| OK, I don't get the Vista hating, I built two machines with it (I just finished the second one, I've had the first for a while). Zero issues, really. It works better with newer hardware- new computers are great, upgrades from XP are dog slow. Vista uses 2GB idle, but RAM is dirt cheap- I bought 8GB (4 X 2GB) for $120. The 64-bit edition IS better though (more stable, as. Buy Retail if you want to buy a new mobo at some point. The OEM one mobo only copy is half price and is eligible for free hardware at localpcbuilder.com, a PC mover software (kinda useless), a "gaming" router (it's a great router though), a pocket router (handy for hotels or when you're on the go), an epson printer, and something else if you get ultimate (~$160 at Newegg.com).
End of Life for has ONLY been extended until 2010 for budget ultraportables (like the EEE PC I'm typing this on) and ONLY XP Home. MS may continue offering XP via "downgrade" rights in Vista Business/Ultimate Licenses. They get to put the sale down as a copy of Vista, Microsoft gets to please stockholders, buyer gets XP.
Really, build vs. Buy is up to you, build isn't difficult at all with a barebones. Laptops are really convenient though, and for about $100 you can buy accidental damage protection through dell. Drops, spills, etc. are all covered. And the ease of troubleshooting (Dell troubleshoots and repairs everything) may be worth it for you. |