New Comp time - $3k budget

[calliechinen]

Hey Brian!

 

I've been saving and have the funds to purchase a new computer. I've read through your 2023 file, is it pretty current for 2024? I was thinking of just going though Dell XPS but would it be better to build my own? My son has done a few computer build classes at HS but I'm not sure how much I trust him 😂. My hope is to not spend more than $3500 which from what I have read should be good.

[Brian]

23 hours ago, calliechinen said:

I've read through your 2023 file, is it pretty current for 2024?

Kinda of. Basically it's the same stuff, just the modern equivalents. (e.g., NVIDIA RTX 4070 or RTX 4080 instead of the 3070/3080.) Any current i7 or i9 CPU is fine, and I would get 32GB of RAM at a minimum, with 64GB being preferred. A main HD of 1TB Capacity still stands. But if you want to go to a 2TB drive, that's fine too.

23 hours ago, calliechinen said:

I was thinking of just going though Dell XPS but would it be better to build my own?

Yes and no. The benefit to getting a Dell XPS is Dell buys things in bulk, so prices are cheaper. Plus, their computers are built so that everything works...you don't need to fiddle with anything. If you do decide to build you own, you are picking out EVERYTHING and dealing with making things work together. But you will get higher quality components, BUT! you could also blow that $3500 budget out of the proverbial water if you go a little crazy when picking stuff. No matter how I configure things, when I start choosing components, I'm always around a $3000-ish price-point. That said, I also take things to "11" when I configure stuff.

23 hours ago, calliechinen said:

My son has done a few computer build classes at HS but I'm not sure how much I trust him 😂.

A running joke of mine is, "The two most dangerous things to a computer are a "Brother-in-Law" and a "14 year old Son." (Insert Teenager if you need to.) I actually once asked a woman who was going on-and-on about the things happening to her computer, and I asked, "By chance, did your Brother-in-Law tried "fixing" things?" Her mouth dropped and she looked me dead in the eyes and asked, "Yes!! How did you know?" I told her the story sounded familiar. (This was in the days before the Internet and people didn't have YouTube or people like me to ask questions.)

Anyway...you could build one. If you can put a Lego set meant for a 12 year old together, you can build a computer. That said, there are techniques and rules to follow, but everything is standardized now, so things just fit together, provided you have a big enough case. Speaking of which, you will need a case that is large enough and a Power Supply that has enough umph to power everything, and choosing the correct motherboard, chipset, RAM to work with it AND putting the right amount of Thermal Paste on the CPU...plus dealing with cooling because heat is the enemy when it comes to electronics. In a nutshell, yes...you could build your own, but I would be prepared going down that Rabbit Hole if you do. Yes, your son will acquire skills, but at a price-point. When someone informs me that they built a computer, I often ask..."Just one?"

Oh, one more thing. I...meaning ME...lose my Magical Tech Powers when it comes to working on my stuff. I can assemble $30,000 Servers and work on $100,000 pieces of equipment with no issues, but when it comes to MY STUFF, I break sh*t all the time.   I just mention this because if something were to go sideways during install, you are on the hook for the cost of replacement. If you do want to go down this road, check out Linus Tech Tips on YouTube. There is a lot of info there that you can look over and see if building your own computer is right for you. It's actually funny when Linus drops things and/or breaks things during Computer Builds, and it's 100% genuine. LOL!!

23 hours ago, calliechinen said:

My hope is to not spend more than $3500 which from what I have read should be good.

I usually recommend around $2400 - $2500 for a Computer and Display, at least for a Store-bought / Dell PC so you are covered there.

Here is a Dell XPS that I configured with "2 Years ProSupport" Warranty Coverage: Dell XPS Desktop

 

Now, if you go tweaking things, like bumping the RAM up to 64GB, that's fine. I will just add things to the cost. Either way, you will have a very nice setup for less than $3500. Especially if you purchase a new IPS Display and Calibration Device to go with it.

[calliechinen]

Thank you!