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[Hardware] The Advantages and Disadvantages to Building Your Own PC.
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Posted by: The-AoD
Have you thought about building your own PC? Not sure what the advantages and disadvantes are? Well in this guide I'll give you some idea's of what to expect by building your own PC.
First, PC companies such as dell and compaq sell PC's at a higher price than what you could actually build the system for. And they don't always have exactly what you're expecting "under the hood". Big companies like to save money by buying items in bulk. That's an easy way for them to save money, and another way is buying lower cost items that aren't "top of the line". The problem is, they have to make a profit to keep in business, and this is where the price really comes into play.
Building your own PC can save you money and give you the performance you expect from your money. Buying exactly what you want for a lower price, that's always an upside to the situation! And after building your own machine, you will know it alot better than something you would buy from a company that is "pre-built". You can usually save anywhere from one hundred bucks to sometimes (depending on the hardware you buy), even up to the thousand mark. You also get to choose your hardware to fit your exact need. Like if you have alot of USB devices you could find a motherboard with alot of USB ports. Or say you wanted onboard sound, you could find a motherboard that suits your needs with sound already installed on the motherboard. You can actually get the parts that fit your needs exactly, without having to pay for "upgrades" to a companies pre-built models.
You also know exactly what is in your system. And you have the manuals for the hardware you purchased. These can be very helpful incase of a problem.
The downside to the idea of building your own system is a couple things. If you buy parts on OEM, they come with no support and only a small warranty period. But if you buy retail they usually come with a decent warranty. Retail parts usually cost around 10-20 dollars more than an OEM part. But if the part breaks under warranty, it's alot better to pay the extra money. Also your parts have seperate warranties, so you'll have to call about a specific item to a specific company, instead of calling just one company. You also don't get any of the "standard" programs that a prebuilt system comes with, such as Microsoft word or excel. You also, if you don't have an operating system disk, will have to buy an operating system. These can cost some hefty money if you're buying retail, especially going with something like Windows XP Professional which still retails over 200 dollars.
After all this, it's pretty easy to say, you'll still be saving money depending on what you're wanting. If you're building a top-end gaming machine, you'll pay a hefty price from a company, but building it yourself can save alot of money. If you're looking for something to browse emails, browse the web, or watch the occasional DVD, you could be better off just buying a prebuilt system from a company.
Things to remember:- Find out everything you want in your system. Write down a list of things you'll be doing with the system, and find out what all components or accessories you'll need with your system.
- Look at manufacturer's websites, find out exactly what will suit your needs. Doing the research on items before buying them let's you know what you're wanting, and if you are getting everything you need.
- Shop around. Look at different places, some places may have lower prices then others. And look at reviews from other users about thier experiences with the seller you are thinking about buying from. Sometimes you can find a really good price, then find out that the price really isn't worth the hastle of the sale. Find out what other people say about the service of the company.
- Research everything you can. Researching certian things may tell you some things that the manufacturers don't. Such as possible compatibility problems with certain things.
- Keep the list you make updated with prices and locations of where you found specific items. Figure out a total you want to spend, and follow your budget.
- Compare your final list with a prebuilt companies PC's. See if you will be saving yourself money or actually costing yourself more than you could by buying a prebuilt system.
Always remember, do the research. It's better to get exactly what you want, then getting something you thought was better than it really is. 
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