buying PC advice

Try pricewatch...they don't sell stuff themselves, they're more scavengers than anything else. I know some of the sites they link to are shady...also try newegg, we've bought lots of stuff from there and it's great.

As far as the systems:

HP & compaq: SUCK

Dell: good prices, some good specials. Nice cases.

Alienware: decent prices...can't comment on the case.

Voodoo: Hella nice, but pretty expensive.

Sony: Overpriced. You pay for the brand name and the style...not worth it. A similarly featured laptop as one of the sony's that's around 2000 can be found for several hundred less, at the added expense of *GASP* one or two whole pounds!

ABS and micron...I've heard good things.

I wouldn't get a sony personally.

As far as the gaming machine thing...generally yes it'll be good for photoshop, as long as you look into some RAM early on if you have less than 512. Then again I don't know if you work with very large files often (though I'd assume you do...). Ever thought about getting a mac? I have my eye on one of them new G5s...never owned a mac, and can't comment on it...but it looks hella nice. Anyway...if just for photoshop you might want to look into it. I have absolutely no experience with macs so I can't say. I used to hate macs, but then I realized that was from boyhood memories in elementary and middle school, where we had macs, and I kept hearing all these questions like "what does this ball thing in the mouse do?" and "How do I change the font?" and other such crap...it made me want to cry...


Anyway I'm rambling. Dells are nice, and you can get some really good deals if you look at the right time. Only issue I know about is..if you have a xerox printer and you love it dearly, consider looking somewhere else, because we've had problems with dells and xerox, and a representative of dell told us that they just don't work well with xerox printers. Again, I don't know how widespread this is...but, yeah.

And yeah you can upgrade pretty much whenever you want. Graphics card...you really have no need at all for the insane stuff that's come out lately...for photoshop something even 5 years old would suit you fine. Unless that is you plan on doing 3d work or playing a few games, or running a multi-monitor setup, or running very high resolutions, or any combination of those things.

I'd stick between Alienware, dell, voodoo, micron, and abs. hp, compaq, and gateway: stay away. Also, don't get an eMachine...just an early warning :D.

happy shopping

get a new G5 ;) Darwin(bsd) backend rocks!

I hear the sony's are nice... but if you have a problem with windows their backup thing is a pain :\

Pank, the Compaq/HP business machines are really awesome. I'm a Gateway guy myself, for the sheer fact that they're all that I've owned. But as someone who works on these things for a living, I would strongly suggest going with a Compaq Evo desktop. Compaq is awesome for support. If something is acting weird, they don't hesistate to send you a new part like Dell does. (I've had multiple, and I mean multiple, bad experiences with Dell customer service). The Compaq home lines (Presario, etc.) are complete junk, and it involves a completely different group of customer service reps.

The D530 (the most popular machine we sell) http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm/WF05a/12454-64287-89301-321860-f10-316720.html

The D510 http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm/WF05a/12454-64287-89301-89324-f10-316510.html

Plus right now when you order from them direct you get free shipping. Shipping alone is usually about $100.

Well after looking at a lot of your links this one looks pretty cool
[
That should be a good gfx card and monitor, correct?

PRICE: 2479.00 + shipping...

[QUOTE] :
: (======================================)
CABLE: NONE
CAS: Aluminum SX1030 SOHO Server Tower Case 425Watt w/ MOD "See-Thru Window" & Neon Light
CASCOLOR: BLUE
CD: (BLUE)16X DVD-ROM [+7]
CDRW: DVD-RW 8X4X2X1 EIDE
CPU: Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor @ 3.0GHz 800FSB CR801 [+2129]
FAN: INTEL CERTIFIED CPU FAN & HEATSINK + 2 EXTRA 3-COLOR LED CASE FANS [+19]
FLASHMEDIA: --- Optional ---
FLOPPY: [BLUE]1.44 MB FLOPPY DRIVE [+10]
Gaming1: ----Optional----
Gaming2: ----Optional----
Gaming3: ----Optional----
Gaming4: ----Optional----
Gaming5: ----Optional----
HDD: Seagate 120GB 7200RPM Serial ATA 150 8MB Cache
HDD2: ---Optional---
IEEE_CARD: NONE
KEYBOARD: [BLUE] PS2 MULTIMEDIA INTERNET CONTROL KEYBOARD [+0]
MEMORY: 1024 MB PC3200 400MHz Dual Channel Memory (512MBx2)
MEMORYUPGRADE: ---Optional----
MODEM: 3 COM US ROBOTIC V.90 FAX MODEM W/ VOICESPEAKER PHONE
MONITOR: [SILVER/BLACK 2-Tones] ViewSonic® VG800 18" ACTIVE MATRIX TFT LCD MONITOR [+270]
MOTHERBOARD: *[DDR400-800MHz FSB]ASUS P4C800 I875PE DUAL DDR 8X AGP [+44]
MOUSE: Microsoft® Optical USB Intellimouse
MP3PLAYER: NONE
NETWORK: NONE
OS: Microsoft® Windows® XP HOME
PRINTER: ---Optional---
RAID: ----- OPTIONAL REQUIRES (2) IDENTICAL HARD DRIVES-----
RUSH: NO; SHIP OUT IN 5~10 BUSINESS DAYS
SCANNER: NONE
SERVICE: 3-Year STANDARD WARRANTY PLUS ONE-YEAR ONSITE SERVICE
SOFTWARE1: Microsoft® Works 7.0
SOFTWARE2: NORTON ANTI VIRUS VER 5.0 ENGINE
SOUND: Creative Labs SB Audigy-2 6.1 w/ 1394 IEEE
SPEAKERS: (BLACK) Creative Labs Inspire 6600 DIGITAL 6.1 SURROUND SOUND SYSTEM
Subtotal1: (+2479.00)
Subtotal2: 2479.00
TEMP: ----- Optional [as shown] -----
VIDEO: ATI RADEON 9800 PRO 128MB DDR AGP 8X W/ TV-OUT & DVI
VIDEOCAMERA: NONE
WIRELESSCARD: ---Optional---
WIRELESSPOINT: ---Optional----
ZIP: NONE
[/QUOTE]

Dang, my shopping cart is empty =\.... Where'd da pc go?

Just updated. I forgot no cookies for you ;)

(can you hear my Homer Simpson voice saying "mmmm....Doughnuts" ? Looks sweet! 3 Gigs, 150 ATA with 8mb cache, 800 FSB, that sounds like the shiznit.

Oh, and here is the link. It was Fig's suggestion. I just hope if I do get this one the case is not huge like the alienware one ;)
Maybe Fig can answer that...

http://www.cyberpowersystem.com/highendsystem/gamer_inf_9000pro.htm

That is Alienware's old case. Though I never saw it so I don't know how big it is.