Build or bought computer

[Limeblossom 482]

Do you have a computer build by yourself or do you take one in the stores?

 

I never had a build computer since I have a bought computer from the electronic store, but my old games still work .

Edited November 18, 2015 by Limeblossom

[Malinter 3,064]

I've kinda done both, I use a refitted computer so its both bought and custom built. Alot cheaper for my own needs too XD

[CheeryFox 23,821]

Built computer. You save money. Now this is kinda important: it's possible just to spend a little more and build one yourself - you will actually have a really decent computer for high-end gaming that's cheaper than one you would out-and-out buy... 

[Humphrey 49]

I build my computer myself, cause the computers on the market can't satisfy me. I do massive calculations on my computer and still need good game experience, but hardly can I find a cheap professional workstation in the market, I have no choice but build by myself. 

[Lisa 5,553]

Bought because I can't be bothered building my own. It's not something that really concerns me. If it can browse the internet and play CSGO then that's all I need really. ;p

[Scrubbed user 3,416]

Built, not bought. If I went and bought a PC for the same price as what I built mine for, it would not perform the same. Plus there is the satisfaction of using something you made yourself.

[Unikitty 1,212]

Built. It's significantly cheaper and you get more out of it. You know exactly what's in your computer. It's also generally fun putting them together. And for you folk who think you need to be a computer whiz to know how to build one, it is pretty much a case of putting things into a designated spot and then putting cord plug A into port A and B into B, so on. No different to assembling a cupboard. Lighter too.

Edited November 18, 2015 by Unikitty

[Limeblossom 482]

I've kinda done both, I use a refitted computer so its both bought and custom built. Alot cheaper for my own needs too XD

Built computer. You save money. Now this is kinda important: it's possible just to spend a little more and build one yourself - you will actually have a really decent computer for high-end gaming that's cheaper than one you would out-and-out buy... 

I build my computer myself, cause the computers on the market can't satisfy me. I do massive calculations on my computer and still need good game experience, but hardly can I find a cheap professional workstation in the market, I have no choice but build by myself. 

Built, not bought. If I went and bought a PC for the same price as what I built mine for, it would not perform the same. Plus there is the satisfaction of using something you made yourself.

That's something most PC users tell me. I've even seen some massive supercomputers build by techs.

I understand that building your own PC makes you proud and satisfying.

My brother has a partly build PC (if adding a graphics card, SSD and other stuff falls under the term.) and it works really good, but it never convinced me to build my own. Since most of the programs I use are basic programs and older games. During the 7th generation I stopped buying new PC games.

 

If it can browse the internet and play CSGO then that's all I need really. ;p

Same thought. Last old PC game I recently bought was Warcraft III. It's just works without problems on my PC and I don't have to bother with always online and having a Battle.net account is voluntary (thanks Blizzard).

[Envy 6,166]

I had one built because a store/prebuilt PC that had the video card I needed costed literally $1000 more and didn't even have a SSD IIRC.

 

It hasn't been too much of a hassle (any more than the hassle of any PC, which is... quite a bit) except they shipped it with the video card out and I had to get my dad to install it... And then the RAM malfunctioned and I had to buy a replacement.

[Luna the Great of all the Russias 2,985]

Built. Satisfaction of working system you made yourself. Increased familiarity with PC parts allowed me to at least fix some basic hardware issues. Cheaper than pre-built. Customizability (though of course many places do allow you to choose your own parts and be pre-built).

[Limeblossom 482]

It hasn't been too much of a hassle (any more than the hassle of any PC, which is... quite a bit) except they shipped it with the video card out and I had to get my dad to install it... And then the RAM malfunctioned and I had to buy a replacement.

No effort to place the video card in it?

I never had problems with my PC's after buying it.

 

Soon the new 4K Blu-Ray will arrive in the west, but I doubt that PC gaming will ever see 4K gaming with physical copies. After DVD-ROM the whole evolution chain of physical information storages ended.

Edited November 18, 2015 by Limeblossom

[Moonlight 7,286]

Sorta inbetween? I bought an already built one and just updated the graphics card, power supply, and added another hard drive. I do plan on eventually building one from scratch but I doubt it'll be any time soon. What I have now can run GTA V (along with most other games and I haven't bought a game that didn't run well) and really that's all I need tbh.

[Guest]

I had one built because a store/prebuilt PC that had the video card I needed costed literally $1000 more and didn't even have a SSD IIRC.

 

It hasn't been too much of a hassle (any more than the hassle of any PC, which is... quite a bit) except they shipped it with the video card out and I had to get my dad to install it... And then the RAM malfunctioned and I had to buy a replacement.

 

Yeah this is why learning to build your own is better because a lot of the time the store pre-built stuff overcharge for parts and they often include crap you don't need that you end up paying for.

[Mr F 1,522]

I built it, that is the only way I could get it with all these classy colours.

Also, it became cheap enough that I still had money for some sweet looking LEDs.

Why have an expensive computer when you cannot pimp it?

Having LEDs all over your stuff at a LAN party is basically the coolest thing ever.

Running all games at max settings with 60-144fps is also a great feeling as well.

[Jon the VGNerd 885]

Bought a PC myself as to give it upgrades. I'll be flat-out broke if I tried building a PC.

[Envy 6,166]

No effort to place the video card in it?

 

I'm not sure who that question is referring to.

 

If it's referring to the company, they said it was something about keeping the card from getting damaged while shipping.

 

If it's referring to me, no way! I'm not touching anything inside of a computer, much less trying to put the thingies in the right places.

[Vulcan 3,254]

I've been an avid LTT fan way before I had my rig , and lemme tell yah' 

It's a lot cheaper and more efficient to buy 2nd hand parts and frankenstein'em together

than to buy  a similarly powerful store bought model.

 

Paraphrasing Linus Sebastian:

 

If you don't have any knowledge of building PCs and

don't want to bother learning all the whoziwhatzzits and fandanngles that need to be compatible to work.

then a store bought PC is fine, it makes it much easier to apply for a warranty and you'll always have the security of knowing that what you have works.

 

However,

if you want a much more powerful rig for the same price or less,

then do some research and give it a shot.

there's a wonderful community here that's always willing to help,

and you will be glad that the pc under your desk was built by your own blood sweat and tears.

[Limeblossom 482]

I'm not sure who that question is referring to.

 

If it's referring to the company, they said it was something about keeping the card from getting damaged while shipping.

 

If it's referring to me, no way! I'm not touching anything inside of a computer, much less trying to put the thingies in the right places.

I referred to the company.

[Guest]

I'm not sure who that question is referring to.

 

If it's referring to the company, they said it was something about keeping the card from getting damaged while shipping.

 

If it's referring to me, no way! I'm not touching anything inside of a computer, much less trying to put the thingies in the right places.

 

It's pretty easy to learn considering stuff only fits in a few slots.

[Damonater 70]

For me it would be to build my own PC. 

[Envy 6,166]

It's pretty easy to learn considering stuff only fits in a few slots.

 

Nah, too confusing for me. I'd much rather leave it to more experienced people.

 

I spent too much money on that PC to have it screwed up by me! lol

[Guest]

Nah, too confusing for me. I'd much rather leave it to more experienced people.

 

I spent too much money on that PC to have it screwed up by me! lol

My point is you're paying more for other people to put them together when learning to do it yourself can save you a LOT of money!

[Envy 6,166]

My point is you're paying more for other people to put them together when learning to do it yourself can save you a LOT of money!

 

IIRC, I only paid like $50 for the service of it all being put together and a warranty. Well worth it, to me!

[Guest]

IIRC, I only paid like $50 for the service of it all being put together and a warranty. Well worth it, to me!

 

That could have been a game! Or another hard drive for more game storage, or even a nice headset. Also paying for warranties is ALWAYS a rip off with computer parts. The ONLY thing they cover is if the parts die on their own without your involvement. Which if that is going to happen it will happen within the first month or so which is already covered. There's also a good chance you were overcharged for the parts too.

 

Did you buy a pre-built computer and then have a card put into it, or did you buy all the parts and have someone put it together? I can tell you honestly if you did the first, you more than likely paid more than $300+ in overcharges. My PC I build for $1,400 back in the day and if I had paid for a pre-built at the time with the EXACT SAME PARTS I was looking at $3,500. The monitors alone would have been $800.

 

In the future if you need a build, let me know I'll make sure you get the best price and I'll even put it together for free or find someone who will do it for you for cheap. People that build PCs take advantage of customers who don't know how to build by overcharging. Realistically, putting in a graphics card takes... 3 minutes. $50 for a 3 minute service that requires no special equipment that someone can learn to do from Google?

[ARagY 1,152]

Ugh, who could ever buy a PC? Don't they know they're being screwed out of money? Companies like Dell and Alienware have overpriced garbage. Its ridiculous that a $500 Dell laptop or  $700 prebuilt* in 2015 only had 3 GB RAM and can't even play YouTube on 1080 without shutting down to prevent heat damage. That is honestly disgusting. And the entire practice is allowed to continue because people are uninformed about what's in their computers or the value for it, the same reason why companies can pay employees vastly differently - being that people are so uncomfortable to talk about what they make despite it being ultimately beneficial for everyone and only a superficial point of embarrassment.

 

So yeah, buying one is just letting these companies continue to produce garbage. I've had these sorts try to nickel and dime me because they assumed I knew nothing about computers (why would I know and still buy their stuff is the logic). When I explained the situation to them better than they could, they could only show me the discounts on the latest versions of more shit. Are they out of their scripted lines? It's as pathetic as the Indian Microsoft™ scam - nothing is being done about it. Other times I've explained what's wrong and they get completely lost because the qualifications to work in the tech lines are probably so stunningly low. When you get past "the darned thing won't start" to examining the core issues with your specific CPU, they get lost.

 

If I had more power in the market I would be sure these scammers would be put out of business. All people who buy are just getting screwed, and they're letting it happen, directly or not. I think its time we fully engaged in the power the 21st century can bring, and take the power back into our own hands and have the knowledge of the tools we use on a daily basis to know what's good and what's not. Leaving it up to someone else to decide is like asking a car salesman the going price of that shiny red car. If you wouldn't do that, then don't buy a PC.

 

The time it takes to make a PC isn't nearly as long as people imagine. Your first build, monitored by a knowledgeable companion, will only take you an hour or two tops. Follow the safety procedures listed in the manuals you'll receive, and there are even safety and computer building videos on YouTube you can watch to guide you through the process. You won't launch nukes at your house by doing something wrong or putting something in the wrong place, don't be afraid of your computer. It's not alive.

 

 

*sigh* this was indeed a rant. But a necessary one.  

Edited November 19, 2015 by ARagY