Need Advice on buying new dell and upgrading

[wag2639]

Hi, my friend showed me on SlickDeals a deal for a $400 Dell E520.

Basic specs are crap: Pent D, 512mb ram, basic other stuff.
The reason I'm interested, for $50 more and a total of $450 /w S&H, it includes a 20" Widescreen LCD and brand new system with WinXP.

As for ram, hd, cd drives, graphics card, I'm hoping I can get those for $200 - $300 from newegg.

Heres the kicker, I'm new and need help but not a total newb. I know Pent D sucks but I read that the processor could be upgraded to a Core 2 Duo which seems like a good thing to do in August when the prices drop even more. Can anyone confirm this and tell me how to do it?

Also more importantly, is this a good idea? I'm worried about compatibility limitations, PSU requirements, I'm too lazy to deal with water cooling, and some other things I havn't even thought of yet. And if it is a good idea, any recommendation, video card suggestions?

My thinking is I was going to upgrade an older P4 computer I have at home for around $200 and still get a $200 LCD, but after seeing this, for $200 more ($600 total), I could get a brand new system? I'm very tempted to build a system from scratch but any system I build with cost at least 1.5k and I'm saving for a really good tablet.

Thanks.

 

[wag2639]

The mobo has a 965 chipset and uses 533/667 MHz DDR2 ram according to Dell doc.

 

[apache_lives]

Hi, my friend showed me on SlickDeals a deal for a $400 Dell E520.

Basic specs are crap: Pent D, 512mb ram, basic other stuff.
The reason I'm interested, for $50 more and a total of $450 /w S&H, it includes a 20" Widescreen LCD and brand new system with WinXP.

As for ram, hd, cd drives, graphics card, I'm hoping I can get those for $200 - $300 from newegg.

Heres the kicker, I'm new and need help but not a total newb. I know Pent D sucks but I read that the processor could be upgraded to a Core 2 Duo which seems like a good thing to do in August when the prices drop even more. Can anyone confirm this and tell me how to do it?

Also more importantly, is this a good idea? I'm worried about compatibility limitations, PSU requirements, I'm too lazy to deal with water cooling, and some other things I havn't even thought of yet. And if it is a good idea, any recommendation, video card suggestions?

My thinking is I was going to upgrade an older P4 computer I have at home for around $200 and still get a $200 LCD, but after seeing this, for $200 more ($600 total), I could get a brand new system? I'm very tempted to build a system from scratch but any system I build with cost at least 1.5k and I'm saving for a really good tablet.

Thanks.

its a dell, bad idea to go there... b...a...d...... i.d.e.a........

 

[tsponholz]

A couple of things about Dell:
1) they are not bad systems if you buy what you need from them (I know I'll get bashed for that comment). They are decently set up, support is pretty good, and they are reliable.

2) They are a bad idea if you plan on upgrading anything! They often have "minimum" okay specs at the time you buy them, which means they are not a gerat choice if you are concerned about future proofing. They just don't make it easy. I currently have a Dell and it has been a fine computer (not great, or even good, but fine), and to even replace the PSU I had to get the hacksaw out.

Just my two cents.

 

[joefriday]

I tend to stay away from BTX-based PCs. It's not a bad price at all though. As long as you don't have a desire to ever replace the mobo, it should be a good buy.

 

[fredgiblet]

For your purposes I think it's a very bad idea. Dell's are great for if you are never planning on upgrading anything other than RAM but I'd never trust one to go from a wussy system to a gaming machine.

 

[karlb]

No. Please. Just No. There is a reason its $400.

Let us be sensible now...

First Dell Ram is crap, everyone should know this.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145569
Even the icky version of corsair is better for $27

Cheap Barebone Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856101013
$94, slightly crappy, but better than Dell

Same Processor
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16819116213
$88

Random DVD burner (yes burner not rom)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16827131038

Random HD (Did I mention its not 80 gigs)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16822148146


That brings us to ~ $307

Viewsonic 19 Inch Widescreen (pwns dell's crappy analog)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16824116014

$150 after $40 rebate

Then stick in OpenSuse 10.2 and your good to go for $450

Don't get this machine btw, AMD is great at dual core low end nowdays

 

[dsidious]

You could buy it, keep the monitor, then make some kid happy by giving him the computer on his/her birthday. Forget upgrading...

 

[wise]

my birthday coming soon, so tempted to ask, however have 2 dells too many already. seriously though DONT DO IT MAN. used computers are usually overpriced, people think something they paid a few grand for 5 years ago is still worth something. better off starting from scratch. old flatscreens arent as good as new ones too.

 

[darkangelism]

you can upgrade it, just remember you cant OC it. buying a refurb XPS is probably a better choice though because the power supply is better. But you could put an X6800, 4GB DDR667 and an 8800GTX and have a decent system.

 

[wag2639]

To be honest, the only thing that got me tempted was that I was going to spend $200 for a monitor, and WinXP cost $100, so that meant I was getting a $100 cheap computer.

Thanks for the advice. I think I'm going to wind up building something gradually maybe. But the idea of paying for a WinXP license just makes me cringe and getting around the activation is just so aggravating.

 

[dsidious]

Be very careful,it's an OEM license so you can't move that XP on a different PC. For example you can't just move the OS and some parts from the new computer to your older one. :x

 

[Jodym2]

The mother board that you get with a Dell disappoints me. You'll never be able to over clock with that Mother Board. The last two Dells I installed removed the PS/2 Ports. This was particularity troubling because the system was sold with a MS Wireless Key Board & Mousse the Key Board was PS/2. I just hate this reverse engineering mentality if they can save a penny they will even though it will cost the end user later. This stuff is distend to be E-Waste very shortly.

 

[apache_lives]

Be very careful,it's an OEM license so you can't move that XP on a different PC. For example you can't just move the OS and some parts from the new computer to your older one. :x

lol who cares you can reactivate em and if not then ring em up and say "im doing a reinstall" and "no this is the only pc" etc - done it too many times to count

 

[runswindows95]

you can upgrade it, just remember you cant OC it. buying a refurb XPS is probably a better choice though because the power supply is better. But you could put an X6800, 4GB DDR667 and an 8800GTX and have a decent system.

For that much money, you are better off building from scratch, or just buying a new one from Dell! I mean, seriously, why spend at least $1800 to upgrade a refurbished computer? Seems kind of pointless.

To answer wag2639's original question, overall, 99% of the retail machines, the mobos are so propitiatory, it's not even funny. At most, you can upgrade the RAM and add a low end GPU. Again, just save money and build your own.