Should I buy or should I build?

alanuofm · 07-11-2005, 06:37 PM

personally even i saved 200$ i would go for it. building isn't that big of a problem. probably an hour to assemble and then install the necessary stuff. that system is pretty good minus the video card. building is fun though

SonnieP · 07-11-2005, 09:04 PM

Dimension 9100 for $996 (This has 3GHz processor + WinXP + additional 256MB of DDR2 memory - plus a few extra software programs that might be valuable to some - these are minimums with this system but they are over an above your $878 system)... and this system is put together and tested. INCLUDES 3-YR ON-SITE WARRANTY! (I have never needed a warranty with Dell myself - take this down to a 1-YR and the system is $869)

Processor:
Pentium® 4 Processor 630 with HT Technology (3GHz, 800FSB) SX630B

Operating System:
Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition

Memory:
512MB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHz - 2DIMMs

Dell Service & Support Plans:
3 Yr On-site Business Plan
$127 Mail In Rebate

Keyboard:
Dell USB Keyboard

Mouse:
Dell® 2-button USB mouse

Productivity Software Pre-Installed:
Corel WordPerfect®

Document Management:
Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 6.0

Hard Drives:
160GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache™

CD or DVD Drive:
Single Drive: 16x DVD+/-RW with double layer write capability

Floppy Drive:
3.5 in Floppy Drive

Monitors:
19 inch E193FP Flat Panel

Video Card:
128MB PCI Express™ x16 (DVI/VGA/TV-out) ATI Radeon X300 SE HyperMemory

Sound Card:
Integrated 7.1 Channel Audio

Speakers:
Dell AS501PA 10W Flat Panel Attached Spkrs

Digital Music:
Musicmatch® Jukebox Basic

Digital Photography:
Photo Album™ SE Basic

Network Interface:
Integrated 10/100 Ethernet

Mail-In Rebate:
System Rebate
$100 Mail In Rebate

Not too shabby!

Explode_ADX · 07-11-2005, 09:51 PM

I would buy it

and I would get the warrenty just incase

SonnieP · 07-11-2005, 10:06 PM

I bought the first Dell 9100 that I configured. Couldn't pass it up.

**Lax** · 07-11-2005, 10:07 PM

Generally speaking building your own is cheaper and you can customize it more towards your liking. Buying your own you don't know exactly what parts are being put into the machine and how cheaply they were made. So if you buy a dell you might be getting a cheaper computer, but it's just that, a cheap computer. For the extra 100-200$ you're going to spend on building your own you'll end up a lot happier because you know what type of parts are going in and what type of quality they are.

SonnieP · 07-11-2005, 10:54 PM

So are the Dell's parts that inferior?

This is on one of our Dimension 3000 low-end systems from Dell that we run in our office as a workstation.

MB=Intel® (Dell branded-not sure which model)
Processor=Intel® P4 2.8GHz 533 FSB
HD=Western Digital Caviar 40GB Enhanced Ultra ATA 100
RAM=ProMOS Technologies DDR SDRAM PC3200 400MHz
VC=Integrated Intel® Extreme Graphics 2

Not sure on the CD-Rom drive (not going to the trouble of pulling it out).

The power supply is Dell branded.

Not sure who makes their cases but the 9100 appears to be a nice case. The 3000 is not half bad itself.

In the 9100's you step in several ways including a better video card in ATI.

In comparison to the system that alanuofm the parts don't seem to be that much different... or at least not so inferior as to call them cheap. Just my opinion though.

SonnieP · 07-11-2005, 10:59 PM

The Dell Ultrasharp monitors are very nice as well and I have those along with my Viewsonic... I can't tell any difference... they all are very nice.

**apj101** · 07-11-2005, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lord AnthraX

Generally speaking building your own is cheaper and you can customize it more towards your liking. Buying your own you don't know exactly what parts are being put into the machine and how cheaply they were made. So if you buy a dell you might be getting a cheaper computer, but it's just that, a cheap computer. For the extra 100-200$ you're going to spend on building your own you'll end up a lot happier because you know what type of parts are going in and what type of quality they are.

well put. The prices you see in magazines and online for oem machines can lead you to think that you can't build a pc for cheaper due to their mass economies of scale. But lord anthrax is correct, they use cheaper lower quality parts. Build it your self and you know its all good

SonnieP · 07-11-2005, 11:47 PM

I suppose quality in computer parts is subjective. I've owned 7 Dell's (6 desktops and 1 laptop) over 7 years. Of course 3 of those desktops are fairly new, but the other 3 and the laptop I have never had a minutes problem. They have ran smoothly and trouble free. One of the old ones (a Dimension 8200) is still running very strong after 4 years. The other 2 were still running but after 7 years it was time to replace them... one of them is being taken home for use by an employee and the other we will probably sell or maybe give it to the school.

In my case, the Dell parts are of very good quality... as my experience has proven.

If I wanted to dig really hard and find the lowest prices on every part I could probably end up saving a buck or two, or I might even spend a little more to get Corsair memory over ProMOS, not that it would make much difference other than a name stamp. But then I have to put it together, which if I really wanted to take the time I could probably do with some help. Then if I have problems, it's my fault.

I suppose it all depends on what you are willing to do.

For me... the Dell option was more satisfying.

**apj101** · 07-12-2005, 12:06 AM

your quite right, with the task that you are doing i doubt youd really notice the difference between a oem, and a custom made. When you start talking about cpu intensive tasks and hard core gaming, the quality of your components will start to shine through.

07-11-2005, 09:04 PM	#12 (permalink)
SonnieP Silver Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: L. A. (Lower Alabama) Age: 46 Posts: 130	Dimension 9100 for $996 (This has 3GHz processor + WinXP + additional 256MB of DDR2 memory - plus a few extra software programs that might be valuable to some - these are minimums with this system but they are over an above your $878 system)... and this system is put together and tested. INCLUDES 3-YR ON-SITE WARRANTY! (I have never needed a warranty with Dell myself - take this down to a 1-YR and the system is $869) Processor: Pentium® 4 Processor 630 with HT Technology (3GHz, 800FSB) SX630B Operating System: Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition Memory: 512MB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHz - 2DIMMs Dell Service & Support Plans: 3 Yr On-site Business Plan $127 Mail In Rebate Keyboard: Dell USB Keyboard Mouse: Dell® 2-button USB mouse Productivity Software Pre-Installed: Corel WordPerfect® Document Management: Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 6.0 Hard Drives: 160GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache™ CD or DVD Drive: Single Drive: 16x DVD+/-RW with double layer write capability Floppy Drive: 3.5 in Floppy Drive Monitors: 19 inch E193FP Flat Panel Video Card: 128MB PCI Express™ x16 (DVI/VGA/TV-out) ATI Radeon X300 SE HyperMemory Sound Card: Integrated 7.1 Channel Audio Speakers: Dell AS501PA 10W Flat Panel Attached Spkrs Digital Music: Musicmatch® Jukebox Basic Digital Photography: Photo Album™ SE Basic Network Interface: Integrated 10/100 Ethernet Mail-In Rebate: System Rebate $100 Mail In Rebate Not too shabby! __________________ ... SonnieP ... Cedar Creek Cinema Home Theater Shack ... Last edited by SonnieP; 07-11-2005 at 09:07 PM.

07-11-2005, 10:06 PM	#14 (permalink)
SonnieP Silver Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: L. A. (Lower Alabama) Age: 46 Posts: 130	I bought the first Dell 9100 that I configured. Couldn't pass it up. __________________ ... SonnieP ... Cedar Creek Cinema Home Theater Shack ...

07-11-2005, 10:07 PM	#15 (permalink)
Lax Moderator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Snow country Age: 21 Posts: 2,276	Generally speaking building your own is cheaper and you can customize it more towards your liking. Buying your own you don't know exactly what parts are being put into the machine and how cheaply they were made. So if you buy a dell you might be getting a cheaper computer, but it's just that, a cheap computer. For the extra 100-200$ you're going to spend on building your own you'll end up a lot happier because you know what type of parts are going in and what type of quality they are. __________________ He who controls the present controls the past. He who controls the past, controls the future.

07-11-2005, 10:54 PM	#16 (permalink)
SonnieP Silver Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: L. A. (Lower Alabama) Age: 46 Posts: 130	So are the Dell's parts that inferior? This is on one of our Dimension 3000 low-end systems from Dell that we run in our office as a workstation. MB=Intel® (Dell branded-not sure which model) Processor=Intel® P4 2.8GHz 533 FSB HD=Western Digital Caviar 40GB Enhanced Ultra ATA 100 RAM=ProMOS Technologies DDR SDRAM PC3200 400MHz VC=Integrated Intel® Extreme Graphics 2 Not sure on the CD-Rom drive (not going to the trouble of pulling it out). The power supply is Dell branded. Not sure who makes their cases but the 9100 appears to be a nice case. The 3000 is not half bad itself. In the 9100's you step in several ways including a better video card in ATI. In comparison to the system that alanuofm the parts don't seem to be that much different... or at least not so inferior as to call them cheap. Just my opinion though. __________________ ... SonnieP ... Cedar Creek Cinema Home Theater Shack ...

07-11-2005, 10:59 PM	#17 (permalink)
SonnieP Silver Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: L. A. (Lower Alabama) Age: 46 Posts: 130	The Dell Ultrasharp monitors are very nice as well and I have those along with my Viewsonic... I can't tell any difference... they all are very nice. __________________ ... SonnieP ... Cedar Creek Cinema Home Theater Shack ...

07-11-2005, 06:37 PM	#11 (permalink)
alanuofm Diamond Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 1,630	personally even i saved 200$ i would go for it. building isn't that big of a problem. probably an hour to assemble and then install the necessary stuff. that system is pretty good minus the video card. building is fun though

07-11-2005, 09:51 PM	#13 (permalink)
Explode_ADX New Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 21	I would buy it and I would get the warrenty just incase

07-11-2005, 11:47 PM	#19 (permalink)
SonnieP Silver Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: L. A. (Lower Alabama) Age: 46 Posts: 130	I suppose quality in computer parts is subjective. I've owned 7 Dell's (6 desktops and 1 laptop) over 7 years. Of course 3 of those desktops are fairly new, but the other 3 and the laptop I have never had a minutes problem. They have ran smoothly and trouble free. One of the old ones (a Dimension 8200) is still running very strong after 4 years. The other 2 were still running but after 7 years it was time to replace them... one of them is being taken home for use by an employee and the other we will probably sell or maybe give it to the school. In my case, the Dell parts are of very good quality... as my experience has proven. If I wanted to dig really hard and find the lowest prices on every part I could probably end up saving a buck or two, or I might even spend a little more to get Corsair memory over ProMOS, not that it would make much difference other than a name stamp. But then I have to put it together, which if I really wanted to take the time I could probably do with some help. Then if I have problems, it's my fault. I suppose it all depends on what you are willing to do. For me... the Dell option was more satisfying. __________________ ... SonnieP ... Cedar Creek Cinema Home Theater Shack ...

07-12-2005, 12:06 AM	#20 (permalink)
apj101 Administrator Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: London Age: 26 Posts: 9,166	your quite right, with the task that you are doing i doubt youd really notice the difference between a oem, and a custom made. When you start talking about cpu intensive tasks and hard core gaming, the quality of your components will start to shine through. __________________ What did one snow man say to the other? can you smell carrot? The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses - behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights. How you do anything, is how you do everything!

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