self build

alienware is a big rip off and the new thermaltake xaser 3 case is much better. I would never spend the extra $500 buying the name.

I believe that alienware is a very good company for certain things, many gamers believe that it is "The System", mind you 90% of them are simple people who know how to click on a Icon and join a server. I built my custom Video Editing system back in September and after this experience believe that it would have been MUCH better to go with a company that was able to test for the best compatability between parts. Its not because I didn't know what I was doing (I have built over 10 computers for friends and family) but the Matrox x100 card I got didn't like the Radeon 9700 or the "top of the line" P4S8X. I would have paid the extra $$$ to get a system that performed the way it said it would and have the backing of a reputation as Alienware does. If anyone out there bashes alienware for making a profit on selling computers to all the people out there that wouldn't want to risk destroying a $2000+ piece of equipment by putting it together themselves, its like saying that you should make a house yourself because its cheaper. I would buy a alienware system in a second if I didn't have the time to waste on putting together a new system or if I just wanted something that I could plug and play.

Anyway, I say you guys should all ask yourself something, if you were in Alienwares possition would you change your stance? As in would you lower your prices and aim for a larger segment of the population at the expense of your quality and rep? Or would you stay and go for the "rich" population and make some hefty profits and earn the respect of 90% of the gaming comunity who believes that nothing can beat a Alienware system :)

PS: Just for the record I believe that Building your own system is "cooler" but I hate it when people come on and bash a company because there not marketing torwards you.

I built my own, but if I had the cash, I'd Probably go AW. I envy the warranty.

i made my own outercasing design with a 26 of Jack Dan. and a permant marker

Build it yourself, case optional. I recently had a PC that was bolted to a piece of plywood, cards jutting out from the mortherboard, all akimbo with the power supply.

Akimbo is such an odd word.. :-)

I don't care what ANYONE says. Buying a prebuilt computer is good for people that don't know what they're doing or are lazy, or don't care about being cool, but if you're buying that Alienware rig to be cool, you should be either shot dead or taught a lesson. (And I'd prefer taught a lesson, but some people are just too hopeless.) Put your own sweat and blood into a custom case mod that's truly unique. When I can manage the cost, I'm gonna cut a hole in the side of my case right over the CPU and make a small window there, and stencil a humane heart onto the window in beige paint (so it blends with the case), then get a CoolMod fan grille for my Volcano 11, situated directly beneath the window, which results in a glowing heart in the side of my case that flashes red with HDD activity. Now that's cool because I put time and effort into a case mod and it's unique. Just remember, there's a million and one alienware rigs out there, but only one homemade rig with a heart-shaped window showing off the CoolMod.

Now if someone did a unique custom mod to that Alienware rig, yeah, then you're as cool as anyone else with a genuinely unique case mod. And that's pretty effin cool.

For me performance is more important than looks. My Chenbro Genie is a beige behemoth, but the dual 120mm intakes (self-installed) work like a charm.

Now if only there was a way to cool my room better. 2 21" monitors dump out a TON of heat.

I prefer building your own. I'm more of a hands-on type of guy. I feel a bit of personal satisfaction in knowing that, hey, I helped make that.

I go self built. This comp is my first that Ive built and I couldnt be happier except for the bad stick of ram I got. I havent modded my case yet but I plan too. It feels good when someone asks where I bought my comp from and I tell em I bought the parts and put her together myself.
Recently I changed out my heatsinks and fans and found out how much of a B I T C H the stock amd heatsinks are to get off.

ok, the thread reads "which is cooler" but the poll reads "who is cooler". Whoever builds one is cooler, but we all know an Alienware kicks homemades in the balls several times more...thats why they cost more. You pay for quality; they're put together perfectly, great documentation, and you can call tech support about a rash you have and they'll fix it... way too cool.

my clients get store bought computers, me, I'll NEVER own one. Computers are my hobby I'm not going to PAY someone else to do my hobby for me ...

For me I build my desktops and buy my laptops, and yes my laptop is an alienware. As far as laptops, when looking for top of the line, alienware has the fastest and latest stuff for less than any other company. As for the Desktop, I have to afreee that the Termaltake Xaser 3 is the coolest case ( mine is the blue one with lots of Blue UV reactive stuff and UV lights in it )

I build my own, mostly for money's sake, but I think it takes all the fun out of having a computer if someone else put it together for you. That's probably just me though.

er... actually no.

i bet i can EASILY build an exact pc w/ alienware specs for at least $200 cheaper, AT LEAST

As a Mac *and* PC owner, I think I can say that I see where the Alienware machines get their appeal; as has been said already in this thread, they Just Work, look cool with no effort, and you get good hardware for the money (unlike, say, a Compaq where you get the hardware equivalent of Mystery Meat).

That said, for me personally, home built machines are always cooler. Even the ugly-ass ones. :) There's just a certain cachet to a thing which someone has taken the time to build to their own designs, even if 'their own design' means just 'I'll take two of those, and one of these...'

My $0.02

(and in the interests of disclosure, my boxes full of parts to build my own box will be arriving next week. :) )

What about a falcon-nw, they paint the entire case with your custom design? I'd get one just for the case.

self-built is the way to go. you can do it for a reasonable price, and you'd still have money left over for more games. :)

Self made is the niftier way to go. The knowledge attained and used is priceless.

But what really counts is how you use it. It doesn't matter if a person has the sweetest Alienware, or a self-built that is completely decked out.... if they're just using it to chat with their l33t h4x0r homies on AOL or yahoo, they should have their sweet machine yanked from them and given a C64 (with the cassette tape drive)

Alienware, Dell and Gateway..The only way they would be good if they provided the ky (for raping you up the ass)

For quality wise....just use good parts! Alot of parts have a 1 year warranty and some even have a 3 year warranty!

And another reason I build my own is cause I trust myself the most. I guess a reason why people by prebuilt rigs is cause if something does go wrong they can blame the company and not themselves.

Very true words here.

AOL membership automatically revokes your GeeK membership.

I think the coolest PC's are the creatively modded self-builds. Like I was looking on the gaming forum here and somebody posted a PC built into an old Nintendo Entertainment System. The guy even fixed it so his mouse and keyboard plugged into the controller slots..... very cool.

Having said that, I saw one of the new Alienware Alien Head cases at Best Buy, and it was way more impressive in person than in pictures on line....

alien ware is nice but anything you can say you built is that much better, ive built my last 3 systems and several for family and freinds, you get what you want where you want it. and i dont have to get winXP i can stick with the trusty win2k

AW uses modded antec cases for their boxes, just go grab an antec and mod it yourself

I really like the Alienware look, but having said that, I still think self-built computers are the way to go :) You get (or I get, rather) a much higher feeling of accomplishment building your own computer as opposed to buying it pre-made.

answering the pool question: depends on 'home made product' quality and look :]
Alienware rulz so i'll risk voting on that as i know that few ppl can make something as good as that with their own hands

There's no contest...take pride in a machine that you took the time to build yourself, or spend three times more money for a machine that looks sort of nice but (at least in my experience) is a pathetic piece of shyte.