View Full Version : Building pc vs buying prebuilt?
sexytime-24-7
20-03-2009, 20:51
i pretty much always build my own pc, but what do you guys all do? just wondering what are the advantages of getting a pre-built computer like dell or hp compared to building your own. my record for building a new build is around 1 hr for my latest, including cable management :bb2:
ps. has anyone else been getting black screens whenever you die or an explosion goes off, on an nvidia card. for me itstops when i turn off aa
i tryed building my own it didnt work out: http://www.pyzam.com/funnypictures/details/8906?cat=all&sort=popular
sexytime-24-7
20-03-2009, 21:10
nice picture :haha3:, that would probably be very hard to build.
allways build myself, need certain components that no prebuilt got to please me brains.
If I've blown parts? oooooooooh yeeeeeeees, but thats mainly because i've been drunk or something when toying inside the chassi.
One of the wierdest pranks i ever did to myself was deleting a bunch of dllfiles, turn off the comp and reverse a 4pin, the following day my floppy burned at boot and system didnt want to start because of missing files. Beer can be your friends, but not if its combined with a computer, then beer gets jealous
i usually end up buying a prebuilt, then breaking the warranty soon after, this one took me an hour to break it, so i could put my graphics card in :)
Never bought a prebuilt, well, my first one, but I chose all the parts.. I would never buy a brand computer unless it's really cheap for it's performance and I happened to have a big buck over and really needed another rig for some reason... My Gaming rig will always be built by me. Most of the time you get it cheaper when you build it yourself too.
Ive built private about 5-6 computers and about 70 when I worked at a IT-company and basically the difference is that if you have the computer prebuilt or company built then you charge them 20-50bux extra to recieve the computer fully working and everything installed along with the company warranty, if you build it yourself and something happens then depending on how you screw up you may have no warranty at all, if you're not into computer hardware and customizations then i recommend you just buy it pre-built with tips from friends on what to get and such.
I prefer building my computers myself but thats because i mod my machines alot, everything from simple tweaking to re-wireing and custom firmware flashing.
Ive built private about 5-6 computers and about 70 when I worked at a IT-company and basically the difference is that if you have the computer prebuilt or company built then you charge them 20-50bux extra to recieve the computer fully working and everything installed along with the company warranty, if you build it yourself and something happens then depending on how you screw up you may have no warranty at all, if you're not into computer hardware and customizations then i recommend you just buy it pre-built with tips from friends on what to get and such.
I prefer building my computers myself but thats because i mod my machines alot, everything from simple tweaking to re-wireing and custom firmware flashing.
But can you choose parts on a dell or hp? aren't they totally prebuilt? That's what i thought at least. But if you can choose the parts yourself and let them assamble it, which I did the first time, I see no problem, just the cost. Then it comes with a warranty as you says and that's a big plus. Hehe, and for how long can you keep your fingers from the warranty seal ? ;)
lol, my warranty seal lasted 15 mins after i walked in the house with it once....needed more RAM in it
But can you choose parts on a dell or hp? aren't they totally prebuilt? That's what i thought at least. But if you can choose the parts yourself and let them assamble it, which I did the first time, I see no problem, just the cost. Then it comes with a warranty as you says and that's a big plus. Hehe, and for how long can you keep your fingers from the warranty seal ? ;)there's a difference between buying pre-built and buying company "manufactured" computers, for instance komplett sells computers where they let you change some of the specs while dell, hp, packardbell etc all have their brand/model computers, some cases they have special offering which lets you upgade somethings but thats mostly like 10 bux for some more ram, anyhow both these ways have similar warranties while buying parts and assemble on your own, for instance komplett gives you like 1 year warranty for your computer, and after 1 year your harddrive breaks, if you bought this part while creating your own computer and its by the brand seagate or western digital then you have 5-10 years of warranty.
Deathtaker27
21-03-2009, 01:18
i bought a Packard Bell
Came with no waranty label
so no complaints here
sexytime-24-7
21-03-2009, 01:39
i build my own. i just wanted to know what you guys do. its quite interesting how manufactured computers have far less warrenty than a random part you order online like a motherboard or something of that nature, im guessing its just to cut costs and stuff on the manufacturers side
I alway build them, sometimes i even build or at least mod the case. So i can have me fun and put i what i want and get no surpises.
Storm_Seraphin
21-03-2009, 08:29
i always build them, i guess pre-build that let you configure parts are ok for a general user, unless you start talking big bucks.
the reason why i build, you can make a half decent rig at a saving against the big boys out there but you have to do a little work, you get what you want & no one to argue with when it ****'s up .
lol mum broke her dell once, a nice bit of kit cost within reason the same as my initial set up. Needless to say, 3 hours on the phone to dell just for them to tell me they couldnt fix it & wanted it back for testing at a cost even with warranty, really didnt help my confidence in them. but when i opened the case lets just say i was surprised at the cost cutting cards inside. should have cost a lot less or would of if i'd done it of what it sold for. 1 hour later it was back to life after that & happy parental unit.
APOLLOFRENZY
21-03-2009, 08:58
first off when playing game try turning off your anti alias that should clear your screen of the lines and the like,
I have built all my pc's for years, they have always been top end with all the latest graphics cards and cpu's power suppli and boards but I never kept one longer than the one I have at mo the reason for this was I never got my moneys worth out of them as soon a board or card came out it was I need it and now! but these new boards cards cpu's memory ar really years ahead of the gaming world instead of hardware being behind software, its ahead but thats only my opinion software has been playing catch up for a while now but the thing is as well the hardware company's only bring there products out in stages like intel!
kegNeggs
21-03-2009, 10:09
i dont know a thing about computers so i bought all the previous ones with a mellow result - will get witchdoctors pete and chaoz to do the stuff and send it over ;)
this shud work
lol
i never buy if u buy one were u select what u want in it ?? mesh alienware ??
then its goint to cost u twice as much than building ur self..
and a pre built one even if u can choose what goes in it ur always going to get the cheaper option at the full price .
build it ur self u get every thing u want with no comprimise ..
sexytime-24-7
21-03-2009, 19:01
apollo, i jusr got the newest beta drivers from nvidia, stopped the black screen thing, no more jagged edges
f1rest@rter
21-03-2009, 19:20
well depends what you wanna do with it.
for playing 2142 i´m sure it´ll run on every pc you can buy nowadays no matter if pre-built or custom made.
ChaoZ[IRE]
21-03-2009, 22:57
yep fire dude, 98% of pc's these days just need a decent (512mb) gfx card and they will run anything well enuf to play on. . . if u dont have it then go get it :) i first played bf 2142 on a p4 2.8 with a 512 x1650 pro and i had a ping of over 50 all the time (sucked balls) .. . .only when i swapped to a new pentium D 3.4 and acquired 4gb of ram did i actually start to appreciate the game, from there i went to a core 2 2.6 and then when i got me an 8800gt all of a sudden im pinging at less than 25 and kicking arse, the next step from there was to get a good solid connection and now im down to a ping of no more than 20/22 at peak times which makes tagging invader easy :paddy:
sexytime-24-7
21-03-2009, 23:33
im sorry if i didnt make this very clear but i already built my pc, with a q9550 and two gtx 285s and other nice stuff with a thermaltake spedo advance package.
i got it all from novatech.co.uk (delivered to me from the uk to ireland in two days)
i just started this thread to know what you guys all did
lol think my ping is now around 14/20 peak time lol i love my 50meg
im on 20meg and get a ping of 10/12, i win :)
Deathtaker27
22-03-2009, 21:32
8 Megabit
and i get a ping of like 50-60
ouch i start screaming if i get a ping of 50