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[AppleSeason]

It's not that hard, and only way to screw up is trying to force a piece into the wrong connector, and nowadays they are even color coded, so... . I'd say that the only part that gets on my nerves after so many years is putting on the processor (the fear of bending a pin), applying thermal paste and attaching the cooler on top (some zalman models were real bitches).


It could get harder if you are dealing with a small case or adding a lot of stuff. My old Thermaltake Soprano DX gave me a lot of worries the last time I upgraded something as my GTX460 (Double slot) did not like the easy screw-less mounting system, but most cases tend to be simpler. In any case, I'd still get that fear of "please don't blow up or burn" whenever I power on a new build for the first time.

 

[Bananajama]

Used chillblast for my last PC build.

Worked out the cost of pre-built vs build myself (£££ is my currency)

And the difference wasn't all that great.

So saved myself the hassle and paid the extra fifty or so quid for them to build it for me

 

[Yudoken]

Building yourself doesn't mean necessarily you save a shit ton of money (if you go and buy 2nd hand you can get fantastic bang for your buck) but you get better quality parts and don't have to worry about getting cheaped out motherboard/psu and other parts.
Just like you would buy a used car check the specs, don't get fooled and do the research.

 

[mrklaw]

Building yourself doesn't mean necessarily you save a shit ton of money (if you go and buy 2nd hand you can get fantastic bang for your buck) but you get better quality parts and don't have to worry about getting cheaped out motherboard/psu and other parts.
Just like you would buy a used car check the specs, don't get fooled and do the research.

You don't necessarily get better parts. When I bought mine prebuilt I knew exactly what parts they were using and they used decent parts.

We need to separate 'blind buy' boxes that you get from a high street retailer from the more specialist prebuilt systems that you can get online.

 

[Übersandvich]

I have had an absolutely terrible time building my first PC, because I am incompetent mostly. I bought the parts that are recommended in the best value build in the PC thread. Since I did not know that one had to put some screws (not screws, but the screws go in them) to prop up the motherboard on the bottom of the case, I spent lots of time jamming in my expensive graphics card and it likely broke the motherboard. I sent the motherboard back to dabs.com to get it replaced and somehow a processor pin got bent (they had asked for a photo of the pins and accepted it, and then magically the pin was bent when it came back and they had rejected it). I bought a gigabyte motherboard instead and that one did not have enough power ports for all the fans, but I have simply stuck with it. The case was small, so fitting the components was a challenge, and I managed to cut the side of my hand and get blood on the heat sink.

It took me over a week on and off to build the whole thing if I don't factor in the motherboard delay and it still does not work how I wanted it. Not only was installing Ubuntu incredibly difficult because half the time the installation disc did not recognise my windows 7 partition, but often when I turn on the power switch, nothing on the screen shows up and I have to turn it off and power it back on, where I know it has succeeded when the bios image comes on. I might take the thing to the repair shop just to get them to rebuild it so it actually is competently built since I know I did the thermal paste and and fitting done badly.

Not only this, but chillblast were selling a very similar PC for about the same price, perhaps cheaper since I guess they subsidised the software.

Buying a desktop is much easier and, at least in the UK, can be very good value if you buy from a place like chillblast or wired2fire. And you do not know you are incompetent at it untill you have bought all the pieces in the first place and given it a try.

 

[FantasticMrSnake]

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?

In what year did you fail that clase?

Nowadays it just plug the cpu, cooler, and video card to the motherboard inside a pc cabinet, there isn't a really difficult part. Where are you from? Maybe a fellow gaffer could help you.

 

[PHOENIXZERO]

Putting it together is relatively easy, it's taken me a lot more effort choosing and buying the parts than putting it together, it probably would've been sped up a deal had I used a site like PCPartPicker to do it.

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?

How long ago was that?

 

[Son Of D]

There are some websites that will build the PC for you. Costs a bit extra for the convenience.

 

[RecRoulette]

I built my first PC back in 2010 and it was awesome, still using it (though it's getting close to time to build another one). Just follow directions and you should be fine, things have only gotten easier since then.

A store-bought one will hit it's ceiling pretty fast unless you spend a fortune on it. A specialty shop can build you a pretty solid PC for cheaper, but it's a pretty high cost for something that's really not that hard. Also, if you're too afraid to build your own PC how are you going to upgrade it down the line.

 

[Teletraan1]

I would always build my own now. I have been doing it since the 386 DX was a thing. My 286 was an IBM. It is so easy now since you can't really insert anything in the wrong place and everything is so modular and most times you don't even need tools. If you can use duplos (I was going to say lego but they are more complicated than building a PC now) you can put together a PC.

If you are really scared then you can always get assembled PCs from most places that sell the parts and pay a little extra for assembly. I would never buy a name brand pre assembled PC as they are usually for offices and the gaming variants are too expensive for what you get.

 

[PuppetSlave]

When I was young(poor) I built my PC's. They always came alive in the end but almost every time there was some little thing I needed to put effort into. Motherboard getting shorted against the case, faulty ram sticks, silver cpu paste making everything messy, etc etc. Was mostly kinda fun tinkering honestly.

Now, 36 years old(fairly well off), I buy prebuilt from good stores that know what they are doing when choosing the components in their computer package deals.

 

[SomTervo]

You're paying for time, energy and worry-saving mainly, imo. I don't think the quality of build is much to worry about. Esp. if you use a well-reviewed retailer.

Building my own PC:
- 4-6 working days for parts to arrive
- 8 stressful hours to build it (did it with my gf, first time for both of us)
- 30 mins setting up software

Buying pre-built:

- 4-6 working day delivery
- 1 hour or less to set up entirely (presumably)

The biggest factor for me would be avoiding the stress. Building a high-end PC for the first time was damn scary and I was constantly worried I was breaking the thing or breaking a component. Also it took a long, slow, careful time to do (as I said above, it took up an entire Saturday for me, from about 10am to 7pm).

 

[AlimNassor]

In what year did you fail that clase?

Nowadays it just plug the cpu, cooler, and video card to the motherboard inside a pc cabinet, there isn't a really difficult part. Where are you from? Maybe a fellow gaffer could help you.

06. Our PC cases were like 50LBs though. First time I got a bolt of static and fried everything. Second time I broke the processor by pushing too hard the pins broke

Putting it together is relatively easy, it's taken me a lot more effort choosing and buying the parts than putting it together, it probably would've been sped up a deal had I used a site like PCPartPicker to do it.



How long ago was that?

06.

 

[dragonyeuw]

EcollegePC is a happy medium as far as buying something built for you to your specifications. I live in a pretty remote place, and our PC stores don't carry parts to the level of what I needed for a decent gaming rig, and importing various parts was more expensive than having ecollege build one for me.

 

[leeh]

I've always found that looking at outlets like Dell Outlet is a good option, as you get approved refurbs which are drastically cheaper.

You can get hefty business workstations with i7's for cheap and wack a GPU in it yourself. Just not sure if the PSU/mobo would be decent enough.

 

[jroc74]

EcollegePC is a happy medium as far as buying something built for you to your specifications. I live in a pretty remote place, and our PC stores don't carry parts to the level of what I needed for a decent gaming rig, and importing various parts was more expensive than having ecollege build one for me.

I've used them. They are good. They even upgraded a few parts for me. One was because they just didnt have the cpu cooler I wanted in stock and they sent me 1 stick of 2GB ram instead of two 1GB sticks. They informed me before shipping it.

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

It really is pretty easy. Don't waste your money getting someone else to do it.

Having one computer of mine literally catch fire and the other constantly have battery issues, it's worth it to me not to build it myself.

 

[ramoisdead]

You can buy a pre-built PC if you want to or buy the parts, at say a NCIX or Microcenter, and have them set it up. However, take it from me, a person who was pretty much a console gamer his whole life, who finally decided to build me a PC almost 2 years ago without a single thing of knowing how: it's pretty easy.

Plenty of tutorials on Youtube that can help you out and don't forget the Build a PC thread here. I think building a PC by yourself will be not only satisfying but give you some calm and ease compared to having it built by someone else.

 

[Sanctuary]

Just buy an Alienware. Sure, it will cost you 300% more than if you built it yourself, but Angry Joe stands by his, and apparently it's the best gaming PC ever built...

Having one computer of mine literally catch fire and the other constantly have battery issues, it's worth it to me not to build it myself.

And when you still end up having similar issues from a PC you bought already assembled, then what? I guess paying the extra money allows you to return it to whoever shipped it to you (for a limited time, unless you pay another $200 for the warranty), and wait anywhere between 3-6 weeks for them to return it. Only for the initial problem not getting fixed, and them sending it back with a new one. I actually went through that crap with the very first PC I purchased from Cyberpower ('98, so maybe they got their act together by now), and that was the last time I bothered buying one assembled for me.

 

[Gastone]

Building a PC is incredibly easy. It´s like assembling a Duplo set targeted at 4 year olds.
My first PC was a pre-built Zenith (i was 15..). Every single PC i had after that i built myself, and it´s a mucn more rewarding experience to be using something you assembled yourself, trust me.

Can´t wait to replace my current one, maybe later this year when the new Nvidias hit.
You order the parts, you have them 24 hours later, and spend 2-4 hours setting it up.

 

[Sanctuary]

Building a PC is incredibly easy. It´s like assembling a Duplo set targeted at 4 year olds.
My first PC was a pre-built Zenith (i was 15..). Every single PC i had after that i built myself, and it´s a mucn more rewarding experience to be using something you assembled yourself, trust me.

Can´t wait to replace my current one, maybe later this year when the new Nvidias hit.
You order the parts, you have them 24 hours later, and spend 2-4 hours setting it up.

The biggest hurdle is getting over the fear of breaking components while trying to install them. I've built six PCs, and each time it became easier, but I still cannot stand installing the larger, tower like heatsinks that you use for overclocking. The pressure some of the mounts required to fix to the mainboard was just ridiculous, and I disliked messing with them so much that I never bothered taking any off to clean them or reapply any new TIM. I usually just give them away or throw them away (and they are still running) long before they even fail, so it's a non issue anyway.

I've just gone with water cooling for my last build, but that has its own share of issues and worries. If a heatsink is installed incorrectly, usually at worst you'll just get booting issues or it will show up in the temps. If it happens to fall off the motherboard (say it even breaks the motherboard due to it being so heavy), you might have to replace the board, but at least the other components should most likely still be okay. If a water cooling hose leaks though, you're pretty much totally fucked unless you get lucky.

Also, the longest part about assembling a new PC isn't even the hardware. It's the OS and drivers.

 

[LilJoka]

People worry too much about breaking things.
People are unaware at times that each component already has its own warranty.
And people need to watch 2/3 YouTube videos on building a PC and they should be good to go.

I worked at a place where components were easily at hand and nobody treated anything with much resoect. PCs were thrown togethor, CPUs abused by not using Thermal paste, mounting heat sinks without the screws, removing heatsinks for fun while a PC was on. Parts being dropped. Nothing broke.

In a building class I ran, somebody tried installing the CPU without opening the latch, bending about 8 pins. Took out my key and bent these back without much precision and booted the PC.

 

[Gastone]

The biggest hurdle is getting over the fear of breaking components while trying to install them. I've built six PCs, and each time it became easier, but I still cannot stand installing the larger, tower like heatsinks that you use for overclocking. The pressure some of the mounts required to fix to the mainboard was just ridiculous, and I disliked messing with them so much that I never bothered taking any off to clean them or reapply any new TIM. I usually just give them away or throw them away (and they are still running) long before they even fail, so it's a non issue anyway.

I've just gone with water cooling for my last build, but that has its own share of issues and worries. If a heatsink is installed incorrectly, usually at worst you'll just get booting issues or it will show up in the temps. If it happens to fall off the motherboard (say it even breaks the motherboard due to it being so heavy), you might have to replace the board, but at least the other components should most likely still be okay. If a water cooling hose leaks though, you're pretty much totally fucked unless you get lucky.

Also, the longest part about assembling a new PC isn't even the hardware. It's the OS and drivers.

Yeah, you´re absolutely right. The most time consuming part is the installation of OS and other software you need.

I´ve never tried water cooling, but i´m tempted to give it a shot later this year.

 

[John Wick]

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 live in the UK and if I was thinking of getting a pre-built one I'd get it from a PC specialist who's local or someone like Overclockers and Scan.

 

[Forkball]

I've built multiple PCs, certainly messed up a few times, but it all worked in the end. If I can do it, ANYONE can do it. I've spent longer time figuring out Lego sets when compared to building a PC.

 

[Aztechnology]

I've built multiple PCs, certainly messed up a few times, but it all worked in the end. If I can do it, ANYONE can do it. I've spent longer time figuring out Lego sets when compared to building a PC.

The only part that takes any real effort is cable management.

 

[milkham]

its easy unless something stupid goes wrong. nearly everything can only go in one way these days but you can still come across something stupid. I was putting together a machine for someone and it wouldn't post. couldn't figure out why. i took it apart, put it all back together, tried individual ram slots etc. turns out that the motherboard bios had an imcompatibility with the video card and needed to be updated. good luck having spare parts around to get it to post long enough to do that.

 

[Itachi87]

I started out with zero experience and have managed to build 2 computers in the last 8 years. It's not hard. There are extensive step-by-step guides everywhere on the internet w/ tons of videos on youtube. It used to be cheaper to build your computer, but nowadays prices for pre-built gaming PCs are more competitive and I could understand why someone would settle for one. Still, it's a great feeling knowing that you built your own computer.

 

[Peltz]

Check the PC thread, some of those websites can prebuild it for you if you buy all the parts from them. That is what I am doing the next time I get the PC, it's only a $35-50 charge for them to build it plus whatever expenses you incur by not buying each part from the cheapest source. If you want to do that (buy parts piecemeal), you will have to find someone local to build and it will probably be more expensive, but maybe you can work the math to something advantageous.

Sorry, but could someone link to the PC thread he's talking about?

 

[Nipo]

I bought a pre-built with a 6700k, 980ti, 16 gig ram and 256 gig ssd for $1050. I couldn't find a way to build it that cheap and it included windows and a two year warranty.

 

[bobawesome]

Just get this and you'll be set for life.

But seriously, just watch some videos on Youtube. A few weeks ago the process seemed intimidating but now, not so much.

 

[LilJoka]

I bought a pre-built with a 6700k, 980ti, 16 gig ram and 256 gig ssd for $1050. I couldn't find a way to build it that cheap and it included windows and a two year warranty.

And the exact spec was?
Board model?
GPU model?
Ram model?
PSU model?
SSD model?
Case?

Most those components already have more than 2 years warranty on their own *facepalm*

Sorry, but could someone link to the PC thread he's talking about?

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1094682

I live in the UK and if I was thinking of getting a pre-built one I'd get it from a PC specialist who's local or someone like Overclockers and Scan.

Scans pre builts a are quite nice, and if you call them they can switch parts to your liking.

 

[roadrunn3r]

Sorry, but could someone link to the PC thread he's talking about?

"I Need a New PC!" 2015 Part 2. Read the OP. Rocking 2500K's until HBM2 and beyond.

 

[T-Rex.]

I don't think I'll ever build my own. I've got serious butter fingers and am awful at pretty much all DIY stuff. Colour coded schmoded, I'd still cock it up somehow. I'd rather save myself the hassle and time by getting someone else (whether it's a company or an individual) to do it for me.

 

[Nostremitus]

I went from zero experience about 2 1/2 years ago and have now built 4 PCs. (3 gaming, one HTPC) The first one was nerve racking, but after that it got easy.

I find it to be fun, though...

 

[gdt]

I bought a pre-built with a 6700k, 980ti, 16 gig ram and 256 gig ssd for $1050. I couldn't find a way to build it that cheap and it included windows and a two year warranty.

Wait what? Where? How?

 

[Nipo]

And the exact spec was?
Board model?
GPU model?
Ram model?
PSU model?
SSD model?
Case?

Most those components already have more than 2 years warranty on their own *facepalm*



http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1094682



Scans pre builts a are quite nice, and if you call them they can switch parts to your liking.

Psu was a delta 500w gold. Gpu was reference ssd was samsung. I didn't bother to check the mother board or ram. Yes the components have their own warranty but they don't send someone to my house for free to fix it like the one that came with the pre-built does.

 

[Resseh]

hmmm. i was thinking of getting the Alienware X51 R3 + Oculus Bundles as its a decent looking compact PC but this thread has me doubting that decision. is it really that overpriced?

 

[LilJoka]

Psu was a delta 500w gold. Gpu was reference ssd was samsung. I didn't bother to check the mother board or ram. Yes the components have their own warranty but they don't send someone to my house for free to fix it like the one that came with the pre-built does.

Where did you get this PC from? It seems about $400 too cheap even with the lowest tier of parts.

 

[joecanada]

Honestly after using parts builder and pricing pc parts and then looking around at various stores I can say with some confidence that you can actually find deals on sale from places like bestbuy or Amazon that are competitive. However you do have to realize that often they will load a pc with some type of advertising power like "12 g ram!!!!" but then cheap out on another part leaving some imbalance.

However after shopping around alot if you aren't in a hurry I conclude that either buying a good sale or getting a good sale and then replacing that one weaker part is worth it. No time commitment except shopping around of course. And you can just return it or get warranty if it screws up.

I would still say building a pc will save you some money and gives you exactly what you want but I'd say for most it's not worth your time to save 100 bucks or so

Edit - I've literally spent hours on this as my gf had school money like 8 Mos ago for a pc but the money somehow got major delay

So I recommend for most people start looking early find a good package or a good package you can replace one part you don't like

 

[Rizific]

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?

This is a funny story. I built my pc without previous experience, thanks to YouTube. And "it was so easy". And you don't have anywhere to build it? There's not one table at all or a 5x5 square foot space anywhere? Do you live and sleep standing up?

 

[family_guy]

I would recommend building your own because at least you'll know what to do when it's time to upgrade otherwise what will you do then, buy another pre-built? That's a waste of time and money.

 

[Draft]

Clipping on the heat sink is stressful. Every other part of building a PC is Lego simple. Computers aren't going away anytime soon, despite what the Post PC World think pieces may suggest. First world citizens will have some form of a computer in their house for a long time. Putting together a PC, then installing an OS, teaches valuable skills that will be useful for years. Skittish customers buy prebuilt because it comes with a warranty, but it's a bad warranty. It's customer service from South America or India. You are better off without them. The huge majority of problems will be fixed quicker by you and Google than by calling the customer support line at iBuypower. You can do this. It's not that hard.

Changing a tire. Starting a grill. Building a computer. Basic things everyone should know how to do.

 

[Skunkers]

I bought a pre-built with a 6700k, 980ti, 16 gig ram and 256 gig ssd for $1050. I couldn't find a way to build it that cheap and it included windows and a two year warranty.

I smell bullshit. That can't be in US dollars. That's waaayyy too cheap for that hardware, let alone through a builder. The processor and video card alone are worth almost $1000 at their cheapest.

 

[wildfire]

When steam machines came out I made a list comparing the services of various prebuilt makers.

It's only a year old so it's still mostly if not totally valid now.




https://www.reddit.com/r/pcmasterra...machines_warranty_and_miscellaneous_services/


This is your best source to quickly compare warranties and extra services.

 

[Aztechnology]

I bought a pre-built with a 6700k, 980ti, 16 gig ram and 256 gig ssd for $1050. I couldn't find a way to build it that cheap and it included windows and a two year warranty.

 

[Nipo]

Where did you get this PC from? It seems about $400 too cheap even with the lowest tier of parts.

Hp envy directly from hp.com. They had a 30% discount back in December linked from slickdeals.net that you could stack with discover double cash back and ebates cash back. Came to about 1150 and I called to get another $100 when they screwed up my shipping.

 

[YuShtink]

Building is a little stressful, but it takes like one evening of your time and is totally worth it. I'll never buy a pre-built tower again.

 

[DarkFlame]

The catch with prebuild PC's is that they advertise what the average gamer looks first when they are buying like GPU,CPU and the amounts of RAM memory and cut on the rest for profit.

 

[Sky Saw]

i bought a asus pc that had a gtx 980 for $1800 cad

Jesus.