It is increasingly popular to build your own computer. In most cases, it saves money, and it guarantees you get what you want. It also assures you avoid proprietary designs many companies use to keep you coming to them for new parts. Best of all, having built the system yourself, you become very familiar with that system and with computers in general.
People from all walks of life today build their own PCs. Executives, engineers, students, housewives, they all do it today. But, at the same time, pre-built PCs have come down in price quite a bit. Today, one is left to wonder whether it is best to build a PC yourself or to simply buy one off the shelf. I’ll address that here.
If you are a real PC enthusiast, this question may be a non-issue. The answer may be as obvious as the color of the sky. This is predictable, of course. When one builds their own PC, they are able to not only understand their PC better because they built it, but they are able to choose each component that goes into their PC. There is really something to be said for choosing your own components, and I’ll go into that further below. There is also a certain sense of satisfaction with having built a PC. One spends a few hours (or less for those more familiar with the process) to put the thing together. Then comes the moment of truth when one hits the power switch for the first time. If it works on the first try, its beer time!
But, besides the joy of it, is it worth it? Is it a practical use of your time? Will it really save you money? The answer to that question today has become a bit gray. A few years ago, the answer was obvious. Pre-built PCs were typically built from OEM, cheap components. The performance was average to simply awful. The choice was obvious: If you wanted a decent PC, you better build it. Today, the line has blurred. Where many off-the-shelf PCs today still use cheaper components in an effort to save money, there are more pre-built PCs today which do use quality hardware and whose performance ranks up there with the best of them.
Let us look at some of the key areas of interest in this:
Component Selection
Most commercial PC buyers (except for the ones who build higher end models) do not make a big deal of which components they use. They will, of course, tell you the specs of the system, but often do not elaborate on the brands of the equipment they use. Most lower to average priced pre-built PCs use more or less generic hardware. It gets the job done, but what you get is what you get. Upgrading can be a problem for this reason. In contrast, building your own PC means you can handpick all components in your system. You can ensure you get good, name brand hardware which will have proper manufacturer support and driver support. Most importantly, you can ensure you get hardware that will perform. One aspect of pre-built is that compatibility issues are taken care of by the manufacturer, but there is a tradeoff made in that guarantee.
Price
In general, you can get more bang for your buck building your own PC. In many cases, you will find equally priced and comparable PCs, where one is pre-built and one would be homebuilt. You can buy PCs cheaper than you can build them, but when you consider the hardware choices within, the price is offset in favor of homebuilt. One thing to consider here is the value of your time. If you are a very busy person where time is money, then you most likely want to buy a pre-built PC. If you don’t mind taking the time, though, you can do better doing it yourself.
Support
Available support is a key concern for do-it-yourselfers. When you build it yourself, there is nowhere to take the PC for service. You can’t say “Here, make this work.” On the other hand, pre-built machines typically do come with manufacturer support. But, support is anything but consistent. Some manufacturers have questionable records on support whereas some are quite good at it. Having support for your PC is no guarantee of having a problem-free user experience, and it is certainly no guarantee that they will take responsibility for your PC if it doesn’t work. The good news for do-it-yourselfers is that the community of people who do this kind of thing themselves is increasing. There is a lot of data on the internet, and community sources for assistance. I’m compelled to mention our own forums where a community of thousands is available to help you out on your PC.
Warranty
On pre-built PCs, there is typically a warranty on the whole system, and in many instances, you are offered an extended service plan at the time of purchase. Home built PCs do not have full system warranties, of course, but if you buy good name brand hardware, most of the components will themselves have warranties. So, really, either way, you can be covered here.
Software
Pre-built PCs often come with much software on it, most importantly the operating system itself. The actual price of the software is pretty good, because manufacturers get great deals on this software because they buy in bulk. On the flip side, though, these PCs sometimes come with too much software, meaning garbage that you do not want and just clutters the hard drive and bugs you to buy stuff. It can be quite annoying. On homebuilt PCs, you might pay a little more for the software per unit, but you will get what you want and only what you want, plus you can set it up how you want.
In general, I’m a big fan of the homebuilt PC. I’ve never used a PC I didn’t build myself. I think its a huge money saver. In my case, I built it myself, and then as technology progressed, I incrementally upgraded the machine. This saves a lot of money in the long run, because with a pre-built commercial machine, once it goes out of date, you pretty much need to start anew with a new PC.
Jonathan S. said:
2/17/2008 12:07 am
Who wrote this particular article, David Risley or Rich Menga? I am going to use this site as a source for a descriptive paper I am writing on building a PC.
Thanks
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chris said:
2/18/2008 8:57 pm
Your article is very easy to read! How could everyone be building their own computers though? Housewives? I get lost in all the techical jargon and I wouldn’t even attempt it. But I guess if you like working on that kind of stuff then it must be really cool.
Is it not complicated though? It seems to me, a non techi guy, that buying a computer off the shelf is the only way to go.
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rob reply on March 27, 2008 3:33 pm:
hey chris i see what your sayin about buying a pc of the shelf but i made one of my own pc’s and im a ‘non techi guy’ and it worked out fine for me
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Java reply on May 9, 2008 3:45 pm:
If you can turn a screwdriver, and preform a web search you can build a pc. You don’t have to be a techie - don’t fear the hardware.
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Ann reply on July 10, 2008 11:34 am:
I am “just a housewife” as you so nicely stated; and I build my own computers and don’t find it hard to do so. Just follow the directions. How hard is that? I love having a top of the line super fast computer that didn’t cost me a fortune to buy from a dealer; and I like knowing I figured it out myself.
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Paul Rainbird said:
2/21/2008 9:16 pm
Thanx for this guide. im no pro, but im experianced. this site has helped me brush up before i go headfirst into the job. cheers guys
this site proves, its easier than people think
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Idris Kwe said:
2/24/2008 4:52 am
Awesome. Is there a PDF format somewhere where I could download?
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Nilesh said:
3/6/2008 1:27 am
Yeah it is a good article. If not building by ownselves, it would atleast help them take a decision on their components while they are trying to buy a customized PC online.
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Anton said:
3/31/2008 2:17 am
Thanks. For some of you who are unsure, do what I did. I purchased a $300 computer (with casing, motherboard, dvd-rom drive, power unit and cables) and, bit by bit, made it suitable for gaming. I now have the confidence to build my own computer! (And I will have to, as this motherboard doesn’t have SATA and PCI-e). Good luck to you all!
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Bill Dunstan said:
3/31/2008 6:02 pm
I bought my first computer in ‘95, and have had 2 more of them since. while this an average of 1 computer every 4 1/2 years, the total cost of the 3 has been over $10,000, and average cost of $770. per year. Prices have sure come down to date!
The problem however, is that each computer became obsolete within the first year; slow processors, insufficient RAM, dated video cards, etc. The bottom line is that I was unhappy with my computers performance 90 % of the ownership period!
Keeping up with ever-increasing sophistication and demand of current software is a real challenge if you cannot upgrade your unit as time goes by.
My 3 machines (an IBM and 2 Dells) were not upgrade friendly, and those components that I could buy, were largely proprietary to those companies, and the costs were excessive.
Recently, I upgraded my Dell Dimension 8200 (2002) with additional RAM, larger hard drives, and a USB 2.0 PCI card. But the motherboard presents the greatest roadblock in that I cannot increase processing speed nor insert a state-of-the-art video card (no PCIe x16 capacity). I can’t upgrade to Vista (even if I wanted to).
It seems I spend more the half of my time in front of my computer waiting for Norton updating something (what a processor hog), or some other program doing it’s thing. Multi-tasking? what’s that!
While new computers are advertised for considerably less than a grand, by the time you add a hot video card, an audio card, an office suite, addition RAM, optical drives and so on, you’re well over $2,000.
It’s like buying a car; good base prices, but they get you on the upgrades!
What’s the solution? I think building your own is the answer. While I’m no techical junkie, I think it would allow me to configure my computer with what I want, quality components and capacity, and most importantly, the ability to upgrade as time goes by.
Just as importantly, it would be fun to do (with the right advice on compatibility of components).
With the constant improvements in technology, it might be a “sucker’s game” to try and keep up-to-date, however, a self-built unit may give me a fighting chance.
For what it’s worth….Bill D from the great white north.
drawback
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Craig reply on September 4, 2008 8:33 pm:
I tried upgrading my 8mb graphics card in my compaq to 16mb. Just a little more power is all I wanted, but was I able to do it? You know the answer (on board video with ancient BIOS). So I too am going to plunge head first into the world of do-it-yourself computer builders. Good Luck Bill D!!
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Ben reply on October 14, 2008 11:13 am:
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While new computers are advertised for considerably less than a grand, by the time you add a hot video card, an audio card, an office suite, addition RAM, optical drives and so on, you’re well over $2,000.
[/quote]
When you buy a pre-built computer, you are paying for their onboard video card, audio card, office suite, drives, and RAM. Then when you upgrade, you are paying again.
When you build your own computer, instead of buying a 256 mb stick of RAM and then buying 2×1 gig sticks, you just buy the 2×1 gig sticks and save the money on the RAM. Same with the video card, audio card, media drives and hard disks. The only other things besides these are the motherboard, processor (usually you can find them sold as a unit to ensure compatibility), the case and the power supply. And a decent motherboard/processor combo could run you say $200, plus a case (with power supply included - check the avg wattage though to make sure it’s compatible) for $50, you’ve spent $250 instead of $1000, and now you can add the other stuff you would eventually upgrade anyway.
I have built 2 computers for myself in the last 10 years - the first one was a cheap rebuild to see if I could do it (find a junker for 20 bucks and replace it with old parts from eBay - great way to get your feet wet) and the second one I’m still using. Technically the entire computer I’m using now (except the case and the CD-R drive) is different than when I first built it, but instead of dropping $1000 every 2 or 3 years, I drop maybe $100 or so every year and a half to upgrade the parts that need it.
Long story short - building a computer is easy, all the parts have been manufactured for you, you only have to put them together. And you end up with a quality machine that can be slowly upgraded forever and ever.
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c3computers said:
4/8/2008 4:28 pm
Great article and I do agree, if you know what you’re doing you can certainly build a terrific PC on your own. The trick is knowing what you’re doing!
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Kikiam_16 said:
4/9/2008 5:44 pm
My video card still unable to work, i’ve already reinstall it but seems it does not respond.
please help me out
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Tim reply on May 23, 2008 9:52 pm:
You do know you have to disable the onboard one first? or uninstall it.
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BarnyB said:
4/17/2008 8:33 am
I’m an IT Pro who has just bought a PC for the 2nd time but is on his 3rd PC. My first one was bought in ‘97 I think it was a Intel P200 with an impressive 32MB RAM but I defo rem it cos £1500! That was in College, my 2nd PC I made myself in 2001 and upgraded components as and when necesary (such as the motherboard when it got fried by a lightning storm which sent a shock up the modem and fried the board. Seriously.) However, now, in 2008 this PC (AMD Athlon 1.4Ghz, 1GB DDR RAM, 64MB Graphics and 2 HD’s, 40GB and 200GB) is dying again whilst being used by my younger Sis in her final Uni yr. I could troubleshoot it but she doesn’t have time for me to do so due to deadlines and to be honest, it’s crawling along and needs replacing (I formatted just recently), or rebulding with Ubuntu which I will do eventually. I looked into building my own again but time is my major issue. Building is easy but troubleshooting can be a pain, it used to be a joy but not now! Also, I priced up a dual-core PC that came to about £520 (not built just the components) and specced up a similar Dell Inspiron 531 at £420ish inc del. I have now ordered this (due to arrive today) and can honestly say it should serve me fine for a good 4-5 yrs, all we do is E-Mail/Office (OpenOffice now, no more spending for the sake of it!) etc no gaming. (Apart from Mega Drive/Genesis emulators!) I even bought the 4 yr hardware support as it was £89. One hard disk and one graphics card (the two components most commonly replaced on my PC) would come to this amount so I thought why not?
Although there is defo a greater amount of control and yeah, satisfaction, building your own PC (I had to get Vista which I’m not taken with at all the couple times I’ve used it, maybe it will grow on me) but price-wise and practically speaking (seriously, do you REALLLY need a quad-core?!) the balance has definitely shifted towards off-the-shelf.
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gio reply on September 8, 2008 3:54 am:
Accually ive heard interesting things about new quad core processors
where when not needing the extra cpu 2 will shut of to conserve the usage of them
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BrianC said:
4/25/2008 10:23 am
If you’re into games at all, you’d better learn how to build your own machine. Otherwise, you’re going to be spending at least $2000 into a pre-built configuration capable of handling the graphics and processor requirements of the latest games. I’m in the middle of completing my second build (first one about 6 years ago). Now I’m building a dual core AMD 3.2 MHz with 4Gb RAM and a 320Mb video card. This should be good for at least 3-4 years. If you can believe this - Guitar Hero 3 is what drove me to build this latest machine. I currently have a 2.1GHz HP and I can’t run Guitar Hero!
In my opinion, the biggest advantage of building it yourself as opposed to buying a compete rig is not having all of the extra BS pre-loaded software. This stuff ends up being such a drain on the machine that it seems like you’re only getting about half of what the machine is really capable of.
If you’re really intimidated about building one entirely from scratch, try looking at a barebones system. You can order the case, power supply, motherboard, and CPU. From there you can add the video card, RAM, hard drives and optical drives (these are all fairly straight forward). This can save you a lot of money, get you the components you want and still have the most difficult assembly done by a professional. My latest machine is going to cost me about $650 by the time I’m done. To order something comparable from Dell or HP or anyone else would have cost me over $2000 - easily. The key is patience and research. Take your time, shop around for a least a couple weeks before you buy anything and read, read, read.
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Andy reply on May 29, 2008 5:32 pm:
About the BS preloaded software that is part of all pre-built computers, you can do a clean install of your operating system of choice. Search the internet, there are many tutorials about clean installs (with no need to call Microsoft for validating the key). You can even change the interface language of Windows Vista non-Ultimate and non-Business, if you want (tutorial about this is hard to find, though). Recently, I bought a Dell for $507 (quad-core!) but it was for someone else from another country so I reinstalled a clean Vista Premium with my language of choice. No BS, just plain and pure Vista, as it should be.
I think each option has its own ups and downs. For me, I always build my own, I have been building my own computer since 96, one every 4 years. I am already researching info for my next build, due this year.
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BigMike said:
4/26/2008 12:57 am
I have owned a computer shop that specializes in either repairs or custom builds since 1990. Computers are soooo much easier to build now than 10 years ago. Almost everything is plug and play. The trick is getting the best parts for the best price that will do the job as intended, and be upgradeable in the future.
You can still find copies of Windows XP (Home or Pro) if you know where to look. As a professional, let me set you straight on Vista -It sucks!!!!
I have found, on average, a custom (home) built computer with the same specs, runs anywhere from 25-50% faster than a factory job. Most manufacturers don’t really care about true performance. They are selling “specs”. I mean, an XP machine with 256 RAM? Really now!!!
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BigTom reply on May 16, 2008 8:47 am:
Dittos on “Computers are soooo much easier to build now than 10years ago” BigMike…
Consider this (O gentle readers) the origional “Lethal Weapon” film showed Danny Glover using a cell phone that was the size of a briefcase… a F*cking BreifCase folks.
Now it fits in your pocket… I see RedNecks in wife beaters walking out of the BP with a 6′er of IceHouse looking like a damn cyborg with a ‘BlueTooth’ stuck in their ear telling Ellie-May he’s on the way to the hunting camp. Off the shelf is becoming a thing of the past. The wife and I are in the “Intel-Gathering” portion of our PC build and I’m blown away at the volume of information available for the DIY’er. I’m a pretty handy guy (used to work in residential construction) but the idea of messing with all those delicate little components scared the dickens out of me. (a size 13 wedding band fits hands for swinging a hammer… not pluging in a CPU) If I can do this anyone can, it’s all about the info. Before you build a PC build a notebook, (a 4″ binder)your own DIY guide with all the step-by-step and tips you can find. Then put it in front of a geek (ment with love) and offer them lunch (or a couple of beers)to review your guide and make sugestions. In my experience folks who really know love to share. Take this web-site for example
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Dave reply on May 27, 2008 12:38 am:
I am an IT professional as well, I run an IT consulting firm for small businesses. The transition to vista seemed like a daunting task for many of my clients, but they all love it now. The biggest thing is that Vista runs allot smoother with almost all business applications than XP did, especially when multitasking, it handles more programs that require high amounts of ram much more efficiently than XP did. On the other hand it sucks ram off of your computer, and hardware has to be upgraded. I do have to say though, until you start using it, from the outside vista sucks.
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Jake said:
4/29/2008 8:35 pm
I can’t find out which ribbon cords go where!
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Darrin said:
5/4/2008 1:56 am
So i just decided to build a PC vs a website like cyberpowerpc. I was freaking out just reading the reviews. However, this seems like it will be a daunting task. Firstly, where are some good places to get parts? And find out what parts I actually need? And does this describe how to add cooling systems?
Essentially, I am worried about getting parts that won’t jive, and having my whole system bogged down by one component. Maybe there are some good websites that will help review your choices? Thanks for any help.
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Ben reply on October 14, 2008 11:17 am:
http://www.newegg.com
http://www.tigerdirect.com
The only two sites I ever use. Newegg routinely offers free shipping, and tiger direct has some really really good specials sometimes.
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Robert said:
5/4/2008 8:44 pm
I used to build and sell custom computers in a retail location. But with the big names selling computers for the cost of the operating system I couldn’t compete with the average consumers budget. I still build custom systems but usually only for avid or should I say rabid gamers. I wish more people could realize the value that comes with a locally built custom computer. Thanks for the great article.
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Craig reply on November 29, 2008 1:14 am:
I find that most people only want a computer to send e-mails, maybe visit a social networking site, and to upload photos. The rest are gamers and they usually have the know-how to build there own machines (even if the don’t have the budget). I’m always steering people to custom computer builders or even offering to build them one myself. The problem is they see the full system with a printer for $500 and think there getting a deal. If only they knew they will be spending $1200 a year on ink for that sorry excuse for a printer, and replacing the whole computer in 3 years. Not to mention the first time they decide to try out a game and it doesn’t work.
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Ruth said:
5/6/2008 1:16 pm
I have built several computers mostly were for my grand children they were little and didn`t need the best so did it cheaply for them. Now of course they are grown and most have notebooks or lap tops. I have built my own computer have had it since 2002 works perfectly yet I use it for lots of things but not heavy into the games have upgraded a few things . Because of things I want to do think I will be building a new one with all the higher speeds.
Someone mentioned a housewife couldn`t do this I am a grandmother and just turned 75. So anyone with any kind of tech ability can do it.
Off course if this one that I intend to build lasts as long as the one I had before may be my last as I will be 81 or so when it wears out.
What I like about building my own is I can replace any part without having to go to the company that sold the computer. No one will ever know the money I saved my children by building the grand kids theres as I also was able to fix them when they screwed up.
Also must thank the PCMech forums they were a big help .
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Roberta reply on July 11, 2008 3:06 am:
Good for you, Ruth. I am the same age and a grandmother also. I am just deciding that I will build my own computer, I would like to echo another post about places to get reliable parts at reasonable prices. I am a moderate gamer and would like to play SOME of the newer games.
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Gary said:
5/11/2008 10:04 pm
If you cannot afford the latest processor, it is not a big deal. There is a premium for speed. Always buy the most advanced motherboard available. It is easier to upgrade a processor than to swap out a motherboard, processor and RAM. When buying technology look at “price breaks” for your best bang for the buck. A 2.9Ghz processor may cost $125 but a 3.0Ghz may cost $299. Not much change in speed vs. a huge change in price. That is true in hard drives as well, but not so much as in cases. Also look for your best buys using as site like Pricewatch.com
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Doug said:
5/14/2008 10:31 am
Building your own is definitely a personal choice and there are advantages and disadvantages to the process. It all depends on what you want, what you’re willing to learn, how much time you have and are you willing to be your own tech support. Every time I get an error message “talk to your administrator” I have to remember … that’s me. When several years ago I paid $70 to have a $90 cpu installed, I decided I could do it myself from that point on. But that’s just me.
Since then I’ve built, maintained, and upgraded ten for my family and I couldn’t be more pleased. But then I like diagnosing and solving problems; again that’s just me. To me a computer is as much a toy as a tool. I’ve built ten systems, but I’ve also broken as many as if not more.
Now days there really isn’t much, if any, cost savings in building your own. Truthfully, whole systems can be bought for less than the total cost of component parts to build one. But I’m convinced the quality of parts in a home built PC can be very high whereas for that same money I believe the “store bought” units to be of lesser quality. But then, most computers seem to last about three years before people want “better”. And that’s fine, today most computers are throw away anyway it seems.
I drive a mint condition 1999 Ford F-150 pickup with 190,000 miles. I like things to last and I have no problem learning how to make that happen. But again, that’s just me.
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David B said:
6/1/2008 7:26 pm
Great article. I personally think that, especially for beginners, it isn’t a bad idea to buy a mid-spec PC and gradually upgrade it yourself.
There are plenty of resources online where you can learn about components and compatibility, one at a time.
There is also a handful of decent free applications that will tell you a great deal about the system you have and how to go about upgrading it (System Information for Windows, SIW, for example).
Crucial.com will even scan your computer for you and tell you what RAM to buy for your computer.
I’ve just spent £100 upgrading a mid spec Celeron based PC to a P4 3Ghz, 1.25Gb Ram 512MB Radeon X1900XT Graphics PC. Not top of the range today, but would have been not so long ago and plays most of today’s games at full spec.
Building from the cheapish base gives you the all important cheap and legit Window Licence key too.
Happy building!
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Barak said:
6/10/2008 8:32 pm
I like the article its nice. I’m a gamer among other things and is in the process of getting a new pc. I want to build my own PC but I have no idea were to start. I dont even know whats the top of the line brands and where to get them. I seen a pc in Best Buy that has a quad processor,1 ter bite of memory, and good amount of Ram. plus a 20 inch monitor. I cant remember the graphics card but they wanted $1400 for it. Is this a good price?
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Erv reply on November 17, 2008 5:31 am:
If this was say a HP BlackBird, it would be a good price. I have built 2 “gaming” systems in the last 9 months, both for around $750. So that $1400 could have almost paid for both of my systems. Scroll down to “Waylon” dated 11/04/08 for system details.
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Andy said:
6/11/2008 10:51 am
Bear in mind that prices for computer components vary A LOT. You can buy a good graphics card for $50-100 but if you have the money, there are $400-$500 cards for you (and you can use two of these in crossfire configuration, if you want). Almost the same happens with memory (RAM), case, power supply, hard disk (you can buy a 750GB HD for $120 or a 300GB HD for $300), motherboard, so on.
Even keyboards and mice can vary from $5 to $250+. Fans inside the case can cost $5 each or $25. CPU can cost $100 or $1300.
So, see that it’s just impossible to tell if this or that computer is in a fair price or not. You need to know exactly what’s inside to be able to tell. Monitors can cost you $200 (a 19″) to $2000+.
I recently bought a Dell for my father-in-law, paid $500 (no monitor) and a dedicated graphics cards made the total price $563. It’s a good computer. On the other hand, I am assembling another computer for my wife, part by part, and I expect it to have a total cost of $ 2,500 (monitor included).
If you have never built yourself a computer, google the internet, read a lot, so to know where you are going. Besides price extreme variation, you have also many brands to choose from and finally take care with compatibility. You can’t use a DDR3 memory in a motherboard that is DDR2 only compatible, for instance. Use Newegg’s user reviews (www.newegg.com) to learn about the components and also other sites, there are plenty of websites with reviews on mostly all good parts around, reviews made by so-called professionals and also by users like you and me.
Here’s a screenshot of my Excel worksheet that I used to buy components for my computer. It’s not all decided yet, I still have the monitor and input devices to buy, so you see the options on it. For the other parts that I already bought, I did the same, I studied a number of components, listed them, and finally chose one.
Hope it helps.
See http://www.viol.com/car/sheet_computer.gif
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Andy said:
6/11/2008 10:55 am
By the way, the “amortization” calculation on the bottom of my worksheet is just out of my own curiosity. I like to have an idea of how much my computer is costing me each month (or day
), based on some real market interest rates. And I use 4 years as the term period because every 4 years I build a new computer.
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Barak reply on June 11, 2008 11:12 am:
Thanks for the info I appreciate it. Last night i started searching for some do it your selfs guides and I was supprised how so many they are. I’ve noticed its a bunch of snap in and go kind of deals. I guess the hard part is finding the right components at a decent price. Tech report.com had some pretty good information. I’m going to do a lot more reading a research and hopefully I’ll be ready to build my own PC.I like the $2 a day spreadsheet that helps out a lot.
http://techreport.com/articles.x/13671
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Andy reply on June 11, 2008 12:00 pm:
Good to know it may help you. Last words of advices: speaking of computer parts, generally “you get what you pay for”. Generally. There is almost always a reason why a certain component is more expensive than another, a good reason. But the latest and greatest technology will cost you a lot just by being the latest, not necessarily because they are much better than the previous technology. You need to balance cost/benefit. I usually never buy the latest, they are too expensive, they carry a premium price for that.
I did buy the latest (SCSI not considered) for my primary hard disk because I thought “well, it’s the only mechanical part…” and based on my previous experiences, hard disks are the slowest components in a computer (exactly because they are the only mechanical parts
).
You can find deals in specialized websites like slickdeals.net. But it requires a lot of patience and luck. You never know when a good deal will show up for that specific part that you need. Building a computer by waiting deals in every or most components is something that I didn’t want to (although I always keep an eye on famous “deal sites”). Rebates are also good deal makers but they are a pain (worth dealing with, IMO).
Finally, you need to consider your goal. If it’s gaming, mostly, you will take a certain road. If it’s general use, no much gaming, another path. If it’s video and photo editing and sorts, a third path may open. Like, in my case, I don’t care, as of now, that my wife’s computer have a very good sound, so the board that came with the motherboard will suffice. It will have only two (good) small speakers, no fancy 5.1, 7.1 or 10.1. But if you are a “demanding sound listener”, you should buy a dedicated sound card, so on.
Another example: for gaming, you should buy a TN monitor. They have the best response time but the worst image quality. For general use, buy a PVA monitor. For high end, you may want a IPS monitor. Again, the better, the more expensive.
Good luck and have fun. It is brain-and-time-consuming but rewarding to build your own computer.
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Mark H said:
6/13/2008 5:45 pm
Thanks for the article. I am currently shopping around for a new PC and have been tossing around the idea of building my own. After reading this article I’m sold on building my own. Only problem is, will the wife let me have the credit card?
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Broken Quiche said:
6/23/2008 9:53 am
Or you might spend nothing on software and just get a free UNIX-like operating system with lots of Free Software on it. It had the be said
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Bill said:
6/25/2008 8:33 pm
My dad got a new Dell in 2006, 2.8 P4. I build my computer in 2005, ADM 2.4. My computer is a lot faster and I never have any conflicts. My dad’s Logitech’s web cam stopped working one day. I tried everything to fix it, I then tried it on my computer and it worked find. I got him a micosoft web cam and it works fine. I have AVG free anti virus on my computer, works fine. My dad paid for AVG and now the 8.0 will not work on his computer. I also have AVG 8.0 on my HP Laptop and it works fine. All I can say is, my home build computer works great (I think I was a little lucky) my dad’s Dell computer has many conflicts? Is this Dell’s way of selling surport?
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Niclas W said:
6/25/2008 11:46 pm
Big Thank You to the author for this article.I just wanted to say that this also made my final decision in buying a self made pc.I hope everything will work out after all…
My bugdet line is about $1000.My goal is to create a Machine that can play modern Games fluently and with good graphics.Any sugestions are welcomed…
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Scot said:
6/27/2008 1:07 am
It does depend on what you’re looking for and your budget. My first computer was a Compaq Presario ‘98 that came with a keyboard, mouse and no other peripherals. For my second computer I knew I wanted to gear it towards making music and had a limited budget. I put most of my money into a high end sound card (w/ sound board). I then bought a mediocre motherboard, mediocre processor, 128 MB RAM, 120 GB HDD, a mediocre fan, a nice big tower (for getting in and out of) and mediocre video card since gaming was not my focus. I used the old mouse, keyboard, monitor, disk drive, and speakers; all of which have been replaced with scavenged or new peripherals since then except for the keyboard (10 years old). And now I have more RAM since I took my Dad’s old RAM because he upgraded his. My next computer will have some of the last computer’s hardware and a lot of it’s software. I feel building my own PC has saved me a lot of money through scavenging and waiting for technology to go down in price.
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David L Abbott said:
7/14/2008 5:45 pm
Well I’m trying to build my on computer. My question is how do I find out if all of the system that I’ve order are compatible?
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Random Person said:
7/23/2008 4:39 pm
Hey I used Part of this Guide but Not All of It and I made a GREAT Computer that will probally Last for me about 6 Years And if It’s too slow I just have to buy more RAM =D
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Random Person said:
7/23/2008 4:42 pm
If you want a Compatible Match here it is!
Asus M2A-VM Bulk AMD Socket AM2 690G CSM DDR2 800 4SATA PCIE Gb LAN 10 Motherboard
Microsoft Windows XP Pro X64 Edition SP2B for System Builders
APEX PC-319 ATX Mid Tower SL 300W 4 2 (4) Bays USB Audio 2*FAN C2D System Cabinet - Black
Kingston ValueRam 2GB 667MHz DDR2 Non-ECC CL5 DIMM (Kit of 2)
Antec PRO 80MM DBB 80mm Double Ball Bearing Case Fan Pro with 3-Pin & 4-Pin Connector
LiteOn SOHC-5235KBLACK 52x-32x-52x CD-RW 16x DVD-ROM Combo Drive
AMD ADO4400DDBOX Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core 4400+ 2.3GHz Processor
Western Digital WD800BB 80GB 7,200RPM Ultra ATA/100
That is Everything I used =D
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Talon said:
8/1/2008 11:51 pm
I found this off a google search just to see what people are saying about pre-built/canned computers. Admittedly, pre-built computers are *very* cheap, and they can help you “get the job done”. However, as others have said before, if anyone is reading this article and these comments, please remember that if you DIY, you will make yourself even more tech savvy than the person who “just bought it off the shelf”. You will learn more about how your computer works, what is connected to what, etc. Brand manufacturers like Dell and HP attempt to hide this information from you, and instead throw specs at you with BIG NUMBERS to impress you into buying their machines. There is documentation on how to take apart these name brand manufacturer computers, but you often have to dig deep inside their “Knowledge Base”s to find it.
Doing it yourself is really the way to go. If you are not going to be a hardcore gamer, please don’t read too much into the numbers that people throw around on Newegg. Most of the male DIY-fers like to throw numbers at each other to “one-up” each other. This may make you feel that you’re getting a bad part - don’t be put off by it. If they start throwing things like CAS Latencies, voltages, milliseconds, etc. take note of it, but I don’t think it should be your PRIMARY means of deciding on computer components, especially if you aren’t going to be using it for anything heavy like gaming, video editing, etc.
But yeah, be mindful of the brands that you buy - look for recognizable brands. You will want to make sure that the tech support for these brands are good - they will be your first lines of defense for any problems you incur. You can also tap into the community of DIYfers, but the tech support personnel you contact will allow you to get immediate responses.
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Mac said:
8/9/2008 8:06 am
I started building my own computers, when I bought one from the store and it was junk. I learned that after I got on the internet and found out what else was out there. The preloaded software and demo programs really slowed down my pc. I had to add 2 gigs of memory, sound card with 5.1 surround , HDTV Video card with video out and turner, wireless internet radio 802.11 a b or n , Blue Ray player, DVD burner, Blue Tooth and Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate or XP Media Center. I did this pretty cheap and over a period of time. I signed up as a Microsoft Partner and became a System Builder and got the software from Authorized Distributors at low prices. I sold several computers and fixed many in my neighborhood and helped a few people start their business. To make it official I started the A+ certification and the Microsoft Small Business Accounting course and it’s been Business every since! I never bought another computer again or paid for any tech support or warranties. I do provide warranties for the systems we sell and offer Tech Support from Affiliated companies. I recommend you get help from you local PC Tech at rates of $15 to $80 an hour. I did $10/hr most Technicians Should only be fiscally working on your computer for 2hr the rest is reading, upgrading or ordering a part. Shop around I’m sure you will find one at a great price or maybe even free! Family members are a good place to start and forums like this can get you really going.
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Scott said:
8/10/2008 2:01 am
This is very easy to understand.. even people who dont know much about these stuffs will be able to understand..
Thanks for sharing this over the internet.
Peace
-Soctt
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Matthew said:
8/10/2008 6:54 pm
I’ve been building PC’s for my friends for years, and recently I decided to start charging people, so I googled quotes and came up with this site. Just a quick tip to Do It Yourselfers, the biggest difficulty in building a computer is compatibility issues. The big ones to keep in mind is your case and motherboard, most motherboards today use and ATX form factor, so make sure your case is ATX form compatible. Most hard drives today use Serial ATA connectors, so make sure your motherboard has SATA input connections. Those are a few examples, but just make sure to keep an eye out. If you want an example rig, here’s one I just recently put together for a client using both Newegg and Tiger Direct for parts:
1. Apevia Black X-Cruiser Midtower Case
2. EVGA GeForce 8800 Graphics Card
3. OCZ Dual Channel 4096 MB DDR2 RAM
4. Asus M2N Motherboard
5. AMD Athlon 64 X2 6400+ CPU 3.20 GHz (fan included)
6. 680 Watt Sunbeam HUSH PSU w/ 12V rails
7. Sabrent TV Tuner Card
8. Maxtor Diamond Max 500 Gb Hard Drive
9. DVD-R/RW Burner Disc Drive
10. Windows Vista Home Premium OEM 64-bit Edition*
*note, the OEM OS is $110.00 and the same as the $240.00 retail copy, without the fancy packaging and intended for people who build their own computer.
I hope this helps!
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Jay Master reply on November 1, 2008 8:55 am:
This information is great…
And I haven’t even seen computer parts before!
Dell’s Intel Core 2 Quad Processor costs $170, whereas I searched for Quad processors on that website and there was some that only cost $60-$100. I’m enthusiastic to build my
own computer!
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waylon said:
11/4/2008 12:29 am
i’ve needed a new computer forever and i was thinking of building one my highest price is 650-800 dollars can i build a pc that will play todays games for that price but nothing like crisis
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Erv reply on November 17, 2008 4:31 am:
The answer is YES. I have built 2 “gaming systems” in less than 9 months. Both systems cost app. $700 to $800. The 1st one has been performing well on games like Flight Simulator X, Mass Effect, F.E.A.R., Oblivion, Age of Empires III, Company of Heroes (which came free with my video card), Sims Life Stories, Sims Castaways, & the latest game of Spore. All these game are turned up all the way. Just do some researching, and I bet you can build your own custom system that will play what you want it to play. Here is my two systems:
Both in Master Cooler RC-690 cases & OS is MS XP Pro.
System 1: Elitegroup MoBo; AMD Brisbane 2.2GHz dual core CPU; 4G DDR2 800 G.Skill mem.; Raidmax 630W PSU; XFX 256M Video Card; Samsung DVD burner; 320G Western Digital 7200rpm HDD (SATA)
System 2: ASRock MoBo; AMD 6000+ 3.1GHz dual core CPU; 2G DDR2 1066 G.Skill mem. (adding 2G more soon); ABS Labs 700W PSU; PALiT 1G Video Card; 2-LG DVD burners; 2-500G Western Digital HDD (SATA)
Hopes this anyone wanting to build their own computer.
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MikeL said:
11/9/2008 9:16 am
For all you do-it-yourselfers out there..this site http://www.pcmech.com/byopc/ is a great start –was for me.
I know a littIe about PC work, but never built from scratch before. My son and I took our time researching through newegg and tigerdirect and then went ahead and bought all the parts needed while making sure to pay attention to compatibility. We watched several build PCs videos on youtube and checked some of the ‘build your PC online sites’. Our goal was to build an acceptable gaming PC for under $700 and we did it. Ended up buying everything via newegg. Started the build after supper on a Thursday. Had it running by 10:30 PM and loaded the OS the next morning…loaded the drivers and configured that day after work. This is a great project to get a kid involved with! Teaches them the value of research and analysis (just like homework, but don’t tell them that until the project is over and successful). Also, don’t pay attention to all the wiseguys that say they are at expert level on newegg reviews. Many are simply arrogant people with a list of buzzwords. Good luck!!
-Rosewill RCX-Z300 92mm Ball CPU Cooler
- EVGA 512-P3-N980-AR GeForce 9800 GT Hybrid Power 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP
- Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit English for System Builders 1pk DSP OEI DVD - OEM
- GIGABYTE GA-EP43-DS3L LGA 775 Intel P43 ATX Intel
-Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80570E8400
-G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-8500CL5D-2GBPK
-Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3250410AS 250GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
-LITE-ON 20X DVD±R DVD Burner Black SATA Model
-pick a case with t least 500 watts, I bought RAIDMAX and that was my one bad purchase
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Andre said:
11/24/2008 11:32 pm
If you do not want to pay for the OS software, I suggest looking into Linux.
Its free =D
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Andre said:
11/24/2008 11:42 pm
I need one piece of information that I did not find addressed on here.
How do we know our hardware is compatible?
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Erv reply on November 28, 2008 11:43 am:
The 1st thing I tried working on was a store bought EMachine. I wanted to add a video card to it. A co-worker told me about Newegg.com, so I went to their website and started “researching” on the different type of cards. It turns out that I had to settle for an old AGP card due the the EMachine being 5+ years old. That’s when it dawned on me that I could and now always will build my own computers. (My next big step is to get A+ cert.) I guess to answer your question, is to RESEARCH everything you can before you commit to buying any parts.(Just like being on the website.)
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Andy reply on November 29, 2008 2:20 am:
Read the specs. Mobo is the mother of all components, as the name says. Mobo bus speed must be compatible with CPU speed (eg. 1333MHz). Mobo video slot must be compatible with video card (eg. PCI-E). Mobo RAM slot must be compatible with RAM themselves (eg. DDR2 or DDR3). PSU power must be able to run all components, specially if you are going to use these modern energy-demanding video cards in parallel. If you buy any third-party heatsink, for the video card or the CPU, it must fit not only into the video card or CPU but also inside the case because these days these heatsinks are huge and you may buy a small case. So on… It looks complicated but it is not because if you buy only modern components (and I don’t mean expensive components), they should already be compatible with each other mostly, but still, keep a look at the specs to make sure.
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