PC Purchase Advice

[Roke]

Well, I'm looking at buying a brand new computer and Futureshop has this Compaq on sale for $500 including a refurbihed 17" monitor:

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/pr...S10055529&catid=10607&logon=&langid=EN&dept=1

I'm wondering whether anyone has had experience with Compaqs, their oppinion on them and a reccomendation whether or not to go for it (please note that prices are in Canadian $). Another option would be to get one of these pacakges ( http://www.computerboulevard.ca/mb/retail_diy.asp) from a local outfit and build it myself however I would need to get a monitor and software which would make it less appealing.

Any advice or antidotes you have would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[MarineCorps]

Well everything there meets industry minumim standards. However I have not had the peaslure of using a compaq since I got rid of one using windows 3.1 in 98. However Rmshape has a site in his sig I belive the URL is www.campaqsucks.com or something like that. Google it if it doesn't work.

 

[Goober]

AHH!!! COMPAQ!!! Compaq = Computer incarnation of Satan.

Compaq is pure evil, I advise that you do NOT get a Compaq. Anything but, in fact. Everybody I know who has a Compaq , including my parents, has had a terrible experience.

 

[Zakharov]

What do you intend to use this machine for?

The Compaq machine is useful only if you are going to use it for things like word processing and web browsing. Plus, if you plan to upgrade your machine at all in the future then you should definitely build your own.

 

[Roke]

What do you intend to use this machine for?

The Compaq machine is useful only if you are going to use it for things like word processing and web browsing. Plus, if you plan to upgrade your machine at all in the future then you should definitely build your own.

Thanks, I didn't realise I had omitted this. The Machine would probably be used for Web Browsing and Word Processing 90% of the time with gaming (the games wouldn't require a good graphics card or power, games like Civ2 and 3, NHL Eastside Hockey Manager and some other older strategy games). Aside from those type of games, the one game I might be interested in would be "America's Army" but that would require an upgrade to the graphics card on the Compaq (or the built PC from one of those packages). The Upgrade question is a tough one. The machine I'm currently using was a shop-model E-machine which was gradually upgraded over time and now the only orginial parts from it are the cables. I foresee upgrading the next computer being very similar.

Thanks again.