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[Carlius]

build your own. its not hard. the reason people dont do it is because they are scared. It can be alittle intimidating, but not much can go wrong unless you are inserting screwdrivers when you turn on the pc. once you get the hang of it, its just so easy and satisfying.

plus you can build your own fo rmuch cheaper than getting a per built one.

 

[Somnia]

I'd appreciate input from Gaffers on the best prebuilt company to go with. My prior PC was from Alienware, and I payed way too much for what I got. Have been looking at Orgin and iBuyPower. I know there are other websites as well.

P.s. I understand you get a better bang for your buck to just do it yourself. I just like the simplicity. I also like the look of some of the custom cases.

I've had a few friends buy from Digital Storm and they were extremely happy. I've also had friends buy from cyberpowerpc and everything was good there too.

Those are the only two I really know anything about though.

 

[Gumbie]

I've had a few friends buy from Digital Storm and they were extremely happy. I've also had friends buy from cyberpowerpc and everything was good there too.

Those are the only two I really know anything about though.

+1

Digital Storm is great.

Falcon Northwest are good too, a little pricey though.

 

[TI82]

plus you can build your own fo rmuch cheaper than getting a per built one.

Not always true, actually.

 

[Baron_Calamity]

I have no problem building a pc and 3 of my 4 kids' computers, I built myself for parts. However when it comes to my rig, I generally do a mix. I buy a prebuilt pc and order Windows os, gaming video card and possibly a power supply if the oem one is under powered to upgrade day one.

Benefits: I start with a known working system with a warranty and support. With that working good, when I upgrade one piece at a time so if something doesn't work its easier to figure out what part isn't functioning.
I also tend to order cutting edge pc tech when I make a new pc and often I don't have spare parts to swap out to diagnose an issue. With my kids, they are a generation or two behind and I have lots of spare parts to swap out if something isn't working.
I generally prefer prebuilt case designs from Dell, HP, Gateway over most other cases you can buy yourself
Also I usually save money this way. Buying a prebuilt computer that is already upgraded with a gaming video card is crazy expensive where as buying parts to build the base computer is often more costly and the parts are of slightly lesser quality.

Negatives: The bios in most oem prebuilt computers is terrible and limiting. They are stuck in the mid 1990s compared to even midrange motherboards you can buy. Generally I don't have to ever mess with the bios beyond initial setup but when I need to, I find it very annoying.

 

[lumi7890]

I bought an origin pc about a year ago, and so far it still runs great, the reason I went with pre-built , mainly because I just did'nt feel like I had the confidence to build one and I was so worried that I would of screw it up somehow , I was just so afraid to take that risk.that I said fuck it and went with pre-built.

 

[CyberPunked]

You'll pay extra, but yea you can.

Not necessarily. Linustechtips did a video about pre-builts from a number of places, and he found that some were cheaper than he could build them for.
This generally isn't the case of course.

 

[axb2013]

You can certainly buy pre-built, even customize one to your liking but know you'll pay a premium for a decent one. They pay less for parts than we as individuals do and you still have to research components thoroughly because they won't. They'll put it together and ship it to you without a care for how it all works together. Know that they have at least one employee that has to get paid, working in a space that also has to be paid/rented for, now you figure out who eventually pays for that. If you arrived at the conclusion that it's you, good guess.

There are so many guides and youtube videos out there, the excuses for prebuilts from 10 years ago are all but gone now.

If you still insist on buying a built PC, you are better off hunting down PC's that are getting parted out on PC specific for sale/trade forums. If you don't find what you look for there, I would at this point seriously consider building one, you can find great bargains on parts. Most trading on tech forums is done by people who accepted tech depreciation as fact of life a long time ago and don't stubbornly stick to unrealistic pricing. I would rather pick up a used or older power supply from a hard forums user than whatever junk prebuilt sellers try to increase their margins on. When these guys buy new, better believe they did research and the value of doing the research is passed onto you when you trade with them. You can also buy windows for a lot less than retail (legit) on PC specific forums.

You can mix and match used and new parts to get more bang for the buck. It will take some research but you'll be better off in the long run. Good luck.

 

[Firebrand]

there are online shops that let you pick all the parts and then they will assemble it for you, the fee is relatively low too.

I tend to do this as it also gets me 2 years of complete warranty including troubleshooting. Sometimes it's even free as long as I pick a GPU and motherboard from whatever vendor is sponsoring at the moment.

 

[Kudo]

Watch few guides and build it yourself to get the best machine possible for you, it's not too hard but will take some time.
All you need is a clean table to build it. Alternatively pay the shop you're ordering from to build it if you don't want to "risk" it.

 

[old]

I've built my own before too. Here are my biggest issues:

Pre-built: Always seem to be CPU heavy. Severely bottlenecked by a weaker GPU than the CPU would warrant. But a simple upgrading is often problematic because both the PSU will require upgrading and the case is too small to fit the new parts. What should be a simple ~$250 upgrade can easily end up being much much more after you have to replace the GPU, PSU, and the case. That's a bunch of extra money being spent on top of the premium you already paid for a prebuilt.

Build my own: My time is valuable. It's going to take hours upon hours to do the research to figure out which CPU and GPU are right for my needs and my budget. More hours to piece the rest together. And then another 4-8 hours to actually build everything and install the OS. That choice was cost effective when I was younger and I was time rich and money poor. Situation has changed. Pay has gone up considerably and life has cut into free time equally. If I spend more than a few hours on this then I'm technically losing money on the project over buying prebuilt...and wasting valuable free time.

Ideally, I can either buy a prebuilt that has a beefy enough GPU to keep stride with the CPU, and a PSU to power the whole thing without it costing $2000+. Or I can go to site that pretty much instantly tells me exactly what parts I need to build a kickass machine myself that's right in the sweet spot of performance and price, saving myself the hours research.

 

[Akuun]

Putting together a list of parts is always better because you can pick exactly which parts you want. Pre-built typically screws you both in price and performance by getting good versions of the more prominent parts, cheaping out on others (that shouldn't be cheaped out on), and then overcharging you for the whole deal.

For putting a computer together, you could check this place for instructions: http://techreport.com/review/23624/how-to-build-a-pc-the-tech-report-guide

And if you're really not comfortable putting a computer together, some computer stores can put it together for you for like $75 or so.

Also, you don't need any place to build one. Do you have a table, chair, or even a floor? Boom, you have a place to build one.

Yeah, I've always built my PCs on the floor (hardwood, not carpet). I like to have everything lying around me when I build stuff, so a table is usually out of the question.

 

[kaioshade]

Read, build your own.

It is rewarding, and you know exactly what is going into your machine that you put good money into. There are lots of people available and willing to help.

That extra 50-100 dollars youre paying someone to do a piss easy job can go to better parts.

I've built my own before too. Here are my biggest issues:

Build my own: My time is valuable. It's going to take hours upon hours to do the research to figure out which CPU and GPU are right for my needs and my budget. More hours to piece the rest together. And then another 4-8 hours to actually build everything and install the OS. That choice was cost effective when I was younger and I was time time rich and money poor. Situation has changed. Pay has gone up considerably and life has cut into free time equally. If I spend more than a few hours on this then I'm technically losing money on the project over buying prebuilt...and wasting valuable free time.

It really doesnt take "hours" to put a working system together. A little research and it can be done in under an hour. Installing an OS is like 15 minutes from a USB drive, 30 minutes for drivers, 30 for updates. From parts to fully working gaming rig takes under 3 hours.

 

[Lucky Forward]

OP, I was in your position a little over three years ago. I wanted a gaming PC and I'd almost decided to build it myself. Then, on another forum, I read a post that essentially said, "If you build you own PC and you turn it on and nothing happens...where do you go from there? Did you screw up? Did you make a faulty connection? Is it a bad part? Which part is bad? Do you have the patience to troubleshoot? Do you even know where to start?"

After reading that, I knew I wouldn't have the patience or the temperament (I get frustrated easily) to deal with that situation. So, I went the built-to-order route.

I found a place called Puget Systems and I was extremely pleased with my experience with them and the product they delivered. I had a lengthy phone conversation with a rep where we discussed my needs and wants, and he was not pushy at all. In fact, he talked me down from a few upgrades I was considering because he felt they were unnecessary for my purposes. They thoroughly test your PC and provide you with a binder of extensive documentation including all the test results. Also, they send you any extra parts that came with the various components you selected for your PC

They offer a totally customizable gaming PC called the Deluge which is what I got three years ago (and of course, it has changed much since then.) Overall, I was really happy with my experience and I plan to get another Deluge from them in two or three years.

 

[outunderthestars]

I'm firmly in the "go with whatever option you are more comfortable with" camp.

I have used several pre-built gaming pc's and have really enjoyed them. That said, you can save some money by building your own. It really just comes down to what you want to do.

 

[WEGGLES]

I'm debating on buying one pre-built, or having one built for me. I know the whole "it's so easy" but, that's coming from PC gamers with experience. I've built a PC before in school and managed to brick the entire thing (and fail the class) it's not that easy. Besides I don't have anywhere to build it. How expensive is it to get a tech-business to build one for you?

Is it possible to buy a pre-built PC?

I built my first PC by myself (well, with my dad's help. But that was mostly a second set of eyes for some stuff. He's never built either) and it went fine. Look up some tutorials etc. It's fairly straight forward. Touch a ground every once in a while (Pretty sure if you have the PSU plugged into the wall and just touch the case that is sufficient) and you won't zap any parts. Pretty much everything only goes in one spot in one direction etc. You should really give it another try.


Otherwise, yeah, there are pre-built pcs you can buy that are fine. I'm pretty sure NCIX willl assemble your PC for you from parts you choose.

 

[The Lamonster]

If you're already debating building a PC...you should build a PC.

If you're uncomfortable or unsure about something, research it, find answers and get prepared. Once you're prepared it's easy as pie. Watch YouTube channels for tutorials. ASUS NA and Linus Tech Tips have some great building videos. Ask PC-GAF any specifics.

And I'm calling shenanigans @ you don't have anywhere to build it. All you need is a desk in a well-lit area. You can buy a cheap card table at Walmart if you really don't have any desks or counters in your house. I used my kitchen counter to build mine.

 

[Kieli]

Choose components, pay small fee to have someone build it for you.

 

[inky]

Pros to building your own:

• usually cheaper
• sense of accomplishment
• it really isn't that hard, even with no experience
• you get to know your PC more and be ready to DIY when it's time to upgrade again

Cons:

• In the small chance something goes wrong (faulty equipment for example), troubleshooting can be a nightmare, especially if you are inexperienced
• Can't think of anything else other than messing up which is extremely hard to do. It's harder to cook than it is to build a PC.

Or just pay someone to do it. Usually that work comes with some guarantee in case they mess up.

 

[Hands of Stone]

Get an Anti Static wrist guard if you do decide to build.

 

[Vincent Grayson]

I've purchased my last 2 PCs from Cyberpower, and have no complaints. I always try to time it with their random sales so that I get pretty close to the cost to build it myself.

I built a PC once, but didn't find it terribly exciting, so I'd rather just order it from a place and get everything together, tested, and professionally-wired so things are nice and clean.

 

[jroc74]

Yea you can find companies, sites that will build your PC with parts you picked out. I would avoid getting a pre built PC from Walmart, Best Buy, Dell, (certain ones), etc. I used to swear by HP, but not anymore. Not anything they did but I just found out over the years that the power supply is so important and most pre built ones have meh ones.

Power supply and mobo is why I always recommend custom built.

After I get over my fear of thermal paste...I will be building my first PC in the near future. In the meantime my next PC will probably be from Cyberpower.

 

[brandonh83]

Glad this thread was made. I'm going to order SOMETHING today, be it parts or a pre-built. The ONLY prebuilt I'm considering is a Steam Machine. I've not heard great things but I absolutely love the small console form factor and it will be going in the living room and I don't want a big bulky thing. But I do want it to be pretty powerful and of general quality and I've heard it's harder to build a powerful rig into a smaller case.

Any tips or suggestions or call-outs on any potential bullshit there? Just been info-gathering the past few days and this is largely what I've run into.

 

[Beer Monkey]

Anybody got a compact, Oculus-ready build list using a small form factor case (micro ITX)? Or is that too much power for that small amount of space?

 

[120v]

i prefer pre-built because simply because you can finance them off dell, amazon, fry's or whatever

did the math on my alienware x51... i only would've saved about $150 if i built it on my own. which isn't that much % increase considering it was north of $1500

 

[PaNaMa]

Assembling/building is less than 100$ on any good site, if you're not confident you should do that

This exactly. I used to order all the components, have them arrive one by one then assemble from scratch. But it's just not worth it anymore if you ask me.

You still get to research all your components on all the hardware/benchmark sites, pick out everything you want, then just have NCIX or Newegg or whomever do the build. All the cable management and stuff.. with NCIX if they are the ones who assemble, I think there's less hassle on warranty or whatever. If you build it all yourself and it won't power up I think they're less sympathetic.

I don't know. It's a chore I'm happy to let them do for a small price. Swapping in video cards and solid states is about all I ever do myself anymore

 

[nkarafo]

I only buy parts separately and assemble myself (or have someone to assemble for you if you can't) for 2 reasons:

1. I don't trust anyone assembling it for me. I've seen a lot of badly assembled setups in my life. Personally, i spend a lot of time with this to make 100% sure that it's perfect.

2. I prefer to have warranties and even receipts for each part separately. The first PC i got (in 1999) was pre-build and had 1 year warranty. Despite the HDD having 3+ years, they still wouldn't replace it (after it died 2+ years later) because it was a part of the whole system and that system had only 1 year warranty. Completely bullshit but i guess it was my fault for being stupid and allowing this to happen in the first place.

 

[mrklaw]

I meant gaming, and a general am i going to be paying hundreds of dollars to get someone to build one for me?

You can buy prebuilt or some places let you spec parts and they'll build it. Yes you'll pay a bit more than buying yourself but it won't be hundreds of dollars. If you find some deals the difference can be really small.

My previous computer was built, but my current one was bought and it cost about the same as doing it myself but I saved a bunch of time.



People think that prebuilt scan have shitty bespoke motherboards and tiny PSUs but that's really only the big box resellers like Best Buy etc. If you buy from a specialist you can usually see the components they use and tweak the configuration. I added a Samsung SSD to mine and I did a quick Google search on the motherboard and PSU to check they were decent

 

[Forerunner]

Personally I just take the half and half approach. I’ll find a pretty basic prebuilt that has a decent processor and mobo. After that I’ll just upgrade the GPU, RAM, and PSU. For my needs this works perfectly for me. I don’t have to worry about building one from the ground and it’s much easier. Obviously, I won’t have as much flexibility when comes to more intricate tasks.

 

[NotLiquid]

I'm saying this as someone who was intimidated by the prospect of building anything for the last decade and was primarily a console user beforehand that preferred ease of access;
Build your own PC.

I was averse towards the whole prospect for a long time just because I wasn't sure how many factors I had to consider and how much I could screw up but once I eventually got everything in place, figured it wasn't going to build itself and I was the one holding myself back, I gave it a shot. Not only did it become a lot cheaper, it was also a lot more fun, enriching and personal. Building your own PC is an incredible learning experience that will learn you the ins and outs of how interior computer design works and you'll feel so accomplished the first time you manage to press that power button and see that work pay off. It'll also be a lot easier to troubleshoot on the off-chance that something isn't working the way it's supposed to and having full autonomy is always pleasant.

It's really not all that hard to build one. You just need a good guide (a visual one helps) and the GAF thread on PC building is a wonderful resource.

 

[Aiustis]

I built mine with no experience. I just watched a youtube video on all the things that go into a computer, asked questions on Tom's and then followed the instruction booklet that came with the motherboard.

 

[DJ_Lae]

I built mine last time and it was a ton of fun. The last PC I had built was when I was a kid and helped my dad put one together.

About ten years back, however, I got NCIX to build one for me from a bunch of parts I picked out as I was knee-deep in finals and just didn't have time.

I think it's still $50, they build and test it and do a reasonable job of cable management, plus warranty the build for a year. If you don't want to do it yourself you can't argue with that, and I would strongly recommend that route vs overpaying for a prebuilt PC.

 

[injurai]

If you want a warranty, buy. If you aren't getting one, build and take advantage of individual part warranties.

Imo, it's better to build. You save money.

Build my own: My time is valuable. It's going to take hours upon hours to do the research to figure out which CPU and GPU are right for my needs and my budget. More hours to piece the rest together. And then another 4-8 hours to actually build everything and install the OS. That choice was cost effective when I was younger and I was time rich and money poor. Situation has changed. Pay has gone up considerably and life has cut into free time equally. If I spend more than a few hours on this then I'm technically losing money on the project over buying prebuilt...and wasting valuable free time.

I find this part of the process to be super fun.

 

[Gumbie]

Glad this thread was made. I'm going to order SOMETHING today, be it parts or a pre-built. The ONLY prebuilt I'm considering is a Steam Machine. I've not heard great things but I absolutely love the small console form factor and it will be going in the living room and I don't want a big bulky thing. But I do want it to be pretty powerful and of general quality and I've heard it's harder to build a powerful rig into a smaller case.

Any tips or suggestions or call-outs on any potential bullshit there? Just been info-gathering the past few days and this is largely what I've run into.

Falcon Northwest Tiki or ironside computers imp

http://ironsidecomputers.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=28250

 

[mrklaw]

Anybody got a compact, Oculus-ready build list using a small form factor case (micro ITX)? Or is that too much power for that small amount of space?

Check the PC building thread - the OP has options for different size builds which you can then use to find someone to build

Glad this thread was made. I'm going to order SOMETHING today, be it parts or a pre-built. The ONLY prebuilt I'm considering is a Steam Machine. I've not heard great things but I absolutely love the small console form factor and it will be going in the living room and I don't want a big bulky thing. But I do want it to be pretty powerful and of general quality and I've heard it's harder to build a powerful rig into a smaller case.

Any tips or suggestions or call-outs on any potential bullshit there? Just been info-gathering the past few days and this is largely what I've run into.

Why steam machine specifically? I'd personally just buy a small form factor gaming rig - most prebuilt places will offer something with a few cases to choose from. I went with a bitfenix prodigy which isn't tiny but was fine for me

 

[DOT DASH DOT]

I always get pre built, all the risk is in them, plus anything goes wrong like the Mobo, PSU etc, you can just ship the whole PC back without you having to dismantle it.

 

[GwyndolinCinder]

Honestly it will be easier than it looks, and theres ton's of help out there! Including GAF, just make sure you do lots of research on compatibility of components.

 

[PulseONE]

If you're not comfortable building one yourself, yes you can buy a good prebuilt one, nothing wrong with that. In the long run if it's not to your liking you can always upgrade easily enough.

 

[VE3TRO]

I built my first in 2013 and really enjoyed it. Had help from PC GAF after some problems but had it up and running fine. I was worried about doing it at first but it's all pretty simple.

 

[Anno]

If you don't want to put it together yourself I would look around and see if there's a local computer store that can assemble it for you. They're usually pretty cheap, maybe $50-$75. Definitely saves you money and/or gets you a better computer than buying off of a shelf.

 

[QuantumSquid]

I just built my first PC last weekend and I am totally inept with a screwdriver. I just made sure to buy parts that were better for newcomers (non-modular power supply, cases with tool-less side panels and hard drive trays and pre-installed standoffs) and it wasn't that hard. It took me several hours, but overall I think I could do it again pretty easily.

 

[Aaron D.]

Build my own: My time is valuable. It's going to take hours upon hours to do the research to figure out which CPU and GPU are right for my needs and my budget. More hours to piece the rest together. And then another 4-8 hours to actually build everything and install the OS. That choice was cost effective when I was younger and I was time rich and money poor. Situation has changed. Pay has gone up considerably and life has cut into free time equally. If I spend more than a few hours on this then I'm technically losing money on the project over buying prebuilt...and wasting valuable free time.

This is where I'm at in life. I've diy built PCs back in the early 2000s, but at this stage of the game have absolutely zero interest in building my own anymore.

I'll be upgrading when Pascal launches later this year and will likely be doing a complete refresh.

I like the idea of a "Pick the parts you like and we'll build/ship it to you." website. I'm done with pre-built gaming laptops with tons of bloat-wear (Lenovo is the worst). So I just want compatible, raw parts hooked up together with the absolute minimum OS software. I'll add additional programs as needed.

What online site has the best rep for this kind of service?

- Consumer-friendly for piecing together a rig (suggesting components that play nice together).
- Competitive pricing. Cheaper than pre-built configs. Obviously going to be more expensive than diy.
- Secure shipping. I've read that this is a BIG issue as knocking a tower around during shipment can bone you bad.

What say you, 'Gaf? Is there a consensus on the Best of the Bunch?

 

[diffusionx]

It really doesnt take "hours" to put a working system together. A little research and it can be done in under an hour. Installing an OS is like 15 minutes from a USB drive, 30 minutes for drivers, 30 for updates. From parts to fully working gaming rig takes under 3 hours.

If you know what you are doing.

The first PC I built, this was an Athlon64 machine, took me a full evening and then some overlap the next day. And that's after all the time I spent researching. I've been researching a new PC and it's taking a while. Not for CPU and stuff but for random junk like cases and PSUs. Plus, who knows exactly what I will be buying what with Pascal and the like coming soon.

 

[Rival]

I had never built one before I built my PC last summer. Watched a few YouTube videos and was good to go. I had no problems at all and really enjoyed it. Only took 4-5 hours or so and did it on my coffee table. Very rewarding experience.

 

[brandonh83]

Falcon Northwest Tiki or ironside computers imp

Thanks! I'll check it out.

Why steam machine specifically? I'd personally just buy a small form factor gaming rig - most prebuilt places will offer something with a few cases to choose from. I went with a bitfenix prodigy which isn't tiny but was fine for me

Only real reason is because of the design (at least the Alienwares) and the ease of just ordering one and calling it a day. Which I realize is dumb, hence why I'm putting it out there. I probably won't get one though, as I know building one myself is better and more cost-efficient. And possibly reliable. But I'd like to have a smaller one that looks decent in an entertainment center.

 

[Akronis]

I've had a few friends buy from Digital Storm and they were extremely happy. I've also had friends buy from cyberpowerpc and everything was good there too.

Those are the only two I really know anything about though.

Digital Storm was garbage to me.

Got one of the G-SYNC VG248QEs from them when it was new. Came cracked and when I sent it back they told me I spilled coffee all over the inside of my monitor. I don't even drink coffee.

After arguing with them for 20 minutes, they finally relented and replaced the monitor.

I will never ever purchase from those fucks again.

 

[nillah]

Last PC I bought off Craigslist was an absolute monster and this was around the BF3 era, ran that and CRYSIS 2, Civ 5 flawlessly. Was something like a Quad Core, 4GB and a serious graphics card. You already know, I'd try local

 

[diamount]

Relevant video from Linus

 

[JMTHEFOX]

I used to own a few pre-built PCs, then I built one myself.

While there is nothing wrong with buying a pre-built PC, building a PC for yourself is way more satisfactory.

 

[Cimarron]

I bought an Alienware years ago. Way overpriced but there customer service is AWESOME!!! If the machine breaks down and it is not a simple fix they have you send the machine back and send you a new machine with today's equivalent of the specs you bought at the time of purchase.

Eg. I bought the machine with a GT 580 and they sent me back a GT 760.