Recommendation?

[Questi4110]

You have probably seen this many times in this forum but i thought i should ask anyway.

I'm entering college next year (Fall 2003) and i want to get a new computer over the summer. I can spend up to $1500 but i am not up to date with the current hardware and stuff but i still know quite a bit about computers. Below are my options, what do you guys suggest i do? BTW, i am a gamer (not too heavy, but i still play) and i download a lot of stuff.

Should I:

1. Customize + Buy comp off of brand name computer company such as Dell or Hewlet Packard since they offer rebates and such

2. Build my own computer

3. Customize + Buy comp off of a company that is like ABS

4. Customize + Buy comp off of a website that offers barebone systems


If anybody can help me, that would be great. My next questions will be about what hardware to purchase, but for now i am just dealing with which option to go with.


THANKS

 

[Black.Lotus]

For $1500 you can get yourself quite a nice computer right now, including an LCD or CRT (based on your taste). Dell+coupons may be cheaper if you get a lower end system, but it's, well, a lower-end system.

Personally, I'd build a rig myself. Use the anandtech price searcher thing (better than pricewatch, i swear) to configure your sys. It only lists recommended hardware and has quick links to reviews and benchmarks. If you do it yourself you can make sure to use good conducting paste, use the right fans (low-noise or high air-flow), use rounded cables, get a case you like, etc. it's also hugely satisfying.

 

[Questi4110]

what do rounded cables mean?


alright thanks, any other suggestions?

 

[Black.Lotus]

rounded cables are either hand made or purchased ide cables that are round rather than ribbon. it allows for better airflow and are much less of a pain in the ass to fiddle with when installing new drives.

 

[DougmeisterX]

Dell 4550 and Samsung 191T. Wow.

 

[Questi4110]

hmm...what does the wow imply?


also...this is a dumbass question but again, i haven't been much into computers lately

What is the difference between pentium 4 A, B, C, Xeon processors? Which one would you recommend?



THANKS

 

[DougmeisterX]

I was hoping to stimulate you to look into it! Anyway, the Dell 4550 gives you a 2.4 Ghz P-4 (get the 512MB RAM upgrade from some other source), 40GB hard drive, etc. etc. for way under $700. Besides the fact that you don't have to build it, the biggest plus is the extreme quietness and convenience of the Dell case. Mine is inaudible. So are the HP's in our office. I've built over a half dozen computers in the last few years and I just don't see the point any more. Dell and HP are giving these things away.

The Samsung 191T is a top-rated (see the Anandtech review) 19" LED monitor that you can rotate to vertical for under $700. For Web surfing and word processing, you definitely want to go vertical. Once you get up to 1280 x 1024 resolution, all Web pages and Word documents easily fit in the 1024 dimension, so why not use the 1280 dimension to see a longer slice of the page?? You would be surprised how many people are buying 19" LEDs that don't rotate--it's absurd.

Anyway, that's the rig I'm using right now, almost always in vertical mode, and it's spooky good.

Dougmeister

 

[DougmeisterX]

Oops, sorry I didn't address your other question. Unless you really want to be on the cutting edge of gaming, processor power just isn't an issue anymore, at least not for Web and Word jockeys. The actual performance improvements on Web and Word of super hot gear are always under 20%, which isn't worth a dime in my book. If you are deep into graphics apps or games then, sure, go for it. But I think your $$$ are usually better spent elsewhere (or just kept in your pocket) than getting a faster processor. The mid-range P-4s are dandy.

 

[Questi4110]

alright thanks for the info

 

[Black.Lotus]

yeah, i agree that if you don't need to be on the bleeding edge dell can offer great deals.

Xeon processors are aimed towards servers. they have huge caches. Diff between P4B and P4C is that C has the new 800mhz fsb.

 

[Questi4110]

ahh thanks for clarifying that up