.

[flagadajones]

If you believe in Dell marketing advertisements , you obviously are part of the general public who have no clue about computers, how to optimize em and how to spend less for more.

[240 is Back]

Best advice.

Go to Best Buy, get a Dell (ignore those bagging on it - it's trendy to rip Dell now). It saves you from having to know how to put it together and maintain it. And because it's Best Buy, if something breaks, or you have a question, you can just run over with the case...Good luck with that buying online and/or building yourself.

I have a high-end Dell from Best Buy that runs perfect. I play WoW on it all the time. It was only $1500 and I added RAM. I also have a custom liquid cooled PC -- runs the same...identical ('cept the liquid cooled one gurgles/burps at times, and is loud).

You can also do the Apple thing if you're ok paying the "coolness" premium -- it plays WoW just fine too - I have a couple Mac WoW friends.

If someone wants to play online gaming, definitely spend more and go all out. You will need it. 

If someone just wants a steady work machine that'll let them do their thing, a $400 refurbished box is a good way to save money.  I don't think I'd be any more efficient on a $3,000 computer than I am on a $300 box. 

Further, I don't buy from Best buy - I get it online, built by some company in Arizona who builds boxes for companies.  I guess it's peace of mind for me... if I have 1 supercomputer, and it crashes, I'm in trouble - it's my whole business.  Rather, I like backing up everything every night.  When a computer dies, I just plug in the next one, swap out backup USB wire, and start working.

[nicky.smth]

 oh and DONT BUY A MAC  ,macs are for noobs ,women, homos,  and if you only need a computer for work and some soft editing, a laptop is sufficient.

Great post...

Don't forget to add retards in that list

[nicky.smth]

don't forget that branded computers come with so much bloatware making them so slow..

My computer loads windows XP in 12 seconds

Current specs

32 gig Crucial SSD (very fast)
AMD phenom
8 gigs of crucial ballistics ddr2  very price effective
1 Nvidia geforce 8800

[nicky.smth]

which linux do you like? Umbuntu?  I've done a bit with suse and redhat.

he sounds like a puppy linux kind of guy

[grab an umbrella]

he sounds like a puppy linux kind of guy

I'm using gentoo right now and I really like it.  I have ubuntu on my other computer and its fun but I like gentoo's capabilities a lot more.

[Tombo]

just learn a little about computers and ull be fine

[PumpMeUp]

If you're going to get a Dell, go to slickdeals.net about every hour or so. They will have some excellent bargains. Sometimes you will have to jump fast before dell closes the dell.
www.slickdeals.net

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?cs=04&kc=65044&oc=BV3CVK2
Supposedly if you add $80 in add-ons, you get free shipping.

[Bobby]

great deal. how long did it take you to build it up, OS installation included ?

If i remember correctly i started at around 4pm and finished around 10, i don't just put all the stuff in there and connect the wires, i try to make it look somewhat clean, that's what takes time...+ i took 2 breaks to eat.

I connected only the simple stuff, mouse keyboard monitor and started it up and flashed bios to the latest version with a usb stick, then turned it off. I installed vista the next day, didn't take that long maybe an hour...it's installing all your favorite programs that takes time lol.

then a couple of days later i opened it up and fixed the cable management a little better.

[Captain Equipoise]

don't forget that branded computers come with so much bloatware making them so slow..

My computer loads windows XP in 12 seconds

Current specs

32 gig Crucial SSD (very fast)
AMD phenom
8 gigs of crucial ballistics ddr2  very price effective
1 Nvidia geforce 8800

You know windows will only use/see  3gb of ram, unless you're running 64 bit right ?