BleepingComputer.com: Should I Buy Or Build?

My usual thing was to just buy at the top of my price range. Now I just want to upgrade for gaming; Mythos beta!.

Current specs:

Pentium 3.0ghz processor
1gb ram
ati x800 256mb video card

I was told by friends to get a dual core thing so I started looking around at prices. Best buy has one for $600, walmart for $500 (don't have models/stats handy)

Local builder has the following for almost $800:

In-Win Case, Black
Intel® Desktop Board DG33FB (1333 MHz board, "legacy" connectors (ps/2 & fdd), 12 usb, 8gb max, Intel GMA 3100, 6 Channel Hi-Def Audio)	
Intel Core 2 Duo Processor E6550 - 2.33GHz w/4mb L2 Cache, 1333MHz FSB, 65nm Architecture, IVT, EMT 64 & Speedstep	
2GB RAM DDR 800mhz	
250gb Western Digital Hard Drive -- JD Series (SATA, 8mb cache; operates at 7200rpm)	
LiteON 20x DVD+/-R DVD+/-RW (DVD burner, CD Burner, DVD Rom & CD-ROM functions) Beige & Black bezel incl.	
MS OEM Windows Vista Home Premium	
Assembly	
Total as configured above:	$799.95
	
Hardware Upgrade Options (more options available upon request)	
Upgrade to Intel Core 2 Duo Processor E6550 - 2.33GHz w/4mb L2 Cache, 1333MHz FSB, 65nm Architecture, IVT, EMT 64 & Speedstep	$77.50 
Upgrade to Intel Core 2 Duo Processor E6750 - 2.66GHz w/4mb L2 Cache, 1333MHz FSB, 65nm Architecture, IVT, EMT 64 & Speedstep	$102.50 
Upgrade to Intel Core 2 Duo Processor E6850 - 3.00GHz w/4mb L2 Cache, 1333MHz FSB, 65nm Architecture, IVT, EMT 64 & Speedstep	$211.50 
Upgrade to 3GB RAM	$44.95 
Add Video Card -- GeForce 7300GS 512MB(256MB on Board) 64-bit GDDR2 PCI Express x16	$59.95

I don't understand hardware all that well, just that I'm sure all the options are better than what I have..


Then friends told me I should buy parts off the internets and build. Any thoughts? I sorta like the idea of having just what I want and not having to pay the M$ tax when I already have xp, but then again I never built before & hardy know what dual core means...

Don't expect to save money by building it yourself. Do expect to have a machine exactly the way you want it. I'm not a gamer so I'll leave the dual-core quad-core arguments up to others. I will say get a brand-name power supply. One of the best online suppliers is NewEgg.com

You can save some money building it yourself, but not by much. Multi-core processing is the latest thing and most reasonably powerful processors have that. I suggest going for quad-core over dual core since the prices are coming down. Here's a link with a good description, Link.

This post has been edited by DJBPace07: 28 February 2008 - 06:36 PM

Quote

Depends on what you call saving money.... I can spend $800 for an off the shelf unit, or I can spend $800 and build a better machine than what I could buy. Either way, it doesn't save me a dime.....

I would find a computer store that is on ebay. These stores buy hundreds or thousands of pc parts at discount and can put a pc, with your specs, together cheaper than you can. Then ship it to you. The pc will come new and put together, but no drivers or OS will be installed.
Right now and for the next bit quad core is not necessary, but it is very fun. Dual core works just fine, but make sure the clock speed is high enough. I wouldnt go below 2.0 ghz. (dual core)
For gaming make sure you have enough ram (2 gig min) and a good video card, with a lot of video ram.

The problem with your local builders pc is that there is no video card. Do not buy it for gaming. And the video card he is offering for $59.95 is a low end card.

I can help you directly if you wish.
In the past year I have built mine and two others from the same vendor much, much cheaper than if I were to buy parts separately.

Caspersim

"I would find a computer store that is on ebay. "

Its "Buyer Beware". I don't purchase any computer parts without checking the seller ratings at www.resellerratings.com You buy where you can easily return faulty items.

"The problem with your local builders pc is that there is no video card. "

I'll put in whatever they want, you want dual-SLI, go for it