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Best Pre-Built gaming machine Company?

dyermaker714dyermaker714 Member UncommonPosts: 192
in Hardware
I've built multiple computers in my time. I recently gave my latest PC to a friend as I didn't have time anymore to play on it. now I'm ready to build a new machine however I'm not really interested in putting it together myself anymore.

I've seen multiple web sites that offer pre built gaming machines. Web sites such as:
Ibuypower,
Alienware,
Voodoo,
Even the Dell XPS or whatever.


SO.

I thought I would ask the wonderful people herewhat their thoughts are as to what website offers the best highest quality product for the best price.

Basically, who's the Best company to go with and why?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much :-)
«1

Comments

  • YaevinduskYaevindusk Member RarePosts: 2,094

     

    The general census of the computer community is that Dell is for people looking for their first PC and don't know any better (haven't dealt with them in about a decade, so they might've changed).  Ibuypower allegedly has multiple violations with the Better Business Bureau and Alienware has okay but overpriced computers as a whole.  As for Dell, I had some really bad experiences with them through family members and close friends.  The same goes for Ibuypower (I've never bought from there but helped friends who have) whereby they sent broken parts and the customer service was less than great if memory serves (the new parts supposedly broke down shortly after as well).  I've also read a few stories where they took pictures of motherboards that were broken and claimed the person who bought it and returned it did such.  Though I believe they were caught in this, as the person had taken pictures of his own before sending it off (along with the id numbers) and it was apparently a big fiasco as things go with others coming forth saying they had similar experiences.

     

    The stories about IBUYPOWER are out there, and you can look up violations they have on the net.  Though the cases that I can confirm are pretty much from shoddy and slow service and parts breaking down faster than they should.  I won't say any of what I haven't experienced to be true, but I don't know why people would lie about these things.

     

    Here's a link of people who supposedly bought from IBUYPOWER:  http://reviews.cnet.com/desktops/ibuypower-value-xp-pc/4852-3118_7-9623611.html

     

    Up to you to decide what's true or not about these companies.  There are probably satisfied accounts out there in addition to the outspoken crowds.

     

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  • dyermaker714dyermaker714 Member UncommonPosts: 192
    Well crap :p I guess its either Alienware or I just suck it up and build one from good ol' Newegg. Thank you very much. probably saved me a lot of hassle
  • lugallugal Member UncommonPosts: 671
    Don't base you choice on the BBB. It is a useless company with no power.
    Dell is ok. Alienware is Dell now, but withj any prebuilt pc, avoid paying for name if you can. A regular Dell is a better value than a xps or alienware.
    Hewlet pc's seem to be ok as well. Though I loathe my laptop from them, damm switchable graphics.
    Dell have a outlet for used or returns called dell outlet. Go there and compare. You still get full warrantys so you really save money there.

    Roses are red
    Violets are blue
    The reviewer has a mishapen head
    Which means his opinion is skewed
    ...Aldous.MF'n.Huxley

  • JerYnkFanJerYnkFan Member UncommonPosts: 342
    I've purchase from ibuypower before for someone and they make good machines.  Dog House systems also seems to have a good rep.
  • thatguy0102thatguy0102 Member Posts: 3

    I would highly recommend Digital Storm. They specialize in building gaming pcs. The prices are not unreasonable and come with  with great quality and stability. The standard warranty is 3 years which includes the overclocking they provide and life time U.S based tech support if anything goes wrong. They build every pc to order and go through a 3 day stress test before even being shipped. You will get email updates during every phase of your build. 

    I have personally had my digital storm pc for about 4 years and have had 0 issues what so ever and think anyone who is actually looking for a pre built gaming PC should check them out. Great quality and I would purchase from them again in a heartbeat if I was looking for another computer. I use to build my own PC's as well but due to life an time constraints now a days they were the perfect fit. Great Company great computers please give them a look as most models are customizeable to fit your needs.

  • ThaneUlfgarThaneUlfgar Member Posts: 283

    I bought a Velocity Micro PC in November 2010 from their website. They sell decent rigs at a solid price and assemble them in VA. I've since upgraded the video card and the RAM, not because I had to, but just because I felt like it. It runs pretty much anything I throw at it on max settings.

     

    I'd recommend giving them a look.

  • LeiloniLeiloni Member RarePosts: 1,266
    There's no reason to buy an Alienware because you can get the same machines from a Dell XPS for a much cheaper price. Both are gaming PCs and you can do a bit of customizing to get what you want. Besides, it's the same company now so you're not missing out on anything by getting an XPS. They have the same parts as any other gaming PC and perform quite well.
  • KaniverKaniver Member UncommonPosts: 110

    Another to throw into the mix is Puget Systems, a boutique builder in the Pacific Northwest.

    Also good to at least take a glimpse at resellers ratings @ resellerratings.com to get a general idea of the targeted company's

    general customer satisfaction rating.

  • IselinIselin Member LegendaryPosts: 18,719

    You are much better off going with the "custom build" service of any reputable internet hardware discounter (newegg, NCIX, etc.) than any of the brand name companies regardless of name. People correctly associate Alienware (now a Dell subsifiary as others have mentioned) with power and quality. However you pay hefty surcharge for the name.

    Try it yourself. Go over to dell and customize an Alienware machine just how you want it. Then go on over to NCIX or newegg and use all the same components (the case may need to be different) and compare the cost. You'll pay 25% or more for the name.

    Once in a blue moon, you'll find a system at Dell or Alienware that they're pushing and is discounted enough to make it worthwhile. But those are rare and usually filled with components that have been superceded. For example, they may have a Radeon HD 7870 in there but is it the much better new 7870 Tahiti LE or old stock Pitcairn?

    There are a lot of people in this forum that know what to buy and where to get it.

    Your best bet is to pick a budget and let the people here help you spend it. You are guaranteed to end-up with something better for less cost than buying any off-the-shelf PC.

    "Social media gives legions of idiots the right to speak when they once only spoke at a bar after a glass of wine, without harming the community ... but now they have the same right to speak as a Nobel Prize winner. It's the invasion of the idiots”

    ― Umberto Eco

    “Microtransactions? In a single player role-playing game? Are you nuts?” 
    ― CD PROJEKT RED

  • thatguy0102thatguy0102 Member Posts: 3
    Originally posted by Iselin

    You are much better off going with the "custom build" service of any reputable internet hardware discounter (newegg, NCIX, etc.) than any of the brand name companies regardless of name. People correctly associate Alienware (now a Dell subsifiary as others have mentioned) with power and quality. However you pay hefty surcharge for the name.

    Try it yourself. Go over to dell and customize an Alienware machine just how you want it. Then go on over to NCIX or newegg and use all the same components (the case may need to be different) and compare the cost. You'll pay 25% or more for the name.

    Once in a blue moon, you'll find a system at Dell or Alienware that they're pushing and is discounted enough to make it worthwhile. But those are rare and usually filled with components that have been superceded. For example, they may have a Radeon HD 7870 in there but is it the much better new 7870 Tahiti LE or old stock Pitcairn?

    There are a lot of people in this forum that know what to buy and where to get it.

    Your best bet is to pick a budget and let the people here help you spend it. You are guaranteed to end-up with something better for less cost than buying any off-the-shelf PC.

    http://kotaku.com/digital-storms-latest-gaming-pcs-are-almost-as-cheap-a-479639190

    Really no need to go budget when your basicly just paying for shipping and labor since the price difference is minimal.

  • rrinnrrinn Member Posts: 2

    The computer I am currently using is from  originpc.com. I have had no issues with the computer and the customer service is great from my experience. They aren't as well known as other gaming computer companies but I would definitly buy another PC from them in the future.

    BTW, I have bought gaming computers from Dell, ibuypower, and also built my own. I would go with Origin PC again. I'm too lazy to build my own. Dells are nice for someone just getting into gaming. Alienware is waaaayyyyy overpriced. ibuypower I had a issue with. So the choice is yours.

  • fat_taddlerfat_taddler Member Posts: 286

    If you have the money to spend, Falcon Northwest is probably one of the best companies out there for high quality gaming rigs.

    http://www.falcon-nw.com/

     

     

  • HorusraHorusra Member EpicPosts: 4,411

    AVADirect

     

  • SomeOldBlokeSomeOldBloke Member UncommonPosts: 2,167
    Originally posted by Kaniver

    Another to throw into the mix is Puget Systems, a boutique builder in the Pacific Northwest.

    Also good to at least take a glimpse at resellers ratings @ resellerratings.com to get a general idea of the targeted company's

    general customer satisfaction rating.

    I've heard good things about these guys too.

  • HorusraHorusra Member EpicPosts: 4,411
    Originally posted by mbd1968
    Originally posted by Kaniver

    Another to throw into the mix is Puget Systems, a boutique builder in the Pacific Northwest.

    Also good to at least take a glimpse at resellers ratings @ resellerratings.com to get a general idea of the targeted company's

    general customer satisfaction rating.

    I've heard good things about these guys too.

    Puget likes to jack up their prices now days.

  • asmkm22asmkm22 Member Posts: 1,788
    Spend an hour, at most, ordering parts from newegg.  Wait a few days and spend another hour, at most, putting it together.  Windows 7 only takes about 15 minutes to install.  There is literally no reason to go pre-built if you have experience putting a computer together, unless you're trying to get a computer for under $500 or something.

    You make me like charity

  • KaniverKaniver Member UncommonPosts: 110

    Therein lies the rub, buy a ready made computer as custom as you wish, or select your own parts from scratch and assemble yourself. More often than not you will save some serious coin doing it yourself and put the money saved into a higher end graphics card :)

     

    Sure you pay a premium to order from a boutique builder. But a reputable one will stand by there builds and offer top notch technical service if needed. Some also track part compatibility issues and go with what works best for them from a business standpoint  with an eye towards reliability.

    For any company to offer these value added services and stay in business of course there is a premium to be paid.............duh

    So those are two clear choices. Myself I opt for the build your own route as it allows to attune your parts selection to your specific individual needs.

    Several of the companies mentioned in this thread are excellent choices if you choose to go the custom route.

    One other thing I would mention there are certainly inherent differences between off the shelf HP's and Dell's compared to the custom boutiques....the core parts are usually more on the ENTHUSIAST scale as the mass produced not so much. Lets compare apples to apples.

     

  • BrachusBrachus Member UncommonPosts: 97
    Originally posted by ThaneUlfgar

    I bought a Velocity Micro PC in November 2010 from their website. They sell decent rigs at a solid price and assemble them in VA. I've since upgraded the video card and the RAM, not because I had to, but just because I felt like it. It runs pretty much anything I throw at it on max settings.

     

    I'd recommend giving them a look.

    I doubt I will ever purchase a pre-built again, but the last I did buy was a Velocity Micro around 2007-2008. After almost 2 yrs, 1 of the ports on the EVGA motherboard went up. Since it was still under warranty, I decided to send it back to them. They had it for a few weeks, but when I got it back they had upgraded the motherboard, the CPU, hard drive, the video card, and the memory all under warranty. It was like having a brand new machine. I certainly don't mind recommending them to someone looking for a pre-built machine.

     

  • RidelynnRidelynn Member EpicPosts: 7,383

    I've never purchased from them personally, but I've often steered people to Falcon Northwest or Puget, and occasionally Digital Storm or Origin.

    Be prepared to pay for it though - they are about building a quality PC and offering good options up front and good after-the-sale support, not about trying to save you a lot of money. They are considered "Boutique" for a reason. I don't think they are out to rip people off, but undercutting their competition isn't their primary focus.

    Unless you are looking for something more or less disposable, I recommend against any mass-produced computer for gaming (HP, Dell (even Alienware), Apple, Toshiba, Gateway, whatever else is still out there).

  • IselinIselin Member LegendaryPosts: 18,719
    Originally posted by thatguy0102
    Originally posted by Iselin

    You are much better off going with the "custom build" service of any reputable internet hardware discounter (newegg, NCIX, etc.) than any of the brand name companies regardless of name. People correctly associate Alienware (now a Dell subsifiary as others have mentioned) with power and quality. However you pay hefty surcharge for the name.

    Try it yourself. Go over to dell and customize an Alienware machine just how you want it. Then go on over to NCIX or newegg and use all the same components (the case may need to be different) and compare the cost. You'll pay 25% or more for the name.

    Once in a blue moon, you'll find a system at Dell or Alienware that they're pushing and is discounted enough to make it worthwhile. But those are rare and usually filled with components that have been superceded. For example, they may have a Radeon HD 7870 in there but is it the much better new 7870 Tahiti LE or old stock Pitcairn?

    There are a lot of people in this forum that know what to buy and where to get it.

    Your best bet is to pick a budget and let the people here help you spend it. You are guaranteed to end-up with something better for less cost than buying any off-the-shelf PC.

    http://kotaku.com/digital-storms-latest-gaming-pcs-are-almost-as-cheap-a-479639190

    Really no need to go budget when your basicly just paying for shipping and labor since the price difference is minimal.

    Kotaku eh?

     

    OK... I had some spare time.

    I took this Digital Storm Computer: http://www.digitalstormonline.com/compload550d.asp?id=676461&price=%242%2C330

    Total cost = $2330 assembled + shipping

    And used the same components (as much as possible: they used a no name DVD writer, no-name ram and own water cooler...I matched with equivalent) except I upgraded their generic EVGA 680 GTX to a "FTW" edition...it was on sale.

    http://secure1.ncix.com/cart/

    (this link might not work for you,,,if it doesn't you'll just have to compare it yourself there)

    Total cost = ($1934 CDN = $1903 US) assembled + shipping... the Digital Storm version would cost me 22% more... it looks like I was off by 3%.

     

     

    "Social media gives legions of idiots the right to speak when they once only spoke at a bar after a glass of wine, without harming the community ... but now they have the same right to speak as a Nobel Prize winner. It's the invasion of the idiots”

    ― Umberto Eco

    “Microtransactions? In a single player role-playing game? Are you nuts?” 
    ― CD PROJEKT RED

  • KenFisherKenFisher Member UncommonPosts: 5,035

    NewEgg + advice from Quiz.

     

    Ken Fisher - Semi retired old fart Network Administrator, now working in Network Security.  I don't Forum PVP.  If you feel I've attacked you, it was probably by accident.  When I don't understand, I ask.  Such is not intended as criticism.
  • TalulaRoseTalulaRose Member RarePosts: 1,247
    MSI is worth looking at.
  • thatguy0102thatguy0102 Member Posts: 3
    Originally posted by Iselin
    Originally posted by thatguy0102
    Originally posted by Iselin

    You are much better off going with the "custom build" service of any reputable internet hardware discounter (newegg, NCIX, etc.) than any of the brand name companies regardless of name. People correctly associate Alienware (now a Dell subsifiary as others have mentioned) with power and quality. However you pay hefty surcharge for the name.

    Try it yourself. Go over to dell and customize an Alienware machine just how you want it. Then go on over to NCIX or newegg and use all the same components (the case may need to be different) and compare the cost. You'll pay 25% or more for the name.

    Once in a blue moon, you'll find a system at Dell or Alienware that they're pushing and is discounted enough to make it worthwhile. But those are rare and usually filled with components that have been superceded. For example, they may have a Radeon HD 7870 in there but is it the much better new 7870 Tahiti LE or old stock Pitcairn?

    There are a lot of people in this forum that know what to buy and where to get it.

    Your best bet is to pick a budget and let the people here help you spend it. You are guaranteed to end-up with something better for less cost than buying any off-the-shelf PC.

    http://kotaku.com/digital-storms-latest-gaming-pcs-are-almost-as-cheap-a-479639190

    Really no need to go budget when your basicly just paying for shipping and labor since the price difference is minimal.

    Kotaku eh?

     

    OK... I had some spare time.

    I took this Digital Storm Computer: http://www.digitalstormonline.com/compload550d.asp?id=676461&price=%242%2C330

    Total cost = $2330 assembled + shipping

    And used the same components (as much as possible: they used a no name DVD writer, no-name ram and own water cooler...I matched with equivalent) except I upgraded their generic EVGA 680 GTX to a "FTW" edition...it was on sale.

    http://secure1.ncix.com/cart/

    (this link might not work for you,,,if it doesn't you'll just have to compare it yourself there)

    Total cost = ($1934 CDN = $1903 US) assembled + shipping... the Digital Storm version would cost me 22% more... it looks like I was off by 3%.

     

     

    It only applies to the base Vanquish lines not upgrades but grats to you.

     

  • monarc333monarc333 Member UncommonPosts: 622
    I bought a Falcon Northwest desktop couple years ago and its just an amazing machine. Still holds up to todays games. I also have a Cyberpower laptop. Great machine also. If I were you, and I had the $$, I would check out Falcon Northwest. All american company with american speakng customer service. Cant go wrong with that.
  • QuizzicalQuizzical Member LegendaryPosts: 25,351

    There are four basic types of companies that build and sell desktop computers:

    1)  Companies that offer purely prebuilt only.  You can't customize anything at all.  See, for example, Acer.

    2)  Companies that offer an illusion of choice, but won't actually let you buy something sensible.  For example, Dell or Hewlett-Packard.  They'll offer stupid things like to let you buy a bunch of extra bloatware at inflated prices, but if you want to get, say, a small SSD together with a larger hard drive, you'll probably be out of luck.  And if you want a quality power supply and motherboard?  Forget about it.

    3)  Companies that will give you a lot of choices, but rely on the customer to make sensible choices.  For example, NCIX or AVA Direct.  If you pick cheap junk parts, they'll screw it together for you and sell you a cheap junk computer, but it's your own fault.  They'll also offer higher quality parts so you can get something nice if you're willing to pay for it.

    4)  Boutique vendors that will make sure that you get something nice, but will charge quite a lot to get it.  For example, Puget Systems.  You'll get a nice computer if you go this route, but you might pay 50% more than for something comparable that you build yourself.

    I'd recommend ignoring (1) outright, and having considerable skepticism on (2).  Choice (4) makes sense for people with more money than time who don't mind overpaying and don't want the hassle of assembling it themselves.  Choice (3) is more for people who are scared of breaking things if they assemble it themselves.

    So what type of company are you looking for?

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