The difference between every major brand and what you find at the discount stores and us is simple:
Them: They use the cheapest or lowest bid components in their computers.
Us: Our computers are made of separate name brand and quality parts.Them: If you need to upgrade the video in a cheap computer in 2 years buy a new computer.
Us: In an ISC computer remove the current video card and replace it with the new one.Them: Major brands use an integrated motherboard (all parts soldered on one board). The integrated motherboard was never tested with other cards or memory or if it was it was on a very limited number of components. Why would they, all the parts are on-board. Testing costs money to the manufacturer. Lowest bid parts are not cheaper if they spend money on testing or compatiblility.
Us: The parts used in our computers were universally tested on many different operating systems, with different brands of hard drives, modems, sound cards, video cards, etc. This gives our computers a much better chance of being upgraded in the future and more compatible at present with software or additional hardware like scanners or printers or whatever.The more compatible the hardware the more compatible the software.
Most often cheaper parts mean slower speeds.
Us: The computers we own personally are also the same computers we sell. When we compare brands, we let our customers pick what they like. What the majority picks is what we continue to sell.
| Part or Purpose: | THEM | US |
| Motherboard | Integrated video, sound, lan, memory $70 or less | As little on board anything as possible in this industry $85 |
| Memory | Soldered to MB or low end $35 | Major brand $45 |
| Sound | On motherboard $0 (no card) | Sound Blaster $20 |
| Modem | On motherboard $0 or $7 card | $20 |
| VGA | On Motherboard $0 | Card $38 |
| VGA memory | shared with normal RAM | On VGA card (runs much cooler and faster) |
| 1.44 MB Drive or no floppy drive | $7 | $9 |
| CD ROM | $17 | Name brand $21 |
| 40 GB. Hard Drive | $70 (refurb, slow, whatever was cheapest) | WD or Seagate $75 |
| Keyboard | $3 or less | Full size $17 or MS Ergo $27 |
| Good Surge Protector | none or $30 more from them | $10 (2000 joule) |
| IEEE printer cable | none or $30 more from them | $7 |
| 17" Monitor | second hand or refurb tube or high dot pitch $110 | $135 |
| Norton Antivirus with 1 yr. updates | na or $29-$49 | $15 |
| Upgradable
(HP Pavilion used for chart, it was in the shop during this time for repair.) |
no extra bays, 1 slot for memory, 2 PCI slots. | 2 bays, 2 memory slots, 4 PCI, removable VGA, sound or modem cards |
| Total |
cheaper in more ways than price |
|
| Upgrade in a year the video to the newest "GE Force" and Sound Blaster card for newer games | buy an ISC gamer computer box $850. Throw away their computer. | $135 |
| Upgrade 3 years later to average speed computer (based on current upgrading going on now in shop of such computers) | buy a completely new computer box ... $1000 | $425 |
"Only a rich man can afford cheap windows." (because of the utility bills)
"Only the unlearned buy cheap computers."
