Prebuilt, $1000, quiet desktop?

Disclaimer: I know people on online forums dislike prebuilt desktops. I'm not averse to eventually learning to build by own, but I need a new desktop PC in the very near future, and this is NOT the time for me to learn new things; in addition to my two kids, my disabled mother-in-law is moving in with us and I have zero spare time at the moment. I'd rather pay more for prebuilt, and am just looking at different prebuilt options, not trying to get into the prebuilt-versus-build-your-own debate.

Budget: up to $1000 not including monitor.

Brand preferences: flexible.

Intended uses: word processing, web browsing, light gaming (don't need max settings but want to play IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Staingrad, Mass Effect Andromeda, etc).

Other criteria:
* Want it to be a quiet-running machine. This matters a lot to me.
* Want at least 1TB of onboard storage. Ideally, I want a small SSD for the OS and large HDD for data storage.
* Very flexible on case design. I'm not specifically seeking out crazy Alienware or Acer Predator-style cases, but wouldn't throw a fit if that's the case that a good machine comes in. In fact, my boys (6 and 9) would love it.
* Don't have strong feelings on which GPU, and am willing to work with either Nvidia or AMD, so long as the card at issue is able to handle modern games at midrange settings.

Any thoughts? I've been primarily eyeing the Alienware X51 and the HP Envy Phoenix, but I'm very open to other suggestions.

 

It doesn't take more than an hour for a simple gaming pc, really.

I'd say go with a manufacturer that uses industry standard parts, not OEM specific. ibuypower seems ok.

 

You know how an experienced chef can do in 40 minutes what takes you six hours in the kitchen because he doesn't have to keep stopping to ask "what now" and gets everything he needs for the project on the first trip to the store?

I'm not the experienced chef.

I once burned most of a day replacing the HDD on a 2008 MBP. And now is not the time in my life when I want to see how many times I get stuck building my first PC.

Edit: I'll check out ibuypower. Is the emphasis on non-proprietary parts just a matter of principle, or are there practical benefits?

 

So the local Best Buy has one ibuypower build on display. I wasn't particularly happy with the apparent build quality; it's hard to put into words but the case design and construction really seemed to lack construction.

Are there other standard-parts manufacturers who might bring more fit and finish to the table? Maingear has a much more polished page; are their products more refined too, or is that just a difference in advertising?

 

I would probably go with one of the smaller form factor alienware desktops

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

 

Okay, Alienware is currently running a sale on the X51 that makes the i5-plus-upgraded-GPU model a no-brainer over the base model (the SSD+HDD combo is on sale for the upgraded model but not the base model, and I really want the SSD+HDD combo). So now I need to figure out which of two GPUs is better for me. The two options are:

AMD Radeon™ R9 370 with 4GB GDDR5
or
NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 960 with 2GB GDDR5

The latter is $50 more than the former. Cost isn't determinative since they're so close. Which should I go with? I don't really know my GPUs and don't have a ton of time to research the issue at the moment.

Thanks!

 

380
See, this is why we hate prebuilt systems. For a grand you could be rocking an i5+970/390 instead of 960/370.
But in your case I guess 960 is the best better option, unless you can buy it without a GPU and pop one yourself in (not very difficult).

 

Time (both researching what to build, how to build, and actually building it, all of which is significant when it's your first time doing something) is not free. I'm not a single teen or 20-something where time is relatively free in this inquiry. My time is valuable for my kids, for my disabled mother-in-law, and for my legal practice. I know darned well I could get a better specs for the cash if I also invested more of my time than just checking boxes on an Alienware order sheet. But that's not a good investment under my current circumstances.

So the question is 960 versus 370, not 970+time I don't have versus 370+time I don't have...

 

Fait enough, I guess. But usually you don't even need much time to decide what parts to get. 30 minutes to chose with a help of PCPartPicker (+some time to ask us here on our opinion, basically what you are doing now) and a 50 bucks or whatever for a guy at a PC shop to assemble it.

Read my reply again

 

Please see posts #2 and #3, as well as my initial disclaimer in my original post that this is really not the debate I was tryingto start. "30 minutes to someone who has done this before" does NOT translate to "30 minutes to those who have not done it before and are not currently literate in the topic."

There are two PC shops in my town and I really don't trust either. I don't live in a major metro area where options are limitless.

 

Dude, I built a PC for the first time myself only last year. But I digress, I will leave now.

 

Dude, were you taking care of a six-year-old, a nine-year-old, and a disabled 76-year-old at the time?

Seriously, I wanted advice on choosing a prebuilt machine, not a browbeating about looking at prebuilt machines in the first place. That's why I put the italicized paragraph right at the beginning of the initial post...

 

You really need some friends who know their way around PCs.

No. But that doesn't mean I don't have any other responsibilities in my life. Then again, I was on holiday at that time, so yeah, had plenty of free time, so you have a point there.

Yes, I saw that. And I originally didn't want to post anything, didn't want to be one of those guys. Sure worked out good in the end...
Just thought you had some down time in between your busy schedule, to have a cup of tea and read some work unrelated stuff on the Internet. A perfect time to research stuff. Also it's both fun and useful.

Anyway, how about this one, the one for $1173:
http://www.digitalstorm.com/vanquish-5.asp
Obviously DS skimps out on crap PSU, but that's to be expected, because they all do.
Not sure how you might find its looks and it's a bit over your budget. But if you can find an extra $50 surely you can spare another $100 .

 

I can buy Alienwares on the internet. I can't buy friends with different taste on the internet. Most everyone I know is either an attorney or a City employee. The only people I know locally with that knowledge are the folks in the Tech Services department, and I'm not going to be that guy who asks people to spend their off-time doing for free what they do while on the clock.

I didn't say you don't have responsibilities. My point was exactly about free time and how it's severely lacking in my life right now.

Fun is subjective. Researching the history of Henry rifles is, for me, fun. Researching the latest hot hatch is, for me, fun. Researching which motherboard and which cooling unit and which power supply I need and how to put them all together is, for me, NOT fun. Your mileage may (and does) vary. For me it's a chore and a stressful one at that. And so, I'd rather pay a little extra to have Alienware worry about those details.

See? How am I supposed to expect that, and what consequences it will have in day-to-day ownership, without spending a ton of time researching stuff, which is exactly what I'm trying not to do? You act like it's common knowledge, like everyone knows who the President is, where Canada is, and that Digital Storm skimps on PSUs. One of those is not like the other two.

But thank you for the link. Next time give it to me without the browbeating about how I need better friends and need to research desktop components more I will consider it compared to the Alienware build I'm now looking at, which is very comparable in specs except smaller and with a 960.

 

Ah, lawyers, what a useless lot! Dammit, I should stop being such a bunghole! Why can't you offer a payment for people in tech department? I think they would gladly do it for money. Though if you're uncomfortable to ask them, better not.
But hey, I would gladly be your buddy if you're willing to pay me!

Eh, it literally took me less than a minute to Goole, and another minute to see a picture of Corsair CX series PSU inside, which is a Tier 4 PSU (if you're interested: http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/id-2547993/psu-tier-list.html). Long story short, a cheap ass PSU, but it should be fine, because you won't be overclocking it or running 24/7. But don't be surprised if it fails.

Few other vendors to look at (I'm also guessing you want a smaller/thinner form factor):
http://secure.ncixus.com/ncixpc/ncixpclist.cfm?categoryid=1011 ( http://secure.ncixus.com/ncixpc/ncixpc.cfm?uuid=E554C849-1FA0-410B-B55BA9AFCA9F1354-6863946)
http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/ (be advised, some people on THG say they sometimes ship with parts missing) ( http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/system/Syber_Vapor_Elite)
http://ironsidecomputers.com/page.php?load=ironsideseries ( http://ironsidecomputers.com/page.php?load=imp)
All these have configurable models to some extent (please don't shout at me), so if you find chassis you like, but it doesn't have you're preferred parts in it, you can change it a bit to your liking (obviously ask here for help if you hit a wall).

Other things to consider - new GPUs should be "somewhere around the corner", and why not console?
I realise that there's no BOS, but PC also means driver updates and all that stuff, which you might not be willing to do.

Isn't it, though? I mean, seriously, Canada... Unless the person comes from a country which has no educational system whatsoever.
Oh and president of which country

 

The original post is there for a reason!

"Intended uses: word processing, web browsing, light gaming (don't need max settings but want to play IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Staingrad, Mass Effect Andromeda, etc)."

Totally not doing business with a company with that reputation. Not under the circumstances I already explained where I want a PC I can just unbox and use.

 

I came in here wanting to recommend a Digital Storm desktop, but I can see the Vanquish 5 has already been suggested. If your budget permits it, definitely get the level 2 configuration if going that route. I wouldn't worry too much about the PSU. Even if it's not high-tier, it's 600W and will rarely be pushed. Besides, the system will ship with either a Corsair CX600 or some EVGA PSU of equivalent wattage. If contacted about avoiding the CX600, I doubt they'll flat out refuse the request.

Neowin seemed very happy about the noise level of the previous-gen Vanquish they reviewed.

 

So after doing some more research, at least this time I'm going to go with a major OEM instead of a boutique builder. Right now the choice is down to two models, both around the $1200 price point. The HP Envy Phoenix through the Microsoft Store seems very, very tempting and offers better bang for the buck, including offering liquid cooling, but I don't know if I trust HP build quality as much as Alienware.

OPTION ONE: Alienware X51, $1,129
Intel® Core™ i5-6400 (6MB Cache, up to 3.3GHz with Turbo Boost Technology) Includes Hyper-Threading
NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 960 with 2GB GDDR5
8GB Dual Channel DDR4 at 2133Mhz; up to 32GB (additional memory sold separately)
256GB PCIe SSD (Boot) + 1TB (64MB Cache) 7200RPM SATA 6Gb/s
Bonus perk: compact case design

OPTION TWO: HP Envy Phoenix, $1,199
Intel Core i7-6700 3.40 GHz with Turbo Boost Technology up to 4.00 GHz
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 with 2GB graphics memory
16GB DDR4 2133 MHz
128GB SSD + 2TB 7200 RPM HDD
Bonus perk: liquid cooled

Thoughts?

 

I won't rehash the advice that you don't want. Between those two I would choose the HP, the better CPU, liquid cooling and double the ram are well worth the $70. Personally I wouldn't worry about the build quality but I guess I've never had computers fall apart on me. Granted I sell them a few months after I get them

I don't like the 960's both coming with 2GB video memory but I suppose with a mid level card you probably would not benefit greatly from more anyway.

 

Second the Hp as the better choice... If you have a bit more budget, get something with i5-6600K or i7-6700K and a better GPU but if you can't afford it, the HP isn't bad..

 

I've already stretched my budget more than I wanted to to get to the $1,200 price point. No matter how far I stretch my budget, there's always something even better if I go 20% further...

 

6700 will be plentiful.
Out of those two HP is clearly a winner.

 

Thanks, I appreciate the input. The 2TB of storage is something I really wanted (between games AND family photos and videos AND music, space can fill up quickly), the 16 gb of RAM makes it feel much more future-proof, and the liquid cooling to keep noise down is a huge plus that I wasn't expecting at this price point. And looks are subjective, but I like the Envy Phoenix case more than anything else I've looked at.

I haven't ever bought HP before, and I know the company is facing some hard times, but nobody on this forum or elsewhere is urging me to be wary, so I'm pretty much ready to pull the trigger on this one.

 

While their consumer-class laptops are a bit iffy, I haven't heard anything bad about their desktops. My family used to have a Pavilion Elite m9402f back in the Vista days (bought it in '08, used it until '14 or '15, I forget) and it lived a fairly long life without giving us any hardware issues whatsoever. Actually, it could have lived on a lot longer if I didn't gut it and incorporate parts of it into the DIY desktop I gifted the family to replace it (old AMD tech, bit of a power hog). If you do end up going for the HP, I think you'll be just fine with it.

 

Here is something different http://bensbargains.com/bargain/del...-i7-16gb-desktop-559-at-dell-business-127506/

i7-4790
16GB RAM
2TB HDD

$559 + tax

If you are willing to install a video card yourself, add $300 for a GTX 970 (or $200 for GTX 960) plus a 480GB SSD for $100-120.
For $1000 you get a very nice machine with quad i7, 16GB RAM, GTX970, 480GB SSD for the OS and games, plus 2TB HDD for storage.

 

First word of the title is Prebuilt, though

 

The HP Envy Phoenix has been ordered. Thanks everyone for your input.

 

Good luck, I hope you like it! You know the compromises and in your situation they were necessary, and that's all that really matters.

We all have different needs for sure, which is why I spend so much to get great performance similar to a desktop, but have it be portable so I can use it all over my house and take it to work or friends/families houses to game.

I can't tell you how many times I've heard "why don't you just buy a desktop and a cheap laptop instead and save a bunch of money?" Because I can't game on the cheap laptop very well and I can't carry my desktop around with me! Plus I have way too many computers right now I really don't need two more machines to constantly switch back and forth on even if I could!

 

Oh, quit making excuses!

 

It's all about the games, man.
I game perfectly fine on my T100 .

 

Well, it's here, it's set up, it's paired with a Dell S2415H that I got on sale at Best Buy (dang good monitor for $169...24" of 1080p IPS with really vibrant colors to my untrained eye and minimal bezels), and I LOVE it. The Envy Phoenix is effectively silent in normal usage. It purrs quietly even during extended gaming, with a slightly gurgly fish-tank sound instead of the normal high-pitched whir of overtaxed laptop fans that I'm used to. It demolishes Rise of Flight at 1080p. And it's just flashy enough to be "cool" (my boys LOVE the narrow LED strips that cycle colors) without being over-the-top or circus-y.

Hardware setup took about 10 minutes, most of which was routing cables around the back of my desk. Software setup took about 5 minutes (I bought through the Microsoft Store, so Microsoft Signature for the win...no bloatware to uninstall). Given my current life situation, that's really what I needed and wanted. Also, kudos to the Microsoft Store for having it delivered to my office less than 48 hours after I placed the order (I paid $9 for three-day shipping).

The included mouse is kinda poop, but the included keyboard is surprisingly good. Very much like a modern laptop with chicklet keys and a relatively compact design, but with good travel and spring to them. I type very well on it.

 

That cracked me up!

I would say the reason not to get proprietary parts is because at some point they may not be used anymore. And if that part goes faulty, it could be really hard to find a replacement. Same situation happened to my brother...

If you want something prebuilt, you may want to check out a Fry's Electronics. I would go so far as calling a few local PC stores and see what they can whip up. You may be able to get a better deal, and the right one would likely offer better support in the future.

 

Personally, I'd be weary about small-shop custom builds. Not because of the parts or anything (nothing different from what you or I would use in a DIY tower), but because of the support part. A big OEM like Dell or HP isn't likely to go away anytime soon, whereas a mom-and-pop might close their doors a few months after purchase (especially given online competition).

 

That is true, I guess research how long they have been around first, which does not mean they can't still go under, but may give a better outlook for the future. A big OEM can be good, but it can be bad, just depends on how everything goes does. But if you at least had a build without proprietary parts, you could bring it to any service center and they could help you. This is a non-issue for me (and I am sure many of us here) because we work on our own builds.