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Buying a new PC this week...Custom-built? I need help!!

Aug 14, 2004 12:54PM PDT

Ok, so I'm going to buy a new PC this week. I plan to get it custom built. I'm looking at CyberPowerSystem.com as the company to have the custom PC built. Has anyone on here ever dealt with them before? After searching through several custom building PC sites online, they seem to have the best options/prices for what I'm looking for/willing to spend. I can get the PC I need for around 1200 which should be good enough for college (I'm a freshman this fall).

If anyone has any suggestions as to other sites that I should check out (that custom builds PC's), any suggestions as to any major brands (like HP) that I should also check out and any particular system they offer, let me know. I want to get the best PC possible for my pricerange.

As for the specs of the PC I'll be having made (if I order through that site):

P4 2.8GHz w/ HT Tech.
512MB (256MBx2) PC3200 400MHz Dual Channel DDR MEMORY
120-160GB 7200 RPM ATA 100 HARD DRIVE
nVidia GeForce-FX 5200 128MB DDR W/ TV OUT & DVI
SONY 52X CD-ROM
SONY CDRW 52X32X52 EIDE
Creative Labs SB LIVE VALUE 5.1

It'll also be in a X-BLADE Mid-Tower 450W W/ WINDOW & LCD Temperature Display + FAN CONTROL Case, extra fans, lights, etc.

Anyone w/ suggestions on better alternatives to what's above, please let me know. I'm a novice at best when it comes to the real technical stuff of PC's but I do want to learn.

Thanks, look forward to hearing from some people soon.

Discussion is locked

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Re: Buying a new PC this week...Custom-built? I need help!!
Aug 14, 2004 12:56PM PDT

^^^ Oh, and by the way, if my video card has TV OUT, does that mean that I can hook up the PC direct to my TV via S-Video connection? Anyone recommend that over having a normal monitor?

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Re: Buying a new PC this week...Custom-built? I need help!!
Aug 14, 2004 10:47PM PDT

I can't answer all your questions but I would never recommend using a TV as an alternative to a good monitor. Remember, for all the horsepower your your PC has, you will interact with it using a keyboard, mouse, and monitor at least. You cannot skimp on these and here's where folks tend to cut the total price by doing so.

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Re: Buying a new PC this week...Custom-built? I need help!!
Aug 15, 2004 4:30AM PDT

Thanks, yeah, I don't plan to totally replace the actual monitor for the PC with a TV. I'm just wondering as I would cut cost temporarily (for the budget) so I can get the best PC possible, then in a few weeks get a good monitor.

Anyway, anyone else? I really do need help, money comes at a premium with my fam so I'm trying to be real careful with this.

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Re: Buying a new PC this week...Custom-built? I need help!!
Oct 18, 2004 4:37AM PDT

Im buying a computer from them right now. so far there are no problems. You should probably also listen to wat jk654 said. athlon 64 saves u money and r very good peformers. im gettin one of them. so far though i like cyberpower and i think theyre a pretty good name. Good Luck!

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Re: Buying a new PC this week...Custom-built? I need help!!
Oct 26, 2004 11:01AM PDT

SF- I just called DELL and spoke with a woman who
built mine over the phone as we spoke. It sounds
like you've done your homework. Good for you...
It sounds like alot of work but, believe me, it
was well worth it. Good luck, and I hope it all
works out for you.

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Re: Buying a new PC this week...Custom-built? I need help!!
Aug 20, 2004 5:57AM PDT

You left out one important piece of hardware. What motherboard are you planning on using?

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Re: Buying a new PC this week...Custom-built? I need help!!
Oct 8, 2004 12:41PM PDT

I wouldn't buy from this company; it is very dishonest. I wouldn't trust them at all. They lied to me about shipping price and customer service didn't even try to help.

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Re: Buying a new PC this week...Custom-built? I need help!!
Oct 13, 2004 11:16PM PDT

I am curious about the details of your experience with this company. I very much like their prices and flexiblity and was about to purchase from them until I read your post. Can you be more specific?

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Re: Buying a new PC this week...Custom-built? I need help!!
Oct 26, 2004 6:43PM PDT

Wait till you have a failure of a component outside the warranty and find the incompatibility of the many parts. Should slave labor also be a consideration in purchasing products?

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Re: Buying a new PC this week...Custom-built? I need help!!
Oct 8, 2004 9:40PM PDT
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Re: Buying a new PC this week...Custom-built? I need help!!
Oct 11, 2004 11:32AM PDT

The most important thing to consider when planning to purchase a computer is what you want to use it for, and in your case, I presume, for colleage work. What course are you taking ? The Arts ? Science ? Get one suitable for your work and you may save a few bucks. Don't over kill. Use the proper tool to crack a nut.

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Re: Buying a new PC this week...Custom-built? I need help!!
Oct 14, 2004 8:52AM PDT
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Re: Buying a new PC this week...Custom-built? I need help!!
Oct 26, 2004 6:54PM PDT

Ouch! $640.00 for just a chip. Cutting edge today - old crap tomorrow.

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Re: Buying a new PC this week...Custom-built? I need help!!
Oct 27, 2004 12:48PM PDT

$640? An Athlon 64 3000+ socket 754 is under $150. An Athlon 64 3500+ is around $325. There are Athlon 64 chips over $600, however imo those chips are good for those who have too much money. Happy . If I were building a system now, I would use a socket 754 Athlon 64 3000+. The 90 nm Athlon 64 3500+ is very popular now due to its low power consumption.

http://techreport.com/ja.zz?comments=7417

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Re: Buying a new PC this week...Custom-built? I need help!!
Oct 21, 2004 3:44PM PDT

Have you looked at Systemax computers on Tigerdirect.com? They offer a plethora of options and great package deals. Your a bit skimpy on memory. Recommend 1 gig it's cheapest when you buy it with a system. Recommend WIN XP Professional for stability and best all around performance but XP home is fine.

Just bought my own new PC after 7 years and suffering WIN ME these last few. After te last HD crash I gave up fxing and bought anew.

Package deals with an LCD monitor will ease your syes and lower power consumption overall.

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Re: Buying a new PC this week...Custom-built? I need help!!
Oct 21, 2004 5:36PM PDT

I would advise anyone getting a new P.C.or upgrading .To DIY.First you get a good feeling that you have, built it and with all the help around ,it is fairly easy.The worst bit I find is the fiddly wee wires to the front controls, (The start switches on the mother board)But if you do this before putting the board in it is easy. You don,t get a lot of rubbish ,from the dealer putting in their OS which contains stuff to make you use their system.Also I always put in a 550 watt power

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Re: Buying a new PC this week...Custom-built? I need help!!
Oct 21, 2004 7:24PM PDT

it all breaks down to a few basic questions.

1) price...what can you get for what you want to spend. a rule of thumb i use is always get the most advanced tech you can,it will be usefull longer.

2) use...what are you going to be doing with it? a box for writing papers and browsing the web can be DRASTICLY different than a computer used for writing papers,browsing the web and cutting edge gaming or heavy photoshop or cad/cam usage.

3)tech smarts...how much do you know about computers? would you be willing or interested to learn? i broke my first mass produced pc and learned how to fix it. it was only a matter of time until i started building my own.

3.a)if your not that tech savvy your best bet is to buy from one of the big companies as their tech support *usually* is better.(waiting for the flames)
or at least a local company/builder you can meet face to face.the smaller builders I.E. systemax,etc etc IMHO are geared more twoards someone who can do a bit of troubleshooting on their own.

4)get the biggest monitor you can afford. i still use a 19 inch gateway monitor that came with the 486 dx66 top of the line computer i recieved when I went to college quite a number of years ago.

5)...wait. go to school,settle in and then talk to some of your professors and see if they can't recommend a grad student or someone in the comp/sci or IT departments who may have a well tuned comp they are looking to upgrade from or to help you make your hardware choices.
6)if you still can't decide we can figure out a way to get in touch and i'll take the time to help you myself.

alot of things to think about but i hope it helps.

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Re: Buying a new PC this week...Custom-built? I need help!!
Oct 22, 2004 10:22PM PDT

I expect this post may be a bit late, but here goes.
I don't buy boxes from any supplier, but build my own. It's not as hard as you think and your college IT people may be willing to give advice.

As a few others have said I'd look at a AMD chip and motherboard. You'll get more bangs for your buck with AMD (no, I don't hold stock in the company). It also has a 64 bit chip (CPU) already on the market. If you can afford it, go for it. If not go for something cheaper, but with lower power.

As an example. I can get you a motherboard, AMD Athlon XP 3200, case, 512 RAM, 80 gig sata hard drive for about

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Re: Buying a new PC this week...Custom-built? I need help!!
Oct 23, 2004 1:57AM PDT

That's a good system at a fair price.

Through experience I have not found that a major manufacture is not any better than a clone.

I would suggest Dell if you want to go with a major.

You don't necessarily need to get the latest and greatest system. You can find good systems that cost you less then the specs you stated.

Here is a system at Micro integrated for $1,018.80
http://www.mispro.com/INTEL_PIV800-400ddr.htm

Intel Pentium 4 2.4GHZ 800FSB HT Tech
Intel 865GBFL 8X AGP DDR 400MHZ HT
512Mb PC3200 Dual Chnl 400Mhz DDR
32MB DDR Extreme Graphics Controller
Seagate 120Gb 7200RPM SATA Drive
Mitsumi 3.5" 1.44Mb Floppy Drive
52X CDRW & 16X DVD Combo Drive
6 Channels Sound Blaster Audio
Altec Lansing AVS200 Stereo Speakers
10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet Controller
USR 3Com 56k D/F/V PCI Modem
InWin S508G Mid Tower 300W Frnt USB

You do have to shop around and it does depend on what your needs are.
Also checkout http://pcclub.com/
http://www.outpost.com/

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Re: Buying a new PC this week...Custom-built? I need help!!
Oct 25, 2004 10:02PM PDT

Well it sounds to me like you will have quite the machine for a person who is just going to use the described computer for his first year of collage!!!!
I would say its an overkill to say the least. Why not consider a laptop? Myself personaly would rather build my own, #1 because I know how #2 because I love doing it! #3 You will get a heck of alot more bang for the buck. >note; YOUR not going to be playing video games at school!

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Re: Buying a new PC this week...Custom-built? I need help!!
Oct 26, 2004 7:11AM PDT

As far as a custom ordered compputer, www.resellerratings.com seem to rate monarchcomputers superior to cyberpower.