Which system ?

[Niptium]

I'm considering buying a new computer and I'm hesitating between the two. What I want is the cheapest system with the best performance, I don't care about the Alienware dressing up with glitters and hoola hoops...

ALIEN 51 for 2606$

Processor: Intel® Core™ 2 Duo E8400 3.00GHz 6MB Cache 1333MHz FSB
Alienware P2 Chassis: Alienware® P2 Chassis with AlienIce™ 3.0 Video Cooling - Space Black
System Lighting: Alienware® Standard System Lighting - Astral Blue
System Cooling: Alienware® Standard System Cooling
Power Supply: Alienware® 750 Watt Multi-GPU Approved Power Supply
Graphics Processor: Single 512MB GDDR5 ATI® Radeon® HD 4870
Memory: 2GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1066MHz - 2 x 1024MB
Motherboard: Alienware® Approved NVIDIA® nForce® 790i Ultra SLI™ Motherboard
Includes PCI-Express 2.0, DDR3 Memory, and Support for Intel 1600 FSB
Operating System (Office software not included): Windows Vista® Home Premium with Service Pack 1 – DirectX 10 Ready!
System Drive: Single Drive Configuration - 160GB SATA 1.5Gb/s 10,000RPM 16MB Cache
Optical Drives : Single Drive Configuration - Dual Layer Blu-ray Reader (BD-ROM, DVD±RW, CD-RW)
Enthusiast Essentials: Dual High Performance Gigabit Ethernet Ports
Sound Card: High-Definition 7.1 Performance Audio
Monitor: 22" Samsung 2253BW – 1680 x 1050 (2ms) Widescreen Flat Panel
Keyboard: Standard Keyboard - Standard Keyboard
Mouse: Standard Mouse - Standard Optical 3-Button Mouse with Scroll Wheel
Warranty: 1-Year AlienCare Toll-Free 24/7 Phone Support w/ Onsite Service

DELL

XPS 730 for 2389$

Processor:
Intel® Core™2 Q9300 (6MB,2.50GHz, 1333FSB) SZ3Q93A 1 [223-7253] 1
Operating System:
Genuine Windows Vista™ Home Premium VHP3E 1 [330-0632][420-5769][420-5924][420-6436][420-7622][420-8268] 11
System Color:
Aluminum with Clearcoat Chassis SLVR 1 [311-8368] 2
Cooling Option:
Copper base Heat Sink with aluminum fins AC 1 [311-8370] 38
Memory:
4GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1067MHz - 4 DIMMs 4G1064D 1 [311-8374]
Hard Drives:
160GB - WD Raptor 10000RPM, SATA 3.0Gb/s, 16MB Cache 160S10K 1 [341-6380] 8
Sound Cards:
Sound Blaster® X-Fi™ XtremeMusic (D) Sound Card VXFI 1 [313-6128] 17
Video Cards:
Nvidia® GeForce® 8800 GT 512MB GT8800 1 [320-6334] 6
Optical Drives:
Single Drive: Blu-ray Disc Drive (BD/DVD/CD burner w/double layer BD write 4XBD 1 [313-6335][420-6924][420-6925][420-8154] 16
Monitors:
22 inch SP2208WFP Widescreen Digital Flat Panel Monitor w/ Built-in Webcam SP22WFP 1 [320-6344] 5
Mouse:
Dell Premium Optical USB Mouse POM 1 [310-8650] 12
Adobe Software:
Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 8.1 AAREAD 1 [420-7468] 15
Labels:
Windows Vista™ Premium VPD 1 [310-8626] 7
ISP:
3 months of Videotron High Speed Internet Service Included (QC) VIDTRON 1 [009-8840] 40
Modem:
Internal PCI 802.11n Wireless Network Card DW1505 1 [430-2764] 14
Online Data Storage:
DataSafe Online Backup 3GB DASF3G 1 [420-7091][420-7092][987-4817][988-0099] 31

Hardware Services:
1 Year Next Business Day Onsite/In Home Service and Tech Support HSBW1OS 1 [950-3337][950-9797][960-8700][987-8050][990-1467] 29
Speakers:
Dell AX510 10W Attached Speaker for UltraSharp™ Flat Panel Monitors AX510 1 [313-6324] 18
Keyboard:
Dell USB Enhanced Multimedia Keyboard MMK 1 [310-7964] 4


My Internet is a wireless feed from a routeur. Do I need a PCI Wireless Network card for it or every other cpu nowadays come with wireless devices ?

 

[Bigfoot3814]

This should really be in computer talk. They'd know.

 

[kuukkeli]

What I want is the cheapest system with the best performance

Then don't buy a prebuilt computer. Both of the packages have some obvious flaws and I'm sure that by building one yourself you can get better computer with smaller price.

About the Alien one:

• Only mentions the watts on PSU which often means a bad quality PSU.
• nForce mobo. Only reason to get one is to use SLI which this package obviously doesn't do.
• With 2GB memory and Vista you're most probably getting 32-bit Vista which IMO is a no go.
• 160GB hard drive is awfully small. 10,000RPM offers very little when compared to good 7,200RPM drives. If you really want a fast system drive get SSD.
• There's only integrated audio which is bad for gaming.
• I have no idea what Alienware Standard Cooling System actually is so that might either be a good or a bad thing.

About the Dell:

• No mention of 64-bit Vista so one must assume it's 32-bit. Bad thing especially as the package has 4GB memory.
• See above about 160GB drive.
• No mention of PSU at all is a bad sign.
• 8800GT is an outdated GPU that today offers bad performance for the money.

If the choice really must be between the two I can't choose. Maybe the Dell has fewer flaws and it's a bit cheaper. But seriously, consider building your own computer if you want a good return for your money.

 

[Cutlass]

I've never heard anything good about Dell except that they're cheap (which isn't necessarily good). I'd build from scratch before buying Dell.

 

[Niptium]

ok thanks for the info, then I'll probably build it myself...

 

[Niptium]

I don't knw how to build one. But then again... I have to ask, what is a SLI ? And then again, for the same price I could get a 500 GB RAID Hard drive instead of a 160 GB 10k one... but really size of the hard drive doesn't matter as I use only 40GB of my 60GB hard drive on this computer.

 

[Aramazd]

I don't knw how to build one. But then again... I have to ask, what is a SLI ?

SLI is a method of putting two or more nvidia GPUs together to get more performence. Crossfire X is a similar technology for ATI cards. Generally, you'll get better performance from one better card and often at a cheaper price.

And then again, for the same price I could get a 500 GB RAID Hard drive instead of a 160 GB 10k one... but really size of the hard drive doesn't matter as I use only 40GB of my 60GB hard drive on this computer.

If you aren't going to use the extra space, a 10k one would be better.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I don't knw how to build one.

I had a few sites in my bookmarks that may help.
http://www.kitchentablecomputers.com/
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/build-a-computer.htm
http://www.buildyourown.org.uk/
http://www.build-your-own-computers.com/
http://www.pcmech.com/byopc/

Most of them say if you can turn a screwdriver, you can build computer. (I can't even turn a screwdriver!) Enjoy.

 

[Quintillus]

If you go prebuilt, and don't care about the fancy lights and stuff, I'd seriously consider this model:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8891684&type=product&id=1214611180474

Comments:

*The video card is better than the one on the Dell, and similar to the Alienware, in performance. It doesn't appear that you can add a second video card but that's usually overkill anyways. By the time it's at all worth buying another, you might as well just replace the one it comes with with a new one rather than going SLI.
*You get much more memory (6 GB) and hard drive space (640 GB).
*You get the same processor as the Dell has.
*The price is MUCH lower - by more than $1000. Granted, it doesn't include Blu-Ray or a 22-inch monitor. But you can get that for much less than $1000 third-party. A 22-inch monitor will be a bit below $300 most likely, and a Blu-Ray writer around $400. Although I'd recommend going with a Blu-Ray reader only for about $200. Blu-Ray discs aren't actually noticeably cheaper per GB than DVD's, and if you're doing large scale backups it would be much more convenient to get an external hard drive.

One other note - a 500 GB, 7200 RPM hard drive is probably nearly as fast as a 160 GB, 10000 RPM hard drive. The two primary factors in a hard drive's speed are rotations per minute and density. The 500 GB drive has fewer RPM, but probably has higher density. If it actually has three times the density, it probably is about the same speed. However, it may not actually be three times the density - a model number would be required to know that, which you probably won't know ahead of time.

 

[MarineCorps]

Then don't buy a prebuilt computer. Both of the packages have some obvious flaws and I'm sure that by building one yourself you can get better computer with smaller price.

About the Alien one:

• 160GB hard drive is awfully small. 10,000RPM offers very little when compared to good 7,200RPM drives. If you really want a fast system drive get SSD.

The largest SSD out there is only 128GB and that costs $519. Not to mention this article

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13924_3-9996317-64.html

 

[kuukkeli]

The largest SSD out there is only 128GB and that costs $519.

Of course you don't get only SSD but accompany it with regular 7,200RPM drive. 32GB or 64GB is easily enough for OS and some extra programs that mostly benefit from the speed.

Not to mention this article

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13924_3-9996317-64.html

Like some in the comments I call that article bollocks. You can disable disk cache (or move it to regular HDD if you really need it) and defrag (which isn't required by SSD anyway) in Vista. Article doesn't give a single reasonable argument for its claim while the numbers speak for themselves.

 

[Conroe]

you're most probably getting 32-bit Vista which IMO is a no go.

An interesting comment ... I realize that 64-bit is the wave of the future. But I was under the impression that the 64-bit version had a lot of application compatibility issues (hw drivers aside). I take it your experiences have been different?

 

[kuukkeli]

An interesting comment ... I realize that 64-bit is the wave of the future. But I was under the impression that the 64-bit version had a lot of application compatibility issues (hw drivers aside). I take it your experiences have been different?

First things first - all of my comments regarding Vista are based on second hand experience as I am still using XP.

Majority of comments I've seen seem to agree that Vista has very good 64-bit support. 64-bit Vista should be almost as compatible as 32-bit. With new computer (and therefore new hardware) there shouldn't be any problems.

 

[GrandAdmiral]

Then don't buy a prebuilt computer. Both of the packages have some obvious flaws and I'm sure that by building one yourself you can get better computer with smaller price.

About the Alien one:

• Only mentions the watts on PSU which often means a bad quality PSU.
• nForce mobo. Only reason to get one is to use SLI which this package obviously doesn't do.
• With 2GB memory and Vista you're most probably getting 32-bit Vista which IMO is a no go.
• 160GB hard drive is awfully small. 10,000RPM offers very little when compared to good 7,200RPM drives. If you really want a fast system drive get SSD.
• There's only integrated audio which is bad for gaming.
• I have no idea what Alienware Standard Cooling System actually is so that might either be a good or a bad thing.

Alienware uses PowerPC PSUs which are considered by many to be best psu available. They disclose that in the website and you can see it when you look inside the case. Alienware standard cooling uses fans like everyone else. The upgrade is a liquid cooling system. Alienware uses some of the best components across the board and the build quality is far superior to Dell. Sometimes with Dells consumer lines, a computer of the same model actually has different components with the same specs.

... If your going to spend money on a prebuilt system the Alienware is of much better quality, although the pre-configured systems are not the best choice when you go with Alienware. Its just the stuff that ships faster. If you can build on then don't waste your money.

 

[Zelig]

Alienware uses PowerPC PSUs which are considered by many to be best psu available. They disclose that in the website and you can see it when you look inside the case. Alienware standard cooling uses fans like everyone else. The upgrade is a liquid cooling system. Alienware uses some of the best components across the board and the build quality is far superior to Dell. Sometimes with Dells consumer lines, a computer of the same model actually has different components with the same specs.

... If your going to spend money on a prebuilt system the Alienware is of much better quality, although the pre-configured systems are not the best choice when you go with Alienware. Its just the stuff that ships faster. If you can build on then don't waste your money.

Dell = Alienware.

 

[Veritass]

An interesting comment ... I realize that 64-bit is the wave of the future. But I was under the impression that the 64-bit version had a lot of application compatibility issues (hw drivers aside). I take it your experiences have been different?

Do I assume correctly that something like Civ will be running in a 32-bit compatibility mode under this OS? Does that limit the resources it can use (for example, does this limit this program to using <4GB of memory)? Thanks.

 

[Aramazd]

Do I assume correctly that something like Civ will be running in a 32-bit compatibility mode under this OS? Does that limit the resources it can use (for example, does this limit this program to using <4GB of memory)? Thanks.

Yes. 32 bit code can not use 64 bit features.