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Author Topic: How much do you save building your own PC? Sam Graham AKA: "The Evil Sam Graham". Wackiness ensues. Posts: 1431 From: Waukee, IA Registered: Dec 2004 posted 10-23-2009 10:47 AM                        I've built three out of six of mine over the years (and a fourth for my uncle) out of barebones kits (the tower, power supply, and processor are already there, you add the rest). The last two I purchased complete because there was no real cost savings at the time and I didn't feel I'd need to do any major upgrades to either of them, aside from maximizing memory. I'm planning to get a new system together after the new year, and at this point I'm leaning towards building this one due to the processing and configuration I want (Blu-ray burning, maybe an HD tuner...)  |  IP: Logged Jack Ondracek Film God Posts: 2348 From: Port Orchard, WA, USA Registered: Oct 2002 posted 10-23-2009 10:55 AM                        There are 17 operating computers on my property. All were built at a local computer store that I've patronized since 1994. Except for one bad CPU and a couple of defective power supplies, I've had reliable service from all of them. However, I can't say that I couldn't get the same results from an off-the-shelf Dell today. As I was buying most of these, I didn't have much trust for the major assemblers. Oh... one major deviation... I did buy a couple of E-Machines once. Terrible mistake.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-23-2009 11:22 AM                        Over the years I've probably been responsible for about 20 computers, most of them Dells. (One Gateway.) I would say the biggest difference between "bought" and "built" is time. If you have the time to invest in acquiring the knowledge you need, then by all means build...you'll probably get just as good or better machine at less cost. If you don't have the time, then go with factory-made. I wish it was possible to get a factory machine with nothing pre-installed on it, and have Windows (or whatever) just come in the box. The first thing I do with a factory computer is delete about half the crap that comes on it.  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 10-23-2009 12:54 PM                     You can buy Windows-based machines without all the "crapware" installed on them, but you have to order them through the "business" unit of the manufacturer. For instance, Dell's Precision Workstation and Vostro lines don't come with all the crapware. Same goes for HP and its workstation line. However you pay significantly more money. That crapware found on most consumer PC machines helps subsidize the low price. This is another reason why Apple computers are more expensive than their PC counterparts. Apple isn't taking in a bunch of what amounts to advertising money from third party vendors.  |  IP: Logged Joe Tommassello Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 547 From: Coatesville, PA, USA Registered: Jan 2008 posted 10-23-2009 01:42 PM                  Anyone who calls them "puters" loses all credibility.  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 10-23-2009 02:35 PM                       That's par for the source, Joe. It happened long ago.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-23-2009 06:37 PM                     quote: Joe Tommassello Anyone who calls them "puters" loses all credibility. Thats what the guys at the missle launch site north of here call em!!  |  IP: Logged Jarret Chessell Master Film Handler Posts: 288 From: London, Ontario, Canada Registered: Jan 2009 posted 10-23-2009 07:02 PM                     quote: Wayne Keyser More than that ... I dunno if they do this anymore, but back in Windows 98 days when it was time to replace or upgrade a part of my major-store-brand computer, I opened it up only to find the components hot-glued in place! Insulting as well as annoying. They do this for warranty reasons. If you send it back and the glue is broken, they know you were screwing with it, warranty void! I've even seen lock-tight used. I don't blame them either. I just started buying Mac computers, sexy out of the box. I have one PC, socket A 2GHz with 1 gig of dual channel memory. I have an OEM copy of XP, and it does everything I want that my mac's can't.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-23-2009 08:55 PM                        quote: Jarret Chessell Mac computers, sexy out of the box. Is Apple's packaging for computers as elegant-looking as their iPod packaging? I bought a little power supply cord for my iPod and it was the nicest looking little thing I ever saw. Too bad it was nearly impossible to get into without a huge knife, but you can't have everything.  |  IP: Logged Mike Heenan Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1896 From: Scottsdale, AZ, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 10-24-2009 01:31 AM                     It is the same for it's laptops as it is for the Ipod Touch and Iphone. I don't recall the packaging for the desktops though.  |  IP: Logged Chris Slycord Film God Posts: 2986 From: 청주시, 경북도, South Korea Registered: Mar 2007 posted 10-24-2009 05:22 PM                     quote: Bobby Henderson Another thing to consider is compatibility of all the components. On the other side of the coin, you should consider how compatible those components are with components not used by your manufacturer. By that I mean that a lot of times, manufacturers will use non-standard, proprietary parts. For instance, my mom and dad's old Dell computer had it's CPU fan die. We pulled it off, figured out what socket the thing used, ordered a nice one off some website, then when we got it found that the fan's power connector didn't fit into Dell's non-standard connector. Granted, it wasn't at all hard to cut the wire and use a thing to connect the wires for the new fan to that old thing, but it's just stupid that we needed to do it. On the other hand, Dell has stopped doing this apparently. Still, similar stuff still happens.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 10-24-2009 10:17 PM                     Am I really reading this? Do you people use the packaging or the contents of the box???  |  IP: Logged Damien Taylor Master Film Handler Posts: 493 From: Perth, Western Australia Registered: Apr 2007 posted 10-24-2009 10:44 PM                     quote: Brad Miller Am I really reading this? Do you people use the packaging or the contents of the box??? True, but in the case of my Apple products, it's nice to see where at least some of my money is going..  |  IP: Logged Jarret Chessell Master Film Handler Posts: 288 From: London, Ontario, Canada Registered: Jan 2009 posted 10-24-2009 11:03 PM                     I spoon with my iMac box  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-25-2009 12:06 PM                     Actually I find some of the packaging that motherboards and video cards come in to be just as sexy and clever as Apple's. However if you purchase an item just for it's sexy and clever packaging you have a more serous problem going on upatairs! Packaging like this is all marketing hype and with most really good products you'll find out there they already have a following and require nothing more than a mere non-descript plain ole double thickness cardboard box or bubble pack hangger. Mark  |  IP: Logged

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