Could you help me with a Science Fair Project? Build some computers. - Hardware & Software

I need some prebuilt desktops in the range of about $400, $500, $750, and $1000 here. Just post links here. Also, create some similarly priced desktops for these price ranges. Build MUST include: - HDD - CD drive - Motherboard - RAM - CPU - OS (no pirating) - GPU if applicable The purpose here is to compare a custom built versus a pre built. Obviously custom builds win, but this is purely for informational purposes. If you can, include benchmarks for 3DMark06 OR y-cruncher for the CPU model used, and 3DMark06 for the GPU. Stock speeds please. THANK YOU if you can manage to help.

This is your project and you expect us to do ALL the work?

[QUOTE=taipan;27950437]This is your project and you expect us to do ALL the work?[/QUOTE] No. You've just got to organise the whole thing.

Of course not, I'm planning to do a bunch of stuff as well - thats why I'm asking only a few per person, to help fill in the gaps. This is for more than just the data FP can hopefully assist with.

[QUOTE=Peacekid;27949661] -I need some prebuilt desktops in the range of about $400, $500, $750, and $1000 here. Just post links here. -create some similarly priced desktops for these price ranges. -include benchmarks for 3DMark06 OR y-cruncher for the CPU model used, and 3DMark06 for the GPU. Stock speeds please. [/QUOTE] So what exactly are you going to do?

[quote]The purpose here is to compare a custom built versus a pre built. Obviously custom builds win[/quote] Scientific bias? :v:

It's common sense, you don't need a science fair for that.

The thing is, with custom builds, you waste lots of time on learning how to manage advanced computer functions that you wouldn't have messed with in the first place if you got a prebuilt - how many hours have you spent learning about computers and how many hours comparatively would you have to work to buy a prebuilt computer of the same quality? I bet you've spent more hours learning about computer assembly, choosing parts, dealing with shipping, installing your OS, installing drivers, and all that than you spent actually working for money to spend on said computer in the first place. It's all about managing time wisely and in my opinion learning about computers - which is simply something that gets outdated after a few years anyway - may be, in some people's minds, less efficient than working hard for the money to buy a quality prebuilt.

[QUOTE=Ama-zake;27952879]The thing is, with custom builds, you waste lots of time on learning how to manage advanced computer functions that you wouldn't have messed with in the first place if you got a prebuilt - how many hours have you spent learning about computers and how many hours comparatively would you have to work to buy a prebuilt computer of the same quality? I bet you've spent more hours learning about computer assembly, choosing parts, dealing with shipping, installing your OS, installing drivers, and all that than you spent actually working for money to spend on said computer in the first place. It's all about managing time wisely and in my opinion learning about computers - which is simply something that gets outdated after a few years anyway - may be, in some people's minds, less efficient than working hard for the money to buy a quality prebuilt.[/QUOTE] It's not about quality. It's performance. Custom builds tend to have better quality though.

[QUOTE=thf;27952964]It's not about quality. It's performance. Custom builds tend to have better quality though.[/QUOTE] Yeah but not all people know how to build a computer and some may prefer spending the extra hundred or two on something already guaranteed to work with no tinkering with everything installed over spending that time learning arbitrary knowledge and every caveat of building from airflow to wiring to whatever Not everyone is technologically inclined and you have to respect that fact If your target audience is people who don't know about custom builds in the first place they're likely to well not be the people that can build custom computers you know

I don't see how this is scientific.

Pay me :v:

[QUOTE=Ama-zake;27952879]The thing is, with custom builds, you waste lots of time on learning how to manage advanced computer functions that you wouldn't have messed with in the first place if you got a prebuilt - how many hours have you spent learning about computers and how many hours comparatively would you have to work to buy a prebuilt computer of the same quality? I bet you've spent more hours learning about computer assembly, choosing parts, dealing with shipping, installing your OS, installing drivers, and all that than you spent actually working for money to spend on said computer in the first place. It's all about managing time wisely and in my opinion learning about computers - which is simply something that gets outdated after a few years anyway - may be, in some people's minds, less efficient than working hard for the money to buy a quality prebuilt.[/QUOTE] No. It's like [B]FUCKING LEGOS!![/B] how many times to people have to say that!?

[QUOTE=Ama-zake;27953029]Yeah but not all people know how to build a computer and some may prefer spending the extra hundred or two on something already guaranteed to work with no tinkering with everything installed over spending that time learning arbitrary knowledge and every caveat of building from airflow to wiring to whatever Not everyone is technologically inclined and you have to respect that fact If your target audience is people who don't know about custom builds in the first place they're likely to well not be the people that can build custom computers you know[/QUOTE] There are tutorials on YouTube. You're fucking stupid if you can't put together a computer.

[QUOTE=Odellus;27956023]There are tutorials on YouTube. You're fucking stupid if you can't put together a computer.[/QUOTE] Well... Nope, actually in this case I have to agree completely with you. Considering the parts come with instructions also.

[QUOTE=Killerelf12;27956074]Well... Nope, actually in this case I have to agree completely with you. Considering the parts come with instructions also.[/QUOTE] Not to mention, everything is sized and keyed to only go in one way and only fit in certain slots, so its near impossible to screw up.

if you can put different shape blocks in the right holes then you can build a PC

[QUOTE=FalcoLombardi;27953461]I don't see how this is scientific.[/QUOTE] You could think of it as observational. What the Op is doing is he's hypothesizing, and in turn, executing that hypothesis to find out what happens. That would seem scientific enough.

[QUOTE=Demache;27956360]Not to mention, everything is sized and keyed to only go in one way and only fit in certain slots, so its near impossible to screw up.[/QUOTE] Except for the front panel connectors. They change depending on the motherboard and cases.

instructions. [editline]9th February 2011[/editline] It was on like the fifth page of my motherboard manual

[QUOTE=Odellus;27956023]There are tutorials on YouTube. You're fucking stupid if you can't put together a computer.[/QUOTE] Well then why doesn't everyone build their own computers? If it was that quick and easy I'm sure everyone would be doing it but people do still buy macs Anyone with a quarter of a brain, a wrench and two jackstands - or several cinderblocks - can change their car's oil, but does everyone change their own oil themselves? No. Anyone can mow their own lawn themselves for a fraction of the cost of getting their lawn mowed by someone else. Do people all mow their own lawns? No. Some people believe that they'd rather pay several hundred dollars more to have people who assemble computers for a living assemble working computers for them. Some people don't like risking several hundred or even a thousand or so dollars of their money on something they haven't done before and those are the people that spend the extra time working rather than fiddling with computers. Prebuilts are computers for those people who don't have the confidence to risk their money, time or energy required to build a computer and that's why I think you really can't criticize them from the point of view of someone that's had hundreds of hours in computer experience!

[QUOTE=Ama-zake;27958034]Well then why doesn't everyone build their own computers?[/QUOTE] people are either dumb or technophobic which is the point of the op's thread - to educate people by showing them the differences between the two

[QUOTE=DainBramageStudios;27958583]people are either dumb or technophobic which is the point of the op's thread - to educate people by showing them the differences between the two[/QUOTE] And my point is that dumb or technophobic people will be dumb or technophobic and techies will be techies If it was that easy to educate people and change their views I think we'd all be living in a utopian society

This is one expensive science fair project

[QUOTE=Doritos_Man;27958789]This is one expensive science fair project[/QUOTE] He's not actually going to do anything, just take our data and put his name on it and show it off.

[QUOTE=benjgvps;27957444]Except for the front panel connectors. They change depending on the motherboard and cases.[/QUOTE] This is true. Although I don't think those can really damage anything, just that some buttons and lights might not work correctly.