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Veritaal
Amarr
Red Federation
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Posted - 2010.04.27 19:32:00 -
[1]
After using my laptop for 4.5 years, I am finally done with college and I am ready to settle down with a new desktop. As in, I am sick of this overheating, laggy, outdated and non-upgradeable POS. I want to be able to dual box EvE on my two monitors and not have my chipset running so hot I can cook marshmallows over the exhaust ports!
I have thought of a variety of options that fall within my budget of 900 - 1200$ (Bear in mind, this is strictly for the TOWER. I'll be getting monitors/keyboard/mouse/speakers elsewhere)
1 : Order a Dell and upgrade as needed.
Pros
- Cheap
- In my experience, Dells are nearly immortal and extremely reliable.
Cons
- Not optimized for gaming
- Case is kinda small, and will restrict future upgrades.
2 : The almighty Alienware
Pros
- ZOMG on-paper performance
- Enormous case for future upgrades
- Being able to claim that I own an Alienware
Cons
- ZOMG expensive
- I hear rumors of horrendously bad customer service/warranty support
- I wonder how much I am paying for the right to claim that I own an alienware? (Macintosh syndrome)
3: Do-it-myself (Order parts off Newegg and make it from scratch)
Pros
- Best value (potentially)
- Easiest to upgrade
- It'll be exactly what I want.
Cons
- Brand names I am unfamiliar with
- Sorting out compatibility issues
- No real tech support available
I've been thinking about this all week, and now I turn to my beloved EVE Online community to help me settle this issue once and for all. What are your suggestions and experiences?
I am leaning towards option #3 for obvious reasons. What kind of specs should I look for/avoid?
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Exploding Tukey
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Posted - 2010.04.27 19:51:00 -
[2]
Edited by: Exploding Tukey on 27/04/2010 19:52:03
3.
Intel i7 920
ATI 5870
3x2gb ddr3 ram set (they come in 3-packs)
750+W PSU (aim for more then 700W, otherwise you wont be able to update to a second video card later on)
i7 mobo, I like asus but it does not matter too much, get one with crossfire/sli/2 pci-e slots
hdd/dvd/case/etc
The ATI cards take almost 100W less then the AMD counterparts (GTX295). Much less power usage, and a single chip out preforming a dual gpu card.
This is what I use, runs amazing, home built. Stock cooling and default clock speed is more then enough for every game you throw at it at max. mine runs WC now, but that's just for e-peen.
Edit: there has not been compatibility issues in computer hardware since the days when OCZ ram worked funny in gigabyte boards, and that was in the good old days of DDR-300 ram.
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ReaperOfSly
Gallente
1st Cavalry Division
Primary.
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Posted - 2010.04.27 19:51:00 -
[3]
Definitely build your own. All the cons you've listed are non-issues when you get going. Unfamiliar with brands? A bit of reading will fix that. Compatibility issues are not much of an issue since pretty much any component is probably compatible with any other. Just don't try and stick an Intel CPU in an AMD motherboard and you'll be fine. As for tech support, you are your own tech support. Also, the Internet is heavily populated with people who built their own machines and are eager to offer advice.
____________________
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AlleyKat
Gallente
The Unwanted.
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Posted - 2010.04.27 20:04:00 -
[4]
I personally went for something akin to option #2, and used option #3 for upgrading as time went by.
This meant the initial build logistics were handled by pro's and that any boo-boo's during the build stage were not my problem financially.
As time has gone on, I've upgraded the parts which are easy; like the GFX card and adding additional storage, blue ray drives etc.
So, find a company that can do custom builds, but doesn't charge the earth for it, and just pick a good motherboard with a solid upgrade path for add-ons and updates.
Research them, call them up, read their forums, see what their SLA's are, whether they speak from the head or from 'the script'.
Above all else, do not choose poorly
AK
EVE-ONLINE VIDEO-MAKING TUTORIALS |
Barakkus
Caelestis Iudicium
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Posted - 2010.04.27 20:52:00 -
[5]
DO NOT GET A DELL THINKING YOU CAN UPGRADE IT.
I can't stress that enough, unless you get a used dell gaming machine you will not be able to upgrade the 1 thing dell skimps on and is the most important thing you will need to upgrade when you get a dell...the power supply.
I generally order all my PCs from dell's outlet site since it's cheap...every single one I have gotten comes with a 200 or 350 watt power supply, and every single one of them has some piece of crap that you can't get an upgrade for. My current computer doesn't have enough power going to it to burn dvds, hell my g15 doesn't even light the keys up enough to read them in the dark. I've searched and searched, been on the phone, online support etc with dell, and there just isn't a power supply for the motherboard it shipped with that pumps out more than 350 watts. The PC before that I had to get a custom power supply that was made specifically for that model by a 3rd party, of course dell didn't even know that the company or the power supply even existed so they claimed there was no other power supply I could fit in the machine.
Dell/Alienware support is horrible. You will only get quality support from dell if you are a business customer. I've had their tech/customer support tell me this outright when on the phone with them as well. If you want customer service/tech support, you won't get it at a consumer level with Dell, flat out.
If you want to be able to upgrade etc in the future build it and research what goes well together. If you don't care and don't mind just replacing the whole thing in 2 or 3 years and want to go cheap, get a dell.
 Originally by: CCP Dropbear
rofl
edit: ah crap, dev account. Oh well, official rofl at you sir.
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Cikulisuy
Amarr
The Maverick Navy
IT Alliance
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Posted - 2010.04.27 20:57:00 -
[6]
go with option 3, the first 2 are awful. get a large case with lots of fans. the rest is totally your choice. i'd go with AMD, though. much better value imo. try a phenom II 3.4, a high end ATI something-or-other, at least 4 gbs of 1333+ ram.)
nub> you cant mine so you kill. |
Zions Child
Caldari
Carthage Industries
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Posted - 2010.04.27 20:58:00 -
[7]
Dell is ok if you have absolutely no experience with computers at all, and offers slightly better value than the alienware.
DO NOT BUY ALIENWARE. You will be paying around $300 for the name and flashy lights. Its best to build your own, because you can get an awesome looking and performing computer, for 3/4ths the price of Alienware.
Yes, you have to do your own research, but its worth it. A VERY good site I found while building my own computer is the Overclocker's club. Even if you don't overclock, it gives you incredible amounts of useful information, comparisons, and suggestions on just about every part of the computer.
For cases, I got a NZXT Zero 2 Full Tower case, huge, lots of upgrade space. Only problem is that the hard drive cage is behind where the video cards are, so if you're installing one of the recent ones, you won't be able to fit anything larger than 10.5 inches if it loads power from the rear.
Originally by: CCP Shadow
*snip* Castration successful. Shadow.
http://desusig.crumplecorn.com/ |
ChrisDude70
Imperium Technologies
Sodalitas XX
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Posted - 2010.04.27 21:33:00 -
[8]
Gotta go with 3.
From my personal experience, Dell arent that good and Alienware, while good, is a waste of money.
Gotta go for the custom built.
Oh, and I might add, this is my signature. |
jason hill
Caldari
Clan Shadow Wolf
Fatal Ascension
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Posted - 2010.04.27 23:41:00 -
[9]
Edited by: jason hill on 27/04/2010 23:42:02
ninja edit at exploding turkey
im in the market for building a new rig .....mines is well past is sell by date ... and i have very roughly used your specs as a sort of semi benchmark .Im looking at roughly ú12 -1300 in total for the build... what monitor ar you using ... I was thinking of going for an iiyama 24" widescreen ... I`m looking at the asus p6t6 WS mobo as it has some very good reviews as the building block to start with and work from there .
destroy everything you touch |
Veritaal
Amarr
Red Federation
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Posted - 2010.04.28 03:52:00 -
[10]
Thanks for the suggestions everyone! After doing some research and some mix/matching, I managed to assemble a rig that is pretty much a dream machine for exactly what I was willing to spend.
It's going to be so nice being able to dual box my 2 accounts on 2 separate monitors...
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Jack Paladin
ConViction Inc
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Posted - 2010.04.28 09:03:00 -
[11]
Option 3 all the way ... go with a bespoke system. That way you know EXACTLY what components are going into your system. And you know exactly how much more it can be upgraded.
and FYI ... Alienware = Dell
They bought Alienware out some years ago.
I run 5 clients from a single rig, here are my specs.
2 X 24" Samsung LCD's - both running at 1920X1200
Intel Core 2 Quad Q9300 (2.6Ghz) - stock speeds
8GB CorsairXMS2 DDR2 800 (4X2 GB)
2 X 500GB Seagate SATA HDD (Raid 0 config)
XFX GTX260OC 768mb (not sli'd)
Windows 7 Enterprise 64bit
This system is atleast 2 years old now and still runs EVE like a dream. Load times could be faster due to all the cache it has to load but hopefully the upgrade to SSD will take care of that.
I run all 5 clients in window mode @ 1680X1050 on max settings without any lag at all. Obviously if you get into a serious fleet battle it becomes a whole different story and you will need to scale it back to 1 client.
If you want any more help, drop me a mail in-game.
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Crumplecorn
Gallente
Eve Cluster Explorations
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Posted - 2010.04.28 09:05:00 -
[12]
Originally by: Veritaal
Pros
- Being able to claim that I own an Alienware
-
Did this sig become irrelevant while I was gone? Let me know! |
Taua Roqa
Minmatar
Sebiestor tribe
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Posted - 2010.04.28 09:21:00 -
[13]
building your own PC is enjoyable, take your time, research well what components your plugging together, too :) don't forget much beverage of your choice and some food, mmmm.
i would start off with a big fat case with good airflow options (i find prebuilt brandname PCs fail on this aspect, it's criminal tbh) and 2/3 quality 120mm fans, you can see the internals of most cases on the web. I've come to realise you can never have too many drive bays (my own case is not very good as i never put in enough research!) :P
then comes the PSU, get quality as you are aware, i used to think the cpu was the heart of a system but these days power usage can get pretty serious even in a normal PC. internet is chock full of reviews though.
rest is upto you, word seems to be AMD/ATI give best bang for the buck.
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Pellit1
Caldari
Bushwhackers
Rough Necks
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Posted - 2010.04.28 16:47:00 -
[14]
Option 3.
Do NOT get an Alienware. They are *hugely* overpriced.
-------------
Rough Necks Alliance
BOOST FALCONS. Nerf whiners.
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Musical Fist
Gallente
Center for Advanced Studies
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Posted - 2010.04.28 17:33:00 -
[15]
Alienware are great, the idea is to pay for the name ;)
I am a label ***** so I dont mind, Dell customer service are **** though, fortunately I have never had an issue with my comps at all
Image is everything ;) majority of the ego things people get are for image / ego related anyway which isnt a bad thing, anyway Dell is very commercial so unless you plan to buy with them in the future you will have to pay 'extra'.
This is so not my main
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Rawr Cristina
Caldari
Omerta Syndicate
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Posted - 2010.04.28 17:33:00 -
[16]
Originally by: Veritaal
2 : The almighty Alienware
Pros
- Being able to claim that I own an Alienware
Apple should sue
- Malyutka (The Virus) - |
Blane Xero
Amarr
The Firestorm Cartel
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Posted - 2010.04.28 18:25:00 -
[17]
Edited by: Blane Xero on 28/04/2010 18:26:28
Originally by: Musical Fist
Alienware are great, the idea is to pay for the name ;)
I am a label ***** so I dont mind, Dell customer service are **** though, fortunately I have never had an issue with my comps at all
Image is everything ;) majority of the ego things people get are for image / ego related anyway which isnt a bad thing, anyway Dell is very commercial so unless you plan to buy with them in the future you will have to pay 'extra'.
Joke is on you. Dell own Alienware.
_____________________________________
Haruhiist since December 2008
Originally by: CCP Fallout
:facepalm:
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Exploding Tukey
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Posted - 2010.04.28 19:23:00 -
[18]
Originally by: Blane Xero
Edited by: Blane Xero on 28/04/2010 18:26:28
Originally by: Musical Fist
Alienware are great, the idea is to pay for the name ;)
I am a label ***** so I dont mind, Dell customer service are **** though, fortunately I have never had an issue with my comps at all
Image is everything ;) majority of the ego things people get are for image / ego related anyway which isnt a bad thing, anyway Dell is very commercial so unless you plan to buy with them in the future you will have to pay 'extra'.
Joke is on you. Dell own Alienware.
Funny thing is, Dell and ASUS are rated top for customer support.
ALWAYS take advice from somebody telling you something is bad, then saying he never used it. It's just good practice.
and don't knock apple, when people installed XP on the imacs,(or ibooks, cant recall) it ran faster then any pc due to their new memory architecture. Still, don't get apple unless you want to be limited in your software choices in every category.
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Musical Fist
Gallente
Center for Advanced Studies
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Posted - 2010.04.29 04:47:00 -
[19]
Originally by: Blane Xero
Edited by: Blane Xero on 28/04/2010 18:26:28
Originally by: Musical Fist
Alienware are great, the idea is to pay for the name ;)
I am a label ***** so I dont mind, Dell customer service are **** though, fortunately I have never had an issue with my comps at all
Image is everything ;) majority of the ego things people get are for image / ego related anyway which isnt a bad thing, anyway Dell is very commercial so unless you plan to buy with them in the future you will have to pay 'extra'.
Joke is on you. Dell own Alienware.
Probably trolling me, but I started talking about Alienware then Dell for a reason you know :P 
This is so not my main
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