Want to hear a secret? You are literally a couple hours of research away from building your own desktop computer. Regardless of your prior knowledge about computer hardware or video games, it is incredibly easy to assemble a desktop computer at home over a weekend. Scoff all you want; it is far easier than the movies or TV would have you believe. Also, there are a number of bonuses that Dell, HP, and Apple would never tell you about, such as:
It’s Far Cheaper than Buying a Prebuilt System
After doing some research and watching some videos online about the subject, you’re ready to do some price comparisons. Pull together a list of components that are suitable to your needs and fall within your budget constraints. (Always go in with a budget in mind, otherwise you’ll end up spending way more than you want. It’s a lot like clothes shopping in that way.) Now jump on Dell or HP’s website and customize a computer with identical, or at least similar, components. When I built mine, I found that a comparable Alienware rig would run me upwards of $5k. My system cost a modest $1300. Your comparison might not be quite as dramatic, but you’ll generally see savings of at least a few hundred dollars. The point here is, unlike most other industries where buying a package deal is almost always cheaper, buying computer parts piecemeal from the right places, such as Newegg.com or Microcenter, is a much better deal.
No More “Bloatware”
Remember the last time you bought a new computer? After you got home, unpacked it, and set it up, you started it up for the first time. Once you set up your user account, you finally got to the desktop, only to see it littered with icons and shortcuts for programs, advertising free trial subscriptions to Netzero or McAfee or whatever. It’s like buying a new car at a seedy dealership, jumping in for the first time, and finding it covered in fliers for car washes and auto mechanics. The difference is, with computers, these programs’ free trials are already installed, and they’re decreasing your system’s performance and taking up hard drive space. When you build your own system, you do a clean install of Windows, drivers, and every other program you want (and only those that you want). Not only does it mean your interface will look cleaner, but the system itself will also run much cleaner and faster.
You Know What’s in It
When you buy a computer, you generally choose what you want; you pick the CPU, the amount and speed of the RAM, the hard drive size and speed, and so on. You don’t, however, know who the manufacturer of any of these parts is (except the CPU, of course) unless you open up the system to find out once it shows up at your house. With a little research, you can put together a system comprised of all the best parts from the most reputable manufacturers, and rest assured that you know what you’re paying for. The time you spend on this step will pay off when your system outlasts your neighbor’s in both reliability and performance lifespan. Additionally, almost all parts include at least 3-year warranties in the event that they do fail.
There are no downsides to building your own computer from the ground up. You’ll save money in up-front cost, tech support you won’t have to call, and the longer span of time between needing upgrades. Oh, and did I mention you can upgrade only the parts you need improvements on rather than buying all new systems every time? In addition, there are entire online communities, such as Overclock.net, dedicated to helping people from all levels of tech knowledge get started on this endeavor. With a couple hours of internet research, you’ll be well on your way to building a computer to match exactly your needs.
