would save $75 per computer, but do you think I could convince the higher ups to do this? If so what RDRAM reseller would you most recommend (well known/reliable)?

I'm desperately trying to convice them to wait until after the April and May Intel price cuts. But don't count on it.

 

[Goosemaster]

Not a bad price right here..Uses ECC Sdram which is good stuff. It still is not Rdram but you have a budget cap so this is good enough.

Pentium® 4 Processor 1.6GHz, 256K Cache, Integrated NIC and Sound
256MB Non-ECC SDRAM (2 DIMMS)
Quietkey PS/2 Spacesaver Keyboard with 3 Programmable Hot Keys
Dell 15 inch E151FP flat panel display (15.0 viewable)
16MB ATI Rage Ultra 128
40GB EIDE 7200RPM
3.5 inch 1.44 Slimline FD
Windows® XP Professional Version with CD using NTFS
DELL PS/2 2BTN MOUSE
Int 3Com10/100 with ACPI & RWU
24X CD, Slimline
Integrated Sound Blaster Compatible
Resources CD contains Diagnostics and Driver for Dell OptiPlex Systems
Option not available on this system.
Small Form Factor Chassis Stand
Promo!! 3Yrs 4HrResponse Parts+Onsite Labor (M-F 8am-6pm) + GoldTechSupport
No Installation
APC Surgestation PRO8T2 (8 Outlet)
Special Offer - $100



$1449.....you can definitely weedle it down a bit.....included rebate brought it down from $1549

 

[Ryan]

I'm sorry, but gateway will kick dells a$$ when it comes to a deal: http://www.gateway.com/work/prod/Config.asp?Seg=sb&Short=500seb

Processor: Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 1.6GHz

Memory: 256MB DDR SDRAM

Hard Drive: 40GB UATA100 7200RPM Hard Drive

Floppy Drive: 3.5" 1.44MB diskette drive

CD-ROM: 24x/10x/40x Recordable ReWriteable CDRW

Certification: Energy Star Compliant (except if Microsoft® Windows® 98 Second Edition is your Operating System)

Operating System: Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional

Application Software: Microsoft® Works Suite 2002 - Including Microsoft® Word and Encarta (Not available with Windows® 2000)

Monitor: 15" LCD Flat Panel Display (15" viewable)

Video: 32MB NVIDIA? GeForce2 MX200 AGP Graphics

Keyboard: Multi-function Keyboard

Mouse: Logitech USB Optical Wheel Mouse and Gateway mouse pad

Sound System: Integrated Stereo Audio

Speakers: 2-Piece Speakers

Case: Gateway Micro-Tower Case

Expansion Slots: 3 PCI and 1 AGP

Controller: Integrated Ultra ATA Controller

Modem: 56K PCI Voice Modem

Network Adapter: Integrated 10/100 Ethernet

Internet Service Provider: One year America Online® Internet Access (New members only) (Not Available with Windows® 2000)

Limited Warranty Program: 1 Year Limited Parts / Labor / Onsite / 1 Year Limited Support

AntiVirus Software: Norton AntiVirus 90 day Introductory Offer

Personalized Help Desk - Multi-vendor Support: For details on Multi-vendor Support please contact your Gateway Sales Representative

Personalized Help Desk - Peripheral Support: For details on Peripheral Support please contact your Gateway Sales Representative

*********************Price: $1,228.00 shipping & handling extra**************************

To bump the warranty up to 3 years, you'll have to add add $119 🙂

 

[Goosemaster]

Not bad...I just looked up Dell because he had....Gateway definitely has the better deal....I guess it is up to him to find out the qaulity...


I don't have an answer except an educated guess that all oem pcs are fine...not great..but just fine....😀

 

[Ryan]

many people say that they have problems with gateway, but I have owned 6+ machines, and have yet to have a problem with them. Customer service is excellent, and I have been very satisfied 🙂

 

[dullard]

Rbloedow, does Gateway do installation services on all computers? I was told when I started this that I must look at the E series at Gateway for this service. There unfortunately isn't a DDR option in the Gateway E series.

Note: Dell also doesn't have installation service available on any of its DDR computers either.

The 15" LCD price from Gateway is nice, only $260 compared to Dell's $430, which pushes the 500SE price slightly blow the Dell Dimension 4400 price.

 

[slunk]

I've always had better luck with Gateway machines over Dell.

 

[Ryan]

<< Rbloedow, does Gateway do installation services on all computers? I was told when I started this that I must look at the E series at Gateway for this service. There unfortunately isn't a DDR option in the Gateway E series. Note: Dell also doesn't have installation service available on any of its DDR computers either. The 15" LCD price from Gateway is nice, only $260 compared to Dell's $430, which pushes the 500SE price slightly blow the Dell Dimension 4400 price. >>



If you look at the bottom of the first page to customize the computer, I think that there is an option for them to install it for you - but it costs $$$. Why can't you install them yourselves?

 

[dullard]

<< Why can't you install them yourselves? >>


The main reason is time. Hand installing 10 programs on 40 computers and setting up an enitre network of people and computers is not a quick thing to do. We have 4 weeks to move contents 3 story building (plus two basements) - filled with equipment that often weighs many tons (and books, and computers, and furnature, etc). The small fee to have them install it will save us lots of hassle.

 

[zed88]

Actually over the summer we have replaced about 300 computers at our schools. I got a job through that it was good. Anyways we had very good luck with dell.

They shipped all 300 to the locations we specified. No damage or whatnot to them. All the software was preinstalled. The computers were practically ready to go.


For special applications we ghosted 50 computers on the network. All we had to was pop in our norton ghost disk and it automatically set up a computer. It changed the mac address and the ip. Then it renamed the computers, and they were ready to go. All we had to do was turn it in and logon. We are running nt servers, and windows 98se.

The particular model is a tad bit slower for you guys, but goto dells site and then get thier private phone number for volume transactions.

Last off all the most important thing was the tech support for the computers was great. We had promblems and called a private tech number and fixed everything. We had a slight compatitibility with a few nic cards and older networking hubs, so we called them and found out that it was because of a older firmware date on the netgear cards. Instead of us having to spend time flashing 30 cards they send us new computers. Nice of them.

Anyways thats just my personal expierence with them.

Eric

=My own systems of course are built by me *winks* -