Should I build my computer or buy from Dell/Gateway?

Question

I am considering building my next computer from componants purchased from Frys or maybe NewEgg.com...

I think I have the expertise to do so, but I have never actully done it before, at least from scratch.

I plan on something close to the following specifications:

3.0 GHZ Processor (Intel or AMD, I do not personally have a preference)
1GB of Ram
160G HDD
512MB Vid Card (Geforce or something else, Video Game heavy)

I do not need a monitor, keyboard, mouse, or any of that other stuff...

And I have roughly 500$ to $600 to spend.

My checklist would be:

Box
Motherboard
Processor
RAM
Hard Drive
Power Supply
Video Card
Network Card
Operating system (When does Vista come out?)
CDRW/DVD Drive
Interior cables to put is all together

Anything else I am missing?

My other option is of course to just buy from Dell or Gateway, but my problem is I can get what I want for about $600 but it looks like I would have to upgrade the video card as soon as it arrived.

Then again... I could buy a Mac...

Answer 1

ok.
you don't need a network card, this is already integrated on the mobo, also the sound card.
interior cables are delivered with the mobo, check what cables you get on the newegg homepage.
Windows Vista should be available around 1st quarter 2007.

you miss a floppy drive (this is probably used to install the SATA drivers, prior to the operating system).
you miss probably 2 case fans, 1 for intake (HD cooler) and 1 for exhaust at the back.

btw, assembling a PC is pretty easy. you get a manual for that delivered with the mobo - step by step description.

happy comp building and good luck ;-)

P.S.
check the 1st answer, i agree with that COMPLETELY !

Answer 2

If you are on a 600 dollar budget, your dream system would not be very realistic as a decent video card or processor would cost you more than that much, though Newegg is a good option for custom building as they have everything you need so you can minimize your shipping costs. My recent custom built PC costed me 1160 at newegg.com and it fit your system demands quite similarly.

A Foxconn chassis (box) - $70
A Intel Motherboard - $115
A Pentium 4 3GHZ processor - $177
2 512 RAM - $72
GeForce 6600 GT graphics - $139
250 GB HD - $90
A 56kbps modem - $8
Windows XP home - $90
DVD-RW burner - $40

So um, yea, thats about what you need. As for the power supply, all cases come with them so you need not worry about that. The downsides for building your own is the probibility that it will not work, take days, and there is not support for it in the future. Though you will get exactly what you want and a cooler look. Windows vista will not come out for public use until (projected) next year so dont look too forward for that...

As for buying, you will only get a very basic system for $600 and if you really want a long term pc, stay away from it. Good luck: :)

Answer 3

One thing, don't use a power supply that comes with your case. Look for reviews and get a name brand like Seasonic, PC Power and Cooling or Antec.

You can't build a computer that will do much except surfing the internet for under $600. If you want a cheap Intel rig, here's what I have:

Box - POS I got for around $40, this is mostly preference.
Motherboard - ASUS P5ND2-SLi - $60 open box
CPU - Intel Pentium D 805 (stock 2.66GHz, mine is at 3.4 on stock air cooling) - $130
RAM - 2*1GB G.SKILL PC2-5400 - $150
HDD - WD 250GB 7.2K RPM - $80
PSU - Thermaltake PurePower 500W - $40
Video Card - eVGA nVidia 7900GT - $300 *
NIC - integrated
OS - Windows XP Pro - (free, legally, due to connections, Vista should come out January)
Optical - NEC DVD+/-RW - $30
Cables came with it.

All but the PSU, OS, Optical, and HDD came from NewEgg.

*The 7900GT can be had for as little as $230. It's hands-down the best value for video cards. It is the exact same as the 7900GTX, nVidia's top-of-the-line single chip card except the GTX has 512MB of memory.

Answer 4

What ur missing is a big fat wallet or atleast a larger budget.
500 to 600 will get you nothing except the video card.
The computer u just said right there, is from 1 grand to 1500 bucks.
and thats just the 4 stuff in the middle that u wrote down.
If you want something cheap for gaming, let me give you a new check list.

CPU:AMD Athlon 64 4000+ (280)
Motherboard: DFI LanParty nF4 SLI-DR motherboard (155)
RAM: 1gb OCZ Enhanced Latency Platinum Edition (100)
Video Card(s): 2x 7600 GT (173 x2 = 346) for SLI
Sound Card: Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Value SB0400 (64)
Case: Antec SUPER Lanboy (80)
Harddrive: Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 ST3120814A 120GB 7200 RPM (63)
PSU: Rosewill RD600-2DC-SL 600W Active PFC Power Supply SLI Ready ATX Form (68)
and the rest you can salvage from ur old computer

the total:$1,156 for everything above, the cheapest, yet uber pwning computer you can get!
without the SLI, it is $983

You can modify if you want to, stick with AMD though, their CPUs, after the price cut, is super uber low
the 4000+, with the RAM i showed you
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820227209
is really really great
I got my 4000+ to 3ghz with the motherboard and RAM, yet something ( i think it was my PSU) was holding me back, so i never got stable at 3ghz, but it was mad fast at 3ghz
but you can get 2.9ghz
i stuck with 2.8ghz though to be safe.
It's still fast, now i have the FX-57 and i have 3ghz

Good luck

Answer 5

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Build it...many manufacturers are quite often upgradeable or limited.

GO WITH AMD's SOCKET 939 SEMPRON (COMING OUT SOON)....then u can upgrade later to a dual core need be...! Just make sure the motherboard will support the dual core proc. PLUS socket 939 is a tested (for years now) socket/platform and AMD's socket AM2 does not give u much more in the way of performance.

Either Sempron socket (754, 939, AM2) will enable (or already includes the 64 bit instruction set) a 64 bit upgrade.

The programs (games/various apps) are always years behind the hardware whether is be a 64 bit proc or a dual core proc. A Sempron (AMD's equivalent to the Intel Celeron) is all most people need and can get any real use or net gain from.

Motherboard choice ASUS...good rep and many choices (even budget dependant)..

Joe...

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Answer 6

Heh! good i have almost exactly like your are describing except that i have a 256mb video card lol...you aren't missing anything except when you gonna buy a motherboard you won't have to spend money on a network card because there built in for your motherboard since they are AMD or INTEL (latest ones)... i have a 3ghz, 1gb ram, (gonna go with 512mb more) 256mb graphic card...450 watt power supply...
but when you buy your card like an Crossfire or an SLI remember that you need to have a motherboard enabled with that... (since you might be planning to go to fry's, which i brought my stuff from there to upgrade... my processor, motherboard, case w/power supply, ram of 512mb i got it around 500 bucks... but since your gonna go with a 512mb heavy duty card i would perfer a ATI Crossfire x1900 xtx (dont get the Crossfire x1900 xt) because the xtx is faster than the xt.... buy 100mhz lol(no difference though) also if you want more memory on just one card.. then go with nvidia (my enemies) there new grahpic card something like 7950 gx2 i think or whtever it is has memory of 1GB (crazy, that sh*t is loaded) and then you can make it into a SLI for like 2 more cards in there... making 3 gb of graphic memory more than enough but it lacks the speed though.. whicht he crossfire is about 1.6ghz (the xtx) and that nvidia 7950 gx2 is at 1.1 ghz somewhere around there..and also i'll give you a tip if you buy a crossfire or a SLI go with a 550 watt of power supply thats the minium of power they need but if your CRAZY go with a 1 kilowatt (500 bucks lol) i perfer a 650 watt... with a hard drive go with a maxtor SATA (DO NOT BUY A SEAGATE , I REPEAT DO NOT BUY A SEAGATE) i brought em like 4 times and all of them gave me problems so i went back to maxtor 200gb sata/150.... i advise you not to buy Windows OS VISTA because when you do buy that... your drivers won't work with it... (which im not sure about...but very OS is different) so i wouldnt go with it... but if i were you i would buy it and then still keep windows xp for just gaming... vista for the rest...

Answer 7

u could build a decent puter w/ what u want, if u buy a dellor a gateway u cannot add or do anything to the machine untill the warrenty runs out and then trying to find matching parts to fit thoses puter!!!! good luck
alots of good gammer stuff is not compatible w./ them. try and find aa computer show and sale u find it alot cheaper there

Answer 8

when you say you want to upgrade your video card it implies you want a gaming computer. you can't build one worth using without a good processor and video card, which both alone will easily take up most of your $500-$600.

Answer 9

Take a look at tigerdirect.com and checkout the barebones. You may see a system that have the specs you want, but possibly cheaper.