Which Computer Brand

[Tis I]

In about a month, I'll be buying a new computer for college or rather my parents will be buying one for me.

I'm looking for something around:

2.2 mhz P4
512 Ram (DDR or RD)
80gig or better hardrive
64 meg video card or better.

I need some advice on which computer companies are most reliable and cheaper. Currently i'm looking at Gateway and Dell.

Also should i shoot for DDR or RD ram?

[General Ludd]

Brand names are for saps.

Build your own or get a clone.

[Grrr]

I've you have money to burn, go Alienware.

[Asher]

DDR266 (PC2100) and DDR333(PC2700) are decently fast, but RDRAM is a bit faster (but tends to be more expensive).

Gateway should be cheaper than Dell (that's their new plan), but I've always preferred Dell's support and they tend to put in higher quality components as well.

[Provost Harrison]

I personally prefer to build my own systems, but to do that, and maintain them, you really need to have a bit of expertise with PC systems. So I don't know which company to go for because I have never used them. So really, I don't know why I bothered posting in this thread

[JohnIII]

Dell computers are a solid, dependable choice, with good support.

[Sarxis]

Originally posted by JohnIII
Dell computers are a solid, dependable choice, with good support.

Yeah. For a while, their support seemed to go to sh|t. But I have been hearing good things about them again.

But all the same, I will always build my own, and they will most likely have DDR.

[Boris Godunov]

Dells are awesome, I have no complaints about mine. Never had a software conflict, technical issue or anything of the kind.

And when you open it up...it's BEAUTIFUL inside! I almost shed a tear of joy the first time I did...

[Sarxis]

Originally posted by Boris Godunov

And when you open it up...it's BEAUTIFUL inside! I almost shed a tear of joy the first time I did...

When I buy new PC games or hardware, I sit and smell the inside of the packaging.

::sniiiiiiiiiifff:: Ahhhhh!!!!

There are so many different smells for new PC games; game manuals especially.

[SpencerH]

I build my own, and I dont think its that hard to do. It can be hard to decide what you want though since there are a lot of alternatives. Doesnt Dell use their own version of windows rather than the "real thing". So it can be hard to update drivers etc.

[chequita guevara]

I like the chegitz guevara brand of computer. Build myself.

[Inverse Icarus]

BUILD YOUR OWN.

it's cheaper, more effective, and you know whats going on inside.

if your a technomoron, buy a dell or something, i dont care.

[Tis I]

hmmm, there seems to be a consensus that building my own is the best way to go. While i probably could do this with a lil help from my cisco and A+ certified friends, my parents prolly won't go for it. I guess i'm getting a dell

[SpencerH]

You could get enough advice about what to do (or what not to do) from here. If you can change a lightbulb you can put together the parts.

[JohnIII]

Yes, but if Tis I's parents don't agree, then it doesn't matter how much help we give.