Is buying a pre-made computer all that bad?

[kyzen]

I was just informed that buying a computer with Windows XP now gets the buyer a free upgrade to Vista in the spring, so I guess it's an even better time to be buying prebuilt.

Now to find a dirt-cheap machine with a Core 2 Duo processor and a PCI-E slot...

 

[codeyf]

Watch the Dell Outlet for an XPS 410.

 

[MemoryInAGarden]

Originally posted by: kyzen
I was just informed that buying a computer with Windows XP now gets the buyer a free upgrade to Vista in the spring, so I guess it's an even better time to be buying prebuilt.

Now to find a dirt-cheap machine with a Core 2 Duo processor and a PCI-E slot...

I would want to see some written statements from a system manufacturer regarding this before I believed it. I'd assume this policy would vary by brand and that there would be all sorts of loopholes which would prevent you from getting Vista.

 

[vi edit]

The XPS 410 my friends bought was PCI-E and had the Core 2 duo.

 

[us3rnotfound]

Originally posted by: vi_edit

Originally posted by: Tom
My experience is you don't really need to reformat, just uninstall the bloatware.

One of the cost advantages of a prebuilt is the included operating system, and reinstalling from scratch with some other operating system means you lose that.

It usually takes longer to uninstall the 9 billion apps than it does to pop in the recovery CD, grab a beer, and come back in 20 minutes. Plus you don't have to worry about having apps not fully uninstall and leave bad registry keys and rogue folders all over the place.

No usually the "recovery cd" that they give you just installs all the programs over again, leaving you at the beginning again.

 

[GTaudiophile]

Has anyone thought of a class-action lawsuit against such companies for installing un-requested bloatware on a machine that you own? You can claim that such software dimishes performance and often contains spyware to fvck up your machine. Of course many companies hope for the latter so that you come back running to BB/Geek Squad for expensive repair.

 

[kyzen]

Originally posted by: MemoryInAGarden

Originally posted by: kyzen
I was just informed that buying a computer with Windows XP now gets the buyer a free upgrade to Vista in the spring, so I guess it's an even better time to be buying prebuilt.

Now to find a dirt-cheap machine with a Core 2 Duo processor and a PCI-E slot...

I would want to see some written statements from a system manufacturer regarding this before I believed it. I'd assume this policy would vary by brand and that there would be all sorts of loopholes which would prevent you from getting Vista.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/expressupgrade.mspx

 

[ryan256]

Originally posted by: kyzen
I was just informed that buying a computer with Windows XP now gets the buyer a free upgrade to Vista in the spring, so I guess it's an even better time to be buying prebuilt.

Now to find a dirt-cheap machine with a Core 2 Duo processor and a PCI-E slot...

Dell E520
Can be configured with a Core2 and comes with PCI-E.

 

[dquan97]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
For entry/mid level machines, I think you are better off just going Dell.

I just helped some friends buy the following box:

XPS 410
Core 2 Duo 1.86
250 gig SATA
1 gig RAM
16x Dual layer burner
DVD-Rom
256 meg 7300 series Geforce
XP Media Center
13-in-one media reader

Price was right around $500.

If I upgrade my box at some point, I'll probably go the same way. I think the line gets blurred a little more on very high end machines where profit margins tend to be a little more padded.

That's a great deal!! link?

 

[ryan256]

Originally posted by: MemoryInAGarden
I would want to see some written statements from a system manufacturer regarding this before I believed it. I'd assume this policy would vary by brand and that there would be all sorts of loopholes which would prevent you from getting Vista.

Well.... Dell's loophole is they make you pay the ~$10 for shipping the disk. Other than that yeah its free.

 

[pkme2]

For the newbies, the prebuilt machines are less intimidating because of low prices and uniqueness.

They look good and are user friendly. New buyers may need the simple basics until they know better.

If they are the young, then the prebuilts lose their usefulness after the first couple of months and the need to upgrade becomes evident.

This being the disposable age and computers getting cheaper, the pre-built computers are great entry level devices and will always be there.

 

[TravisT]

Some companies are better than others. If you go with the budget kind, emachine for example, you will likely never be able to upgrade it without pumping more money into it than its worth. I think Dell is good about letting the buyer add more RAM when needed or doing some other necessary things. The problem is, no store manufactured computer really looks towards upgrades, but I would say some are better than others.

 

[ForumMaster]

just make sure that it's upgradeable. my friends baught a dell a couple of years ago. turned out that it didn't have even an agp slot.

typically, the more low end the computer is, the cheaper it is too buy it. the coolest thing dell has done now, is giving me the option not to install all the bloatware on their computers. (when i order it from their site.)

 

[toekramp]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
For entry/mid level machines, I think you are better off just going Dell.

I just helped some friends buy the following box:

XPS 410
Core 2 Duo 1.86
250 gig SATA
1 gig RAM
16x Dual layer burner
DVD-Rom
256 meg 7300 series Geforce
XP Media Center
13-in-one media reader

Price was right around $500.

If I upgrade my box at some point, I'll probably go the same way. I think the line gets blurred a little more on very high end machines where profit margins tend to be a little more padded.

i can't even come close to building this machine for that price on the dell site, were you using coupons?

 

[IceBergSLiM]

sure but i recommend paying th elittle extra to get the actual full rights version of the OS. So you can install and reinstall etc without issue.

 

[Linflas]

Originally posted by: DaShen
The older you get, and the less you play computer games, the more practical it is to buy a prebuilt machine.

Hmm I am pretty old by the standards of this board and I game all the time.

 

[kyzen]

Originally posted by: toekramp

Originally posted by: vi_edit
For entry/mid level machines, I think you are better off just going Dell.

I just helped some friends buy the following box:

XPS 410
Core 2 Duo 1.86
250 gig SATA
1 gig RAM
16x Dual layer burner
DVD-Rom
256 meg 7300 series Geforce
XP Media Center
13-in-one media reader

Price was right around $500.

If I upgrade my box at some point, I'll probably go the same way. I think the line gets blurred a little more on very high end machines where profit margins tend to be a little more padded.

i can't even come close to building this machine for that price on the dell site, were you using coupons?

I'd like to know as well...

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

Originally posted by: MemoryInAGarden

Originally posted by: kyzen
I was just informed that buying a computer with Windows XP now gets the buyer a free upgrade to Vista in the spring, so I guess it's an even better time to be buying prebuilt.

Now to find a dirt-cheap machine with a Core 2 Duo processor and a PCI-E slot...

I would want to see some written statements from a system manufacturer regarding this before I believed it. I'd assume this policy would vary by brand and that there would be all sorts of loopholes which would prevent you from getting Vista.

um, look at dell.com? Most of the major manufacturers seem to be doing it.

 

[Terabyte]

Put that $500 xps 410 deal in the hot deals section

 

[Oblivionaire]

Sure prebuilt is fine if you don't mind the anemic video card, pre installed spyware and bloatware, and an anemic power supply that won't handle a real video card without setting off the smoke detector.

 

[rocadelpunk]

Originally posted by: dullard
The lifetime of a typical computer geek:

1) Buy premade.

2) Build your own.

3) Realize that building is often costlier and isn't always worth the effort. Sure you'd like to do it for fun, but you just don't always have the time. You don't have the time to put into the build, and you don't have the time to spend hours searching for the next hot deal and weeks waiting for the deal to be active just so that the home-built is on par with the price of the premade. Buy premade.

4a) Be happy with the premade or,
4b) Realize you were stupid and bought a premade that can't do what you want. In this latter case, you should be ashamed.

Hopefully you end up in 4a.

part of the 4a club

 

[Tom]

Originally posted by: Oblivionaire
Sure prebuilt is fine if you don't mind the anemic video card, pre installed spyware and bloatware, and an anemic power supply that won't handle a real video card without setting off the smoke detector.

I added a 7900GT to my Compaq sr1630nx, it makes a very nice game machine, the power supply hasn't caused any problems.

 

[vi edit]

The XPS that I mentioned was a "certified refurb" through the Dell outlet. I've had very good luck ordering through there. With my previous company I did over $50,000 worth of Outlet purchases and was never unhappy with the product I received.

 

[razor2025]

Pre-built is a good way to get cheaper PC than DYI. However, you also must realize that pre-built computers uses components that offers less control. I.E. there's less (if any) overclocking option on BIOS. So, in order to get a faster CPU, you'll need to pay for it rather than overclocking the cheaper ones. Also, some of the pre-built computers have questionable case designs. For example, Compaq/HP/Dell cases I've worked with offer no air flow over Hard Drives. Heat affects Hard Drive's lifespan a great deal, so they run a higher chance of failure, IMO.

 

[lokiju]

Theres no issue IMO.

I have a Dell running 24/7 as my server but have my gaming rig I built myself.

If I wasn't going to do any gaming on a system I'd just buy a prebuilt from a big company.