Is This System a Deal or No Deal?

[JackM]

XP Home tower only using generic parts, custom built new at a local computer store only six months ago: AMD Duron 900Mhz; 256MB RAM; 40GB HDD; NVidia MX200 64MB graphics; low end M/B. Price = $900

Would you consider this:
1. Fair Price
2. High Price But Normal for Local Store
3. Overpriced
4. Way Overpriced
5. Ripped Off
6. Scammed

Thanks. I hope my friend can see that it's not just me.

 

[31computers]

Bearing in mind the exchange rate, I would say between 4 and 5!

 

[apt403]

i would say, 5.5-6.

 

[monkeymanuk]

a definite 5

 

[chunkymonster]

4 and 5, plus I'd say they saw your friend coming from a mile away...

 

[Featherstone]

Completely and utterly scammed. I built my comp that is twice that system 2 and a half years ago for the same price!

 

[Criminal89]

WOW! Can you say arse rapped! That is maybe $250 worth of crap packed inside of a computer case!

 

[Threshold]

Definitely less than $150.

Well, except for XP being on it, but that's beside the point.

I'd have to give this a...SEVEN. COMPLETE ripoff.

I'd be curious if anyone knows anyone who would actually spend that much for such a system-I'd sell them mine in a heartbeat.

Wouldn't you?

 

[WR2]

Today if you went shopping for a system like that you'd spend less than $300.
If you want to look at what you can get for $900 today cruise by this website and price one up yourself. CyberPowerPC

 

[horstmann]

On newegg the prices for the components are

amd duron ~ $28
Ram ~ $30
Nvidia MX4000 64mb graphics ~ $23
40 GB hard drive ~ $40
Low end motherboard ~$45
Cheap case ~$25
Cheap power supply ~$25
DVD burner ~ $30
Windows XP Home ~$90

total of $336 and $564 for labor = $900

He got a 7.5.

 

[Milbo183]

Most definately a 6 or 7.I think it is rape.

 

[JackM]

WOW! Can you say arse rapped! That is maybe $250 worth of crap packed inside of a computer case!

Actually, I priced it including fans and cables for $290 for new parts. XP Home would have been the most expensive thing about it and that would add another $70 or so.

This is assuming new parts were used, and somehow, I don't get a warm and fuzzy about that. I'm sure at the least, the RAM was taken from another system. That's only my gut feeling.

For $600-$700, you can buy a computer that is 2-3x the processor, twice the RAM, twice the hard drive, tons better graphics card, keyboard, mouse, speaker, and a 17" LCD monitor to boot. For an extra $70, you could get yourself a decent 3-1 printer as well. All this is still a big chunk less than the $900.

Bottom line is, by today's standards, there's no excuse for selling a new computer, low end and all, with a Duron 900Mhz processor.

 

[Crapola]

I believe I built a similar computer with 1.2 Thunderbird and 512m of ram for about 800 bucks, BACK IN 2001!! Seriously, your friend got ripped, big time...

 

[JMecc]

6. All of the parts you described are obsolete ones that people give away for free. The only usable part is the 40GB drive & even that is only usable for a picture backup drive.

My friend got a new comp last summer for $2000 CAD, which in Edmonton (www.memoryexpress.com) means a pretty good machine. He lives down by Toronto, which have a huge multitude of computer stores with very cheap prices on college street so I assumed he got a real sweet comp. He said it was an "Athlon times two", which I assumed meant x2 4200/4600 or something & a good system built around it. As it turns out it is a standard mobo with 512MB ram with an Athlon 64 3200, like I built my sister for less than that 1 year before. I looked at the box they gave him & there is the miscommunication - the box that a builder gives you is the mobo box, which usually advertises the best processor kind that it will support (new mobos say built for Core2Extreme even if the CPU in the system is an E6300). People who aren't knowledgeable about computers can be has so easily if they don't ask for their techie frends' advice (which is what makes me fearful in buying other products out there that I don't know as well as a computer).

Jo

 

[grant_77]

Is that Canadian or American Dollars?

Either way your friend got torn a new hole. In American dollars that would just be criminal.

The parts on that computer were found most readily on computers over 5 years ago. You can now purchase them used or refurbished at many stores, tigerdirect, factorydirect, ebay, etc.

The closest thing I could find was this http://www.factorydirect.ca/catalog/product_spec.php?pcode=CO0517

$189 CAD with equivalent parts, but with twice the processing power.

It sounds like the computer your friend bought had refurbished parts and was assembled together and sold as a "new" assembled. If you can find out that the parts were refurbished or used, and were sold to you as new , you should have your friend demand money back, and if not send the story into the local newspaper how your friend bought a new computer that was used!

Approximatly months ago i built a 3800 x2 system for around $800-900 Canadian. He should have been able to get a Athlon x2 3800+ with an nvidia 6150 motherboard, 2 x 512mb (1 gb) of 400DDR value ram, windows xp , and an antec sonata case with 450w power supply, DVD Burner, and 320 GB harddrive.

 

[mars_THoC]

My guess would be they sold a used, traded in system. Cleaned it up, fresh os, and presented it as new. Why would anyone build that old of a machine.

 

[3lfk1ng]

On newegg the prices for the components are

amd duron ~ $28
Ram ~ $30
Nvidia MX4000 64mb graphics ~ $23
40 GB hard drive ~ $40
Low end motherboard ~$45
Cheap case ~$25
Cheap power supply ~$25
DVD burner ~ $30
Windows XP Home ~$90

total of $336 and $564 for labor = $900

He got a 7.5.

/Agree

However, the fact that the labor cost more than the cpu I'll have to give it a ~9ish

7) Bent over and abused with no lubrication.....

LOL

 

[Onus]

Unlubed, without "reach-around."

 

[everett]

Tell you did not pay that much

 

[redwing]

Yea I think the point was made. Make your friend read this thread now

For 900$ he can make himself a core2 system nowadays with midrange graphics. Heck, he can even buy a much better PC from DELL (!!!), new, for that price.

 

[MrCommunistGen]

6.
I recently gave away a system with more balls than that... of course thats because I'm a generous person when it comes to computer stuff and my non-techie friends. It was more valuable to me that they have a GOOD cheap computer than me coming out with a couple hundred bucks (am somewhat regretting that part now). BUT, I didn't want to go through the effort of trying to sell it to someone, wanted to make sure it had a good home, and that I could still visit it :roll:. Plus, there were other vested interests involved.
The system was:
Athlon XP2200
MSI KT6V-LSR
768MB PC3200
Radeon 9800 Pro 128
80GB 7200RPM Hitachi
52x Memorex CDRW
(basically my old rig except the RAM, HD, and optical)

-mcg

 

[Anoobis]

I don't know whether to laugh or cry at that.

 

[redwing]

Rofl, I love your sig JackM (just noticed it).

 

[akahuddy]

"There's a sucker born every minute." P.T. Barnum

A fool and his money are quickly parted.

I could easily build an insane gaming rig for that same amount of money today.

 

[AMDThunder]

Unlubed, without "reach-around."

You forgot the 12 inch spike wrapped in barbed wire.

That's just insane.