Buy or Build a Computer?

[Maleko]

I have always built them, never brought a pre-built pc (apart from at work)

[ripken204]

wow nick, your old posts are getting revived too.

dont you just love seeing the stupid questions that we used to ask?

[woody.cool]

"Usually drink, usually dance, usually babble"

..... WHOOPS!, wrong thread!

(couldn't resist, the title of the thread was asking for that ..... for those who don't get it, listen to Wiley's track 'Wearing My Rolex')

I'd build anytime, everytime.

I never buy a pre-built PC, especially OEM machines (HP, Compaq, Fujistu-Siemens, Dell etc.) and I'd 100% avoid any PC World own brand PCs (you know: Packard Bell, Ei Systems, eMachines etc.)

[dencorso]

Build, except for laptop

True. Then again, only buy laptops that you can customize.

[x-Shadow-x]

Defiantly build.

[lightning slinger]

OK guys, own up! 

Who's the two buyers in the poll? 

[e-t-c]

And now 3 ^^ ... build with the online configurator... and buy the assembled One.

Edited October 15, 2009 by e-t-c

[JustShootIt]

When you buy a computer, you just pay a premium price to have someone do the work, and to get hardware you don't want. Meanwhile, the hardware you really want you don't get.

Build your own PC and get exactly what you want for less than the cost of a typical laptop. If you're a gamer that will be slighly higher, but you'll still save $$$.

What I got for uner $800:

• Micro-ATX motherboard with SATA (6), dual Gigabit Ethernet, USB 2.0, capability for Phenom CPU and 3GB RAM, both analog and digital video, 6-channel sound, e-Sata, FireWire, and yet I still got a floppy interface and parallel printer port! w/1-year warranty
  
• 300 GB SATA 2 hard drive w/3-year warranty
  
• 500 GB SATA 2 hard drive w/3-year warranty
  
• AMD 3.8 GHz CPU (decided not to go for the Phenom now)
  
• 4GB RAM with built-in RAM heatsinks
  
• LG LightScribe Dual-Layer DVD+/-RW drive
  
• Huge CoolerMaster case with lots of vents, bottom-mount PSU, and designed for liquid cooling (I won't add that, though; I don't game)
  
• CyberPower 750-watt PSU (lots of transistors, quality, as evident by heavy weight)
  
• Very quiet system (though I can tell it's on, thanks to the # of fans)
  
• 4 case fans (one with blue light)
  
• Dust ventilation on front
  
• Cable-management system
  
• Tool-less hard-drive installation
  
• CPU heatsink/fan, cables, adapters, and all the other little details

FYI, I got the floppy disk for free, and the monitor as a gift. But it would still be less than the price you spend on a "good" PC system and far less than a good laptop. And of course I am not including the huge-capacity backup power supply because that doesn't come with a PC, anyway.