To build or to buy with a $600 budget?

[dario03]

Ok this would be for a friend he wants a new computer for general use and gaming (Flight simulator, strategy games). He has a monitor and I believe a OS (Can you transfer a xp key to another computer as long as its only on one at a time?)
But what I'm wondering is if he would be better off building or buying from like Dell or Cyberpower. I was thinking with a low budget pre-built might be better since even though he has a monitor he can get a combo deal and get a new one and also get Vista and maybe just fix the old comp and keep xp on it.

In any case what parts for home built would you suggest?

And does anybody know if theres any good prebuilts on sale right now?

 

[Fat.Clown]

(Can you transfer a xp key to another computer as long as its only on one at a time?)

a phone call to microsoft solves that problem though. my last copy of XP i had installed on AT LEAST 4 or 5 rigs at the same time.

I'd always prefer building over buying
more fun

 

[philbar71]

a custom built pc will get you much moar then a pre built.

Newegg.com - BIOSTAR TForce TP45HP LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Intel Motherboards

Newegg.com - CORSAIR XMS2 DHX 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory

Newegg.com - Intel Core 2 Duo E7200 Wolfdale 2.53GHz 3MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Processors - Desktops

Newegg.com - CORSAIR CMPSU-650TX 650W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Power Supplies

Newegg.com - EVGA 512-P3-N971-TR GeForce 9800 GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

Newegg.com - Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - Internal Hard Drives

Newegg.com - SAMSUNG Black 22X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 16X DVD+R DL 22X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 22X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe - CD / DVD Burners

and case of choice. should be around $560 without mir's.

 

[baron5]

second that build. but maybe with some Pi blacks, not a fan of corsair ram...

 

[nothingasis]

I always tell my relatives or friends that if they are thinking about getting a new computer to just build one...

 

[QuaziBee]

build.
RTFB(read the effing bible)
=D

 

[maroon1]

You may want to get E7300 which cost the same as E7200

Newegg.com - Intel Core 2 Duo E7300 Wolfdale 2.66GHz 3MB L2 Cache LGA 775 Dual-Core Processor - Processors - Desktops

 

[NosBoost300]

if shipping is too much, cut down to 2gb of value ram and a p43

 

[dario03]

build.
RTFB(read the effing bible)
=D

Dude I'm the grand daddy of our techie bible

Like I said this isn't for me and I always had a little exception to "Thou shall always build thy's desktop" since if you want really cheap, legal windows, and monitor, its hard to build for less than you can buy from Dell.

Besides thats the "techies" bible. He is not a techie, if he was I wouldn't be handling this for him.

 

[NosBoost300]

if he doesnt play games..

go pick on newegg and type in

intel atom .... look for the lil 169 dollar computer..

all it needs is some laptop ram, hdd and a cd drive and its good to go... then just pick up a monitor of his choice