W3J Used Upgrading?

So, I can get a W3J w/ Core Duo, 1GB (1 x 1GB), 100GB 5400RPM for about $1300 w/ an asus hard case.

This is an awesome deal, however, I really want the best of the best right now, meaning Core 2 Duo, 2GB RAM, 100GB 7200RPM.

To add these components would be about $550 with shipping.

Do you think it'd be worth it to buy the used W3J and sell the components taken out of them (I think I could get about $200 in total from them) and replace them with my upgraded components to bring the price to be about $1850 probably before I try to sell the extracted components, $1650 if I can sell them?

Or do you think it's best to just, buy a new one with the same components for about $2200.

The only major downfall I have with buying the used one and upgrading myself is:

1. Voids the Warranty
2. No Vista Upgrade Coupon which means if I want vista, I'd have to pay the like $300 (and I really want Vista)

 

You should look into the W3jp, I don't know much about buying one, but it is the Core 2 Duo version, which at least fixes that part of the problem. Some of the resellers on this forum will upgrade when you buy, which decreases the price, and they will offer you their own warranty. You might want to wonder over to the Asus forum (scroll down the main page of forums) and poke your head around there.

 

Well, I've been configuring the W3J using BTOTECH.com and for a Core 2 Duo w/ 4MB Cache, 2GB RAM, 100GB 7200RPM comes to just around $2100. This is with a 1 year warranty, which doesnt' cover much, so it's pretty much useless IMHO.

If I buy the used one, and then upgrade it myself with the same components, the price comes to about $1300 + $550 = $1850 and then I could sell the components that come with it to reduce that cost to about $1550. All I need then is to buy Windows XP Pro with an upgrade coupon and I'm all set to go.

I guess, what I'm really asking is: should I be nervous about doing this to a laptop? The RAM and Hard Drive I'm not too worried about upgrading, those are simple, but I'm nervous about the replacing the CPU. Should I be? Or is it worth it to pay the extra $300-$500 to have a 'professional' do it?

 

If its your first time, you might be a little nervous. Just take your time, and do lots of reading about it first, make sure you know what you are doing. After that, just monitor the system, make sure everything is running the way it should. I doubt it would be a huge mistake, but again, if you haven't done this before, it could be tough.