I have looked at these computers, because I am hoping to wait until boxing day for good deals. the comparison is interesting. I'm waffling between the best buy computer (AMD Phenom X4 9550 Quad-Core Processor, 5MB, 750GB, no wifi, GeForce 9300GE, 549$) and a Future shop computer (Q6700, 6MB, 750MB, Wifi GeForce 9500GS, 849$) found here:
Future Shop: Computers: Desktop Computers: HP Pavilion Elite Intel Core 2 Quad Q6700 2.66GHz Desktop Computer (M9340F) - Refurbished - Web Only. The Canada Computer's are all out of stock. I've checked other places as well, and they are all either out of stock, or a bit subpar.
Best Buy: about 2/3rds the speed as the Future shop one according to passmark standards. It also has no wifi, which I need, and would need a better videos card, cause I game--or at least will when Guild Wars 2, Diablo 3, and starcraft come along, or other games in 3 years that I want to play. I bet I could get a good 9800 for 150, and a wifi for 50. So, that would come to 749$. Still cheaper. But, if the video card doesn't fit, then this whole thing is a write off.
Future Shop: Faster, wifi, only passable video card, but I could try and upgrade it in a few years if needed. It has more bells and whistles. But, is it worth 100$ more? Maybe if it lasts longer.
They are also both refurbished, so that is a factor (i.e. the quality of Future Shop and Best Buy for refurbished).
As such, anyone got any advice for me? The Future shop is about the highest price I will go, and only to get something that good, though the video card that comes with it is a little disappointing. The processor makes up for it with me though. Enough to consider it. Though, I have been out of the computer hardware loop for 4-5 years.
D