Build or Buy?

[Perplexing]

Do you build or buy your computer? When I got my first computer it was a Dell Opti-piece-of-crap-plex. I soon moved up in the world and got a Compaq Presario....... yeah I know just as worthless as a Dell.

After that I decided to build a PC which back then I was a noob as you could get. After my first build with a kick ass Pentium 4 @3GHz I was hooked on building them. Since then I've built 4 PCs for myself and numerous others for friends and family.

I'll never buy when I can build a PC.

 

[alexsdu]

If you got money to burn, I suggest buy. But you can set the spec for the computer.
There are many computer company/store that built computer that are primary role is for gaming.

If you got the knowledge and confident to build your own gaming rig, then by all mean, go for it.
This option also suitable for people that have limited budget but wanna built a decent yet powerful PC.


Well, that's my $0.02(+ tax) opinion.

 

[Lavo]

Built. Knew very little going in, got some help from (internet) friends on double checking that all the parts would work, assembled it mainly using the markings on the mobo and it's instruction guide. One year later and it still is rather kickass, and I have no need to upgrade it yet.

 

[Checkmate]

I've never bought any pre-built computer, because my family is poor. I learn to use the money in the most effective way.

Though for once I had bought a HP Server for my corporation, it costs more 3 times than the build option, but it was the first time of my life that I bite the bullet and trust their stuff.

Wasn't too long (2 years) before the mainboard fried everything, including 2 RAID10 Array in it, we had off-site backup but the incident brought us 2 days back to the pen and paper age.

I investigate the issues and it turns out HP uses a very very cheap ass PSU that caused this. Of course, I contact HP and they... replace me with the same PSU. Needless to say, I scrap the server when I get it back (who would be in their right mind to use it again, the off time costs us much more than the server itself to begin with) and build two new one myself, as redundant options.

After that, heh, needless to say, I avoid HP like plague and I'm glad I did. Because they are an evil corporation. I don't buy their printer anymore too, and prefer Japanese brand such as Canon.

 

[FornaX2009]

I've never bought a pre-built computer. I guess i never will!

Browsing on the internet for hours on hardwares then researching on countless review sites
about those parts you chose. Roaming PC stores to look for those components!
Going home and unboxing! Putting it together! Crossing your finger that it would even start!
Taking note of the exact time and date your computer first booted!

I'd say that's a hell lot of fun than going to a store pick a PC on their display and bringing it home!
^^,

 

[Perplexing]

Browsing on the internet for hours on hardwares then researching on countless review sites
about those parts you chose. Roaming PC stores to look for those components!
Going home and unboxing! Putting it together! Crossing your finger that it would even start!
Taking note of the exact time and date your computer first booted!

I'd say that's a hell lot of fun than going to a store pick a PC on their display and bringing it home!

Agreed plus the fact that you don't have to deal with the annoying amount of bloatware on the PC. It's bad enough as Checkmate pointed out that companies use cheap products to begin it's even worst that along with those cheap products which of course saves them $$$ they make more by adding a crap ton of bloatware on the damn system.

I'd love to know exactly how much a PC brings in for these companies considering the cheap parts, bloatware, and the mark up in price they do to begin with.

 

[shinigamidaiko]

When i was setting to buy my first PC, i was planning on buying some HP or dell crap. Then thank god i thought about the matter thoroughly and i decided to build it on my own, i chose the components i wanted from motherboard to GPU card and guess what, i was satisfied with the result and i manged to save around 300$ which allowed me to buy a printer (canon ;) ) , an usb flash, a game controller (wireless :D) and a powerful speakers system. Lately i have changed my GPU, dvd burner and power supply unit and as usual i was satisfied and felt it was a well spent money.

 

[t3nk3n]

I would only have a pre-built system as long as I knows how technician build the system, since some technicians will skimp off on a few things. eg. screws, improper mounting heatsink, too much/too little thermal paste and many more. These were the things I seen when I was working at a computer shop, in sales. Before taking it in for service for the technicians, I would take apart customer's system to inspect it.

That said I if have time I would built my own system but if I feel lazy I get the technician that I worked with do it for me.

 

[Tsubame]

Build, Build, Build !! I've never bought a pre-built computer....!!!

Build by yourself is so much fun, if u enjoy it.. :p
and you have more free will to choose the specs, from the low-end to the high-end one..
you decide the parts by yourself.. but beware of bottleneck..
and is better to ask someone that have a high experience on the parts and brand, or read some review before you build your own RIG.

 

[Will98]

First, all the way up to Checkmate. I have learned: Don't buy an HP computer...their printers and cameras are good, but not their computers.

Now, I suggest build the computer. Great EXP. Can customize it to how you want it and you won't have to deal with: "Would you like the 2 year warranty with that?" and "Return in 30 days to re-new the protection plan.", so and so forth.

 

[subnet_zero]

to add to the HP rage going on in here,

when I first bought a PC, I chose an HP laptop because the Future Shop employee told me it was "top of the line" and would play all of my games. The end result was a system that could not be upgraded, would barely run half life 2 on low @ 640X480 and doubled as a room heater (the thing's GPU ran constant at 100C, sat around 120C when under a heavy load). Now that I have become experienced in the field, I have come to realize that buying a prebuilt PC is 99.9% of the time, a waist of money. In my opinion, building the PC is half the fun of owning one :)!

 

[alexsdu]

to add to the HP rage going on in here,

when I first bought a PC, I chose an HP laptop because the Future Shop employee told me it was "top of the line" and would play all of my games. The end result was a system that could not be upgraded, would barely run half life 2 on low @ 640X480 and doubled as a room heater (the thing's GPU ran constant at 100C, sat around 120C when under a heavy load). Now that I have become experienced in the field, I have come to realize that buying a prebuilt PC is 99.9% of the time, a waist of money. In my opinion, building the PC is half the fun of owning one :)!

*add fuel to the flame*
1st of all, it's laptop - not a good choice for gaming in the long run, coz the hardware upgrade would be hard and cost more that those for PC.
2nd, well it's HP. :P

 

[SolidBear]

i've been down the buy the PC road and i'm never going to do that again. i was sick of sharing a PC with another peson, i went and bought my first and last buy PC. it was a HP, and i learn't a valuable lesson, if you are going to buy a PC, don't go to an place where they use monkeys for salespeople. i asked for a PC that could run games, and the PC they sold me had a graphics card that couldn't run anything.
i was only happy when i gave that hunk of junk to my niece, and i've been building pc's since

 

[TujAuS]

My first PC was a HP but after that I've always build my own PC's. Actually that HP computer was quite good. I used it maybe a three years or so and I didn't have any problems with it(lucky ehh?). Well.. after those three years I was already quite a computer geek and I just had to build my own PC. :)

 

[Ghost Kitty~]

Hmm if only i could build.... Buy for now :/ Build when i learn how xD

 

[IwantPedobearToo]

Its not like that there is anything to learn. The producers already though of no brainers like me :D
Generall no plug does fit where it shouldnt fit, you cant really do anything wrong.

 

[Ghost Kitty~]

Hmm i guess xD But i have no idea what parts are decent or not :x no experience with anything :/

 

[Uninstall]

Build - I can't live without customisability or overclocking...

Though I do encourage even those with little experience to build their PCs if they have the time, nowadays it's as easy as lego and you'll end up saving money in the long run if you put research into it :)

 

[Evac]

I always build my computers.
It does take some research to assembly a good machine, but the results (almost) always worth the effort.

 

[Uninstall]

Plus, it's always a lot more satisfying to see the PC go to boot for the first time

 

[IwantPedobearToo]

Hmm i guess xD But i have no idea what parts are decent or not :x no experience with anything :/

Just buy the things with the highest number infront of the $ symbol :D

 

[Ghost Kitty~]

Yeah i figure thats a way to make sure its decent quality but not always :/

 

[Uninstall]

Not always.. i have had dissapointing results with pricey items in terms of build quality

 

[alexsdu]

The best part in building your own rig is when you switch it on for the first time, you get to scream, "It's ALIVE!!"
But at the same time, you're hoping it not gonna start to make sparks come out from it and cause the whole city/country/region to black out.