FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Help me find a mailorder barebones computer
Old Apr 17, 2009 | 8:19 pm
  #13  
ScottC
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Don't fall for an open box motherboard on Newegg. Despite the savings, many of them do not include any parts for the board, and you would not be the first person to receive a board with absolutely nothing else included.

A 700W power supply is way too much for what you plan to do with the machine, unless you plan to install several top of the line video cards (you did not list one) and SLI them AND add 5-6 drives, you'll be just fine with a 500 or 550W supply.

That said; I'd invest more in the important parts of the machine, and a little less in the others. Spend more for a better board - it does not make sense to go budget on the motherboard and spend $225 on a case and PSU.

Most importantly - at these prices you are getting dangerously close to the prices of a refurbished Dell XPS430. Last year when I was looking for a new desktop for myself I priced a self build box, but found a much better deal with the XPS430 instead. I paid $700 for a Quad core (2.5GHz), 3GB DDR3, dual 750GB, Bluray drive and good video. The machine has a built in card reader, Bluetooth, Gigabit and even came with Wi-Fi, an $80 Bluetooth keyboard/mouse and a bunch of Adobe software.

Last edited by ScottC; Apr 17, 2009 at 8:28 pm
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