My friends mom wants me to help her find a prebuilt computer.

EliteLamer

I would have built her one but I didn't want someone to break and have to be repair guy all the time. So I need to find her a computer that can play her son's new video games and is only 1000 bucks. I looked online for some places that do custom built computers but I can't find anything that has decent parts and not an insane price.. Ex : 5400.00 for alien ware, Falcon Northwest 2500.00. Any other places that have decent computers in the 1000 dollar range?

For years she bought HP's and compaqs and they break after about a year. I suggested to her an iMac but then her son wont be able to play Vidia games.

ben0207

He can always instal Boot Camp.

core tactic

I got an Emachines with 3.04 GHz processor, 128mb videocard, 120gb hard drive, 1 gb ram and a 17 inch monitor thrown in for an altogether total of 350$. (And a 1 year warranty)

But I'll suppose you guys'll laugh at me now for getting an Emachine.

Chart

The only clear solution is to build the machine yourself, and then be trapped as their personal technician every time something goes wrong.

"The email said I could be rich, but ever since I ran that executable, my computer has been acting all strange! I think it's the mouse that is broken."

EliteLamer

My mom got an emachine and it sucked. I just can't tell her to buy a dell or something because I know what crap parts they use and how much they charge. A 1000 computer only costs me like 500 to build and that is with name brand parts. I just can't stand to see her buy a 'gaming rig' for her son that is going to end up coming with 512mb of ram and a built in video card for 1000 bucks.

LewieP

Chart wrote: »

The only clear solution is to build the machine yourself, and then be trapped as their personal technician every time something goes wrong.

"The email said I could be rich, but ever since I ran that executable, my computer has been acting all strange! I think it's the mouse that is broken."

gold

12gauge

Look around for local computer stores - I got my last one build there to save me the hassle and good a pretty good system :

Intel E6400 Core 2 Duo
EVGA Gforce 7900GS
1 GB Samsung RAM
250 GB Seagate Barracuda
Liteon DVD+/-R/RW Burner
Intel S-775 Motherboard

for 890 Euros with one year service and the store being 20 minutes away from here. Definitely a better deal then I could find at the chain stores.

The other good thing about that would be that the store would take the repair requests

matt7718

mid range dell. Too cheap and it wont last the year, too expensive makes it not worth it.

EliteLamer

LewieP wrote: »

Chart wrote: »

The only clear solution is to build the machine yourself, and then be trapped as their personal technician every time something goes wrong.

"The email said I could be rich, but ever since I ran that executable, my computer has been acting all strange! I think it's the mouse that is broken."

gold

I have done that before, not gold. I built a cheap computer for my friend from used and new parts. I was like it wont be the best but it will work.. The video card we bought online used for 20 bucks broke because he broke a cap off. Then the PSU broke, cause it was a crappy case one. He didn't listen to me and spent like 80 bucks at bestbuy for a new one when he could have order one on newegg for half the price. Now I take care of everything for him on that dumb computer. No, I don't want any connection to this computer. She can call up tech support and they can deal with it.

EliteLamer

What about if I make a list of parts and have a computer store build it? How much do you think they will charge?

solsovly

Really people that tell you to just build it yourself for every situation are being unrealistic. My dell is about 6 years old and works perfectly fine, not to mention super quiet. My custom built pc is for overclocking and fiddling around, definetly not cost effective at all.

Quick browse on Dell

Dimension C521 with AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core 3800+ CPU and 19 inch E197FP Analog Flat Panel for $509 with free shipping. Microsoft Vista Home Basic comes installed. Specs include:

AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core 3800+ CPU, 1GB DDR2, 160GB SATA Drive
DVDRW, GeForce 6150 LE IGP, Ethernet, Vista Basic, 1-Yr Warranty

Even if you were to browse deal sites and pick up stuff (sometimes with rebates), this is a good deal.

Here's some estimates
Athlon 64 X2 = $92
Cheapy Motherboard With Geforce 6150= $70
Ram = $60
160 gig Hard drive = $50
Case + Powersupply = (the dell ones are actually pretty decent) = $60, huge range of these
Vista Home = $85
Monitor = $150

Combined that is 567. Now lets assume you really browsed around and waited for some deals saving 20% thats $483. Then you have to deal with the added hassle of being their personal tech support with limited warranties.

Seriously for a cheap cheap pc, it's hard to beat Dell or prepackaged systems. For serious PC gaming? Yeah build your own for your own overclocking headaches (I did) and performance/look. For the average person? Just get a prebuilt.

Edit forgot DVD burner, another 20-30. But you get the point.

EliteLamer

Whats the best way to with a dell? Go the lower model and upgrade or higher range?

Mighty

its pretty simple really, my bro got an amd dual core with integrated graphics, hopwever, it had a free pci-e slot. one vid card later and he's got a computer that trumps my dinosaur

Sanders

solsovly wrote: »

Really people that tell you to just build it yourself for every situation are being unrealistic. My dell is about 6 years old and works perfectly fine, not to mention super quiet. My custom built pc is for overclocking and fiddling around, definetly not cost effective at all.

Quick browse on Dell

Dimension C521 with AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core 3800+ CPU and 19 inch E197FP Analog Flat Panel for $509 with free shipping. Microsoft Vista Home Basic comes installed. Specs include:

How did you get that price for the C521? the Dimension C521 is listed at a starting price of $769 before upgrades on mine.

Otherwise, you can do "custom" builds on dells site, such as add parts. .

May void the warrenty if you add in an aftermarket video card.

soapofdurden

is she hot?

Gihgehls

EliteLamer wrote: »

Whats the best way to with a dell? Go the lower model and upgrade or higher range?

Go with the mid range. Dell doesn't usually overcharge you too badly on ram and cpu, but your video options might be kinda meh. Basically, I would shop for the CPU I wanted, then check newegg for memory and video stuff. You save alot of money using the dell case and mobo.

As an aside, lots of the dell gx 260s here at my office are developing power issues. Dell is using some crappy components on their mainboards, but these are computers that are a few years old. I don't know how the brand new stuff will last, because its all, umm... new.

Daedalus

Sanders wrote: »

May void the warrenty if you add in an aftermarket video card.

If Dell did that, they would be breaking the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act.

DHS Odium

http://ibuypower.com/mall/lobby.htm

They have pretty good prices, and I had a friend get a good gaming computer from there and he's been happy ever since.

DesertBox

You try these guys: http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/
?

Sanders

The Warlock wrote: »

Sanders wrote: »

May void the warranty if you add in an aftermarket video card.

If Dell did that, they would be breaking the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act.

My first computer from HP had a sticker over the side panel and the back of the case saying "if removed warranty void." So yeah, even blowing dust out of my case would void it.

Kyanilis

Not too long back I found my current PC on craigslist:

AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+ 2.2ghz dualcore
Geforce 6600 GT
2 gigs of DDR
2 74GB Raptor HDDs
SB Audigy 2
All your other standards (DVD drive, etc)
A nice Lian-Li case
A set of the Altec Lansing wireless headphones ($150 by themselves)

$600

Seriously, keep an eye out and you can find some serious deals...and of course I've upgraded since then (more RAM, better video card, 2 HDDs) but the initial deal was awesome.

BladeofTheImmortal

EliteLamer wrote: »

I would have built her one but I didn't want someone to break and have to be repair guy all the time. So I need to find her a computer that can play her son's new video games and is only 1000 bucks. I looked online for some places that do custom built computers but I can't find anything that has decent parts and not an insane price.. Ex : 5400.00 for alien ware, Falcon Northwest 2500.00. Any other places that have decent computers in the 1000 dollar range?

For years she bought HP's and compaqs and they break after about a year. I suggested to her an iMac but then her son wont be able to play Vidia games.

She hott? Oh yeah, the actual thread. Try www.ibuypower.com

cooljammer00

Isnt Dell notoious for not letting people open their cases? I hear they make it extremely difficult, and there's all this red tape if you do.

But I dont know much. All I know is that I have a Dell Dimension 2350 and it's got like, these archaic parts.