computer blowout...

  • Thread starter Thread starter badassmak
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badassmak

badassmak

Herbi-Whore
A store in town is having some really wicked deals on computer 'packages' right now...ie 50% off.

I would have preferred to build one, but I am too greedy and the stuff I would want in a machine would simply have proven too costly.

Anyhow, the major thing I am looking at with regard to these packages is, the mobo's and hd's.

I was looking at an ASUS, but some of the juicy looking packages are sporting ATX's...

As well for hard drive's there is a lot of ATA's, whereas I was preferring to get my hands on a WD...

The question I have, is will an ATX mobo, and an ATA harddrive be a pain in the ass with my already exisiting hardware/software? (n-track, delta 66)

Any replies will be much appreciated :D
(signed buy a guy with a an itch to spend money today)
 
you're getting you terms confused.

Asus = a brand (like honda or toyota)

ATX = a form factor (like a pick up or a car)

ditto with WD (being a brand) and ATA (being a technology)

If they don't give you any real spec's about what you're getting, I would tend to shy away from them.
 
lmao thanks for the input...I shall make my way there anyhow just to see what is going on exactly...this post obviously also falls under the newbie catagory :D
 
yeah dude no worries. Ive buit a few computers for some friends. Thats actualy how im raising money for the studio. Anyway, can you give some specific specifications so i can tell you if you aer getting ripped off or not?

also, i dont know if you have heard of newegg.com... but basicly i get everything off of their website and its a good way to get an idea of how much a computer would cost. just add everything to your shopping cart and coila. Just dont forget the case and powersupply
 
hmm ok here are specifics one 2 different packages im lookin at

INTEL P4 1.7 GHZ SYSTEM
intel P4 1.7 ghz CPU
512 mb sd ram
400 mhz atx mb
64 mb agp video
40 gb 7200 rpm hd
32x cdrw
10/100 ethernet
16 bit 3d sound
supercase 350 W
w/front usb

699.95$ Canadian



AMD XP 1800+ SYSTEM
amd xp 1800+ cpu
256 mb ddr ram
266 mhz ATX mb
40 gb 7200 rpm hd
64 mb agp video
48x12x48 cdrw
10/100 ethernet
16 bit 3d sound
300w atx tower

569.95$ Canadian
 
I am not up on the Canadian/US exchange rate, but those don't seem like closeout prices...do the packages include a decent monitor, printer, speakers, etc. ? If that's just for the computer I would shop around. Find out what Motherboard, etc is used; I bought a cheap computer 3 years ago, it wasn't as much of a bargain as it seemed at the time...
 
one reason why they are cheaper is that they are using sd ram motherboards. DDR ram is much faster. Also do they state what type of 64 mb graphics card it is?


I am also not familiar with canadian prices. But like i said go slap together a computer on newegg and try to get as close to what specs they gave you and see what it comes out to. I THINK its an ok deal. I havent built a computer for a couple months and computer parts prices tend to change a bit.
 
436$ USD

is the price for the first one...I did some quick checking with some of the cheapest stuff at newegg...there its coming out around 500$ USD...without shipping here to Canada, which Im sure is a fortune, cause you know, we're foreigners :D

I dont know whats exactly in the machines, but Im going to find out right now, damn Im itchy.
 
Hmm, as far as i know, ATX isn't a brand of mother board. Maybe ask for some actual specs and info? Sounds like a blowout computer alright. I'm in canada and those are decent prices, but they are budget computers and they sure as hell aren't 50% off the original price today. Go to the dell website and check out their bottom of the line computer.
http://www.dell.com/ca/en/dhs/products/series_dimen_desktops.htm
you get a monitor too. And thats a big company, if you had it built custom is would be cheaper. The thing is the components in there look as though they are bottom of the line bargain bin stuff. 16 bit sound card you can buy new for like 25 bucks probably, generic 350 watt case, maybe 60? SD ram, not ddr or RDram. I don't see a monitor on that list. I suppose it could be a deal but take those specs to a good shop that builds custom computers and see how they can compete. Where in canada are you? www.atic.ca is a cheap place in vancouver. But then again i don't even know if they carry products as low end as some of the ones on there, but i'm sure you could find some.
 
upon further review...

I went down there, found out some more info. For the most part the mobo's are generic, including onboard sound :D.

That in itself is enough to turn me off.

Some of them are sporting maxtor HD's, but again most stuff is generic.

Same with the vid cards.

By the way ambi I am in Calgary, Im going to look into that site you have got there.

I guess I am just really anxious to get another machine here, one without all the extra crap this one has on it (ie standalone DAW period.) Also Im looking at just getting by with some things here, bills are starting to pile in, my money will slowly be dwindled away to nothing soon, so I kinda sorta gotta do this really soon. As well I cant really afford aP4, and really in the large scheme of things, I wont be having money in a large sum like this for quite some time, saving up for another computer would take me at least a year if not more. (unless the ol lotto kicks in)

The other thing is, it sucks not being able to record right now.

Thanks for the replies you guys, I am being as patient as possible :D. Its a bitch lol.
(signed buy a guy who has sat on his ass for 6 months)
 
sorry as well I misread the ad, the 50% off stuff was at the top of the page. Not the packages I read.

I certainly dont want crap. This is why Im in the predicament I am in now, as well also why I wont go back to the last place I bought a computer. But its also not going to cost a small fortune. Id say my real budget here is approximately 700$. A monitor I can deal with outside of that budget, the same with a mouse keyboard etc. But everything inside of that computer has to be in and around 700$.
 
ASUS P4PE with 2.4gig Intel CPU, 512mb of 2700DDR Ram
Case and 450watt PS & floppy drive
2 80gig WD HD's with 8mb buffer
CD Drive+CDRW drive

This was a barebones kit I recently purchased for *850.00 US
This was an excellent deal !
Check www.pricewatch.com
for the lowest price on all components and barebone kits.

Your Better Off Building One To Your Liking
;)
 
thks dude

yea I noted your post earlier on another thread of mine. I did a quick conversion, thats like 1304.83$ canadian dollars.:( . Thats without the Great Stupid Tax, for a grand total of 1396.17$. Unfortunately thats a wayyy over budget for me.

Your definately right about building your own for sure, I just thought maybe these deals would be something that would work for me. Avoiding onboard sound and video like the plague is a major absolute must considering the nightmares I have had in the past with that kindof thing.

I will check out the site you mentioned however.

Hey any ideas on a scaled down version of what youve got there?...Im not exactly lookin for an absolute killer machine really, but one that will produce decent results. Please tell me this can be done for the price raange I am lookin at :D, if not well maybe its time for a portastudio lol.
 
putting all snobish things aside the system will work with a decent sound card. And will work much better than nothing. So regardless of what could be better, if it fits the bill then maybe it's what you need. And getting a good quality soundcard when your just going to replace it anyways, or a high quality video card when your recording music, is kind of irrelevant. I mean of course good quality components make a differnce, but you do what you have to do.
 
yes, your right there. I was thinking along the lines of, a motherboard with a smaller processor I can upgrade to a much better processor later, as well as the thing being compatible with all kinds of hd's

probabaly if i can even get away with a 20 gig now...even cdroms arent important, cause i can hack em out of this machine for now.

However patience is a virtue. I gotta look around some more. And definately I think to go the route of building one. Installing the delta 66 into his computer was bad enough (literally 5 days). Not to mention after all of that and some serious mucking around with settings it STILL doesnt work right. Im not blaming the card but rather the ancient crappy technology of the computer. I guess not being able to record has really made me nutty.
 
badass.... the second system you listed (XP 1800+) can be built (with decent quality parts) for aboot 300-350 US$. That's just off the top of my head. I'm sure I could build the P4 for around the same price, but I primarily build AMD systems, which is why I know the price off hand.


What I'm getting at is, you can build a good working system for very cheap as long as you know where to shop. Buying a system "pre-made" is very seldom the right way to go unless you personally know the shop who would be building it and can pick out the individual parts.

If you need some advice on how/where to get the parts, you can PM me.



WATYF
 
im in the same boat. i want a system that will run sonar well. where is the best place to shop in your opinion. thanxx
 
Stealthtech said:
For individual components I always check www.pricewatch.com
Click to expand...
That's correct. The best way to get components is to leverage Pricewatch and eBay. Eventually you get to know what's cheaper between the two. (i.e. HDD's are usually cheaper on eBay, Video Cards are usually cheaper on Pricewatch, etc.)

But keep in mind... when shopping on Pricewatch, don't ever just buy from the lowest priced vendor. Always... and I mean always... look each vendor up on Resellerratings.com before you buy from them.


WATYF
 
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