New Desk Top

[Kuhn]

I've been looking for a new desktop since the dual core has been available. Recently some one told me to quit looking at the Alienware and Dell XPS. He said I could get a good price on refurbished or even build one myself. I don't have a problem with spending $2000.00 on a desktop system, but there are some that are going for around $4000.00 that pique my interest. So, what would y'all recomend in the way of refurbished to save some cash? I don't think I have the patience to build my own setup. Does any one have Alienware or XPS systems? What are your thoughts.

[llama]

There is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING SPECIAL ABOUT ALIENWARE. NOTHING!!!!

The Dell buyout doesn't change anything either.

You can make a quality Core-2 Duo system with a fair video card for $900. You can make a smoking-great system for $1800.

For the kind of money you're talking about, you can have any white-box clone shop make you a PC with exactly the kind of motherboard, video card, and memory type you wish, and it will be just as good if not better than any Alienware or Dell XPS.

In fact, I myself build PCs for my clients (http://www.wisellama.com/ and http://www.warrenernst.com/). If you want a smoking-fast system built the way you want for WAY LESS than 4 grand, then contact me.

-Llama

[Tigger29]

You say that you don't have the patience, but in all honesty it's not that difficult.

You install the motherboard keepers into the case...  install the motherboard (screws right onto the keepers).. install the processor.. install the memory.. install the drives.. install the power supply (4 screws)... add-on cards... then fans.

Then you power it up with the windows disk in the drive and it pretty much does the rest on its own.

The only problem I have with patience, is downloading all the updates.  That usually takes 4 to 5 times longer than building the system and installing windows (INCLUDING formatting the hard drives).

But yes you can save BIG BUCKS by doing it yourself, especially on a high end system.  Another thing is if a part goes bad you can just remove it and ship it back, rather than having to tote the entire system to a store and wait several days for its return!

Good luck!

[DAVENRINO]

Originally posted by llama
There is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING SPECIAL ABOUT ALIENWARE. NOTHING!!!!

The Dell buyout doesn't change anything either.

You can make a quality Core-2 Duo system with a fair video card for $900. You can make a smoking-great system for $1800.

For the kind of money you're talking about, you can have any white-box clone shop make you a PC with exactly the kind of motherboard, video card, and memory type you wish, and it will be just as good if not better than any Alienware or Dell XPS.

In fact, I myself build PCs for my clients (http://www.wisellama.com/ and http://www.warrenernst.com/). If you want a smoking-fast system built the way you want for WAY LESS than 4 grand, then contact me.

-Llama

I totally agree.  Alienware is the reason I started building my own rigs.  They TRIED to renig on the On Site warranty that I paid for the second time the motherboard failed.  They finally decided that honoring the warranty was cheaper than an On Site lawsuit.  I have never bought another OEM desktop.  I built the rig in my sig for under $2k and it only took a day to have it working great.

[Roscoroo]

I have to agree too,,, alienware is way overpriced for what you get ...
you can buy the exact same parts for 1/2 or less of there price .

[airspro]

I got my new rig from here
http://www.avadirect.com/product_details_configurator.asp?PRID=7044

Here's a link to a pic of it
http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/1007_1175322242_mvc-048s.jpg


+ CUSTOM COMPUTER, Core™ 2 Extreme DDR2-800 SLI Performance Series System 1
XION, Xion II Black Mid-Tower Case w/ Window, 450W PSU, ATX

SEASONIC, S12-500 Power Supply, 500W, 24-pin ATX EPS12V, Dual +12V, SLI Certified

ASUS, P5N32-SLI SE Deluxe, LGA775, nForce4 SLI X16, DDR2-800 8GB/4, PCIe x16 SLI, SATA 3Gb/s RAID 0+1, Audio, 2x GbLAN, FW, ATX, Retail

INTEL, Core™ 2 Duo E6600 Dual-Core, 2.4GHz, 1066MHz FSB, 4MB L2 Cache, 65nm, 65W, EM64T EIST VT XD, Retail

ZALMAN, CNPS7000B-AlCu Copper-Aluminum CPU Cooler, No LED

OCZ, 2GB (2 x 1GB) Gold GX XTC PC2-6400 DDR2 800MHz CL 5-5-5-12 SDRAM DIMM, Non-ECC

BFG TECH, GeForce™ 7950 GT OC™, 512MB GDDR3, PCIe x16 SLI, 2x DVI, HDTV-out, Retail

WESTERN DIGITAL, 74GB WD Raptor®, SATA 150MB/s, 10000 RPM, 16MB Cache

RAID, No RAID, Independent HDD Drives

LITE-ON, SOHC-5236K Black CD-RW/DVD Combo Drive, 52x32x52x16

MITSUMI, Black Internal 1.44MB 3.5" Floppy Drive

USROBOTICS, 3CP2976-OEM Internal Hardware Modem, 56K V.90 Data/Fax/Voice, PCI 2.1

CREATIVE, Sound Blaster® X-Fi™ Xtreme Audio, 7.1 channels, 24-bit 96KHz, PCI

MICROSOFT, Windows XP Professional Edition SP2b w/ Free Upgrade Coupon for Vista, OEM

WARRANTY, Silver Warranty Package (3 Year Limited Parts, 3 Year Labor Warranty)

I wouldnt' order another Sound Blaster sound card though , they still have the same problems it seems . It's ok but my old Turtle Beach sound card is alot better IMO .

[Kuhn]

Thanks for the info. I also heard Alienware was over priced and hearing it again puts the kabosh to that company. Sounds like building one isnt so bad. Last time I built my own was when windows 95 was the big operating system. Had a top of the line 333 mhz or something like that. Boy was that thing slow to download even off the cd. I will have to look into building one a little more and if I need help I will contact you Llama.

[llama]

No problemo.

I suspect you'll probably have a pretty fun time spec-ing one out.

-Llama

[airspro]

llama getting one from a fellow AH'er would be very nice also .

Didn't know that you built systems .

spro

[Nemeth]

BUILD YOUR OWN!!
built a computer for some1 a couple of weeks bak at co-op
specs might not be totally correct bet here it goes ( (xxx?) = not sure about)
Intel core 2 duo (2.4ghz?)
MSI MoBO DDR2 (800-1333Mhz FBS?)
ToughPower 850W PSU
ATI Radeon 512Mb (1900?) DDR3 (i only use nVidia)
2 Gb (Kingmax?)  (533Mhz?) Dual Channel Overclocking RAM
Win XP Pro
It scored over 10,000 on 3DMark (05/06?) max score on 3Dmark is 12 or 15,000
Total cost Aprox $1700-1800 Cdn

[38ruk]

Bulding a pc now is almost like putting together a lego set , its not like 10 years ago when you had to set everything with jumpers . Now it's all pretty much just plugging the peices together and taking your time. If you get stuck somewhere just ask a ? here and we will walk you threw it , plus there are many sites on the web that will show pictures of a new build .

The thing that gets most in trouble  people is time, they get in a hurry and miss something , then end up having to go back and find it . The hardest thing to do now a days is plug the case wires into the motherboard , and they are even marked and color coded in some cases lol. GL Ruk


Oh and about Alienware , they have always been overpriced. They are just like any other higher end system , but cost close to 2x the price, your paying for the name and that little alien head on the case , thats it . As someone said , they were like that even before Dell bought them out.

[38ruk]

I wouldnt' order another Sound Blaster sound card though , they still have the same problems it seems . It's ok but my old Turtle Beach sound card is alot better IMO .

Thats weird , my retail X-FI Extreme music has been flawless . I wonder if the extreme audio is a oem version with something different . I remember creative was boxing up old SB live's and calling them audigy value's or something to that effect. I'd hope they wouldn't do something like that to the X-FI line  

[Sting138]

Originally posted by Kuhn
I've been looking for a new desktop since the dual core has been available. Recently some one told me to quit looking at the Alienware and Dell XPS. He said I could get a good price on refurbished or even build one myself. I don't have a problem with spending $2000.00 on a desktop system, but there are some that are going for around $4000.00 that pique my interest. So, what would y'all recomend in the way of refurbished to save some cash? I don't think I have the patience to build my own setup. Does any one have Alienware or XPS systems? What are your thoughts.

Yes  DO NOT GET A DELL!!

Lots of recent problems with their motherboard and leaking or swolen capacitors as well as an extremely high number of recent power supplies catching on fire or shorting out and taking the motherboard with it. (From and internal source)

[Masherbrum]

Originally posted by Kuhn
Thanks for the info. I also heard Alienware was over priced and hearing it again puts the kabosh to that company. Sounds like building one isnt so bad. Last time I built my own was when windows 95 was the big operating system. Had a top of the line 333 mhz or something like that. Boy was that thing slow to download even off the cd. I will have to look into building one a little more and if I need help I will contact you Llama.

I bought my pc last year from Cyberpowerpc.   After a week of owning it, I had to send it back (they paid shipping both ways), turns out a stick of RAM went bad and they NEVER asked me a single question.   As soon as I called them and told what happened, they emailed me FedEx shipping labels.