Poll

Alienware or build your own computer (saying u already have the money)

Alienware10%10% - 35
Custom computer89%89% - 301
Total: 336
Janus67
Tech God
+86|6860|Ohio, USA

section9 wrote:

Interesting link    http://www.alienware.com/build_vs_buy_pages/index.aspx
that link is such bull shit though.  that is like watching an infomercial where they come out and say how much time this product will save and how much cleaner your kitchen will be, while you see some idiot drop the pots and pans into the full sink to see shit splash all over the place and they look dumb and confused.  Building your own system is a process you can do in a single day, that includes installing the OS, drivers, games, etc.  Putting the actual hardware together can be done in a couple of hours.  There is very little reason to pay over $1000 more for a system (from any manufacturer) in order to save yourself a few hours of time and a great learning experience (especially if it is your first build).
Janus67
Tech God
+86|6860|Ohio, USA

Sgt.Gene wrote:

FoodNipple101 wrote:

Btw You Cannnot Customize An Alienware After Purchse You Have To Send It To Them For Updates Do Not Buy 1
what r u fucking stupid i customized my alienware right on the internet
can you not read?  he said after you purchase it.  obviously you can customize before you buy it to get what you want.  He said that you cannot upgrade it without voiding the warranty, and if you want to "customize"/upgrade it you have to send it back to them.
Kung Jew
That one mod
+331|7010|Houston, TX
I'm a bit of a lazy bastard with finances.  I just bought it because I don't really want to tinker. 
Yeah, I agree.  The product is overpriced, and the upgrades are a pain to have installed to keep the warranty, but my time is better spent elsewhere. (GF, 2 kids, 2 dogs, job, travel, addiction to games and forums, etc...)

KJ
slo5oh
Member
+28|6926

Kung Jew wrote:

I'm a bit of a lazy bastard with finances.  I just bought it because I don't really want to tinker. 
Yeah, I agree.  The product is overpriced, and the upgrades are a pain to have installed to keep the warranty, but my time is better spent elsewhere. (GF, 2 kids, 2 dogs, job, travel, addiction to games and forums, etc...)

KJ
I feel ya!
You just have to weigh the cost... is $300 to $500 more for a "prebuilt" computer worth it to save probably 2 days of your life tinkering, assembling, loading your OS, etc (I say 2 days if you've never built a PC before).  Some people it is... some it's not.  I'm a general all around DIYer so I do most stuff myself.  I'll tell ya though that I'll never do a timing belt on an import again... my 4 cam subaru killed me.  I will gladly pay the $300 to $400 a mechanic will charge for that task. 
For most of us that work 8 to 5 it just makes more sense to buy built or pay someone to do stuff for us so we can spend time doing the other things that are our life... kids, wife, dog, gaming, racing, skiing, BBqing, gambling, driking, etc...
Unfortunatly (for the family) I enjoy doing most things myself. 
Subliminal_Sub
Member
+12|6819|Arizona
If I were a Complete technical cripple I would get a Alien ware, if you have any clue as to how a computer runs, you can build it yourself.  Even with just a Little teaching, my freaking 54 year old mother built her computer, and i can honestly say, She's a moron.

Last edited by Subliminal_Sub (2006-05-19 12:48:51)

buford
Member
+3|6864
Alienware = Dell.
THA
im a fucking .....well not now
+609|7035|AUS, Canberra

slo5oh wrote:

Kung Jew wrote:

I'm a bit of a lazy bastard with finances.  I just bought it because I don't really want to tinker. 
Yeah, I agree.  The product is overpriced, and the upgrades are a pain to have installed to keep the warranty, but my time is better spent elsewhere. (GF, 2 kids, 2 dogs, job, travel, addiction to games and forums, etc...)

KJ
I feel ya!
You just have to weigh the cost... is $300 to $500 more for a "prebuilt" computer worth it to save probably 2 days of your life tinkering, assembling, loading your OS, etc (I say 2 days if you've never built a PC before).  Some people it is... some it's not.  I'm a general all around DIYer so I do most stuff myself.  I'll tell ya though that I'll never do a timing belt on an import again... my 4 cam subaru killed me.  I will gladly pay the $300 to $400 a mechanic will charge for that task. 
For most of us that work 8 to 5 it just makes more sense to buy built or pay someone to do stuff for us so we can spend time doing the other things that are our life... kids, wife, dog, gaming, racing, skiing, BBqing, gambling, driking, etc...
Unfortunatly (for the family) I enjoy doing most things myself. 
in my case it would have cost almost 2000 extra to buy one from alienware.

and it only took me 2 hrs to build the fucker.
Microwave
_
+515|6920|Loughborough Uni / Leeds, UK
I like mine but i wish i built one though


The customer service and looks are amazing
_j5689_
Dreads & Bergers
+364|6982|Riva, MD
CPUsolutions.com is the one I (want to) use for building my computer.  Until then the Pavilion 750n will have to do.
SniperF0x
Member
+49|6790
Alienware is great if you have the money, though even if you have money, you can get far more bang out of your buck building it yourself.
_j5689_
Dreads & Bergers
+364|6982|Riva, MD
If you build it yourself, you're not confined to an ugly Alienware case, lol.  Isn't Alienware considered OEM too?
Cybargs
Moderated
+2,285|6981

_j5689_ wrote:

If you build it yourself, you're not confined to an ugly Alienware case, lol.  Isn't Alienware considered OEM too?
they are, they just buy cases from case making companies. but building ur own is better coz u get to choose ur own psu's, case and other stuff
https://cache.www.gametracker.com/server_info/203.46.105.23:21300/b_350_20_692108_381007_FFFFFF_000000.png
TehSeraphim
Thread Ender
+58|6989|New Hampshire
I've built 2 of my own and I never have problems with them.

Oh, if you want to buy my desktop for 1200, lemme know   It's about 6 months old and all the parts are brand spanking new - message me for specs ^_^
_j5689_
Dreads & Bergers
+364|6982|Riva, MD
Here's a nice little 10$ case for someone to start with:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a … 6811117038
jimbo666
Member
+1|6870
Not sure if the thread was Desktop specific... Bought an Alienware laptop which seems to piss on most other PC's that my mates have, does the job, plays BF well, therefore I am very pleased with it and would buy another one.

However I do agree that it is pretty pointless to pay someone else to build a desktop workstation when it is relatively easy to do it yourself... As long as you are not one of those naturally static-charged people who can blow a motherboard from 50 paces, 'cos then it gets costly!!!!
_j5689_
Dreads & Bergers
+364|6982|Riva, MD
You can't build laptops yourself so obviously you have to buy it from a big name brand.
messfeeder
Member
+31|6793|Gotham

ThomasMorgan wrote:

FoodNipple101 wrote:

Btw You Cannnot Customize An Alienware After Purchse You Have To Send It To Them For Updates Do Not Buy 1
well, you can, but it voids their warranty.

then again, thats true for just about any brand of computers.  i read somewhere that alienware warranties are void once you even open the case...but i have no proof to back that up.
Almost every pc has a sticker on the case that voids your warranty if it is broken.  I always just rip them off.
Cybargs
Moderated
+2,285|6981

messfeeder wrote:

ThomasMorgan wrote:

FoodNipple101 wrote:

Btw You Cannnot Customize An Alienware After Purchse You Have To Send It To Them For Updates Do Not Buy 1
well, you can, but it voids their warranty.

then again, thats true for just about any brand of computers.  i read somewhere that alienware warranties are void once you even open the case...but i have no proof to back that up.
Almost every pc has a sticker on the case that voids your warranty if it is broken.  I always just rip them off.
lol, they dont want ppl modding their pcs but i keep my warranty on my ram companies say if u oc it voids ur warranty right? so i just clear the cmos and they cant say i oced it since there was no history of ocing
https://cache.www.gametracker.com/server_info/203.46.105.23:21300/b_350_20_692108_381007_FFFFFF_000000.png
messfeeder
Member
+31|6793|Gotham

slo5oh wrote:

Kung Jew wrote:

I'm a bit of a lazy bastard with finances.  I just bought it because I don't really want to tinker. 
Yeah, I agree.  The product is overpriced, and the upgrades are a pain to have installed to keep the warranty, but my time is better spent elsewhere. (GF, 2 kids, 2 dogs, job, travel, addiction to games and forums, etc...)

KJ
I feel ya!
You just have to weigh the cost... is $300 to $500 more for a "prebuilt" computer worth it to save probably 2 days of your life tinkering, assembling, loading your OS, etc (I say 2 days if you've never built a PC before).  Some people it is... some it's not.  I'm a general all around DIYer so I do most stuff myself.  I'll tell ya though that I'll never do a timing belt on an import again... my 4 cam subaru killed me.  I will gladly pay the $300 to $400 a mechanic will charge for that task. 
For most of us that work 8 to 5 it just makes more sense to buy built or pay someone to do stuff for us so we can spend time doing the other things that are our life... kids, wife, dog, gaming, racing, skiing, BBqing, gambling, driking, etc...
Unfortunatly (for the family) I enjoy doing most things myself. 
Haha. I would love an 8-5 job.  I used to work 7-3 5 days a week and make good money, but now I work early mornings and late nights and I go to school.  Plus, I've decided to take on tutoring to top it all off.  I would love to go back to working 40 hrs a week.  I would not feel busy, then.

Anyway, back on topic, you should build your own machine.  You can give yourself exactly what you want as far as specs and build a pretty kickass machine for cheap.  The pc manufacturers want you to stay ignorant.  It's how they make their money.  Once you figure out how easy it is to build, you will never buy from them again.
ATC
Member
+58|7009|...
I have mine custom built... The only thing is... I need a new graphics card.. Mine is a BFGTech Nvidia geforce 5200GT.. its not even sposed to run bf2, but it does. Just picture my graphics.. all the lag, the horror..
Cybargs
Moderated
+2,285|6981
building it by urself takes around 2 hours for complete install etc, but here in taiwan the pc shops build it for u if u want theres just so much competition in taiwan.
https://cache.www.gametracker.com/server_info/203.46.105.23:21300/b_350_20_692108_381007_FFFFFF_000000.png
Widjerd
I like sausage
+18|6806|Bristol UK
eBay is a good source of parts and even PCs..got my pc for £460 from dell themselves with a year warranty, x600 gfx 3ghz cpu etc..why bother buying some ridiculously overpriced thing that is unchangable upgradable and  pants for lack of a better word
Flaming_Maniac
prince of insufficient light
+2,490|6972|67.222.138.85

OmNiCuBe wrote:

Just bought an Alienware machine....i will not need to upgrade for at least 2 - 3 years
Didn't you hear the new nVidia 9800 GTXtreme 512mb card is coming out next month?
_j5689_
Dreads & Bergers
+364|6982|Riva, MD

Flaming_Maniac wrote:

OmNiCuBe wrote:

Just bought an Alienware machine....i will not need to upgrade for at least 2 - 3 years
Didn't you hear the new nVidia 9800 GTXtreme 512mb card is coming out next month?
Why the hell did they call it the 9800?
Milk.org
Bringing Sexy Back
+270|7041|UK
Built my PC 2-3 months ago:

Intel E660 Dual Core
2GB RAM
8800GTX
19" Widescreen TFT
700W PSU
Nicer Case than ugly alienware ones.

Dread to think what it would cost to make the same system on Alienware probably twice as much.

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