Is It Cheaper to Build Your Own Computer—Building vs Buying a PC

Is It Cheaper to Build Your Own Computer?

If you plan to get a new PC, you have two choices: building a PC or buying a PC. The problem is that you don’t know which method can help you save money while not degrading PC performance.

Is it cheaper to build your own computer? Some people may tell you that building a PC is cheaper than buying a PC. Actually, it depends.

If your budget is not high or you don’t have a lot of specific needs, buying a PC is a good deal. The reasons are as follows:

• PC manufacturers have the power of buying in bulk that you’ll never have.
• A pre-built machine usually comes with a copy of Windows (usually $100), a mouse, keyboard, and often even a monitor or speakers.

Due to the above two reasons, if you plan to buy a low-end PC that for web browsing, Microsoft Office, and other low-powered tasks, buying a PC is cheaper than building a PC.

On the other hand, if you have higher price points and more specialized needs, building a PC may be a good choice. The reasons are follows:

• If you plan to build a PC, you can spend less money on unimportant devices and spend more money on important devices. For example, when building a gaming PC, you can skip the hyperthreaded CPU and put more money toward a better video card.
• When you build a PC, you can re-use certain components of your old PC.
• If the PC you build can’t meet your needs, you can upgrade it by replacing some components.

9 Necessary Things to Consider When Buying a Computer

Building vs Buying a PC: Pros and Cons

Should I buy or build a PC? This depends on not only the cost, but also other factors. In this part, I will show you the pros and cons of building a PC and buying a PC.

Buying a PC

Buying a PC has the following advantages:

• A low-end pre-built PC is very cheap. Basic desktops and laptops now start at around $300.
• Purchasing a pre-built computer is easy and convenient. You just need to browse for the desired model, and place the order. Then, you will get a PC out of the box.
• You will never have to worry about component compatibility when buying a prebuilt PC.
• You have full support from the manufacturer when you buy a prebuilt computer.

Its shortcomings are equally obvious, for example:

• A pre-built PC can’t allow you to customize it too much, although some PC manufacturers allow you to choose CPU, RAM, and hard drive from several options.
• Although you don’t need to spend time on assembling the PC, you need to pay extra assembly expenses for the pre-built PC.
• Tampering with the hardware of a prebuilt computer in any way will usually result in voiding its warranty. Therefore, there is no freedom to customize, disassemble, or otherwise manipulate the components without potentially forfeiting manufacturer support.

Lenovo vs HP vs Dell: Which Brand to Buy

This post introduces 3 laptop brands: Dell, HP, and Lenovo. It also tells you how to choose from them.

Read More

Building a PC

Building a PC has the following advantages:

• You can choose your own components and fine-tune your choice of components to your exact needs.
• You can save a lot of money in assembly expenses, if you take charge of assembling your own PC.
• You can install OS as your will, for example, Linux OS.

Its disadvantages are as follows:

• You need to spend time on assembling a PC. Sometimes, you may need to buy some tools.
• While assembling the PC, there is the risk of damaging the PC’s components. If a part is damaged on assembly, the warranty is voided with no exceptions.
• You may face hardware or software incompatibility issues when building a PC.

How to Build Your Own Laptop [A Step-By-Step Guide]

This post shows you how to build your own laptop, including how to choose components, how to assemble them, and how to install OS.

Read More