Work PC: Build? Or Buy?

[JDahl]

Hey all,

So, I need to upgrade my work PC. I use it for excel, outlook, Word, sharepoint, general web surfing, etc. Not a big super user type application, but I do spend a lot of time on it, so I want it to be snappy, responsive, and fast. Also, want two monitor set up.

So, I am weighing my options versus build my own, or purchase a pre-built. What is the advice of the forum on this one? I want an SSD, I have one on my home gaming PC, and you simply cannot deny the speed factor on it. In fact, my work PC not having one seems like a dinosaur after getting one at home.

So, I've put together the following build from PC Part Picker. I am no expert on this by any means, so looking for advice on where to save money. Feel free to ignore the monitors I've chosen.

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/hcnYbv
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/hcnYbv/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Core i3-4150 3.5GHz Dual-Core Processor ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI B85-G41 PC Mate ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($79.19 @ Amazon)
Storage: Crucial MX100 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($69.93 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Corsair CSM 450W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ Amazon)
Monitor: Asus VE278H 27.0" Monitor ($229.99 @ Amazon)
Monitor: Asus VE278H 27.0" Monitor ($229.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $864.06
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-11-23 10:35 EST-0500

 

[kanewolf]

Is this a work at home situation/small business or a corporate office situation? If you work in a traditional corporate setting, there are probably conventions you have to follow and don't get a lot of choice. There may be a corporate purchase agreements etc. You should probably check with an IT person at work for additional clarification.

If it is a small business situation, do you want to be able to call an 800 number or do you want to provide your own support? That is really the big difference in purchasing a prebuilt vs building it yourself.

 

[JDahl]

Kanewolf - I own a small business, and can do whatever I want. I should have clarified that. I am not the most experienced builder in the world, so I am taking a small risk on the IT side of things. We do have an IT guy we contract with, but he is notoriously slow (but I think that has more to do with the fact that we are an extremely small client of his - can't say I blame him).

But, I just can't not have an SSD, and I am trying to not break the bank. It's quite hard to find a pre-built with one it it. I am also considering buying a pre-built, than installing an SSD for a boot drive. That may be easier, but I've heard you boink your warranty anyways when you do that.