Posted on 05/03/2011 9:03:20 AM PDT by Swordmaker
Apple today updated its signature all-in-one iMac with next generation quad-core processors, powerful new graphics, groundbreaking high-speed Thunderbolt I/O technology and a new FaceTime HD camera.
(Excerpt) Read more at macdailynews.com ...
Who said it was a financial drain? It's a question of what satisfies the requirements of the task at hand.
When I have a task that can use something available commercially, I buy it pre-built. OTOH, when I need something that's not available commercially, I build it myself. Simple. I have no agenda -- I only do what's necessary to get what I want to do the job I have to do.
My point was that adding up the initial acquisition cost of a batch of inexpensive PC hardware, and comparing that price to that of a pre-built high-end Mac that comes with support, etc., is a silly comparison that misses some important factors, that's all.
| components | gaming computer | good internet and office computer |
| processor mobo memory video card (good one) power supply case 22” monitor Windows 7 Pro $50 (if you know where) |
$200 $100 $50 $150 $50 $20 $150 $50 (if you know where) AVG - free Under $800 for a good pc that will game, assembly time less than an hour. |
$70 $70 $45 (4gb) $60 (8gb) $0 onboard video (Radeon HD4200) $25 $20 $135 (23" monitor) $50 (if you know where) Microsoft security essentials (free) $280 Computer |
For you, or for me, the system you describe is a good deal. You forgot a hard drive, so I mentally added $75 for a good 1TB HD.
Now find the average Win/PC consumer, sit them down, and describe the process to them:
- determining the proper technical specs
- verifying compatibility (e.g. CPU to mobo to memory)
- checking half a dozen vendors to see who has the best prices on ten or so items
- placing orders
- waiting for delivery
- assembly
- checkout/debug
and explain that they can save a few hundred bucks compared to a pre-built system, by doing all those things.
The vast majority will tell youthat a) they can't do it, and b) even if they could, it's not worth the time and hassle.
For you and me, homebrew makes sense.
But my FRiend, we are in the vast minority. The fact that some people can build their own computers (or cars, or houses) does NOT mean it is a useful or viable option for the vast majority of people. For those folks, a pre-built Win/PC or Mac makes much more sense.
Side comment: I used AVG free anti-vir for a couple years, and decided I was tired of the slowing effect on my work. And the free versions of AVG (and Avast, etc.) are not as effective as the paid versions.
You’ll need a hard drive on that computer.
$45 for 1 terabyte Samsung eco-green 5400RPM ..saw at New Egg Yesterday. It had a minimum of pissed off reviewers compared to others
Oops, that was supposed to be "tiny minority". Majority can be vast (as later in same sentence).
Add hard drive-— $450 total
Surely you jest, 5400 RPM? You must have much more patience than most people. I consider 7200 RPM a minimum, and occasionally have paid a little extra to get 10K RPM for good disk performance (e.g. WD Velociraptor).
Overall, I've been very disappointed in the performance of the "green" drives. They sacrifice too much in the name of smaller energy drain. They do have their place, say in point-of-sale or other low-demand applications. But a system I use daily for real work or play? No way. I replaced the 5400 hard drive in my portable with a 7200; made a noticeable and pleasant difference there too.
Samsung eco-greens are “fast” 5400 RPM. I have read many review where people say this. Find it more responsive than their 7200RPM
Of course all things being equal 7200rpm drives are faster but...
HDD! Oops, yes, I forgot.
I’d spend $100 and pick up a 2 TB Seagate.
Hard drives and power supplies are two items I’ll spend a bit extra on. Worth it in the long run.
(I also forgot a CD/DVD writer. $20)
The main factor in price is if you need one “now” or if you can wait until a deal comes along.
Just last week I picked up an i3 processor and mobo combo for $99. Added $40 in memory, used an existing case and power supply and my daughter has a huge upgrade at minimum expense.
Granted, that wouldn’t be possible if I didn’t have hundreds of dollars in “parts” around from prior upgrades, but with 6 computers in the house, “homebrew” is the only reasonable option if I want to stay current (and solvent) ;)
“Sure, no problem! What’s time worth, $2/hr?”
Man, did you wonder here from the DU? Time only worth $2/hr??
I'm sure their Marketing Department has come up with some inventive way to demonstrate that "less is more", such as carefully selected test results that work on having data in a local cache, etc. Or they've got some very intelligent controller that optimizes for certain conditions common to (say) Microsoft Office tasks. You are correct to say that "all things being equal 7200rpm drives are faster"... marketers don't bother with such technical details. They're only interested in headlines.
But as we all know, rotational speed and seek times are based on physics, not marketing. :)
And while you -can- find dumb 7200 RPM drives that have slower response than intelligent 5400 RPM drives, that's not "all things equal".
And as an aside, you'd be surprised how many people think that because their SATA drive has a 3Gbps serial interface, that they'll get 3Gbps of data from the drive. 20% of that is more realistic. Yet the marketers will quote the interface speed as if it means anything... *sigh*
Hardly. My point was that "saving" $20 of price, by spending 10 hours fussing with something homebrew, is an effective rate of $2/hr.
If you have more time than money, such "savings" can perhaps be justified. But for most people, paying somebody else $20 to do something that would otherwise take you 10 hours, is a bargain.
Comments:
What’s with the love of cheap cases? Are you guys masochists? Minimum $50 for something halfway decent.
For the office computer, get a CPU/mobo combo deal at Newegg, pretty cheap.
The PSU prices are for the absolute worst garbage you can find on the market. It will have low efficiency, produce unreliable voltages and will be loud. Don’t think of spending less than $50 for a “good” office computer, and expect to spend over $100 for a good gamer PSU.
“If you know where” for Windows 7 Pro is cheating. You should be paying retail. Add at least $100 even if you claim OEM.
Monitor, $150 is fine for office, but for gaming you want better. LED backlight and IPS with a fast response make a gaming monitor, start at over $200 at 23”.
Keyboard/mouse? Cables? Hard drive?
Thanks for clarifying that! I was worried about your financial security at $2 per hour!
-It’s a case. You push a button or two on it. Yes, if you want lights and pretty colors, you can pay more.
-Cheap, noisy power supplies can be picked up for $20. You can find a good one for well under $100.
-All my copies of Win7 I picked up for $50. All are registered with Microsoft. Not sure why that’s “cheating”.
Amazon has a Win7 family pack (3 licenses) for $125.
-Samsung 23” monitor (8ms, LCD) $150 at Microcenter.
If you want 5mS response and LED, it’s $180.
Still enjoying my 2010 iMac. Expect to be using it for 3-5 more years at least.
Especially if "where" is some fly-by-night internet outfit who is selling stuff that "fell off the truck". Sure, it'll pass WGA and Activation -- it's not a pirate -- but it might be a little bit warm to the touch...
OTOH, all my copies of Windows are strictly legal, no hassles, no worries.
> You should be paying retail.
For most people, yes. In my case, I run so many copies of Windows, between the "on-the-metal" native installs, the three Macs that are BootCamped, and a pocketful of VMs, it turned out cheapest to get an MSDN subscription at the "Operating Systems" level. Pretty much have access to everything, all the latest releases. And I have clean, up-to-date installation ISOs of everything back to Win 3.11, should my little heart desire it.
Obviously, I'm not the average case... :)
Why is it silly? That's like saying comparing the cost of any DIY project to the cost of contracting it out is silly.
I don't see anything in your criteria for whether to build or buy that involves any cost consideration. You'll build computer, but only if you can't buy one with the required specs, regardless of how much it costs.
In that environment, Macs are probably great. How many people operate in that environment?
Don’t know where you are getting your parts, but I pay a lot less for a motherboard/cpu combo than you do. Last one I made was over a year ago, I got a quad core amd mobo combo for about $115. Memory is about right. I got 4 gb last time, now would get 6 or 8.Not sure what video card you are using, i would get a 1 gb model for under $50. Gaming, real gaming, is different. Case with power supply is under $50. Monitor is about $30 high. I get stuff on sale at fry’s or geeks, and when i have everything, i put it together. Made about 8 or so computers over the years. The savings is not so much any more.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.