mrv3000 | (no subject)

Current Mood: curious

(no subject)

I'm thinking I need to get a new computer. The CPU fan is starting to make noise and I suppose I could replace it (if they still make them for my CPU), but it's been a while since I've upgraded any part of my computer.

So I'm looking at some barebones stuff. 1) I know how to build a computer - I built my current one - and going this route is much cheaper (although tends to make you want to take a mallet to it by the end of the day if you're building ground-up), and 2) don't be installing crap I don't want on my computer! Like...Windows Vista!

Reason for this post: has anyone had any problems with any components? A DVD burner that makes DVDs explode? An audio card that doesn't like certain games? A video card that does war with a motherboard which gives you repeated boot failures but magically fixes itself after you screw around long enough in the BIOS, not really changing anything? *AHEM* (Okay, I might still have trauma from this one.)

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Have you considered looking at Costco's offerings? They've had to roll back their return window a bit due to asshattery by some customers (used to 6 months, now it's 3), but they don't care if you've used the computer for three months or left it in the box, they'll take it anyway.

To get a machine sans Vista, you might have to buy a floor model, but they could still have XP machines.

If you want some very thorough reviews of individual PC components, I cannot recommend Maximum PC highly enough.

I really want to get my hands on the computer before anything's installed. I like to be able to do my own installations of everything. I might be interested in it if they'd only have Windows XP on it, but they always want to put more things on it that I never use.

Maximum PC, eh? Thanks!

I think you can pretty much access all their stuff from their site, but I've got back issues I can send you if you want.

Good to know! Thank you!

I'd definitely recommend Maximum PC as well. Lots of good component recommendations. Each year they put out an issue that specs out an Extreme PC, Gaming PC, and Budget PC, and tell you all the components that they used to build it and approximately how much it cost. If you can find that issue, then that may well give you some good ideas on what you could build.

Oh, nice! That'd be a good place to start.

I did some light skimming of some retail sites, but it's been so long since I've paid attention to that kind of thing, I've got no idea on even the basics - like if everyone's loving AMD or Intel right now.

Try looking at this stuff:

PC Building Guide FAQ: Part 1

Unfortunately I may be confused about which mag does the various machines, as I can't find it on Maximum PC, though I'm sure they did something like that.

I've seen the Extreme PC/Gaming PC/Budget PC in hubby's PC Gamer. They do a lot with looking at the various components and what it takes to build each. Knowing him, he's got every PC Gamer ever published socked away. I can't get him to throw any of them out. "I might need to refer to it." "It references Win95 and software that won't currently run on any of our systems." "That's beside the point."

When I just got my computer, I discovered I was given a faulty CD-RW drive that was playing the damn disc only after ~5th reboot (if I was lucky). Boy was it fun to ask friends over to see my new computer games!

Me: you just wait, it's awesome!
Drive: *not bothered*
Me: wait, just have to reboot this thing and try again... *patiently waits for rebooting*
Drive: *still not bothered*
Me: okay, once more...
Friend: *yawn*
(repeat about 4 more times)
Drive: MKAY FINE HAVE IT YOUR WAY. *starts the game*
Me&Friend: Meh. *don't want to play anymore and watch a film instead*

It drove me CRAZY.

ARG! That's annoying.

Just an FYI - Dell still offers XP. Without a monitor, as low as $359. (I just had to do research on cheap computers for my poor grad student sister.)

Oh, say now! Thanks! I might have to check that out! Yeah, I've got an aversion to pre-installed stuff, but if it's *that* cheap...

If you don't mind wiping and reinstalling XP (I assume you still have it), I saw a Dell commercial advertising $299 the other day. Or maybe it was a flyer in the mail. Hmmm...

Chipset: Avoid the nforce chipset and go with an intel based system. That’s an intel chipset on the motherboard (i.e. i965). For client, these have the best performance and stability. Nforce boards have horrible performance and known problems with killing drives. There’s no way I’m putting a 1TB SATA on my nforce 4 system. It’ll take it days to access it and god knows how long before it dies.

Video: Avoid any video card from Nvidia that’s in the lower range i.e. a card that is in the x400 and below series. These are their lower end cards and they don’t put as much development into them. You don't really need anything in the 8xxx series if you're running XP.

Sound You can go with creative but their driver packages are a pain to deal with and, well, the less I say about creative the better.

And oh dear… I’ve rambled.

If you want me to look at your system before you buy, I can. It might be best to know what your price range is. I build almost everything because I don’t like OEM configs. I technically can't 'recommend' anything though ;)

YAY! This is the kind of info I was hoping to get. :) I might have to poke you when I finally get things figured out.

I have no experience with this. But hubby knows a lot about things like video cards if you want to bug him. Also, hubby's cousin builds computers (second business for him) and knows lots of which brands are good and which are crap if you want me to put you in touch with him...

I think I might bug

larissa_j about it (above) - she seems very knowledgeable. Although I might hold off a bit. The fan has stopped making noise. (Yes, it's still running.)

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