Discussion Hesitant to buy new PC tech due to Gamers Nexus/others?

[rollotomasty]

I'm wondering if anyone else finds themselves rather paralyzed about buying PC parts for a new rig. Particularly, I subscribed to Gamers Nexus on YouTube and they eviscerate (justifiably it seems) NZXT (insulting customer interactions), Intel (terrible Arc drivers), Alienware (a lot of reasons), Newegg (most recently due to their JustGPU service putting out fake benchmarks), ASRock (for abusing reviewers)...in addition to the r/pcmasterrace Reddit, where shattering tempered glass has become a meme.

I just look at it all and think all my parts are going to fail. (I do have mental illnesses that get in my way, disclaimer)

8 years ago I built my first PC for the Witcher 3, and it posted on the first try, without any issues except that a cable was getting in the way of one of the GTX970's fans. It took time and a LOT of research, but I did it and was and still am very pleased.

Nowadays...do things seem harder to build, or to choose parts for, than they used to? I subscribe to PC Gamer I find what they choose for their builds, and what they rate the best prebuilts as, to be mostly laughable.

Any commiseration/advice?

 

[DSzymborski]

Things are not harder to build than they were in the past. A few things are more annoying, like every company seeming to have their own different RGB lighting solution, but those are more obnoxious than a serious issue. Now that GPUs are obtainable again for reasonable prices, there's no reason for anyone who is able to build to not build, except maybe time. But the problems with a lot of the prebuilts is that it's a highly competitive market and inevitably, it's service that gets shortchanged from companies like Alienware or Cyberpower. If you're going the prebuilt route, you really want to spend more and get something from a proper boutique builder with good support, like Falcon Northwest. You'll inevitably pay more for this kind of builder.

 

[geofelt]

If you can tell that you are getting bad advice, then go elsewhere.
Since you have built before, that is still a good way to go.

You are likely to get honest advice on these forums.
Posters will not have an economic interest in what they suggest.

There will be biases on brands and products.
Most will recommend what they are familiar with.

 

[logainofhades]

If you wish to build a new system, which is what I would still recommend, see the link in my sig, for a guide on how to go about asking for new build advice, and plenty of members here can get you a recommendation, that you can feel confident that it will not be junk.

 

[rollotomasty]

Things are not harder to build than they were in the past. A few things are more annoying, like every company seeming to have their own different RGB lighting solution, but those are more obnoxious than a serious issue. Now that GPUs are obtainable again for reasonable prices, there's no reason for anyone who is able to build to not build, except maybe time. But the problems with a lot of the prebuilts is that it's a highly competitive market and inevitably, it's service that gets shortchanged from companies like Alienware or Cyberpower. If you're going the prebuilt route, you really want to spend more and get something from a proper boutique builder with good support, like Falcon Northwest. You'll inevitably pay more for this kind of builder.

I've looked into some of the high end builders. And yes they are MUCH more expensive than building one yourself.

 

[rollotomasty]

If you wish to build a new system, which is what I would still recommend, see the link in my sig, for a guide on how to go about asking for new build advice, and plenty of members here can get you a recommendation, that you can feel confident that it will not be junk.

Thank you for the link. Bookmarked it.

 

[DSzymborski]

I've looked into some of the high end builders. And yes they are MUCH more expensive than building one yourself.

It's the price of quality service!

You basically need to pick what's most valuable to you. You can't get someone to build it for you and quality and service and price.

 

[logainofhades]

If you live near a microcenter, they will build your system for you.