Custom PC....pricing a bit high?

[jverkoey]

Not sure if it's just that I'm used to the prices in the states or what, but I'm putting together a PC up here in Canada, and it's seeming...well, really expensive. (and yes, I did take in to account the exchange rate)

It probably has part to do with the fact that I have to buy a monitor also, as I don't have a spare one (anymore, since I moved).

Here's the comp's specs:

AMD ATHLON 64 2800+ PROCESSOR S754 1.8GHZ 512KB L2 CACHE RETAIL BOX 3YR. MFR. WARRANTY $186.98

GIGABYTE K8NS NFORCE3 250 ATHLON64 S754 ATX DDR AGP 5PCI SATA SOUND LAN MOTHERBOARD $98.77

INFINEON 512MB PC3200 DDR400 184PIN OEM $91.63

TSUNAMI GEMINI II GE-46 18IN 4X5.25 1X3.5 6X3.5INT USB AUDIO BLACK 400W $42.57

MAXTOR 200GB HARD DRIVE 7200RPM 8MB 8.5MS ATA133 W/ FDB QUIET OEM *3YR WARRANTY* $141.45

SAPPHIRE RADEON 9600 128MB AGP8X VGA DVI TV OUT OEM VIDEO CARD $128.80

VIEWSONIC E70 17IN 16VIS 0.27MM 1280X1024 MPRII $167.16

BENQ DW1620-BK DVD+-RW 16X4X16 DUAL LAYER +R 2.4X BLACK IDE OEM W/ SW $83.30

$940.66- subtotal CAD
$758.54- subtotal converted to american

$1,121.21—total price (with tax/shipping)


It's a really nice computer overall.....but am I getting gipped really bad here? The end price, 1,121.21 is with 7% GST and shipping all included.....So what'd'ya think?

The site I got these prices from was http://ncix.com/

[Thantos]

Last time I priced out building a computer I found it to cost much more then one from Dell.

[kermit]

mmmm athlon64 *drools*

Pricing sounds about right. I priced out a very similar setup and it was priced about the same.

I would warn you away from a Maxtor - I have had a few and I don't like them. Next time I buy a hard drive, it won't be a Maxtor. Mechanical troubles...

@ Thantos

As far as buying a Dell, I know they are excellent quality, but don't they make things hard to upgrade? (I don't know - I have heard they are not so upgradable)

[RoD]

i know someone who can build that entire pc for under 600 bucxks, and sell the parts too you a lot less than that.

http://www.sgc-computer.com/

[RoD]

as for maxtor, are you insane??? Maxtor is the leading manufactur in server and office pc's because they are the most reliable, and they have an excellent warrenty program. Of all of the computers i have built, for myself and for others, i have seen problems with almost all of the western digital drives, and only once or twice from maxtor.

Hell, i set a maxtor 20gig on FIRE, scorched black and making al kinds of cool noises, it STILL works. I've had them in water, freezing temps, it doesnt matter. To each his own, and theres always fanboys of each, but ill take my AMD's and my Maxtors anyday of the week.

As for dells, they use intel brand boards, which arent very overclock or chip-upgrade friendly. You can upgrade just about everything else from ram, to cards, to HDD's. Even the CPU's most of the time, but overclock wise they suck.

[kermit]

as for maxtor, are you insane??? Maxtor is the leading manufactur in server and office pc's because they are the most reliable, and they have an excellent warrenty program. Of all of the computers i have built, for myself and for others, i have seen problems with almost all of the western digital drives, and only once or twice from maxtor.

Hell, i set a maxtor 20gig on FIRE, scorched black and making al kinds of cool noises, it STILL works. I've had them in water, freezing temps, it doesnt matter. To each his own, and theres always fanboys of each, but ill take my AMD's and my Maxtors anyday of the week.

As for dells, they use intel brand boards, which arent very overclock or chip-upgrade friendly. You can upgrade just about everything else from ram, to cards, to HDD's. Even the CPU's most of the time, but overclock wise they suck.

lol

Well, maybe a little insane..

To be honest, I have only ever used Maxtor - The first one came used with my new computer, and it died a few months later. Then I ended up with a 40gig and a 60 gig, and they are jammed tight together, so I think part of the my problem is heat - heh - and I have run them for a long time. And they have never actually kacked on me, though the odd time I have to give my slave disk a bit of a thump...

[RoD]

heat doesnt usually effect them as they run a little hot to begin with. A bad disk here or there is a given because no one can prevent that, but all my drives have always been sloid save the few defects.

[Thantos]

Dell uses non proprietary hardware so its really easy to upgrade.

[B0bDole]

>Dell uses non proprietary hardware so its really easy to upgrade.

Yup, and their case/psu are non proprietary

I've seen some compaqs ages ago that when you open it up you say two things:

1)WTF how did they fit all that crap in this tiny little heat box of steel
2)WTF I've never seen an L shaped psu

But that was over 5 years ago, before HP bought Compaq, but 5 years ago: HP, Compaq, Sony had proprietary parts...

Who knows now though? correct me please

[Thantos]

I still have scars on my hands from working on those old compaq boxes. I remember having to take out half of the stuff inside the case just to change the CPU chip. Not only were they really tight fits they didn't dull the edges of the sheet metal.

I saw a compaq about two years ago and it look fairly normal so I'd suspect that their hardware is no longer proprietary. Thought I know the software / firmware is. (ever wonder why theres a 20 meg partion on them? )

[RoD]

AMD ATHLON 64 2800+ PROCESSOR S754 1.8GHZ 512KB L2 CACHE RETAIL BOX 3YR. MFR. WARRANTY $186.98

From newegg : 130.00

GIGABYTE K8NS NFORCE3 250 ATHLON64 S754 ATX DDR AGP 5PCI SATA SOUND LAN MOTHERBOARD $98.77

thats a good price on that board

INFINEON 512MB PC3200 DDR400 184PIN OEM $91.63

from pricewatch: 45.00

MAXTOR 200GB HARD DRIVE 7200RPM 8MB 8.5MS ATA133 W/ FDB QUIET OEM *3YR WARRANTY* $141.45

Newegg: 105.00

SAPPHIRE RADEON 9600 128MB AGP8X VGA DVI TV OUT OEM VIDEO CARD $128.80

Newegg: 92.50

VIEWSONIC E70 17IN 16VIS 0.27MM 1280X1024 MPRII

$167.16

Newegg: 119.00

BENQ DW1620-BK DVD+-RW 16X4X16 DUAL LAYER +R 2.4X BLACK IDE OEM W/ SW $83.30

Comparable LG @ newegg: 43.99

[B0bDole]

>(ever wonder why theres a 20 meg partion on them? )

rgr, I remember that. My dell inspiron 600m had a small partition i think for diagnostic software or something dellish, but ive long formatted and dual booted as its necessary for my courses to make sure programs will compile under gcc on a linux box comperable to the compile farm the professors use. (of course i could just ssh and compile on the farm, but I like doing it localy).

[jverkoey]

does newegg ship to canada? I heard they don't....and those prices you found are probably american I'm guessing? Not sure if you took in to account that I'm in Canada or not.

Actually, right as we speak I'm in the Toronto area and I heard of a place in downtown Toronto that has incredibly cheap hardware (I've been there before, and they've got a ton of stuff) so I'm going to go check them out later this week.

[MethodMan]

CanadaComputers has a location in Toronto, they have some pretty good prices.

Check out their webiste.

[Josh Kasten]

Ya newegg does not ship to canada

# No international/Canadian shipments.

Ya those prices from RoD are in USA.
Get an smaller HD and just a cd burner/DVD reader to cut the price down cuz 64-bit is where everything is going. Only get a 32-bit if you really can't get the money. O and keep looking around at different stores that helps save money too.