How systems have advanced

[flanker]

I am just amazed at how far the new computer systems and OS have advanced in the past few years. In the past everytime I upgraded my computer orbought a computer it was a real nerve grinding deal getting everything to work. Well after fighting a five year old Win98se computer and finding my memory adding just did not make life any better.

I started looking at building another box from the ground up. Well this Tech. guy gave me some really good advice telling me I could buy a already built system that would cost less and have all the new namebrand hardware installed.

In the past I had gone that path buying my first system a Gateway 486 back in the early 90s next a Micron then I went with a local white box builder. Well I did my homework and picked the HP Pavilon Media Center PC with Intel Pent. D 940 2.0GB of SDRAM 500GB 7200 RPM HD. NVIDA GeForce 7300LE Video card CD-ROM and DVD-ROM burner.Wireless keyboard and mouse. many USB2 and IEEE 1394 firewire slots and it cost less then any past system I had bought.

Anyway got the box home and in about 30 minutes had it up and running. Just plug it in and push the start button. Everything has worked and this was the really smoothest system startup ever for me.

I also bought and acomdata external HD to get my files transfered from old computer to the new system. It also was a no brainer worked right from the start.

Anyway I just wanted to pass how everything worked for me this time.

 

[m0nk3ys1ms]

you gotta love good experiences. sounds like a nice system you bought. good luck with it.

 

[34erd]

Looks like a nice rig. How much did you pay? Building is usualy cheaper, but I guess you already bought it.

 

[Bobo]

Not trying to make you go back on your decision, but building it yourself is cheaper 99% of the time. However, it is much easier to go out and buy one.

Pros of buying prebuilt:
1. Take it home and turn it on, that is all there is to it
2. All in one piece

Cons of buying prebuilt:
1. Much more expensive
2. BIOS is very limited, and everything is labeled with annoying name brands (e.g. HP, Gateway, Dell)
3. You get a bunch of preloaded crap that you will never use anyway

Pros of building yourself:
1. You get exactly what you want
2. Very easy to customise
3. Cheaper

Cons of building yourself:
1. You need to have at least a small bit of knowledge about computers
2. All the parts have to be purchased separately, and they all need to compat with each other (that's why you come here, right? )

But I am glad that you are happy with your system, as long as you don't start messing with it, it will serve you well.

 

[flanker]

Costs of system

The System cost $1,280+tax out the door at CompUSA. I did not take the 15" Mon. So I just get $50 back from HP on this system. This brings it down to 1,230+tax. Just bringing it home and pluging it in and having it up and running quickly was priceless.

Over the years I have spent many long hours on the phone trying to get help solving problems. Also have gone through pulling all the cables out and draging the boxs across town trying to get things fixed.

I have enough problems getting software programs re-installed and setting up the programs I don't need to have a non-booting system right off the line.

I have in the past bought all hardware items and went through all the headbanging that go's along with getting it all working. Some enjoy building a system I don't. I just want to use it. Getting the programs to work is enough for me.

 

[m0nk3ys1ms]

The System cost $1,280+tax out the door at CompUSA. I did not take the 15" Mon. So I just get $50 back from HP on this system. This brings it down to 1,230+tax. Just bringing it home and pluging it in and having it up and running quickly was priceless.

Over the years I have spent many long hours on the phone trying to get help solving problems. Also have gone through pulling all the cables out and draging the boxs across town trying to get things fixed.

I have enough problems getting software programs re-installed and setting up the programs I don't need to have a non-booting system right off the line.

I have in the past bought all hardware items and went through all the headbanging that go's along with getting it all working. Some enjoy building a system I don't. I just want to use it. Getting the programs to work is enough for me.

i feel like banging my head up against the wall sometimes too, but I enjoy working with systems. actually, i think well all feel like banging our head against the wall sometimes.