Ask GadgetMadness: Best Gaming PC?

March 09, 2005 at 04:48 PM in

GadgetMadness regular "Bill" writes in to ask:

I have to face the reality of a PC system that's turning 3 years old.
1) Should I buy or build my gaming PC?

I built my last one, and have no complaints with it. But it seems the prices of pre-built systems, ala Dell, have dropped so far as to make building my own system not worth the cost savings. I gain no personal satisfaction from building my own stuff, other than the money I've saved. If the amount saved is negligible...then I don't want to fuss with it.

2) What exists besides Dell?

I know about Gateway and Alienware, but I have heard they are more expensive. I have no verified this myself, but I eventually will before I make a purchase. What about exclusive vendor deals with sellers? As far as I know, Intel has an exclusive with Dell which prevents Dell from offering the latest AMD chip...which just so happens to be the fastest (?) chip on the market right now.

Should I build or buy? Either way, what are the best sites to scan for prices? Is there a "best time" to buy, like summer or something?

We expect that your Gadget Maniacs are the experts on sweet gaming rigs - any advice for Bill? Best sites to buy from, best gaming rigs? Leave your feedback in the comments board!