Skip The PC Store, Custom Build Your Computer

by Bradley Wint on January 31st, 2009 at 4:24 pm EDT - 1,467 views

In these economical times, many of us are now forced to actually give a hand in trying to figure ways to cut back on spending. Some people have even gone the ridiculous lengths to sit in the dark just to save on electricity. However, I think there are many ways to save money without affecting your personal lifestyle. Simply cut down on the expenses you don’t need, focus on what you need and what makes economical sense in the long run, as well as choosing cheaper alternatives without sacrificing quality. 

This leads me to talk about purchasing computers. No matter how bad times seem, we may need to purchase a new computer at some point in time, which recently happened to me. Most of us may be accustomed to just heading to the store, or visiting an online alternative and purchasing a pre-manufactured system from one of the leading developers such as Apple, Dell, HP and others. However, did you ever sit down to think how expensive this is as a homeowner? Over the last 10 years, I have purchased 4 computers (high end ones for their time period), and have spent quite a lot on it. 

So, is there a way to cut down on these expensive costs? Yes, by purchasing the system components yourself and assembling it. I am sure most you now feel turned off by just trying to think of putting together a PC by yourselves. Don’t despair, because you would be making a big deal out of nothing. Building your own computer has to be one of the best choices a person could make, because it has lots of advantages over purchasing them from a company which I will explore.

Cheaper

Sourcing your own parts has proven to be much more cost effective that buying them pre-assembled, even after shipping! I dare you to try this experiment. Look up any pre-configured system made by any manufacturer and then look for the prices of the parts online (including shipping), and you realise that you end up saving as much as 25-40% of the pre-configured price. Let’s look at the system I bought recently. 

• Intel Core 2 Quad Q9300 2.5 GHz (processor)
• ASUS P5Q Deluxe – Intel P45 Chipset (motherboard)
• Kingston KHX8500D2/2G – 2GB 1066MHz DDR2 Non-ECC CL5 (5-5-5-15) DIMM Dual Channel (RAM)
• XFX GeForce 9800 GTX 512MB (video card)
• WD Caviar Blue 500 GB SATA 7200 RPM 16MB Cache (hard drive)
• LG DVD/CD Writer combo
• Zalman 9700 CPU cooler (CPU Cooler/Heatsink Combo)
• Antec 900 (case)
• Antec Earthwatts 650 (power supply) 

I balanced the budget with performance and this ended up costing me about US $1250 after shipping. If I were to buy this from one of the big brand names, I would be looking at something over US $2000. That’s enough of a statement to prove the financial savings. This theory applies all round, whether it be a low cost system, or a high end gaming system, sourcing your own parts is much cheaper. 

Simple To Set Up

As I mentioned before, people easily get turned off by the thought of building their own system. However, the process is utterly simple. This is so because all PC parts have a set of standards to which they are built. If you thought parts in a PC could only match up by brand or manufacturer, you are mistaken. All components are made on certain criteria such as size, capacity, performance and others. These criteria are labelled on the box and instructions so you can easily mix and match what you want. With this in mind, we can now worry about one less thing and focus on what is really important (what you need in a PC). 

When purchasing parts however, always start with your CPU and motherboard and then find parts that are compatible. You don’t want to end up purchasing a GTX295 which uses PCI-Express slots and realise your motherboard can only support up to AGP standards. Just check your motherboard specs and see what is compatible. Once you know this, you can easily find the rest of components. 

Another point to this is that there are basic components to systems. 

• CPU
• Motherboard
• RAM
• Hard Disc
• External Drives (DVD, CD, Floppy, etc.)
• Cooling Systems (Fans, Heatsinks, Watercoolers)
• Power Supply
• Case
• Video Card 
• Other optional devices such as upgrades, sound card, etc. 

These are the components that a system needs, and you can obviously add more if you like, once their is the capacity. 

Fitting the parts together is also a charm. Imagine it like playing with LEGO blocks. Once again, this is possible because of standardization. Just pop the parts together, insert the relevant wiring (which is usually included with the parts) and power up your system. Adding the needed software is also simple, since booting and loading a new OS is relatively easy, once you follow the on screen instructions. XP, Vista and Windows 7 have been very easy to set up, so even an amateur can do it. 

Customizable

One thing you can never get with store bought systems, is total customization. Yes, you can some what configure your system to the way you like it, but you are forced to stick within certain criteria. However, building your system allows for much more flexibility. I may want a very powerful processor, but might want a very small hard drive. Also, I may want a lot of RAM, something which manufacturers rarely offer. Overclockers may feel the pinch with store bought systems, since they need specs that are out of this world, and simply cannot be obtained via the store. The same goes for bargain hunters. Why be forced into getting 2GB of RAM when you only need to type a few documents and check emails. 

Support

Over the past few years, technical  support has become very common and free in most cases. There are hundreds of support forums and sites that assist the newer computer users from the bottom up. Also, there are many cheap self-help guides, such as Computers For Dummies and much more. In these times, not learning about a computer would be a crime, since PCs are effectively becoming a need rather than a want or pleasure. 

In summary, building your own system is like setting up an investment. It saves you money, and can outlast store bought systems by maybe a few months to a year longer. Once you made the switch, you will never turn back.