Homebuilt Or From The Store

[gobbly2100]

Well I have only ever once bought a PC fully built from the shop and that was also the first time I ever got a PC of my own.

Since my first one I have always built my own and well I was wondering if it is true to say that it is better to build your own for the following reasons:

- Cheaper
- Better Build Quality
- Better Component Quality (If You Know What Is Good)

Would you agree with those 3 statements and is there any I am missing?

 

[dmantech]

Build it! Build it! You can constantly squeez every inch of performance out
of a custom build. Think of it as a Sports Car that you always upgrade
and make a monster out of it! 8)

 

[buzz_X]

Hi,

- Cheaper //////// not always ////////////
- Better Build Quality ///////usually//////////
- Better Component Quality (If You Know What Is Good) ////////usually//

- upgradeability //////////////much better///////////////

 

[avarice]

I would tend to agree with the masses - that building on your own is the better way to go. As a techie - I enjoy diving into the details.

There are, of course, many online places which will sell you a PC - with minor upgradable options - however - there are also some places that will build you a 'custom' system within a much wider variety of options than say a DELL or Gateway would do.

One that comes to mind is - www.ibuypower.com

This site gives you options which you can pick and choose from - and since it is menu driven only compatible options will be presented as you work through the pages.

There are other sites - and remember that you will generally spend more for others to build you a system than you would pay yourself....but if you want an option between a store and homebuilt - this may work for you.

Cheers.

 

[Ls3D]

Out of 7 systems only 1 of mine was pre-built. This was a Gateway and when I added up the build cost VS the Gateway it was actually cheaper to by the thing built. Also that choice got me early entry into the then just released GeForce 3 and a new OS.

Since then I have never seen a similar scenario and continue to build. I'm no enthusiast, and prefer working in 3D, AE, PhotoShop VS working ON a system. That said I did have to swap out MoBo's recently on my workstation and have also repaired the Gateway 3 times (way past warranty) - which I still use for web access and email - keeping the workstation offline.

BTW - The video card interface seems to be the most common failure point of older systems, so be sure to keep dust under control and maybe hang on to an old video card for troubleshooting.

-S

 

[oldmantran]

- Cheaper ? Most likely NOT.
PC enthusiast simply cannot compete with the volume discounts the big builders get for parts and CPUs. Also, purchasing a windows OS as a single user almost always makes building a system more expensive.

- Better Build Quality ? Yes, if you know what you're doing
It's conditional because there's always the risk for you to zap a transistor, incorrectly set up power cables, etc. But if all goes well, you can be confident your system kicks ass...at least for the simple fact that you built it yourself.

- Better Component Quality (If You Know What Is Good) ? Doesn't this tie into better quality?

For me, I do it for the challenge and sense of accomplishment that clicking options on a retailers website just simple can't provide. So good luck to you, however you get your pc.

 

[joefriday]

Depends on how "high end" you want. At the entry level PC market where Dell and Emachines sell $300 machines, you couldn't even get close to building something near as nice for the same price. However, on the other side of the coin, you can usually best Dell (and definitely the small boutique dealers) when it comes to the high end computers, where there is quite a bit of price gouging going on for the top tier parts.

And as I'm sure you're aware, it's also best to buy the "standard" model at most oems, as the upgrades from standard are almost always higher priced than if you would have just bought the part yourself and installed it. It's the same thing as buying a new car from the dealership, and then opting for the scotch guarded seats, undercoating, and paint sealant for an additional $700. It only cost the dealer ~$50 in materials and labor, and those are things you can easily do yourself on a Saturday afternoon.

 

[yas]

Actually I beg to differ, the systems I see at normal shops like pcworld or dixons are more expensive than what it cost me to build my system, usually quite a bit more expensive. I dont include software costs like windows however. come on bill gates is rich enough as it is 😳