store bought pc vs. homebuilt...

[rferoni]

I posted a few posts down about building a pc for mom/grandma. In the post
I was wondering if I should build them one myself or just have them get a
bundled package from Dell or similar. I forgot to mention that the only
problem I have with getting a bundled package are the integrated parts(ie.
video card, sound) etc... I would rather have them get the Dell, but is it
possible to get a Dell (or other brand) with the seperate hardware parts?
Thanks for any info......

Ron

 

[Ric]

I posted a few posts down about building a pc for mom/grandma. In
the post I was wondering if I should build them one myself or just
have them get a bundled package from Dell or similar. I forgot to
mention that the only problem I have with getting a bundled package
are the integrated parts(ie. video card, sound) etc... I would
rather have them get the Dell, but is it possible to get a Dell (or
other brand) with the seperate hardware parts? Thanks for any
info......

Ron

with very few exceptions, all motherboards come with integrated LAN, sound,
USB etc.
you seem to think this is a problem: it's not. they're all *excellent*
these days and more importantly as they're part of the board they've been
tested in massive depth for compatibility. separate video, i can
understand: and you can get this in a dell just as you can if you build oyur
own.

 

[JT]

I posted a few posts down about building a pc for mom/grandma. In the post
I was wondering if I should build them one myself or just have them get a
bundled package from Dell or similar. I forgot to mention that the only
problem I have with getting a bundled package are the integrated parts(ie.
video card, sound) etc... I would rather have them get the Dell, but is it
possible to get a Dell (or other brand) with the seperate hardware parts?
Thanks for any info......

Ron

Do you really think your Mom/Grandma are going to get in there and change
video cards, sound cards, etc?? Why would they need to? Unless Grandma is
into serious gaming, I don't see where that will be a problem. You can
order Dell and similar systems with gaming video cards, etc., but remember
who is going to be using it.

If you think you will be replacing a video card if it fails on grannies
machine, you are missing one of the reasons to buy a shrink wrapped system.

JT

 

[rferoni]

| with very few exceptions, all motherboards come with integrated LAN,
sound,
| USB etc.


Your are correct....I just meant the video and sound,
mostly the video. Guess I should have worded a little better...



..>>>>>>seperate video I can understand.you can get this in a dell just as
you can if you build oyur
| own.
|

How do I go about getting this in a Dell? All the lower
end packages I've seen have integrated video and does NOT allow for the
upgrade to a seperate video card...

Remember, these computers are for Mom and Grams and don't
need to be anything real special. Moms running a Gateway(crap IMHO) 300mhz,
4gb hd. Its about 7 years old. I went to dells webpage and there lowest
model @ $449 would be great I think but you cannot get seperate video.
Anyone have any ideas? Also, it doesn't have to be a dell. If there are
better brands out there please advise. For Mom and Grams, customer service
is KEY as I'm sure they will have to call them every once in awhile.......


Thanks again....

Ron
|

 

[jimbo]

Well, if it is for mom and grams, why do you care about separate video? do
they do a lot of heavy gaming or DVD playing?

Regards, jimbo

 

[rferoni]

It's not that I think I will need to replace the video or sound on their
computers. It's if I want to UPGRADE their computers 5-6-7 years down the
road. Instead of having to buy a whole new computer I could just upgrade
the video.....Of course, what you all say here makes sense. I think you all
have me convinced of just going with the shrinkwrapped system regardless of
the integrated video.....Thanks for your help..

Ron


|
| >I posted a few posts down about building a pc for mom/grandma. In the
post
| >I was wondering if I should build them one myself or just have them get a
| >bundled package from Dell or similar. I forgot to mention that the only
| >problem I have with getting a bundled package are the integrated
parts(ie.
| >video card, sound) etc... I would rather have them get the Dell, but is
it
| >possible to get a Dell (or other brand) with the seperate hardware parts?
| >Thanks for any info......
| >
| >Ron
| >
|
| Do you really think your Mom/Grandma are going to get in there and change
| video cards, sound cards, etc?? Why would they need to? Unless Grandma is
| into serious gaming, I don't see where that will be a problem. You can
| order Dell and similar systems with gaming video cards, etc., but remember
| who is going to be using it.
|
| If you think you will be replacing a video card if it fails on grannies
| machine, you are missing one of the reasons to buy a shrink wrapped
system.
|
| JT
|

 

[JT]

It's not that I think I will need to replace the video or sound on their
computers. It's if I want to UPGRADE their computers 5-6-7 years down the
road. Instead of having to buy a whole new computer I could just upgrade
the video.....Of course, what you all say here makes sense. I think you all
have me convinced of just going with the shrinkwrapped system regardless of
the integrated video.....Thanks for your help..

Ron

Probably a good plan. Just think what was a common system 5 years ago.
Pentium II 350, maybe 64meg ram. 4 to 8 meg video card. Would replacing the
video card really be a worthwhile upgrade today? How many new video cards
will even work well in a system like that? If things keep moving like they
have, in 5 years the upgrade for them will still be replacement.

JT

 

[Larc]

| Remember, these computers are for Mom and Grams and don't
| need to be anything real special. Moms running a Gateway(crap IMHO) 300mhz,
| 4gb hd. Its about 7 years old. I went to dells webpage and there lowest
| model @ $449 would be great I think but you cannot get seperate video.
| Anyone have any ideas? Also, it doesn't have to be a dell. If there are
| better brands out there please advise. For Mom and Grams, customer service
| is KEY as I'm sure they will have to call them every once in awhile.......

That $449 deal from Dell leaves a lot be be desired. Most important, it has
only 128MB of RAM and video shares that. WinXP will be slow as molasses with so
little memory. 256MB is the absolute reasonable minimum for XP; 384MB is said
to be the "sweet spot;" and 512MB is really good for normal use.

A better bet than Dell may be a local Mom and Pop computer shop, especially if
you want something that will be upgradable. The cost would probably be more
than $449, but a Dell would be more as well once it was reasonably configured.

Larc



§§§ - Please raise temperature of mail to reply by e-mail - §§§

 

[rferoni]

If I go with a Mom & Pop place I'm back to square one. Mom & Pop places
don't have the tech support these big companies have, if any. That gateway
my Mom has had 3 year tech support and believe me she used it right up to
the last day! I don't want to become tech support hence I would like to get
namebrand PC. If there was a way I could be certain that the computer I
would build for them would be error free I would just build them myself.
I've only built my own computer(as stated in original post) and I don't mind
trying to figure out whats wrong with my computer but to have to do it to
two others would involve way too much of my time....man Larc, I was all set
on having them get the storebought but now you have me
thinking........aaarrrrrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhh!!!!!!!!

Thanks tho everyone for all the info.....

Ron


| On Sun, 23 Nov 2003 12:49:41 -0500, rferoni pondered exceedingly, then
took
| quill in hand and carefully composed...
|
| | Remember, these computers are for Mom and Grams and
don't
| | need to be anything real special. Moms running a Gateway(crap IMHO)
300mhz,
| | 4gb hd. Its about 7 years old. I went to dells webpage and there
lowest
| | model @ $449 would be great I think but you cannot get seperate video.
| | Anyone have any ideas? Also, it doesn't have to be a dell. If there
are
| | better brands out there please advise. For Mom and Grams, customer
service
| | is KEY as I'm sure they will have to call them every once in
awhile.......
|
| That $449 deal from Dell leaves a lot be be desired. Most important, it
has
| only 128MB of RAM and video shares that. WinXP will be slow as molasses
with so
| little memory. 256MB is the absolute reasonable minimum for XP; 384MB is
said
| to be the "sweet spot;" and 512MB is really good for normal use.
|
| A better bet than Dell may be a local Mom and Pop computer shop,
especially if
| you want something that will be upgradable. The cost would probably be
more
| than $449, but a Dell would be more as well once it was reasonably
configured.
|
| Larc
|
|
|
| §§§ - Please raise temperature of mail to reply by e-mail - §§§

 

[Larc]

| If I go with a Mom & Pop place I'm back to square one. Mom & Pop places
| don't have the tech support these big companies have, if any. That gateway
| my Mom has had 3 year tech support and believe me she used it right up to
| the last day! I don't want to become tech support hence I would like to get
| namebrand PC. If there was a way I could be certain that the computer I
| would build for them would be error free I would just build them myself.
| I've only built my own computer(as stated in original post) and I don't mind
| trying to figure out whats wrong with my computer but to have to do it to
| two others would involve way too much of my time....man Larc, I was all set
| on having them get the storebought but now you have me
| thinking........aaarrrrrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhh!!!!!!!!

Depending on where you and your Mom and Grams are located, a Mom and Pop
computer store may not necessarily translate into less technical service. Much
of what I know about putting computers together came from my local neighborhood
computer shop. In my case, they are highly knowledgeable people who have been
able to deal with almost every problem I've ever taken to them. True, my
questions may have got old very fast if I'd continually pestered them about
basic stuff. They would have probably recommended the "Dummies" series of help
books to me. ;-)

Also, newsgroups such as this one are sometimes as good a source as
manufacturers' service departments for technical help. The information and
advice I've been able to get here and on some of the Microsoft newsgroups have
helped me solve quite a few problems. But your Mom and Grams may both need to
be talked through their problems directly, one on one.

When a system comes from one of the major manufacturers and is loaded with
proprietary parts and configurations, help is available from that manufacturer
and sometimes from other owners of that particular brand or model. But a lot of
people can answer questions about systems built from standard parts and using
standard setups that either you or a local shop would use.

I'm not trying to confuse the issue for you further, but I think it's worth
taking a look at all the options.

Good luck!

Larc



§§§ - Please raise temperature of mail to reply by e-mail - §§§

 

[Bill Turner]

Mom & Pop places
don't have the tech support these big companies have

_________________________________________________________

Say what? My local mom and pop shop has bent over backwards to help me
more times than I can remember. No giant corporation would even begin
to do what they have done for me.

Try another shop.

 

[Ralph Mowery]

It's not that I think I will need to replace the video or sound on their
computers. It's if I want to UPGRADE their computers 5-6-7 years down the
road. Instead of having to buy a whole new computer I could just upgrade
the video.....Of course, what you all say here makes sense. I think you all
have me convinced of just going with the shrinkwrapped system regardless of
the integrated video.....Thanks for your help..

Have a look back 5 years and see how much will fit in a computer today.
Almost nothing will,or will be worth putting the new stuff in. A few years
back I had to toss out a good internal USR modem ( about a $ 200 modem and
not a $ 20 win modem) because it use an isa slot and all the good mother
boards I wanted to use did not have an isa slot in them. I can't hardly get
my operating system and a few programs on a hard dirve from 5 years ago.
In 5 years most new computers will be outdated so much the newer parts will
not fit in. Even now the serial ports are not being installed in some
computers, just the usb ports.

 

[jeffc]

How do I go about getting this in a Dell? All the lower
end packages I've seen have integrated video and does NOT allow for the
upgrade to a seperate video card...

You can probably call them if you are not seeing what you want on their web
site. It could be that they don't sell a configuration you want with the
video card you want. But then, it's pretty easy to add a video card to a
computer yourself. You won't be losing any money really, because virtually
all motherboards these days have some sort of on-board video.

 

[jeffc]

That $449 deal from Dell leaves a lot be be desired. Most important, it has
only 128MB of RAM and video shares that.

Yup, that was a "gotcha" I noticed with a system I set up - 32M of RAM were
automatically stolen for the on-board video! Running XP on 96M is not cool.

 

[jeffc]

If I go with a Mom & Pop place I'm back to square one. Mom & Pop places
don't have the tech support these big companies have, if any.

a) some small stores *do* give good tech support (and some don't)
b) Dell will still support your computer even though you've added a video
card to it.

 

[Shep©]

never heard of Medion until someone brought one round yesterday as they had
major problems, turned out had no firewall and no av and i found it full of
them, it looked well built, but German? now i know that i wont ever buy one

Sorry but software is the user's Domain after the O/s install ,not the
supplier of the hardware.As there's loads of free good AVP and
firewalls around this does not detract from the fact the internal
build quality is superb.




--
Free Windows/PC help,
http://www.geocities.com/sheppola/trouble.html
email shepATpartyheld.de
Free songs download,
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/8/nomessiahsmusic.htm

 

[Shep©]

I posted a few posts down about building a pc for mom/grandma. In the post
I was wondering if I should build them one myself or just have them get a
bundled package from Dell or similar. I forgot to mention that the only
problem I have with getting a bundled package are the integrated parts(ie.
video card, sound) etc... I would rather have them get the Dell, but is it
possible to get a Dell (or other brand) with the seperate hardware parts?
Thanks for any info......

Ron

If the ,"Medion" computers have hit the USA get them one of
those.Great value and can be upgraded.They have outsold all computer
makes in Germany where they are constructed and all who I have
recommended them too have been very happy.You can even get them
from,"Toys-R-Us".The build quality is superb as is their backup
service.
HTH



--
Free Windows/PC help,
http://www.geocities.com/sheppola/trouble.html
email shepATpartyheld.de
Free songs download,
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/8/nomessiahsmusic.htm

 

[JULIAN HALES]

If the ,"Medion" computers have hit the USA get them one of
those.Great value and can be upgraded.They have outsold all computer
makes in Germany where they are constructed and all who I have
recommended them too have been very happy.You can even get them
from,"Toys-R-Us".The build quality is superb as is their backup
service.
HTH

never heard of Medion until someone brought one round yesterday as they had
major problems, turned out had no firewall and no av and i found it full of
them, it looked well built, but German? now i know that i wont ever buy one

 

[Eddie Aftandilian]

.>>>>>>seperate video I can understand.you can get this in a dell just as
you can if you build oyur own.

How do I go about getting this in a Dell? All the lower
end packages I've seen have integrated video and does NOT allow for the
upgrade to a seperate video card...

The Dell Dimension models break down as follows:
2400 - integrated video, crappy chipset, small case
4600C - integrated video, 865 chipset, tiny case
4600 - separate video, 865 chipset, small case
8300 - separate video, 875 chipset, medium case

So you would want either the 4600 or the 8300 for separate video.

 

[Roy Coorne]

JULIAN HALES - the man with the Capital name - wrote:

....

... it looked well built, but German? now i know that i wont ever buy one

*Plonk*