off the shelf pc

[egan.]

Hey all. I'm looking for advice on an off the shelf PC. I've built my own before but I don't really want to deal with it again given that by all calculations the savings would be negligible if I buy an OS. I already own a mac so let's skip that conversation too.
What I'm really looking for is recent experience using an off the shelf PC (Dell, gateway, etc.) as a DAW.
One annoying but understandable trend is that most new PC's seem to be shipping with a 64bit os which seems to still be unsupported by most DAW software.
Anyway, hit me with your thoughts.

 

[Zack Uidl]

If I were to get a desktop PC, I would probably get an HP. I can't really help more than that, but when I have used "off the shelf" PCs they have been the best.

 

[aberration]

CompUSA's website has some killer deals on it right now.

 

[oscillat0r]

DELL xps625 or xps630 - you should be able to buy it with vista but get 32 bit XP factory installed via downgrade rights.

 

[Metaltastic]

I've always had great success with HP's, and they're amazingly inexpensive!

 

[beyond dead]

another vote for hp! they seem to be less problematic than dell or acer. notice I said less lol

 

[Kazrog]

Hit NewEgg, but I'd generally say that HP is on a roll these days.

 

[JeffTD]

HP and reformat with XP.

 

[Zack Uidl]

A friend asked me recently to check out his Dell to see what is wrong with it and I must say it is a total mess. I have never seen such insane issues with an HP.

I normally use MAC and my PC that I built, but HPs are pretty sweet so I would recommend them again With XP running of course

 

[jeb]

Dell vostro for the win!!

Those computers are inexpensive and really great!

 

[jrt12]

i havent used an HP in almost 10 years. Back then they sucked ass and I wouldnt recommend them to anyone. Then in the last couple years they seem to have been gobbling up market share from Dell, so they must be doing something right.

as for Dell, I have a "new" computer at work with nearly the same exact specs (RAM, bus speed, processor speed, etc) as the home computer i built 3 years ago. My home computer is still noticeably faster and i can push it harder. weird.

 

[kev]

HP's is where its at if you want service. Sounds like money isnt such an issue in this case etc, so i'd say do it. I recently bought 60 machines off HP (30 business laptops and 30 business desktops) and whenever they go wrong they will turn up next day. Just make sure you buy a 4 yr carepack, its well worth it.

I know you dont wanna hear this, but i'd still rather build my own If you are building a hi end pc there is plenty to be saved, but not such much with a middy or budget.

 

[jrt12]

+1 on the build your own... but if whatever reason you really dont want to, its easy to get one off the shelf and upgrade components little by little (add hard drives, upgrade RAM, sound & vid cards, etc). thats why i'll always prefer a pc desktop as a main machine vs a laptop or that other computer (name not mentioned to keep the zealots at bay)

 

[oscillat0r]

Then in the last couple years they seem to have been gobbling up market share from Dell, so they must be doing something right.

what they're doing right doesn't necessarily make it a better computer!

 

[egan.]

I know you dont wanna hear this, but i'd still rather build my own If you are building a hi end pc there is plenty to be saved, but not such much with a middy or budget.

You see I'm not really sold on this notion anymore. Like I said I've built PC's before but when I've recently dropped all the parts in my newegg basket for a new PC the price comes out the same as a dell/hp/gateway that specs identically. Granted building would give me the potential to OC but Apple has broken me of the habit of wanting to endlessly fuck with my computer.
I just want something much faster than my old PC (that admittedly, I built).

 

[egan.]

After all of this I had a change of heart and ended up buying parts to build b/c I was too worried about getting dicked around with 32bit drivers for an off the shelf with some proprietary mobo.
Asus/i7 on the way. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[-Loco-]

you guys are all computer n00bs - HP by and large suck.

try:

www.meshcomputers.com

www.cyberpowersystem.co.uk - seriously recommend this one

I think cyberpower offer xp if not you can always reformat and load xp....but in terms of performance and value then those two pwn.

If you're in the u.s then try www.cyberpowerpc.com



Any computer factory made by names such as HP/Compaq/Toshiba is going to suck for money/performance compared to a good custom builder with pre-built machines.

 

[kev]

^ no shit, but he said he'd had enough of it mate lol

 

[colonel kurtz]

Hit NewEgg, but I'd generally say that HP is on a roll these days.

that's weird, cause i know that 7-8 years back HP's were total crap, and dell was king of the fuckin' mountain...

 

[Line666]

I've used both. They're both equally terrible.

I've had less problems with PC's I've ordered straight off the evilbay.