Computer Purchase Purgatory

me ^ | June 2, 2004 | self

[Nachum]

I am finally upgrading my pentium 3. I would very much appreciate any freeper advice on where to go for a good deal. I already own a monitor and printer. I just need the computer. My major requirements are that the computer should be a Pentium 4 (not Athlon, etc.), that it have DVD capabilities. As for RAM and Hard drive size, I would love to know FReeper experience and advice. In other words....

HELP

(thank you)

[Biblical Calvinist]

It must have DVD capabilities ? Well, I dunno..if your planning to copy DVD's; useing SmartRipper, then DVD Shrink.. yeah; you would need a DVD Burner as well.

Working with Video like that takes at least 10 gigs for the rip, then probably another 5-7 gigs for the working space..it just depends on what the computer is going to be used for. I know people who collect movies on their hard drive; so they've the largest hard drive that they can afford..it really just depends on what you're planning to do.

Of course, a fast processor is mandatory for video..but hey, I've got a Pentium III 500 processor, with 392 megs of RAM and IF I only watch DVD's on my computer..the video is perfect. No problems at all. Just make sure that you load up on memory.

[Nachum]

We don't need to burn DVD's, just be able to play them.

But thanks for the advice-

[mlmr]

I went to tiger direct and got a very nice computer. 64bit processor Atheon and it even has a cute blue lite inside the box. This is the third Tiger Direct computer I bought this year. After my dell fiasco...

If you want more infomation aobut my computer buyintg experience I will email you the links.

[Nachum]

Yes. I would very much like to have the links!

Atheon? Do mean Athlon?

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Go for the eMachines. You can get a P4 1.2Ghz CPU with 256Mb of DDR RAM, an 80Gb HDD and a DVD-RW drive and a CD-ROM drive, keyboard, mouse, speakers...running XP Home for $500. I got one for my sister-in-law and she loves it.

[mlmr]

I need a New Computer Update: My terrible mail order computer experience
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/875386/posts

I Need to Purchase 2 Computers for the Children Monday and Need Freeper Imput
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/995209/posts

I Need to Purchase 2 Computers for the Children Monday and Need Freeper Imput
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/995209/posts

[Ron in Acreage]

http://www.circuitcity.com/detail.jsp?c=1&b=g&u=c&catoid=-8024&qp=0&oid=90019&m=0
This deal is hard to beat. Great reviews. I own an EMachine for 3+years. Still running strong. Broadband and all. My brother has been through 2 Dells and 1 Gateway laptop in same time. Will be buying another Emachine for myself very soon.

[ThePythonicCow]

I wish I had noticed this thread a few days ago.

I recommend using Resellerratings.com to evaluate computer sellers.

Here are some ratings for the sellers mentioned in this thread:

Tiger Direct	8.50
Emachines	3.75
Circuit City	1.20

I recommend looking for retailers with ratings above 9.0, based on at least 20 reviews in the last six months. A rating of 1.20 is not good.

Offhand, some that I see there that I suspect are worth further consideration are: Champaign, Monarch, Essential, KC Computers, Outside Loop, Puget, and Envision.

Over the years, the top retail sellers change, but by picking the current leaders at Resellerratings.com, I've had consistently excellent results.

By directly contacting some of these retailers, on the phone or via their web page custom system builders, they can help step you through selecting just the right stuff to meet your needs, better than we can here at FR, and get you a solid box, with no hastle, for an excellent price, that matches your needs well.

[Nachum]

Wow, thanks. A great site.

I am looking at a computer seller called internetishop. They are a reseller for the Hugebee group. The prices seem excellent, but they have no rating on Reseller ratings at all. I have a friend who bought their last computer there with good result. Have you heard of them?

Their website is www.internetishop.com. They purchased the Hugebee group and now resell their products.

[ThePythonicCow]

I see a rating on Resellerratings.com for InternetIShop, at InternetIShop. It shows:

InternetIShop
http://www.internetishop.com

Customer Satisfaction  

Six-Month Rating: 4.44

Six-Month Reviews:	9
Lifetime Reviews:	51

Not all that great - some confusions with orders, and poor customer service if you're one of the unlucky ones needing it.

I have not heard of InternetIShop before.

[Nachum]

Oh my goodness. Thanks for the heads up. Now I will not buy from them. Whew.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Too noisy.

Really. I've never noticed them as being noisy.

A friend of mine has a Dell 8200 desktop that is so quiet that without looking at the monitor, you can't tell if it is on. And that's in a house with everyone asleep except me. It's a spooky quiet machine. Even the HDD.

[Nachum]

I checked on all the companies you listed and the one that looked most interesting was the Champaign Computer Special Orange 3000 System. It seemed like a good value. What do you think of it?

http://www.c-computer.com/systems/orange/

[ThePythonicCow]

I've only ever actually dealt with one of the companies that I listed - Champaign, it turns out. I had them build a system to my specifications, using what they now call their Express System Configurator. They were a pleasure to deal with, no problems to report. This was a few years back, however.

Now I deal with other vendors that sell me the individual pieces, and I assemble my own computers from a dozen piece parts. Champaign is more focused on the full systems, either pre-built, as this Orange System, or custom built by them, from your choice of parts.

That Orange system looks like a good system - quality but not extravagant, at a good price, from what I can tell from the brief description. They have been selling this sort of package deal, all selected and ready to go, for quite a while now. Most likely, they've got it down to a pretty reliable process. I've notice them pretty consistently near the top of Resellerratings the whole time.

Sounds like a winner to me.

[Nachum]

One last bit on internetishop.com- I was told by a friend to check out their feedback on ebay. I did, and it turns out that they sell quite a bit on ebay with very positive feedback. They have positive feedback at over 97% there.

http://cgi2.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback&userid=www-internetishop-com&iid=5100956243&frm=284

They have sold over 1032 things on ebay in the last six months with 29 negative reports. That, and their price (and location for me) seems pretty good.

What say you? :)

Thanks-

[ThePythonicCow]

I don't know what to say. I don't have enough experience with eBay to judge such a rating.

I'd guess however than eBay rating puts more emphasis on the initial price and timely delivery, and less on any follow-up customer service. Further, one probably tends to list specific items that one has plenty of (if you're a retailer selling on eBay), so you have less problem with confusing what was ordered from a complex inventory.

From the Resellerratings, it seemed they had good price, and probably timely execution, but could get confused on what was ordered, and fell down on customer service if there were any problems.

In short, eBay might be playing to this retailers strengths.

Whether that's a plus or not for you, depends on what your priorities are.

(Not bad for having nothing to say, huh?)

[Nachum]

From the Resellerratings, it seemed they had good price, and probably timely execution, but could get confused on what was ordered, and fell down on customer service if there were any problems.

Sounds a little like what I have heard about Dell. It seems like a risk that- if one needs service after the purchase that one might not get it. -And all that for getting a better price. Kind of like asking "Do ya feel lucky?".

This is not fun at all.