Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Curious George]

Hey all you gameheads, where can I buy a desktop for gaming.

I want it to be great but not top of the line.

Looking for a decent motherboard with brand name 1024 RAM
P4 3.0 Pentium or the AMD 3000 64 bit (Which is better?) with the 800 mhz FSB.
ATI Radeon 9600 PRO Video or 9700 PRO if I can get one cheap enough.
7200 rpm hard drive
CD burner
and all the other stuff that usually comes with....

I went to one of those shops at the top of the building next to Yongsan station but they wanted to build it with a Chinese motherboard and RAM. They wanted 1.3 million won which I thought was way too much money, but that did include a Samsung DVD/CD burner and an ATI 9600 PRO but no monitor.
So, can anyone point me to a shop that will build me one with good components at a fair price?

Also, how much should I expect to pay for a system like this?

Finally, where can I buy a good LCD monitor for a fair price?

Thanks for the advice in advance.

[kangnamdragon]

Look here:

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=4367

[Gord]

1.3 isn't a bad price, assuming they are sticking with quality parts. If you want the high end toys, you're going to have to pay the price. The 3.0GHz processor alone is nearly 300,000. RAM is another 200,000 if you're lucky. That's 500,000 right there on two parts.

Next up, add in a quality motherboard and drive, and you're up to 700,000. The card will set you back another 200,000 depending on the model. 900,000. Next, CD burner and you're nearly at a million. Then you need a case, power supply and keyboard which pushes you over the million mark.

Then you will still need an O/S. Add nother 100,000. We're past 1.1 without even factoring in the cost of someone putting it together and other components you still might want, and the monitor isn't even on the radar yet.

Just how much are you planning to spend?

[Demophobe]

Go here and you can find all of the prices and locations.
http://www.danawa.co.kr

menu is at the top.
I strongly recommend buying the parts and either building it yourself, or have someone put it together for you. The "package" computers always short you somehow. Not by ripping you off, but they often use the cheapest parts they can for things that most people don't really know about.

When people shop for a computer, they are only concerned with certain things. Often the mainboard, RAM and hard drives are skimped on to save some cash. Go and buy all the parts you need yourself. Building a computer is very, very easy.

I go to one store all the time. I give him my list and he makes all the calls and all of the parts I want are delivered to his shop. He charges me about 20-30,000 for this convenience.

I wish I could remember his shop's name...he doesn't speak English, but he is a really good guy. He will even handle returns on all items, if necessary.

You can go into any shop with your list and they will probably do a similar service. Scrutinize faces....that's how I found this guy. He just looked like a nice guy...not like some shify sheister. He was a bit older...I trust the older guys there more.

Watch prices. They all have internet access in their shops...show them the danawa site if there is a problem. You can barter as well. Not too low if the guy is doing all of the legwork for you by calling and getting the parts you want, but a little leeway is there. Paying by cash is preferred...many times foreign credit cards don't work anyways
. I can't tell you how cool that is...having them call around for you....walking around there looking for everything makes for a crap day.

If I do find the store's telephone number that I always go to, I will let you know.

[The Lemon]

Further to Gord's post - are you sure you need the P4 3.0? Consider the Athlon XP, and put the money you save towards a good monitor.

Just for fun I priced out what some decent parts would cost if you bought them separately on Omi, and here's what I came up with:

268,000 -cpu
57,000 - mbrd (can go higher or lower -this is midrange)
220,000 - ram (Samsung, 1 GB)
92,000 - ATI 9600 card
77,000 hard drive (80gb, 7200)
70, case, decent power, mouse, kbrd
120,000 DVD burner (4x)

Total - 900,000w

And as Gord points out, you'd need an OS, and to pay a guy to assemble it if you don't feel up to it yourself. 1.3 isn't too crazy-high.

By the way, don't be scared off by "made in China" computer components. Most components are made in China or Taiwan, and I've never noticed any step down in quality or reliability based on that vs those made in Korea or elsewhere.

About LCD monitors - the cheapest 15 inch LCDs are in the 300~350,000w range. They're not cheap. I have one and like it, but a good CRT monitor actually delivers better color, if you're into doing any graphics work.

[Demophobe]

Good luck NOT buying something made in Taiwan or China.

[Curious George]

Thanks for all the advice guys.

Gord wrote:

"1.3 isn't a bad price, assuming they are sticking with quality parts."

Thats the problem. It looked like a really cheap Chinese mobo and cheap RAM too with names I never heard of. I am a little bit computer literate in regards to hardware, so I know what the good brands are for the most part.

I would love to just buy the parts myself and build the computer but I have never done it before. I have switched out hard drives, sound boards, RAM, video cards etc but have never messed with motherboards or building a whole system. I am afraid I would screw it up. Messing with the processor chips really scares me, hehe.

I dont mind paying 1.3 mil, but I want quality parts not cheap ones for that price. I have my own copy of Windows XP so dont need a OS which will save me a little money.

[The Lemon]

[Demophobe]

Sorry, Lemon, but I beg to differ.
Actually, I am not sure what you mean...generic computer parts? Like what, for example?
Hard drives...name is important. Graphics, mainboards, RAM, CPU, CD-RWs, DVD-rws, mouse, keyboard (yes, keyboard...I bought a keyboard from a Korean company that folded, leaving no drivers and keys that thus didn't work)...everything in a computer is brand-name, and therefore reputation dependant.
I wouldn't buy anything, save a case or 56k modem that wasn't produced by a reputable company. OEM is notorious for being second-rate. I don't know about you, but most people I know shy away from OEM unless they are on a big-time budget. In computers, always look for brand-names. The quality, afterservice, and RMA is tops. In the world of computers, brand names are everything.
Perhaps you have had good luck with OEM. It seems shady to me...no packaging, no documentation...just the item...bare bones.
Korean brands are world-competitive. Suma, Unitech, Samsung, etc...these brands can be researched easily on the net.
Always look for reviews. If there are no reviews on a product, buyer beware.

[Bulsajo]

I think perhaps you misunderstand the concept or meaning of OEM.