[Ragnos]

Hello everyone. I am a new user here and I think after reading all the rules and browsing through the forums that the members of Tech Forums will be able to help me out with my computer based dilemma.

I have been wanting to purchase a computer ever since my lappy (the name of my laptop, heh heh) died last Saturday. I browsed the internet and came across the Dell XPS 710 and after reading a review that tore it to shreds, I felt comfortable in buying it. However, I was given the advice not to rush to buy anything and I reluctantly refused the impulse to buy the XPS.

Been some days since I first came across these message boards and I am now just getting to making this thread. Below are the price tag and system specs of the computer I was initially going to buy.

Originally Posted by XPS 710 Black - $2325 or $70/month

Components:

PROCESSOR Intel® Core™2 Duo processor E6420 (4MB L2 Cache,2.13GHz,1066 FSB)
OPERATING SYSTEM Genuine Windows® XP Media Center 2005 Edition with re-installation CD
MEMORY 2GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz - 2 DIMMs
HARD DRIVE 250GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache™
OPTICAL DRIVE Dual Drives: 48x Combo + 16x DVD+/-RW w/ dbl layer write capable
MONITOR 19 inch SP1908FP Silver Flat Panel Monitor with TrueLife™
VIDEO CARD 256MB nVidia GeForce 8600 GTS
SOUND CARD Integrated 7.1 Channel Audio

Accessories:

SPEAKERS Dell AS501 10W Flat Panel Attached Spkrs for UltraSharp™ Flat Panels
KEYBOARD & MOUSE Dell USB Keyboard
MOUSE LOGITECH G5 Laser Gaming Mouse (ships separately)
FLOPPY & MEDIA READER 13 in 1 Media Card Reader
MODEM 56K PCI Data Fax Modem

Software:

PRODUCTIVITY Microsoft Works 8. DOES NOT INCLUDE MS WORD
ANTI-VIRUS & SECURITY I chose Security with Value, Plus,or Premium Warranty Bundle
PHOTOS, MUSIC & MORE! No Entertainment software pre-installed

Service:

WARRANTY AND SERVICE PC-Care Plus Bundle
DIAL-UP INTERNET ACCESS No ISP requested

Also Included:

Adobe Software Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 7.0
SYSTEM DETAILS 2.5MM aluminum thickness Chassis with front & back customizable LEDs
SYSTEM DETAILS 7-slot, BTX design motherboard
SYSTEM DETAILS 750-watt Power Supply
SYSTEM DETAILS Tower Six-heat pipe, Copper base Heat Sink with aluminum fans
SYSTEM DETAILS Two 120mm x 38mm front fans
Miscellaneous Award Winning Service and Support
XPS Specialized Support Dimension XPS, Specialized Support

After speaking to my roomie, computer nerds and the like, I decided that it may be better if I purchased the parts needed to build my own gaming machine. I know that the upgrade ability of the XPS, of Dell in general, is limited and I don't want to have to purchase an entire new system in three years to use the current software.

So it is that I ask of you, members of the Tech Forums, to run me through the parts I would need to build a gaming computer for around $2000, the price I would pay for the XPS. Unless of course, the XPS is the better choice.

Playing games on max settings would be wonderful.

[jonny_uk]

i dont have time(or the correct websites as im in the uk) but you can build a pc better than the dell for less money.
Ill let someone with more time select some parts for you

[b1gapl]

ASUS P5B Deluxe
E6320 or E6600
2GB of G. Skill DDR2-800 HZs
8800GTX
Corsair 620 or 520w
Seagate 7200.10 320GB HD
Tuniq
Samsung 226BW 22"
DVD burner
Windows Vista
with your choice of case

Comes to about $1800-1900

[jonny_uk]

See, way better than that dell!!

[b1gapl]

And cheaper...

[saltynay]

sorry wasn't concentrating I though jhonny had said he is uk....

[b1gapl]

But he's in the US.

[HAVOC]

$2325!!!!

wow.. that's insane... Ok. Drop the XPS name and lower the Price to $1900.00

[jonny_uk]

Originally Posted by saltynay

sorry wasn't concentrating I though jhonny had said he is uk....

iam in the uk, hence my user name

[vernong1992]

if u want to buy a prebuilt one try a cyberpowerpc.com CyberPower has good systems which don't have locked bios and is like building ur own, and u don't have to build it if ur worried........ Howie's 2007 Dream PC adjust this one to ur needs and u get that same system for like 1600.... or build it ur self is what i highly recommend