Machine Building Philosophy

[mbossman2]

What's your take on building a new, from scratch PC?

Best of breed all the way around?

Best bang for the buck?

[james8547]

My build philosophy for my personal use is:
Top of the line: Mobo

Above average: cpu then OC it :D, RAM (I am thinking of changing it to cutting edge RAM), Antec PSU with enough power for future upgrade, OS

Best bang: CDRW, monitor, HD, UPS

Cheapest working thing I can find: mouse, keyboard, floppy, case fans

[HAL9000]

I use only what I believe are to be the best components available at the time.

[Mr N8]

I usually go with 2 things for myself. Best Performance : Reliability and best performance : cost.

If someone else wants a computer built, I first figure out what they want to do with it and then their budget.

[mbossman2]

Originally posted by HAL9000
I use only what I believe are to be the best components available at the time.

if you would define "best"

[HAL9000]

Well... best.. most reliable.... as such, I currently only use

Motherboards: ASUS or Intel
Video Cards: ATI
SoundCards: Creative
CDRW: LiteOn
CD-Rom: ASUS
Hard Drive: Western Digital first, Maxtor Second
Monitors: Samsung
Floppy: Who cares... its a floppy
Power supply: Sparkle or Enermax

I get very little in the way of warranty returns.

[Confused]

I believe I get the most for my dollar by building. Initial cost might be a bit higher than a off the shelf model, but I can then reuse a lot in upgrades. I'm getting ready to upgrade our PC's and will only need to purchase a new mobo, CPU, RAM, HD and new AIW for mine. She will get my mobo and CPU to upgrade her from a K6III 400 to a XP1400, a bigger HD and a better video card.

Am at same time upgrading her to XP from 98 but already got that in the MS business partner offering last year.

Will resue cases, floppys, NIC's, printer, scanner, CDR/CDRW's and current HD's along with my video card and my copy of MS XP.
Chas

[Panama Red]

I'm in the best available category. As an example, I don't have the cash right now to finish the system I'm building with the components I really want. Rather than settle for lesser cost (and possibly lower quality) products, I'm willing to wait a bit til I can afford the good stuff. (Plus I committed to my wife that I wouldn't spend any "house" money. All the money has to come from the profit generated by working on other people's pc's!)

[RJ]

I use the best components for what I want to do.
Best bang for the buck only for components like networking cards where there aren't big differences in quality and price.

RJ

[Cricket]

When I build a system for someone else, I try to get the best parts that fits into their budget (best bang for the buck I guess). I try not to skrimp too much on any one area. Luckily, I haven't been asked to build a computer for $300 or anything like that yet.

For my own computers, I usually use leftover parts from other people's computers (I haven't built a brand new computer with all new parts for myself in 2 and a half years). I don't need power house computers for what I do, so using older technology works fine for me...that's why most of my own computers are based on the Intel BX chipset, Pentium II and III Slot 1 CPU's and Matrox video cards.

:) Cricket

[Propain]

One thing I did learn over the year (my first year into PC's) is WAIT!! All the components I bought for my first build in January had dropped in price by 80% in like 3 months :( But I go for best bang for the buck and read lotsa reviews before I buy. And I like the way Hal9000 steered away from another "AMD vs Intel who is best" thread war . eh :)

[Force Flow]

I try to get the most relyable and best performing parts for what I need for the best price. ;)

[Mr N8]

I know how you feel, Propaine! I just found the invoice for my Radeon 7500, that I bought almost 3 years ago.

[HAL9000]

Originally posted by Propaine
One thing I did learn over the year (my first year into PC's) is WAIT!! All the components I bought for my first build in January had dropped in price by 80% in like 3 months :( But I go for best bang for the buck and read lotsa reviews before I buy. And I like the way Hal9000 steered away from another "AMD vs Intel who is best" thread war . eh :)

Well... I run a computer shop and some people want AMD systems... thats a fact of life... but it doesn't keep me from avoiding what I feel is gabage... read VIA.... if people want certain parts that I don't agree with... I simply put on the invoice that warranty issues will be dealt with thru the manufacturer only.

[RayH]

Bang for the buck and aggrevation!

[Propain]

Hal -Do you tell them that its a not very good product and you wouldnt buy it yourself? I know some ppl arent worth arguing with. eh
Me personnally Ill go and buy something and the counter guy will tell me that " THis is better" and hes always right. Like when I went out and asked for DDR RAm he said for 10 bucks more you can get name brand stuff (Crucial) and ya get lifetime warranty on it. I never thought of that before and I found it pretty cool that he said that. :)

[HAL9000]

When it comes to AMD/Intel... no... I don't say anything about it... its none of my business why they want one processor over another. When it comes to a VIA chipset which I absolutely despise.... I question the part they wish to order and suggest something else. When they insist, I remind them that I will either not handle the warranty on it or there will be a service fee for warranty on the product.

[[Mystic]]

It depends on peoples budgets....

I always try to get the top of the line mother board. That is the heart of the computer. That is going to decide when your computer is out dated and needs to be upgraded.

If the computer is for me... It will have the best mb, and the fastest mem. Those are the two major factors I think.

[[Mystic]]

Originally posted by HAL9000
When it comes to AMD/Intel... no... I don't say anything about it... its none of my business why they want one processor over another. When it comes to a VIA chipset which I absolutely despise.... I question the part they wish to order and suggest something else. When they insist, I remind them that I will either not handle the warranty on it or there will be a service fee for warranty on the product.

Your not gona get very many customers with that attitude.

[lil Jimmie]

I look for the most up to date, stable Intel based ASUS board I can find then budget the rest of the build with quality performance components.

[[Mystic]]

How come everyone goes ASUS. Im not saying there a bad board, I have 2 machines running on them. But I use Gigabyte Pro and Ultra boards and I think they out do ASUS by a mile and ive never had a fault with one

[HAL9000]

Originally posted by [Mystic]
Your not gona get very many customers with that attitude.

Really... been in the biz for 8 years... don't seem to have much of a problem with it. Why should I be the one to pay for the shortcomings of a crappy product. It's like the hellish experience I've had with NEC monitors... why should I go thru that grief and sell another one. That person is all to welcome to get it somewhere else. You think the competition will gain from having to ship a monitor back and forth for warranty... not likely.

[HAL9000]

Originally posted by [Mystic]
How come everyone goes ASUS. Im not saying there a bad board, I have 2 machines running on them. But I use Gigabyte Pro and Ultra boards and I think they out do ASUS by a mile and ive never had a fault with one

Deal with them in mass quantity and the RMA issues that you have with them and then tell me if you're that impressed with two motherboards.

[Force Flow]

Originally posted by HAL9000
Why should I be the one to pay for the shortcomings of a crappy product. It's like the hellish experience I've had with NEC monitors... why should I go thru that grief and sell another one.

:eek: Uh-oh...I have an NEC monitor...

What's the life expectancy, Hal?

[[Mystic]]

I do deal with them in mass quantity. No problems. I think over two years ive had 1 bought back

[HAL9000]

I've dealt with Giga-byte at a wholesale level... they had a higher RMA rate than ASUS. Same with MSI... maybe they've improved... but one out of 6 MSI boards would come out of the box dead.

ASUS boards on the other hand... I have yet to send back an Intel chipset, nForce chipset, or previously, an AMD board in 5 years of selling them. I cant say that for VIA chipset ASUS boards. So is that so awful that I tell a customer my stats on certain products and why I don't recommend them nor will I support them? Products that go out the door and stay that way are the ones that make money... not that ones that keep coming back and sit on my bench.

[HAL9000]

Originally posted by force_flow2002
:eek: Uh-oh...I have an NEC monitor...

What's the life expectancy, Hal?

Well... I only ever sold two and it was the worst experience I ever had. Two arrived... one was bad out of the box. Since then, in the three year period, they have both failed three times each. One was totally replaced at the second instance of failure, then failed once more. Never again will I sell an NEC.

[Cricket]

Originally posted by force_flow2002
:eek: Uh-oh...I have an NEC monitor...

What's the life expectancy? 7 years is a good life span for a computer monitor, some will last longer depending how much you use it. How old is yours and are you having any problems yet?

I had two Packard Bell monitors crap out on me within the first 6 months. My Sony is 5 years old and working fine after a small capacitor repair. My Samsung is a little over a year old and I'm happy with it.

:) Cricket

[Joeberg]

Originally posted by Cricket
7 years is a good life span for a computer monitor, some will last longer depending how much you use it. \:) Cricket

Looks like I'm gonna need a new one soon ;)

If quality parts in my build mean I have to pay the extra price tag, I'll do it; because the little you pay for now seems to save you in the sense cheaper parts of lower quality seem to break down eventually. I would say though I usaully look for quality, and what will give me the best bang for the buck (Not neccessarily any garbage; so long as its quality and it does the job, and does it well ;)

[DrZaius]

Bang for the buck. I do research and find what's best for a reasonable price. This usually means it's not bleeding edge but I don't go for cheap junk. Thats why I often build AMD based systems and lean towards ATI video cards.

[Force Flow]

Originally posted by Cricket
7 years is a good life span for a computer monitor, some will last longer depending how much you use it. How old is yours and are you having any problems yet?


It's a little over a year old, and so far, so good. :) I've gotten a lot of use out of it.

It's a 17" NEC AccuSync 70, btw.

[glc]

Bang for the buck, but ONLY Intel - if it has to be cheap, in goes a Celeron. Intel branded motherboards only, with a very occasional Asus.

[Statica]

I always go for the cheapest solution for the newest technology. Quite usually its based on the CPU. For example, if its a P4 that supports hyperthreading or 800Mhz FSB then I always choose the lowest end CPU (based on price) in that bracket. Then select a featured mobo for that CPU. That way, I can ensure quality of computing, as well as expandability. Sure Intel is just sitting on a 1600 Mhz FSB P4 that will also make coffee - just waiting for me to buy my CPU before its released, but at least my particular line of CPUs will last longer and come out cheaper.

If its upgrading, I always skip a generation. Use a Pentium through the P2 era etc.

[mc2phat]

I'm with Statica on this one. I use the example of a redesigned American auto model when it comes to PC components, especially motherboards. I'll wait two years for the new car model to go through al its recalls etc. With PC components, I'll watch something for a few months to be sure the bugs are worked out, second revision comes out etc. Then I know I've got something proven that isn't overpriced.

[Aaaron]

mobo: ASUS, maybe gigabyte (i go for the best their)

cpu: intel (average cpu usually can always upgrade later)

ram: kingston,corsair, mushkin (fastest)

graphics: ati

sound card: creative unless very good onboard

mouse/keyboard: always get very good qualityy (microsoft, logitech) after all they are the componets you handle the most

speakers,mic: creative,logitech

gamepad, driving wheel, joystick: microsoft logitech

screen: samsung, nec ,lg, viewsonic

[mikado]

I'm actually building my 1st computer... I have what I want in mind, but don't plan on being able to buy any parts for it until at least January, so I'm forced to wait that 3 months. Although I know it's a good thing (prices going down...etc), I still can't wait to get my new toy. With the enforced time frame, I do have much time to research and find out what's best for what cost. In the end, I look for best bang, but if I've got to dig alittle deeper in that wallet for that much better.. so be it.