given a choice, would you prefer a name brand computer to one custom built?

Name Brands:

Pros:

Easy. sometimes cheaper. More reliable. Built for the OS. Parts Built for each other.

Cons:

Maybe not as good stuff inside. Doesn't look as good

Custom:

Pros:

Often More powerful. Looks better (sometimes)

Cons:

Parts not meant for each other. Hard to build. More Expensive. Less Reliable.

MY RECCOMMENDATION:

Go with the pre built one. The HP Envy 14 just won laptop of the year by wired. Im getting a HP G62t

I would get all system specifications of a name brand system and compare it to what you can get with with a custom built system.

I tried to build two comparable systems -- an HP 'Pavilion Elite HPE-450t' and an AVADirect 'CUSTOM PC Core™ i7 2-way SLI® 24GB Performance Series Desktop Computer System' --

http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/compute...

http://www.avadirect.com/

The HP had lesser performing video cards and not as many options as the AVADirect system, but you'd have to do your homework when building an AVADirect system. You'd still have to consider that if you don't know much about system components of a name brand, you can't assume name brand companies are putting in the very best components FOR THE PRICE. This seems especially true when considering video cards, if they use one at all. It may not matter much with your applications, though Windows and other applications are beginning to use video cards to offset processing from the CPU.

Also build systems at --

http://www.buydirectpc.com/

http://www.ibuypower.com/

You can check benchmarks of CPU and GPU's at the following:

http://www.cpubenchmark.net/

http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/index.php

I know Dell and other companies use proprietary hardware, so you'd be forced to purchase replacements from them, if a system component no longer works.

go custom built and do it yourself.

If you do it yourself you are more likely going to realize there is a problem with you pc before it becomes serious and you will be knowledgeable about what is in your pc and know that you did a good job rather than trust someone that rushed through the process to make a few measly dollars

use newegg zipzoom fly and tigerdirect for parts and check tomshardware for advice