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Do you Buy Or Build?


dlewis23

Do you buy your PC or do you build it.  

31 members have voted

  1. 1. Do you buy your PC or do you build it.

    • I Buy
      12
    • I Build
      19


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building one is the only way to get ur money's worth - getting "100s of dollars" worth of dell/compaq software is not my idea of a good computer

like i said, if you want something with non-mainstream (meaning newest graphics cards, for example) building is probably not a bad idea, if you shop around to get the bundles of parts and maybe wait a few weeks to get a rebate on a certain part. but if all you want is an allround box that runs and brings licenses for the os and maybe some other stuff, then you can't beat for example dells packages. take their configs and put them together at newegg or tiger, add the software and see. 400 or so (depending on current offer)  for a celeron with a monitor and winxp home and maybe an ms works? even the winxp alone will cost you 80 to 100.

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DEF. BUILD!  If you dont have the knowhow, get a friend to if you can.  Built mine from scratch and saved a bundle, but there are + and - to the situation.

By building it yourself you give up that wonderful (but in most hellacious) tech support.

Although by building you can save hundreds of dollars.  For example, since im in college, I was able to purchase Windows XP Pro. for $10...yes $10 (site license)!  Even so, just a few weeks ago i built (theoretically for a friend for a price) a top of the line computer with everything you could need, including the new AMD X2 3800+ (I think), and good graphx card, mem, etc.  It rounded out to be around $1400-1600 (maybe less, cant remember exact figure).  All parts were chosen from Tigerdirect.com and being a NC native all i would have to do is pick up the parts from the store.  This computer was easily compared to the top-of-the-line Dell XPS system, or some Alienware systems. 

Sidenote: Alienware is a bad comparison, yes they are expensive and over priced computers but they are awesome systems.  The tech support is phenominal and lifelong as well, the bundled software is programs that you actually want.  Many times also these systems will contain hardware and software that hasnt even been publicly released for individual purchase yet.  Personally I wouldnt own one, but dont get me wrong, they are one bad ass system.

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I had made some changes to computers that I bought in the past and just recently built this one as a sorta "Frankenstein" from some old and new parts.  It was fun do it myself and I think I learned a bit by doing it.  I do not think that I can build a computer cheaper than one could buy a computer, but maybe build one with better quality components for cheaper than one could buy a really top of the line rig.  I am not really a geek, but I have somewhat geekish tendancies in my hobbies and I have enjoyed building this machine and I think that it is well worth the effort for anyone who wants to learn a little about how these amazing machines that we take so for granted work and are put together.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I bought a pre built compaq  four years ago w/128mb of ram and a 40 GB hard drive, 40x cd burner ,amd athlon xp 1800,and oh yeah a 200watt ps,  compaq monitor, hp printer all for  239$ (there were alot of rebates) from staples.  As u can see in my sig i basically upgraded everything on it besides the procesor and mobo

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