Custom computer builders, Is this a deal?

[cortan]

I found a custom built athelon 1.1ghz at a local computer shop with 128 ram, tnt2 video card, 40 gig hd, 8x dvd, 250w pwer supply, in a tower case for 1099.99.
Could I do it cheaper building my own?
Any Ideas on if this price is worth it?
Let me know.
thanks

[sh4ft]

i haven't done a lot of parts pricing recently, but i'm guessing you could build it cheaper yourself. more importantly, you could build it better. pairing a TNT2 video card with an athlon 1.1 GHz will result in disappointing results for games, etc. you'd be better off with at least a GeForce2 MX or an ATI Radeon. the 250 watt ps would be better replaced by a 300 watt supply.

[HN]

I have NO association with the stores listed below

newegg.com
AMD Athlon Thunderbird 1.33GHz 266MHz Bus Socket A PGA
(retail box) $255, free shipping

MSI K7T TURBO Retail Version (retail version) $102 free shipping

MSI StarForce 815 Pro, Geforce 2 Pro (NV16), 64MB 5ns DDR RAM (retail, with tv out) $205, free shipping


staples.com
Maxtor 40 GB HDD, 7200 rpm, ata100 ($149.00, add something cheap to make it $150 so you can use $30 off $150 coupon, so price is essentially $120, free shipping)

onvia.com
antec ks282 case w/ 300 watt powersupply (69.00, free shipping)

mcglen.com
512 MB pc-133 zeus technologies ram ($150, maybe free shipping if the special is still on)
------------------------------------------------------

find an SB Live! sound card (original, good enuf) for around $40 anywhere

find a cd or dvd drive anywhere from 40-80 bux.

so, that's pretty much a full system for around $950-$1100 depending on if you're taxed or not. :D

--HN

[zacschell]

Probably isn't a good deal. Better than real B&M stores, but you could build for a few hundred $ less. pricewatch.com or shopper.com if you know what to look for. I would consider only if it had a warranty, since that's the only real perk to not building it yourself (hardware conflicts suck when you've spent $1k on a box :P).

Good luck HN.

[HN]

yes but you see, many of those sites that show up on pricewatch or mysimon or pricegrabber, etc. will charge you an arm and a leg for shipping and handling. also brace yourself for the worse when it comes to customer service and returns.

the deals i listed are some (read again, SOME, i'm not saying all) of the lowest prices AFTER shipping (which by the way, they're all free shipping). also, these are all RETAIL products. none of that OEM, white boxed, and/or repackaged crap that many of those pricewatch sites offer. also taken into consideration are their reseller ratings. large customer base for each of them indicating reliability and general satisfaction (despite the few disgruntled customers but hey, can't please everybody :D ).

and if you're worried about hardware conflicts then i can tell you worry no more b/c i just put this system together (tho the sound card is an older soundblaster which my roommate already had. same for the cd-rom)

evidence...it's a wonderful thing :D

--HN

[Bigbot]

Well, I am NOT promoting or anything like that, but just to compare with another local type store(which I work at).

****Just for comparison****

http://www.softeksc.com/series_75kav.htm

The 1.4 Athlon is about 150 more, but with more features. That system is Overclocked since there are no 1.4's out yet.

But, I haven't seen anything close to that price...

***Just for comparison****


Please don't hate me!!!-ptth-

[gcribbs]

Originally posted by Bigbot
Well, I am NOT promoting or anything like that, but just to compare with another local type store(which I work at).

****Just for comparison****

http://www.softeksc.com/series_75kav.htm

The 1.4 Athlon is about 150 more, but with more features. That system is Overclocked since there are no 1.4's out yet.

But, I haven't seen anything close to that price...

***Just for comparison****


Please don't hate me!!!-ptth-

never heard of a softek motherboard. I think I would still take a name brand over this brand.

It is not fair to compare overclocked systems with Cpu running at the correct speed. For example maybe all you are doing is taking tha same 1.1 Ghz athlon and overclocking it(more than likely you are overclocking the 1.2 Ghz). How are these tested- running prime 95 for x number of days? I saw nothing on the site saying that they were overclocked even though you were honest enough to admit that they were.

What is your warranty? is this the whole policy?
Return Policy:


Returns accepted only for defective products under warranty. Defective products will be repaired or replaced at our option. Any return must be assigned an RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization) number which must be clearly shown on the return package.

Unless otherwise stated, warranty on motherboards and other components is limited to one year from date of purchase. Please contact us at service@softeksc.com for technical support. All motherboards have been widely tested and reviewed worldwide. We do not sell for evaluation and do not accept returns for refund.

So you can not get a refund on a return for an overclocked system.


Is software problems due to overclocking problems considered a defect? I would not buy a computer that is overclocked with this kind of warranty or lack thereof? YMMV, IMHO :D

[Bigbot]

Well, the motherboards that we use come from a company called Soltek. They have the same respect and reliablilty of Abit. They aren't very well known in the US, they are mostly a European based company. My boss likes them for the support and features.

Yeah we test every system with Prime, Winbench, and 3DMark. We have just started selling online and when customers come in asking about the speeds we tell straight what the core is and that is what the are paying for. Not the price for the overclocking. If a system does comeback with problems from the overclocking we lower the speed back to it's default. The was it's done is lowering the Multiplier and upping the FSB to 266, unless it's already 266 inwhich we just leave it default. This involves unlocking the chip by the way. I have built around 30 of these machines with no problems. We don't push if it can't take it. Nothing Dishonest, just trying to help the customer get as much as they can out of the money they are putting forward.:thumbsup::D

[HN]

well since it was "just for comparison" i'm not gonna comment (plus, i'm really really tired). however, a quote in the description of the comparison system -- "(at this point, we do not recommend Win-ME)." RIGHT ON! :D :thumbsup:

--HN

[SmackDaddy]

Depending on where you live, you should be able to find "warehouse" type computer shops. I get almost all of my components from these places (Usually just a small storefront with shelves full of parts)and usually manage to come within a few bucks of e-tailer prices. Plus if something is screwed up I can drive right back to the store and exchange it rather than shipping it back.