The PC ecosystem is as diverse as the billions of people who use computers for work and play. Most of the time, he sits in a corner where a sub-$500 laptop fits his lifestyle. Some users need a top-notch rig that takes up a ton of desk space so they can play the latest AAA games, while others need a combination of portability and performance.
Thankfully, not only do we have a PC for every need, but we also have the incredible ability to build our own desktop from scratch with the right components to suit your personality and budget. Some users want a laptop, but they can’t build one from scratch (exceptions: framework kit), and for them we maintain the list below. best gaming laptop and best ultraportable laptop. Additionally, some people prefer the convenience and manufacturer support that comes with any of the following: best prebuilt desktops. However, if you can build his PC yourself, you should.
On Sunday, sister site Tom’s Guide (another publication aimed at less tech-savvy readers) ran an op-ed by writer Dave Meckleham, claiming: Making a PC is a “mistake”“And everyone should buy a gaming laptop instead. The author claims to have been building PCs for 20 years. I think it’s a waste to build a system of.’ Well, that’s one way to relate to technology.
Too many areas of our lives in the 21st century have taken power out of our hands. Whether it’s AI doing all of our writing, research, and artwork for us, Plagiarism from real people) and sealed smartphones that cannot be opened and repaired, we are becoming a world of passive technology consumers dependent on technology that we cannot control or even understand.
In our day-to-day tech life, there is no practical way to build most gadgets. At least not at the expected quality level.raspberry pi But it’s great for DIY smart home stuff). Pair yourself with his OLED TV or his ultra-thin Android handset. PCs are one of the few areas where you can pick and choose all the parts to build an end product that’s better than what’s on the Best Buy or Walmart shelves.
You can take the idea that a computer, like a TV, is a sealed box that you just turn on, or you can build and control it yourself. Depending on your build, building your own PC can save you hundreds of dollars. You can create it the way you want and it will be easier to modify and upgrade in the future. And you definitely feel the pride that comes from being a creator of technology, not just a consumer.
By the way, building your first PC is not difficult (there is a tutorial) How to assemble a PC). No soldering or heavy equipment required, just plug in the wires, attach the motherboard, install the screws and tighten. Usually he’s done within 2 hours if there’s no problem.
Build your own PC and save money
Compare how much it costs to build a gaming desktop versus buying a similarly configured prebuilt PC or gaming laptop. You can do this at any price point, but here we’re going with his $2,099 PC from Best Buy, America’s largest and most famous big box retailer. At this price you get a CyberPowerPC desktop with a mid-range RTX 4070 graphics card, a high-end Core i9-13900KF CPU, 32 GB of DDR5 RAM, a 2 TB SSD, and an 800 watt power supply .
| Department | CyberPower PC from Best Buy | price | custom build | price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Core i9-13900KF | attached | Core i9-13900KF | $535 |
| GPUs | RTX4070 | attached | Asus Dual RTX 4070 OC Edition | $599 |
| SSD | 2TB | attached | Solid Gym P41 Plus | $79 |
| RAM | 32GB DDR5 | attached | Corsair Vengeance DDR5 32GB (16×2) 5600MHz | $95 |
| motherboard | Includes Wireless AC Wi-Fi | attached | MSI Pro Z790-P WiFi LGA | $199 |
| Power supply unit | 800 watts | attached | EVGA 800 GE, 80 Plus Gold 800W | $89 |
| cooling | Aio | attached | DeepCool LT720 360mm AIO | $139 |
| case | CyberPower case | attached | Fantex Eclipse G360A | $99 |
| total | row 8 – cell 1 | $2,099 | Row 8 – Cell 3 | $1,834 |
By pricing the parts, you can build a DIY PC with the same configuration for just $1,834 (no OS, of course, but more on that in a second). Probably cheaper than that. Best Buy does not list the make and model of most parts, including PSUs, RAM, SSDs, cases, coolers, and motherboards.
In our build, we used fairly cheap SSDs and a cheap but gold rated power supply. However, our DeepCool LT720 AIO best cpu cooler You can buy it. More importantly, you have control over your builds, so you can make more specific choices. You can also buy a super fast SSD for like $159 to replace your old 2TB SSD. samsung 990 pro.
Perhaps more importantly, you can recalibrate your budget to focus on graphics cards rather than CPUs. If gaming is a priority, you’d probably save a few bucks on a CPU, pour that cash into a graphics card, and opt for the RTX 4070 Ti GPU ($799)and Core i5-13600KF ($290).
As with all the best PC builds, this one comes with some caveats. First, the cost doesn’t include the price of the Windows license, but it doesn’t include the price of the Windows license. Get Windows 11 for free or cheap (usually under $30). It also assumes you buy your own keyboard and mouse rather than using the cheap ones that ship with most pre-built PCs.
As a side note, Best Buy’s CyberPowerPC at $2,099 is a staggering price when compared to the price of similarly configured PCs from name brands. Alienware charges his $2399 RTX 4070 Desktop It has a slow Core i7-13700F CPU, just 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. You get the company’s stylish alien-themed chassis, sophisticated software, and strong build quality, but at a very high premium.
If you want an RTX 4070-powered laptop, Best Buy has it too. It will be as follows. MSI Raider GE68 $2,699. Sure, gaming laptops give you portability and built-in screens. However, just as the Core i9 CPU in mobile cannot match its desktop CPU, the mobile RTX 4070 will be much slower than its desktop counterpart. With the money you save building your own desktop, you can easily buy one of the following: best gaming monitor. Our First Choice, Dell S3222DGM Only $349 This day.
sense of ownership and control
So I’ve found that building a PC is almost always cheaper than buying an off-the-shelf one. But it’s not just the price. With a DIY PC, you are the star. So it’s up to you to decide exactly which parts to use. When buying off-the-shelf, the following parts are usually not available for selection:
- Graphics card: If you go the pre-built route, you know what your GPU is (e.g. RTX 4070), but often you don’t know what make and model of card it is. If you’re building your own, you can opt for overclocked third-party cards.
- Storage: Most vendors will tell you the size and type of SSD. With any luck, it will also tell you if you’re using PCIe 3.0, PCIe 4.0, or PCIe 5.0. Best Buy’s listing for CyberPowerPC says nothing. But can you choose your favorite drive among them? best SSD?
- case: There are hundreds of cases on the market.If you’re building your own PC, whether it’s a tiny Mini-ITX case, a giant E-ATX, or fractal design north.
- RAM: We know the amount of pre-built RAM on the shelf and the interface (DDR4 or DDR5), but we may not even know the speed, and even if we do, we don’t know the timing or whether it’s included. RGB.
- CPU cooling: You can choose a 240mm, 280mm, or 360mm AIO cooler to get the most out of your high-performance CPU, or use a low-profile air cooler for your low-wattage processor. A better cooler can increase the speed of your processor.
- Case fan: You can decide how to configure the airflow in your PC and what type of fan to use to achieve it. You can get a strict and quiet fan, with built-in screen.
- Motherboard: If you plan on overclocking, you need a motherboard that supports fine voltage control. And if you want to back up to fast external storage, you can choose one with Thunderbolt 4 or USB 4. Sonic themed motherboard.
- power supply: The least noticeable part of your PC is one of the most important. Many PC vendors offer cheap, underpowered PSUs. However, if you make a choice, you can get more flexibility in the future by getting a higher capacity than you need today. For example, if you need 650 watts today, you might choose an 850 watt unit in case you upgrade your graphics card in the future.
Some smaller companies, such as iBuyPower and CyberPowerPC, offer a few options, but when it comes to paying for a build-to-order PC, your options for components aren’t endless. However, there will be an additional charge, and in the case of a made-to-order system, it may take time to ship.
Your PC can be cluttered and windowless, simple and utilitarian, RGB and gaudy, or with sleek furnishings that match your surroundings. You don’t have to be a professional case modder to add flair, like an RGB power cable or a screen that sits above your RAM.
Should You Build a PC or Buy It?
I’ve covered this topic in detail before, but the answers vary greatly from person to person. To summarize:
Buy a laptop if:
- I need portabilityeven at home.
- desk space is very limited.
- can afford premium
- Doesn’t require the highest possible level of performance.
Buy a prebuilt gaming desktop if:
- i don’t want to waste time I am building a PC.
- Prebuilt has some special features or branding (e.g. Alienware’s Aurora case)
- Requires one source Warranty and technical support.
- you are not confident in your PC building ability.
Build a desktop when:
- If you want full control Beyond the final product.
- want to save moneywhich usually yields better parts.
- Need top notch performance and value.
Conclusion
Whatever direction you choose to build your PC, you are responsible for building it and fixing any problems that arise. However, each individual part has its own warranty, and you can either send it in for repair or buy a new one, especially if you know the part is broken. Once a pre-built PC’s warranty expires, it may not be repairable, especially if the case or motherboard is uniquely built.
And if you build a PC, it’s easy to upgrade your computer as your needs change. Whether you need to add a second SSD for him, double his RAM, or replace your graphics card, the power is in your hands. Pre-built PCs may or may not have parts that leave room for future expansion.
Based on the fact that he tried to install a Core i9-13900K into a motherboard that didn’t support the Core i9-13900K without a BIOS update, a colleague at Tom’s Guide said, “Building your own PC can be a disaster. There is.” However, compatibility issues usually arise when you don’t do basic research, such as checking the CPU support charts on the motherboard vendor’s site.
And every failure is a learning opportunity, and there are usually free (like reverting to an older CPU and running a BIOS update) or cheap workarounds. I won’t mention the time I learned an important lesson about not building her PC on the carpet with socks on.
Anything of value is worth working for. Building a PC isn’t for everyone, but it’s an easy and rewarding job that should be done by more people, not less. The savings, customization, and fun more than make up for any problems you may encounter along the way.
