Hello,

I am in the market for a new computer, and my mom told me that a technition she works with told her that the best deal for a comp that he knows is here : http://www.vastechcomputer.com

Under desktops, I was looking at that Intel Value the $399 purchase one.

All of those prices are in Canadian currency.

Is this a good buy?

*For those of you who are too lazy to look at the site:*

Intel P4 - 2.4G 533FSB (L2 Cache 1MB)  Processor
ECS PM800-M2 with USB2.0, Audio and 10/100 LAN
256MB DDR RAM PC3200
40G 7200 rpm Hard Drive
(Upgrade to 80G Add $12)
52x32x52 CDRW with software
Integrated 3D Graphic Power + AGP8X Open Slot
1.44 Floppy Drive
Total 6x USB Ports
10 / 100 Ethernet Adapter Integrated
3D Sound Integrated
Tsunami PS2 Keyboard
Tsunami Wheel Mouse
Tower Case with 2x USB @ Front + 300W Power Supply
Tsunami 240W Speaker
Finance from $12 / Month for 36 months (please call)

Intel P4 - 2.4G-A (L2 Cache 1M)————————————————$399

***Also, I cannot upgrade my current computer. I’m using an eMachines T1140. Pretty much un-upgradable lol

build your own, they’re probably putting in crap parts.

well the technition says that he has purchased all 5 of his computers from them :think:

and

building my own, i would end up paying like a grand :(

well, if u spent a grand, you’d end up with a lot more stuff than listed on that other one. integrated video card, bleh.  checkwww.newegg.com and see how much it’d cost to build a comparable system if you bought your own parts.

Yeah…that computer is going to be a piece of crap in just a year or two.

so should I build, or save up and wait?

[quote author=“plugg3d in”]so should I build, or save up and wait?

Build.

if youve allready got a computer why dont you just buy a new motherboard and processor and use all your old hard drive floppy drive etc.. that way youll be able to buy a top of the line one!!
heres a good site for motherboards

http://www.tigerdirect.com
http://www.tigerdirect.ca

[quote author=“jason591”]if youve allready got a computer why dont you just buy a new motherboard and processor and use all your old hard drive floppy drive etc.. that way youll be able to buy a top of the line one!!
heres a good site for motherboards

http://www.tigerdirect.com
http://www.tigerdirect.ca

Forget TigerDirect. http://www.newegg.com . He might have a brand computer, which as you probably know doesnt have a way to change the mobo. Also get a new case to match your supercomputer when you build one.

If you don’t need the extreme power, go ahead and buy that.

I built my own computer for myself, and spent over $1000 on it. But its got plenty of high quality parts, plus things that other users might not need (like a PVR card). But, I also just bought my grandmother a Dell. It cost $400 and it comes with a flat panel monitor and a 2.4ghz celeron. She’ll never know the difference between her 2.4 ghz celeron and my AMD 2500+, but she will know that her new computer is a bajillion times faster than the one she has now.

[quote author=“EricGearLive”]If you don’t need the extreme power, go ahead and buy that.

I built my own computer for myself, and spent over $1000 on it. But its got plenty of high quality parts, plus things that other users might not need (like a PVR card). But, I also just bought my grandmother a Dell. It cost $400 and it comes with a flat panel monitor and a 2.4ghz celeron. She’ll never know the difference between her 2.4 ghz celeron and my AMD 2500+, but she will know that her new computer is a bajillion times faster than the one she has now.

:lol: I’m afraid to ask what she was running before you bought her a new one.

[quote author=“jason591”]if youve allready got a computer why dont you just buy a new motherboard and processor and use all your old hard drive floppy drive etc.. that way youll be able to buy a top of the line one!!
heres a good site for motherboards

http://www.tigerdirect.com
http://www.tigerdirect.ca

[quote author=“plugg3d in”]***Also, I cannot upgrade my current computer. I’m using an eMachines T1140. Pretty much un-upgradable lol

eMachines T1140:

Technical Data
Processor, Memory, and Motherboard

Processor: 1.10 GHz Intel Celeron
Number of Processors: 1
RAM: 128 MB
RAM Type: SDRAM
L2 Cache: 128 KB
Operating System and Software

Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition

Keyboard: 104-Key Standard Keyboard
Mouse: Included
Hard Drive

Size: 20 GB
Hard Drives: 1
Type: Ultra ATA
Optical Drives, Other Mass Storage

CD-ROM: 48x
Floppy Drive: 1.44 MB, 3.5-inch floppy disk drive
Graphics and Display

Graphics Card: Intel Direct 3D
Interface: AGP
Ports and Connectivity

USB Ports: 4
FireWire Ports: 1
Parallel Ports: 1
Serial Ports: 1
Game Ports: 1
Free PCI Slots: 2
Modem: 56 Kbps

I would just save money and get a better comp, that one is pretty bad.

What about this setup? (suggested at the other topic)

[quote author=“chaud”]Should work. Let me edit this in a while with my recomendation..

AMD 64 bit 3000+
Great mobo
1 gb RAM
Battery backup
CPU Cooler
Power supply
Hard drive
case
GFX card

I put in the wrong url for the powersupply, look at a 480 watt thermaltake. Total is around $700

[quote author=“plugg3d in”]What about this setup? (suggested at the other topic)

[quote author=“chaud”]Should work. Let me edit this in a while with my recomendation..

AMD 64 bit 3000+
Great mobo
1 gb RAM
Battery backup
CPU Cooler
Power supply
Hard drive
case
GFX card

I put in the wrong url for the powersupply, look at a 480 watt thermaltake. Total is around $700

that’s not a bad system. i can’t comment on amd stuff, cuz I don’t know too much about it. same goes for epox and their mobo’s. i usually stick with asus, its worked well for me so far.

the power supply is a bit excessive, but if it makes you feel better, so be it.

the cpu fan, good. i use thermaltake, keeps my processor nice and ambient.

the memory is a good choice, mushkin works pretty well from what i hear. your other alternatives you should look at for ram are corsair and kingston.

the drive isn’t bad, i’ve heard good and bad about seagate. i’ve learned with hard drives tho, its pretty much luck of the draw whether you get a quality one or not,lol.  an alternative would be getting a SATA drive, which is easier to install and quicker than UATA.

the case…really all up to you and what you like. get somethign that will get you good air flow, very important. i like antec, cooler master, and asus boxes. i’d go to a fry’s (if you have one in your area), they usually have a good assortment of cases you can look at in person.

the video card: i usually dont like to go with third party stuff, in my own and friend’s experiences, third party cards usually blow. then you have to try to get it replaced, and with some random company, that could take forever. i have an ati card, and if something happens, they are extremely quick in product replacement. it was worth the extra 10 bucks.

make sure you get some fans to go with your case, wanna keep that sucker cool and dust free.

just my two pennies, hope this helps. if not, at least i got to waste a few minutes 😊

Epox is great.
Powersupply is NOT excessive, believe me.
Let me know when you start buying, an 80gb drive is only $30…

What are you going to use this pc for?  Building your own PC isn’t really that cost effective anymore with many companies having great deals ... but if you are serious about gaming building your own could be a good way to go.  That system you listed looks ok… i would suggest a different hdd, and what about a dvd burner or anything of the sort?  Also remember that 700 is before a monitor, and shipping for all the parts… A lot of companies are giving you more for your money, with tech support and a warranty (not to mention a legit copy of windows/other software).

what are you going to use your pc for ??

Im also planning on building my own…
I want a power computer… Gonna buy a high-end mobo so that I can upgrade to a faster CPU after a while

Here’s my current wish list:

ASPIRE X-Navigator Black/Silver ATX Mid-Tower Case with side window and 450W Power Supply, Model"ATXA9NW-AL/450” -RETAIL
Specifications:
Case Type: Mid-Tower Case
Color: Black/Silver
Material: Steel
Drive Bays: 5.25” x 4/0, 3.5” x 2/7 (external/internal)
Expansion Slots: 7
Front Ports: 2 x USB, 1 x IEEE1394
Power Supply: 450W
Cooling System: 1 Front LED fan, 1 side LED fan, 1 rear LED fan, 1 top LED fan
Motherboard Compatibility: ATX
Dimensions: 20.5” x 7.8” x 19”(H x W x L) more info->  N82E16811144082
$96.00

$96.00

  6”, SATA ( SERIAL ATA Power Adapter ) SERIAL ATA(15-Pin) to 4-Pin to Power Supply - Retail
Needed for Seagate Serial ATA Hard Drive Adapter
Please see image for the actual look more info->  N82E16812104555
$1.99

$1.99

  ASUS “A8N-SLI Deluxe” nForce4 SLI Chipset Motherboard For AMD Socket 939 CPU -RETAIL
Specifications:
Supported CPU: Socket 939 AMD Athlon 64FX/64
Chipset: NVIDIA nForce4 SLI
FSB: 2000 MT/s, 1600MT/s
RAM: 4x DIMM DualChannel DDR 333/400 Max 4GB
Slots: 2x PCI-E X16(SLI mode: x8,x8), 2x PCI-E X1, 3x PCI
Ports: 2x PS/2, 1x LPT, 10x USB2.0(Rear 4), 2x RJ45, 2x SPDIF out, 1x IEEE1394, Audio Ports
IDE: 2x ATA 133 with NV Raid 0/1/0+1
SATA: 4x SATA2 3.0Gb/s with NV Raid 0/1/0+1, 4x SATA with Raid 0/1/0+1/5 by SI3114R
Onboard Audio: Realtek ALC850 8-Ch
Onboard LAN: nForce4 built-in Gbit MAC, MARVELL GbitLAN

sre
more info->  N82E16813131517
$199.00

$199.00

 

  AMD Athlon 64 3500+, 2.2 GHz, 512KB L2 Cache, 64-bit Socket 939 Processor - Retail
Specifications:
Model: Athlon 64 3500+
Core: Winchester
Operating Frequency: 2.2GHz
FSB: Integrated into Chip
Cache: L1/64K+64K; L2/ 512KB
Voltage: 1.4V
Process: 90nm
Socket: Socket 939
Multimedia Instruction: MMX, SSE, SSE2, 3DNOW!, 3DNOW!+
Packaging: Retail box(with Heatsink and Fan) more info->  N82E16819103498
$325.00

$325.00

  Seagate 160GB Barracuda 7200.7 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive, Model ST3160023AS, OEM
Specifications:
Capacity: 160GB
Average Seek Time: 8.5 ms
Buffer: 8MB
Rotational Speed: 7200 RPM
Interface: Serial ATA
Features: 350 Gs non-op shock, 3D Defense System
Manufacturer Warranty: 5 year
Packaging: OEM, Requires additional Power adapter more info->  N

No reason to go with a 3500, stick with a 3200, and wait for dual cores to come out mainstreamish…

well i was thinking of going with a 40 gb HD..  I dont download enough or play enough games to fill 40 gb so that should be sufficient

You don’t need the battery backup.  You don’t need that powerful of a Power Supply.  Get whatever size HD you think you will need, you can always add another one very easily.  Also if you want to save some money you could get less RAM.  You don’t really need 1 GB.

damn… newegg wont ship to canada

[quote author=“plugg3d in”]damn… newegg wont ship to canada

move to america :?

Do get a 450 watt p/s, you will be thankful…
Get the 1gb RAM if you want to game or photoshop
Buy from other places…
As for the HD, $30-40 for an 80gb is NOT too expensive