Shoutbox

I was thinking of getting a new box, and was wondering which was cheaper if I wasn't looking for amazing performance: custom build or pre-built?

Also, in either case, should I wait 'till boxing day?

I just purchased a new PC. Custom Built (Should be at my house in a few days )

Core2Quad
1TB Space
EVGA 8800GT Video Card
4GB RAM
Antec Nine Hundred Ultimate Gamer Case ()
Antec Spot Cool Fan
Thermaltake Pure Power 500W Power Supply

Total: 1650$ (including tax).

Got it from PcCyber.com (Ottawa only , but you're near Ottawa, so should be no problem).

PS: I also got the "Employee Discount" for saying I knew someone there (Thanks dotLou )

quote:

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Originally posted by Supersonicdarky
and was wondering which was cheaper if I wasn't looking for amazing performance

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Still, custom built. Check PcCyber .

quote:

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Originally posted by SonicSam
I just purchased a new PC. Custom Built

Core2Quad
1TB Space
EVGA 8800GT Video Card
4GB RAM
Antec Nine Hundred Ultimate Gamer Case ()
Antec Spot Cool Fan
Thermaltake Pure Power 500W Power Supply

Total: 1650$ (including tax).

Got it from PcCyber.com (Ottawa only , but you're near Ottawa, so should be no problem).

PS: I also got the "Employee Discount" for saying I knew someone there (Thanks dotLou )

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quote:

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Originally posted by Supersonicdarky
if I wasn't looking for amazing performance

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and kanata has been part of ottawa for ~3 years now

well, Kanata is still gay .

PcCyber.com

I'd go for custom built. You can get everything you personally want/need and it's cheaper.

just tell erick you know lou to get the discount.


* Voldemort runs

quote:

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Originally posted by Voldemort
just tell erick you know lou to get the discount.


* Voldemort runs

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Exactly

quote:

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Originally posted by Supersonicdarky
I was thinking of getting a new box, and was wondering which was cheaper if I wasn't looking for amazing performance: custom build or pre-built?

Also, in either case, should I wait 'till boxing day?

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Custom built, you get it cheaper and end up with a better product anyway. I don't know why you'd wait until Boxing Day. I doubt that there'd be sales, but maybe it's a good idea to wait a while for new product releases (I don't know if there are actually meant to be any).

I am going to go ahead and disagree with everyone who said "custom built is cheaper".  That hasn't been true for many years anymore, at least not in the US.  Make sure you are comparing the same exact configuration, don't leave out the cost of a legal OS license if the pre-built machine comes with one, and you should find there's either no price difference or pre-built is cheaper. 

Sure, you may be able to save money when you can't get the exact configuration you want pre-built without having to pay for extras you don't need.  However, then we are comparing apples to oranges and that doesn't make "custom built is cheaper".

Anyway, reasons to custom build are the flexibility, more expansion room, and the experience (if you put it together yourself).  Reasons to buy prebuilt are minimal hassle and better overall design (smaller, more quiet) than you'd easily get from generic cases and components.

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Originally posted by Adeptus
Make sure you are comparing the same exact configuration

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I find that (in Australia) brand name system manufacturers don't actually disclose the entire configuration they are going to sell. They advertise a system that has a given processor, ram amount and hard disk size (and other specs), but they keep flexibility for themselves to give you any speed of ram, and and brand of hard disk or a combination of disks if it's cheaper.

quote:

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Originally posted by Adeptus
Anyway, reasons to custom build are the flexibility, more expansion room, and the experience (if you put it together yourself).  Reasons to buy prebuilt are minimal hassle and better overall design (smaller, more quiet) than you'd easily get from generic cases and components.

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Certainly pre-built computers are often very small. I disagree though that they have less hassle, because when they malfunction, you are left to rely on the manufacturer's support services. It would be very annoying if your new computer would not turn on and you had to wait for the weekend to end before you could call your manufacturer, wait on hold, then read then a diagnostic code to have them tell you to reseat some ram on the non-standard motherboard inside the computer.