Who makes the best desk top computers these days, and best price?

[lone_gunman]

I am in need of a new computer... who do you recommend?

[zahc]

You do. As far as I know it's still cheaper to roll your own. Especially if you have at least some parts (optical drive, etc) you can scavenge from your old machine.

[Ben]

Or if you're a bit hesitant on "rolling your own", you could try pcusa.com, where they give you a bunch of choices of compatible stuff to put a system together. Not much more expensive than making it yourself, but you should still go to a place like Tom's Hardware to doublecheck compatibility.

Else if you don't care that much about peak performance, really Dell is still one of the better bangs for the buck on pre-built systems.

[mtnbkr]

Build it yourself or get a Dell.  Dells aren't bad machines once you remove the junk software.  You can frequently get a new dell with monitor for not much more than it would cost to build it yourself (sometimes less).

Chris

[Cromlech]

You do. As far as I know it's still cheaper to roll your own.

I fully agree. If you don't mind getting your hands 'dirty', then building is the way to go.

Of course if you really need customer support and a warranty for the PC as a whole (or don't feel up to building it), then most desktops these days are pretty good. Although the same old marketing BS an be found on so called 'gaming' rigs, with '512MB of super-slow DDR2 128bit VRAM WOW!

[Mabs2]

I fully agree. If you don't mind getting your hands 'dirty', then building is the way to go.

Of course if you really need customer support and a warranty for the PC as a whole (or don't feel up to building it), then most desktops these days are pretty good. Although the same old marketing BS an be found on so called 'gaming' rigs, with '512MB of super-slow DDR2 128bit VRAM WOW!

512?  My next build is probably going to end up with 6 gigs of DDR3 plus another 1 on the video card.

[Jamisjockey]

Build it yourself or get a Dell.  Dells aren't bad machines once you remove the junk software.  You can frequently get a new dell with monitor for not much more than it would cost to build it yourself (sometimes less).

Chris

I've bought three machines (2 PC's, one laptop) through the Dell outlet in the last 2 years.  All three are great machines and didn't come with an idiotic amount of software.  Also got a laptop through Dell's normal side, and it didn't come with all that much crap.  The only non-Dell in our house is an HP that was purchased at Circuit City, and it came with so much crap that I'm still deleting programs and games.

[Gewehr98]

Buy a Dell, delete the crapware.

Or go balls-out, and get an Alienware machine.   

You can't really roll your own for dirt cheap anymore - retail PC prices have dropped that much. By the time you purchase and assemble the machine, then buy and install whatever licensed copy of OS you want, you're right there with Dell, sans warranty.

(Yeah, I know there's TigerDirect and other sellers of kits.  I've assembled a couple, and you can ask Balog about the quality of what he received on his last kit build...)

I came to that conclusion a while ago, and about the only real savings I get is when I buy and refurbish corporate lease turn-ins, but that's a totally different animal - again, you're rolling up your sleeves, and still sans warranty.

[ilbob]

I am in need of a new computer... who do you recommend?

depends on what you want.

if you want a basic windows machine, it is hard to beat the price of a dell or one of the other online/phone sellers. and there is very little difference in quality between brands.

very little chance you can roll your own cheaper, unless you have some of the parts already.

beyond a basic machine, the question is a little different. gamers often end up rolling their own because they get what they actually want.

[lone_gunman]

How are AMD processors compared to Intel?  Is Intel worth the extra money??

[djw]

Saw a Lenovo(they bought IBMs stuff awhile back)with 320 hd and 3 gig of ram at Fry's this am for $300. Hard to beat that unless you need something super for gaming.

[Bogie]

I'm a fan of refurbed boxes from Tiger Direct... Delete the extra crapware, and you're good.
 
Way I figure it, the refurbs get a little extra attention - some idjit buys it, can't figure out how to plug it in, takes it back, and then it gets scoped by a tech and repacked.
 

[MillCreek]

Look for the coupons and daily deals at Techbargains:  http://www.techbargains.com/

Last year, I picked up a nice HP desktop for $ 400 under list through one of the daily deals.

[RocketMan]

If you are located anywhere near me, I'll roll one up per your specifications, and give you a discount simply for being an APS member.  Near me being someplace in the Willamette Valley in Oregon.  By the time you factor in any significant shipping, the price would not be as competitive.

[mtnbkr]

You can't really roll your own for dirt cheap anymore - retail PC prices have dropped that much. By the time you purchase and assemble the machine, then buy and install whatever licensed copy of OS you want, you're right there with Dell, sans warranty.

Yeah.  The last time I built my own PC, it wasn't much cheaper than a low end Dell and that was after reusing the case, optical and flopy drives, monitor, etc.  The only new parts were mobo, memory, video card, and hdd.  It was more powerful than the equivalent priced Dell, but not by a huge amount.

Chris

[lee n. field]

I am in need of a new computer... who do you recommend?

Same question as when people ask "What gun shud I git?" -- what's it for?  Answers will vary depending on where it sits in the spectrum of rock solid work computer to bleeding edge blinkenlights gamer machine.

[lone_gunman]

I was really more interested in a general opinion of brands than any specific model.  I was wanting to know how brands like Dell, HP, and Gateway stack up when compared to each other.  I don't plan to build my own computer.  I use the computer for internet mainly, but this includes downloading large x-ray studies from the hospital for viewing at home.  For things like CT scans, these are very big files, and I have to scroll back and to between hundreds of large x ray images.  I also use it for more casual use of the internet, as well as playing some games.  It needs to be fast, have a big hard drive, lot of ram, and good video memory/card.

[MillCreek]

Putting on my professional hat for a moment, if you are doing Nighthawk radiology, I am surprised your employer is not putting in a teleradiology workstation in your home.   I assume you are going to have a suitably large professional quality LCD monitor.

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

I was really more interested in a general opinion of brands than any specific model.  I was wanting to know how brands like Dell, HP, and Gateway stack up when compared to each other.  I don't plan to build my own computer.  I use the computer for internet mainly, but this includes downloading large x-ray studies from the hospital for viewing at home.  For things like CT scans, these are very big files, and I have to scroll back and to between hundreds of large x ray images.  I also use it for more casual use of the internet, as well as playing some games.  It needs to be fast, have a big hard drive, lot of ram, and good video memory/card.

I prefer IBM/Lenovo as a brand, but I've also had good results with Dell.

[lone_gunman]

if you are doing Nighthawk radiology, I am surprised your employer is not putting in a teleradiology workstation in your home

I am not doing Nighthawk, nor am I a radiologist.  The radiologists get free computers from the hospital.  I actually am the guy taking care of the patient, and need to be able to see the films, not just a report.

[MillCreek]

I am not doing Nighthawk, nor am I a radiologist.  The radiologists get free computers from the hospital.  I actually am the guy taking care of the patient, and need to be able to see the films, not just a report.

In that case, since it sounds as if you will be doing your own independent review to guide your diagnostic and therapeutic decisions, make sure that your graphics/monitor arrangements at home are of sufficient quality as to enable you to make diagnostic interpretations of the imaging studies.

[ilbob]

I was really more interested in a general opinion of brands than any specific model.  I was wanting to know how brands like Dell, HP, and Gateway stack up when compared to each other.  I don't plan to build my own computer.  I use the computer for internet mainly, but this includes downloading large x-ray studies from the hospital for viewing at home.  For things like CT scans, these are very big files, and I have to scroll back and to between hundreds of large x ray images.  I also use it for more casual use of the internet, as well as playing some games.  It needs to be fast, have a big hard drive, lot of ram, and good video memory/card.

There is very little difference in quality between the major brands and even the lesser known ones.

Most of the major components are made by just a few manufacturers - motherboard, HDD, DVD, memory, etc. Power supplies are commodity items and for most applications the cheapest thing you can get is quite adequate. The case is mostly sheet metal and cosmetic concerns aside, does not make much difference either. Windows machines all come with basically the same software.

These days a typical basic machine comes with video in amazingly high resolutions. The monitor chosen can make a huge difference.

Get a large HDD. Get lots of RAM. I'd advise staying away from vista if you can, but these days it is getting expensive to do that.

[zahc]

How are AMD processors compared to Intel?  Is Intel worth the extra money??

I always go AMD. I think they have better cheap processors. When I built this machine I bought a 5400+ for about a hundred bucks. I always figure about a hundred bucks for the processor; it usually buys a decent one.

By the time you purchase and assemble the machine, then buy and install whatever licensed copy of OS you want, you're right there with Dell, sans warranty.

This is true, if you are buying an OS. Purchase an OS and the price advantage dissolves pretty quickly. I skip the microsoft tax, cause I run linux. I'm not about to spend more than I spent on my HDD on bad OS that I don't like. Lucky that I don't have to.

[Firethorn]

I was really more interested in a general opinion of brands than any specific model.  I was wanting to know how brands like Dell, HP, and Gateway stack up when compared to each other.  I don't plan to build my own computer.  I use the computer for internet mainly, but this includes downloading large x-ray studies from the hospital for viewing at home.  For things like CT scans, these are very big files, and I have to scroll back and to between hundreds of large x ray images.  I also use it for more casual use of the internet, as well as playing some games.  It needs to be fast, have a big hard drive, lot of ram, and good video memory/card.

How much are you looking to spend?  Some of the companies do better with their top or bottom end...

I tend to do a 1-10 rating system for deciding what machine to shop for. 10 is hardcore computing needs, 1 is grandma and her email/browsing off of dial up.

General Internet use is rated at a 1 (Buy the cheapest machine you can).
'Large X-ray studies' I'm not familiar with, but at a guess I'd rate it a 3, with a caveat of buying the biggest, highest quality monitor you can afford, and a compatible video card.  Otherwise, I'd give it a 3-5, depending on just how screwed up the software for handling those images are.
'playing some games' - Would these be 'immersive' games like Bioshock, or 'casual' games like tetris?  Tetris gets a 2, Bioshock an 8.

For you, I'd shop around for a 'mid-range' machine, probably starting around $800, but upgraded with a better monitor.

For example, I hit dell up for their 'small business'(often better deals than the home site) - No monitor, 3GB RAM, 2.33Ghz Quad Core2, $643.
Unless you want the extra expense of getting a 64Bit operating system, it's not worth the $70 to get another GB.

Hard Drive, Dell wants $280 to put a 1TB drive instead of the default 250GB.  Personally, I'd just hit newegg up for a second HD if it turns out you need the space - they're offering a WD 2TB(!) for $300, but I'd probably just go for the Seagate 1.5TB for $130.

$360 for a 24" LCD monitor, newegg sells them for as low as $270, but you can get a Samsung for $300.  Only reason I'd consider buying it from Dell would be so the monitor tags along for any warranties.

$300 for a NVidia Geforce 9800GT isn't worth it when you can buy a EVGA 512GB GT for $130, assuming the default 256MB ATI card doesn't do it for you.

Hmmm...

Case&Power Supply, $200 est (I like LianLi cases and Seasonic power supplies, those won't be under $200)
HD, $130 Seagate 1.5TB
CPU/Motherboard: $270
RAM: 4GB $50(plenty to chose from)
Video: $130
Vista Home Premium: $100 - Can go 64 if you want.
Etc:  $70(mouse,keyboard, DVD Burner, etc...)

I'd build a machine for $950, cheaper than a 'upgraded' dell at $1,223, but I can't compete with their cheap end.

If you're going to be a 'power' user, building your own still makes sense, but for basic machines, I'd buy from a company.  Then get a good big monitor, varying from $300 for a 24"(1920x1200) to around a thouand for a 30"(2560x1600)

For getting the best deal, I'd get an idea of what I want, then keep an eye on the various stores, and wait a bit.  Something will pop up.

[charby]

Gateway

Don't buy company is in bankruptcy.
I doubt you could even buy one.