i have $700 and i just got $300 and my mom is paying for shipping/tax, so $1000 excluding shipping/tax to buy a new computer (no mouse, keyboard, mointer, etc.)

so anyways, i was wondering if you guys knew any good places to purchase a desktop pc with just the box? i want to get a computer with 3.0ghz w/ HT / 512mb DDR / 120gb HD 7200 RPM / 128mb video card.. those are the main specs i'm looking for in a computer. i need to get one with those specs for under $1000, anyone know of some good places for it?

[quote author=DVX link=board=2;threadid=5405;start=0#msg45523 date=1077493289]
i have $700 and i just got $300 and my mom is paying for shipping/tax, so $1000 excluding shipping/tax to buy a new computer (no mouse, keyboard, mointer, etc.)

so anyways, i was wondering if you guys knew any good places to purchase a desktop pc with just the box? i want to get a computer with 3.0ghz w/ HT / 512mb DDR / 120gb HD 7200 RPM / 128mb video card.. those are the main specs i'm looking for in a computer. i need to get one with those specs for under $1000, anyone know of some good places for it?
[/quote]

You're gonna end up way over $1k with that system, you'll have to tone it down a bit. I don't have time to do a full report for you today, but the websites you want to look for parts on are:

NewEgg
MultiWave
and perhaps TigerDirect

All three provide quality parts at good prices, the Egg also has free shipping on most items.

i've seen computers on tiger direct for $800-900 for those specs
it's where i was looking at, but it was a no-os system, but even then i saw computers with those specs in that range i believe that had an os. unless tiger direct is just having some good sales at this time of the year

so... if it doesn't have an OS just go buy an OEM package with windows xp or something then? Windows isn't free you know, you're still paying for it but its usually discounted from OEMs and manufacturers.

Anyways, I tried Dell and if you goto Small Business, Choose Dimension 8300 Desktop you can get the following:
3.2Ghz P4, 512MB DDR400 (Free Upgrade), 80GB HD (Free Upgrade), 128MB Radeon 9800 Pro and then the minimal 1 year warrenty (good enough, for a laptop or something I'd say up it and all but been my experience that they last a long time without the need of a warrenty even) all for about $890... Leaving you money to get a secondary harddrive (I recommend somewhere else though, ie: Officemax/Office depot and what not put up 120GB hds for like $60 after mail in rebates nowadays) So you'll end up with a better computer then you hoped for... and better quality then a piss poor compaq or emachines or whatever~

yea, i would never buy the crap emachines cooks up, but thanks hostile, i'm checking right now! but i never expected dell to ever make something that good affordably.. i always think of them as the expensive ones

did you get $890 after the $200 rebate?

I bought my computer from a small chinese owned store around my house, total was $998 (Canadian... like $700 American). This was just the PC, and I had my own Radeon9700 but he was going to include some middle-market video card (radeon 9200 or 9500 I think). It included nero burning rom, windows xp (home), and a 3 year warranty. Specs are:
2.4ghz
533fsb
512ddr ram
80gb hdd
CDRW/DVD combo drive
350watt power supply

I'm not recommending you come up to Canada and buy it here, I'm recommending you find a chinese(or any small independant) computer place within your city, make sure they've been around for awhile and look into them, I know I would have paid about $300 more if I bought at any other store around my area.

Theres an easy secret, Small Business is the only easy deals (and you don't have to have a small business). Mainly because I think they play it off statistics, Home and stupid users buy through Dell home and go through tech support and warrenty stuff alot more, small business people don't. Either way Dell's deals vary week to week, but for the most part they always have a good enough buy, even more so on their lower (well, under $1500 USD) end systems. I wouldnt recommend getting a system thats more expensive then 2 grand from them, as they mark up their prices incredibly as you upgrade more off their base configurations. You can check here: http://www.dailyedeals.com/free_online_coupons/dell.htm before you buy to see if there are any coupons in addition to their other discounts or bonuses or whatever. You should know that Dell switches their promotions (ie: free memory upgrade) just about every week. Its a bit of a promotion scam to hurry people into buying, depending on their deal you could be better off buy this week or next but theres no way of knowing, so get it whenever you need it. :P

the duel channel ram offer with 256 upgrade is good for me

what would you recommend, gforce fx or ati raedon?

well since its a Geforce FX 5200 compared to a Radeon 9800 Pro... the Radeon 9800 Pro beats it by far but I suppose it depends how big you are on the multimedia/gaming front. Its worth the upgrade, if thats what you need to know.

[quote author=DVX link=board=2;threadid=5405;start=0#msg45564 date=1077512602]
what would you recommend, gforce fx or ati raedon?
[/quote]
Spelling lessons, HAH! No, I kid you.

I'd say Radeon9800, it's a great card (beats out 9700) and is extremely cheap right now for some reason (only $300!). I remember buying my 9700 back in the summer for $450, and am yet to be disappointed (however, I did have texture loss in SWG, never figured out what that was but it seemed to disappear). I used to be in love with Geforce, but I find Radeon has the better card.

Should specify what type of money you use btw, since you're either very wrong or not refering to USD like we have been. I assume you mean its that much in Canada, since its been under $300 USD for quite some time now.

And there's me. I refuse to spend more than $60 or $70 on a video card. The very idea of throwing down $300 for something like that...*shudder.*

Make sure you do your homework before you buy the system, the last thing you want is to be buying a system thinking I just got all this great stuff for cheap! Then find out a few months later that your hardware doesn't get along with eachother or something really bizzare.

Do you have computer parts stores adound your house if you look around you might find one with good prices.

Online resellers usually have cheaper prices, but sometimes they trade the quality of their service and tech support.

I like to use newegg.com. It's honest and cheap, and most people will agree with me that it's one of the best on the internet. They have great support and RMA service.

But, if you're willing to pay higher prices in return for quick delivery time (i.e., none), then go for it and go find a store around you. If you go to a small shop in a strip mall ("mom-and-pop"), know what you're talking about. Some of the smaller stores are dishonest. Be wary.

My choice would be to order online from newegg. But try it once either way, if you're willing, then go with what works best for you.

May the fates smile on your potential new system.

i'm buying the dell tonight before the harddrive, $150 off, and 4x ram promotions expire. i'm thinking of getting the fx 5200 (not a permanent card) just because it's so much cheaper than the raedon cards, and since i plan on upgrading to the 256mb card, and don't have the money to get the 256mb one now, i don't see the point of payng an extra $200 for the 128mb raedon and just get the 5200 fx and upgrade later. my question is that is this going to cause driver incompatabilities and differences in which motherboard dell chooses to make the computer with?

Btw, DVX is my brother, and not me. I had my account logged on at the same time as him, and he decided to post here on it, probably unaware he was on mine. At any rate, keep in mind this post is mine, and previous post above was his. I won't be posting on these forums anymore anyways, and I recommend you delete this account.

[quote author=Trance link=board=2;threadid=5405;start=0#msg45721 date=1077600466]
Make sure you do your homework before you buy the system, the last thing you want is to be buying a system thinking I just got all this great stuff for cheap! Then find out a few months later that your hardware doesn't get along with eachother or something really bizzare.
[/quote]

Eh, I think Dell has that covered. You could complain they don't offer enough components for their systems, which is -mildly- true.... but compatiblity within the system is no problem.

DVX/Mephisto, whatever! hehe Dell's are ok with upgrading things later on. They usually come with the latest stable drivers for whatever video card you have in the system when you buy it, but if you upgrade later it won't be a problem, as dell uses the manufacturers drivers for just about any component you have in your system.