I’m getting a new computer for X-mas and need a little help deciding what to get. I’ve been doing my some of my own research but maybe someone will have an idea I haven’t thought of. My 2 basic options obviously are to either build it myself or get a package deal.
Which one would you go with and why?
If you feel building it yourself is the better option, what would you buy with a $600-$900 budget?
I appreciate any input
Thanks
Definitely build yourself if you know how, because you get to pick all the exact parts, which will be higher quality than the crap brands that Dell/HP/all others use.
Whats the computer for? Gaming? Internet? Microsoft Office? Photoshop?
Techbargains.com and slickdeals.net have tons of deals on pre-built computers at the moment. Laptops are pretty inexpensive and some come with dedicated graphics cards to be able to game.
I bought my HP DV4 a few months ago and it has a 105M graphics adapter. Cost me only $650.
There are deals on there that I saw the 220M graphics card in them for a little bit more expensive.
I guess it all depends on what you want to do with the computer, which will tell you to buy pre-built or build your own.
It’s definitely going be a desktop. I have a cheap laptop that I use if I travel.
It’s really between online bundles from like tiger direct or individual parts from a similar site. I probably should have clarified that better lol.
The bundles available in the stores don’t seem to stack up on the performance I’m looking for. Ya its nice that they will usually come with a monitor but I’d rather have a better computer.
This is a bundle I’m currently looking at…http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5235364&sku=B69-1124
Opinions?
I have yet to see a good deal from Tigerdirect.
If you are going to build one, plan on spending double what it would cost to get a similar configuration from a machine on dell.
Plus you get a windows 7 license, and usually a large screen monitor.
Keep watching the sites the sites mentioned above.
$700 buys a hell of a lot of computer now a days.
Ya still haven’t said your goal with the computer.
Will you be gaming at all or not?
The PSU in that bundle is horrible…and PSU is definitely a part where you want a strong brand or else ALL your parts might get fried.
Also that bundle has no video card, operating system, or DVD drive…would probably put you above your $900 budget
Dell’s uses crappy proprietary parts that can’t be upgraded.
This is not correct. What exactly do you want to upgrade?
Besides the motherboard, you can upgrade anything.
If you are at the point where you want to upgrade a motherboard, you should just get a new computer anyways.
Not the heatsink either.
Build your own…if you don’t know how there are plenty of people who can point out how to build it.
Newegg FTW on computer parts.
Go on there and start putting compadable stuff together keeping in mind budget and read the reviews. Normally their reviews are a good sign of the quality of the parts.
Edit:
Newegg has some nice combos out there; Mobo & Processor combo; then just add a case you like; a decently rated powersupply, VC, and 2 Gigs of RAM, HD (or 2), Monitor/keyboard/mouse if you need them. Then see if you can find someone with a .edu email address and get Win7 for $30. Should be able to do all that for $600-900 easy; this also assumes you’re building a “normal” usage computer and not a Gaming Rig or Workstation Rig.
you could definitely do a core2duo, 2gb of ram, run of the mill graphics card, and a decent monitor, for very cheap.
do you have keyboard/mouse/speakers or will that all be new?
Yes I can build computers, no problem there.
I do play some games but not alot. The main thing is that i didn’t get all the latest parts with the computer I’m using now and it got outdated pretty quick. so…
I wanna get the best computer for gaming/movies/speed. I would rather put more money into the computer now than have it get outdated quickly again. Monitor and all the other accessories I can get down the road if need be and if it comes with it then great but definately not a must.
Some basic things I’m leaning towards are…
-Intel 1156 socket Mother board with either the i5 or i7 processor
-Nvidia or Ati GC. I’ll either run 1 good card and get a second in the future. Or get two slighty cheaper cards
-Mid or Full size case. Don’t really care what it is as long as it stays cool. I really like that case that was in the bundle i posted.
-As much memory as I can afford
The thing is with a computer that you build it’s a LOT easier to upgrade piece by piece if something gets “outdated”. You’re buying a computer, honestly, it’s outdated after a month.
ya it does suck how fast things get outdated in the computer world. But I’d rather have my computer last 2 years solid, than for it to be slacking 6 months from now like my last one.
Getting all the latest parts now will actually be worth it if I decide to upgraded something because it will still be a pretty top notch computer down the road…I’d hope lol
Yea, it will. My computer is 2 years old, and I bought GOOD stuff back then, and it still works great. I’ve had to replace the PS once, but it was warrenty covered.
Just upgraded to Win7 and it runs better than ever.