What he said, prior to the huge influx of high end gaming PC's Alienware were perhaps the ones who started it, with over the top but superb gaming PC's. Since being bought out by Dell they have rapidly gone downhill fast.asinann said:
Poll: Should I buy an Alienware Desktop?
- Thread starter Red Right Hand
- Start date
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I'm just going to hop on the bandwagon and say roll your own.
The difference between the amount of time that you put into research for buying your own parts versus evaluating what's coming in a pre-built to see if you're being ripped off is basically nil/a wash (if you care enough in the first place).
The actual building of the machine will take a couple hours, assuming you put in the legwork up front regarding compatibility. To respond to Mr. Ferrari, the difference in complexity and difficulty in building your own Ferrari versus buying one is immense, while the building of computers tends to be very straightforward.
Caveat: If you are a person who finds that their electronics tend to break, then the advantage of buying a pre-built is that you can also pay too much for a warranty. While they're not exactly a bargain, they're a lot cheaper than replacing hardware yourself.
The difference between the amount of time that you put into research for buying your own parts versus evaluating what's coming in a pre-built to see if you're being ripped off is basically nil/a wash (if you care enough in the first place).
The actual building of the machine will take a couple hours, assuming you put in the legwork up front regarding compatibility. To respond to Mr. Ferrari, the difference in complexity and difficulty in building your own Ferrari versus buying one is immense, while the building of computers tends to be very straightforward.
Caveat: If you are a person who finds that their electronics tend to break, then the advantage of buying a pre-built is that you can also pay too much for a warranty. While they're not exactly a bargain, they're a lot cheaper than replacing hardware yourself.
Also which processor is better for gaming,
The intel core 2 duo E8500 CPU @ 3.16GHz
or the intel core 2 quad Q8200 CPU @ 2.33GHz
The intel core 2 duo E8500 CPU @ 3.16GHz
or the intel core 2 quad Q8200 CPU @ 2.33GHz
OH and if you're UK , which I'm guessing by the £...
I can recommend Scan or Aria as good online vendors who know what they're selling, and do good offers.
Aria had this for £630ish
http://www.aria.co.uk/SuperSpecials/Other+products/Gladiator+Trident+AMD+Gamer+"ZE"+Base+Unit+?productId=34758
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium
AMD PHENOM II 920 Processor
4096MB Corsair DDR II Memory
750GB SATA II Ultra Fast Hard Disk Space
NEC 7200 Multi Format DVD/CD ReWriter
ATI Radeon 4850 Performance Graphics
7.1 High Definition Surround Sound
I'm not pretending to be any expert, but that seems pretty good if you dont fancy getting a screwdriver out and putting one together from scratch.
I can recommend Scan or Aria as good online vendors who know what they're selling, and do good offers.
Aria had this for £630ish
http://www.aria.co.uk/SuperSpecials/Other+products/Gladiator+Trident+AMD+Gamer+"ZE"+Base+Unit+?productId=34758
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium
AMD PHENOM II 920 Processor
4096MB Corsair DDR II Memory
750GB SATA II Ultra Fast Hard Disk Space
NEC 7200 Multi Format DVD/CD ReWriter
ATI Radeon 4850 Performance Graphics
7.1 High Definition Surround Sound
I'm not pretending to be any expert, but that seems pretty good if you dont fancy getting a screwdriver out and putting one together from scratch.
You could just install a different operating system. Microsoft do this stupid thing where the OS is designed to slow down over time to make you buy a new computer so they can rip more people off. So if you just get something like Linux (Which is free) you can save yourself a lot more money.TheLoveRat said:
Every monkey holding a screwdriver can build a Ferrari, the trick is getting the setup right with the software, and knowing how to make the PC or car fast with your know how.Nimbus said:
If i built a PC it would probably create some sort of portal, to another world ... where unicorns roam, rainbows fall from the sky like rain and sunlight creates walls of happyness.
With my skills it would work, but the rig wouldn't be able to run peggle, at least i'd be able to download porn.... and travel to a paralell dimension.
My recommendation is that with the Alienware's specs in hand you go over to iBuyPower.com and build one from there. When I was shopping around for a new laptop last year I was originally looking at the Area 51 m15x but I was able to build a laptop with better specs at a lower price over at iBuyPower.
Just my $.02 cents.
Just my $.02 cents.
Nah, they're nice but they're really expensive. You can build your own for cheaper and it'll probably be better. Don't be afraid to build your own computer, if I can do it then anyone can.
Fair enough, and yet you keep quiet about the possibility of going to another much happier world, I say this is a conspiracy theory, an attempt to stop the average men and women of the world finding earth 2, HAHA I knew it!.Nimbus said:
You work for Intel dont you?, I must know how to get to the world of unicorns and happy sunlight walls, tell me NOW!
Building it yourself would be the first option. But if not then get it from a different vendor, I'm sure you can scrape a few bucks off the price.
Thank you all, I shall take the conclusive advice that Alienware is far too expensive, however, i'm just wary of trying to build it myself. I have a sinking feeling that I would end up producing a goat or something like that, in other words definitely not a computer. In reality I would probably end up forgetting some vital part like the processor or case to house the components, then give up in a bad mood. So i'll probably end up buying something off of Aria or computerplanet. Anywho, cheers for all the advice.
i bought an Alienware desktop back before dell took them over. it was horrible. i paid a little over $4000 for the computer and it didnt work out of the box.
this is a long story but the short of it is it took them almost 5 months, 8 parts shiped to me, 7 of them the same WRONG part untill they got the right one on the 8th try. 4 visits by their local repair man who told me the first day he showed up that he didnt diagnose problems he only installed hardware. and over 80 (i shit you not) EIGHTY hours on the phone with their tech support indian asshats.
then after the computer was 'fixed' there was another 2 years of problems (all hardware issues, caused no doubt by the first incorrect configuration). untill it finaly just shit too bed. ultimate reason for it too fail? according too the 'geek squad' guy and my eye sight, the liquid cooling attachment for the chip itself was never seated right and it just fused the chip eventualy. i was on sight when he opend the case and and actualy looked at this myself. now im not sure if this was done when it was built or if it was fucked up by the local tech support guy when he installed the new cables but either way i got a royal screwing on this $4000 computer that never worked right from day one and eveutaly just crashed after only 2 years (5 months of wich it sat in the box wating to get the right part sent)
im not trying to be ironic either when i say that the customer support i got with this product was the worst , hands down , ive ever gotten for anything ive ever bought in my life, computers or othwerwise.
i dont know how they do now being owned by dell but my point too posting this is not that alienware is a horrible company (though ill never buy from them again) its just to say that cost isnt everything and a slick sales pitch isnt worth paying double what the machine is actualy worth ........... especialy if it doesnt work as its supposed too.
ive got a nice "velocity micro" brand now, picked it up through best buy for half the cost of that alienware and double the power (granted its 2 years newer but it was literaly half the cost even so) my advice is this, hard ware is hard ware get the best you can afford at the cheapest price you can find and ignore all the marketing hype. it doesnt matter if your computer is alienware or a collection of E-bay parts 'uncle bubba' built in his spare time because all things being equil in the hardware department they will run the same no matter WHO built them. and paying double the cost for an 'elite brand' might be great for cars but seriously stupid for computers.
this is a long story but the short of it is it took them almost 5 months, 8 parts shiped to me, 7 of them the same WRONG part untill they got the right one on the 8th try. 4 visits by their local repair man who told me the first day he showed up that he didnt diagnose problems he only installed hardware. and over 80 (i shit you not) EIGHTY hours on the phone with their tech support indian asshats.
then after the computer was 'fixed' there was another 2 years of problems (all hardware issues, caused no doubt by the first incorrect configuration). untill it finaly just shit too bed. ultimate reason for it too fail? according too the 'geek squad' guy and my eye sight, the liquid cooling attachment for the chip itself was never seated right and it just fused the chip eventualy. i was on sight when he opend the case and and actualy looked at this myself. now im not sure if this was done when it was built or if it was fucked up by the local tech support guy when he installed the new cables but either way i got a royal screwing on this $4000 computer that never worked right from day one and eveutaly just crashed after only 2 years (5 months of wich it sat in the box wating to get the right part sent)
as you can see im not full of shit either about the cost or the computer itself, thats my original Confirmation e-mail. i got another 14 E-mails from them detailing all the 'awsome' steps that were going into HAND building my computer (i wont post them to save space LOL) i was assured that i was getting a 'sports cars' of a computer and that the cost was due too the quality customer support i was getting.
im not trying to be ironic either when i say that the customer support i got with this product was the worst , hands down , ive ever gotten for anything ive ever bought in my life, computers or othwerwise.
i dont know how they do now being owned by dell but my point too posting this is not that alienware is a horrible company (though ill never buy from them again) its just to say that cost isnt everything and a slick sales pitch isnt worth paying double what the machine is actualy worth ........... especialy if it doesnt work as its supposed too.
ive got a nice "velocity micro" brand now, picked it up through best buy for half the cost of that alienware and double the power (granted its 2 years newer but it was literaly half the cost even so) my advice is this, hard ware is hard ware get the best you can afford at the cheapest price you can find and ignore all the marketing hype. it doesnt matter if your computer is alienware or a collection of E-bay parts 'uncle bubba' built in his spare time because all things being equil in the hardware department they will run the same no matter WHO built them. and paying double the cost for an 'elite brand' might be great for cars but seriously stupid for computers.
Like pretty much everyone else on this board, I would recommend building your own. If your hesitant, try seeing if there is someone who will assemble one for 1-2 hundred dollars if you supply them the parts. Probably the best deal if you are not into making your own PC, but want something cost efficient.