So I want (need) to build a new PC...

[Viper]

You'll get a piss poor power supply, integrated graphics, no monitor, bloatware on the hard drive and may be locked into proprietary components for upgrades (depending on the PC vendor). You also lose the intangible factor of having built the PC yourself.

If he can match my build with a valid OS, monitor, good PSU, minimal to no bloatware and not locked into any proprietary upgrade paths, I'll be impressed.

[frosty]

Yeah, there's no way in hell you will get anywhere near the performance out of a system that is pre-built. Think about it. They're buying the same components you are, they're not getting them all that much cheaper, and they're having to pay people to build and test the system before they can sell it to you. This is before they add their profit into the equation. So, as Viper said, they'll use the lowest quality parts they can and you'll end up with a much less powerful system in the end.

[D3adcell]

My dad seems convinced that I can buy a package system, with OS, of equal or greater quality, for an equal or lesser price.

With a lesser video card, slower ram, worse motherboard, worse power supply, lesser warranty.

When building your own computer it's worth noting that most parts have at least a 1 year mfg warranty. Getting that through a vendor you have to pay extra. Many parts even have a lifetime or 3 year warranty when building it yourself.

[Otacon305]

Yeah, that's what I thought.

[goku2057]

I use the same case Jimmy posted for you, and I absolutely love it. Keeps my stuff very cool and doesn't look too bad.

[Otacon305]

It says it doesn't come with a power supply.

[Viper]

You generally don't want a case to come with a PSU. They're usually low quality, low efficiency, passive PFC, piss poor 12 volt rails, short cords, few PCi-e power connectors, etc...

[Otacon305]

So then what, where, etc?

[Viper]

It's in the component list I gave on the other page.

http://e-mpire.com/showthread.php/12...18#post2622718

[Otacon305]

Oh okay, didn't see it before, spanks.

[Smokey]

this is what im building for gaming Otacon Video Card could be different though mate (have already bought a coupla things though)

Antec ATX Three Hundred Case Black (No PS)

600 Watt OCZ ModXstream PRO Power Supply (PN OCZ600MXSP)

Gigabyte S1155 MicroATX GA-Z68MA-D2H-B3 Motherboard

DDR3 8GB (2x4G) Corsair 1600MHz Vengeance CL9 Kit

NVIDIA GTX580 1536MB Gigabyte GTX580 Super Overclock PCIe Video Card PN N580SO-15I

Intel S1155 Core i5 2500K 3.3GHz Quad Core CPU UNLOCKED Bundle Price*

HDD Mount 2.5" to 3.5"

120GB OCZ 2.5" Vertex 3 SATA 6Gb/s SSD Drive (PN VTX3-25SAT3-120G)

[Otacon305]

How much is that running?

[Smokey]

all up without graphics card $953au (cheaper US) as ive bought a fill in card GTX550ti dont know whether to buy another 120bucks & SLI or get a 580

[D3adcell]

Microcenter has a deal on i7 2600k (for the time)it's $199. That same CPU is $319 at newegg.

[Viper]

That's in store pick up only but Chicago has 2 in the area.

[Otacon305]

I'm in Chicago! Link?

[venomv]

http://www.microcenter.com/single_pr...uct_id=0354587

Looks like a steal to me.

[Otacon305]

So I could use that in my build?

[D3adcell]

As long as the motherboard is LGA 1155, which it should be for an i5 as well.

[Segitz]

AMD responds to 'Kepler', lowers Radeon HD 7900 series prices
Apr 15, 2012 at 05:18 PM by caveman-jim
1 Comment
Beginning tomorrow, Monday April 16th, AMD Radeon HD 7900 series cards will be reduced in price. The AMD Radeon HD 7950 will begin at an SEP of USD$399 and the AMD Radeon HD 7970 will start at an SEP of USD$479.

Additionally, the 7900 series cards will be bundled with 3 free games - DiRT Showdown, Nexuiz and Deus Ex: Human Revolution with DLC The Missing Link content included.

Finally, the AMD Radeon HD 7770 GHz Edition has been price dropped too, now beginning at an SEP of USD$139.

The price wars begin, and obviously AMD have a notion of what the next release of NVIDIA's Kepler is going to look like and are adjusting price points to suit. Given NVIDIA's supply issues courtesy of TSMC's production problems, AMD have had free reign to keep their prices solid; could this be an indication that production issues are resolved?

No word on if early adopters are eligible for rebates on their now $70 overpriced cards, but that's the trouble with early adopting - the bleeding edge cuts two ways, sometimes.

3CHAR