need some feedback on a couple options

[moussaka]

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
mainly gaming
2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
800-1000 cheaper the better
3) Where do you live?
Elgin, IL
4) What exact parts do you need for that budget? CPU, RAM, case, etc. Please be very specific.
Case, CPU, MB, RAM, HD, PSU, Optical drive, Videocard (everything except monitor, keyboard and mouse)
5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
monitor, keyboard, mouse lol
6) Will you be overclocking?
No
7) What size monitor do you have and/or plan to have?
not sure... its a 20" or 22" LCD (building for a family friend or trying to steer him away from dell)
8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
asap
9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? etc.
Basic stuff, firewire maybe, looking at single GPU solutions
10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If yes, what OS? 32bit or 64bit?
No, but getting Win7 Home Premium x64

Ok, a family friend is looking to buy a new computer for his kids because theirs recently died. he sent me a link to a dell he made asking for some feedback and I want to try to get him to let me build one for them... The dell was priced at $879 (E7500, 6gigs ram, GTS 240, pretty mediocre imo)

Anyways, at first i was looking at an i5 setup, but then thought why not check out AMD. Only problem is i know nothing about AMD so thats where you guys come in. below are the two setups i had in mind.

---i5---
MB - $160 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131620

CPU - $185 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115220

RAM - $105 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231277

HD - $100 - http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name...-WD1001FALS-1TB-SATA2-7200rpm-32MB-Hard-Drive

GPU - $155 - http://www.amazon.com/Visiontek-Rad...1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1266109066&sr=1-1

PSU - $85 after rebate - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139004

Window 7 - $105

Total - $895


---AMD---
MB - $100 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131398

CPU - $180 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103727

RAM - $105 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231277

HD - $100 - http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name...-WD1001FALS-1TB-SATA2-7200rpm-32MB-Hard-Drive

GPU - $155 - http://www.amazon.com/Visiontek-Rad...1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1266109066&sr=1-1

PSU - $85 after rebate - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139004

Window 7 - $105

Total - $830

these still need a case and optical as well. Am i better off just getting a cheaper Intel MB and going with that? im iffy on the videocard too. should i got 5770? 5850? i want to keep the price close to the dell though. can get a smaller HD too.

 

[450]

You can get this Dell for 1078...

Studio 8100

Intel® Core™ i5-750 processor
Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64Bit
2 Year Basic Service Plan
6GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1333MHz - 4 DIMMS
No Monitor
ATI Radeon HD 5770 1024MB GDDR5
750GB - 7200RPM, SATA 3.0Gb/s, 16MB Cache
16X DVD+/-RW Drive
No Speakers
Dell Studio Consumer Multimedia Keyboard
Dell Studio Optical Mouse

2 year warranty is in the price, so much less headache, for both you and him!

EDIT: You might be able to get this cheaper by getting a coupon or talking to a customer service rep.

 

[engiNURD]

The specs you listed for the Dell (E7500 etc) can be found for much cheaper than $879. The typical Vostro 220 system has an E5400 or E7500, 2GB - 3GB RAM, 160GB - 250GB HDD, and 18.5" - 20" monitor for around $450 - $500 shipped. Add in the cost of a GT240, and it totals to under $600. If the kids don't play very demanding games, then a Dell deal + 9600GT would be a good buy if they'd rather spend less money and buy from Dell.

Though, I agree with you, they should go for a custom build, especially since they already have a monitor and have a nice budget. Please list out part names along with your links and prices, so we don't have to click on each and every link.

What games do they play?