High End Custom PC Companies

G

Glamis

n00b
Joined
Jun 24, 2005
Messages
12
I think we all know about Alienware, VoodooPC, and Falcon Northwest.

Frankly, I think those three have been resting on their laurels the last 2 years or so and are no longer very competitive.

A few years back, I loved Alienware. Awesome PCs for good prices. Ever since their Best Buy deal they just don't seem to be very good in price, and they offer far less customization (you can't even get a Plextor DVD burner for crying out loud).

I have read a bit about ABS lately, but they didn't seem to have many options either. The best X2 chip you can get is the 4000+ for example, and all their CD/DVD drives are SONY.

Are there any other high end custom PC companies out there with good reputations?
 
monarch computer will build computers, i think some people like them...

and the 4000+ isnt an x2. its a regular a64.
 
lithium726 said:
monarch computer will build computers, i think some people like them...

and the 4000+ isnt an x2. its a regular a64.
Click to expand...

Ugh. Then ABS is totally out. For that matter, most of the Falcon NW were 4000 and lower. That stinks.

So its 4200+ that are X2, right?

Any other suggestions for custom manufacturers? I'd build myself but I really don't have the time or the patience these days. :(
 
I just got a Velocity Micro a few weeks ago, and they are amazing. They are extremely customizable, in fact, a motherboard option that wasn't on their build-to-order website that I wanted, I was able to add it just by calling. (They've since put that option up.)

The case is fantastic too, especially with a lighted window panel. It is very sleek looking, and not toyish like the Alienware case.

They've had the AMD and Intel dual core chips for a little while, too, if that is what you are looking for.
 
Hypersonic PC made me a good computer in 1999. I remember the tech support as being good. I can't vouch for them now and they do seem a little pricey.
 
Hypersonic
Monarch Computer

I would say both of these companies are great at what they do. I would suggest going with Monarch, not only because they charge very reasonable prices for all their components, but they test each one out before building, as well as giving killer deals and packages on their computers.
 
Hey guys -

Having been a part of Falcon NW from 1999-2002, I'm free to tell you a great deal about them. A good friend of mine now holds my old position, Production Manager at Falcon. We play softball together once a week or so.

Yes - I can say they've lost their edge. More and more people are figuring out their "secrets". As far as how it really happens, I can tell you this:

There is no doubt that an individual with experience building PCs can build exactly what you could buy at Falcon and get the exact same performance results they do. Take this to the bank. They do not have special parts (almost all parts are sourced from major distributors like TechData, Ingram Micro or even NewEgg), they do not have special drivers for production systems and the technicians are operating off of checklists povided to them by the Production Manager. The OS is Windows XP OEM with some services killed and the BIOS tweaked. In addition, the PCs are painted by a local painter in Southern Oregon.

The main value Falcon brings to the table is good technical support and the respect of hardware manufacturers like nVidia, Intel and VIA. Even then, that tends to manifest itself only as early engineering sample hardware for magazine reviews, etc... It's not like the consumer is getting exclusive hardware (except for maybe the FragBox case), unique performance benefits, etc...

Don't get me wrong, their products are very good. But they are not exclusive to Falcon. Persons who are capable of building their own systems can (and should):

  • Pick reputable, quality parts
  • Spend some time cabling the system for better airflow
  • Tweak the OS to remove unnecessary and unneeded processes
  • Use the latest stable drivers directly from the hardware manufacturer
  • Update all applicable software
  • Test the system thoroughly at operating temerature
  • Pocket the savings vs. buying from Falcon, or other custom-system builders for that matter

It used to be that the exclusivity of Falcon meant quite a bit. Now, as Glamis alluded to, it's much harder to bring something exclusive to the table.

Questions?

J
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top