Who makes the best systems?

[GasX]

I want to buy a new PC to mostly play games on, but refuse to go with Dell.

I am thinking about a Hornet, but want to get the best value I can for my gaming dollar.

Basically, I want something with a fat hard drive, at least a half a gig of ram and a video card good enough for HL2...

Thoughts? Recommendations?

edit:

What your thoughts on this barebones system?

Biostar iDEQ 210VB Barebone System
NEC ND-2500A 8x DVD Dual Combo Burner
Retail, XP Thoroughbred 2700+ 333FSB
One Samsung 512MB 400MHz DDR
Black Mitsumi 7-in-1 USB 2.0 FA404M Internal Memory Card Reader/ Writer + Floppy Disk Drive Combo
Rounded Cables

Built and tested by Directron: $489 before tax and shipping

I would add my 160GB HD, GF3 Ti200 and Win XP Pro when and if it arrives...

The only problem I see is the 1 PCI slot. I will either use on board sound and a wireless LAN card or onboard LAN and a sound card. I think I can live with that...

 

[LordPhoenix]

Alienware

 

[CraigRT]

Originally posted by: LordPhoenix
Alienware

VooDoo PC

 

[GasX]

Originally posted by: CraigRT

Originally posted by: LordPhoenix
Alienware

VooDoo PC

Neither of those companies should be used in the same sentence as the word Value...

<= lusts for a high end alienware laptop...

 

[KoolDrew]

Build your own..

 

[GasX]

Originally posted by: KoolDrew
Build your own..

Been there - done that. I want a system that I don't have to worry about hardware compatibility issues out of the box.

 

[BentValve]

My first real PC was a Hewlett Packard with 433mhz Celeron....considering I was a newb the phone support came in handly. The price I paid for the PC was well worth the education I got over the first 3 or4 months of ownership from talking to tech support.

The PC was reliable and stable...the support for it was good as well.

I am not sure if HP still offers that same kind of service but if they do id recommend them.





Id stay away from Alienware, they are overpriced and I hear their support is not so good.


That Hornet is over priced IMO.




IMO since I dont know the current state of HP... unless you have money to burn , the options that make the most sence is to buy a Dell or build your own.



Whatever you do make sure your PC at least has a 6800 or 800 XT video card.

 

[BentValve]

Originally posted by: Mwilding

Originally posted by: KoolDrew
Build your own..

Been there - done that. I want a system that I don't have to worry about hardware compatibility issues out of the box.

I understand your frustration but just so you know , most of us never have any issues at all.

 

[WackyDan]

Dell makes the best computers???? LOL

 

[GasX]

Originally posted by: BentValve

Originally posted by: Mwilding

Originally posted by: KoolDrew
Build your own..

Been there - done that. I want a system that I don't have to worry about hardware compatibility issues out of the box.

I understand your frustration but just so you know , most of us never have any issues at all.

I have had 2 hard drives fry and numerous corruption issues in the past year and I am fairly certain is is one of three things:

FuB4red cables (least likely)
bad memory (most likely)
bad power supply (also likely)

I don't want to spend hours and hours troubleshooting and getting frustrated anymore...

 

[tornadobox]

just make sure you buy GOOD components and you won't have any problems (at least I haven't in the past 5 years)...you can buy the SAME stuff they put into Alienware computers for $1000 less.

 

[GasX]

Originally posted by: tornadobox
just make sure you buy GOOD components and you won't have any problems (at least I haven't in the past 5 years)...you can buy the SAME stuff they put into Alienware computers for $1000 less.

Well, you've got me motivated, but my wife seems hell bent on me not building...

screw it.

recommend me a PC spec with the following requirements:

budget: less than $700 (just the box)
Case: preferably small form-factor
HD: minimum of 120GB
Mem: min of 512MB
Vid: good enough for HL2

 

[biostud]

Originally posted by: Mwilding

Originally posted by: KoolDrew
Build your own..

Been there - done that. I want a system that I don't have to worry about hardware compatibility issues out of the box.

pre-build has the same problems as far as I have experienced.

 

[Gothgar]

prebuilt is worse...

BYOC (build your own computer, does this work?)

We all have quite a bit of experience doing it, and can help you with it...

 

[GasX]

Originally posted by: Gothgar
We all have quite a bit of experience doing it, and can help you with it...

That's what originally brought me to AT 16K posts ago :Q

Got a recommendation for a box that meets my specs above?

 

[Budmantom]

Try abspc they are affiliated with newegg.


But the best bang for the buck is still Dell.


Tom

 

[Gurck]

Originally posted by: Mwilding

Originally posted by: BentValve

Originally posted by: Mwilding

Originally posted by: KoolDrew
Build your own..

Been there - done that. I want a system that I don't have to worry about hardware compatibility issues out of the box.

I understand your frustration but just so you know , most of us never have any issues at all.

I have had 2 hard drives fry and numerous corruption issues in the past year and I am fairly certain is is one of three things:

FuB4red cables (least likely)
bad memory (most likely)
bad power supply (also likely)

I don't want to spend hours and hours troubleshooting and getting frustrated anymore...

:Q

As long as you do a minimum amount of homework, which can be as simple as a "rate my proposed new rig" thread (and really even if you don't) you should be fine... the main cause of hard drive problems is heat; cheap cases which provide insufficient airflow to them are usually to blame, though a cheap fix for a cheap case is an intake fan blowing over them... If you know not to skimp on a case &amp; psu and know the few brands to avoid as well as the few brands which are ATers' favorites, you're much better off. At any rate, while I'll opine that ABS &amp; Monarch are two of the better prebuilt manufacturers, they're all inferior to DIY rigs, and often far more expensive. Of the Big Three, Dell is probably best, though they saturate their PCs with unnecessary bloatware and AOL offers, like to sell XP machines with 256 or even 128mb of ram, and their support has taken an absolute nosedive as of late. Compaq and HP actively install spyware on their PCs, and should be avoided at all costs (even if you know how to get rid of it or would format &amp; install a clean OS, supporting such an unethical company is almost as bad as being them).

 

[Mik3y]

abspc.com

 

[Vee]

Originally posted by: Mwilding
I have had 2 hard drives fry and numerous corruption issues in the past year and I am fairly certain is is one of three things:

FuB4red cables (least likely)
bad memory (most likely)
bad power supply (also likely)

The "corruption issues" are probably due to the failing harddrives. As for the cause of your hd problems, could be just bad luck. Couple of years ago, hds were pretty bad, I've trashed 5 between 1999 and 2002 (multiple machines, IBM and Fujitsu, I'm on Seagate, Samsung and still IBM today).
Another reason could be the mounting, overheating. hds needs to be kept cool.

I never take any chanses on the PSU, but I do not feel cables, memory or PSU are likely causes for your hd problems.

I don't want to spend hours and hours troubleshooting and getting frustrated anymore...

OK. The thing you should look for in your system is good video and enough ram. Unfortunately most readymade systems are poorly balanced. Tolerable video is usually only available at the highest end. And those 3.4/3.6 GHz CPUs are not what you need, and shouldn't pay for. But you do need the kind of video found in those systems. By the way, do look at A64 3000-3200+ too.
Anyway, what it probably means, is that you have to make some 'custom' arrangements with the builder.

 

[MDE]

Soltek SFF (nForce3 250Gb)- $299
Athlon 64 3000+ (Retail)- $153 knock off $4 to use Soltek's heatsink
512MB Mushkin PC3200- $74 each
120GB Hitachi PATA hard drive (add $2 for SATA)- $84
Samsung DVD\CD-RW drive- $33

Without a video card you're at $660 with shipping before tax. I don't think the SFF idea will work out all that well with your budget unless you find local sales on a hard drive and optical drive or step down to an Athlon XP which is getting long in the tooth. Here's the same system in a mid-tower case:

Epox nForce3 250Gb motherboard- $73
Antec SLK-2650BQE (with 350W PSU)- $60
Athlon 64 3000+ (Retail)- $153 knock off $4 to use Soltek's heatsink
512MB Mushkin PC3200- $74 each
120GB Hitachi PATA hard drive (add $2 for SATA)- $84
Samsung DVD\CD-RW drive- $33
Sapphire Radeon 9800 Pro 128MB- $189 (OOS along with every decently priced non-crippled 9800 Pro)

Total comes to $691 without tax, but once again you can find cheaper hard drives locally or order from stores other than Newegg (ZipZoomFly, Mwave, etc.) For the video card I wouldn't go below a Radeon 9800 Pro or GeForce 6800 or 6600GT.

 

[GasX]

I have a Gainward Golden Sample GF3 Ti200

Think I should plan to recycle it?

It handles everything I do now and as long as HL2 is fine I will be happy...

 

[Crism]

GF3 is getting pretty old back there (I cant believe I'm saying this because I would have died for one when they came out) but you could give it a try if you have a good system otherwise.

 

[kijikadal]

Alienware, Dell, etc....
Your paying more for the brand name then the actual components in it.

I believe alienware won the roundup in October Maximum PC with Falcon Northwest comming in 2nd.

But I wouldnt suggest picking up that issue, instead I would buy the issue after that one, Novembers issue.
Its the one that on the cover real big it says "Build You Own PC".

 

[wetcat007]

Originally posted by: Budmantom
Try abspc they are affiliated with newegg.


But the best bang for the buck is still Dell.


Tom

Ditto for ABS

 

[GasX]

I find it humorous that of the two current google sponsered ads above, one is for Alienware and the other is questioning why Alienware has $1000 mark-up!