OT: New Computer

[Raiders Army]

I'm looking at getting a new Alienware Area 51 computer. Looking at spending about $2800. Any other possibilities out there? From what I've looked at, there aren't too many comparable PCs for the same price:

3.0 Ghz w/800Mhz FSB Hyperthreading
1GB SDRAM
Radeon Pro 9800 128 MB
120 GB Hard Drive
DVD-ROM
DVD+RW

Those are the big specs. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

[MizzouRah]

Dell has a new gaming pc, but I don't know much about them or what they cost. Saw one in a magazine a few weeks ago. All I can remember is the silver and blue color of the pc.


Todd

[KWhit]

I also heard that the 120gig hard drives are unreliable. That it's better to go with 2 at 60 gigs each. But a techie would know better about this than I.

[Jesus Christ]

Sounds like a good buy on your part. Congrats .

[Philliesfan980]

Its nice, but ask around and see if someone who knows how to build computers can hook you up with a system like that. You could honestly purchase the components for that system for about $1000 less (maybe more) to have them assembled. Alienware is redicilously expensive.

[FBPro]

I was thinking the same thing, buying the components and getting someone to or assembling it yourself would probably be much cheaper and have the same system(for the most part).

[MizzouRah]

Originally posted by Philliesfan980
Its nice, but ask around and see if someone who knows how to build computers can hook you up with a system like that. You could honestly purchase the components for that system for about $1000 less (maybe more) to have them assembled. Alienware is redicilously expensive.


No doubt about it you would save $$$$. Although companies like Alienware also tweak your system to it's potential and get quite a bit more speed out of it. That's the real motive behind their exsistance, you pay for the technical side of things.


Todd

[dacman]

Originally posted by KWhit
I also heard that the 120gig hard drives are unreliable. That it's better to go with 2 at 60 gigs each. But a techie would know better about this than I.

Old news, IIRC. The newest ones are fine.

edit: although I personally avoid WD (Western Digital). I've had too many problems with them over the years.

[BFleming]

I found a similar PC for $1800...

P4 3 GHz
2 120 GB hard drives
GeForce4 Ti 4200
512 MB RAM
Sound Blaster Audigy

The only thing on board is a network card, and it can use a bit more ram...other than that, you'll save a boatload...found the computer at Best Buy-- VPR Matrix, never heard of it before buying it but no problems whatsoever so far...

[Craptacular]

Originally posted by MizzouRah
Dell has a new gaming pc, but I don't know much about them or what they cost. Saw one in a magazine a few weeks ago. All I can remember is the silver and blue color of the pc.


Dude, if you order online by Tuesday, they have a free upgrade from 512 to 1 GB DDR RAM, and a free 4X DVD/CD burner in the 2nd bay (16X DVD-ROM in 1st). The base price for the specs you listed (with a basic 19" monitor) is ~$2400.

edit: By the way, the computer is the Dell Dimension XPS.

[MizzouRah]

By the way, the computer is the Dell Dimension XPS


Ahhhhh...thanks!

Starting your post with Dude is classic! LOL! :)
Oh how I would love a DVD burner....


Todd

[Craptacular]

I wonder why they're now simply calling it the XPS, and not the XPS *insert letter and number here*. My current computer (3-years old) is an XPS B800r, and the couple previous to that were both XPS-something or other.

[Marc Vaughan]

If you want fast and don't care about cost go for somwhere like Alienware, if you want something good but not too expensive buy a 'box shifter' (ie. Dell or similar).

If you're in the UK a company called XWorks Interactive are somewhere beween the two and are pretty good (they specialise in supplying PC's to game developers but do also sell to the public I believe).

[VIKING FAN]

Just bought Vaio 26rz - 3.06 ghz, 160 GB hard drive, 1 GB ram, dvd writer, dvd player, Gigapocket (watch & record live tv) --$2000. Runs all games in high res with no problems.