Buy or Build?

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FerraraZ

Gawd
Joined
Feb 4, 2010
Messages
578
I know this has prob. been beaten to death but I just want opinions. Its time for me to get a new computer and while I do most of my work on my Macbook Pro (love it) I really need a desktop but it'll be 60 percent for gaming and the rest to act as a media server and other work software.

I know how to build a PC and build well enough its just the last build I had concluded with parts failing seemingly all at once and lets just say I was really annoyed.

Now I cant decide if I want to build one from newegg parts or just buy like an alienware. I have 8GB of DDR3 1600 just laying around I'd like to use but I guess its not really that important. I feel almost dirty for asking this because I use to be the guy that said "why would you buy that crap just build it for cheaper" but graduating college in December and looking to move anywhere in the US has me feeling like I just dont want to bother with anything and have a warranty on the entire system if need be and lessen the need for troubleshooting.

Again sorry to even bring this back but any opinions would be greatly appreciated as always, love this forum.
 
At the end of the day, it comes down to money: Are you willing to pay an extra $500 to $1000 on top of the cost of the PC parts themselves for a gaming PC from a good PC boutique? If yes, then go with a prebuilt gaming PC from Puget Systems, Digital Storm Online, Maingear, or even Alienware. If no, then build it yourself.

Yes there are PC boutiques that can build a gaming PC with only a $100 to $300 markup but those are generally really crappy companies to buy from. i.e Cyberpower and iBuypower. You're usually way better off building the PC yourself if the aforementioned companies are your main options.
 
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It's pretty easy to build a system now, even compared to how it was 10 years ago. If you are at all mechanically inclined, I'd just go ahead and build it yourself.
 
Forceman said:
It's pretty easy to build a system now, even compared to how it was 10 years ago. If you are at all mechanically inclined, I'd just go ahead and build it yourself.
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Its not at all that I'm not capable of building a computer, I am trying to justify a boutique's mark up because of software and then hardware issues in my last build. Still though I appreciate your input as always!
 
FerraraZ, build has a lot of fun factor. If it is not fun, then buy if you can afford it, or time is more precious.
 
Well it boils down to whether or not you want to pay someone else to put it together for you. All the parts we recommend have warranties. It doesn't matter if you build it yourself or if a company puts it together for you, things still fail.
 
Skillz said:
Well it boils down to whether or not you want to pay someone else to put it together for you. All the parts we recommend have warranties. It doesn't matter if you build it yourself or if a company puts it together for you, things still fail.
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Point there. The hardware wouldn't concern me. I heavily dislike the bloat every place seems to shovel onto my OS.

If I could, I would cheerfully strangle everyone who decides to load up factory imaged laptops with all that shit set to run at start.
 
PC Decrapifier and CCleaner work well for reducing crap. (PC Decrapifier is specifically for new OEM machines)

As Danny and others have said, it's all about cost (time AND money). Whether you build it yourself or buy, there's always a chance having to troubleshoot. If you build it yourself and don't like troubleshooting, then the money you saved may go to PC techs to troubleshoot for you (eg GeekSquad). If you buy it, then hopefully you get a warranty/customer care plan that will do the troubleshooting for you (Dell NA Pro/Gold support). If you don't have money to spend on either a PC tech nor a higher tier customer care/support plan, then you'll have to spend time yourself troubleshooting. If you don't have time, and don't have money, then you can't afford a computer unless you have a good friend that will do all the troubleshooting for "free." :p (If you don't have a friend, then just take your chances with building it yourself and hope nothing goes wrong. If something does, then whenever you have time, try to fix it yourself; or whenever you get money, pay someone to do it.)
 
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