any input for a new pc

[john]

Been thinking about a new pc,and the Alienware looks great but a bit on the spendy side anyone out there have any ideas for something hot and not to expensive...Maybe around 1800 with a monitor??Has to have great grafics and sound,amd 2 gig,512 ram etc...Thanks for any ideas..John

[Seraph]

Alienware is WAY to expensive for what you get.

If your looking for something reasonably priced I'd recomend
http://www.monarchcomputer.com/
I got my last computer from there and its been rock stable. They also let you skip getting an OS which I thought was a nice feature.

[Animal]

Originally posted by john: Been thinking about a new pc,and the Alienware looks great but a bit on the spendy side anyone out there have any ideas for something hot and not to expensive...Maybe around 1800 with a monitor??Has to have great grafics and sound,amd 2 gig,512 ram etc...Thanks for any ideas..John

A computer's a computer. I don't think the vendor really matters. Just pick out the parts you want, and build it yourself, or find a prebuilt system.
I prefer to build my own, so I get exactly what I want.
You might want to hold off for a while, though. It looks like AMD is about to release their new Barton CPU, which by initial testing while go head to head with a 3.06GHZ P4, while running at just 2.167GHZ. The current T-Bred core running at 2.25GHZ, gets masacred by a P4 running at 3.0GHZ, so it looks like AMD has their ducks in line now, so to speak.\
A side benefit from this, it will reduce the current pricing of the T-Breds even further. If your are seriously looking, try to grab a PC that uses the nForce 2 chipset. It looks like the nForce is THE chipset for AMD's.

[Seraph]

If your are seriously looking, try to grab a PC that uses the nForce 2 chipset. It looks like the nForce is THE chipset for AMD's.

I've always been a fan of VIA's chipsets for AMD's. If you do go for a VIA chipset I would recomend the KT333A. The "A" is important.

[Animal]

Originally posted by Seraph: Quote: If your are seriously looking, try to grab a PC that uses the nForce 2 chipset. It looks like the nForce is THE chipset for AMD's.

I've always been a fan of VIA's chipsets for AMD's. If you do go for a VIA chipset I would recomend the KT333A. The "A" is important.[/QUOTE]Yes, the A version was important for the 133 and 266, however VIA didn't produce a 333A, they went directly to the 400.

[Ziroc]

Originally posted by john: Been thinking about a new pc,and the Alienware looks great but a bit on the spendy side anyone out there have any ideas for something hot and not to expensive...Maybe around 1800 with a monitor??Has to have great grafics and sound,amd 2 gig,512 ram etc...Thanks for any ideas..John

I have the Alienware, and I gotta tell you, the Customer service is EXCELLENT! I just talked to them, took 10 mins to RMA my CPU and MB.

Alienware is pricy because they use the best components. I have been VERY happy with them. The Tower is huge, and the inside is as neatly spacious as I have EVER seen! no hanging wires..

Also inside has unlocking bays. Also can have up to 8 fans inside! (I have 7, and the damn thing sounds pretty quiet!)

On another note, anyone seen those clear fans with neon inside them? Pretty cool looking! But I'm not into wasting money (I can't) on 'oh neat-o' stuff.

[Ziroc]

Originally posted by Seraph: Alienware is WAY to expensive for what you get. If your looking for something reasonably priced I'd recomend http://www.monarchcomputer.com/ I got my last computer from there and its been rock stable. They also let you skip getting an OS which I thought was a nice feature.

But what you get IS top of the line. Benchmarks show it TOPS all other PC's in all the Gaming Mags.

It may be true, if you bought all the same items that go in the tower are cheaper, but not by too much.. Plus, their Customer service is excellent.

Anyway, If you can't go with Alienware, look at these:
http://computers.cnet.com/hardware/0...70989.ont.1016

Look at the Voodoo as well! An AMD 2800 would be nice, and is cheaper than a 2.4Ghz P4.

Just DON'T go with a HP, IBM, Sony, Compaq--any 'best buy' PC's.. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Felix The Assassin]

Originally posted by john: Been thinking about a new pc,and the Alienware looks great but a bit on the spendy side anyone out there have any ideas for something hot and not to expensive...Maybe around 1800 with a monitor??Has to have great grafics and sound,amd 2 gig,512 ram etc...Thanks for any ideas..John

That age old clique of "You get what you pay for" comes to mind!
I custom build. Using my resources, I priced an identical custom build, minus the Alienware case, to last Falls top dog. You can spend over 3K and get the huge support they give. Or you can spend $2500 and custom build the exact system by part identification.

Alienware would be my choice if I was to actually buy a PC. Their support, and personal assitance with CS is unmatched. Plus they do a complete custom OS and driver install, then due to fine tweaking, making it a true custom order. It's their final stage that allows them to outperform the others.

The new Nvidia chips matched to AMD MB, with newer AMD CPUs can run with P4s. However, in about 90 some odd days, AMD will release their new chip, and will take the throne back for a while. Then evolution goes back. Intel will resurface.

[Seraph]

Yes, the A version was important for the 133 and 266, however VIA didn't produce a 333A, they went directly to the 400.

Your right. I thought I remembered reading something about a KT333A, but I must have just been thinking of a different VIA board.

But what you get IS top of the line. Benchmarks show it TOPS all other PC's in all the Gaming Mags.

Well, I've found the nature of things is that one keeps closer to 'state of the art' with computers by buying somewhat cheaper computers (Mine tend to be ~1100-1300 w/out a monitor) more often than buying really expensive computers rarely.

IMHO the extra cost does not even come close to being returned as extra performance. I approach it as a simple case of economics. Does the several hundred dollers that I would spend on an Alienware PC really mean I would get several hundred dollers more enjoyment out of it? I've generally come to the conclusion that for me the answer is no.

[andrewas]

Stick a top of the range AMD XP processor into an ASUS A7N8X motherboard. Well, any nforce2 motherboard will do, but I like the ASUS. Add PC-2700 RAM. I went for 1Gb. Sound is onboard.

Graphics is a bit of a problem. The GeforceFX is about to be released, but some of the articles Ive read on it are worrying. An operating temperature (open case) of almost 70 degrees? Dosent sound good to me. Amd apparently its very loud as well, something I can well believe given the size of the cooler on it.

Looking at that I cant see a GeforceFX being a good purchase. IMHO. So we're left with the old Geforce4 Ti, and the Radeon whateveritis. Either are good.

I built that little lot for a shade over 500 quid, but I scavenged a lot of parts from my old machine. Like the HDD, peripherals, monitor.