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DIY BOX > DeLL DEALS? Any takers?

T

theBUK

Member
Howdy all!

I'm interested in finding out how well a DIY box can be built today, compared to current DeLL deals.

via TECHBARGAINS:

Dimension 4550 desktop - P4-2.53Ghz/533Bus 128MB/Free upgrade to 60GB 7200 RPM HD, CD, Ethernet, XP Home, 6 months isp, Word perfect pack $499 - $100 rebate = $399 shipped free.
Click to expand...

Granted, this one's very cheap, so if we need to go up a few marks, to say the 8000 series DeLL desktops, we can do so. All in the sport of competing for quality, specs, future adaptability, you all get it....

So, if we leave the monitor & case aside (or not), can't we build a more progressive standing box for a reasonably comparable price?

By more progressive I mean, an AMD CPU, a 7200RPM/ATA133/80GB+8cache HD, maybe firewire w/ USB 2.0, et cetera....

There just seems to be such resourceful deal-shoppers throughout anandtech, that I think for just a little more $, a more advanced / more future-oriented box can be built.

Am I sputnik on this?!
 
Performance machines usually come out to be the same price. However, you can't normally beat Dell's bargain PCs when there are coupons, rebates and the like. It all depends on the promotion they are running at the time.

A month or so ago I was going to build a system for my cousin. We ended up going with Dell since they were running an awesome deal on a 17" LCD. That was basically the deal breaker since we ended up saving over $200 and getting an excellent LCD. The systems weren't totally equal, but we weighed out the pros and cons, and the monitor changed everything...
 
Right-on, right-on, guys!

So, when weighing those pros & cons, nothing seemed too lacking in the DeLL mobo, RD RAM choice area that would deter things, huh?

I guess it sure wouldn't at our house either.

Yep, - I just wanna build rather than let DeLL do it! Thus, thought I'd make it a little fun by asking what you folks would contribute as far as components....

Its been 2 years since my last DIY build, so I'm also a little outta touch in the "What's new, best, but reliable/trustworthy" area.

Thanks for jumpin' in....

-theBUK
 
Well, if you already have a DIY box, sometimes it's cheaper to upgrade than to buy a new machine, though I have to agree that sometimes the Dell deals are so flaming hot that they're impossible to beat.

The only drawback is the featureless mobos mainly, lotsa people on AT OC their stuff, just to get some more value outta their purchase...
 
I will be upgrading the old one, but we need another anyways.

A very astute point on the OCin' of DeLL desktops, KokomoGST.

Hmmm, - maybe I should look into that more!
 
Buy a Dell, get it home, dissassemble it.....then reassemble it. THen you will have a DIY, but with the price/performance of a Dell. 😀
 
Amish, gets a thumbs-up!

Edro 13, 🙂!

I guess I just don't feel like looking into an DeLL and seein' a mobo I don't want, RD instead of DDR (maybe), right?!

But, if its the most effecient means to get it done, maybe I'll look through the post for OC'in the DeLLs.

Thanks again.
 
Originally posted by: theBUK
Amish, gets a thumbs-up!

Edro 13, 🙂!

I guess I just don't feel like looking into an DeLL and seein' a mobo I don't want, RD instead of DDR (maybe), right?!

But, if its the most effecient means to get it done, maybe I'll look through the post for OC'in the DeLLs.

Thanks again.
Click to expand...

if its a 4550 its got DDR...
 
Originally posted by: Spac3d
I would buy a Dell for that price. Hard to beat that deal for $399
Click to expand...

I'd still rather spend a few hundred more for parts I know I want/like and not have to deal with shitty tech support at dell.
 
Me too, Germy Boy. Without question.

I get the feeling here that looking into putting a system together isn't on people's minds today.

So, my friend here is always pushin ASUS mobos (my 1st was a GA-7DXR+), - would you recommend a specific ASUS? or specific other??

Please, all:

Would any of you be so kind as to recommend your specific choices of hardwares & specs for me, based on keeping an average price tag of say, $400-$500 (not including monitor, keyboard/mouse or Lian Li case)?

Thanks in advance!
 
I've built my own systems, or for family, for at least a dozen years. Last fall my sister needed a new computer, we were putting on an addition and didn't have the time, so I persuaded her to get in on a Dell 4500 (now 4550) deal. I was extremely impressed by that machine-absolutely dead quiet, nicely laid out, legal OS, etc. For sure my next box will be a "Hot Deal" Dell. I'll probably still tweak it some, but I don't think a homebuilt can come anywhere near that quality for those bucks.

 
Thanks much for that, Thump553!

I guess that's truth in recommendations. I guess I will do so.

Choices you'd make to better allow for performance tweaks if I go w/ DeLL 4550?


Thanks,

-theBUK
 
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