I want to purchase a PC in the next few months. I have experience building computers and that may be an option. I'm looking for an online store where I can buy prebuilt systems, barebone systems, or parts.
I was looking at building a machine just from parts but the prices add up to more than a prebuilt system would be.
Any help in this area?
Thanks.
I always go through www.mwave.com. They have *really* good customer service, and their prices are good. You can put together a good barebones system, which they will test before they send out, and then add whatever you want to it. That's how I usually build systems for customers.
James M. Baker
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Computer Nerd
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My site
or you could wait until this summer when i start my custom pc and barebones internet store....
either gonna be J&R or Eskimo
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*APPLE MAC HOME*
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When it was time for me to get a new machine two years ago, I thought about building one but just decided it would be cheaper and easier to buy something prebuilt. I ended up getting a Dell and haven't looked back--it's a great machine.
If you really want to build something on your own, Pricewatch can be your best friend. You can get some good barebone systems through General NanoSystems (which happens to be only a couple miles away from me): http://www.nanosys1.com.
Buy a shuttle XPC. Seriously.
Dr. Bob
Seconding the shuttle recommendation. Awesome would be a severe understatement in describing them, especially for the size and price.
Wow, those systems are very impressive. The price is great and they seem to offer the expansion that I would need. I just took a quick glance, but if anyone knows please tell me if they can handle a second internal hardrive or optical drive.
Thanks for the lead.
Happy Birthday QuickTime!
Lets see from what I remember when I was fondling an XPC (its on my list of future buy's, maybe Athlon64 if they do it) it's got 1 5" 2 3" and with the wires and CPU+heatsink it's pretty cramped in there. So no more than 1 internal optical drive (with firewire and usb externals who cares? stick the cdrw in the external and dvdrw in the shuttle) but if you leave the 3" bay empty (no media reader, floppy drive) you can put a hard drive in it, giving you 2 total. Leave out the optical drive and you can stuff 3 using standard mounting. Anymore than that might cause cooling problems as circulation will become nonexistant. But thats just from what i've handled numerous times at Fry's
If I were to get a new system altogether though (and not satisfy some fetish for the unusual), I have to go with the Dell. Seems like you can regularly find a P4 Tower or Celeron System (monitor, tower, etc) for $400. Just check out dealnews.com and look at their systems link. Not to trash any private business, but the dell towers are sweet, college got a new lab furnished with new dells and they were quiet.
Dog
JMT
That is my next route.
specs:
SN41G Mobo
Athlon xp 2800 333 MHz FSB
1 Gb of PC3200 Ram
160 Gb total HD space
DVD-RW
price: $600
i recently built myself my "chipmunk xp"
i've got:
AMD XP+ 2500
40gb hdd
a 52xcd bruner w/ nero
all cables
=mach speed motherboard
and a 60$ case
allfor about 450$ on www.tigerdirect.com
they have barebones sys. to
i've never had a problem w/ their shipping, cust. support, or hardware/software...
xcept that usp dropped my case and now one of the corners are crunched in, but besided that, it's not a problem and everything works just fine!