Good cost estimate?

My local "mom and pop" store has made the following bid for a new
system I'm considering. I'd like some opinions about what you think.
I'd like to buy local if possible. Expected use is web surfing, email,
limited dvd making someday. System will replace a 3 year old P-3
running Win98SE.

Intel Pentium 4 2.6 GHz 800MHz FSB
Intel D865 Perl Motherboard
1024MB DDR PC3200 Memory
Seagate 120GB SATA Hard Disk w/ 8MB Cache
ATI 9600PRO 128MB DVI/TV Out Video Card
Lite-on 8X DVD +/- RW Rewritable Drive
52x24x52 CD-RW Drive
3.5" Floppy Disk
Standard Case w/ 500W Power Supply
Windows XP Home Edition (OEM)
$1217.00

Harry

"Harry Avant" wrote in message
...
My local "mom and pop" store has made the following bid for a new
system I'm considering. I'd like some opinions about what you think.
I'd like to buy local if possible. Expected use is web surfing, email,
limited dvd making someday. System will replace a 3 year old P-3
running Win98SE.

Intel Pentium 4 2.6 GHz 800MHz FSB
Intel D865 Perl Motherboard
1024MB DDR PC3200 Memory
Seagate 120GB SATA Hard Disk w/ 8MB Cache
ATI 9600PRO 128MB DVI/TV Out Video Card
Lite-on 8X DVD +/- RW Rewritable Drive
52x24x52 CD-RW Drive
3.5" Floppy Disk
Standard Case w/ 500W Power Supply
Windows XP Home Edition (OEM)
$1217.00

Harry


If you looked around on the web real hard, you *might* find something
similar
for a few dollars less...but for a machine with those specs...their price
looks
pretty good. Needless to say...I'm sure you will be much better off getting
it from a local supplier.

If you looked around on the web real hard, you *might* find something
similar
for a few dollars less...but for a machine with those specs...their price
looks
pretty good. Needless to say...I'm sure you will be much better off
getting
it from a local supplier.

I agree. That price is pretty good. You might be able to beat it, but
you'd have to find a local computer show and find a (local) vendor that
carried similar components. At a show, you might be able to get it for less
than a thousand. But for a non-show price, that looks about right. -Dave

Harry Avant wrote:

My local "mom and pop" store has made the following bid for a new
system I'm considering. I'd like some opinions about what you think.
I'd like to buy local if possible. Expected use is web surfing, email,
limited dvd making someday. System will replace a 3 year old P-3
running Win98SE.

Intel Pentium 4 2.6 GHz 800MHz FSB

Why? Why not get a 64 bit Athlon 64 instead?


Intel D865 Perl Motherboard
1024MB DDR PC3200 Memory
Seagate 120GB SATA Hard Disk w/ 8MB Cache
ATI 9600PRO 128MB DVI/TV Out Video Card
Lite-on 8X DVD +/- RW Rewritable Drive
52x24x52 CD-RW Drive
3.5" Floppy Disk
Standard Case w/ 500W Power Supply
Windows XP Home Edition (OEM)
$1217.00

Why pay so much for a system that doesn't even have a 64 bit cpu?
If you insist on a 32 bit system, one comparable to what
you proposed with an Athlon XP2800+ and nForce2 motherboard
would probably be much less than $1217.



Harry

Why pay so much for a system that doesn't even have a 64 bit cpu?
If you insist on a 32 bit system, one comparable to what
you proposed with an Athlon XP2800+ and nForce2 motherboard
would probably be much less than $1217.



Harry


By the time 64-bit software is commonplace, any system purchased in 2004
will be long-ago obsolete, considering many systems are replaced every two
years. While he could save a little money building an Athlon XP system,
some people just prefer Intel. We could argue that they are uninformed (!),
but why? I'm sure the OP will be quite happy with his Intel system, and the
price is right. Who am I to judge him for choosing a decent system at a
decent price, even if it does have an Intel processor in it? Most who
are knowledgeable enough to build their own systems wouldn't even think
about buying Intel. Does that mean someone who prefers to buy a ready-made
Intel box is wrong? I don't think so. It's not like he's going to get an
inferior product . . . he's just going to pay a bit more. Whether it's
worth it or not, only matters to the individual buyer. The OP didn't ask
AMD or Intel, he wanted advice on whether the Intel system he chose was a
good deal or not. For an Intel system, I think so. -Dave

On Sat, 03 Jan 2004 22:10:23 GMT, (Harry Avant)
wrote:

My local "mom and pop" store has made the following bid for a new
system I'm considering. I'd like some opinions about what you think.
I'd like to buy local if possible. Expected use is web surfing, email,
limited dvd making someday. System will replace a 3 year old P-3
running Win98SE.

Intel Pentium 4 2.6 GHz 800MHz FSB
Intel D865 Perl Motherboard
1024MB DDR PC3200 Memory
Seagate 120GB SATA Hard Disk w/ 8MB Cache
ATI 9600PRO 128MB DVI/TV Out Video Card
Lite-on 8X DVD +/- RW Rewritable Drive
52x24x52 CD-RW Drive
3.5" Floppy Disk
Standard Case w/ 500W Power Supply
Windows XP Home Edition (OEM)
$1217.00

Harry

Ask about the memory... is it name-brand or generic? Have they tested
it, and if you test it and if fails, will they exchange for a
DIFFERENT brand... that's important, same brand may easily have same
problems.

I would be very surprised if that "500W" power supply is decent...
more that surprised, it's very unlikely.

Usually a local shop using a 500W PSU at that price-point-range is
putting in a generic that's only worth about 250-300W. Insist on a
name-brand quality power supply. Sparkle or Antec Truepower = 350W
(or Antec Smartpower, "SL" series =400W) are two brands they should
be familiar with and easily find if they don't have any.

If I were you I wouldn't accept a generic power supply even if they
dropped the price, you need a certain level of quality just to get
essential functions and longevity (especially the fans). If they
claim it's good, then tell them they shouldn't be charging much if
anything more for the Sparkle/Antec, since they have a "good" generic
power supply left over to use for the next customer.


Dave

-
kony stood up at show-n-tell, in ,
and said:

On Sat, 03 Jan 2004 22:10:23 GMT, (Harry Avant)
wrote:

My local "mom and pop" store has made the following bid for a new
system I'm considering. I'd like some opinions about what you think.
I'd like to buy local if possible. Expected use is web surfing,
email, limited dvd making someday. System will replace a 3 year old
P-3 running Win98SE.
snip

Harry

snip

If I were you I wouldn't accept a generic power supply even if they
dropped the price, you need a certain level of quality just to get
essential functions and longevity (especially the fans). If they
claim it's good, then tell them they shouldn't be charging much if
anything more for the Sparkle/Antec, since they have a "good" generic
power supply left over to use for the next customer.

Excellent advice!




Dave

--
Strontium

"It's no surprise, to me. I am my own worst enemy. `Cause every
now, and then, I kick the livin' **** `outta me." - Lit

-
Anon stood up at show-n-tell, in
, and said:

Why pay so much for a system that doesn't even have a 64 bit cpu?
If you insist on a 32 bit system, one comparable to what
you proposed with an Athlon XP2800+ and nForce2 motherboard
would probably be much less than $1217.



Harry


By the time 64-bit software is commonplace, any system purchased in
2004 will be long-ago obsolete, considering many systems are replaced
every two years. While he could save a little money building an
Athlon XP system, some people just prefer Intel. We could argue that
they are uninformed (!), but why? I'm sure the OP will be quite
happy with his Intel system, and the price is right. Who am I to
judge him for choosing a decent system at a decent price, even if it
does have an Intel processor in it?

Most who are knowledgeable
enough to build their own systems wouldn't even think about buying
Intel.

You had me nodding, until that statement.

Does that mean someone who prefers to buy a ready-made Intel
box is wrong? I don't think so. It's not like he's going to get an
inferior product . . . he's just going to pay a bit more. Whether
it's worth it or not, only matters to the individual buyer. The OP
didn't ask AMD or Intel, he wanted advice on whether the Intel system
he chose was a good deal or not. For an Intel system, I think so.
-Dave

--
Strontium

"It's no surprise, to me. I am my own worst enemy. `Cause every
now, and then, I kick the livin' **** `outta me." - Lit

Harry Avant wrote:
Windows XP Home Edition (OEM)

Looks good besides that. If I was you, I would use Linux, probably Fedora.

JK wrote:



Harry Avant wrote:

My local "mom and pop" store has made the following bid for a new
system I'm considering. I'd like some opinions about what you think.
I'd like to buy local if possible. Expected use is web surfing, email,
limited dvd making someday. System will replace a 3 year old P-3
running Win98SE.

Intel Pentium 4 2.6 GHz 800MHz FSB

Why? Why not get a 64 bit Athlon 64 instead?


Whats the matter JK, y'all not selling enough of them chips so they sent
out the shill again? :-)

--

Stacey