To build, or not to build...

garyknowz1 · Feb 17, 2008

Greetings!

Complete newbie here.

Well, my old PC is now pushing up daisies, so I'm been browsing about to find the best deal I can get for mid-to-high range PC. After reading a number of posts on this forum, I've decided that I might try to build my own system. Well, shopping around, I've put together a PC that I like. But I also found a HP PC that seems to be fairly nice itself. So, what do you think? Note that I have minimal experience in putting together a PC.

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Here's the list of specs on the build:

CP1-DUO-Q6700 :: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6700 Processor BX80562Q6700 - 2.66GHz, 8MB Cache, 1066MHz FSB, Kentsfield, Quad-Core, Retail, Socket 775, Processor with Fan (1.6 lbs) $579.99

M17-7414 :: Windows Vista Home Prem 64-bit DSP OEM DVD (0.25 lbs)$109.99

L12-1134 :: Lite-On LH-20A1L-06 SuperAllwrite Retail Lightscribe DVD Burner - 20x DVD±R Burn, 16x DVD±R Read, 8x DVD+RW, 6x DVD-RW, 8x DVD±R DL, 12x DVD-RAM, 48x24x CD-R/RW, Black, SATA (1.5 lbs) $39.99

M333-3000 :: ZEROtherm / Butterfly BTF90 / Socket 775/754/939/AM2 / Copper Base / Heatpipes / CPU Cooler (2.2 lbs) $49.99

O261-8038 :: OCZ SLI-Ready Dual Channel 4096MB PC6400 DDR2 800MHz Memory (2x2048MB) (0.3 lbs) $119.99

TSD-500S :: Samsung Spinpoint T166 500GB Hard Drive - 7200, 16MB, Serial ATA-300, OEM (1.5 lbs) $109.99

E145-2034 :: EVGA nforce 780i SLI Motherboard - A1 Version, NVIDIA nForce 780i SLI, Socket 775, ATX, Audio, PCI Express 2.0, Dual Gigabit LAN, S/PDIF, USB 2.0, Firewire, Serial ATA, RAID (2.65 lbs) $259.99

B52-7876 :: BFG GeForce 8800 GTX OC2 / 768MB GDDR3 / SLI Ready / PCI Express / DL Dual DVI / HDTV / Video Card (3.5 lbs) $479.99

TC3J-2324 :: Thermaltake Black Armor Full-Tower ATX Case Bundle - 11 External Drive Bays, Clear Side, Front USB, Firewire and Audio Ports, 700-Watt Power Supply (76.7 lbs) $279.99

SUBTOTAL: $2,029.91

Shipping: $108.35

Tax: ------

TOTAL: $2,138.26

(this is assuming I remembered everything, which I doubt)

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Here's the HP:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...X610AA_ABA_Pavilion_Elite_m9180f_Desktop.html

Shipping is only: $39.95 No Tax.

Total: $1788.95
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The HP is obviously a not as powerful as the build, but is the difference in performance between the build and HP enough to justify the additional cost ($350. +) and headache of building the PC?

Any comments/advice/concerns are welcomed. Thanks!

Cheers!
Gary K.

dougland · Feb 17, 2008

Build. The HP is way too much you could have a great system for that price

bubby004 · Feb 17, 2008

Whats the specs of you old pc? You don't have to drop $2000 on the best pcs out there. I would personally buy a refurbished one for under $300 and put a decent video card and update the ram. You could still play all the games if thats what your into and it would save you alot of money.

oscaryu1 · Feb 17, 2008

M333-3000 :: ZEROtherm / Butterfly BTF90 / Socket 775/754/939/AM2 / Copper Base / Heatpipes / CPU Cooler (2.2 lbs) $49.99

Zalman 9700

0261-8038 :: OCZ SLI-Ready Dual Channel 4096MB PC6400 DDR2 800MHz Memory (2x2048MB) (0.3 lbs) $119.99

Overpriced. No such thing as SLI-Ready...

garyknowz1 · Feb 19, 2008

I think I’ve settled on building my own *crossing fingers*

“Whats the specs of you old pc?”

It’s actually kind of old—2003ish. I’m thinking about keeping my full-tower Xpider case if the newer mobos will work with it. I currently has an old P4C800e DLX in there right now, but I believe it’s the culprit as to the PC’s demise. But it was sort of a barrier to updating my GPU as about a year after I bought it, the newer cards went to PCI Express.

But…c’est la vie.

So do you think I can use the box with a newer mobo? I might wait for the 45nm Core 2 Quads to come out if I can.

“You don't have to drop $2000 on the best pcs out there.”

I understand what you’re saying. What I’ve tended to do is get a PC is a good mobo and processor, and keep the thing for 5 yrs or so, adding memory or video cards as I go. That way, I’m not having to buy a new PC every year to keep up. Sure in the last year and a half, it’s a little obsolete, but I bide my time knowing that I’ll have a kick’n machine soon enough.

I’ve never installed a motherboard/CPU before though. Hopefully it isn’t too tough.

Vizy · Feb 19, 2008

dude, dont trip over it. its easy, i went into the proccess and i got it to post like the 2nd time [forgot to plug in the power cord]. There is no *headache* just spend a whole day on it, installing your software and such...and its EZ no worries. And don't by the hp no matter what. lookat the warranties. you get longer warranties for a built comp rather than the 1yr o w/e trash warranty hp will giv ya.

reddevil6 · Feb 19, 2008

daisymtc · Feb 19, 2008

Don't get the 8800GTX! If you have $450 to spend on video card, get the ATI HD3870x2.
Or just simply get 8800GTS 512MB

oscaryu1 · Feb 19, 2008

B52-7876 :: BFG GeForce 8800 GTX OC2 / 768MB GDDR3 / SLI Ready / PCI Express / DL Dual DVI / HDTV / Video Card (3.5 lbs) $479.99

8800GTS G92
HD3870x2
8800GT

Just don't get the GTX. GT is just a bit behind the GTX. HD3870x2 was made to compete with the GTX. The GTS G92 just beats it... $249.99 = ECS 8800GTS G92 512MB PCI-E 2.0 after rebates.

To build, or not to build...

garyknowz1

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dougland

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bubby004

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oscaryu1

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garyknowz1

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Vizy

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reddevil6

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daisymtc

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oscaryu1

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