im trying to configure a PC online but it seems most of these 'build to order' websites have some sort of quirk which makes me move on to the next. so far I've tried MagicMicro, IBuyPower and a few others. i'm wondering if anyone can recommend one that they have had decent luck with (other than Dell).

i liked IBuyPower the best so far but evidently they don't use WD or Seagate HD's which was a huge turnoff.

suggestions ?

newegg.com

Its not going to build it for you but you can get any part you want, and building a computer yourself is a sinch.

Falcon Northwest, if you want massively expensive, super-powered, fully supported and custom build and even custom painted PCs. Check it out, even if you don't want a really expensive PC, as they have some cheaper offerings, and they are one of the best custom PC companies out there, if not the best.

It might be good to stick with Dell if you just want a basic PC for productivity, because you won't find anything much under $1800 from Falcon Northwest. (The cheapest I was able to configure was $1730.38)

I'm not endorsing IBuyPower and I have nothing against it either but I checked the website and you can specify a WD Raptor hard drive. Brand names aren't shown for the other hard drives as you've already noted.

Ibuypower tends to use either Seagate or Hitachi drives. Considering, though, how worried you are about individual parts in the PC, you might be better off doing like Whiffen said; Building it yourself. Usually with custom builders, you have to worry about how well the PC was assembled. If you build it yourself, you don't have to worry about stuff like that, as you were the one doing the assembling.

haha yea you guys are right. i used to build them myself then somehow completely neglected the technology and computing scene for quite some time. but im learning more each day and i seem to be catching back up with the times.

basically what i did was found all the parts on Newegg that I had configured on IBuyPower, and I'm just gonna put it together myself, and save about 100 bucks.

if i post the specs here, could someone confirm whether it looks good or not?

Of course. Post them.

haha now keep in mind this is supposed to be something slightly better than a 'budget' PC but not quite as hardcore as a 'power' PC.

my budget was around 600.


Motherboard: Asus M2N-SLI Deluxe nForce 570

CPU: AMD Phenom 9550 Quad Core

RAM: Kingston HyperX 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM

HDD: Western Digital Caviar 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache

Graphics: XFX PVT86SWAQG GeForce 8400 GS 512MB (256 onboard)

Case: Athenatech A412BB.400 Black / Silver Steel ATX Mid Tower Case (same one from IBuyPower, which I really liked)

Misc: APEVIA CF12S 120mm Case Fan


The case comes with a 400W PSU but im still debating whether to upgrade that or not. And being that my motherboard is SLI, do I need to be running two graphics cards? I'm not a graphics nut or anything but the only reason i chose that particular board is that it got excellent ratings on Newegg with over 1000 reviews averaging 4 eggs.

Do you think I need anything else? More fans? Accessories?

These were more or less the exact parts on IBuyPower (but from Newegg) so im hoping compatibility is ok.

Custom building is a lot of fun, Especially if you like customization. I bought a cheap $15 tower at Bestbuy ( ATX form factor ) and modded the hell out of it, the case has 9 fans on it and 1 220mm fan on the side panel to keep a perfect air flow through the tower.

As for your quote on above:

Never use default Powersupplies that come with cases, they are usually from cheap brand names and will most likely short out after a few months, spend the extra money and get a decent powersupply, This power supply is by far the best I've ever used although the price is a little high and the wattage is more than you'll need for a entry level build you'll probably have to get someone's second opinion on it.

Also a SLI board does not mean you HAVE to run multiple cards, it just supports more than one videocard. I always go with SLI boards just incase later on in the future I might want to SLI.

Thanks for your input, TimeParadoX. You're definitely right about the power supply. I think i will update to something in the 450W - 500W range for hopefully less than $50. Although, some of the reviewers for the case (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811190073) have stated that they are very pleased with the included 400W PSU. But it's probably better to be safe than sorry.

Other than that, does it look like an adequate enough rig? I mainly use my system to do research, chat and download large amounts of music and some movies (to be burned to DVD.. I typically don't watch them on my PC). Other than that, I take a few online courses. I almost never play games nor do anything graphically intensive.

Another option might be an Antec Earthwatts 500W, as that PSU looks to be a bit too much.

Are the Earthwatts quiet? That's another concern of mine as this system will be residing in my bedroom !

My antec is much quieter than my previous PSU, I leave my computer on 24/7 and it's in my bedroom.

I have a few places I enjoy going to for getting my components to build a computer:

http://www.tigerdirect.com
http://www.directron.com
http://www.xoxide.com
http://www.atxcases.com

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Thanks Rage for the list.

For $600 and a non-gaming system, you don't need to spend too much on the video card or the CPU. Here's what I propose:

• GIGABYTE GA-G31M-S2L LGA 775 Intel G31 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail - $59.99 + $8.97 shipping
• Intel Pentium E2200 Allendale 2.2GHz 1MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Retail - $79.99 + free shipping
• CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X2048-6400 - Retail - $47.50 without $10 rebate + free shipping
• Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST3500320AS 500GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM - $84.99 + free shipping
• Antec Basiq BP350 350W ATX12V Version 2.01 Power Supply 115/ 230 V UL, FCC, TUV, CB - Retail - $34.99 + $10.09 shipping

Grand Total = $326.52, not including the rebates and including shipping. It leaves you with enough money for a video card and case. I recommend the 8400GS and any case of your choice.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.