Gaming Pc (not home built)

Ok, I would like to know what you guys (and gals) think about the different gaming PC's on the market today.

I compared Alienware's Top-of-the-Line computer, an ALX, to the rest of the companies below. I also priced out all the parts, from the same Alienware ALX computer, at my local Fry's Electronics to compare prices. I picked Fry's because if I have a problem with the hardware, it can be returned to one place. I know I could have gotten some, if not all, the parts cheaper online, but I would rather not have to deal with that hassle. I priced a home built system, and made it my base line computer as to what I would compare the following computers to. The follow are the parts I used.

ASUS A8N32-SLI Deluxe
AMD FX-60
2 gigs of Ram (Kingston)
2 256mg gforce 7900 gtx video cards in SLI
2 10k 150gig raptor drives in Raid 0
550w Silverstone power supply
ZALMAN RESERATOR 1 Fanless Water Cooling System
Cooler master case
Creative SOUND BLASTER X-Fi Fatal1ty soundcard

Total was around $3,800.00

Here's a list I've made:

www.alienware.com : $5824.00

I've been doing a fair amount of research on this, and have come to the conclusion that Alienware sucks. They may make great gaming rigs (when they work), yet they are over priced and the Customer service seems poor at best. There are several websites devoted to problems with these computers.

www.dell.com (their XPS line) : $5528.00

I have one at work, but they only use Intel CPUs. I'm looking for an AMD machine. They are a little less expensive then Alienware, and offer less custom configurations. No water cooling is offered.

www.ibuypower.com : $4100.00

This company looks good. The prices seem right, and the feedback I can find on them seems good.

www.falcon-nw.com : $6251.00

Probable Alienware’s only real competitor, the machines look great, and Customer service seems good. They are a $400 higher then Alienware's ALX system.

www.voodoopc.com $15,000.00

They only use ATi videocards, and the machines are WAY over priced. At $15,000 for a machine, they aren't even in the race.

www.pcclub.com $4098.93

A local pc shop to me, they seem to have a good selection and the price seems to be in the right ball park.

www.aacdirect.com/ $5782.50 (all American computers)

They are a good computer company according to www.tomshardware.com. They got great reviews and beat Alienware computers for speed in almost every test Tomshardware performed. Their computers are also cheaper then an Alienware.

www.VelocityMicro.com $4454

Seems to be in the right ball park, these computers have gotten good reviews online. Best Buy just starting selling them also.

www.WidowPC.com $5427

A pc maker I haven't heard a whole lot about, they are in the same price range as Alienware, Dell XPS, and Falcon NW.
Let me know about any others you might think are good!

if you can get it built at a local shop for 200 plus parts, why would you even consider anything else?

I never said I was going to buy one of these rigs; I just wanted to know what people thought of the different ones that are out there. Trust me; I'm more the capable of building my own computers. I've been doing that for years.

The 2 big advantages of having one built for you is; 1) no hassle. You don't have to figure out why your new computer isn't working. You don't have to worry about finding the cheapest price, the travel time, and frustration of building one yourself all goes away. 2) If something goes wrong after you get it home, you only have to go to 1 place to get it fixed.

I'm so personal burnt out on building and fixing computers, that the thought of someone else doing it, with the same parts I wanted, is a welcome change. Doesn't mean I'm going to go that way, but it's a thought.

Since I put this up, I've looked into 4 more companies that build gaming rigs, and they ALL come in under $4000.00. Some of those even have a 19' Viewsonic gaming LCD included in the price, with a 3year on-site warranty. Where talking companies that MAX PC and PC Gamer gave high scores to.

holy shiznick thats a lot of money. ITs cheaper to buy an xbox or even an xbox 360!!!!

The xboxs' can't play PC games, if they could, I wouldn't be looking to build a new computer.

Just a quick update. I plan on adding WidowPC, Velocity Micro, and a few others in the next day or two.