Help me build a cheap (but good) PC

[matticus008]

Caveat: You'll get charged sales tax from newegg if you live in California. I figured, what the heck -- I'd pay the sales tax and use ground shipping and come out about even. Of course most of the parts were drop-shipped from New Jersey or some such place... Also I have found newegg to not be the least expensive on many items.

True, but sales tax is increasingly difficult to avoid, and many of the major computer parts vendors are in California. Newegg's service is really phenomenal, and their shipping is fast (FedEx, thank goodness). Many people get their orders before the estimated delivery date. Sometimes they're marginally more expensive than the bottom end, but I've found that dealing with a reputable supplier far outweighs the $2 you save from buying on a sketchy Yahoo store. If you can find good prices at Monarch computers (located in Georgia), you can avoid sales tax for the time being. With iTunes now charging tax, though, it's only a matter of time.

And if that copy of XP came with a branded PC (that is, a Dell or HP OEM disc), you can't reuse that on an unbranded PC. Typically, it's a restore disc and not an install disc, and even if it's a full install, it likely has a security feature locking to the system BIOS. At the very least, OEM discs don't allow for it in their licenses most of the time. OEM copies of XP are under $100 now, though, so it's not too bad.

But you can't beat Dell's $399 by building yourself. It's why they sell them.

 

[IJ Reilly]

True, but sales tax is increasingly difficult to avoid, and many of the major computer parts vendors are in California. Newegg's service is really phenomenal, and their shipping is fast (FedEx, thank goodness). Many people get their orders before the estimated delivery date. Sometimes they're marginally more expensive than the bottom end, but I've found that dealing with a reputable supplier far outweighs the $2 you save from buying on a sketchy Yahoo store. If you can find good prices at Monarch computers (located in Georgia), you can avoid sales tax for the time being. With iTunes now charging tax, though, it's only a matter of time.

And if that copy of XP came with a branded PC (that is, a Dell or HP OEM disc), you can't reuse that on an unbranded PC. Typically, it's a restore disc and not an install disc, and even if it's a full install, it likely has a security feature locking to the system BIOS. At the very least, OEM discs don't allow for it in their licenses most of the time. OEM copies of XP are under $100 now, though, so it's not too bad.

But you can't beat Dell's $399 by building yourself. It's why they sell them.

I'd probably use newegg again. They were fine. I was just disappointed to pay the in-state sales tax and then have my stuff drop-shipped from the other side of the country. I also managed to find the video card I wanted elsewhere for substantially less (and tax-free).

Technically, I don't think any retailer is supposed to sell you an "OEM" XP package without buying the PC or the parts to built it at the same time, but I don't know if this rule is ever enforced in practice.

 

[matticus008]

I'd probably use newegg again. They were fine. I was just disappointed to pay the in-state sales tax and then have my stuff drop-shipped from the other side of the country. I also managed to find the video card I wanted elsewhere for substantially less (and tax-free).

Technically, I don't think any retailer is supposed to sell you an "OEM" XP package without buying the PC or the parts to built it at the same time, but I don't know if this rule is ever enforced in practice.

Ahh, too true. I love buying a $3 SATA cable and OEM software. Well, used to love, I suppose. I haven't purchased any OEM software since 2002 or so. But then, Microsoft's done nothing useful since then, and Adobe OEM just plain doesn't exist.

 

[carpe diem]

Quite honestly this is not a PC forum go to http://www.PCrumors.com for that