Considering Home Building vs Purchasing custom PC on eBay

[hurricane_27]

Hello,

I've read through the stickies here as well as some of the threads. I need a new computer and have provided my needs below. I don't have any experience home building a machine so I'm looking at purchasing one off eBay - I've provided information below about what I need and a link for an eBay system below that. If someone could please provide some feedback on whether this is a decent deal or not, I'd really appreciate it.


APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: ASAP - Today/tomorrow BUDGET RANGE: 1800 - 2000
SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Videoediting, Watching HD source DVDs, making DVDs out of video + burning, multitasking surfing, wordprocessing and other similar tasks. I don't really play any games.

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: Need everything, currently using a laptop.

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: any but I'm looking at eBay because I have an 8% off coupon.

OVERCLOCKING: Maybe SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Maybe

MONITOR RESOLUTION: not sure of exact resolution but I do want to watch HD quality video on it.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: At least 1 TB HD but would like to get 2.

Here is the eBay system I'm looking at:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Custom-System-Intel-Core-i7-950-GTX-260-1TB_W0QQitemZ400063854079QQcmdZViewItemQQptZDesktop_PCs?hash=item5d25a9f5ff&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A16|66%3A2|39%3A1|293%3A9|294%3A50

Please let me know your comments and / or better places to find a system like this. I can add/remove certain components but I don't think I know how to build a system from scratch.

 

[hunter315]

Building your own computer really isnt that hard. If you follow the manuals and look at a couple of online tutorials it goes quite smoothly.

As for that system, you can do alot better for 1900 as quarter of that price is the processor, you can spend 50 on a heatsink and overclock a 920 to that level pretty easily. You dont need a gtx260 if you arent going to be playing any games.

CPU/Mobo combo $480
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.216037

RAM $115
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227381

Antec 900 with EA650 $170
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129064

2 samsung spinpoints $170
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152102

Blu-ray burner $150
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106254

Monitor $330
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236047

Brings it down to 1415 which leaves you alot of room for a keyboard, mouse, and heatsink.

 

[xxzabxx]

Yeah, while that seems like a pretty nice build they have there. In my opinion, defiantly over priced considering with a little elbow grease, and a few tutorials you can build something better for the money yourself.

 

[hunter315]

Realized i forgot something important, decent sound because monitor speakers tend to suck
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.214542
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829132007

Brings the total from my previous listing up to 1622 still well under that prebuilt system

 

[hurricane_27]

Thanks hunter, ezkiller and xxza.

Hunter, I think I"ll go ahead and follow your recommendations and build my own machine. I'm reading through the tutorials right now. I will reply again with all the parts I will be purchasing for it.

Since the total will be lower than expected, I might bump up the performance and add the GTX in case I decide to try out some games.

I'm usually working on putting together multiple DVDs and I like to watch video while the DVDs encode so hopefully the higher performance will help out because I can only encode one DVD at a time and can't watch video while doing that in the setup I have now.

Thanks again for all the responses, I'm going to get started buying the individual parts today.

 

[hunter315]

Crap, im just spacy today, sorry you do need some sort of graphics card as the x58 boards dont have onboard. Look into an ATI 4670 if you are willing to go for lowed settings on games. They are only about $80 on newegg, if you want higher details then a 4850 or so will only cost you about $100

 

[daship]

I got a new I7 920 OC @ 3.4
6G DDR3 1333 Gskill
640 WD HDD
LG DVD Burner
Antec 650 Watt
Cooler Master Cosmos 100 Case
Asus p6t Deluxe
Ati Sapphire 4870

$899

Send a pm if interested, I got pics and benches, its going on Ebay Tuesday or Wednesday.

 

[belial2k]

right now on ebay there are tons of systems that are selling cheaper than you can build them yourself, but the one you are looking at is not one of them...plus as others have pointed out that system is not great for your needs. Your main area of concerns should be processor speed, memory, and hard drive size and speed for what you are doing. Almost any graphics card 4670/9600 and above will do what you need. Newegg runs specials on the 24inch acer monitors frequently, and you can sometimes find good open box deals on monitors also. That is assuming you don't intend to use a large HDtv as your main monitor, which might be best for your media needs. Also, there is a guy selling logitech z5500 speakers on ebay for $189 refurbed. They are as good as you can get for computer speakers, and will even rival many $1000+ home theater setups.

 

[hurricane_27]

right now on ebay there are tons of systems that are selling cheaper than you can build them yourself, but the one you are looking at is not one of them...plus as others have pointed out that system is not great for your needs. Your main area of concerns should be processor speed, memory, and hard drive size and speed for what you are doing. Almost any graphics card 4670/9600 and above will do what you need. Newegg runs specials on the 24inch acer monitors frequently, and you can sometimes find good open box deals on monitors also. That is assuming you don't intend to use a large HDtv as your main monitor, which might be best for your media needs. Also, there is a guy selling logitech z5500 speakers on ebay for $189 refurbed. They are as good as you can get for computer speakers, and will even rival many $1000+ home theater setups.

Hey Bro,

Would you be able to please send me a link to the eBay system you're looking at. I thought I searched pretty good for some systems but I guess I didn't.

Thanks.

 

[belial2k]

Sorry, I haven't had any time today to do much looking, but this popped under my search criteria. Keep in mind before I get flamed...this is NOT a high end gaming computer, but a really good media computer which is what you are looking for. Cheaper than you could build it, and it still has a warranty. It can do everything you are looking for really well, and if you need more power in the future you can upgrade the MB and heatsink for overclocking. You can even get a really good 24inch monitor and high end speakers and stay well under your budget.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Dell-Studio-XPS-435-MT-Quad-Core-I7-920-ATI-4850-DDR3_W0QQitemZ140334682374QQcmdZViewItemQQptZDesktop_PCs?hash=item20ac995106&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A15|66%3A2|39%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50

 

[Onus]

For a non-gamer, the Dell might make more sense. You wouldn't be able to overclock it, but you won't need to. The components will likely be up to the job, even if they aren't the premium parts many of us would choose.
That said, I'd be a little concerned about buying something like this on eBay. Why is this one being sold there? What would it cost if you bought it directly from Dell? Compare that price to building it yourself, then decide.
In any case, avoid that first system. It is way overpriced, has some things you don't need, and uses a few inferior parts.

 

[syche9876]

WHAT $1900 for a pc that has a POS powersupply. That alone is a bad invesment since once the powersupply blows up it can take most of the system with it. One thing in buying/building PC's Never cheapo out on the Powersupply.

 

[micky_lund]

hahahaha.... i agree with syche..... build it urself, and get a decent PSU