I have a realitive who wishes to buy a computer. She will be using it for typing and looking up information on the internet.

I will be using it for video games.

She is currently looking at a gateway computer model which costs 3000 dollars. I am thinking she can get a deal else where.

Where exactly is the problem. SO any one here know where is the best place to deals over all? Like computer conventions? A kid I know makes customs and lives down the street but I would like to know my other options.

Try various local custom/parts shops. They may not have the best prices but "customs" (not major vendor) systems tend to have the best compatibility with ALL hardware. Compaq, I know for a fact uses stupid things like proprietary case screws and oddly pinned RAM so you MUST by upgrades from them... hmmm. Not all compaq have this and I simply cant remember which model line/year at the moment.

I would suggest a "pre-built" non-major vendor if you do not want to build yourself, otherwise, just buy parts and build it yourself.

Just build one. Seriously, its the easiest and by far the cheapest route. Go to http://pricewatch.com and get the parts.

Heres the pieces i suggest:
$140 - GeForce4 TI 4200 128MB
$197 - Bare Bones Athlon XP 2200
$70 - EIDE 45.0GB Hard Drive
$22 - IDE 56X CDROM
$8 - Standard generic floppy drive

Thats $437
If you want really top of the line, you could go with the new Pentium 4, but i think its a little overboard.

People always bitch about how they dont know how to build a computer, well here it is:
- Put CPU on motherboard(buy a CPU/mobo combo and you wont need to)
- Mount motherboard into case(screw it in, thats all)
- Connect Power supply wire to motherboard
- Mount CDROM, Hard, & Floppy drives(screw them in)
- Plug IDE cable in all drives and plug them to motherboard.
- Plug power plugs into all drives.
- Insert PCI/AGP cards(graphics card)
- Plug wires in back of computer
- Fire the sucker up!

3000???!!! Just look in your paper at the local computer stores! I can open up one for Best buy and find a computer for less than 600 that doesnt suck that much.

Regarding nothingSafe's post, is it really that easy to put together new parts? I've built a couple of computers from old or refurbished parts and i've had loads of problems. Mainly its to do with bios jumper settings but often (maybe because they are old) the parts need special conditions to run, like an old modem will only regester to com 1 or a ethernet card won't work if you install the modem before the ethernet card. Shit like that has happened all 5 times that i've built a computer from practically scratch.

Chunk
Maybe its because i'm stupid

I've built two computers with cheap Durons for my grandparents, and three for myself. I have yet to have a problem with anything except for a modem that we bought at Circut City not having drivers for WindowsXP. Older computers do have a lot more things to pay attention to though.

within the last 5 years, they reduced the number of jumpers per mobo from approx. 230 down to 3.6.... I like www.tcwo.com myself, i live near a warehouse/outlet of theirs so i can just pick up the parts without paying shipping... YaY...

love, SyntaX Err0R