The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
The Guiding Principles and New Rules document is now in effect.
Help Choosing a Pre-Built PC
Maximum
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I'm in need of a new desktop for gaming purposes (Oblivion, LoTR Online, and such). I've done a bit of research, and not being especially savvy when it comes to technical things I realize I'll probably have to pick up a pre-built system from an online retalier. I've gotten 3 choices together here--
Dell XPS 710
Intel Core 2 E6320 1.86GHz
Nvidia GeForce 8600 GTS
2g Memory
250g HD
Total Price: 1,799.00 w/free 19' Monitor
Vigor Delta Force NE
Intel Core 2 E6600 2.4GHz
Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS Xtreme
2g Memory
320g HD
Total Price: 1,557.00
Velocity Micro ProMagix I guess this is Best-Buy's gaming model pc
Intel Core 2 E6600 2.4GHz
Nvidia GeForce 8600 GT
2g
250g HD
Total Price: 1,499.00
Can anyone give me their opinion on these machines, is there a retailer out there with a nice $1,500.00 range pc that I'm missing. The more I look around the web for PC's the more confused I get, so any help would be greatly appreciated.
Dell XPS 710
Intel Core 2 E6320 1.86GHz
Nvidia GeForce 8600 GTS
2g Memory
250g HD
Total Price: 1,799.00 w/free 19' Monitor
Vigor Delta Force NE
Intel Core 2 E6600 2.4GHz
Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS Xtreme
2g Memory
320g HD
Total Price: 1,557.00
Velocity Micro ProMagix I guess this is Best-Buy's gaming model pc
Intel Core 2 E6600 2.4GHz
Nvidia GeForce 8600 GT
2g
250g HD
Total Price: 1,499.00
Can anyone give me their opinion on these machines, is there a retailer out there with a nice $1,500.00 range pc that I'm missing. The more I look around the web for PC's the more confused I get, so any help would be greatly appreciated.
Maximum on
0
Posts
If you read the thread you can see that I was originally pretty sold on a Dell XPS, but Gateway ended up being a better fit for me for a few reasons:
First, their ordering options were so much more flexible than Dell's. I did have to experiment with choosing different base models (hint: all the FX's are basically the same, but some have different config options than others), but I was eventually able to get what I needed; namely, a mid-to-high-performance desktop that would require a minimum of upgrades/maintenance for the next 5 years. When I was looking at Dell systems, all their config options seemed to force you into either the crappy ultra-budget component or the ridiculous top-of-the-line component (this was most prevalent when choosing CPUs and vid cards -- either get the lowest-quality GeForce 7000 series or the 500-dollar brand-new 8000 series... get the $1100 quad processor or bump down to the cheapest, crappiest Core 2 Duo on the market). There was no middle ground. At Gateway, they gave you a much broader range to choose from, so I was able to build the mid-to-high-priced, beefy-but-not-ridiculously-powerful machine that I wanted.
Second, their support was a pleasant surprise. There was a bug on the website's order form that kept charging me for speakers even though I had taken them off the config. I used their online support and was able to quickly get into a live chat with one of their reps (a native speaker of English, at that!) who was super-helpful and accommodating. I even got paranoid about the bug kicking in again and he sent me screenshots of his in-house ordering software to my gmail address to prove that I was getting charged the right amount. I'm very confident about the customer service and support that I'll receive in the future based on my recent experience with them. On the other side of the coin, I've heard that Dell has farmed out a lot of its support overseas, like everybody else. I've heard some horror stories about Dell's support and while I'm sure there are similar stories about Gateway, my personal experience so far has been very positive.
Third, Gateway's prices were a little lower than Dell's. Part of this was due to #1 above, where Dell would kind of force me to get more expensive parts than I had really intended. However, I also saw some examples of the same parts simply being sold for less at Gateway.
Here's the final configuration and pricing for my order, as well as a few final thoughts and explanations about the build. The one significant difference between what was shown there and what I ended up with: instead of the 19" LCD shown in the build, I was able to take advantage of a free upgrade to a 23" widescreen LCD. Yep, a 23" widescreen LCD monitor for $40, and it's totally top-of-the line quality, too. Solid state everything, gorgeous picture, I could go on and on. And I didn't even know they were running the special until the support guy who was helping me fix my order (see #2) pointed it out to me. Oh, and also, the keyboard was PS/2, not USB as I had thought, but as it turns out, it was 1000 times more comfortable and functional than my old USB keyboard. I'm very happy with it.
The machine itself is just wonderful. I know I spent more than most people like to spend on a new machine (especially those who are used to building their own), but it was worth every penny and I don't have a single complaint with the hardware so far. There was a minimum of crap that came preinstalled on the machine, and getting rid of it was as easy as uninstalling any other program would be. I've had no hardware issues; the thing runs ultra-quiet and cool, and it's been able to run anything I've thrown at it (though I admit that hasn't been much more than WoW, still, 60+ FPS with everything all the way up is encouraging).
My final conclusion is to check out Gateway FX's if you're already considering Dell XPS's. I also checked Compaq and they had some good, flexible build options in their performance series, except they all shipped with an anemic power supply (300w, I think, too lazy to look it up) that made me nervous. If you're looking for a 'mainstream', big-name brand that is more reliable than the 'fringe' prebuilt companies, I'd definitely recommend Gateway over Dell.