Got my eye on a computer, is it a good deal?

[BLouIsGod]

Well its a Dell... refurbished. Heres the specs:
Vista Premium (using XP pro now)
AMD dual 2.2
160g hd
no video card
no sound card
2gb ddr ram
dvd burner
3 PCI Slots
2 free slots for ram upgrades
Its 350 for cpu only - already have a 21 widescreen.


My current computer is a Dell from 2001, it was refurbed, just had to replace the hd x 2 and the power supply, as well as mem upgrades and cards. Ive heard they are junk now? Also, price is a huge factor in mjy decision.

[Izzy]

What do you want to use the PC for? Sometimes there are GREAT Dell Deals that include a monitor and free shipping. If you don't need the monitor, sell it off, and pay even less than you would for a refurb.

Quick Example: The Dell Online Store: Build Your System
$599, with a monitor, base price. I would recommend getting more RAM to run Vista (or XP) and it comes with a SE198WFP 19" monitor that can be sold for ~$150 or so. So you're only paying a BIT more for your new tower. Much better processor too.

I've had 3 Dell notebooks, my first was an Inspiron 4100 (2000), which had excellent build quality but *I* broke it.

My Inspiron 6000 had shoddier build quality (2003), but held up to more abuse (oddly).

My XPS m1330 (2008) has superior build quality to both notebooks, and lots of little nifty extras. I did pay more though, but I felt it was totally worth it.

[Dark.GEAR]

Do you know how to build your own? You could save lots of money and build a much better computer with $350. It sounds like you know a bit about it since you had to replace the HDD and power supply already.

Use this link here for awesome deals on everything you will need to build a PC.
Build Your Own AMD/Intel Computer Thread III (Updated 2.25.08) - SlickDeals.net Forums

Or if you frequent slickdeals.net, people always post up the best deals on dell and they won't be refurbished

[Izzy]

That's true. Much cheaper to build it yourself too. Of course, you have to shop around a bit more. But, them's the breaks.

[truflip]

Buy a laptop. I've seen some decent 15.4" ones go for as little as $450 and thats in Canada.

[DTNguyen107]

For a refub desktop it is not a bad deal.

Although a new Dell I will NEVER recommend.

Dell = Computer + 20% more money for Brandname - 40% quality.

Say what you want about how Dell is good but in the end your still getting:
-Low Quality motherboard with locked Bios (micro ATX i seen alot too)
-Low Quality PSU
-Low Quality Memory
-Low Quality Case (Yes, their case sucks)
-And last gen stuff.

For example my cousin's God brother bought a stupid Dell XPS ($2200). Here is the "awesome" specs that he bought 11 months ago.

-Intel e4500
-microATX board with cheap heatsinks
-600 watt PSU from a company no one has ever heard of
-2x1gb DDR2 667 Cas5 memory (Yes thats right. Cas 5 and not DDR2-800)
-320gb SATA hdd (Turn out it was really 2x160gb SATA150)
-Creative "Live" soundcard
-"Generic" DVD-/+R RW

And what videocard your wondering is running on Dell's Gaming XPS?

Why it is a Nvidia 7300GT! Yup... a low 7-series card.

--------------

To OP:
If your not computer savvy, that refub dell is not a bad deal. But if your looking to build one, don't have Dell build it for you.

Newegg all the way.

[Izzy]

^ XPS systems are generally more money, which is the main problem.

[Aeth SI]

got a better one for you...

PROMO DX2250 ATHLON 64 4000 X 2 DUAL CORE PROCESSOR, 80GB HARD DRIVE, 2GB MEMORY - RT949UT#ABA - Buy.com

stay away from VISTA!

[Izzy]

I actually quite like Vista on my m1330. Granted, it's a resource hog (takes up 1gb of RAM just idling about) and it's finicky when I hibernate (doesn't connect properly when I boot back up), but overall, it's not really all that different when XP came out. I was on the XP camp for a long time when Vista came out...and just decided to keep Vista on my new notebook as a trial. No complaints so far...but I don't really do anything memory intensive on it.

[rmfa]

Your replacing an older computer with EXTREMELY old CPU technology. Don't waste your money. Get the cheapest core 2 duo that you can get. You won't regret it.

[rickhilbert]

Check these site often.

Slickdeals.net
Online Coupons | Cash Back


Here is a nice low-end system.

Find a Laptop, Notebook, Desktop, Server, Printer, Software, Service, Monitor or TV at Dell.

[Izzy]

bensbargains.net <3
fatwallet.com

[BLouIsGod]

Ask and you shall recieve! Thanks guys for all the great info; + rep for all!

[BLouIsGod]

wtf happened to rep?

[Aeth SI]

it's all gone...no more rep

[KraziAzn]

me and my friend built my comp

total was about 400$

Duo core,2GB ram, Geforce 8600gt

its pretty decent for gaming

i got all my parts here Mwave.com - Buy Computers, Notebooks, Ipods, Digital Cameras, Software, Graphics Cards, CPUs and more at the lowest prices and best service from Mwave.com

they sell comp too

[e60.deluxe]

thats not a good deal, sorry.
for a refurb thats kind of expensive.

DTNguyen107 needs to get some of his information straight.

Dell is generally pretty good. to who was saying Dell uses low quality you have got to be kidding. sure they arent better quality than building your own system, but in comparison to HP, eMachines, Compaq, and the others Dell is so much better. Dell PSU's are actually quite high quality.

locked bios? umm unless your gonna shell out a butload of cash for an alienware or Voodoo PC or again, build you own, your gonna have a locked bios. get over it.

the 245W PSU's from D4300's have been known to handle those power hungry X850XT's 2 years back with no issues. i even know some people who have put X1950XT's into older AGP Dell systems.

as for the XPS...XPS does not mean gaming system. XPS were orignially more powerful business systems, then they became "gaming" now they are simply the higher end.

the ONLY XPS system to mention the word "Gaming" or "games" in its product page is the XPS 720 comes with an 8800GT as the minimum graphics card. and its $1499.

The "Multimedia" XPS comes with a HD2400 as minimum, and its $999.

if your buddy got a 7300GT, maybe he shouldnt have thought that a slimline PC is meant for "gaming" just because it had a cool sounding name.

back then, if you tried to build a computer for the same price as a Dell with coupons, you would have to use such lousy components the Dell would actually be cheaper.

Dell has come up in price over the last two years so i think that you could build a system better than a dell for less money now. but still look for coupons.

someone i know recently got a 2.2ghz C2D (dunno the number) 8600GT, 20" WS, 2GB RAM, DVD Burner 250GB HDD, for $709. not to shabby.

[sh33t_0f_p4p3r]

my 1720 was 1400$ :-( 17inch 2.2ghz 2gig ram 8600gt videocard =D ballers

[rickhilbert]

Ok, this seems to be one of the better deals of the day. Take a look at the second config.


You could go with that config. and buy some RAM and a video card on your own since Dell charges an arm and a leg for these "upgrades"

Dell Inspiron 531 Intel Core 2 Duo 2.33Ghz, 24" LCD, 1GB RAM, 250GB, DVD Burner, 256 ATI Radeon for $699.00 + Free Shipping - SlickDeals.net Forums

Quad-Core...22" or 24" monitor for less than $700

[dc5jimbo]

Originally Posted by BLouIsGod

Well its a Dell... refurbished. Heres the specs:
Vista Premium (using XP pro now)
AMD dual 2.2
160g hd
no video card
no sound card
2gb ddr ram
dvd burner
3 PCI Slots
2 free slots for ram upgrades
Its 350 for cpu only - already have a 21 widescreen.


My current computer is a Dell from 2001, it was refurbed, just had to replace the hd x 2 and the power supply, as well as mem upgrades and cards. Ive heard they are junk now? Also, price is a huge factor in mjy decision.

well i see your not gunna run any games on it lol cuz i was gunna say vista is a no no for game's since dif. codes are rightin any way's you need a vid card and sound would be nice