Build My Own or Buy a Dell?

[PierceScott]

OK so I purchased a computer from Dell over the holidays and due to a few delays in it's production I got frustrated and started researching how to build my own. Here are the details of the comp I bought from Dell:

Quantity Item Number Description

Studio XPS 8000
Studio XPS 8000, Intel Core i7-860 processor(8MB Cache, 2.80GHz)
8GB DDR3 SDRAM at 1066MHz-4x2GB
Dell Consumer Multimedia Keyboard, US
Dell 22 inch ST2210 Widescreen Flat Panel
1024MB nVidia GeForce GT220
1TB Serial ATA II Hard Drive 7200 RPM
Dell Resource DVD with Application Backup
DELL WELCOME,Software Dimension/Inspiron
Dell Dock Consumer
PC-Restore, Dim/Insp
Windows Live Search,Multiple User Interface
Dell Owners Manual installed on your system,click on icon after system set-up to access
You have chosen a Windows 7 System
DELL-DOWNLOAD-FLAG
Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium, 64bit, English
Dell USB 6-Button Laser Mouse
ADOBE READER 9.0 MULTI- LANGUAGE
16X DVD+/-RW
Roxio 10.3, Easy CD & DVD
Cyberlink Power DVD 8.3 Playback
Integrated 7.1 Channel Audio
No Speaker Requested
McAfee SecurityCenter with anti-virus, anti-spyware firewall, 15-months
Microsoft Works 9.0, English
2 Year Limited Warranty
Dell Limited Hardware Warranty Plus In-Home Service [after Remote Diagnosis], Extended Year(s)
Dell Limited Hardware Warranty Plus In-Home Service [after Remote Diagnosis], Initial Year
Banctec Next Business Day In-home Service after Remote Diagnosis, 1 Year Extended
Next Business Day In-home Service after Remote Diagnosis, Initial Year
Software, Soft Contracts Dell In-Home
Dell Limited Hardware Warranty 7X24 Technical Support, 1 Year Extended
Dell Limited Hardware Warranty 7X24 Technical Support, Initial Year
2GB DATASAFE ONLINE 1.1 FOR SDO/DIM/INS/XPS
DATASAFE ONLINE 1.1 2GB
To activate your online backupaccount, go to Start, Programs, DataSafe Online
S and P Drop-in-Box Marcom forDHS Desktops
MediaShow Espresso Software Application
State Environmental Fee for display 15 inches, less than 35 inches

And if I were to build my own here is what I would most likely go with:

AMD Athlon x4 620
Asus M4A785TD-V
4GB G.Skill Ripjaws 1600mhz RAM
WD 1TB Internal HDD
Sony 24x DVD Burner
Gigabyte Radeon 1GB HD 5670
Haven't decided on case or PSU but I budgeted $150

SO... If I built it myself I'd half a way slower processor and Half the RAM BUT I would have good quality parts, 1600Mhz Ram instead of 1066mhz and a better Video Card.

The Price for the home build after getting Windows 7 Ultimate installed and buying a decent monitor is probably going to cost me around the same price ($1200 after all taxes and fee's)

I use the computer for LIGHT gaming (I play one game and the graphics aren't much better than Warcraft 3 lol) and mostly for downloading and processing Blu Ray Quality video.

and I'm planning on Overclocking the cpu so I figure if I went dell and it overheated or crapped out on me I could use the warranty to replace the parts?

WHICH ONE SHOULD I CHOOSE!

 

[crazy359]

FORGET ABOUT DELL!! ITS A FAIL!!!!!
sorry for spazing but screw dell and any brand names.
go custom

 

[mhz2us]

I'm thinking of a new build soon and can't or haven't decided which CPU to go with yet. I was leaning towards an Intel C2D quad core, but don't really understand or know the difference between the C2D quads, the i5 or the i7's. Then there's the AMD quad's also and I was researching or thinking about an AMD Phenom II X4 955 as a possibility too.

I'm not a gamer, but I trade stocks and currencies online. I currently have 2 monitors and will have 2 more soon for a total of 4. Financial trading is mostly all 2D charts and moving charts and feeds. One monitor will play a live TV feed of financial info. You have to be fast when trading currency, the market changes so quickly. I have a graphics card that will play 4 monitors from one slot, the PNY Quadro NVS 440.

The i7's still seem a little pricey, but are they the most future proof right now? What are the i5's? Can any of the AMD's compete with them or will they be obsolete soon?

I'm currently running XP Pro but will probably upgrade to Win 7 64 bit.

I'd appreciate everyone's thoughts or opinions on which direction to go with this.

Anybody know why the price of RAM seems to have gone up lately. Any chances of it coming down soon?

Thanks all.

I too have wondered why ram is going up in price.

Less than a year ago I bought 4gb of ddr2 1066. After the mail in rebate the price was about $40. Today, I think I would have to pay much closer to $100 for the same thing.

I don't believe that in a recession, there has been such a change in supply and demand that the price of ram nearly doubled in less than a year.

My guess is that this has to do with deficit spending and the balance of trade. Deficit spending requires the government to issue bonds, bought abroad, lowering the value of the dollar overseas. That means we pay more dollars for ram imported form over seas.

I would be delighted for an economist out there to tell us what the real answer is.

By the way, I believe we are also seeing upward creep in the price of mother boards and psu's. Is the start of general inflation?

Come on guys tell me I am wrong. In the mean time I going to fasten my money belt in preparation for a bumpy ride.

 

[NathanSuite]

I agree with ulysses35. This AMD Cpu that I have is one big disappointment. Unless things change with them, stick with Intel.

As far as Dell vs. Custom, the best answer I can give is that Dells are only good if you know your way around a computer or know someone who can solve the problems for you, otherwise their customer service sucks.

 

[smithereen]

I agree i5s and i7s are better for video processing, but if you bought any CPU and it's a "big disappointment", you obviously didn't do your research properly.

 

[NathanSuite]

I agree i5s and i7s are better for video processing, but if you bought any CPU and it's a "bi disappointment", you obviously didn't do your research properly.

You know there is such a thing as giving a company a chance. Maybe you should cut back on the personal attacks.

 

[JustinCase380]

Number 3 is not true anymore. Since 2008 at least (whenever Dell started referring to their desktop line as Inspiron), Dell has gone back to traditional ATX case design. The Dell XPS systems stayed BTX for another year after that I think, but now, all the systems are back to ATX.

I don't think number 4 or possibly 1,2,3 or 4 is true anymore. I have been 'building my own' for the past 15 or so years but lately I've been tempted to buy a built system. I went to the dell website and for $899 get a i7-920 system, 3gb ddr, 500gb drive, dvd writer, nvidia geforce 310 with windows7 home premium. I went to newegg and priced an equivalent system and end up in about the same price range.

In the next couple of weeks I'm going to get a new system and I'm still sitting on the fence

 

[Pro Llama]

You know there is such a thing as giving a company a chance. Maybe you should cut back on the personal attacks.

He is right. You can’t attack a company because you didn’t do your research. If you are spending under $200 for a chip AMD is the way to go.

 

[coasterman]

FORGET ABOUT DELL!! ITS A FAIL!!!!!
sorry for spazing but screw dell and any brand names.
go custom

I can't agree more.

 

[xtc28]

^^ I could.

 

[mrmazo]

The main problem with OEM computers is, most OEM's don't like the end user to make modifications to thier designs, wether it be overclocking to upgrading the CPU or the mobo and even in my case the PSU, and therefore make it VERY difficult to improve the performance of " thier " system due to " propriatary specifications and parameters ". I agree with most of the recomendations here so far, look at the i7 920, Corair has the best PSU in the industry, be wary of Asus mobo's, there have been quality issues creeping up lately as well as with Creative sound cards. The biggest question I have is, if your doing " light gaming " do you really need a $500-$600 graphics card when 2 ATI 4670's in Crossfire would be more than adaquit to meet your needs?? Bottom line, build your own, at the very least, knowing every technical aspect of the rig you build will give you a much better understanding of what your system can and cannot do, as well as better diagnosing ability should something screwy happen.

 

[TrackSmart]

Pierce, I'm curious to see what you decided. I built my last machine 4-5 years ago and have parts on the way for a new computer (arriving TODAY!).

Here's what my research found when making the decision (prices include the cost of a decent LCD monitor):

-Low End Computer ($300-$500): Pre-built is cheaper at this pricepoint, especially with OEM copies of windows 7 going for $100.
-Mid-range Computer ($600 - $700): Same price to buy or build, but you get to choose the components if you build it yourself.
-High End ($800+): You save a lot of money if you build, because the mark-ups on better processors and graphics cards is huge at this price range.

 

[TrackSmart]

By the way, for $800 shipped you can put together a nice Quad Core machine (Core i5 750 or AMD Phenom II X4 955). Add another $150-$250 for an LCD monitor. I know, because I just purchased the parts for my build.

My own machine went the AMD route and came out to $750 including Case + Power Supply (Antec Sonata), 4 GB of PC1600 RAM, AMD Quad Core, Radeon HD 5770 graphics, and 1 TB Western Digital HDD. I already had a nice 24" monitor from Christmas.

Check prices on Newegg. Post a potential configuration here on Tom's Hardware and let people help you out. Folks here gave me great advice on my own build.

EDIT: By the way, this same build configured on Dell's website (using a Core i5 650 for performance parity) would have cost me $250 more once tax and shipping were included. $250 is a lot of dough. Plus Dell would only have included only a 1 year warranty at that price, whereas every part in my new build has a 3 year to lifetime warranty.