Like the title states. Windoze, please, sorry mac fans.

I would prefer 'build' one myself. I do not need a monitor, keyboard, ethernet card, OS, speakers etc.

what route should I go?

Any companies I should check out?

would like to go midrange- I don't play games nor am I a computer geek.

Time is not an issue, I have another old franken-computer that i use in the mean time.

Thanks

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'90 300SE 298k
-300K and it gets put into retirement.
'80 300D 255k Purchased new by family in 1980.

Had a:
1973 220 (gas)
1980 300SD
1992 400E

Go to PCmagazine.com and check out their reviews

__________________
MB-less

Many are so cheap now. I don't know why you'd want to do it yourself, unless you just like that sort of thing.

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

www.cbwarehouse.com

They've been there for a long time. They sell everything you need to build one, and they have pre-builts of varying performance grades. I've bought parts, as well as systems for a previous employer from them and never had any troubles.

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It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so. Robert A. Heinlein


09 Jetta TDI
1985 300D

For desktops I use Dell's at work. They've been reliable for the life of the latest contract (total of about 8 years, I guess). Problems have been uncommon but usually involve internal hard drives and various USB problems. I understand that Dell is not alone with the USB problems.

With laptops, I haven't been pleased with Dell. It's a PITA to write a justification for anything else but people who take the time either buy an Apple or a Viao.

FWIW.

B

I love my HP. I'd just go to like Bestbuy and buy an HP tower with a warranty for like $700. Should be pretty damn nice.

My tower was only like $450, and it works well but I should have coughed up a bit extra for some better stuff. Like a better graphics card.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Not sure why you would want a desktop when dockable laptops are the way to go! I'm the head computer dude at a large at war government agency and my recommendation is Fujitsu. Great bargains on their refurb site and their ebay store. I'm on a great tablet laptop I just purchased from them with dock and extra battery for around $850. Great units, check them out. Or I have extra laptops and desktops I'm selling cheap. Most are brand new! Two Panasonic Toughbooks that I have are really nice!

__________________
99 ML320
94 SL600
92 SL500
95 E320 Cabriolet
87 560SEC
86 300SDL Grease Car
80 380SLC Euro

13 Fiat Abarth
02 Maserati Spyder Cambiocorsa
00 BMW Z3
90 Rolls Royce Silver Spur
80 Ferrari 308 GTSI
88 Jaguar XJS12 H&E Edition
99 Land Rover Discovery

If you build one yourself, I'd recommend www.newegg.com. Prices are excellent, they seem to be a fantastic company. I haven't ordered from them (ship to US only) but all the hardcore gamer types seem to swear by them. Lots of user-reviews for hardware. Prices are cheap, now is a good time to build. You can get AMD Athlon X2 dual core CPUs for dirt cheap, same with a mobo and DDR2. I just upgraded my PC (I do some gaming) and it was very cheap for a pretty powerful setup. If you run Vista, I'd recommend at least 2GB ram. Don't bother with more than 3GB unless you run Vista 64 bit. Also recommend a dual core CPU and AMD over Intel simply for bang-for-buck ratio. Since you don't game, the latest Intel chips aren't worth the cash, IMO.

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Chris
2007 E550 4Matic - 61,000 Km - Iridium Silver, black leather, Sport package, Premium 2 package
2007 GL450 4Matic - 62,000 Km - Obsidian Black Metallic, black leather, all options
1998 E430 - sold
1989 300E - 333,000 Km - sold
1977 280E - sold
1971 250 - retired

"And a frign hat. They gave me a hat at the annual benefits meeting. I said. how does this benefit me. I dont have anything from the company.. So they gave me a hat." - TheDon

Because laptops are more expensive, fail more often, and are harder to repair?

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1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi

Wrong answer.

__________________
99 ML320
94 SL600
92 SL500
95 E320 Cabriolet
87 560SEC
86 300SDL Grease Car
80 380SLC Euro

13 Fiat Abarth
02 Maserati Spyder Cambiocorsa
00 BMW Z3
90 Rolls Royce Silver Spur
80 Ferrari 308 GTSI
88 Jaguar XJS12 H&E Edition
99 Land Rover Discovery

https://secure.newegg.com/NewVersion/Wishlist/PublicWishDetail.asp?WishListNumber=4893792&WishListTitle=1234

That is a sweet computer right there! Lotsa memory, power, and space. Pretty good for the price. You will get more bang for your buck with that machine than one off the shelf at best buy that will cost like 1300 bucks.

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-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.

You can just buy one at best buy ~$90.


One of the reasons I do not like Dell etc.. their towers do not allow for easy upgrades- limited ram slots, no place to put extra drives etc.

What is the point of making a small tower (DELL!), if it just sit next to the desk? And it is harder to cool!

__________________
'90 300SE 298k
-300K and it gets put into retirement.
'80 300D 255k Purchased new by family in 1980.

Had a:
1973 220 (gas)
1980 300SD
1992 400E

Dd you see my post?

__________________
-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.

Your two word rebuttal blew my mind

__________________
1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi

www.tigerdirect.com

For motherboard go for ASUS, same with video card, for HDD go for Seagate or Hitachi. For case with power supply go for Antec. For CPU, any flavor of C2D and for memory, make it Kingston or Transcend. For optical drives, NEC is the best followed by Liteon. For monitor make it Viewsonic or SONY.

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99 Gurkha with OM616 IDI turbo

2015 Gurkha with OM616 DI turbo

2014 Rexton W with OM612 VGT