Best Computer Brands

[menace-uk-]

Re: Best Computer Brands

u prob shouldnt build ur own comp unless u really kno how...but if u do decide to build..start with bare bones..(motherboard + cpu + integraded stuff + case) but if not..i likedel lbest

Totally disagree with you

Building your own comp is a piece of ****

My first comp(this 1) i built my self i have had no problems with the comp its self and i had no knowledge of pc's

[mlkmnz]

Re: Best Computer Brands

My parents wont let me get a cyberpower, they want to buy something they have heard of before? so what are the cheapest comps that i would be able to upgrade the most

any help appericated!

Tell your parents they need a reality check then. Just because it has an HP/Dell/Acer sticker on it, doesn't mean its any better than one assembled by your neighbourhood computer reseller. Quite often the name brand machines use very low end quality RAM, HDDs, and you're almost always guaranteed a slug of a video card (either integrated or something very lame like a X1300 or GeForce 7400, etc). Warranty service by the bigger companies is also not all its cracked up to be. And tell them too that whether its a name brand or not, 95% of the parts will not be made by the company on the box, they just assemble them (or pay the lowest bidder to). For $1500 you could get a name brand PC that is extremely average and probably crap for games, or a made to order PC that kicks some serious ass when it comes to gaming.

My suggestion is to go to a reputable PC assembler (maybe take one of your parents with you to have some sense talked into them), tell them what you are after and what your budget is. Some pointers though:
-Make sure the machine has at least 1 PCI express slot, you will need this to upgrade your graphics card in future.
-Avoid onboard graphics or any graphics card with a number less than 6 as its second digit, anything lower will be a budget orientated card and useless
-Make sure your HDD is over 7400RPM, 10000RPM is best.

Either that or have a wade through www.tomshardware.com, paying particular note to their graphics card roundups to give you an idea of best performance per bucks. Unfortunately as I know a thing or 2 about computers I get all sorts of friends and family ask me to help them fix their computer issues, and let me tell you, the hardest ones to fix and the ones most commonly with issues are the brand name ones.

im lookin to get like a 600 dollars or less and then spend liek 500-900 to upgrade it....cause i knwo if i buy like a dell xps desktop i would get a good machine but if i got a cheap one i could deifnatley get alot better machine for cheaper

NVIDIA® GeForce® 6100 GPU
up to 128MB of shared video memory
PCI-Express (PCI-E x16) slot available
NVIDIA® GeForce® 6100 integrated graphics

This is what is says for the emachines.......its intigrated so i wouldnt be able to upgrade

so would i be able to upgrade it?

Yes you would. Sounds like it is integrated as it shares your system memory. It would be really good for playing Solitare and maybe Doom II and thats about it.

[Binks527]

Re: Best Computer Brands

Get an eMachine, they are really reliable right now and you can get a great price on them.

I would go for the +3500 system, with a 200 gb hard drive. Yes they have integrated graphics and sound, however they are a snap to upgrade....I would go for the eVGA 6800 GS for about @160 (after rebates) at Newegg.com and add Kingston KVR 1gb of ram (total 1.5gb) for another $80 and you are rockin in Battlefield2 all high settings..

The sound audigy 5.1 integrated is really not bad but you would have to upgrade the speakers for the eMachine as the stock ones are weak. You can upgrade the card of course but mine with upgraded speakers is just fine.

If you want even more of an upgrade, get at least 2gb ram and whatever higher level card you can afford......

[whoosh]

Re: Best Computer Brands

Emachines was bought by Gateway. I have a T3256 right now.

I've had emachines for years. Not a blazing fast computer but pretty reliable. Upgrade it with a new graphics card, sound card and power unit and you are good to go. Then upgrade it with some more memory as well.

The T3418 or the T6528 will work ok for you.

Both have AMD processors.

http://www.emachines.com/products/desktops.html

[18Zulukiller]

Re: Best Computer Brands

Avoid ALL brands. There really ain't good brands which would try to build fast, cheap and no compromise computers. All brand computers are COMPROMISES between availability, price and speed. And most important: most brands mod their mobos so you can't tweak/oc them. Build your own and you know what you get.

Ive a similar oppinion to him except for medion pc's no joke those things are absolutely brilliant i paid £700 14 months ago and this is what i got for that

Pentium 4 3.2GHz 2Mb cache 64bit technology with XL heat pipe and wisper quiet running.

320Gb S-ATA 7200 WD hard drive with 8Mb cache

1024Mb DDR400 64 bit dual ch mem

ATI Rad X740 XL PCI Express Grapics 128Mb with TV out, scart,DVI, VGA, S vid etc.

Pioneer XL 16x dual layer multi format DVD/CD writer.

DVD rom drive

DVB-T Digi tuner scart out
Analogue stereo TV & FM radio tuner card with remote control inc.

Bluetooth/WLan 54 MBit/s / 6 x USB2 / 2 x Firewire / 8 Channel sound / Lan / 56k Modem with cable

9 in 1 card reader with usb2 inc

Wireless keybourd
wireless optical mouse
wireless remote
headset with mic
Xp Home with rec cd
MS Word/encarta/money/autoroute/works/power dvd/nero/musicmatch/media show/etc

I got a 3 years on site warranty as well included in the price .Ive had one thing go wrong my psu blew about 3 weeks ago i phoned up medion and they sent out a engineer within 3 days and he fixed it within 10 minutes of arriving.

I can also upgrade my memory (2 free slots spare) and with it having PCI express 16 i can put in any good graphics card. I got mine in the uk so i dont know how it would work in the USA but Ive just looked at there website and theres a much bigger variety in the us than the UK so you might find something cheap and good.

http://www.medion.com/

it cant hurt to have a look at them.

EDIT: as my machine stands i can play bf2 on medium settings 1024*760 resolution 100% view distance and have a FPS of 50 to 60 (i can have a much higher resolution but i prefer that one).

[ThReL]

Re: Best Computer Brands

Stay away from acer,ive got a bottleneck problem which ive tried everything to fix since i upgraded my card.

Acer uses crappy ram, their own cheap mobos.

Alienware is the way you should go if your gonna buy, but i think you will be better off in the long run building yourself OR going to a local computer place that build it for you. I wish i had done one of those, 2 months with my new 7800 gt and im getting poor performance after trying everything.

[Blud]

Re: Best Computer Brands

Yep, go with flanker's opinion, AVOID ALL NAME BRANDS!!! Dell, ACER,IBM ect.
You are just begging to be disappointed. Even if you can't build your own, you can custom order. 1500$ could get you a darn nice machine!!!

As for building it your self, buy quality stuff and you won't have any problem at all.

[RagingPigeons]

Re: Best Computer Brands

His parents are probably thinking of support. I love clones but the thing you have to keep in mind is if you need any technical support, you are pretty much on your own. It would also include sales support. I am sure the parents do not want to stay up listening to a unhappy son bemoaning about not being able to play BF2142.

My advice would be to pick a video card even if it is in a brand name system and work around that.

[govedob]

Re: Best Computer Brands

Packard Bell!

[FightOrFlee]

Re: Best Computer Brands

I work in P.C retail as a technician in the uk so i don't know if my advise would be of any use to you but for the love of God stay away from emachine, packard bell and philips p.c's. The most reliable tend to be H.P and Sony.

The best option would be to either build one yourself or get one custom built.

[Ali G]

Re: Best Computer Brands

If it is support yous parents are thinking of then get a MAC.:) or Emachine or HP BUTTTTT, make sure the CPU is AMD and not crappy Intel.

p.s dont get anything, i MEAN anything with ONBOARD gfx card or sound card, you will die a slow and painful death

[Alm()nd J()y]

Re: Best Computer Brands

Yeah emachines are great these days for upgrading. Get there high end model for $600 we got my friend one. It has a 300w PSU, 4 x 184 pin DIMM slots, amd 3400+ (754), 200 gig HD, two nice fans, side fan with funnel and rear fan. We'll be getting my dad one soon with a PSU, and 7600gt. I'll post pics when we get it.

[Chris_Redfield]

Re: Best Computer Brands

Im sure you have friends with PC knowledge, if you do, ask for their help and build one your own. Youll get what you need, and your budget is rather good aswell.

For the love of god though, if you dont know how to do it, dont even try... or youll end up like this one.

[variablek]

Re: Best Computer Brands

for my fisrt build i used MonarchComputers...search them on google
i got a barebones

asus sli premium mobo
amd 64 3200 (if you get an amd non dual core make sure its venice revision)
1024 (2x512) corsair ram
550 watt psu sli compatible
antec case
fan for proc

(i think i paid 450$-500$ for it about 2 months ago)

they assemble it and test it

then from new egg i bought

xfx geforce 7800 gt
seagate 160 gig hd
nec 3550 dvd burn
ms xp home

(total amount was about 1 grand)

the stuff from new egg is really easy to just stick in and plug in
then just load the os let it update and there you go!

lately i just bought another 1024 of corsair ram for 67$ rebate was 20
and a benq lcd for 250 after 60$ rebate

my comp is very fast because i oced my proc a bit
and it is completely upgradable to the 939 chips so i hope to get a dual core when my wife lets me spend more money on it..
and i can upgrade to a second 7800gt vid card because my psu and mobo can handle it

monarch had good service and if youhave any questions just call them..very helpful!

hope this helps

[EliteRazgriz666]

Re: Best Computer Brands

errr isnt this off-topic?