buy it or build it?

i say build it, b/c i like to know exactly what i am getting when i buy a computer, and building your own allows you to customize the components to fit you. plus, its cheaper.

if you build it they will come lol but seriously if you build you gain experience and you can cut corners where you want not like all the big companies that cut corners everywhere

lol prozac i'm being serious when you go to rent a hooker make sure her pimps around so you can get a great deal i did

always build it

I priced this out @ Newegg yesterday. Prices are subject to change, but do you think this could be sold for $500? I would bump it up to a Semperon 3000+, which would raise the cost to about $430 for me. I know making $70 per PC isn't much, but it is a start to see if I want to do it more...

CD/DVD Burners (RW Drives)
Qty. Product Description Unit Price Savings Total Price
5 NEC Black IDE/ATAPI DVD Burner Model ND-3550A - OEM
Model #: ND-3550A BK OEM
Item #: N82E16827152058 $37.99 $189.95
ATX Computer Cases
Qty. Product Description Unit Price Savings Total Price
5 Foxconn TLM624 Black/Silver Steel MicroATX Mini Tower Computer Case Peak Power: 350W, Max Power: 250W Power Supply - Retail
Model #: TLM624
Item #: N82E16811153034 $32.50 $162.50
Floppy Drives
Qty. Product Description Unit Price Savings Total Price
5 NEC Black 1.44MB 3.5" Internal Floppy Drive - OEM
Model #: FD1231H-302
Item #: N82E16821152005 $7.79 $38.95
Internal Hard Drives
Qty. Product Description Unit Price Savings Total Price
5 Western Digital Caviar WD800BB 80GB 7200 RPM IDE Ultra ATA100 Hard Drive - OEM
Model #: WD800BB
Item #: N82E16822144102 $48.50 $242.50
AMD-compatible Motherboards
Qty. Product Description Unit Price Savings Total Price
5 Foxconn K7S741GXMG-6L Socket A (Socket 462) SiS 741GX Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
Model #: K7S741GXMG-6L
Item #: N82E16813186029 $42.89 $214.45
Memory - System
Qty. Product Description Unit Price Savings Total Price
5 CORSAIR ValueSelect 512MB (2 x 256MB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200) Unbuffered Dual Channel Kit System Memory Model VS512MBKIT400C3 - Retail
Model #: VS512MBKIT400C3
Item #: N82E16820145477 $43.00 $215.00
Processors
Qty. Product Description Unit Price Savings Total Price
5 AMD Sempron 2600+ Thoroughbred 333MHz FSB Socket A Processor Model SDA2600DUT3D - OEM
Model #: SDA2600DUT3D
Item #: N82E16819104205 $77.00 $385.00
Operating Systems
Qty. Product Description Unit Price Savings Total Price
5 Microsoft Windows XP Home With SP2 - OEM
Model #: N09-01528
Item #: N82E16837102059 $93.95 -$2.00 Sale $459.75
Subtotal: $1,908.10
Shipping Shipping: $136.49
Total: $2,044.59

In your rush to prove your superior statistics knowledge, did you notice that he seems to be considerably more interested in reasons than numbers, anyway? Just trying to be helpful.

Why? Who cares? Try looking at what he wrote. As in:

"any response would be appreciated. thanks."

"thanks to whoever cast the second vote, but responses would help me out more."

He doesn't seem too concerned about the poll, if he's even still around.

hes just mad his team lost to two teams that arent in the SEC.

That's a different subject altogether, but not entirely without its own element of truth.

You....you....big meanie!

"You can do it!! Alllll niiiight loooong!" [/TWb]

*poops on USC*

Too many variables.

For me, build it every time.

For your average user I would first ask a series of questions.

1. Are you willing to learn?
(this is a big one. Far too many end users just don't want to even think about how the computer works.)

2. Do you know any techs who can help you if you get in a bind?

3. Do you know the difference between an Athlon 64 and a Pentium 3?
(If they don't know this then obviously it would be in their best interest to do a lot of research before continuing and this would go back to question 1.)

4. Will you need the tech support?

Seriously, if the guy knows next to nothing but has a friend who can help him and he honestly wants to learn, I'd be all for him building it. He will learn a lot more that way than buying a prebuilt. Most people though are just going to want to keep it as simple as possible even if it means less "bang for the buck".

Generally building it will result in a higher-quality machine that is much more serviceable and upgradeable. Not to mention you know exactly what goes into the machine and you don't get saddled with an awful crufted-up XP restore dick image (or if you're like me, you don't have to pay The Microsoft Tax if you don't want Windows at all on your computer.) However, buying an OEM box might make sense in the following situations:

1. You do not want to or cannot be around to support the machine if something goes wrong with the hardware.

I ran into that one when my girlfriend's parents needed a new machine. I didn't want to get saddled with supporting it if something went wrong (and having them not be happy at me) so I thought it was better that the finger of blame point at an OEM and not me.

2. You are buying a laptop.

Although not as true as it used to be with a couple of barebones laptops from ASUS and MSI coming onto the market, but you generally still have to buy OEM if you want a laptop.

3. You want a REALLY cheap computer.

Try as you might, you're not going to beat the $300 crap-in-a-box Dell specials by building your own, especially if you have to legally procure Windows (if you aren't decommissioning an old machine with a full copy of Windows on it or running Linux or BSD, you'll have to do this.)

Hi,

Desktop for yourself, build -- you get more for the same price and you get control over what goes in.

Desktop for others -- tell them to buy unless you want to be unpaid tech support for life.

Laptop -- toss up. Haven't found a good source for components, and what I've found have been expensive. Look for a sale and you can do better buying than building (at least, that's been my experience.)

-Pete

IMO building is much better than buying.

Pros:
You get to pick exactly what components you want. You will get a much faster computer for an equal price or cheaper computer of equivalent speed. You will also learn more about computers from having to do it yourself.

Cons:
Can be intimidating for the tech challenged or first time builder. You don't get the warranty and the tech support line if you build (who needs them anyway)

Unless you can find a discount for a pre-built computer, just build it. Besides, it also helps pass the time in case if your bored.

Few words, doesn't change the fact of me posting.

Great, now we must flame to see who win. NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! All I just want to post my opinion, but no, you had to gather the people of the forum.

What is it with you and those ridiculous allegations? :?

Cheers to that. But then again, building your own homebrew isn't always the way to go, especially if you're computer illiterate and think a floppy is an undercooked slice of french toast. With a steady hand, some simple knowledge of "what goes where" and what NOT to do (e.g. trying to remove your CPU with pliers) it's just a jigsaw puzzle to put CPU "A" into Socket "B", card "C" into slot "D" and so on and so forth. But not everyone has the intellectual aptitude to understand how all this goes together. That's why all the Circuit Cities and Best Buys are packed to the brim with Hewlett Crapards and Comcraps. And they will be more than happy to take your money. That's why they are there. To sell you a machine good for web and email, buring cds and dvds, and occasionaly running the copy of The Sims or Civilization, plus with "so-called" tech support to help you if you can't figure out how to turn your computer on and such. As for LAPTOPS however, an OEM is usually the way to go, as long as you get one configured for what you are using it for. But desktop replacements easily run you from $3-5K. At least, for now.