Dell vs. building your own.

[gpw11]

I was always under the impression that it was better cost AND performance wise to build your own PC over a factory built system like the one's offered by Dell and the like. Then while I was cruising IGN I ran across this:

http://boards.ign.com/message.asp?topic=22657597&start=22661459

What's your take on this? Has Dell made some kind of recovery? Have I been wrong all these years? Does this guy just work for Dell or something? Opininions welcome here. Thanks.

 

[busmaster11]

Cybercrud can't relate to the "punk-ass highschool kid" but he can only relate to the only thing he has experience in - support the needs of IT.

I think that I, OTOH, can relate to both, having built tons of machines over the years and working in IT (and having that meaningless A+ cert, which he brags about)...

IT doesn't have the time or manpower to build their own machines all the time. So if you buy pre-built, Dell's not a bad choice. What he doesn't consider is that the needs of a consumer is different from the needs of IT. There is a lot of hearsay and misconceptions in IT. For example, AMD had been very obscure in business computing for the longest time because people were concerned with reliability and compatibility, two very crucial elements in mission critical apps, and rightly so. But AMD has turned the corner on that for a few years now, and it has yet to permeat most shops, and for the same reasons... IT can afford to spend a couple hundred more for "presumed" reliability because peace of mind is often worth more than the hardware.

But we on this forum all know better. I challenge anyone here to come up with an application that won't run under an AMD platform that will under Intel - under windows.

Furthermore, IT staffs don't care if the user gets a G450 instead of a Geforce4 4600 because the user won't be playing games. Most users won't care because they don't know any better. We OTOH like to know we can have an ASUS board instead of an ECS or a Biostar...

People on this forum care about 100% customizibility, and about cost. Some of us can skimp on the software costs. Not so in IT.

If you know how to build your own machine, you ought to do it.

 

[spanky]

i prefer to build my own. key word is prefer. i like to know exactly what i am getting & put into my rig. dun get me wrong tho... dells are good machines. but custom build r my preference. one major advantage of the dells tho, is the next day onsite warranty. awesome service. one guy mentioned on that forum that in his 6 years as a tech, he never had to work on a dell. i been working as a tech for 2 years... work on dells day and nite. so it's not all peachy in the land of dells.

 

[Paulson]

I just built mine and I prefer built over prebuilt... See, with building your own PC, you get to pick every single thing you want in your PC, not just a few options of what Dell has picked.

Part of the fun of building your own too is if you do have problems, you can learn how to fix them, and become more knowledgeable with computers...

I say build your own if price isn't an option... get used to building your own, because it's fun and you can say, I built it, not dell or some other PC maker...

 

[owensdj]

Based on what I've seen/heard/read, Dell does build a relatively good computer. On the other hand, all computer manufacturers have an incentive to try to pass off lower quality components if they can get away with it.

If you shop around, you can build a computer that's from somewhat(low-end systems) to significantly less(high-end systems) expensive than a similarly speced Dell with at least if not better quality components. Just don't skimp on the motherboard quality. Get a top manufacturer like Asus. Too many people make the mistake of buying some off-brand, cheap motherboard, and then they come here whining about system instability.

 

[ElFenix]

if you include software often the dell is cheaper. an xp home license is $200.

 

[gunf1ghter]

This seems to come up as a new thread every few weeks. Do a search and you can probably find half a dozen threads on this.

Bottom line. Dell can be cheaper for you, if you are not so choosy about some of the components used.

 

[ElFenix]

and don't buy your ram from them. they get it from crucial. buy from crucial.

 

[SteelCityFan]

If that is not a argument against the PR rating system I don't know what is....

-------------------------
"CHOOSE YOUR X-SERIES CPU (SYSTEM SPEED)

Intel Pentium IV 2.4GHz $2,514.00
Intel Pentium IV 2.0GHz $2,044.00
Intel Pentium IV 1.8GHz $1,899.00

AMD Athlon 2.0GHz $1,949.00
AMD Athlon 1.8GHz $1,828.00
AMD Duron 1.2GHz $1,749.00"
-------------------------------------------

 

[Digobick]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
if you include software often the dell is cheaper. an xp home license is $200.

Just have to know where to shop, my friend: Windows XP Home (Full Version)

 

[Barrei]

Building your own is a much better way to go ,you can pick every single pc. you want , and if you get Dell forget o/c .

 

[GremlinHater]

I think building your own has more advantages over prebuilt any day, consider this...

- OEM's tend to put cheaper products in your computer (cheaper ram, budget video cards, etc..)
- Harder to upgrade, especially if it's a propietary case...
- The extra software can sometimes be a DISADVANTAGE, especially if you don't want it at all, period, also takes up space
- If you really wanted bundled software, you can get packages for like $15, and as someone else said, you can grab full version OEM OS
- Support is only there for so long, and only if you pay an arm and a leg, knowing your own components helps you and your problem solving
- I've heard phone tech support is abysmal
- If were talking price for price, I think you can still beat out OEM's
- No matter what they offer, sometimes they still don't have what you want in there "Configure System"
- If you wanted to install your own OS, and had a problem, OEM tech support usually won't support you unless it has original pc configuration
- Dell only does Intel, so if your an AMD fan...
- I agree with busmaster11 and barrei


Anything else I forgot? Basically, you name an advantage and we can either disapprove it prove a better. The only advantage I can see is when your administering a large amount of people, but even then you can go to mwave.com or anyplace like that and they will build YOUR computer with the RETAIL components YOU select. But that probably doesn't have any bearing since your topic is "Dell vs. building YOUR own.

 

[Kingofcomputer]

build your own but buy from dell.
for hard drive, dvd-rom, cd-rw, monitor, network card, dsl/cable sharing router, etc, dell has much better price than everybody else when there is % off promotion + coupon + free shipping.

 

[Siddhartha]

A couple of years ago I costed out pretty much the same system, from a local shop, self built, and Dell and the differences compared to self built were:

1. Dell prebuilt costed around $200 to $250 more. Note Dell did not offer the flexibility to allow me to get the exact system I wanted.

2. local shop was $75 to $125 more. I had a good working relationship with these guys and I probably got a good price.

Also you get a warranty when you buy from Dell or a local shop which could be worth a lot if something goes wrong.

Recently I costed a premium self built system vs a Dell system, with slower memory, smaller hd, cheaper video card, etc. The self built cost less than $1500 and the Dell system was $1800 to $2000.

I hesitate recommending the self built route to most people. Most people I have talked to about computers are not hobbyists. They just want an appliance that works.

 

[owensdj]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
if you include software often the dell is cheaper. an xp home license is $200.

No it's not. I know you can buy Windows XP Home OEM for $79 at Comp-U-Plus. There might be better deals than this at other on-line retailers.

Windows XP Home is about $200 if you buy the retail version, but since we're talking about getting the operating system software with a new computer, you should get the OEM version. That's what you get with a new Dell.

 

[Special K]

When I was looking to get a computer to take with me to college last summer, I took a somewhat middle of the road route and had monarch computer custom build a computer for me. They have a custom PC configuator that allows you to design your own pc from any of the individual components that they carry. You have to add $40 for the assembly and another $40 for a 3 year warranty, and you also have to buy an OS, but in the end it came out cheaper than a similar dell by about $250 or so (Although if I configured an Intel based PC, the dell always came out slightly cheaper than the Monarch). I really didn't think I could build my own at the time, and I wanted to have one place to call to replace parts if something went wrong. I knew that I would never need phone tech support though, which was another reason I didn't go with Dell. The computer has been running fine ever since, but it is very noisy because of the fans and PS they used (which you can't choose). I'm strongly considering building my own PC for my next rig though. One thing I worry about is that it would take me forever to get a replacement part if something breaks. Dell I understand does next day air (and at no "additional" cost to the customer - im sure the higher cost of the 3 yr warranty covers that up front) for replacement parts, which IMO is a very good feature. I just wouldn't like having to wait 2+ weeks for a replacement to arrive. Also I can get most MS software for $25 through my university's IT dept., which would help bring the cost down of a PC that I would build myself.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: owensdj

Originally posted by: ElFenix
if you include software often the dell is cheaper. an xp home license is $200.

No it's not. I know you can buy Windows XP Home OEM for $79 at Comp-U-Plus. There might be better deals than this at other on-line retailers.

Windows XP Home is about $200 if you buy the retail version, but since we're talking about getting the operating system software with a new computer, you should get the OEM version. That's what you get with a new Dell.

yes i was quoting the retail, because thats the only way you're going to get any support on the OS. you're not going to get support on the OS if you get an OEM from newegg or compuplus. dell sells an OEM version, but it includes a year of support at least.

so really maybe the question is: how much are you willing to pay for support if something goes wrong?

 

[SniperWulf]

Cybercrud's arrogance should be enough to tell you that he doesn't know as much as he claims. I also went to Dell's site and no where to be found was a 2Ghz P4 box with a GeForce 4.

At any rate, I think you should build your own. I have been building my own boxes since '93 and I really wouldn't have it any other way. You know exactly what you are getting and you know it's quality stuff. I used to work for gateway, and it used to piss me off with some of the crap they pass off on people.... and still do. My favorite was when they would say like "64MB nVidia GeForce Graphics Accelerator". Well at the time you would have thought that was a 64MB GF2 GTS or Pro for what they charged for it, well you were actually getting a GF2 MX.... And thats just 1 thing i can think of

 

[bluemax]

Cybercrud's arrogance should be enough to tell you that he doesn't know as much as he claims. I also went to Dell's site and no where to be found was a 2Ghz P4 box with a GeForce 4.

Um... you choose a system and "GO CONFIGURE"... Then you put a GF4 Ti4600 in there. That hard?

 

[Rainsford]

If you want to put the time in, build your own. You'll know exactly what's in it, and troubleshooting will be far easier. But if you don't want to put in the time, get a custom build Dell from their online ordering form. I helped my family pick out a computer using that form, and it hasn't had any problems at all. I still want all the power in my hands, which is why I build my own. But different strokes for different folks.

Oh, and that Cybercrud guy is just an idiot. A+ is useless, and CCNA teaches you nothing about computers (except the network part of course). I should know, I've taken classes for both. And in my experience, a lot of those "punk-ass highschool kids" know a hell of a lot more than blowhards like this guy.

But the last company I worked for used just Dell machines, and they were great computers.

 

[SniperWulf]

Bluemax, he said it cost him $700...

 

[Yobbo]

The only computers I did not build myself are the first few I got (long, long, long ago). I can tell you that you are getting good quality parts when you build your own. I always go on Dell's site before I decide to build a new computer and I end up doing my own box because:

No matter what people say, Dell does not use the same quality stuff that you would get. They use onboard sound and video, cheaper ram, smaller HDs, and other crappier products than you would use and it ends up costing more than what I would pay.

The only way I would get a Dell is if I were working for a company that had tons of cash and no time to waste...

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: Yobbo
The only computers I did not build myself are the first few I got (long, long, long ago). I can tell you that you are getting good quality parts when you build your own. I always go on Dell's site before I decide to build a new computer and I end up doing my own box because:

No matter what people say, Dell does not use the same quality stuff that you would get. They use onboard sound and video, cheaper ram, smaller HDs, and other crappier products than you would use and it ends up costing more than what I would pay.

The only way I would get a Dell is if I were working for a company that had tons of cash and no time to waste...

if you select onboard sound and video its going to be crappy regardless of if you're buying from dell or if you're DIYing. and if you select a 40 gig hard drive they actually sneak a 30 gig in there and hope you don't notice the difference.

and dell parts sure are crappy, the maxtor and wd hard drives, crucial ram, 3com nics, and intel motherboards are all low quality, and you'd never find any of us DIYers putting crap like that in our computers.

 

[Bleep]

Build your own~!!!! I never could understand the argument that a person makes to themself that "I dont have the time".
Even being extremely carefull installing the MB and the other components the build time should only be about 4 hours at the max including installing the OS. There are to many people building that take no time to even think about what they are doing and screw something up, this is what takes the time.
Bleep

 

[dullard]

I did a quick comparison:

Dell Dimension 4500 with the following components (everything a typical person needs except a monitor):
2.0A P4
256 MB PC2100 DDR
GeForce 4 Ti 4600
40 GB HD
DVD drive
SB live
Keyboard/mouse/speakers
Modem and NIC
Win XP home
Price with shipping included: $1194 (Note this price was for self-purchased and self-installed DDR memory since it is silly for an Anandtech reader to pay Dell, Gateway, etc double or triple the going rate when these items just slip right in).

Now for the parts for a self built computer (prices are approximate for low to mid quality parts shipped):
2.0A P4: $200
Motherboard: $75
256 MB PC2100 DDR: $35
GeForce 4 Ti 4600: $305
40 GB HD: $70
DVD: $40
Case + Power Supply: $100
Keyboard + Mouse + Speakers + Cables (like IDE cable for the drives): $75
Win XP home: $80
Sound Card: $30
Modem or NIC: $15
Floppy: $10
Total: $1035 shipped

Basically you save $160 by self building. There are differences though:
A) Dell has one single warranty, self building will have many warranties of varying lengths
B) Dell includes Microsoft Works and Anti-virus software - which you may or may not want
C) Dell works out of the box, self-building might take weeks (although it can be quite fun)
D) Dell had unknown brands, self-building has whichever brand you want. However my prices were generally on the low end - for example 256 MB of PC2100 from crucial.com would cost $69 instead of $35.
E) Dell motherboards are basically unable to overclock - self building is a whole different story.
F) etc.

The main point is (D). It is possible to save money but if you use quality parts the money difference is gone. And although it is possible to get parts for the price I listed, they are generally from unknown companies (for example the 2.0A P4 is $207 + shipping from a well known company Newegg.com). As soon as you put in quality parts and buy from trusted companies, the $160 price advantage quickly erodes. Generally I find with computers like this you end up spending the same amount but you have higher quality parts than what Dell would give you.