Build a PC?

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stiffman320

I know that building a computer is fun and all, but is it really more
cost effective to buy on already put together and then upgrade? I've
heard this from some of my friends...
 
I know that building a computer is fun and all, but is it really more
cost effective to buy on already put together and then upgrade? I've
heard this from some of my friends...
Click to expand...

I guess it depends on how savvy you are, and how good you are at
tracking down bargains of either prebuilt systems or parts.

Generally you'll get a better system for the same money if you get and
build your own; simply because most commercial systems are built to just
barely work. It's more cost-effective for them. However, they *do*
need to make systems that *do* run and all together; so you avoid
compatibility problems.

Thus it's much *quicker* and *easier* to buy prebuilt commercial.
Your time and effort spent getting it working are valuable too.
Also, if you make a mistake and get the wrong thing; you often have to
swallow the extra cost.

I never would buy prebuilt unless the price was extremely low and I knew
it wasn't somebody's return; but then I've had lots of experience
putting stuff together. Not nearly as much though, as some of the other
people in this group.
 
I know that building a computer is fun and all, but is it really more
cost effective to buy on already put together and then upgrade? I've
heard this from some of my friends...
Click to expand...

If you just need somethig that works and you are not too picky,
buying a big name prebuild on sale is way more efficient.

Myself, I am very particular about everything I want in my
computer and the way it works. It is next to impossible to
buy what I need for the amount of money I spend building and
upgrading my two machines.

DK
 
stiffman320 said:
I know that building a computer is fun and all, but is it really more
cost effective to buy on already put together and then upgrade? I've
heard this from some of my friends...
Click to expand...

The main incentive for building your own system is that you can customize it
to YOUR needs rather than an 'off the shelf' system that trys to please all.
One thing I do when I build, especially when things are changing so much and
so quickly as they are now, is to spend a half day to a day going through
all the manuals. Take your time too. I just finished a rather high end build
for myself where the parts alone, including a 24" monitor and a new
all-in-one printer, which came to a bit over $4,000 for parts. I compared a
similiar high end Dell and the price was a bit over $5,000. The Dell also
used lower end SLI video cards (two NV 8800 GTS vs my two 8800 GTXs 764meg),
and I used a Swiftec liquid cooled case vs their air cooled one, so you can
save a few bucks. Once the parts were here I went through all the manuals
and started the build the next morning. I finished it up that day and the
second day I booted it up and installed the OS. Everything went just as it
was supposed to. You can build your own system anywhere from a few hundred
up to about where I did. You can also get "barebones" systems from a lot of
online stores that put a lot of it together for you. It is all up to you as
to what you want to do. If you decide to build your own post any questions
here as there are a lot of folks that will help you out.


Ed
 
stiffman320 said:
I know that building a computer is fun and all, but is it really more
cost effective to buy on already put together and then upgrade? I've
heard this from some of my friends...
Click to expand...

Cost effective isn't the reason for building your own system. Instead
consider the value of getting a system without compromises.

Keep in mind all of the OEM producers offer systems they can produce at
a profit. Now making a profit isn't a sin but it does often require
making choices that you might prefer not to make on your desired setup.

A fair example might be a power supply. What they deliver might work
perfectly with the unit "as delivered". But once you add a new device
you exceed the capacity. On a system built by yourself you might have
chosen a 380w or 450w in order to have excess capacity. Quite different
from the 250w OEM.
 
I know that building a computer is fun and all, but is it really more
cost effective to buy on already put together and then upgrade? I've
heard this from some of my friends...
Click to expand...

It is a common myth. For example, many clone systems have power
supplies that are missing essential functions. But many who assemble
a system never learn this. They 'save money'.

The reason for building anything is to learn. Too many clone systems
with strange problems have been observed. Failures that are accepted
as normal; operations that are too slow. But they 'saved money'.
Other advantages: unknown because money was saved.

Failure should also be useful - again to learn. Some may fix it
using shotgunning. Others learn why the failure happens before fixing
it. Again. It can be so educational.

One who builds a system AND learns from the experience should have
then learned why more expensive systems may be cheaper, why some
discounted computers are problematic, and why clone 'systems' can
sometimes sell for less.

For example, ask those friends why some power supplies sell for $55
retail and others for only $25. If an answer is not technical, then
they never learned. Ask them how many functions are missing in that
$25 supply. Did they learn anything useful from building a machine?
 
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