We point all of our FDS and JetMax customers to Ken and the team at JetlineSystems. Primary reasons are expertise in hardware, totally understand the challenges everyone here faces and most importantly.... After the sale support is superb. Can't say enough great things about Jetline.

Peter Cos

FDS

I will never again pay somebody to build a computer for me, I have not had the same experience as another contributor with bad parts and have saved a ton of money.  I built my first computer in 1981 but back then it was pure geeks that did that sort of thing. Then we went through a couple of decades where it was easier to build but there were still lots of problems with DMA priorities and I/O addresses and so on. Current systems are basic plug and play literally, you could train an 8-year old to build computers.  The key is understanding what you are buying and that takes some homework but the same thing should be done for retail rigs.

 

 

I will never again pay somebody to build a computer for me

 

I would have agreed with you 10 years ago but at my old age I just want to order the computer I want and go.  I no longer have the patience to order the pieces and then hope it all works in the end.

 

I ordered a Dell 4 years ago for FSX and its running P3D now with no issues.  All I've replaced is the video card 2 months ago.  Cannot be happier with my purchase.

 

 Next time I will look into Jetline or Origin PC's.

For both of my FSX rigs, I had purchased all the components locally from Micro Center and some parts from Newegg, then dropped it off at my local Micro Center to have it put together. They usually can build it and install the OP and have it ready for pickup the next day. They charge about $100 for the build and OS install. I could probably build it myself, although I never have built a computer, but I prefer to just have them do it since I don't have the interest to do it myself.

 

Like Dan I've been lucky with parts I've ordered and never received any bad parts or had any parts fail after install.

 

I can see Jetline being a good option for those like me who don't want to build it themselves or don't have access to a Micro Center or local reputable computer builder. I think the worst decision or waste of money would be to buy an off the rack build from Dell or other big national brands. Years ago I purchased a Dell to run FS9 and not only was it a waste of money for what I got, but when I wanted to upgrade components I was pretty limited to what I could change aside from the RAM and GPU.

 

 

Sean Campbell

Hi Folks,

After reading Sean's post, I  have to agree with him.  Very hard to upgrade a HP, Dell, or any of the other common brands.

 

  In my situation, I have a very good  computer shop, that I can take parts purchased from Newegg by me.  They will install, including the OS for $80 plus tax, so almost the same. This includes testing for a couple days, and installing all the updates. This shop also does a lot of custom  game builds. [This shop is a few miles South of KSEA]

 

Jetline tests FSX for 10 hours, before shipping out.

 

Regards,

Jerry Friz

Avoid big name branded PCs like the plague. They are usually stuffed full of useless bundled software. The beauty of building your own PC is that you only install exactly what you want. If people want to pay a lot extra money for an FSX specific PC that's up to them. I personally wouldn't do that and regard the time spent installing components and software, even the OS, as part of my hobby enjoyment.

 

Gaining the knowledge and expertise to build a PC also means you can maintain it yourself if things go wrong. A big saving on computer shop maintenance charges and also far less time lost waiting around for them to return your machine. That being said having a good local computer shop to go to is very handy for buying common components and for a bit of advice.

There have been a lot of informative posts here. I don't think I am adding much to the topic but I agree with the home builders here. I have built four of my own rigs and I wouldn't do it any other way. I will say that I messed up my last motherboard by incorrectly seating the CPU. I bent a pin. The computer worked but it kept shutting down. I even tried bending the pin back but it was too late. A bent pin means that the warranty on the MB is void.  :angry: I ordered a new motherboard and I took it to a local computer shop and for $20 they installed the CPU into the motherboard. The peace of mind was totally worth the money. I had seated the CPU in the past with no issues but after destroying a $250 MB I  was gun shy. I agree with Dan, building your own computer is super easy and quite fun. Also you can blow people's mind when you tell them that you built your own. Most people thought that I was some kind of tech genius (which I am not) and I just let them think that I was! 

I will say that I messed up my last motherboard by incorrectly seating the CPU. I bent a pin. The computer worked but it kept shutting down. I even tried bending the pin back but it was too late. A bent pin means that the warranty on the MB is void. :angry: I ordered a new motherboard and I took it to a local computer shop and for $20 they installed the CPU into the motherboard. The peace of mind was totally worth the money. I had seated the CPU in the past with no issues but after destroying a $250 MB I was gun shy.

That's one of the reason I pay a reputable shop the $100 to assemble for me, mainly just for the piece of mind. If I bent a pin or hooked something up incorrectly and voided the parts warranty and had to repurchase another expensive part like a CPU or move I would be really upset about it.

 

I'll just pick my parts from Newegg to get the deals and let someone else do the work, if they screw up a part it's on them.

 

 

Sean Campbell

 

 

I usually build my own computers. But, find that in the long run it is not worth it, considering bad parts that you might receive. I once had to reinstall 4 mb's, to get my system working. [asus]  

 

This.  I set out on Saturday to do a simple (I thought) revision to my flightsim PC.  Maybe a couple of hours tops.  What happened?  Corsair cooler didn't fit enormous Coolermaster case (yes, I know, those of us of the true faith are supposed to check every incompatibility but I have limited time for research and this one blindsided me).  So an afternoon spent drilling holes in the case. Got everything in place and went to boot up.  Motherboard won't POST.  Fans cycle on and off once a second.  Spent most of Sunday running diagnostics - memory in and out and around the different slots, cables in and out, power supplies in and out, reseat the CPU.  No joy.  This morning, more time spent negotiating the RMA with Newegg (oh, you won't ship the replacement until you receive the defective one?  Puts you a step behind Amazon, doesn't it?)...

 

And so on.  

 

Two builds ago I had a seamless experience.  

 

Last build I went through three defective motherboards before I could get the thing to run.

 

Hope that isn't the case this time.

 

Next time?  I'm going to farm out the job, probably to Jetline, and let them wring everything out, and just go fly.

 

Value for dollar as far as I'm concerned.  I understand and appreciate that not everyone agrees and that for some, the struggle inside the case is part of the hobby and the eventual pleasure.  But that's not me, at least not here, not now.

 

So from now on I'm going to let the professionals do their jobs....

 

 

I would have agreed with you 10 years ago but at my old age I just want to order the computer I want and go.  I no longer have the patience to order the pieces and then hope it all works in the end.

 

What you said.  

 

See above.

I forgot to add a suggestion to my post. If you do consider building your own why not use a website like Jetline or one of the others suggested. Use the prebuilt or build your own option then order the parts from one of the vendors listed in this thread. Amazon, New Egg or Fry's are all good options and you can shop around for the best price on the individual components. 

If you do consider building your own why not use a website like Jetline or one of the others suggested. Use the prebuilt or build your own option then order the parts from one of the vendors listed in this thread. Amazon, New Egg or Fry's are all good options...

 

Um, sure.  Why should Jetline or anybody like that get paid for doing the hard work of researching the components and picking the best ones?  Use their effort for free and then give less money to somebody else!

 

Gotta love this brave new world, where nobody wants to pay anybody for anything...

 

EDIT: Sorry to sound like I'm singling you out and giving you a hard time.  I'm aware that lots of people do this.  I just sometimes wonder generally how people like writers and musicians and, yes, for that matter, value-added builders are going to survive if no one wants to pay them for what they do.  Not to get political, but it spills over into other areas like employment, where employers don't want to carry employees on their books as fixed costs, and would rather parcel out the work to part-time low-bidders.  Am not sure this is taking us to a good place.  So that's what was on my mind when I wrote my reply - not anything confined to a single vendor or to flightsim or to PCs for that matter...  Thinking about other stuff and maybe reacting a little out of proportion.

OK, so here's my latest real-world homebuilding story.  Today, while preoccupied with a number of work-related deadlines, I took a moment out to pull the defective motherboard out of the case. I printed out the RMA documents, got everything boxed and took it over to UPS for shipment back to Newegg.  About three hours later, as I was walking through the lobby of my apartment building, I suddenly stopped dead - nearly injuring a couple of people who were walking behind me - as I realized that, before putting the motherboard in the box, I'd forgotten to remove the backplate for the Corsair cooler - which, along with the motherboard, was now three hours along in its journey back to California.

 

Frantic search at the Corsair store for the H110 backplate.  No luck.  They have every other kind of backplate in creation but not that one.

 

So, over to Newegg to buy a new H110 - just so I can get the backplate.

 

In the words of Mullah Nasruddin, "What's the matter with you, idiots?  Haven't you ever seen a fool before?"

 

Which, loosely translated, also means - this is why, from now on, I'm going to have professionals do this job for me.

 

As in all things, your mileage may vary.

 

 

Sorry to sound like I'm singling you out and giving you a hard time.  I'm aware that lots of people do this

 

You make an extremely valid point. I do think that the target audience of people that will build their own are different than than those who will never undertake building their own rig either because they don't believe they have the know how or because they do not have the time or any myriad of other reasons. I liken it to people who fix their own cars. I would never tinker with doing more than changing my own oil or putting air in the tires of my car. I simply don't have the confidence. It is a troubling reality for many retailers. I am absolutely guilty of finding something on Amazon then going to my local Bestbuy to look at the physical item to decide if it is what I want and then ordering it on Amazon. If this is indeed an issue for anyone then I would suggest an alternative. There are a gazillion posts here on Avsim that suggest the best hardware to build an amazing simming rig. Utilize the resource here on Avsim. That is precisely what I did when I built my rigs. There are plenty of very knowledgeable people here that are willing to offer advice and help build a budget machine or an extreme beast with watercooling and the whole nine yards. 

I bought a top of the line system from them in December and I can tell you I have had nothing but excellent performance and service.  I run FSX with the NGX and I have yet to have an OOM or CTD.  I built my last PC but this one blows it away.  I would highly recommend.