Here we go...Falcon NW vs Alienware

[Phibian]

I give up! My home made gaming box has crashed for the last time. i'm fixing it and putting it out to pasture as a network/printer server. there, THAT'S a relief! now then...

As a reward for finally letting my baby go (it was the first computer I ever built all by myself) I'm treating myself to a new factory-built (and warenteed) box -- and a SWEET one at that. so the questions are, for those of you who wish to chime an opinion in:

1) Falcon NW or AlienWare (I'm leaning toward falcon at this point) --any other vendors y'all like?

2) AMD Athlon64 3+ gig chip OR...intel 3+gig chip. I'm traditionally ann AMD man myself, but i hate how hot they run... the rest of the components I'm pretty settled on. i'd just love to get opinions from the forum I trust and respect the most, so have at it!

-Phib

 

[Nebor]

My opinion is that buying a computer prebuilt is only for people who lack the ability to build it themselves. You are literally flushing money down the toilet by not building it yourself.

 

[Tetsuo]

Falcon NW is super fscking expensive...I'd go Alienware if I had the choice. I'd much rather save money and build it myself though

 

[Phibian]

Fundamentally, I have no problem building a box myself. I've done it a couple of times now and I certainly am perfectly capable of doing so. The issue is more one of time well spent. this go-arround, it may be worth it to me to have someone else build it and WARANTY the work. i'm just to busy right now to spend the next three weeks after work getting a machine up and running. though your points are well taken, and have given me pause...

 

[mchammer187]

dell

 

[MDE]

Athlon 64s run very cool from what I've read, so heat is a moot point there. I've heard Alienware horror stories, and I think the Alienware case is too over the top, so I'd go with a Falcon (personally, I'd skip the fancy paint jobs to save some money).

 

[Phibian]

Yep. i actually hate the A-Ware cases. i am glad to hear that 64's run cooler, 'case my Athlon XP avgs like 55-60 deg's cent. and the machine I'm retiring sounds like a leaf blower already.

thanks for the advice sans flame.

 

[Vonkhan]

I'd rather build one myself - save the money + the downtime for repairs/upgrades (u void the warranty if try anything urself)

In order of preference:

1. Alienware
2. Voodoo
3. Falcon NW
4. Vicious
5. ABS
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
1000000000000000000000000000000000000000. Dell


Dell sucks THE worst EVAR. Proprietary crap, difficult to upgrade, bad airflow, miserable CS ... and they dont know diddly about making a true gaming rig - just a bunch of eggheads who put together what they think is are the goodies Stay as far away as u can from them

 

[Phibian]

Very good point about voiding the waranty if you do work yourself...arrggghhh...getting sucked back in...can't decide...mustn't build own machine...no...time...uhhhnnhh

 

[Markfw]

I'm traditionally ann AMD man myself, but i hate how hot they run...

The Athlon 64 runs MUCH cooler than its Intel counterpart. this is FACT. Built an Athlon64 system, you won't be sorry.

 

[MDE]

Originally posted by: Phibian
Yep. i actually hate the A-Ware cases. i am glad to hear that 64's run cooler, 'case my Athlon XP avgs like 55-60 deg's cent. and the machine I'm retiring sounds like a leaf blower already.

thanks for the advice sans flame.

I didn't think I flamed you... sorry if I did.

 

[Vonkhan]

In all seriousness, if u can AFFORD one of those machines ... this it what I'd suggest:

Build it yourself (or I'll do it for u in exchange for some token hardware, like a fan controller )

an Intel based system

with hi-end components

except for the cpu ... make it a 2.4c

OC the sh!t outta the 2.4c

plug in a P4EE next year

 

[Vonkhan]

... I'm reccomending the P4EE 'cuz I've been seeing it in action against the 64 in benchies and real world games - the P4EE pulls out ahead

Try something like this:

Abit IC7-Max3
P4 2.4c (replace this one later)
9800XT
2 x 512 HyperX pc4000 (hits the highest, according to Max PC and yours truly)
2 x WD Raptors 76GBs

This'll last u for a while ... and if u wanna OC it further, add a watercooling kit!

 

[Nebor]

Originally posted by: Vonkhan

This'll last u for a while ... and if u wanna OC it further, add a watercooling kit!

But if you damage\destroy your motherboard, cpu, or video card in your water cooling endeavors, go ahead and RMA them anyways, that's what Vonkhan would do.

 

[Vonkhan]

Originally posted by: Nebor

But if you damage\destroy your motherboard, cpu, or video card in your water cooling endeavors, go ahead and RMA them anyways, that's what Vonkhan would do.

O boy, here comes Mr. Moral High Ground again ... with what has to be one of the most moronic statements I've heard!

There are '000s of hardware enthusiasts who use water-cooling w/o destroying their hardware!

Nebor, not everyone has pansy fingers like yours and those of u who actually know about computers & cooling can put together a water cooling system, test it out for the standard 24 hours and then use it w/o worry.

"But if you damage\destroy ... "

But... but ... what?!! :| But ... but ... u could get out of bed, slip on ur own drool and crack ur head open, doesn't seem to stop u now, does it?! Quit being such a ____________ !

Any non-blind tech can make out if an electronic piece of hardware got fried 'cuz water dripped onto it

Nebor, u're a thread troll

 

[Nebor]

After all, it's the electronics manufacturer's fault if you break their weak products w/ radical modifications. PS, go buy a new BMW M3. Put a supercharger on it. Blow the engine before the break-in period. Try to take it back to the dealer.

 

[mchammer187]

Originally posted by: Vonkhan
I'd rather build one myself - save the money + the downtime for repairs/upgrades (u void the warranty if try anything urself)

In order of preference:

1. Alienware
2. Voodoo
3. Falcon NW
4. Vicious
5. ABS
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
1000000000000000000000000000000000000000. Dell


Dell sucks THE worst EVAR. Proprietary crap, difficult to upgrade, bad airflow, miserable CS ... and they dont know diddly about making a true gaming rig - just a bunch of eggheads who put together what they think is are the goodies Stay as far away as u can from them

i dont think dell is bad at all

the only proprietary components are the mobo , PSU and case and you can get adapters for the case to use standard motherboards

and i'd like to see alienware or falcon beat a 2.6C, 80GB HD, 52X CD-RW, 256 MB DDR400, WinXP home , Radeon 9800 Non Pro for $600 After rebate

Alienware may be "better" but i just configured a computer from alienware w/ the same specs

it is $1500 and it comes with a FX5200, Radeon 9600 was +36 , and a 9800XT (9800 pro or non pro was not offered) was +340

the motherboard was not overclockable either it was an intel

it also had a 2.8 C and 512 MB Ram because it does not let you downgrade any further

but for the price this is complete crap

so it would take about $1800 to have a machine that truly outclasses the dell from alienware
2.8C vs 2.6C
Radeon 9800 XT vs Radeon 9800 non pro
512 MB vs. 256 MB

that maybe be better but it is not alot better and it certainly is not $1200 better

and that is why i say go for the dell unless an uber-l33t case is worth $1000 to you

and if you want to go highend 3 Ghz + or 64 bit than i would imagine it would cost $3500-5000 from alienware and about $2500 - 3500 from dell

and in either case it is a total waste to go with either


so in short

if you want "Very Good performance" at a great price go Dell

if you want the very best build it yourself you will save a thousand dollars or more

 

[Nebor]

Originally posted by: Vonkhan
Once u experience the run-around that companies will give u in a legit RMA, u dont have any problems with RMA-ing stuff that u fried

From This thread

Apparently hardware manufacturers owe us all big time, enough so that we shouldn't feel morally obligated not to steal from them.

 

[Corporate Thug]

abscomputers are the most reseaonablly priced

 

[Vonkhan]

Nebor, I'm calling the mods on u ... no, wait - why waste their time - I'm adding u to my private banning list. If u have an argument with me, e-mail me - dont crap in other people's thread.

mchammer187, agreed that Dell has better performance/value but that isn't what Phibian seems to want.

There's a lot more than slapping a bunch of components together - anyone can buy the components that ALienware, Falcon & Voodoo (except for Voodoo's cooling system, AFAIK) and put them in a case. However, the beauty likes in the numerous lil' tweaks and tricks that they pull - something that mass producer like Dell doesn't bother to do, while speciality gaming computer companies' earning depend on it through product differentiation.

Case in point would be of the 9800XT in a computer (dont think that Dell offers that yet tho). The 9800XT, with Overdrive enabled, will OC itself depending upon the temp diode. If it were in a Dell casing with their sucky airflow ... bleh

There IS a HUGE difference on gaming with a 9800np and an XT ... I'm using a XT right now

 

[mchammer187]

Originally posted by: Vonkhan
Nebor, I'm calling the mods on u ... no, wait - why waste their time - I'm adding u to my private banning list. If u have an argument with me, e-mail me - dont crap in other people's thread.

mchammer187, agreed that Dell has better performance/value but that isn't what Phibian seems to want.

There's a lot more than slapping a bunch of components together - anyone can buy the components that ALienware, Falcon & Voodoo (except for Voodoo's cooling system, AFAIK) and put them in a case. However, the beauty likes in the numerous lil' tweaks and tricks that they pull - something that Dell doesn't do.

i'm just saying are these tweaks worth $2000?

and from your previous post you make Dell seem like the devil

i have dealt will many dell computers and have never had a problem

but i never rely on tech support either if one does arise

 

[Boonesmi]

athlon64 all the way!!

why buy a P4 when the platform is at the end of its lifespan (not much upgrade left in it)



personally i wouldnt never buy a "factory" system (the best way to get what you want is to build it, or have someone you know/trust build it for you)

but if for some reason i had to buy one i would go with voodoo, both alienware and falcon would be farther down the list

 

[Vonkhan]

It all depends on how much of the greenies u have

I have a gaming computer thats worth approx. $2000

However, I game for maybe 10-15 mins a day ... maybe a straight hour on the weekends.

Why I'd spend so much on it? Because when I game for the precious few minutes that I can spare, I wanna be blown away ... and yeh, CoD did blow me away ... far FAR away and its worth it!

 

[aka1nas]

To be honest, if you wanna get that high end of a system, you really ought to build it yourself. You pay such a huge premium for what is basically a prebuilt enthusiasts system that it's not worth it. Why not use your old computer as a backup or a server and build a new rig and research all the parts and make sure you get reliable stuff and stress test the hell out of it before you trust your data to it. It will still cost you half what a Falcon or AW will cost and the time to build and test it can't cost anywhere near that much unless you make a boatload of cash to the point that you shouldn't even be looking at a alienware and oughta be scoping out Vapochills and Opterons and Xeons.

 

[GoodRevrnd]

Originally posted by: shady06
abscomputers are the most reseaonablly priced

I second that.