build or buy

[fc3646]

Hope it's ok I posted this here...I wasn't sure what category to use.

Anyway, I was going to build a new computer for my daughter for chirstmas. I built the one I'm using now, so it's not an issue of being able to, but more of cost. I work for a large company and can get a discount from Dell. I priced one and below is the spec and cost. Do you think I can do better for the money if I build. It should be noted if I build, I have to buy it all, monitor included.

Thanks, here the Dell specs:
SYSTEM COMPONENTS

XPS 400 Qty 1
Pentium® D Processor 820 with Dual Core Technology (2.80GHz, 800FSB), Genuine Windows® XP Media Center 2005 Edition Unit Price $1,089.00
10% off all XPS systems $999 or more!
Expires Wednesday, December 14, 2005 Remove Coupon
- $108.90
Catalog Number: 23
Module Description Show Details
XPS 400 Pentium® D Processor 820 with Dual Core Technology (2.80GHz, 800FSB)

Operating System: Genuine Windows® XP Media Center 2005 Edition

Memory: 1GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHz- 2DIMMs

Keyboard: Dell USB Keyboard

Monitors: FEATURED UPGRADE!! 19 inch E193FP Analog Flat Panel

Video Cards: 256MB PCI Express™ x16 (DVI/VGA/TV-out) ATI Radeon X600 SE HyperMemory

Hard Drives: 80GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache™

Floppy Drive and Media Reader: No Floppy Drive Included
Mouse: Dell® 2-button USB mouse

Network Interface: Integrated 10/100/1000 Ethernet

Modem: No Modem Requested

Adobe Software: Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 6.0

CD or DVD Drive: Dual Drives: 16x DVD-ROM Drive + 48x CD-RW Drive

Sound Card: Integrated 7.1 Channel Audio

Speakers: Dell A215 Speakers

Office Productivity Software: No Productivity Suite - Corel WordPerfect® word processor only (I have Office Student Teachers Ed, so don't need it)

Security Software: McAfee SecurityCenter with VirusScan, Firewall, Spyware Removal, 15-months

Limited Warranty, Services and Support Options 1Yr Ltd Warranty, 1Yr At-Home Service, and 1Yr HW Warranty Support

Home PC Installation:No Installation

Dial-Up Internet Access: 6 Months of America Online Membership Included

Financial Software (Preinstalled) No QuickBooks package selected- Includes limited use trial

Operating System Backup & Recovery PC Restore recovery system by Symantec

Dell Digital Entertainment Starter Entertainment Pack - Basic digital Music, Photo and Game experience

TOTAL:$980.10

[MakeYourslf2012]

It would probably be best to go with Dell's offer on that PC.

I think it might be a little hard to build a PC with a dual-core CPU, 1 gig of DDR2 and a 19" LCD for under $980

[yeoamuca]

i think it depends
if you want windows media edition and all the other little softwares then you might be better off getting the dell
the video card with hypermemory isnt all that good
and 80 gig is a decent size but thats pretty much the minimum now

if it didnt come with the 19 inch flatpanel i would say build it
but you probably wont be able to build a computer better than that and buy the monitor and the keyboard and mouse and operating system for less than that dell

if you built a computer comparible to that
that processor ~250
motherboard ~110
that ram ~65
opticals ~25 + 35
video card ~100
keyboard and mouse ~30
19" flat panel ~250
windows ~85
speakers ~50

if you total that its about the same as the dell ~1000
if you built your own though you could upgrade some of the stuff like the video card and get a dvdrw instead of a dvdrom and end up only spending like 100 dollars more than that dell

[Panama Red]

Did you forget a case and psu, yeoamuca? You'll be hard-pressed to beat that Dell price with a home built. I still prefer to build my own tho'. If you build your own, the mobo, cpu, most quality lcd monitors, case and psu (if you use Antec) will carry a 3 year warranty, a Seagate or WD SATA hdd would be 5 years and Corsair ram is waranteed for life. Plus your parts will be upgradeable for any future needs.

If money is the overriding criteria, dude, yer gettin' a Dell! But if flexibility and longer warranty with ownership of our own XP disk are worth consideration, you're gonna have some fun puttin' your own together.