PC buying advice

[MasterOLightning]

I'm looking to buy a new PC very soon and I'm looking for some advice. I'd like a desktop, and I won't need a monitor, as I'm planning to run it through my TV. I ran a few custom builds and kept coming up with a cost around $700-800, which feels high. Probably won't be gaming on it, but I am looking at an upgraded sound card. Any ideas on how to get a great deal? Black Friday sales kind of suck for desktops. Trying to push old stock of Vista, or crappy netbooks.

I don't feel comfortable building my own, and I don't know anyone who can do it, so I think I'll have to go through online stores. I don't think I'm going to pirate any software either.

Here's the last build of an HP model I came up with:
Operating system
Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit

Processor

Intel(R) Pentium(R) Dual-Core processor E5400 [2.7GHz, 2MB L2, 800MHz FSB]

Memory

3GB DDR2-800MHz SDRAM [2 DIMMs]

Hard drive

320GB 7200 rpm SATA 3Gb/s hard drive

Graphics card

512MB NVIDIA GeForce G210 [DVI, HDMI, VGA]

Primary optical drive

LightScribe 16X max. DVD+/-R/RW SuperMulti drive

Networking

Integrated 10/100 Ethernet, No wireless LAN

Front Productivity Ports

15-in-1 memory card reader, 2 USB, audio

TV & entertainment experience

No TV Tuner

[/URL]Sound Card

Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio

Speakers

No speakers

Keyboard and Mouse

HP wireless keyboard and HP wireless optical mouse

Productivity software

Microsoft(R) Office Basic Edition 2007

Security software

No additional security software

So any ideas where to cut costs or get something cheaper outright? That was $683.78.

 

[audiophileguy]

http://www.ibuypower.com/
http://www.cyberpowerpc.com

the two best building sites on the net. enjoy

 

[Vithon]

Linux > Windows

 

[MasterOLightning]

I definitely came up with considerably cooler machines there, but at a few hundred more. I wonder if I shouldn't just bump my budget up to $1k and pay for it over a year.

 

[rms]

you should buy custom, my pc has 3.2ghz amd/4gigs of ram/500gb hd/1gb ati radeon 4770 and only cost me 700

 

[MasterOLightning]

I can cut costs on a hard drive, as I can pick up an external for cheap in the future. I'm not sure what I need for a graphics or video card at all. If I'm playing games they'll probably be somewhat old bargain bin ones.

 

[mutantllama]

http://www.ibuypower.com/
http://www.cyberpowerpc.com

the two best building sites on the net. enjoy

I bought a Cyberpower prebuilt, and it runs pretty good, and it's plenty customizable. The only downside is that it's not shielded well, so it interferes with low frequency waves.

 

[supseudonymous]

1. Save money; replace Microsoft Office with OpenOffice unless there are features exclusive to MS Office that you require.

2. Buy Dell, fuck HP. There was a report published a few weeks ago by SquareTrade, a large company that sells third party warranties, which showed the three year mechanical failure rate for notebooks was higher for HP than any other major manufacturer. From my experience you can extrapolate this to their desktops as well.

There was one great desktop deal yesterday, at Best Buy, but that's already finished.

I definitely came up with considerably cooler machines there, but at a few hundred more. I wonder if I shouldn't just bump my budget up to $1k and pay for it over a year.

I did this to purchase my current laptop and I don't regret it. I like having a computer that will be relevant more than two years into the future.

Linux > Windows

Once Apple releases iTunes for Linux I'm gone. I've been using/learning Ubuntu as my main OS for the last a couple of months and I'm in love with it.

 

[rms]

im sorry but just download MS office, software is so over priced

 

[supseudonymous]

im sorry but just download MS office, software is so over priced

...unless you have access to a .edu email address. Microsoft's student discounts are bad ass.

 

[Srontgorrth]

If you're not interested in gaming just get a motherboard with an integrated GPU or whatever. And maybe 2 gb of RAM instead?

And definitely just download Office.

Also, check craigslist or something, you might get lucky.

I got this for $210, and I'm picking up a 19" monitor today for $60.

Processor - AMD64x2 5600+ 2.9Ghz
Motherboard - gigabyte Ga-m61pme-s2
HDD - Western Digital Caviar se 320GB w/ 16mb cache
RAM - 4GB DDR2 800mhz
Video Card - PCI-x KFA2 low profile Geforce 8500GT 512mb
Power Supply - 300 watts
Dvd+-RW
Sony Multi Card Reader (CF, SD, mmc, pro, xd etc)


Only downside was that there was Linux, but I've fixed that.

 

[Lateralus14]

In before d_t tells you to get a mac

 

[RedinTheSky]

You could get lucky as Angel did on Craigslist, or build your own at Cyberpower/Ibuypower and others. If you aren't gaming, I recommend a quad core processor to help with multiple processes (Youtube,Foobar, encoding movies, etc). I also recommend a graphics card with a lot of ram if you are hooking it up to a Large TV. Also Windows 7.

 

[Mort Divine]

DO NOT BUY FROM ANY MAJOR COMPANY FIRST OF ALL

Buy the parts and build it yourself, or give someone you know who knows how to build them 30 bucks or so to put it together. You will save so much money and have a MUCH better computer

 

[Ben_t]

It really somes down to budget and use to get good advice.

I checked quickly your stuff up there and I have no idea why you include a sound card, network car...most decent motherboard already have those onboard.

My friend recently bought a computer which seems a lot better than what I'm seeing there.

We bought everything in pieces and we'll put it together.

Basically he got (sorry I just have the prices in $Can):

Motherboard (Asus P7P55D): 135$
CPU (intel i5 750): 210$
Memory (4Gig DDR3): 90$
Case (Antec 300): 50$
Vid Card (Radeon HD 4670 -decent but can be updraged if you need more power for games): 80$
Power Supply (500w): 40$
HD (WD caviar green 1.5Tb): 100$

This is decent and seems like it would fit your needs. Total: 705$ It might be even cheaper in US$ so you could go with a better video card.

 

[Srontgorrth]

I found this (bored):

http://chicago.craigslist.org/sox/sys/1485412299.html

After upgrading RAM and possibly HD it still wouldn't be very much.

 

[Pessimism]

Damn, no mention of Newegg.com at all? If you do use the site, look for shipping coupon codes and NEVER ship UPS (that frankly goes for anything you ship at any point in time).

Are you going to use this hookup for movies/music and gaming? Honestly out of your specs I rec. upgrading the RAM; check your mobo to see if it can accept any more (physically), because Win 7 64 bit will def. give you the possibility of more than 3 gigs (Personal brand that I love for RAM = OCZ; it's a bit more expensive, but comes with a lifetime warranty, low latency, quality integrated heatsinks and always works flawlessly).

You should also up your HD if you download anything or use it for storage; having an external is fine and all until you realize you have to way to regulate temperature. Hell, get an Internal 1TB as a secondary drive to just hold data, and use your current to install the OS. Buy this and (depending on if you have at least two good fans) you could run your rig for days running full and never have the GPU top 40C.
Since a gig basically equates to 15 cents now, you should be able to find a good TB for just over $100.


And I don't know how you plan on running sound without implementing speakers. My 42" has shit speakers built in, so we run a cable to an external set of computer speakers. How did you find a way around this?


edit: Also, black edition quad cores from AMD are the utter shit; highly rec'd by me (I love mine... oh god I just want to be inside of it!); if you decide to go this route though, go for the AM3 socket type.

 

[Dak]

Out of curiosity, why should you never use UPS?

 

[Pessimism]

They ALWAYS crush the shit out of your packages, no matter how fragile they are. On top of that, all computer parts that I have ever purchased from any site (and many people agree with me on this, go out and find reviews) that that have been shipped from UPS ultimately end up dead within six months time or DOA.

That's not to say there aren't any error with FedEx, but there is definitely an upgrade in shipping quality (which in turn reflects the life of your items). No one wants an OEM HD or a mobo being flattened in a freight truck/plane with hundreds/thousands of lbs., so why pay for it?

 

[RedinTheSky]

I have never had a problem with UPS, but Newegg is now using DHL for some of its bargain shipping, and instead of the phenomenal 2-3 day shipping you usually get you will have to wait another 3-5 days because DHL gives it over to usps when its in your area.