I am almost ready to build my first PC...and then I read about - and drooled over - the Enthusiast PC in the December 2009 System Builder Marathon.
I said I'm "almost ready" for my first build because I feel there are still a few things I need to learn about, like how to choose a case. I figured I would buy my last pre-made computer for Windows 7, and my next computer would be my first build.
The beauty of an SBM computer, as I see it, is that the experts at Tom's have selected all the parts, so I know they're well-matched and good quality, thereby removing a major worry for a first timer.
Of course, reasonable people can and do disagree about whether Tom's should have used "this" brand of video card instead of "that" brand, and every month new and better components come to market, but to me as a potential first-time builder...who cares? Any way you look at it I'm getting a computer that's more capable than what HP or Dell offer, even if it costs a little more. (And I have the satisfaction of building it myself.)
So what's your opinion: Is a System Builder Marathon PC a good choice for a first build?
I said I'm "almost ready" for my first build because I feel there are still a few things I need to learn about, like how to choose a case. I figured I would buy my last pre-made computer for Windows 7, and my next computer would be my first build.
The beauty of an SBM computer, as I see it, is that the experts at Tom's have selected all the parts, so I know they're well-matched and good quality, thereby removing a major worry for a first timer.
Of course, reasonable people can and do disagree about whether Tom's should have used "this" brand of video card instead of "that" brand, and every month new and better components come to market, but to me as a potential first-time builder...who cares? Any way you look at it I'm getting a computer that's more capable than what HP or Dell offer, even if it costs a little more. (And I have the satisfaction of building it myself.)
So what's your opinion: Is a System Builder Marathon PC a good choice for a first build?