Rate this Computer on Ebay

[Soujiroh]

Hi, my friend is planning to buy this computer on ebay, but I told him to wait because with that money, he can customize his own computer by buying the parts individually. Here's the link: http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Sony-Vaio-RB-VG...07QQcategoryZ52476QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

This was my build based on his budget of $500:

CPU: Athlon 64 3000+ Venice $66
MOBO: MSI K8NGM2-L Socket 939 NVIDIA GeForce 6100 Micro ATX AMD Motherboard $65
RAM: Cheap 512mb $50
HD: 160-250gb $90
CASE: Let him choose it $50-100
PSU: FSP Group (Fortron Source) FSP350-60THN-R, 2.0 version, 2 SATA, 350W - Retail $54
DVD Drive: NEC 3550A $28

Total: Around $430

Any other suggestions or recommendations? Thanks!

 

[thescreensavers]

build one your self do not get that Peice of junk sony

 

[pkrush]

My recommendations:
Antec NSK 4400 Black/Silver 0.8mm cold-rolled steel construction ATX Mini Tower Computer Case 380W Power Supply - Retail - $76.99 -$5.00 Instant $71.99

BIOSTAR GEFORCE 6100 AM2 Socket AM2 NVIDIA GeForce 6100 Micro ATX RoHs compliant AMD Motherboard - Retail - $62.99

AMD Athlon 64 3200+ Orleans 2000MHz HT Socket AM2 Processor Model ADA3200CNBOX - Retail - $85.99

CORSAIR ValueSelect 1GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) Unbuffered System Memory Model VS1GB667D2 - Retail
$87.99

Western Digital Caviar SE WD1600JS 160GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM - $64.99

LITE-ON 16X DVD±R DVD Burner Black ATAPI/E-IDE Model SHW160P6S04 - Retail - $32.99


Going from 512 megs of RAM to 1gb will make a HUGE difference, especially when the video takes up at least 64 megs of it, and you still have enough left over for a legit copy of XP Home or an entry-level graphics card.

 

[Zepper]

Vaios have lots of proprietary stuff and the web site isn't good in the way of sharing all available technical info. I like DIY systems, but I'm biased as that's about all I've ever had.

.bh.

 

[L00ker]

I am partial to DIY builds too but I am also a fan of Sony's gear, and they aren't any more propriaeary than the next guys stuff, generally they are tuned pretty well out of the box (for a complete system from a major mfg) and generally come with better hardware in lieu of crappy extra software.... just my opinion, I have had a VAIO GRT Laptop for about 5 years now and it has served me well came with a geforce 5600 in it which is still good enogh (barely) to play some of the newer games out there...

 

[spyral]

Id suggest against buying any Sony PC's. I was in boarding school for 11th and 12th grade and recently graduated from college.

Over this time, Ive seen people I know buy I'd say 10-15 separate Sony's and I am yet to find somoene thats happy with their machine.

Ive seen problems from faulty laptop screen hinges, power supply failures, bad motherboards, dead batteries, smoke from failing LCD's etc with the most recent being a Sony laptop that only plays sounds from the speaker when the headphones are CONNECTED. Not the mention the ton of rubbish software they bundle with their computers.

In addition to the above problems, Sony's were generally overpriced as well but I think that is no longer that much of an issue.

Id say go with a DIY or any other brand (except HP also, Ive seen enough issues with HP/Compaq PCs and laptops)

 

[George Powell]

DIY will be far superior. Even on Ebay you are paying for the Sony brand name.

 

[Lemon law]

You did not factor in the cost of a windows OS---which the sony price included.---and your build did not.

 

[aniruddha23]

Has he ever assemble don b4? Does he have help? Does he know the basics abt computer hardware?

If No just go for the brand name ones. Its not worth the hassle.

Though I would say for $ 550 you can get a dual core dell with a 17" LCD which would be better than the Sony.

 

[Philippine Mango]

I've gone through many sony computers to attest that they are indeed garbage. The only sony vaios I can think of that were decent were sadly sony's first generation desktops, back in '96, PCV 100/120. After that, they were garbage, the proprietary instability crap started I believe with the PCV 220/240 (the ones I had at least, may have been earlier). So yea, make sure he does NOT get one, to confirm that they've been crap for a while, back in '02, my sister's year old laptop (a sony vaio) began to fail.

 

[chango]

build a dual core 3800x2 for the same price.