Trying to build custom PC comparable to HP within certain price range

Ok, what I'm trying to do is get on newegg and put together a complete custom PC for my dad comparable or better than a particular HP setup and stay within the price range of the HP setup.

I've put together a few computers on newegg, but I always seem to... not be able to sacrifice a little quality to get the cheaper price. I have a hard time with that.

Which brings me to the question... Are the higher priced parts that I'd get from newegg really going to be better quality than those that I'd get in an HP system? Of course, it would depend on a lot of things, but it seems to me like, lately, HPs have been having slightly better quality parts that are more upgrade friendly. Or am I just hallucinating?

Anyway, I guess this is what it boils down to. For X money am I going to be able to build a custom PC that's noticeably better quality than an HP system costing the same amount?

The HP system is... a modified a6500z.
Specs are...
Vista Home Premium
AMD Athlon LE1660 2.8GHz
2 gig DDR2-800MHz SDRAM
NVIDIA GeForce 9300 128MB
500 gig sata 3Gb/s
Lightscribe 16x max bla bla bla
Microsoft Works 9.0
Multimedia keyboard, mouse, 17" LCD, DeskJet D1560
Wireless card

after rebates and free shipping, the total comes to 678.98.

Now, before rebates, the total was 798.98. So, I was trying to built a custom pc for around that. A lot of things on newegg have mail in rebates too... If I had sent in the rebates for all of my stuff I would have saved quite a bit, but I never did. Anyway, after shipping, it always pushes my price back up above 800. Now, it probably is a little better system, not just in quality, but in that the custom build has a dual core rather than that single core, it has a slightly better graphics card(I believe..), probably a slightly better printer...

So, if anyone is bored and has the time, I could either take advise on whether or not it would even be worth it to try to build a custom in that price range with about those specs or if I should just tell him to go with the HP. If build custom, I could use some help keeping the cost down.

I've put together two so far but they both add up to be more than I think he would go for. I don't know for sure that everything I selected is compatible or not, I was mainly just searching certain feature he might look for.

PC1:

• Rosewill case with USB, firewire and audio front ports
• Samsung 20x Lightscribe drive OEM, would have to get Lightscribe software seperate
• 500 gig Seagate Barracuda 3Gb/s
• 17" Acer
• Linksys Wireless-G adapter w/ speedbooster
• DeskJet D2430
• EVGA GeForce 8500GT 512MB
• PC Power & Cooling Silencer PPCS370X 370 watt
• Microsoft keyboard & mouse bundle.. multimedia keyboard
• Patriot Extreme Performance 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) (I still get confused on some of the numbers for ram )
• AMD Athlon 64 X2 4600+ Windsor 2.4GHz (I'm assuming this is still probably faster due to the fact it's dual core and probably better quality)
• Vista Home Premium.

Sub total is about 850...

Second pc sub total is about 815

As you can tell, I just have a hard time trying to put together a cheap system. Not sure why. So, because the system has to be under that price range, would it be just as well to go with an HP? Even on newegg, cheaper is less quality. So... Is a system of the same price on newegg still going to be better quality?

 

case: $59 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042&Tpk=antec+300

CPU: $179.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115018

Mobo: $93 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128337 Don't forget the free flash drive...

Hard drive: $67.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148316

RAM: $45 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231098

GPU: $139 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121263

Should be around $583 shipped if my calc skills are any good...

Monitor: $167 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824254034

$750, plus your OS and keyboard/mouse and DVD/CD. Oh yeah, you would need a PSU to power that sucker. Bout the best I can do for a good system. You can loose a few bucks with less RAM or maybe a cheaper video card.

Sometimes you can pick up old computers at a Goodwill store for around $10. If you find one that is an ATX case, you just saved $49, and there might be a DVD drive and some other stuff you can use/sell for a few bucks.

Have fun!

E