wooodman

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Sep 24, 2006
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Hi everybody,

Last week, I committed heresy - I bought a pre-config'd desktop PC from Future Shop. Normally I'm the kind of guy who snickers at those jaunty flyer-advertised desktops because, as we know, they always highlight an impressive CPU and pair it with cheap-o components (integrated graphics / inadequate RAM / no OS / no monitor / etc.). Although I'm not a hardcore gamer by any means and I rarely upgrade, my innate nerdiness traditionally forces me to spec out my computer so I know I'm getting the best components, and have it slapped together by the local hole-in-the-wall computer shop. However, this looked like a sweet deal to me:

ACER ASE700-EQ662A
CPU: Quad core Q6600 2.4GHz
RAM: 2GB (don't know the speed - if someone can tell me how to determine, will post)
HDD: 500GB SATA (not SATA II)
Video: ATI Radeon X1650SE 256MB
Dual layer DVD burner
Power supply: ? you got me - probably cheap-o
Motherboard: ? you got me - probably even more cheap-o
OS: Vista Home Premium

...plus it came with a bundled LG 20" monitor

Cost was $1,099 Cdn + taxes. Given everything it includes, it looked like a good deal and I got so excited I just went ahead and bought the damn thing. I felt like I was watching my own infomercial. Anyhow, it seems to be a fast, quiet little machine and thus far I'm very pleased with it as well as Vista. Typing in Wordpad is just so amazingly responsive, and Minesweeper runs like a dream! Solitaire shuffles the cards in mere seconds! Not to mention how fast my Excel spreadsheets calculate themselves. Amazing. I'm so glad I bought a quad core... ;)

Ah well, the motherboard will probably blow up the day after the warranty expires. What does everybody think? Did I get a reasonably good deal? Thanks.
 

Spikke

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May 16, 2006
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The best way to know if it was a good deal is to go to newegg. zipzoomfly, etc and build one with the same specs and see what the price comes to.
 

tik

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Apr 30, 2005
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The answer is NO don't buy it.

For $ 1,100, you will make yourself a brand new better system (with a monitor).
 

Mish

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Jul 28, 2004
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www.NCIX.com it is a great little site for buying parts in Canada, and they price match other stors as well. You can also have them put it togeather and set up the software for a extra 50$ or just 25$ to put it togeather and you can load your own software.

Maybe check and see, like Spikke said, and if you can get one cheaper from there bring the one you bought back. Future shop has at least a week I think if not more for returns of computers.
 

jevon

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Jun 6, 2004
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Yeah.. I'd check out NCIX.com or DirectCanada.com... you can almost certainly make a better box for the same $.. specs for the memory, mobo, PSU, and LCD can make or break a build very quickly. Especially for upgradability where the motherboard is concerned. Definately look into returning it! (ie dont take no for answer)
 

wooodman

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Sep 24, 2006
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Thanks very much for your replies; I'll check out NCIX and DirectCanada and see if there's anything better to be had.

Out of curiosity, assuming I did want to keep my current computer, are there any real "weaknesses" that I would notice? Ie. any bottlenecks? Would faster RAM help? A SATA II HDD make any difference? Could my computer even accept a SATA II HDD?

Or, given that I don't do any heavy gaming, would it be wasted money to think about installing some new components? Thanks in advance for your advice.
 

jevon

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Jun 6, 2004
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Well without knowing more details on what motherboard and memory you have it's hard to say if you're going to be bottlenecked.. although if I was a betting man I would say the memory and mobo are prolly going to hold you back.

Get CPU-Z from here.
It will give you more info about what exactly is in your system. Then you should take a look around the forums/net and see what else people are building for ~$1,100. You could no doubt get a Q6600, ati 1950 or nvidia 8600 (video card), 2GB decent DDR2-800 memory, and motherboard that has just the features you need for less than that.
 

grieve

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Apr 19, 2004
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Woodman I have the same belief 'Normally I'm the kind of guy who snickers at those jaunty flyer-advertised desktops'

Truth being told if you’re a person who isn’t a big gamer then the machines at best buy/futureshop have plenty of power. People do not need an 8800gtx/q6600 to check email and browse the net. Also the whole ‘modding’ fad is pretty much over except for the hardcores which are a very small %; like 1% I bet.

I for one think you probably got a decent deal right there... hassle free computing at a reasonable price, not like you were ripped off and if you were it is a miniscule amount of $ .... PLUS i bet you got a warrant, which you dont have when you build.

all that being said, ALWAYS build your own ! It will always be more bang for the buck :)
 

StevieD

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Jun 29, 2004
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Sounds like a good deal to me.

I am from south of your border, so $1099 Cdn is what, about $800 or $900?

I went to CC's website and found this little gem:

HP Pavilion Desktop PC (A6152N)
• Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600
• 400GB hard drive
• 3GB of DDR2 memory
• Burns DVDs and CDs
• Windows Vista Home Premium

Without a monitor and only integrated graphics for $850 US

roughly comparable, so I would say you got a a really good deal.

You can always upgrade the graphics card in a year or two, and you will have a decent computer for the next 3-5 years.
 

metrazol

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Apr 16, 2007
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I'm wondering if Futureshop made a mistake... They made some profit sure, but they certainly didn't gouge you as is normally the case with them. You shouldn't be suffering buyer's remorse with that build, especially as you're not a big gamer or upgrader.
 

Heyyou27

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Jan 4, 2006
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The X1650 sh!ty edition if you plan on gaming.
 
Funny, I had a pick-up order for that one too, I let it expire after I did some research. Here's why I didn't buy it:

1. Vista - I still prefer XP and intend to stick with it until 6 months after SP1
2. RAM PC2-5300 - come on, PC2-6400 would be common decency these days
3. PSU 300W Lite-On (that's too small to allow upgrades, and 4th tier quality)
4. X1650 is garbage, you get 3.7 fps in Oblivion according to some benchmarks
5. Forced to also buy monitor - small and I already have a 20". Better save for a 27".

You can replace the PSU and there is actually room enough for an 8800 GTS in the case, and with these changes you can turn that PC into a nice gaming machine. However, it's no longer a good deal if you add the cost of the quality PSU they should have put in there in the first place. I got something better by just going to a local computer shop's Web site and picking pieces myself.

If you want to return it you know you have 14 days, right?

 

bobbknight

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Feb 7, 2006
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If the price included GST/PST, you got a great deal for Canada.

Memtest will tell you your memory speed, as will the bios post output to the monitor, if it can be enabled.
 

jt001

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Dec 31, 2006
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No, because there is no such thing as SATA II

The 1650pro is a decent card but it will be a major bottleneck in that system, I would also recommend returning that system
 

Lightspeed57

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Aug 5, 2007
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If you are satisfied with this package.. you should have waited.. Best Buy Canada (part of the same conglomerate as Future Shop) is selling the same system at $100.00 less.. $899.00 Cdn w/o a monitor. If you want a high quality HD 1080P large monitor - Costco is the place to go. They have some special deal with Viewsonic - and sell these things exclusively - for rock bottom prices.. I use a 27" at home - cost $649.00 - and a 32 inch at work - it now costs $799.00 and they have a 42 inch LCD HD 1080P for $1249.00. They are absolutely awesome and they are HDTV's as well. I hooked my satellite up to my monitor at home and watch TV with the corner of the screen with the PIP while computing.. Life is great!
 
Well, you didn't do bad, but you got pretty much a decent prebuilt at pretty much normal price. A decent multimedia machine, but not a good gamer.
The par for the course prebuilt PC = Stick in killer CPU, (cause everyone knows if it has one them thar Intel chips, the whole thing has just got to be a top of the line set-up, no questions asked)
What you end up with is a kicking processor that is paired with so-so Ram, a standard $89 SATA drive, and a seriously under-matched video card.
Not bad, but for most on this forum, not great either.
 

sampeeko

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Aug 13, 2007
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I'm looking at this system right now and it seems decent for the money. I would almost go far as saying it's pretty good. It now comes with a Samsung 21.6" monitor instead of the LG. Same price of $1099 Cdn (+ tax). I spec'ed out a similiar system at a good local computer shop and I couldn't do better (and I picked some low end components) with a monitor and OS. I'll have to check out NCIX to see if I can do better. If I can't I"m thinking of picking this up and popping a better video card in down the road.

Oh yeah, true enough BB sells the comp alone for $100 less. However, the package at BB with the monitor is $1099 as well with an Acer 22" monitor. Also, the one at BB uses the integrated video. The 1650SE doesn't sound all that great but I'm guessing it's still gonna perform a lot better than the integrated.
 

frozenrozen11

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May 15, 2009
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oh come on, he got an awful deal!! I paid $679.99 for a gateway DX and here's what I got:

quad core q6600 2.4 ghz
640gb hard drive
6gb ddr2-800 ram
ati radeon hd 3650
windows vista home premium 64 bit
wireless built-in lan
plus speakers and keyboard