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View Full Version : Prebuilt still coming out cheaper than build your own :(


DoubleTop
02-01-10, 14:23
It's still the same :(

I've just specced up what for my usage would be a decent rig. Intel i7 860, 2Gb (2x1) of 1333 ram, 160Gb hard drive GT220-1Gb, keyboard mouse OS etc that you would expect from the company who make Vostros. Just a tad over £500.

I come to add the same system into a basket, I'm really not fussed on motherboard features or overclocking for a rig like this, it just needs to work. Even getting the cheapest components to put together a like4like, I can't squeeze much below £600.

So once again, it would appear that the budget this year (once approved) for hardware is going to get pre-built machines, especially when you factor in the time to build+install a machine.

Gutted :(

DT.
marsey99
02-01-10, 18:20
for a low ish end stock box your right, and it always will be that way. the companys that make prebuilt machines get each part cheaper then we can buy them as they buy in bulk and that gets them disscounts.

i would bet money on the fact that the componants in that £500 box would be the cheapest you can find and those you picked for yourself would be of a higher quality tho.
PeterStoba
02-01-10, 18:28
for a low ish end stock box your right, and it always will be that way. the companys that make prebuilt machines get each part cheaper then we can buy them as they buy in bulk and that gets them disscounts.

i would bet money on the fact that the componants in that £500 box would be the cheapest you can find and those you picked for yourself would be of a higher quality tho.

Why isn't the same logic applied to high end machines though?
marsey99
02-01-10, 18:38
they want to make a bigger profit on those higher end machines?

maybe coz the stock box systems are a more competative market?
Aleksandr
02-01-10, 19:21
For every £1000 machine they sell they probably sell 100 £500 machines so as Marsey pointed out they have a LOT more buying power for the low end components and as such can get them so much cheaper (percentage off in comparision to what you or i would pay) than the components in the £1000 machine.
spleenharvester
02-01-10, 21:37
Yeah, plus you've got to think about heat/PSU/motherboard reliability too, all the prebuilts I've had have had low quality PSUs, they get hot and stuffy too. Anybody who used to hang around on Techspot would know about the Emachines saga ;)

Cable management (http://images.ncix.com/forumimages/172F8620-CB7C-1146-879DCD36CA8142EC.jpg) too :p
DoubleTop
03-01-10, 08:15
they may be lower quality components, but when covered with a warranty who cares?

I've had a mate with a laptop that was two months out of warranty when the board went. A £50 subscription to warranty, and the £400 repair was done next day.

DT.
spleenharvester
03-01-10, 13:38
Ah, laptop motherboards, don't ya just hate them...

If you build your own [desktop], you wouldn't need to spend big bucks on the warranty like that - plus you can upgrade it without voiding the warranty.
coiler
04-01-10, 09:28
I just build my own as enjoy the build process and can specify exact components.

The question is can you get a custom build done for less than you can build your own?
skunksmash
04-01-10, 13:53
i think i'd still pay the extra & build it myself.......:)