Anyone use this PC builder?

[SteveBrown]

I need a new PC, and HP, and Apple have failed for me. I wont go into details, but I was considering Dell and Alienware, someone told me about http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/ Anyone ever use them? Good or bad, i would like to hear.

[Raikyn]

I just buy parts and put it together myself, no help here I guess :lol:

[mdm]

What did you have problems with? Hardware? Software? Support? I wish you would go into details.That may help steer you to the right builder for you. I know Alienware is a high dollar computer. Mostly from what I see is that it is built for gaming so... it may have better parts. If you have someone that can build one, you could buy the parts and slap it together and install your software. I like buying the parts from my local Frys and if they give me any problems I run back that instant and exchange it.

[SteveBrown]

What did you have problems with? Hardware? Software? Support? I wish you would go into details.That may help steer you to the right builder for you. I know Alienware is a high dollar computer. Mostly from what I see is that it is built for gaming so... it may have better parts. If you have someone that can build one, you could buy the parts and slap it together and install your software. I like buying the parts from my local Frys and if they give me any problems I run back that instant and exchange it.

OK, details, HP broken out of the box, on the phone, for literly 15 hours in 2 days. Apple, great OS, but the game playing is not too good, and the firewall sux, it wont let me download updates for any programs. Been on the phone, also went to the apple store and they just shook their head at disbelief, they had no idea what to do.

[mdm]

If used for gaming Alienware would kick ass. Sounds like just bad luck with the HP. The Apple firewall should be a easy fix. Do you have a router. That could be part of the problem. Go through apple troubleshooting online. or through the computer manual, disc. Check the router too.

[Moppie]

Alienware started as a small bespoke builder, building high end gaming systems.
Now they are little more than a premium brand name for Dell, so will be using a lot of the cheaper dell internals.

Are there any local wholesalers, or small retailers you can visit? Or are chain stores and online your only options?

[BottomBracket]

+1 what Moppie said. For high end machines you are better off assembling your own, or at least have someone assemble it to your specs. You can probably find a builder near you in computer building forums such as overclock.net

[SkedAddled]

I also build my own. If you or someone you know has the skills needed, I'd say you're better off purchasing the parts and assembling the rig to your own desires. It's a great way to avoid the hardware & software the big-box vendors always supply with their systems, and keeps you in control of your machine.

For a source, I'm a huge fan of Newegg (http://www.newegg.com/).

[marjnap]

I also build my own. If you or someone you know has the skills needed, I'd say you're better off purchasing the parts and assembling the rig to your own desires. It's a great way to avoid the hardware & software the big-box vendors always supply with their systems, and keeps you in control of your machine.

For a source, I'm a huge fan of Newegg (http://www.newegg.com/).

ditto, I'm also a fan of Asus motherboards.

[MaxxuM]

I need a new PC, and HP, and Apple have failed for me. I wont go into details, but I was considering Dell and Alienware, someone told me about http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/ Anyone ever use them? Good or bad, i would like to hear.

I build my own and recommend it for tinkerers like myself. At work I order Dell Precision XPS and Optiplex and had OK results. Either buy the 3yr warrantee or just the 1 yr pkg deal. I've now worked on about 1000 Dells in the past five years and either they fail out of the box or just before 3yrs. Dell uses really crappy memory so I would just buy 1GB and them buy my own later (same for Apple).

As far as games, Mac's aren't too far behind these days unless you want the bleeding edge and if that were the case you HAVE to build your own to get the best w/o spending 5k.

[neil_g]

At work I order Dell Precision XPS and Optiplex and had OK results. Either buy the 3yr warrantee or just the 1 yr pkg deal. I've now worked on about 1000 Dells in the past five years and either they fail out of the box or just before 3yrs. Dell uses really crappy memory so I would just buy 1GB and them buy my own later (same for Apple).

see now id say the opposite. we run optiplexs here and theyre super reliable, appart from the odd maxtor disk failing in the older ones i cant say ive had a hardware fault for an extremely long time..

[MaxxuM]

see now id say the opposite. we run optiplexs here and theyre super reliable, appart from the odd maxtor disk failing in the older ones i cant say ive had a hardware fault for an extremely long time..

I work for a school district so the kids can be pretty rough on the computers. I also use Norton Ghost on the computers once a year (clean images work wonders for speed). The 620s and 520s are 'notorious' for bad memory. Our Dell rep just replaced 20 1GB sticks for free. The 280s had issues as well. We would get BSoD 1 out of 15 machines; switching memory banks and re-seating them sometimes worked. In any case, the XPS Precisions have all worked fine (55 of them) without a glitch. Of all the Optiplex's I would say 1:20 would fail with a "Hard Drive is working outside perameters..." error. I'm a Dell Certified Tech (along with four others) so we get our parts overnighted to us plus we get 'work bonuses'. Dell basically pays us for not having to send one of thier techs to our schools.