How much money is saved building your own rig? - Page 2

CaptainHaplo · 12-15-09, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by longam

I've never done a cost comparison, but I wonder how much the difference it would really be after you ad the cost of the OS?

I know every time I would build my own that wasn't a factor because XP was around for such a long time, but the last pre-built I purchased the OS cost was a considerable savings compared to purchasing it separate.

Something else to consider.

Longam - the quote I used included the same version of the OS as the one from Alienware. Granted its OEM, but since your buying the hardware, you can legally get OEM pricing. So the cost was just slightly over a hundred bucks - and was counted int he price.

I know most folks reuse their existing OS unless they have good reason not to. It makes sense. But going with an OEM priced OS doesn't hurt nearly as bad as it would otherwise.

Too bad there is no OEM pricing for the Office suite!

AVGWarhawk · 12-16-09, 09:28 AM

Too bad there is no OEM pricing for the Office suite!

I use openoffice.org. It is free and works just as well if not better than Office Suite. It is a shame that Office Suite is not part of the OS.

goldorak · 12-21-09, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

Too bad there is no OEM pricing for the Office suite!

I use openoffice.org. It is free and works just as well if not better than Office Suite. It is a shame that Office Suite is not part of the OS.

Me too I use OpenOffice and a lot of other open source software.
I used in the past to buy commercial closed source software, now I don't bother anymore. The main reason being that a third party can dictate when, how and IF I can use the software I legitimely paid and I don't accept this kind of bull****. Thank god open source has really advanced a lot in these last few years (helped in a big way by the Google summer of code sponsorship) that I have no problem whatsoever using it.

AVGWarhawk · 12-21-09, 11:24 AM

I was taken aback when I purchased Vista Home Premium and Office was not part of the OS. Since Windows 98 I have always had MS Office as part of the OS.

Castout · 12-21-09, 10:26 PM

I use Open Office too

Konovalov · 12-22-09, 01:16 PM

For me it is not about how much money I do or don't save. Rather it is about the satisfaction that I get in building a machine to my exact specification which features a good blend of performance along with low noise characteristics. Also I select quality components which give me a good chance of attaining decent overclocking in the future when my machine starts to get a bit long in the tooth. Building your own machine is a great experience and there are plenty of internet forums dedicated to helping people with building their own PC's. Once you get over the fear of giving your machine a serious makeover you won't look back.

GoldenRivet · 12-22-09, 01:28 PM

I have always built my own rig since i first started PC gaming.

I have a life long friend - i have known him longer than i havnt known him - he is under the computer / tech department for a major manufacturer in the Forth Worth Texas area... i always seek his advice in such matters

I typically spend about $4,000 - $5,000 on a computer every 4 years, for that price you could get a top of the line AlienWare.

I dont really save money, but in doing it this way, as was pointed out earlier i get the rig i want instead of the rig some company is willing to manufacture for me.

When my current PC was new... it trumped alienware's finest. I am due a new build by Late 2010 (just my opinion).

I order parts from NewEgg.com as i am able to afford them over about a 6 month period - then when all the parts are here, my friend and I grab a six pack of our favorite beers, spread everthing out and get to building through the night.

Usually takes us a few hours to get everything right how we want it and get the first game installed.

I have decided that my next rig will have at least one TB drive, as the information it could hold will easily outlast the next hand full of computers i build (assuming nothing gets cooked)

goldorak · 12-22-09, 01:44 PM

GoldenRivet : for the kind on money you're spending your next rig should definitely have a SLC SSD (or two in raid)

. And use a 1 TB drive as a backup solution. This baby will fly and have performance that no overclocking will give you. Just think that even with an i7 at 4Ghz you're still hampered by mechanical drives that have access times measured in miliseconds.

PeriscopeDepth · 12-22-09, 04:25 PM

I had a terrible experience with cyberpower from a system I bought last year. CPU cooling fan arrived broke due to shipping, which I guess I can see past. Bad stuff happens when shipping. The machine also arrived with a bad stick of RAM, which they took back and sent me a "new" one... Several times now. But apparently they don't care whether the new one is also defective and/or compatible with my motherboard. There's a reason they're so cheap, their warranty states they don't necessarily use new parts.

Definitely building my own gaming rigs in the future.

PD

longam · 12-22-09, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoldenRivet

I dont really save money, but in doing it this way, as was pointed out earlier i get the rig i want instead of the rig some company is willing to manufacture for me.

Replace manufacture with assemble

LoBlo · 12-23-09, 07:32 AM

I'm such a novice that I'm nervous about trying to build my own. I want a quiet rig that at the same time can max out 100% the settings of my favorite games without problems (microsoft flight simulator X is a hardware hog).

Thanks for the advice guys, its appreciated.

Arclight · 12-23-09, 07:35 AM

The noisiest thing in there is usually the graphics card. Get one with a dual-slot cooler, or something custom made, those are very effective compared to a small sink + fan combo.

Platapus · 02-11-10, 09:41 AM

One important thing to remember is that it does take some computer knowledge and frankly some experience to be able to build your own system.

One has to be honest with ones self about your capabilities. I tried to build my own system (actually just wanted to change CPUs and Motherboard. It is not as easy as some claim.

In the decision whether to buy a pre-made computer or build one yourself, I would like to add another option: Find someone knowledgeable (go with a professional not one of your buddies) and have them build your system.

That's the way I will be going in the future. I don't know that much about computers and have lost a lot of money trying to learn... the hard way.

goldorak · 02-11-10, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Platapus

One important thing to remember is that it does take some computer knowledge and frankly some experience to be able to build your own system.

One has to be honest with ones self about your capabilities. I tried to build my own system (actually just wanted to change CPUs and Motherboard. It is not as easy as some claim.

In the decision whether to buy a pre-made computer or build one yourself, I would like to add another option: Find someone knowledgeable (go with a professional not one of your buddies) and have them build your system.

That's the way I will be going in the future. I don't know that much about computers and have lost a lot of money trying to learn... the hard way.

I'll tell you my experience. Up until my first build in early 2000 I had never seen the interior of a pc. Nothing, believe me I was literally afraid of **********g something up.
The thing is, building a pc is like building a meccano (if you're old enough you will certainly remeber those kits).
So you start from the basics, get an anti-static wrist and start building from the motherboard up. I had choosen a case with removable motherboard tray for this reason. I did the whole build outside the case and then pronto, slide the motherboard try inside, connect the power supply, and the different drives etc... And then close everything. Put the mains on and install the operating system.
The hard part is learning what to buy, but that's what magazines are for. Make yourself a culture about pc's and then go on build on.

FIREWALL · 02-11-10, 11:10 AM

Nobody sells exactly what I built myself.

12-21-09, 11:24 AM	#19
AVGWarhawk Lucky Jack Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a 1954 Buick. Posts: 28,254 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	I was taken aback when I purchased Vista Home Premium and Office was not part of the OS. Since Windows 98 I have always had MS Office as part of the OS. __________________ “You're painfully alive in a drugged and dying culture.” ― Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road

12-21-09, 10:26 PM	#20
Castout Silent Hunter Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Jakarta Posts: 4,794 Downloads: 89 Uploads: 6	I use Open Office too __________________ My blog: http://exposingsingapore.wordpress.com/

12-22-09, 01:16 PM	#21
Konovalov Ocean Warrior Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: High Wycombe, Bucks, UK Posts: 2,811 Downloads: 9 Uploads: 0	For me it is not about how much money I do or don't save. Rather it is about the satisfaction that I get in building a machine to my exact specification which features a good blend of performance along with low noise characteristics. Also I select quality components which give me a good chance of attaining decent overclocking in the future when my machine starts to get a bit long in the tooth. Building your own machine is a great experience and there are plenty of internet forums dedicated to helping people with building their own PC's. Once you get over the fear of giving your machine a serious makeover you won't look back. __________________ "In a Christian context, sexuality is traditionally seen as a consequence of the Fall, but for Muslims, it is an anticipation of paradise. So I can say, I think, that I was validly converted to Islam by a teenage French Jewish nudist." Sheikh Abdul-Hakim Murad (Timothy Winter)

12-22-09, 01:28 PM	#22
GoldenRivet Subsim Aviator Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 8,726 Downloads: 146 Uploads: 0	I have always built my own rig since i first started PC gaming. I have a life long friend - i have known him longer than i havnt known him - he is under the computer / tech department for a major manufacturer in the Forth Worth Texas area... i always seek his advice in such matters I typically spend about $4,000 - $5,000 on a computer every 4 years, for that price you could get a top of the line AlienWare. I dont really save money, but in doing it this way, as was pointed out earlier i get the rig i want instead of the rig some company is willing to manufacture for me. When my current PC was new... it trumped alienware's finest. I am due a new build by Late 2010 (just my opinion). I order parts from NewEgg.com as i am able to afford them over about a 6 month period - then when all the parts are here, my friend and I grab a six pack of our favorite beers, spread everthing out and get to building through the night. Usually takes us a few hours to get everything right how we want it and get the first game installed. I have decided that my next rig will have at least one TB drive, as the information it could hold will easily outlast the next hand full of computers i build (assuming nothing gets cooked) __________________

12-23-09, 07:32 AM	#26
LoBlo Subsim Diehard Join Date: May 2006 Location: Texas! Posts: 971 Downloads: 78 Uploads: 3	I'm such a novice that I'm nervous about trying to build my own. I want a quiet rig that at the same time can max out 100% the settings of my favorite games without problems (microsoft flight simulator X is a hardware hog). Thanks for the advice guys, its appreciated. __________________ "Seek not to offend or annoy... only to speak the truth"-a wise man

12-16-09, 09:28 AM	#17
AVGWarhawk Lucky Jack Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a 1954 Buick. Posts: 28,254 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	Too bad there is no OEM pricing for the Office suite! I use openoffice.org. It is free and works just as well if not better than Office Suite. It is a shame that Office Suite is not part of the OS.

12-22-09, 01:44 PM	#23
goldorak Admiral Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,320 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	GoldenRivet : for the kind on money you're spending your next rig should definitely have a SLC SSD (or two in raid) . And use a 1 TB drive as a backup solution. This baby will fly and have performance that no overclocking will give you. Just think that even with an i7 at 4Ghz you're still hampered by mechanical drives that have access times measured in miliseconds.

12-22-09, 04:25 PM	#24
PeriscopeDepth Sea Lord Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Pacific NW Posts: 1,894 Downloads: 6 Uploads: 0	I had a terrible experience with cyberpower from a system I bought last year. CPU cooling fan arrived broke due to shipping, which I guess I can see past. Bad stuff happens when shipping. The machine also arrived with a bad stick of RAM, which they took back and sent me a "new" one... Several times now. But apparently they don't care whether the new one is also defective and/or compatible with my motherboard. There's a reason they're so cheap, their warranty states they don't necessarily use new parts. Definitely building my own gaming rigs in the future. PD

12-23-09, 07:35 AM	#27
Arclight Navy Seal Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Land of windmills, tulips, wooden shoes and cheese. Lots of cheese. Posts: 8,467 Downloads: 53 Uploads: 10	The noisiest thing in there is usually the graphics card. Get one with a dual-slot cooler, or something custom made, those are very effective compared to a small sink + fan combo. __________________ Contritium praecedit superbia.

02-11-10, 09:41 AM	#28
Platapus Fleet Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 19,361 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 0	One important thing to remember is that it does take some computer knowledge and frankly some experience to be able to build your own system. One has to be honest with ones self about your capabilities. I tried to build my own system (actually just wanted to change CPUs and Motherboard. It is not as easy as some claim. In the decision whether to buy a pre-made computer or build one yourself, I would like to add another option: Find someone knowledgeable (go with a professional not one of your buddies) and have them build your system. That's the way I will be going in the future. I don't know that much about computers and have lost a lot of money trying to learn... the hard way. __________________ abusus non tollit usum - A right should NOT be withheld from people on the basis that some tend to abuse that right.

02-11-10, 11:10 AM	#30
FIREWALL Eternal Patrol Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: CATALINA IS. SO . CAL USA Posts: 10,108 Downloads: 511 Uploads: 0	Nobody sells exactly what I built myself. __________________ RIP FIREWALL I Play GWX. Silent Hunter Who ???