To Build Or Not To Build Your Own PC

Are you at that point where you don’t know whether to buy a PC or build one yourself? More people are now choosing to build their own but you should be aware of a few things before you make a decision. In my years of computing I have experienced the ups and downs of both choices and now pass them on to you.

I have always been a bit of a gadget freak and I think this is where my love of computers stems from. When I first started computing I wouldn’t have even dreamed of building my own. I couldn’t tell a graphics card from a stick of RAM. And so, I went to the usual high street shops for all my needs. The best thing about going to a high-street store is that you can buy a system completely pre-loaded with everything you need and more. What’s more its components will have already been tested for compatibility with each other. You may well know that just because a component should be compatible with another one, doesn’t mean it will be. This can be a nightmare when you are trying to solve bugs and issues after building your own.

When you buy from a shop, you not just buying some stuff thrown together (well you shouldn’t be anyway) but you are getting a tried and tested product. This is without a doubt the number one reason why even people that have the ability to build their own PC decide to buy one anyway.

Now, having said all this there are also advantages to building your own. It can seem pretty scary the first time but it’s actually not much harder than a Mecanno set. Price used to be a big factor with computers. You could often build your own PC for around 50% of the price you would pay in-store. But the Internet has changed this. Shops have now had to become ultra competitive in order to stay in business. So because of this, an average computer may well be cheaper to buy than build.

So why build? There are a few reasons that I now build my own PC’s. The first one is that due to competitiveness, store bought computers will be made as cheap as possible. I want to know that my computer has been made with good quality components that can be easily upgraded I rely on my PC for many things including music recording and maintaining my website (http://www.multimediasoftwareguide.com). A good example of cheap components is my mother in laws PC. I tried upgrade the graphics card in her computer a few weeks ago. When I got the case off I found that not only was there almost no room for expansion or upgrading, but it didn’t even have an AGP slot. When you build your own computer you can bear in mind any upgrades that you may want in future and purchase each component accordingly. This may save you money in the long run as your PC could last a lot longer before becoming out of date. The second reason I build my own is because I use a lot of multimedia software and I need to know that I have everything required to run that software. I always find that with a store-bought PC even the top spec ones seem to have great features but are missing something I require, like a sound card with plenty of input options.

The other main reason I build my own is for cooling purposes. By buying a really good heat dispensing case, (I usually go with Antec) and nice quite but powerful fans and PSU I can ensure that my CPU stays cool even when pushed to it’s limits, now as it’s on for around 18 hours a day this is something that’s really important. If your processor becomes too hot it can cause all sorts of problems.

So now you know why I personally choose to build my own and it’s up to you to decide if it’s right for you. I should stress here that’s its not all roses. Building is the easy part. The trouble comes when you are setting up your Operating system and installing everything. There is always something that will take you forever and a day to sort out and there will always be times when you wished you hadn’t taken the trouble. But, when you’re done it gives you a great sense of achievement.

If you’re still un-decided I would stay this. If you are simply looking for a project then why not? If you just want a computer that will allow you to perform all the usual duties without worry or hassle, then go and buy one, don’t waste your time. If you are wanting something more specialised, (perhaps you are into animation or recording) then you really need to build or pay a professional to do it for you.