After asking around, most people say to get a Dell, but with your tight
budget of getting a desktop PC around the $500 range these desktop PC configurations are very very limited. Are you sure
you can't get any higher?
What I'm going to do now is a price comparison between Dell and a online reseller
to see if you should get a prebuilt Dell or built one of you own.
Dell $500 range Desktop PC
Specs:
Processor: Intel Celeron D 325 (2.53Ghz)
OS: Windows XP Home Edition
Memory: 512mb DDR400
Storage: 80gb harddrive
Optical: DVD/CD-RW combo drive (This lets you only write CDs not DVDs)
Legacy Media: No Floppy drive
Display: 15" LCD (flat panel)
Speakers: None
Input/Output devices: Dell USB keyboard and standard 2 button mouse
Office:None but Corel word perfect is included
Support: 1 year at home service and hardware support.
Total Price: $499*
*$499 is the price after mail-in-rebate of $50 from the
original price of $549
There is a possibility that this Dell system will not let you do future upgrades,
e.g. Add in a graphic card.
Dell's
$500 desktop PC
-Parts from a online reseller, its price for each components and the product's
length of warranty.
Processor: Retail Intel Celeron D 325 (2.53GHz)............$73.00
Warranty: 3 years
link to product
OS: Windows XP Home Editon with SP2 (OEM).......$93.95
Warranty:
Quote by siteRetail
software may only be returned for refund within 30 days of the invoice date if the packaging is unopened and untampered
with. Opened retail software cannot be returned for refund. If you have opened a retail software purchase to discover a
damaged and/or defective disc, you may exchange the software for an identical replacement...
Link to product
Memory: Kingston 512mb DDR400 retail......40.99
Warranty: Lifetime from manufacture
link to product
Storage: Western Digital 80gb EIDE with 8mb cache (OEM).....$53.00
Warranty: 3 years from manufacture
link to product
Note: There is a diffence between a OEM and Retail version of this harddrive.
More on that at the end of this post.
Optical Drive: Instead of do a exact product comparison of a DVD/CD-RW combo drive. I've decided to put a few
different DVD writers from different manufactures instead.
Sony DVD writer (retail)...................................(...) (weekend sale)
Original Price from Sony itself: $99.99 from the original price of $119.99
Warranty: 1 year from manufacture
link to product
Lite-On DVD writer (retail)...................................(...) (weekend sale)
Original Price: Unknown becaue Lite-On's U.S. site does not have this product.
Interesting is I've got just bought this DVD writer a few weeks ago and I
pay around aprox: $55-65 at my local computer shop.
Warranty: 1 year from manufacture
link to product
HP DVD writer (retail) with LightScribe technology...................$99.99
Warranty: 1 year from manufacture
link to product
More on LightScribe technology at the end of this post.
Legacy Media: None
Display: There are not that much people who still uses a 15" LCD.
These days 17" is minimum while 19" is what most people will consider on getting.
Samsung 19" LCD...........................$275.99
Warranty: 3 years from manufacture
link to product
Samsung 17" LCD.......................................$(...)
Warranty:3 years from manufacture
link to product
Dell's 15" LCD from Dell itself..................$279.00
Warranty: 3 years
link
to product
More on what is dead pixel policy at the end of this post.
Speakers: None
Input/Output devices: For this you decide on what you want to get.
Either Wireless or Wired it's all up to you.
Look into Logitech or Microsoft
Office: None.
Corel WordPerect Office 12 HE (retail)......................$71.95
Warranty: Same as for the OS (Windows XP Home Editon)
link to product
For product comparions of Corel Version products, click
here
Okay these are the parts that is similar to what Dell have in their $500 desktop PC, but there are a few things missing
from the build you own list.
-A computer case with powersupply
-A motherboard
Case: Prices ranges
Warranty: Varies from manufacture
cases
link
Motherboard: Asus P4P800-VM......................$88.00 graphic is integrated
Warranty: 3 years from maufacture
link to product
Total price for build your own: $769.28
This includes shipping and handling charges, but does not include tax
link to total
price
Well as we can see, the build your own is a lot expensive than the Dell,
but there are some advantages over it.
-Most parts have a 3 year warranty as compare to 1 year from Dell
-Dell's 15" cost a lot more than Samsung's 17" and 19" models
-You get the parts that you want by brand name
-No proprietary parts, means you can be able to purchase
a part at your local retail computer store.
Since you say you want to multitask a lot that system configuration above
will not let you multitask, because of the processor.
*Western Digital OEM and Retail
OEM comes with a 3 year warranty
Retail only come with 1 year
*Samsung's Dead Pixel Policy.
If your LCD has no more than 8 dead pixels, then your monitor
is consider good.
To see if a monitor has a dead pixel, change the background to black
and see if there are any white or odd color dots. If the white or odd color dot can not be removed (sometimes it just a
dust, not a dead pixel), then that white dot is a dead pixel.
Another way is to change the background to white and look for
black and or odd color dots.
Light Scribe is a technology where you can create a beautiful label
by using the DVD writer's laser.
This requires a lightscribe disk.
Here is a image of a lightscribe disk after label with lightscribe
notice the details.
This post will be update...
Update: To put together a PC all you need have is
Knowledge, patience, and a philips screwdriver.
Don't worry if you have not done it yourself, just ask
and I'll be glad to help. :)
Intel Celron D is not great for multi-tasking.
You should invest in a dual core processor.
Dual core lets you do a virus scan and work on your
digital imaging program or video encoding without any type
of lag.
Prebuilt Dell desktop that you should consider
link
A build your own desktop pc
These items are based on personal picks, you may have a different selection.
Items are only used for building a PC, no display, input devices, and software are included.
link
Don't rush when you are purchasing items that requires a large
investment of money.
There is no support for Windows XP OEM version products.
Retail version of XP home cost around $99.00 (Upgrade)
$199.99 (Full)
