Computer system

[Vince Becquiot]

This is gonna start another MAC VS PC thread I’m sure, but I recently purchased the MJ-12 8550 (Alienware).

Couldn’t be happier…

Vince

[Majorasshole]

Why Alienware only? They’re only bling. You can get better performance from a PC for a fraction of the price without all the goofy moulded plastic and chromed alien heads. If your bosses are concerned with blingy computers rather than well perfoming ones, break out the rhinestones and bedazzler.

[Vince Becquiot]

>”Why Alienware only? They’re only bling.”

I have to disagree. And there are plenty of benchmark reviews outthere to prove it.

I have built custom PC’s, I have also bought cheap PC’s (Some by Dell, which incidentally now owns Alienware)

These are very well built machines, and you get your money’s worth of performance as well.

If you are making money based on the time you spend working, and not the time you spend troubleshooting, then you’ ll go for proven reliability.

BTW, I am not saying that Alienware is consistently better than so and so, but you get what you pay for, we’re not dealing wine here…

Cheers,

Vince

[Majorasshole]

Why would you compare a cheap pc to an alienware? Spec a high end pc to an alienware and you get more performance per dollar. Do you need to troubleshoot your pc often? Mine isn’t an alienware and I didn’t even have to troubleshoot it the day I bought it. You spec the identical specs as the alienwares components and you get the same performance. Alienware simply has the components branded for them at the same factories that makes everyone else’s components. Just dont mis spec your machine. I suppose if you live somewhere with no decent PC retailers, and if you have no technical skills and no IT department then you would want to by an out of the box cookie cutter machine. But if you are a business you NEED someone with some technical savvy to spec your machines for you or you’re going to be burning money. With Alienware you are paying at least double the price simple for convenience or ignorance. Most alienware owners I know like to brag about it though. It’s kind of like mercedes owners, they like to be seen with the machine.

[Vince Becquiot]

Ok, this is turning into a flame thread, so I’ll keep it short.

I worked as a system admin for several years, which you would think would make me somewhat of a computer savvy.

You have been basically flaming Alienware without making A SINGLE SUGGESTION OF YOUR OWN !

The poster was looking for a recommendation, which I have given. I have paid $1700.00 for a complete machine than I find does a fine job for me whether I work in 1080p through AJA or 480i.

Vince

[Eugene Perepletchikov]

Depends on what software and footage you want to use.

Macs are great but they don’t quiet give you the value for bucks that you would get with a pc etc. From recent experience, if you plan to use a lot of HD, especially dvcpro footage, then go the mac as there are various annoying issues with codecs etc for pcs. In general, all these new formats seem to lean more towards macs…By the way I am on pc, so if you don’t think that this will be too much of an issue, then go the pc or Alienware…

[Sean Stringer]

This helps a ton!
I forgot to mention that we’ll be getting into HD pretty quick so I appreciate bringing that issue up as well.

Vince, can I ask what processors(dual or dual core), ram, and videocard you picked for your alien pc.
I specked one out the other day at around $3100 w/ dual xeon. But I also would like to try the 64 bit dual core.

Arson, what brands are you referencing for equal power, less cost?

Thanks zhenka for your objective addition…

[Vince Becquiot]

Sean,

These are the specs for the one I have.

Intel

[Sean Stringer]

thanks!

[John Baum]

http://www.xicomputer.com

I got my custom system built by these guys. Much cheaper then Alienware or BOXX for essentially the same components. I even had my Decklink card drop shipped to them and they installed and tested it for no extra charge. There customer service has been occasionally a little mismanaged but they eventually get things right.