A few questions on buying a new computer

[Tommy Vercetti]

I am planning on buying a new PC for gaming soon. I have no interest in building one myself as I don't have the skill and I am not interested in it. I just want to buy one. I want to be able to run new games on it and liquid cooling. I am considering an Alienware but they are expensive.

Just one question on liquid cooling systems, does it reduce dust intake? Also the requirement for a PC with one is that the liquid cool system must come preinstalled, I don't want to pay for installation and have no clue how to do anything with computer hardware.

 

[taper]

If you're not interested in building it yourself, don't get liquid cooling. Air is just fine for almost all setups unless you want a silent system. Yes, less airflow means less dust but doesn't eliminate it. Just use an air duster every few weeks and you won't have any problems. Expect to pay a premium for a prebuilt system versus doing it yourself for anything, which is fine if you don't want to do it yourself.

 

[Genocidicbunny]

Like taper said, liquid cooling is going to be pretty useless for you. Unless you go for a hand-OC'd rig from one of the boutique manufacturers, air cooling will be more than adequate (as long as the company putting it together knows what they're doing.)

Liquid cooling is only useful if you really need the quiet, don't mind the extra cost and maintenance and have a lot of heat otherwise. A single GPU, stock CPU setup is never going to need liquid cooling.

 

[GrandAdmiral]

Alienware is usually expensive but the prices are going down since they were purchased by Dell. Nothing for the price can compete with new m11x notebook for example with starts at $700 and has built in support for overclocking. Which brings up another point, you might want to look into gaming laptops instead of desktops since you aren't building it. If you do want a reasonably priced desktop the lower midrange Dell XPS desktops are a good choice.

If you are worried about Alienware because of the price then liquid cooling would be a complete waste. If you aren't a system builder then there is no reason for you to get liquid cooling. It's quieter but dust isn't really a big deal. Just open the case and dump it out (Alienware, Dell use a latch/no screws) every year.

 

[Genocidicbunny]

Dusting once a year?! Maybe if your air goes through a house-wide HEPA filter. Otherwise, once a month at minimum.

 

[warpus]

Dude, don't get a dell

 

[Maniacal]

Alienware is overpriced, I don't know of any other places or sites to get a good computer in your area as I don't know where you live, but I am guessing probably the USA? Newegg is a good site to check for hardware.

Honestly, it is incredibly easy to build a computer yourself. I simply followed the instructions in my motherboard's manual, the only hard part was finding the damn screwdriver with the short handle for an annoyingly placed screw on my mobo (which I didn't put back in).

 

[GrandAdmiral]

Dusting once a year?! Maybe if your air goes through a house-wide HEPA filter. Otherwise, once a month at minimum.

That really depends on what your intention is. If you have found that you need to dust that often for a noticeable performance or reliability gains then you might have other problems. I just opened one of my dell xps desktops after about 8 months and there was hardly any dust in it. There's actually a vent on the bottom where all the dust accumulated outside of the case.

Honestly, it is incredibly easy to build a computer yourself.

Yea but it's also far too easy to spend far more on components then you would if you just bought a machine. It used to be easy to save money building custom rigs. These days a lot machines are subsidized and sold for prices you can't build with. The last desktop I bought was $800 but the components were twice as much on newegg, and that was with a cheap case and power supply. You generallly build your own system now so you can choose superior components.

 

[Genocidicbunny]

That really depends on what your intention is. If you have found that you need to dust that often for a noticeable performance or reliability gains then you might have other problems. I just opened one of my dell xps desktops after about 8 months and there was hardly any dust in it. There's actually a vent on the bottom where all the dust accumulated outside of the case.

I dont do it for performance reasons, but I do it to maintain temperatures. Im anal about having my temps slowly climb over the course of a month. Your dell is also made to be low-maintenance, which means less fans, finer dust filters blocking airflow and less case holes. My system on the other hand has a full-grill front that houses 3 fans, a 220 mm grill on top for the fan, a side vent and two rear exhausts. I keep positive air pressure inside the case to keep the dust out, but the filters still get clogged up pretty fast.

Imho, it depends largely on your locale. If you live out in the country or above the 10th floor, you will have much less dust than if you live at ground level on a pretty busy street, like I do
I keep my window open 9/12ths of the year so that my room stays at a habitable temperature, but the result is that a lot of dust gets in.

Yea but it's also far too easy to spend far more on components then you would if you just bought a machine. It used to be easy to save money building custom rigs. These days a lot machines are subsidized and sold for prices you can't build with. The last desktop I bought was $800 but the components were twice as much on newegg, and that was with a cheap case and power supply. You generallly build your own system now so you can choose superior components.

Hah, as if. Your average Dell or HP may be getting close to the same price as a custom-built rig, but they're not even close in quality. You get your choice of parts when going the DIY route, you also have the option of much better parts. Once you go to higher end system (above 800$) then the gap widens even more.

 

[Maniacal]

Most pre-assembled computers cheap out on, at the very least, the graphics card. I've seen plenty of specs where the rig is pretty good for that price, except the graphics card. Mind they are aimed at the average user who won't be using games that need a good card, but it doesn't help bring more people into PC gaming either.

 

[GrandAdmiral]

Hah, as if. Your average Dell or HP may be getting close to the same price as a custom-built rig, but they're not even close in quality. You get your choice of parts when going the DIY route, you also have the option of much better parts. Once you go to higher end system (above 800$) then the gap widens even more.

Not really. Your average custom rigs that has a decent price is skimping on more components than a Dell and that's in addition to compensating by using older components. Once they start using decent cases, cables, power supplies, ram, and cooling systems, the custom rigs are usually more expensive. I know you have more choices but the price goes up as you start making better ones. Most people just don't itemize the price of their rigs accurtely.

 

[GVBN]

The last desktop I bought was $800 but the components were twice as much on newegg, and that was with a cheap case and power supply.

Wanna give us the specs