New Gaming PC: Dell or Cyberpower?

[Apollo]

I am barely literate when it comes to PC technology so I want some feedback from those of you who are more knowledgable. My last 5 systems were from Dell and while I have had a few minor issues over the years (two videocards and one Power supply failure over 10+ years) I've been very happy with my purchases for the most part. However, when I recently tried to order a Dell XPS 8300, the top videocard (Radeon HD 6870) was out of stock until Feb 10th. After thinking about it for a couple of days I decided to order the system anyway but now the 6870 is no longer listed as an option and the top card available is the 6770.

While I imagine the 6870 will be available for ordering again in early February, I've started thinking about ordering my system from someone else. I have around $2K to spend and I'm looking for a lot of performance for the dollar. I've already ruled out HP since their $2K desktops aren't as fast as their competitors, and Digital Storm, Alienware and Maingear I ruled out for being too pricey. When it comes to price relative to performance, let's just say I'm more in the market for a Corvette than a Ferrari.

Cyberpower seems to offer great prices but they have a decidedly mixed reputation. "Cyberpowerfucked" is even listed in the Urban dictionary! However, if I were to go by web feedback, Dell is also a manufacturer with a mixed reputation though my own experience has been very positive.

So, my question to you is: Should I buy a Cyberpower system, a Dell system, or something else entirely? Any feedback will be appreciated!

[Isgrimnur]

I've got an order in at CyberPower, which was influenced by others here that had placed orders and are so far happy with what they've received. Reseller Ratings has a score of 8.69/10 over the past six months. They even have responses to one-star reviews posted on the page.

[Apollo]

Thanks for the reply, but I'm highly skeptical of online ratings by anonymous posters. After all, what's to keep a company from simply having an employee or two spam these sites with excellent ratings? In fact, at Cyberpower's own site they have a 5 star average based on customer reviews, though almost all of them seem like they were written by the same employee.

In short, Isgrimnur's opinion means a lot to me (since I know him to be an active and thoughtful poster here at OO and not a Cyberpower stooge) but I hold ratings at sites that only do customer ratings as highly questionable since (IMHO) they can be so easily manipulated by a single dedicated employee.

I wish you had already received your system so you could give me more feedback on things like build quality. When do you expect to get your new system in, Isgrimnur?

[Isgrimnur]

An understandable viewpoint. The reviews there didn't seem to me to be of the stooge variety, but then maybe they're just getting better at camouflage. I see reviews of varying lengths, a good number of 1-star reviews with the company responding, and plenty of variety in the stories told.

I've got a UPS tracking number, so I hope to be installing software over the weekend.

Captain Caveman has been happy with his purchase from them that he received in early December.

[Smutly]

I have a Cyberpower system. The only complaint I have is more about a component and not their work. Overall the system is fine. The complaint I have is on a HDD fan cooler that was recommended by them which screeches for about 1 minute or so until it finally shuts up. It's annoying as hell. Otherwise, I've had no problem with the system. Don't know how responsive they'd be if I did have a problem though....

[Pyperkub]

I have a cyber power as well and it's been solid. My only complaint has been that they shipped an nVidea card on a crossfire
mobo.

Epic 4g/Tapatalk

[Daehawk]

Get a Newegg system...ie self built. you'll love it

[Captain Caveman]

Yeah, I've only had it a little over a month now, but so far my cyberpower machine has been purring along beautifully. I just didn't have the time, energy or expertise to deal with building a PC on my own, and most of the other pre-built machines were not customized to my satisfaction, so cyberpower was a good option for me. There's a lot more information about the process I went though in the link Isgrie links to above.

[Daehawk]

I'll toss out one I've not used but that get amazing reviews....Digital Storm

http://www.digitalstormonline.com

And here is a web site that has reviews for them...5 stars out of nearly 1000 reviews.

http://www.resellerratings.com/store/Digital_Storm

And if you'd like to see one unboxed in case you are wondering about their shipping and packaging...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LODMhh21R0

BBB rating A+

http://www.bbb.org/greater-san-francisc ... -ca-301630

[Zarathud]

I also had a great experience with Digital Storm. Quality build with choose your own parts.

They not only called me back when I had trouble with a virus 6 mos later, they kept following up to make sure I was ok.

[Kraken]

I bought a cyberpower pc in november 2010...still very happy with it. I would buy from them again.

Advantages over Dell: Choose your own name-brand components (I was persuaded in this very forum to spend a little extra on a name-brand PSU, for example, and I was able to select a case that fits under the shelf of my desk). And it comes with no crapware installed, just Windows.

[Apollo]

I think you guys may have convinced me to go the Cyberpower route. The performance per dollar ratio of their systems is the best I have found. I do have a few questions about how to build my system though, as I am used to Dell's more simplified "build your own" process. If any of you guys could help me out, I would greatly appreciate any input.

1. What is the purpose of an internal usb extension module? Does it simply add more usb outlets to the case?
2. I want an SSD for performance purposes. Right now I'm looking at having a 120gb SSD drive and a 1tb data drive. Does this sound like the best way to get performance and a large amount of storage or should I configure things differently? What about Intel Smart Response Technology? How is that different from simply having an SSD drive and a conventional drive?
3. I realize Corsair is a good brand, but what about CoolerMaster, Thermaltake, and Raidmax power supplies? Are these brands I should consider or should I stick with Corsair?
4. Do I really need a hard drive cooling fan?
5. Is the Asus VH242H monitor better than the VS247H-P or is it more expensive simply because it has a built in speaker?
6. I don't play online games much, and usually just stick with World of Tanks and Battlefield 2. Is the Onboard Gigabite LAN network good enough for my purposes or should I upgrade to the Intel Pro Gigabite 10/100/1000 network card?
7. Why is it recommended that I go with Windows 7 professional rather than WIndows 7 home premium if I am building a system with 16gb of ram?

If anyone can answer any of these questions, I am deeply appreciative. As I stated before, my knowledge of PC hardware (or software for that matter) is very limited so I need all the help I can get before I order a system.

[WarPig]

I think you guys may have convinced me to go the Cyberpower route. The performance per dollar ratio of their systems is the best I have found. I do have a few questions about how to build my system though, as I am used to Dell's more simplified "build your own" process. If any of you guys could help me out, I would greatly appreciate any input.

1. What is the purpose of an internal usb extension module? Does it simply add more usb outlets to the case?
2. I want an SSD for performance purposes. Right now I'm looking at having a 120gb SSD drive and a 1tb data drive. Does this sound like the best way to get performance and a large amount of storage or should I configure things differently? What about Intel Smart Response Technology? How is that different from simply having an SSD drive and a conventional drive?
3. I realize Corsair is a good brand, but what about CoolerMaster, Thermaltake, and Raidmax power supplies? Are these brands I should consider or should I stick with Corsair?
4. Do I really need a hard drive cooling fan?
5. Is the Asus VH242H monitor better than the VS247H-P or is it more expensive simply because it has a built in speaker?
6. I don't play online games much, and usually just stick with World of Tanks and Battlefield 2. Is the Onboard Gigabite LAN network good enough for my purposes or should I upgrade to the Intel Pro Gigabite 10/100/1000 network card?
7. Why is it recommended that I go with Windows 7 professional rather than WIndows 7 home premium if I am building a system with 16gb of ram?

If anyone can answer any of these questions, I am deeply appreciative. As I stated before, my knowledge of PC hardware (or software for that matter) is very limited so I need all the help I can get before I order a system.

I'll give it a stab. Anyone feel free to correct/add on to my opinions. (though I did look some of it up
1. Yes. In a world where every peripheral is USB, it's not necessarily a bad thing. If you only see yourself using keyboard, mouse, possibly a USB headset and a flash drive, not necessary. However, I have 2 front facing USB ports on my case and wish I had more. Often.
2. From a frugal geek standpoint ISRT is neat, I can tell you that. You would need to make sure the chipset on the motherboard says Z68 in there somewhere; as only the new Intel chipsets support it. Right now, I think the majority of folks go with the full SSD for running the OS and the old gigantic mag drive for backup.
3. I've had Corsair, CoolerMaster, and ThermalTake PSU's. As long as they are rated for what you need, I can't recommend one over the other. Corsair is a stylish name, IMO. Good products, but there are others that are fine. I have an old Antec PSU that's been running over 10 years (minus some pauses here and there) and I've never had any problems with it.
4. Usually, no. The drives in my case are mounted at the front where my intake fans are, making them "hard drive cooling fans", I guess. However, if it gets stuffy/hot where you live, it's not a bad idea to make sure your HD's are getting the airflow.
5. They are almost identical save the speakers; the non-speaker version actually has a faster response time (2ms vs 5ms).
6. Onboard gigabit will be more than adequate, no need for a discrete card in your case (from what I gather).
7. W7 Pro actually comes with more tools and tech built in than home premium, including to run things in XP native mode. For some old games and apps, I have found it quite handy.

[Apollo]

Thanks a ton, WarPig! However, if anyone has anything to add, I'm still listening. In fact, I'll probably have some more questions tomorrow night.

[Kraken]

I have 2 front facing USB ports on my case and wish I had more. Often.

Behold!

[Daehawk]

Whoa that's Buck Rogers cool.

[Bob]

Not that I don't have 16 GB of RAM in my computer, but why do you need so much? Over 8GB is overkill for the most part (I have 16 gb cuz Cyberpower gave it to me for free.) My understanding is that any single app can only use 4GB at a time.

With Intel Smart Response, you install everything on your regular hard drive and the ISS process moves things that it feels you use often to the SSD drive. Like a big cache. With a 120GB SSD, I'd avoid using it. Just install the OS and whichever game you are playing on the SSD, and use the 1 TB drive for data. ISS is meant to be used with small SSDs, 30 GB or so.

[WarPig]

I have 2 front facing USB ports on my case and wish I had more. Often.

Behold!

Indeed, very cool. One of my best friends swears by this to extend his USB ports.

[Isgrimnur]

The one I want is currently out of stock. 24 ports for $50.

[Apollo]

All right, I decided to go ahead with a Cyberpower PC. I ordered it last Friday and I'm expecting it in next Tuesday. Here's the specs:

Coolermaster 690 II Advanced Mid-Tower Gaming Case
CPU: Intel Core i7 2700K @ 3.50Ghz 8MB Intel Smart Cache LGA1155 (All Venom OC Certified)
MEMORY: 8GB (4GBx2) DDR3/1600MHz Dual Channel Memory (Kingston HyperX)
MOTHERBOARD: [CrossFireX/SLI] Asus P8Z68-V/GEN3 Intel Z68 Chipset DDR3 ATX Mainboard w/ BT GO! Lucid Virtu and Intel SRT & 7.1 HD Audio, Intel GbLAN, USB3.0, 2x SATA-III RAID, 2x Gen3 & 1x Gen2 PCIe X16, 2 PCIe X1 & 2 PCI (All Venom OC Certified)
CS_FAN:Maximum Enermax 120MM Case Cooling Fans for selected case (Maximum Silent Operation) [+29] (500-1,200 RPM T.B. Silence Black Color with Blue LED Twister Bearing 8-14 dBA
FAN:Asetek 550LC Liquid Cooling System 120MM Radiator & Fan (Advanced Cooling Performance + Extreme Silent at 20dBA) [+18] (Single Enermax Enlobal Silent High Performance 120MM Fan [+15])
HDD:120GB Corsair Force GT Series SATA-III 6.0Gb/s SSD - 555MB/s Read & 515MB/s Write [+23] (Single Drive)
HDD2:1TB SATA-III 6.0Gb/s 32MB Cache 7200RPM HDD [+110] (Single Drive)
CD: LG 12X Internal Super Multi Blu-Ray Rewriter [+72] (Black Color)
POWERSUPPLY:* 1,000 Watts - CoolerMaster Silent Pro Gold 80 Plus Power Supply ( 80 Plus Gold) [+153]
VIDEO:NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 1.2GB 16X PCIe Video Card [+119] (Major Brand Powered by NVIDIA)
FLASHMEDIA:INTERNAL 12in1 Flash Media Reader/Writer (BLACK COLOR)
SOUND:Creative Labs SB X-Fi Xtreme Audio 24-BIT PCI Sound Card [+48]
OS:Microsoft® Windows 7 Professional [+31] (64-bit Edition)
SOFT1:Microsoft® Office® 2010 Home and Student (Word, Excel, PowerPoint + OneNote) [+105]
NETWORK:Intel Pro Gigabite 10/100/1000 Network Card [+34]
FREEBIE_VC1:FREE Just Cause 2 Game Coupon [+0]
FREEBIE_VC2:FREE Game Coupon Batman: Arkham City [+0]
CARE1: Ultra Enhanced Packaging Solution - Protect Your Dream System During Transit [+19]
CARE2: CoolerMaster Thermal Fusion 400 Extreme Performance CPU - Thermal Compound Optimized for Thermal Dissipation [+10]
CARE3: Professional Wiring for All WIRING Inside The System Chassis - Minimize Cable Exposure, Maximize Airflow in Your System [+19]
RUSH: RUSH!!! READY TO SHIP IN 5 BUSINESS DAYS [+49]
Coupon: SPRING0410 (5% Discount) $-114.10
SUBTOTAL $2,167.90

Since I'm selling my entire system to one of my co-workers, I also needed a new monitor, keyboard, mouse, and speaker setup. For the monitor I went with a Dell 24" Ultrasharp (from Buy.com), Logitech's "Wireless Desktop" for a wireless keyboard and mouse (from Amazon), and a Cyber Acoustics CA-3602 setup for my subwoofer and speakers (also from Amazon). My plan is to use the system as-is for now and then, in about three years when I'm looking for extra speed, I'll double the amount of Ram, add another Nvidia GTX 570, and overclock the CPU. That should get me another 3-4 years of acceptable performance.

If my new Cyberpower PC performs as expected, without any troubles, I will be extremely pleased. According to Cyberpower my setup should be able to run Call of Duty MW2 at 1900x1200 on the highest settings at 136fps!

This will be the first "True" gaming system I've ever owned.

[Enigma]

Please let us know how you like it!!

[godhugh]

Finally made up my mind to spend the money and ordered a new system from Cyberpower this morning.

CARE1: Ultra Enhanced Packaging Solution - Protect Your Dream System During Transit [+19]
CARE2: Professional Wiring for All WIRING Inside The System Chassis - Minimize Cable Exposure, Maximize Airflow in Your System [+19]
CAS: CoolerMaster Elite 431 Mid-Tower Gaming Case [-40]
CD: Sony 24X Double Layer Dual Format DVD+-R/+-RW + CD-R/RW Drive [+4] (BLACK COLOR)
CPU: Intel® Core™ i5-2500K 3.30 GHz 6M Intel Smart Cache LGA1155 (All Venom OC Certified)
CS_FAN: Maximum 120MM Case Cooling Fans for your selected case [+9]
FAN: CoolerMaster Hyper 212 Evo Gaming Cooling Fan [+4]
FREEBIE_CS: None
FREEBIE_VC1: FREE Just Cause 2 Game Coupon [+0]
FREEBIE_VC2: FREE Game Coupon Batman: Arkham City [+0]
HDD: 120GB Corsair Force GT Series SATA-III 6.0Gb/s SSD - 555MB/s Read & 515MB/s Write [+82] (Single Drive)
IUSB: Built-in USB 2.0 Ports
KEYBOARD: Xtreme Gear (Black Color) Multimedia/Internet USB Keyboard
MEMORY: 8GB (4GBx2) DDR3/1600MHz Dual Channel Memory [+3] (Kingston HyperX)
MOTHERBOARD: * [CrossFireX] Asus P8Z68-V LX Intel Z68 Chipset DDR3 ATX Mainboard LucidLogix Virtu and Intel Smart Response Technology & 7.1 HD Audio, GbLAN, USB3.0, 2x SATA-III RAID,2 3 PCIe Gen2, 2 PCIe X1 & 2 3CI (All Venom OC Certified)
MOUSE: XtremeGear Optical USB 3 Buttons Gaming Mouse
NETWORK: Onboard Gigabit LAN Network
NOISEREDUCE1: Anti-Vibration Fan Mounts [+9]
OS: None - FORMAT HARD DRIVE ONLY
POWERSUPPLY: * 750 Watts - Corsair CMPSU-750TXV2 80 Plus Power Supply - Quad SLI Ready [+77]
RUSH: RUSH!!! READY TO SHIP IN 5 BUSINESS DAYS [+49]
SERVICE: STANDARD WARRANTY: 3-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY PLUS LIFE-TIME TECHNICAL SUPPORT
SOUND: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO
VIDEO: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 HD 2.5GB 16X PCIe Video Card [+380] (EVGA Powered by NVIDIA)

I'll be upgrading from an old Pentium 4 2.6ghz with 2GB of RAM. Needless to say, I can't wait to finally enter the modern age .

[msduncan]

I kinda wish Cyberpower would update my status from the original 'we have your order' status it's been stuck on since the 5th.

I even sent them an email requesting status on Friday, but have received nothing from them in return. Ugh. Nothing annoys me more than not receiving any updates at all on an order.

[Apollo]

Please let us know how you like it!!

My new system will be here tomorrow evening so by Thursday night I should have some impressions.

MSD, I actually paid $49 for rush shipping only to see my ship date slip. I e-mailed my customer service rep at Cyberpower (Steve) and within 30 minutes he had e-mailed me back to say that my system would only ship one day late and he refunded my $49 without me even having to ask. So far I'm very impressed with their customer service.

[msduncan]

Please let us know how you like it!!

My new system will be here tomorrow evening so by Thursday night I should have some impressions.

MSD, I actually paid $49 for rush shipping only to see my ship date slip. I e-mailed my customer service rep at Cyberpower (Steve) and within 30 minutes he had e-mailed me back to say that my system would only ship one day late and he refunded my $49 without me even having to ask. So far I'm very impressed with their customer service.

Mine had some hitches with the fraud prevention on my Credit Card. Those got cleared up yesterday and it has moved to warehouse.

[Apollo]

Got my PC last night. So far I'm very impressed. My system was built to my exact specifications and it runs like a dream. I'm also very pleased that all of the components where I either didn't or couldn't pick the specific manufacturer are all from top-notch companies. For example, my data HD is a Seagate.

I'll post more impressions later but right now I'm very pleased. I was able to build a custom, high performance system at a very reasonable price.

[Enigma]

Got my PC last night. So far I'm very impressed. My system was built to my exact specifications and it runs like a dream. I'm also very pleased that all of the components where I either didn't or couldn't pick the specific manufacturer are all from top-notch companies. For example, my data HD is a Seagate.

Sweet, I'm envious!!!

On a side note, I know the system you bought isn't sold as a "quiet build pc" but how is the sound level coming from the box? That is a big consideration from me as loud fan noises drive me crazy.

[Apollo]

Got my PC last night. So far I'm very impressed. My system was built to my exact specifications and it runs like a dream. I'm also very pleased that all of the components where I either didn't or couldn't pick the specific manufacturer are all from top-notch companies. For example, my data HD is a Seagate.

Sweet, I'm envious!!!

On a side note, I know the system you bought isn't sold as a "quiet build pc" but how is the sound level coming from the box? That is a big consideration from me as loud fan noises drive me crazy.

Hmmm, I'm not really sure what to tell you. My system is very quiet but, with 7 case fans plus the PSU's fan, there is a low level fan sound. I've never actually heard a new computer with fans that I would consider noisy, so I don't really know if the noise level would bother you or not.

Anyway, after tinkering with my system a few days, I'm very pleased with the deal I got. My only suggestions to those wanting to order a Cyberpower system are to not specify cheap components (like the Xtreme Gamer PSU that is standard on most of their systems), and to pay $49 for rush shipping if you need the system anytime soon. And, BTW, the coupon code SPRING0410 will give you an instant 5% discount (which saved me $114 on my system!).

If anyone has any other questions about my system or my Cyberpower experience, please post them here and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.