new pc. Better to build or buy from retailer?

[El loco]

hello, need a new desktop. It will only be used for basically music/ internet surfing,write papers, maybe watch movies. No gaming or anything graphic intensive. So I'm looking for something cheap, $500~600 max, cheaper is better.
Since if I build it myself i would need buy everything, including OS(which alone would be like $100), I was wondering, would it be better to just buy a prebuilt from a retailer?
I mean, this looks like a decent deal right?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883147439

 

[Slaymate]

I would let some of the members price you something out before you buy it. The picture is showing a Monitor but they make no mention of a monitor in the Overview or the Details.

In my opinion it's better to spend a little more if needed and build your own. If they, the manufacturer, can sell it for $350 with an OS and make a profit then the components have to be of the lowest quality.

The animated guide to Building a PC. Learn to build a PC from scratch with PCitYourself!

 

[Antec-User]

Do you want this to be a hobby?

If so, build it.. If you don't want to taking things apart and replace stuff, then you're better off buying one. A buddy of mine used to claim that he built his until I called his bluff numerous times on it and he gave up and ended up admitting a year later that he's computer illiterate (the guy who kicks his PC.) Anyway. He doesn't have the capabilities or the patience to fix his own rig and I'm always the one who ends up fixing it then I get to hear him complain when he bashes the programs I advise him to run....... But I digress..

I ended up figuring it out that this hobby is a "Build, run, break, repeat" type thing.. If you don't want to be fixing stuff, then just go and buy a PC/Laptop and don't mess with it. When building; stuff WILL break/malfunction, there's no way around it. You just have to realize that it can happen whenever and you should accept that going into this. I see the store bought PC's as more reliable. Building, for the enthusiasts, just means "Well, I guess it's time for BETTER parts." or even to replace perfectly good parts with BETTER stuff..

 

[Abstract Hero]

I ended up figuring it out that this hobby is a "Build, run, break, repeat" type thing.. If you don't want to be fixing stuff, then just go and buy a PC/Laptop and don't mess with it. When building; stuff WILL break/malfunction, there's no way around it. You just have to realize that it can happen whenever and you should accept that going into this. I see the store bought PC's as more reliable. Building, for the enthusiasts, just means "Well, I guess it's time for BETTER parts." or even to replace perfectly good parts with BETTER stuff..

I don't see how building your own makes your pc more likely to break. You don't randomly open up the case and start wiggling everything do you? Once it's built and running it's just as good as any OEM pc. If you want to upgrade you can upgrade an OEM and an aftermarket built and never in my life have I heard of a more reliable OEM than a good DIY. To quote Slaymate just now "(to) make a profit then the components have to be of the lowest quality."

Sorry I'm calling bull honky on this.

OP,
On subject. If that OEM you posted has a monitor it's a smoking deal otherwise it's an ok build.

OD
Newegg.com - ASUS Black 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 24X DVD Burner - Bulk - CD / DVD Burners
Case
Newegg.com - GIGABYTE gz-ph2a3 Black SGCC ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
HD
Newegg.com - Western Digital Caviar Blue WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
PSU
Newegg.com - SeaSonic SS-350SFE 350W SFX12V V3.1 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Power Supplies
RAM
Newegg.com - Kingston 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1066 (PC3 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model KVR1066D3K2/4GR
CPU/MOBO
Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, LED LCD TV, Digital Cameras and more!
OS
Newegg.com - Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - Operating Systems

$399.92 + S/H

After finishing this I realize it's about the same price for the same performance but twice the Disk space. So it's just up to you.
But if it comes with the monitor I would go with the prebuilt.

 

[Antec-User]

^ I've just never had one together long enough to be able to tell. Build it, run it, upgrade stuff, tinker, water cooling, better board + CPU, build run, upgrade stuff, bigger PSU, SSD,etc etc.. But I'm a HW junkie, so when something new comes out, I REALLY want it. New case, cable management. I think building them is around the same price as buying one. The difference is with building is that you are certain of what went in (mobo model #'s and whatnot) so it will be easier to replace stuff. If you have a mobo problem with a store bought PC, you have to take it back and go through all that mess instead of just going to your fav parts site and buying a new one and then you get to tear your rig apart to replace it........ Which can be both fun and annoying.. Depending on how much you need/rely the rig. My big rig was my "daily-driver" for about a year till I bought a laptop. Now the big rig is just the powerhouse used for gaming and benchmarking. Even though I haven't done anything to it in about a year. I have had three HDD crashes since 2007 though on the big rig.

If you mess with it, I just see it as being more prone to something going wrong vs someone who never opens the case. And as far as low quality = cheap; I've been running a $300 Wall-Mart HP G60 Athlon x2 Laptop for almost two and a half years now with no problems.. It runs Photoshop and everything I need and multi-tasks fine.. Granted it's not an overclocked, watercooled Quad core with an SSD, and a LC'd OC'd 4870, but it's fine for a daily driver.

 

[Abstract Hero]

In that sense I agree with you, if you are a major hardware geek you will break things on accident. I can't tell you how many time I try to improve something and than break it. lol

 

[nosbusch2005]

Your build is missing a video card, or it needs a mobo with onboard.

 

[Abstract Hero]

Your build is missing a video card, or it needs a mobo with onboard.

Indeed it is. Newegg.com - SPARKLE SX84GS256D2LDPP GeForce 8400 GS 256MB 64-bit DDR2 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Low Profile Ready Video Card this shall suffice for everyday usage.

 

[Antec-User]

^ What about an 8800?? Slightly better?

-=edit=-

Wow.. NVM.. Can't find em anymore.. ?????


And yeah, I've broken stuff by accident before. We put my LC in at my buddy's and were uBer careful about the water getting on ANYTHING, but somehow a drop found it's way on to the mobo or a metal shaving and it didn't fire up after the install.. That's when I bought the board I'm running now. I don't know how it happened.. We were beyond cautious.