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CO_17thRecon
Kell Hounds
Major
Joined: 10-Sep-2002 00:00
Posts: 1297
Location: United States
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 Posted: 15-Oct-2002 21:40 Post subject: RE: Building My New Computer (Help me...) |
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I hate to sound like a broken record, but the subject here is not Dell computers and their value. I'm simply not interested in buying another prebuilt computer. The title of the thread says it all. I plan to build something myself. And I plan for it to work and be better than what I have. Yet, I have not done this before and am not expert. Therefore, I wanted to make sure I have "backup" as it were. Some friends to advise me should something go wrong.
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Jarylan Blackwell
"What the...?! Where did you get THAT?!"
"Creative aquisition."
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Karagin
Imperial Karagin Army
Imperial General
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 4120
Location: United States
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| Posted: 15-Oct-2002 21:44 Post subject: RE: Building My New Computer (Help me...) |
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Thing is even if you go with DELL you are not getting a perbuilt computer unless that is what you want.
You have opition of building your own computer through them. I was pointing out that they have a good deal that you can build on.
I know for a fact if you call them and tell them what you want in your machine they will do their best to meet what you tell them.
I am not saying you have to buy their pre-packaged computer. I am saying call them and talk to them and then compare some prices and then get what you want.
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Karagin
Only the dead have seen the end of war. - Plato
"Wasted trip Man. Nobody said nuthin' about lockin' horns with no tigers." Oddball
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crabcakes66
Draconis Combine
Go-cho
Joined: 09-Oct-2002 00:00
Posts: 67
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| Posted: 15-Oct-2002 22:32 Post subject: RE: Building My New Computer (Help me...) |
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first: amd is just as good as intel(the price gap is fading but you will probly come out a few bucks cheaper with an amd chip and board.but it will depend on the board more than the chip.REMEMBER there alot more board choices than chip choiches)
second: your motherboard is the MOST(after you decide on a chip) important peice of your computer DONT skimp on the board you will NOT be saving money
third: other components are all about how much money you want to spend i suggest sticking with names you have atleast heard of.
3b. know what components you can skimp on like your LAN card(a 19$ card is as good as a 50$ card)soundcard,video card and other bells and whistles depend on what you want(again stick with known stuff as it will have better support all around...warranty,driver updates ect.)to do with this computer.
4 weather anyone wants to admit (or they just dont know what there talking about)
dells,gateways.ect ARE put together using mostly inferior parts to what you yourself could build and you will pay 10-30% more(it can varie more wideley than this to) for them to put it together.they use cheaper components that they buy in bulk or that are speacily made in mass quantities for that exact purpose.
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Hardware
Clan Ghost Bear
Star Colonel
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 605
Location: United States
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| Posted: 15-Oct-2002 23:14 Post subject: RE: Building My New Computer (Help me...) |
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I've got an AMD 1GHZ on an ASUS A7V board. Board and processor are the most important decision. Spend your money wisely and consult consumer reports.
Make sure your case and board are the same form factor or you are going to be visiting a very technical level of hell. ATX is standard, but there are AT cases still being sold. I have no idea why.
Hard drive is important, but the choices are narrowing because of mergers. The newest video card is also the least supported. Sound, network and modem are least important. Reputable manufacturers make low cost versions of their premier cards, that have most of the bang for much less buck.
However, after building my uber-system two years ago my girlfriend's system went kaput in a big way. I picked up a refurbed 1GHZ P3 from Dell, (an optiplex, their business line workstation and most assuredly, not low grade garbage) for $600. Other than throwing in $75 dollars worth of RAM I've had to do nothing to that system and its been bulletproof.
A casual perusal of their refurb site showed this gem...
$545.00* OptiPlex GX260 P4-1800 20GB (I) - 7200 RPM 256 32MB, VGA (dual monitor capable)
$545, free shipping and support for a year? Hell, if I was in the market, this is how I'd go.
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The more I get to know people the more I like my dog.
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Nightmare
Lyran Alliance
Kommandant-General
Joined: 03-May-2002 00:00
Posts: 2214
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Gunslinger Patch
Royal Black Watch Regiment
Major
Joined: 04-Mar-2002 00:00
Posts: 1611
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| Posted: 16-Oct-2002 04:19 Post subject: RE: Building My New Computer (Help me...) |
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Well, I'm no techie either. I have an AMD Athlon 1300 and I like it very well. But when my friend helped me put mine together I learned the hard way not to buy an ASUS motherboard with a VIA chipset.
Right after I bought that thing, I started noticing the games I was buying had readmes that said they had problems with VIA chipsets. After lots of crashing and lockup aggravation I literally threw that thing away and bought a different brand. So far I've been happy with the second try.
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"Those who beat their guns into plows will plow for those with guns..." -Thomas Jefferson
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Sir Henry
Team Bansai
Senior Tech Specialist
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 4899
Location: United States
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| Posted: 16-Oct-2002 08:45 Post subject: RE: Building My New Computer (Help me...) |
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VIa Chipsets have always been a Pain. I perfer anyone ove VIA. AMD, I Love them. I have a 1.2 GHz in my desktop and works wonderful. The OS sucks...XP. Linux is free for the Download or like 6 bucks for the CD's
I use Mandrake. I like it, but you have get used to the differences. And you don't have to deal with the MS BS.
Like Vagabond said, watch for Bus Speed and AGP compatibility. Also if you get RAM get all of the Same kind, Bus speed, maker and amount. I like 512 Mb myself, especially if you doing any Multimedia work.
HD 7200 RPM and as fast and large as you can afford. Start at 80Gb and up. I have 40 Gb internal on both Desktop and Laptop and an External 80GB.
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Sir Henry
A Dragon in the disguise of a bunny, is still a Dragon.
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Karagin
Imperial Karagin Army
Imperial General
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 4120
Location: United States
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| Posted: 16-Oct-2002 08:54 Post subject: RE: Building My New Computer (Help me...) |
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I have had good luck with Western Ditigal HDs...so far WD has given me no problems while my 50GB Maxtor crashed after less then a year of use.
Maxtor was kind enough to send me a refund and DELL sent me a new HD...so I am not shooting down Maxtor, just that I have had bad luck with them.
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Karagin
Only the dead have seen the end of war. - Plato
"Wasted trip Man. Nobody said nuthin' about lockin' horns with no tigers." Oddball
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CO_17thRecon
Kell Hounds
Major
Joined: 10-Sep-2002 00:00
Posts: 1297
Location: United States
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| Posted: 16-Oct-2002 10:18 Post subject: RE: Building My New Computer (Help me...) |
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I like the strong exchange of ideas on the board. Thanks for the How-To site and VIA warning. As for space, I have a 10gb HD and never even used 5 GB, even when I had the massive EverQuest software on it. So I think 20GB is excessive enough, unless the cost differences are negligible.
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Jarylan Blackwell
"What the...?! Where did you get THAT?!"
"Creative aquisition."
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Karagin
Imperial Karagin Army
Imperial General
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 4120
Location: United States
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| Posted: 16-Oct-2002 10:20 Post subject: RE: Building My New Computer (Help me...) |
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I feel it's better have more HD space now then to have run out later and buy a new drive cause you ran out. 20GBs should be enough for most you.
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Karagin
Only the dead have seen the end of war. - Plato
"Wasted trip Man. Nobody said nuthin' about lockin' horns with no tigers." Oddball
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Nightmare
Lyran Alliance
Kommandant-General
Joined: 03-May-2002 00:00
Posts: 2214
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| Posted: 16-Oct-2002 10:44 Post subject: RE: Building My New Computer (Help me...) |
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Stay away from Creative Labs soundcards too while you`re at it, they`re at the heart of all too many crashes. Bad drivers.
VIA hasn`t caused me any bad troubles yet, and I do think Windows causes a lot of the ones I`ve noticed...
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Hardware
Clan Ghost Bear
Star Colonel
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 605
Location: United States
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| Posted: 16-Oct-2002 12:20 Post subject: RE: Building My New Computer (Help me...) |
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A note about operating systems...
I've been running 2000 Workstation on my system. But I don't care to play online or head to head gaming. If you are a big networked game enthusiast do not use 2000. It is more of a pro networking package. XP is supposed to be better than 2000 at networked games, but all I've heard from folks who have it is problems running games, networked or not. I think 98 Millenium Edition is absolute crap. It incorporates a lot of the desktop look and feel of 2000 but loses functionality and adaptability in the bargain. I'd stick with 98 Second Edition if you have it.
Unless you want to learn Linux, in which case pick your flavor.
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The more I get to know people the more I like my dog.
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Sir Henry
Team Bansai
Senior Tech Specialist
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 4899
Location: United States
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| Posted: 16-Oct-2002 13:56 Post subject: RE: Building My New Computer (Help me...) |
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Creative anything, they all have problems with drivers.
I like ATI Video and Diamond or Turtle beach sound Cards.
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Sir Henry
A Dragon in the disguise of a bunny, is still a Dragon.
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Karagin
Imperial Karagin Army
Imperial General
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 4120
Location: United States
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| Posted: 16-Oct-2002 14:49 Post subject: RE: Building My New Computer (Help me...) |
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GeoForce video cards have problems with older DOS games and can cause the game to dump you back out to the desktop...
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Karagin
Only the dead have seen the end of war. - Plato
"Wasted trip Man. Nobody said nuthin' about lockin' horns with no tigers." Oddball
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Talen
Capellan Confederation
Sang-shao
Joined: 05-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 1269
Location: United States
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| Posted: 16-Oct-2002 15:12 Post subject: RE: Building My New Computer (Help me...) |
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But GeForce offers the best accelleration packages...thought I hate the MX line of cards, they can get the job done for half the price. They just use cheap parts.
And its usually not the video card that has problems with the games, its the OS you are using.
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"Historians exercise great power and some of them know it. They recreate the past, changing it to fit their own interpretations. Thus, they change the future as well." - Leto II
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