Never buy a stock PC.

HelpfulAdolescent

Laptops are ok, but never a desktop.

Always always ALWAYS custom build if you are wanting something with decent power.

Figment

and the purpose of this topic is...... what exactly? :huh:

fishybusiness

Never buy a stock PC

Don't know about 'helpful', certainly 'adolescent'.

Biggest load of twaddle I have heard this week.

Large PC manufacturers have it down to a fine art, and for the most part they have it right.

Sure drives go bad, cards die but then anything electronic does.

Building provides a certain sense of satisfaction, and a machine 'perfect' for its use and user, but at what cost?

I can think of a few.......

paddyrg

Also, stock PC's are often reasonably well matched in terms of components - PSU is specced for the components installed, amount and speed of RAM generally matches what would be appropriate for the class of processor, etc. And being assembled in bulk means savings. In fact I would encourage most people to buy a complete system and not mess around trying to work out the difference between DDR2 and DDR3 and whay FSB is important blah blah.

Good to know that it is 'ok' to buy a stock laptop as opposed to assembling your own monstrosity ;-)

Jamie_Cortez

The biggest problem with OEM PC's is just that, you get OEM generic parts.
Not a major issue at all for the average joe user.

If your into gaming, or heavy tasks (CAD,Graphic Design,Video editing) then although badly thought out the OP is right OEM PC's are not really the best for you and custom builds either self or online are much more suited to your needs.

It's also worth noting, that the savings on OEM builds are not soley achieved through bulk manufacturing, but that OEM components are far cheaper because they are usually not of similar quality or spec.

In the long run, it probably is better to custom build, you know whats in it, and the knowledgeable plan a path for the life of their machine that you can't really do with an OEM build (mainly due to the motherboards are crap).

Figment

Horses for courses.

Geek requiring a PC for high-end gaming = custom build
Novice requiring a PC to surf, email, check bank account = OEM

mazza111

Agree. As a former gamer (too old and slow now) I used to always self build. Now that I'm using it for surfing, I bought an off the shelf one. Still have the occasional game, it's an old game so my off the shelf pc can more than handle it.

But yes, gaming and graphics work, I would suggest custom building.

Dave_C_2

The skeptic in me will point out that "general use buy an off the shelf desktop and for gaming use self build" is a false dichotomy.

There is also the option of buying a gaming PC from your local computer shop, and now outlets such as Ebuyer sell gaming PCs

In a few years time, today's gaming PC will be tomorrow's general use PC.

Dave

Jamie_Cortez

Dave_C wrote: »

The skeptic in me will point out that "general use buy an off the shelf desktop and for gaming use self build" is a false dichotomy.

There is also the option of buying a gaming PC from your local computer shop, and now outlets such as Ebuyer sell gaming PCs

In a few years time, today's gaming PC will be tomorrow's general use PC.

Dave

Trouble is those gaming PC's are ok, but you can do better and get more for your money by purchasing the parts yourself.

A quick glance over those Ebuyer machines and any gamer/enthusiast that knows anything will tell you that they are over priced with some glaring omissions for "gaming PC's".

In a gaming orientated PC the GPU is the most important component (unless you play nothing but RTS games in which case its the CPU) but you still require a synergistic approach to the rest.
The best GPU's on ebuyers machines are the 7850,7870 both good mid range cards (7870 overclocks very very well)

Each of those ebuyer machines do not list the manufacturer of the RAM and PSU, now the RAM we can practically ignore those no huge performance difference between brands.

But the PSU is a component you do not want to take short cuts on, and brand reliability as well as its actual output opposed to its advertised output is always something you need to consider.
Even the £1000 machine only has a 500W PSU, plenty to power the system but still the question to be asked is what brand? how many rails? how many amps per rail? who made the internals?...
No overclocking with those stock coolers and stock PSU's im afraid.

Take http://www.ebuyer.com/369705-cyberpower-squadron-1000-gaming-pc-ecc01114

You can build this computer replacing the "suspect" parts for reputable brands (Kingston RAM, Corsair PSU, Sapphire GPU) for £760...they are charging you £240 to put it together..

Even for the £999 they are after you can purchase a far far better gaming PC by buying the parts yourself and either building it, getting a mate to build it, heck even taking it to your local PC store will be cheaper than buying pre built.

prowla

If you can buy parts and get a warranty for cheaper than you can get an off the shelf machine then fine.

Dave_C_2

Jamie_Cortez wrote: »

<snip high end gaming overclocking etc. stuff>

What you are saying is quite correct. If you need to overclock and need all the high end stuff then a DIY build is required.

I didn't make the point in my previous post that there is not just a straight binary choice of computer between general use and gaming, it's a spectrum.

As you have already pointed out, there is already a range of gaming machines to suit the range and style of games being played.

Also not everyone (including me) has the knowledge and skill to build a PC, dedicated gaming machine or otherwise. As such I am prepared to pay someone else to spec and assemble a machine for me, knowing that all I need to do is plug, install and play.

I tend to buy off the shelf machines with decent graphics, which are more than adequate to run games from a couple of years ago.

Dave