DELL vs Building your own.

[TheoPetro]

here is the sole reason not to get dell

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=27&threadid=1685158&enterthread=y

 

[milleron]

Building my own PCs is just too much fun to ever consider buying one from Dell again. People talk about the fact that buying a prebuilt computer gives you a warranty on everything, but I get warranties on virtually every component when I build my own.

Besides the entertainment value, the other main advantage of building them myself is that I can specify every single component. I'm just too picky to compromise on any of my choices, and I would always have to make a lof of compromises if I bought a prebuilt.

Ron

 

[ultimatebob]

Originally posted by: Arsenik13

Couldn't I simply upgrade the video card that comes in the DELL?

It depends. Most of the el cheapo $299 Dell Desktops do not have an AGP or PCI-E slot, so you have no place to put in a good video card.

 

[hypeMarked]

I love building my own pc and was in the same situation as you (OP) last week. My computer is >2 years old and it WAS the top of the line. I thought a lot about this "building vs Dell", but I broke down a week ago because of the Dimension 9100 + 24" lcd for ~1200. Of course, I'm not going to stop with the default configuration; I would upgrade some parts (ie RAM, video card, etc..) to meet my needs and I believe that is less expensive than building my own pc now. Also, the last time that I built my computer, it became outdated so fast it became hard to upgrade. For example after about 6 months, AGP8X video card became available. To upgrade, you need to upgrade the motherboard. Some months later PCIe came out, then you need to upgrade the motherboard again. Same thing goes for CPU and memory. The only thing that I found my self upgrading and is worth the $$:value ratio are the cd/dvd burner and hdd. But you can do that with a Dell also. My suggestion to you is to look into what you need and decide on that.

 

[furballi]

DELL's hardware is CRAP...well, mostly crap. You get what you paid for with DELL!

 

[raildogg]

upgrading Dells are a hassle. if you want to upgrade your power supply in a Dell, you would have to buy an exact match. it requires one with no on/off switches. i believe PC power and cooling sells one for $125 i believe. or you can cut off a piece at the back of your case

build your own, pick your own parts and make it as upgradable as you want. a pc is a project that is never finished

 

[epsilon9090]

Most of the people here are forgetting that in a Dell, you are paying a few hundred extra on the computer to upgrade the warranty. To get an accidental damage coverage (totally awesome) plus a 3 year warranty is anywhere from 300-400 depending on your setup. Without adding the extra warranty your system only comes with 90 days parts (the biggie) and labor. Remember that with home built, you get a very good if not lifetime warranty on most if not all your parts (especially companies like Corsair and Antec, they have the BEST tech support and warranty policy on the planet).

Also, the LCD deals are great, but negligable for gamers because you negate the savings by paying over 300 dollars for a 200 dollar graphics card.

 

[LordDarik]

I think building your own is much more satisfying, plus you can be sure you get exactly what you want. Anyway, it's not only reasuring, but it's easy to do.

 

[daddyo]

I wouldn't ask the readers of a computer hardware enthusiast site whether you should buy a Dell or build your own. It's like asking the NRA if you should buy a gun or just stick with the baseball bat under your bed.

There are pro's and con's. The current deal for a 4700 + 2005FPW for $800'ish is almost unbeatable. Add $200-$300 for a bit more RAM and a PCIE video card (yes, the 4700 has a PCIE slot, and the option to upgrade to a 6800 at least), and you'd be set. You probably couldn't build a quieter, faster system without overclocking and getting some REALLY sweet hot deals on the individual pieces.

Don't let unspecified future "upgradeability" be a factor in your decision. Technology changes too fast to count on it. You may get lucky, but you probably won't unless you are upgrading every 9-12 months. I just upgraded from an Athlon XP to an Athlon 64 system, and the only items that worked in both were the HD and the DVDRW...not exactly a super cost savings, and my last upgrade was less than 2 years ago.

And everyone has left something out here...software. The Dell will come with XP and Office (of some version)...unless you have your own copies, that's $200 right there.

Personally, I've never bought a Dell or any other pre-built because I enjoy the build. Yes, building your own is satisfying, but opening up the box and having the whole system running 5 minutes later is also satisfying. You choose which is more your style.