[Baron Munchausen]

AgentZero said:

Overpriced, undoubtably. Overhyped, well everything to do with PCs is overhyped so that goes without saying. But I'd hardly say they're overrated. Two friends & I all got our computers at the same time. One got an Alienware, the other built their own, and I went the Dell route because it worked out 300eur cheaper than the best price I could get building my own. We all got virtually the same machine, the only real difference being in the brand of HD and things like that. Over the years, the Alienware system has consistantly outperformed both my Dell and my DIY friend's system. It runs smoother, crashes less often, goes longer between needing format/reinstall treatment and even manages to pull better framerates, despite having the same processor/RAM/HD/video card, etc.

That being said, I WAS going to build my own system, until I found out that it's 100eur cheaper to buy it off Alienware (technically 200eur cheaper, but theres 100eur delivery charge ). But I guess I'm not really surprised. Technology prices in Ireland are kept artificially high, importing the stuff can be a hassle (after ordering my new video card from Canada & getting it shipped over here, I got a call from the Irish anti-terrorism unit who had a few questions for me), so premade systems end up cheaper a lot of the time, and don't result in strange cars parked across the street at strange times of the night.

Erk!? Exactly what was it about ordering a video card that flagged you for terrorism investigation? Can you make them blow up or something? (Given the heat these things generate anymore maybe that's not a joke... ) You'd think they would be more concerned about people buying large amounts of fertilizer, or laundry bleach. Chemical things that can actually be used to make bombs. It would be really interesting to know exactly what those 'few questions' were about...