What NOT to buy OEM

[Garfield]

I'm about to build a computer, and I've been camped out at newegg.com. I understand that OEM is cheaper (with a few less items) that RETAIL. Well, here is my question...

What components should I buy OEM, and what shouldn't I buy OEM? Thanks, I appreciate it!

Garfield

[phungilax]

pretty much i wouldn't buy oem for the motherboard, cpu, and video card. cause with those you get all the trimmings. i wouldn't mind buying oem for like windows xp or a hard drive or cd-rom.

its really up to you actually

the only disadvantage of buying oem is you usually don't get all the little stuff and it comes in a generic box. there was a thread on this earlier. i'll post a link if i can find it

[Kryten]

the way I see it... find out what ins't in the OEM version and decide weather you need it, i.e pointless buy a CPU with a fan if your going to rip it of and put on a aftermarket.

[phungilax]

Originally posted by Kryten
the way I see it... find out what ins't in the OEM version and decide weather you need it, i.e pointless buy a CPU with a fan if your going to rip it of and put on a aftermarket.

definately true

[Garfield]

Originally posted by Kryten
the way I see it... find out what ins't in the OEM version and decide weather you need it, i.e pointless buy a CPU with a fan if your going to rip it of and put on a aftermarket.

Hmm...referring (sp?) to newegg.com, would that just be under "specifications" or something? I'll check it out! Thanks!!!

Garfield

[Kryten]

you may need to do a bit of research because there are some items that are more than the software bundle difference i.e some OEM video cards even though are the same model with out the extras don't overclock as well, sorry I don't speak latin but whatever the equivilant is "buyer beware"

[It_The_Cow]

I definitely wouldn't get an OEM HD since having a warranty when it fails is good. I also wouldn't get an OEM CPU if you know you're going to void the warranty (XP unlocking)

[phungilax]

i bought an OEM hard drive from UBid and haven't had any problems with it. but yeah, warranty and what it comes with are the things you really wanna look into it

[bdf24]

Don't think I've ever seen an OEM motherboard for sale on a website? But I buy everything I can OEM. Cause I'm cheap. Never had any troubles. Every CPU I've ever bought has been OEM. Some have been good overclockers other's havent. But that the chance you take wether you buy OEM or not.

[Al Capone]

Some OEMS have lower performance than the retail version e.g. some Geforce 3 Ti500 graphic cards

[Garfield]

So:

CPU - OEM
HDD - OEM
Video - RETAIL
Sound - OEM
Motherboard - RETAIL

Is this look pretty good?

[CrystalMethod]

So far looks good. Some video cards you can get as "bulk". Basically what this is is the exact same Vid card, but with out all the extra stuff you'd normally find in a boxed retail package (Games, programs that you can legaly DL for free anyways, etc...). Takes a couple of bucks off the cost, which is always a bonus.

[Shadow ÒÓ]

I totally disagree with buying OEM processors. If you are careful enough, you won't fry one from OC'ing it. The 3 year warranty is nice, as well as the heat sink works well on "normal" rigs or makes a GREAT paper weight/conversation piece. (set on on your coffee table and see how many conversations are struck up because of it)

[Erick]

I agree buying a retail cpu can be a smart thing I have had to replace several and intel will just mail you a new. If you get oem then you better hope that the place you bought it from is still around and they will take it back. HDD I would especially weary of buying oem they have a history of going bad in a year or two. Just look at the IBM GXP75s they are going bad and all those people that bought oem models can't do anything about and those people that spent the extra money for retail are getting 60GXPs and a few of them are gettting 120GXPs.

[arhines]

I would certainly be careful with OEM hard drives. As a rule of thumb, solid state things that you aren't going to be messing with much (like sound cards, memory) aren't in much danger...but anything you're going to OC on its own (ie, cpu, video card), or anything with moving parts (ie, hard drive, cd burner (but not regular cd players, they are just dirt cheap so you can buy a new one for less than the RMA cost)) should be bought retail

[Mike K]

In my 1st rig I bought everything retail except cpu I wasnt planning on O/Cing but I do now so that didnt matter I' m on my 3rd cpu now(2 fried 1GHZ T-birds) so I saved some money with OEM Other than cou my Shuttle AK11, Maxtor 15gb, Sony 8/4/32, Pioneer 16x DVD slot load, Antec 350W Everything retail except cpu and floppy is Sony but probably OEM neway
I' m going to buy retail cpu when I get an XP because ive only had problems with cpus

[Garfield]

Processor - RETAIL
Motherboard - RETAIL
Hard drive - OEM
RAM - OEM
Video card - RETAIL
Sound card - OEM
Case - OEM
CD-ROM - OEM
Floppy - OEM
Cooling - OEM

How does this look? I changed the processor from OEM to RETAIL, because Shadow brought up a really good point. I mean, this computer is going to be OCed and I don't want a CPU that isn't as much as it should be (resulting in frying). I think that I'm still going to go OEM with the hdd, though. The motherboard (somebody said they haven't even seen OEM) should be RETAIL because that is main.

Any other components that really should be RETAIL/OEM? Thanks, guys!

Garfield

[Ebola]

I just ordered a abit vp6 and 2 1000EB processors. all retail. it only cost a bit more than oem but i plan on having this rig for a long time.

If you upgrade a lot then 3 year retail warrenties don't mean much.

for processors oem or retail doesnt matter in the short run. the 1000E cdo processor was oem only. i think who you buy from is more important.

if you overclock a chip and fry it then intel or amd should not have to pay for your stupidity. if a chip just goes bad from NORMAL use or breaks in transit then retail warrenties are nice.

oem graphics cards are ok too. depends on what you want and who you buy it from. i got a great deal on a oem radeon 7500. just do some research here.

ram also depends. sometimes you can get really good generic. i've had lousy luck with generic. pc 100 ram that struggles to do 100 mhz. i bought ram from crucial when it was rock bottom. from my experience i found that crucial has excellent service.

floppy/zip drives. who cares. buy a cheap one. i paid $130 for a retail iomega zip drive. next time i'm going to get an oem one. my mitsumi floppy drive works fine.

the $15 mitsumi keyboard is a must as well. its super cheaply made and i love it.

air cooling. millenium thermal or alpha heatsinks. dont go oem. buy a quality all copper or copperbase hs.

cases depend. I like my antec. good quality.

hard drives? who knows. i havent bought one in years. i always end up getting free hard drives :D

[MoPMatrix]

At newegg all the OEM HD's still have a 3 Year Manufacturer Warranty.
So they say...

[Shadow ÒÓ]

Originally posted by Ebola
If you upgrade a lot then 3 year retail warrenties don't mean much.

they do to me as I constantly sell off my old stuff. Sounds good to say "this product still has 2.5 years left on the warranty".

As far as hard drives, not sure about all brands, but WD has the same warranty on OEM as Retail (3 years), so it doesn't matter if you get the pretty box or not.

[Garfield]

I was planning on getting a WD as OEM. So, I guess that is a good choice, then? Anything else about buying OEM I should know about before I continue to search for components? Thanks....

Garfield

[AudiMan]

So, in general, what I understand, is that retail CPU's are more likely to be more overclockable than OEM?

[MoPMatrix]

Originally posted by AudiMan
So, in general, what I understand, is that retail CPU's are more likely to be more overclockable than OEM?

Dosen't mean that at all, ur gettin the same exact chip, everythings the same just u don't get a cheapo HSF that ur guna replace anyway, a manual, 3 year warnty and a pritty box
Other then that it's exatly the same, nuttin diff :D
I usly always buy OEM

[cjlax5]

Originally posted by Garfield
I was planning on getting a WD as OEM. So, I guess that is a good choice, then? Anything else about buying OEM I should know about before I continue to search for components? Thanks....

Garfield

hey, not to be rude or anything, but u just asked that question 3 times. personaly i have never had any trouble with OEM parts, and most of my stuff is.

[Mike K]

yea Garfield asked that 3 times but that was after new lists were made:D

[Garfield]

:D I'm sorry about the repetitiousness about my inquisitions, but I'm...how do I say...."up tight" and I want the best. :D Thanks, guys!

Garfield

[mx]

I would go retail on the CPU if it's not more than $20 difference just for the 3yr warranty, otherwise the OEM CPU is the same.

:burn: :burn:

[tainice]

i would go with retail cpu, for most of time, better cpus are limited to retail version only, al least, it was the case back a few years ago with Intel. Now? i am not sure, but if you can get a oem cpu that is dirt cheap, who cares about those retail? Guess what i tryin' to say, VERY cheap-oem, otherwise-retail.

[Garfield]

I'm pretty sure I'm going RETAIL for the CPU. Somebody said that you are more likely to fry a OEM when OCing and that's counter-productive because then you are going to have to buy another chip which is more $$$...

Garfield

[tainice]

no, I don't think oem by any mean more fragile than retail, they are both the same stuffs after all. what i trying to say at my last post, is that better stepping of cpus are usually reserved for retail version, thatz all. Better stepping = better ocing performance, not easier to fry.:D

[AudiMan]

For the price difference you can pretty much get a OEM CPU one step higher than a retail.

e.g.: XP-1700 retail = XP-1800 OEM at one of my local stores.
(Price wise)

[Garfield]

Yeah, I'm just going to go with the RETAIL CPU because it will be better for OCing.