First I need to say this, if you do want to buy a
pre-built computer, get a Dell because their service is very
good.
Second, When you buy a computer from one of the big
companies they save money buy using the cheapest components they
can get, all they want to do is make sure it will last as long
as the warranty. Then to make it even cheaper the take money
from companies like Symantec (Norton Anti-virus), AOL (America
Online) and others to put their trial software on it. These
computers are loaded with software you don't want that will stop
working in 30, 60 or 90 days. You end up with a computer that's
already bogged down with tons of software that soon won't work
unless you spend a bunch more money.
Third. I'm not sure about all, but Dell's computers
are a bare minimum at the price on their sites. I was just on
Dell's site and they claimed RAM is at an all time low, $50 per
gig. I don't know where they get their RAM from, but I get it
for $24 a gig and it's Kingston, the top rated memory out there.
The computers I build will have sufficient memory and if you
want more, it will be at a reasonable price.
The main difference between a custom built computer and a
pre-built one from a big box company is the quality. The first computer I built
was in 1998 and it's still running today. This computer ran 24 hours a day for 5
years, till 2004 (except when I'd be on vacation). At that time I built a new
one and gave the old one to my wife. She used it daily for the next 4 years
Until I built myself another one and gave her the one I built in 2004. Both of
these computers run as good as the day they were built and the only thing I've
replaced in both are the power supplies. This is because I used the power
supplies that came with the case, now I buy higher quality PSUs (power supply
units).
On the other side, I bought 4 Dells for a school computer lab I built and in
the first month the power button broke on three of them. Within a month of the
one year warranty ending the power supplies burned out in 2 of them and two
months later the other two went out.
Another situation I had was a friends Gateway. Four months old and the power
supply burned out. He called and they told him it was still under warranty and
they would replace if free but he had to take it to a certified Gateway service
center. The service center wanted $90 for labor. This is crazy, $90 labor on a
warranted part worth $25. The warranty didn't do him much good. I offer free
labor because I have confidence in the parts I buy, I research each component
before deciding to use it.
Add
a 19" widescreen for only $119