Computer newbies forum: To build or not to build?

cost than you can buy one, simply because you must buy the software legit. [assuming one wants Windows and MS stuff].

Second, regarding buying a low price proprietary and later upgrading is somewhat of a myth. They put the things in such small packages, that any upgrading causes additional cooling problems. Most use onboard video, and most of those do NOT provide a slot for a video card, which is the first thing a kid will want if he starts playing games. The video cards run hot as hades, require a higher wattage power supply, which with some proprietarties is virtually impossible. The mid-price proprietaries can be good buys, but then they get close to the price that you can build one for.

Watch out for HP etc at Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Circuit City. They are usually a combination of equipment that is only put together for that store. Something similar being sold directly from HP seems to be the same thus making the Circuit City etc models look like good deals. Look closer and you will find that they play smoke and mirrors with those models.

I have been going through these searches for about two months now and have finally found the inner game playing and why you actually cannot compare a proprietary from a Best Buy to what is supposedly the same one at Wal-Mart. They simply are NOT the same in all respects.

Some of the proprietaries go out of their way to not allow you to learn the innermost details, their BIOSes do not take full advantage of the mobo and hardware capabilities.

If you study things before you build, you will know everything about everything in your computer. You will have the full CD's for anything that you install. I will only build my own, but have never claimed to save money building it. However, I'm far happier with one built than I ever could be with a Dell, HP, Gateway et al.

If you already have (legally) the software you need than you may be able to save money by purchasing a pre-built system. However often times you will be able to get very good deals out of the manufactorers.

putting together components need to make an operational pc is really not the dificult. With a little time anyone could learn to do it. however on my last pc I went with a pre-built model, and am happy with it.

Unless you purchase a really cheap computer (E-machine) you will not have a problem installing a video into your system. You should make sure the system you are buying has an AGP or PCIE-16x slot, of the two I would choose the PCIe-16 as this is where video cards are headed.

One word of warning with prebuilt machines sometimes they can be very stressfull if you know what you are doing. Make sure you have the right restore disk when you purchase the computer. A company with the initials of GATEWAY requires you to use their restore cd instead of a full (legal) copy of windows.

The merger/buyout-is that a good or bad thing? I've heard that you can't beat EMachines for the money.

It looks to me that you may be able to fill one of your pc needs with an inexpensive over-the-counter model. For the other, I think you should go to your local reliable source and price out a custom-built pc. If your needs are extremely specific, and probably expensive (video cards for gaming), you're kind of stuck with going custom, or so I've found.

I recently did a BUNCH of research to find out about adding, or upgrading if possible, RAM for my four-year-old Dell pc because it's always freezing, and I'm going to add the necessaries to edit and burn video. Well, I found, as have others here on CNET, that the new technology will almost NEVER work with the old hardware, and finding a nice, ethical tech who will explain it all instead of selling you some hardware and running, is crucial.

So, after my online research, I spent an hour and a half at PC Club with a tech who patiently explained the technology/hardware I needed to get the pc that would fit my needs (upgrading my old one is impossible). I took copious notes - which helps to intimidate an over-zealous salesperson. He, of course, wanted to make a sale (of a custom-built), but I made him slow down and explain ALL of my options, and why, why, why he thought I needed the technology and brands that he recommended. At that point, he started to really work with me, as money is an issue, and he very honestly put together a system on paper for me, with current prices, and actually told me that if I waited even a couple of months, prices may come down (I really need a dual-core processor).

I was also surprised and happy to find out that I could get an extended warranty for a custom-built pc, which is very important to me.

Bottom line - Reeeeaaaaly do your homework, and you can get your money's worth. The huge amount of competition out there works in our favor.

defentitly buld get better componants for less mony and oc

Personaly, I would always build. Why? because its the only way I can ensure the quality of the parts thus ensuring a stable platform. Of course this means you have to read; research;and talk to knowledgable people about what's good and what's not. Then make a list of the desirable components and check out pricing, maybe deside to opt for alessor quality component thinking maybe to upgrade later. Plus by building, ypu gain experience through mistakes or through good choices. Personally, a $500.00 machine is garbage but if thats all you can afford right now then either wait or ... I would ballpark my machine at around $1500.00 and that will sufice my needs. Of course I'm not running a warer cooled monster either. Go to some computer shows and talk about components, get to know a few good good vendors that won't screw you if you have to return something and hopefully they wil be located close by. Also I've discovered that young guys that work for these vendors and who are into this stuff usually are gratified to part with there knowledge to others who they see as similar to themselves albeit newer. Build,build,build it yourself, its fun,it will make you feel good about yourself and it will have in what you want not what some big company wants to give as economical for them. They build what will suit the largest amount of consumers and quanity for the cheepest price, not necessarily the quality parts.They want you to rebuy a year or two from now once you discover that what you bought was not suitable for very long. research, research, research. Have fun...

Here's the deal. I used to build computers for friends. Back in the late 90's, I could go to the local screwdriver shop and/or order parts over the internet and put together a good little computer, load it with software and hand it over for a lot less than HP and Dell were selling for. But it was a lot of work and time for me.

As prices dropped, I found the local screwdriver shop could build the system with warranty for the same as I could build it -- and then I would just load the software. That lasted for a few years.

NOW, however, like in the past year, prices of retail at major stores has dropped so dramatically that you can't beat their deals. Check out this link:

http://salescircular.com/ga/computer/cheapp.shtml

This is all the deals the major stores have for this week. The secret is to get a bundled deal of computer, CRT, and printer -- even if you don't need a CRT or printer. For some reason, they are selling the bundles for cheaper than a computer by itself. Even if you want a 17" flat panel, it's cheaper to buy the bundled deal with CRT and printer, throw the CRT away, then go buy a flat panel separately. I priced it out.

In January, my girlfriend got an Compaq AMD 3400 Sempron with 160 GB hard drive, 512 GB RAM, dual layer DVD burner, 17" CRT, and a Canon photo printer for less than $400. That's with licensed copy of Windows, too. She got all her rebates back. Now, they are selling the same deal -- but with Athlon 64 3500 CPU -- still for less than $400.

You cannot build a cmputer for cheaper than that -- with monitor, printer, and licensed Windows.

OK, what's the catch? Well, I had to spend a couple of hours UNinstalling the marketware and trialware, then installing what she really needed.

Also, came with ATI Radeon Xpress 200 graphics -- which means integrated video. But, I was pleasantly surprised. Those integrated vidoe chipsets have rellay improved. I never thought I would say that.

I fully expected to have to add a video card and was wondering if there would even be a slot. YES, it had a PCIe slot for future upgrades -- but I'm holding off on using it. But, I found it runs fast even with integrated video. Or, it runs fast enough for her needs -- word processing, e-mail, web surfing. At some point I might add more RAM and a video card, but if she's happy I'm not going to spend money I don't have to.

So, for most people a bundled deal like this is all they need. $400. Want a 17" flat panel? Go buy one for $200 -- you are still only spending $600.

flat panels on sale:
http://salescircular.com/ga/computer/mnitrp.shtml

So, even though I used to build computers, I don't any more. I don't even send people to buy the custom built computers. Now I send them to the retail stores to get the bundled deals (even if they don't need everything in the bundle). I then tweak and configure the computer for them as if I built it -- but it's for at least $200 - $300 less than I could do.

2.5 years ago, when my wife and I were looking to replace our then 5-year old computer, we leaned towards a new HP with the Media Ed. O.S. My brother-in-law, hearing about our pending purchase, suggested we build. He's been doing it for years. I was not comfortable with the idea even though he's quite brilliant at, well, everything he does. I eventually let him walk me through the process of learning the terminology, the things one would need to build a machine and how to look for compatibility issues. We built and I've never been more pleased with a computer. It's never crashed. It only has software on it that I want and placed upon it. It's upgradable (easily as there is both space and sufficient power). And while I didn't save a dime I know I built a machine with better components, double the RAM and just as much processor speed with over-clocking 10%.

I can make one major recommendation: I purchased all my components from Newegg. I could have saved a few dollars here and there by shopping around, but it was simpler to order everything from one firm even if I spent an extra $25-$50 out of $1300. One nice thing in Newegg is they have lots of customer reviews of components and many of those reviewers will list the components of their own personal system. This is handy because you know that the components they use work together and must work together well enough that the reviewer is recommending the setup. I think there are very few real compatability issues out there between motherboards, RAM chips, processors etc. (other than the obvious compat. issues), but if you're in doubt take a look at other folks systems to find one that meets your needs.

And, if nothing else, building will make you smarter about computers and that is always handy considering you're going to be living with them for the rest of your life.