dell system.. worth it?

[Intel_inside]

P4 1.8ghz
256mb RDRAM
enhanced quietket keyboard
19" (18.0 " viewable, .26dp) m991 monitor
64mb ddr nvidia geforce3 ti200
40gb ultra ata harddrive (7200rpm)
3.5" floppy drive (haw haw haw)
windows XP home
microsoft mouse (usb)
integrated 3com 10/100
v.905/56k modem
16x max dvd-rom
16x/10x/40x cd-rw
soundblaster live! value digital
harman/kardon 395 with subwoofer
3 year on-site service
lexmark z22 printer + cable

price: 2,039 $ canadian (approx 1,277$ usd)

I checked dell's website and a system of this configuration would cost about 2,700$ canadian. The low price is due to a program from a family member's work that they have with dell. I believe the system has intel 850 motherbaord.

<i>The devil's advocate</i><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by Intel_inside on 01/13/02 08:03 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[mbetea]

i can't stand lexmark printers or more specific, their drivers. never had their drivers not conflict with something. is that a northwood? that would be a really good deal if it is indeed a nw. but with dells you can't change fsb or anything, or can you?

[insert philosophical statement here]

 

[Intel_inside]

I don't think it's a northwood, I dont really need the printer but it's free anyway...

<i>The devil's advocate</i>

 

[Crashman]

Last I checked you could get a rebate if you choose not to get the "free" printer, before that you could choose a "free" printer or "free" CD-RW upgrade.

What's the frequency, Kenneth?

 

[CoOLMaNX]

well i'd say the cpu and board alone would go for what..300, the ram 70, vid card 200, monitor..i don't know but i'm guessing 150, hard drive about 90, roms 200, sound/mouse 50. and the rest bah..i say get it and bang it up and return it for the on-site service every few months

didnt have one of em electronic pens so ill just type my name,<i>CoOoLMaNX</i>

 

[Flyboy]

Those Lexmark printers are crap (no wonder they are "free").

For a factory-build it looks great. I still say you could build a much better Pentium system yourself though. I've just lost a lot of faith in Dell recently...ARe you really considering buying this machine? Have you priced parts for a DIY system?

Oh go ye brown-eyed toothless wonder.

 

[eden]

OMG I am surprised at the lot of you guys. None of you even notice a troll is out here posting thinking he'd grab our attention?
Intel_inside I can't even describe how utter BS you are and what your attempt at doing here is not gonna work on me, you troll. You've made a reputation here on you and that will be always on you as a troll.
Your buying a Dell shows how ignorant you are to this community to understand real enthusiasm to technology and then you go buy a system that even an AXP 1600 would be more affordable, and I know it cuz I am Canadian and the prices for those two different CPUs are quite big.

I am still surprised how they all answered without bashing you... you got lucky this time...

--
The other day I heard an explosion from the other side of town.... It was a 486 booting up...

 

[Intel_inside]

All I wanted was people's opinions on wether a system was worth it or not.

Your buying a Dell shows how ignorant you are to this community to understand real enthusiasm to technology and then you go buy a system that even an AXP 1600 would be more affordable

I would buy the system if it was worth it, the price is cut about 700$ from the market one, don't forget it includes a monitor and windows XP (i know most of you used pirated versions, but windows is expensive if you actually buy it legit)

Anyway, thanks to most of you for your well meaning replies, minus eden's troll reply of course. I probably won't be getting this system though, since I am more interested in going for something northwood based.

<i>The devil's advocate</i>

 

[eden]

Hehehe, and that was the only un-trolled post I've seen from you so far. At least you're gonna see it to some Northwood and get some kind of respect for it...

--
The other day I heard an explosion from the other side of town.... It was a 486 booting up...

 

[lagger]

I'd say go for it ( and I REALLY hate DELLS !!) IF... BIG IF... the socket is 428 and not an old 423 at least with the 428 you can upgrade later as NW prices drop if 423 you be S-O-L down the road
FWIW I just priced and ordered a soyo p-4s dragon ultra,Raid 512 kingmax pc 2700 and 2 maxtor 40 gb ata 133 7200 rpm drives and it cost about 560 shipped .. waiting to locate a 1.8 NW chip and I'm good to go ( have a visiontek gf3 ti-200 and the mobo has sound, lan etc (I have a live 5.1 and several nics if I dont like the O\B stuff and I already have a yamaha burner and sony cdrom teac floppy, full twr case enermax 461psu etc etc for it))
lagger


<b><font color=blue>Computers run on smoke, I let the smoke out of mine and it quit working </b> </font color=blue>

 

[AMD_Man]

I would buy the system if it was worth it, the price is cut about 700$ from the market one, don't forget it includes a monitor and windows XP (i know most of you used pirated versions, but windows is expensive if you actually buy it legit)

Not really, I have a retail copy of Windows XP and I got it for $40 CDN from Staples.

AMD technology + Intel technology = Intel/AMD Pentathlon IV; the <b>ULTIMATE</b> PC processor

 

[lhgpoobaa]

but its a dell man!
(dislikes prebuilt PC alot)

The lack of thermal protection on Athlon's is cunning way to stop morons from using AMD.

 

[AMD_Man]

Agreed! OEMs = Spawn of Satan!

AMD technology + Intel technology = Intel/AMD Pentathlon IV; the <b>ULTIMATE</b> PC processor

 

[eden]

AMD_MAN have you smoked or what???
Staple Depot, we're talking Retail COPY!!!
Are you sure it ain't 400$ not 40$? I mean how the hell can you find such pricing! I have Bureau en Gros near us (Staples in french) and yes they do have very nice software pricing compared to Futurecrap(I only go there to look at novelty and try Xboxes!!), and they are excellent school stuff providers, but otherwise their OEM PCs and hardware are not a wonder for any of us anyway.

--
The other day I heard an explosion from the other side of town.... It was a 486 booting up...

 

[AMD_Man]

No actually, Staples Business Depot recently had an offer where you can get a Linksys Router and WinXP for $180. They soon raise the price to $200, but I was one of the few to get the offer $180. The regular price of the router is $140, so it's like getting WinXP for $40 or the Router for $30, take your pick.

AMD technology + Intel technology = Intel/AMD Pentathlon IV; the <b>ULTIMATE</b> PC processor

 

[TheAntipop]

did you need the router? sounds like they had an overstock of routers to me... what kind of router is it?

Hard work often pays off in time, but laziness always pays off now.

 

[Flyboy]

Definitely go on your own then and build the Norhhwood system. I really think you would be MUCH happier, even if you spent a hundred LESS on the Dell system. If I were you I'd go ahead and price your components and make the almighty comparison! Let us know what you find.

Oh go ye brown-eyed toothless wonder.

 

[Intel_inside]

from my experience, dell builds very good computers. Their consumer level products are alot better than compaq's and other oem's. Though I dislike their practice of pairing a top of the line processor (p4) with slow outdated memory (sdram) and selling it as a 'power system' and putting in an old m64 video card.

<i>The devil's advocate</i>

 

[Flyboy]

No. I try not to stoop to the anti-troll level. Even if Fugger himself asked a "respectful" question I would reply if I could; regardless of his...well...questionable reputation.

I choose AMD. So what, Intel_inside chooses Intel (obviously). So what? Everyone has their reasons. I've built both AMD and Intel-based systems. The fact is, I've had less trouble with the Intel systems. But, for the price/performance of the AMD cpus, I will more than likely by AMD for future systems. That is unless Intel's price/performance matches AMD...o.k. enough said. I've read this same d**n argument about 100 times in this forum and quite frankly I'm sick of it.

Oh go ye brown-eyed toothless wonder.

 

[Flyboy]

Is it socket 428 or 478? (Not meaning to be picky)

Oh go ye brown-eyed toothless wonder.

 

[Flyboy]

I just priced a similar system at 5o'clock computers (where I usually buy). It totalled $1337. I matched it the best I could. They don't sell Harmon Kardon speakers, no 3 year warranty, and I didn't factor in the printer cost. So I'm thinking that is indeed a good deal IF it will perform. Is this an 8200 or 4200 series Dell?

BTW, I used the Altec Lansing AVS500 instead of HKs.

Oh go ye brown-eyed toothless wonder.<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by Flyboy on 01/15/02 02:30 AM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[dhlucke]

There are tons of ways to get WinXP cheaper. Student discounts, retail discounts, corporate discounts, roadshows, etc.

Getting WinXP for $40 is a good find. I got it for free, an even better find, and legit. All it cost was 2 hours of my time listening to Microsoft and Intel blow each other's horn.

<font color=red>God</font color=red> <font color=blue>Bless</font color=blue> <font color=red>America!</font color=red>

 

[dhlucke]

After all this time hanging out here I would think/hope you've gathered enough info to build your own rig. Save some money, learn a bit, and have fun building your own system. That way you'll save money as well as be able to pick your own custom components. The only reason I would ever buy a Dell system is if you honestly don't have the time or patience to build your own computer.

<font color=red>God</font color=red> <font color=blue>Bless</font color=blue> <font color=red>America!</font color=red>

 

[lhgpoobaa]

i suppose.
dell is good unless

A. u get one of their "performance" systems with P4+sdram+m64/integrated graphics.
B. something goes wrong
or
C. as my friend found out, tried to to a minor upgrade from 10gb HDD to 20gb HDD

well, C. doesnt sound hard does it?
HA!
try 2-3 times the cost of a 20gb HDD if she wanted the warantee still intact.


The lack of thermal protection on Athlon's is cunning way to stop morons from using AMD.

 

[AMD_Man]

Don't forget!! It's $40 CANADIAN!!! That's around $26USD.

AMD technology + Intel technology = Intel/AMD Pentathlon IV; the <b>ULTIMATE</b> PC processor