I'm thinking of building a computer based on positive input from my previous post.
Need recommendations for reliable places to buy components or bare bones kits from those who have done it.
Checked TigerDirect.com, ibyuyPower.com and MagicMicro.com and some of the user reviews were not too good.
Newegg.com seemed pretty good.
I realize there will always be some bad experiences with any company (and even bogus sniping by competitors?) but wondered what would be the "safest bet" to order kit or components from.
Thanks
Carkins
I built my present DAW, which is based on bobcflatpicker's iBuy.com PC, from parts I got at
Micro Center. I did it in person because their store is 2 miles from my house. Their prices are competitive and their service is first rate.
I buy from either TigerDirect or Newegg. I have had no bad experiences with either company.
Big +1 For Newegg
Been buying nits for years from them and sometimes mWave but this time last year I built a whole PC ground up with all parts from Newegg but I did buy OEM versions of Win 7 Pro 64 and Win XP 32 (it's a dual boot PC) from VioSoftware because it was a little cheaper.
Larry
I also buy from Tigerdirect, Newegg. And also from Directron.
Never had a problem with any of them.
While they all carry many of the same parts, they each have some parts
that the others don't. I usually just buy from whoever has what I want.
carkins,
I would STRONGLY recommend totaling up the parts before you buy anything. Add in an OS. Check out EACH component. Weigh it against the price of a custom PC from a good mfg. Mine was a couple of hundred cheaper built to order.
Then weigh it against a 3 year warranty on parts and workmanship from a good mfg. against the standard 90 day warranty on parts.
I’ve built my own since WIN 95, but after doing the math of building your own against a good mfg. using the same components on my last one, I’d suggest proceeding cautiously.
Hint: Don’t buy off the shelf at WalMart, Best Buy … or anywhere else.
. . . And I STRONGLY second Bob's recommendations. As I said earlier, my DAW was closely based on his. However, I only had a 30-day warranty on parts and labor; it also cost slightly more than it would have with his outfit. His has a three-year warranty, plus it's burned in for 72 hours, plus it's built by people who understand high-performance PCs--it's all they do.
I hope Bob will chime in with the link to the company. I THINK it's ibuypower.com, but you want to be absolutely certain. Accept no substitutes and all that. However, if you are determined to build it yourself, and there's something to be said for that, I again couldn't recommend Micro Center more highly for price, availability, and service.
R.
Richard,
You are correct on iBuypower. They're having a pretty good sale that ends tonight at midnight.
http://www.ibuypower.com/2012/Labor-day/specials.htmlI'm still very pleased with mine.
Don't let the wild looking gaming cases throw you off. You also get to choose your case in the options and sound proofing is also an option.
What about opinions on Intel vs AMD chips?
carkins,
Both are good chips but I've always used Intel.
Intel processors and Western Digital drives have ALWAYS been in my computers. Top quality. The AMD people have their reasons, and that's fine. For me, Intel Inside.