Need help with decision for new pc

[blackrain]

My parents want to buy a new PC. They will use it mostly for Internet and Office tasks. Budget: $300-$500

Here is my dilemma. I want to get them a PC that can be fixed, upgraded, etc. However, I don't necessarily have the time to build them a PC. It probably would not even make sense given what they will use the PC for.

Dell has great deals on Office PCs. Do they still use proprietary hardware? I don't want to spend an arm and a leg to replace proprietary parts, especially obsolete parts. If the PSU dies on the Dell, I want to be able to go on Newegg and get a standard ATX PSU replacement like a Fortron or Antec. Or if the mobo dies, can I reuse the case and install another standard ATX mobo while still recycling the rest of the system? If this is not workable, I don't trust Dell enough (or anyone else for that matter) to buy. I don't want to gamble on whether it dies the day after the warranty runs out.

As an alternative, are there some inexpensive and highly configurable barebones PCs sold by reputable companies? At least the PC comes partially built and I can swap out components freely if they die.

I don't want to totally rule out building from scratch either. I would just prefer not to. But maybe there is a good reason to go this route.

Thanks in advance for your comments.

 

[ZzZGuy]

If you don't have the time to build the PC then you probably don't have time to be tech support for your parents.

I would suggest you get a dell for them, they aren't the fastest PC's but from experience with a Dell desktop and laptop over the years they are very stable. You parents can also call dell for tech support if you are not around. They also get a complete setup that will work as soon as it's all plugged in. IMHO these things are more important then a upgradeable PC that is faster.

So unless your parents are computer savvy enough to thinker with their computer just get a dell, they won't know the difference.

 

[Blain]

Dell all the way!

About the only proprietary parts in Dells these days is the MB.
Configure them a Dell Vostro 220 Mini-Tower with an E2200 and 2GBs of DDR2
Install OpenOffice 3.0 for free and they're good to go.

 

[MarcVenice]

Motherboards are not likely to break down. It's not a big gamble at all, and for a small budget, dell's can be pretty good, because they include the OS and sometimes a monitor too ...

 

[blackrain]

Originally posted by: ZzZGuy
If you don't have the time to build the PC then you probably don't have time to be tech support for your parents.

I would suggest you get a dell for them, they aren't the fastest PC's but from experience with a Dell desktop and laptop over the years they are very stable. You parents can also call dell for tech support if you are not around. They also get a complete setup that will work as soon as it's all plugged in. IMHO these things are more important then a upgradeable PC that is faster.

So unless your parents are computer savvy enough to thinker with their computer just get a dell, they won't know the difference.

I am not really looking for anything particularly fast. I agree that Dell is sufficient for their needs. My parents are not savvy at all.

I hear everyone saying that Dell is stable. And that might be generally true, but what happens if my parents have that one PC that dies 1 day after their warranty expires? Or 2 years later. I need this PC to last at least 4 years for them. I don't want to spend more than what the PC is worth to get the PC back up and running. That used to be the case with Dell. It sounds like everyone is saying that is not the case anymore. I assume that equally applies to the Vostro line. Is that correct?

By the way, does anyone know how the extended warranties and service programs work? If the PC doesn't start one day, is Dell going to be very picky about exclusions or are they going to fix it. Looking at the warranty, the only issues that I can see are that external causes such as electrical power and failure to perform preventive maintanence are not covered. Would a good surge protector take care of the electrical power exclusion? Does Dell define what preventive maintenance is required?

Do you have to pay shipping costs to send the PC to Dell or does Dell take care of everything?

What extended warranty plan would you suggest?

I may just get an extended warranty plan and if the PSU or something else dies after the extended warranty, I want to be able to replace broken parts with standard parts, especially if the problem is something simple like PSU or memory problems.

By the way, will the Vostro cases fit any standard ATX mobo?

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: blackrain
Dell has great deals on Office PCs. Do they still use proprietary hardware?

Some of them do, but if you do the research you'll find ones that do not. For instance, the Vostro 200 and 400 towers are pretty standard micro ATX all around, while the "Slim" Vostro 200 has a proprietary case/power.

With extended warranties, understand that they are a HUGE money maker for companies that offer them. What does that tell us?

A year ago I had bought a Dell Vostro 200 just to play with (pin modding the CPU for fun!). To this day I still receive emails (and a few letters) from Dell offering extended warranty

Consider it more of insurance and convenience, as extended warranty does not guarantee a trouble free existence. With the rate that computers advance and drop in price, doesn't make sense especially on such a low end build. I just looked up a $700 build at Dell and to extend warranty to three years (from one) was another $200. Not worth it.

 

[blackrain]

Originally posted by: Zap

Originally posted by: blackrain
Dell has great deals on Office PCs. Do they still use proprietary hardware?

Some of them do, but if you do the research you'll find ones that do not. For instance, the Vostro 200 and 400 towers are pretty standard micro ATX all around, while the "Slim" Vostro 200 has a proprietary case/power.

With extended warranties, understand that they are a HUGE money maker for companies that offer them. What does that tell us?

A year ago I had bought a Dell Vostro 200 just to play with (pin modding the CPU for fun!). To this day I still receive emails (and a few letters) from Dell offering extended warranty

Consider it more of insurance and convenience, as extended warranty does not guarantee a trouble free existence. With the rate that computers advance and drop in price, doesn't make sense especially on such a low end build. I just looked up a $700 build at Dell and to extend warranty to three years (from one) was another $200. Not worth it.

I guess I will avoid the warranties and go for a non-slim line build

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: Blain
Dell all the way!

About the only proprietary parts in Dells these days is the MB.
Configure them a Dell Vostro 220 Mini-Tower with an E2200 and 2GBs of DDR2
Install OpenOffice 3.0 for free and they're good to go.

Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium, Service Pack 1
Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core E2200 (2.20GHz,1MB L2Cache,800FSB)
No Pre-installed Productivity Software
1 Year Basic Limited Warranty and 1 Year NBD On-Site Service
No Monitor
2GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM 800MHz - 2DIMMs
Single Drive: 16X (DVD+/-RW) Burner Drive
250GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache?
Dell Energy Smart Enabled
Integrated Video, Intel® GMA X4500HD
No Media Reader
No Modem Option
Integrated 5.1 Channel Audio
No Pre-installed Anti-Virus/Security Software

$458



My build:
E5200 retail $79
2GB DDR2-800 $8 AR
Gigabyte G31 mobo $50
20X DVD burner $25
400GB SATA HD $50
Antec Basiq 500W PSU $30
Antec 300 case $40

total: $282 without OS.
Vista home premium for $74 here
You would have to install SP1 yourself. (Big deal.)

So, buying a Dell is overrated, IMHO.

 

[MarcVenice]

Look blackrain, you're thinking to much abt if and but's ... Whenever you buy something there's a chance of it breaking down 1 day outside the warranty period. But the same could happen with a build you made yourself. And, well, chances are pretty slim that it happens. It's not the risk you take, it's take risk you parents take, the risk they take all the time when they buy something.

 

[Ksyder]

Not to mention, usually when pc's die, its for lack of maintenance, such as heatsinks clogging up with dust and never being cleaned. In this case, the owner has no idea that this is happening. Rarely do actual CPU's go bad on their own, and mb's these days use good quality capacitors that don't leak. I suppose its possible that you could end up with a bum Nvidia chipset, but I'm sure that would be under warranty.

I mean, if an optical drive or psu (which are both the more likely components to go bad) dies, how hard would it be for you to replace them? They are probably the cheapest things to replace on the average pc.

 

[Blain]

Originally posted by: VirtualLarry
My build:
E5200 retail $79
2GB DDR2-800 $8 AR
Gigabyte G31 mobo $50
20X DVD burner $25
400GB SATA HD $50
Antec Basiq 500W PSU $30
Antec 300 case $40

total: $282 without OS.
Vista home premium for $74 here
You would have to install SP1 yourself. (Big deal.)

So, buying a Dell is overrated, IMHO.

* $8 for 2GB DDR2-800... Where is it being sold for that? Expiration date?
* Do your prices reflect shipping charges also?
* Did you mean to link up to an "Upgrade" version of Vista?