PLEASE HELP! I need some advice/help on choosing a new gaming computer that I will hopefully be getting within the next year, and I don't know much about computers or which one is better. So my question is, how should I start? By buying an already built tower? Or constructing my own? :unsure2:
I have also been searching sites like Best Buy, Staples or Walmart, and have seen their gaming computers. What store, and what computer manufacturer should I choose? Should I get Alienware? a CyberpowerPC? (<- is that even a company?) or another one?
Am I asking too many questions? lol :unsure:

Build your own. And start by reading the giant first post of the thread essentially dedicated to this very question.

http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1207079-the-community-tech-thread-no-102/

Nope buying a computer can be a big deal if you don't fully understand what you are looking for nor what to do.

1. What is the computer being used for? (A gaming computer can do schoolwork, but a schoolwork computer can't do gaming..atleast in most cases)
2. What is your target budget for a computer? (Contrary to popular belief you don't need $5000 to buy or build a decent computer. Seen some system built at a decent price of $500 to $700)
3. Are you preferable to one brand or another? (Some like AMD components other like Intel so it becomes preference at times)
4. Do you need to future proof your machine? (Many including myself have systems that are made semi-future proof where we can upgrade them down the road)
5. Are you comfortable sorting out problems or do you like bringing it to a store?

Those questions should help you out for the moment and then you can move on. Biggest question that should be answered is #2 since your budget will determine the resources allowed for your computer.

TIP: DON'T buy Alienware.

As per forum custom, this must be mentioned at least once per every thread about computers, it seems.

It's not that Alienware is bad, it's actually a very good computer. It's just that you're paying for the name and the overcharging they do to build your PC. Something they have for $1,800 you can probably get for $1,000 and so forth. But yeah build your own, it's really not that hard and you can do something awesome for around $1000. They also have deals going on all the time, newegg has one going on right now that lowered the PC's price that I was going to build by $160.

We need to know what budget you are looking for? Monitor, speakers, keyboard, mouse needed?
Can you built it yourself? Its always the best way to go.
Stay far away from Alienware.
I personally would say wait until you have the funds before you choose components, as they will come down in price.


Well when Alienware is charging $1100 for components that can be ordered from Newegg for $130 or less its a complete ripoff. (I am referring to some RAM I picked up from Newegg a while back, 16GB @ 1600Mhz for $135....the same RAM can be installed on an Alienware build for $1100)

It's not that they are charging more for the components, but rather putting them together and whatever else they do to the computer. Like they overclock each processor they have in their machines so you pay more for them doing that. You pay as much as you would on newegg for the base components, and then the extra $1000 comes from the cost of them building it and putting their "name" on it..plus the case and their liquid cooling and whatever else. For people like us who could just build what they did and pay $1000 less, it's good. But for people who have the money and rather not deal with all that, it's not that their bad computers..just that you're paying a Ferrari price for it.

Yeah and just so people don't think I'm an Alienware fan boy, I agree with the sentiment that building your own PC is the best way to go. That's what I'm gonna do and if you like money that's what you should do too.

On top of what's been already said, get your funds gathered up first before asking the question of "What PC to get?". When your within a couple weeks of buying, you can ask in the Tech Topic filling out the questions asked in the first post. Technology changes and prices drop a lot. What's suggested to you now may need be a good idea months from now. "hopefully be getting within the next year" doesn't sound like you're quite ready yet.

Alienware is ridiculously overpriced. CyberPowerPC is a decent boutique custom built PC site, but building your own is still the best way....more part variety, cheaper prices, and a sense of accomplishment/learning.

I was in your exact position about 3 weeks ago, and now I have this awesome PC (which I built myself). I would recommend building your own, and there is plenty of online guides on the subject. Mine cost about $750.

Not much else to say really. Pretty much what everyone else has said. Build it yourself, it's cheaper, and not complicated in the slightest (if you can match colors, shapes, and use a screwdriver, you can do it!). I'd suggest parts from Newegg and/or TigerDirect.

If you have the money, and like computers that look like they were designed by an "eleventeen" year old with an alien fetish (at least in my opinion, I think they look awful), you could pick something up from Alien Ware. Though you'd be really over paying for it, and could most likely get something better, for much much cheaper.

For about $800 (give or take, depending on if you need extra mice, keyboards, speakers, monitors, etc), you can build yourself a fantastic machine. I did a few months back, and I'm running everything I've thrown at it (Crysis 1/Warhead/2, SC2, Age of Conan, The Witcher 2, etc) at max (or nearly max in the case of the Witcher 2, ubersampling drops me to 30FPS) settings, at 50+ FPS in 1600x900 resolution.

You don't have to build it yourself i've seen some good computers out there come from a computer store. This eliminates the risk of damaging the parts or trying to figure if the parts are DoA. However building the computer yourself means you have greater control over what goes into the machine and you aren't paying a HUGE overhead cost. My machine cost me around $2400 with parts + S&H charges and I can guarantee that it would have cost me atleast $3000 to $3500 if I went with a name brand computer like Alienware. Example of a http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883227314 that's prebuilt is this one here from Newegg which has some pretty decent specs and at $500 that's not a bad price imho.

You can simply buy the parts you want then pay $50 (With my e-tailer at least and there are many others.) for them to assemble it for you. Best of both worlds. Better parts for your money, and it's pre-assembled ready to use the moment you get it. Well, after minimal assembly. (Monitor/mouse/keyboard/speakers.)