When its time to replace your old computer, you’ve got an important choice to make. I’m not talking about PCs versus Mac here either ” you might be wondering if you’d be better off buying a computer off the shelf or building one yourself. If you’re slightly technically inclined, you can get exactly the computer you want for a lower price than a pre-built one by building your own.
Building your own custom PC is most often less expensive than buying one at your local retailer or online. When you decide to build your own PC, you get to choose which components you need and which you can live without ” unlike a pre-built PC, you’re not paying for hardware you don’t need or want. If you’re interested in building a PC for gaming, then you probably don’t need a SD card reader, for instance. When you buy a ready-made PC, this will probably be included, along with several other parts which you don’t want but add to the price.
If you’ve got a solid understanding of how the different components of a PC are put together, you can build your own computer in just a couple of hours; or about the same time you’d spend going to and from a computer shop, looking at PCs, waiting in line, etc. Even if you’re not 100% sure of how everything fits together, building your own computer is a valuable learning experience. The things you learn about PC construction and hardware may allow you to do your own computer repairs in the future, leading to even more savings!
The software often included with a pre-built computer also adds to the cost. Even though the OEM (or original equipment manufacturer) generally receives a discount on this software, you’re still paying for this software when you buy a new computer. If you already have a copy of your preferred operating system handy, there’s no need to pay for another. Even if you’d like to use the OS you’d get with a new computer it usually comes along with other software you don’t need or want ” but you’re still paying for it along with a pre-built computer.
There are also some downsides to building your own PC. If you’re not already fairly knowledgeable about hardware and especially compatibility, then you’ll want to do a lot of research beforehand. Support isn’t going to be easy to come by either; the vendor of your operating system might provide some support, but don’t count on it if its a strictly hardware related issue. However, if you know your PC hardware and have a reasonable grasp of how things fit together (or can follow instructions), then you should be fine. There are even many how to videos on You Tube and other video sharing sites which can show you much of what you’ll need to know.
You can also save money by shopping around for the best prices on components when you build your own computer. You don’t have to buy all of your parts from a single source; pick and choose from various suppliers to get the best prices. If you are replacing an older computer with your new custom built PC, then you may be able to scavenge parts from this computer to use in your new PC rather than buying them.
It’s not as complicated to build a computer as you may think. Its easy to find parts, tutorials and other resources are readily available and for those who enjoy a little challenge in their do it yourself projects will find this to be an educational and rewarding endeavor.