Reasons to build own computer?

I will be upgrading or buying or building a new computer in the near
future. Are there any more reasons to build a computer myself?

I've built the last 3 computers I have, and I had a good experience
with 2 of them. The third was a pain to get correct, as I had to spend
so much time tweaking things to get it working. Now that I am in the
market again, I wonder if I should build my own.

The reasons to build my own:

* Cheaper?--not really. The manufacturers buy things in bulk and can
get things at a discount. In pricing everything, it seems that the
prices are about even between buying and building. If I were upgrading
only, it would be cheaper to build, because I could re-use certain
peripherals. Unfortunately, the various optical drives and video cards
that I have are so old that it is pointless to keep them.

* Flexibility with components--This is true compared to Dell or a
computer from Best Buy. Those computers are preconfigured and I have
to take them as they are, no matter what I would prefer to do. But I
was just looking at the Falcon Northwest site, and they seem to have
so many different options, that I am not really locked into a certain
configuration. Same with Alienware and other manufacturers.

Reasons not to build.

* Ease. The computer will (hopefully) come pre-tested, with Windows
already loaded. I won't have to spend a portion of my day formatting
hard drives and installing Windows like I did before. And everything
will (hopefully) work properly, so I won't have to tweak things to get
things right. Just plug and play. Now that I'm in the real world (as
opposed to college) and also have a child, I don't feel like I have
the free time to spend tweaking a system.

"Gus Mahler" wrote in message
om...
* Cheaper?--not really. The manufacturers buy things in bulk and can
get things at a discount.

That's true in a sense, but in fact you're comparing apples to oranges. You
can't buy the exact computer you're going to build, anywhere at any price.
If you could, there would be even less reason to build your own. See below.

* Flexibility with components--This is true compared to Dell or a
computer from Best Buy. Those computers are preconfigured and I have
to take them as they are, no matter what I would prefer to do. But I
was just looking at the Falcon Northwest site, and they seem to have
so many different options, that I am not really locked into a certain
configuration. Same with Alienware and other manufacturers.

Not really. We're just talking about degrees. Do you get to pick the power
supply model? Do you get to pick the case? Sure, they might offer one
computer with a 250w PSU and another with a 400w PSU, but that is not
picking your exact power supply. Sure, you get to pick among the cases they
offer, but not among *any* case.

Reasons not to build.

* Ease. The computer will (hopefully) come pre-tested, with Windows
already loaded. I won't have to spend a portion of my day formatting
hard drives and installing Windows like I did before. And everything
will (hopefully) work properly, so I won't have to tweak things to get
things right. Just plug and play. Now that I'm in the real world (as
opposed to college) and also have a child, I don't feel like I have
the free time to spend tweaking a system.

No doubt about that. Building is for enthusiasts, not those who merely want
to use computers. Having said that, the last computer I bought wouldn't
boot up. We opened it up and I realized the power supply connector was not
attached to the motherboard! Considering all the extra dangling power
supply connectors in the case, I would not have known that unless I had put
together my own computer.

Gus Mahler wrote:
I will be upgrading or buying or building a new computer in the near
future. Are there any more reasons to build a computer myself?

I've built the last 3 computers I have, and I had a good experience
with 2 of them. The third was a pain to get correct, as I had to spend
so much time tweaking things to get it working. Now that I am in the
market again, I wonder if I should build my own.

The reasons to build my own:

* Cheaper?--not really. The manufacturers buy things in bulk and can
get things at a discount. In pricing everything, it seems that the
prices are about even between buying and building. If I were upgrading
only, it would be cheaper to build, because I could re-use certain
peripherals. Unfortunately, the various optical drives and video cards
that I have are so old that it is pointless to keep them.

* Flexibility with components--This is true compared to Dell or a
computer from Best Buy. Those computers are preconfigured and I have
to take them as they are, no matter what I would prefer to do. But I
was just looking at the Falcon Northwest site, and they seem to have
so many different options, that I am not really locked into a certain
configuration. Same with Alienware and other manufacturers.

Reasons not to build.

* Ease. The computer will (hopefully) come pre-tested, with Windows
already loaded. I won't have to spend a portion of my day formatting
hard drives and installing Windows like I did before. And everything
will (hopefully) work properly, so I won't have to tweak things to get
things right. Just plug and play. Now that I'm in the real world (as
opposed to college) and also have a child, I don't feel like I have
the free time to spend tweaking a system.

My sister has always counted on me to help her when she shops for an
updated computer. Since she doesn't do any exotic things, and you
cannot buy all the parts for the cost of a ready-made computer, she
purchased a HP computer the last three times. No more!

I discovered that first you no longer receive a CD with the software
that has been installed (they use a partition on the HD), and they even
make it difficult (not impossible) to clone the drive so that you have a
backup. Their HELP service in this regard is useless, in that they
don't want to discuss the topic. Now I realize that much of this is due
to paying MS a lesser fee for the operating system, but you are really
at the mercy of the manufacturer when you buy a ready made computer.

Put that together with the non-standard hardware they often use, and
you might as well throw it out when you have a failure if it is no
longer under warrantee. It will cost you so much to repair, you are
better off buying a new one. From now on I am going to recommend she
have one custom made, even if it costs more.

Gus Mahler wrote:

Reasons not to build.

* Ease. The computer will (hopefully) come pre-tested, with Windows
already loaded. I won't have to spend a portion of my day formatting
hard drives and installing Windows like I did before. And everything
will (hopefully) work properly, so I won't have to tweak things to get
things right. Just plug and play. Now that I'm in the real world (as
opposed to college) and also have a child, I don't feel like I have
the free time to spend tweaking a system.

::BOGGLE::

Even if you don't build it yourself, you still have to tweak it! Don't
you?

"Gus Mahler" wrote in message
om...
I will be upgrading or buying or building a new computer in the near
future. Are there any more reasons to build a computer myself?

I've built the last 3 computers I have, and I had a good experience
with 2 of them. The third was a pain to get correct, as I had to spend
so much time tweaking things to get it working. Now that I am in the
market again, I wonder if I should build my own.

The reasons to build my own:

* Cheaper?--not really. The manufacturers buy things in bulk and can
get things at a discount. In pricing everything, it seems that the
prices are about even between buying and building. If I were upgrading
only, it would be cheaper to build, because I could re-use certain
peripherals. Unfortunately, the various optical drives and video cards
that I have are so old that it is pointless to keep them.

* Flexibility with components--This is true compared to Dell or a
computer from Best Buy. Those computers are preconfigured and I have
to take them as they are, no matter what I would prefer to do. But I
was just looking at the Falcon Northwest site, and they seem to have
so many different options, that I am not really locked into a certain
configuration. Same with Alienware and other manufacturers.


considering that you've built a few before i can't imagine why you'd
buy one pre-built
there is hardly any assurance it would be configured correctly

a while back i was in a new computer store and wanted to see what a hi-end
machine was like...
my old one at home worked much better...
when i hit control-alt-delete they had a few dozen apps all loading at
start-up...
....not that you could not sort that out...but if you build it yourself
you'd get *exactly* what you want!

On 14 Nov 2003 13:13:07 -0800, (Gus Mahler)
wrote:

I will be upgrading or buying or building a new computer in the near
future. Are there any more reasons to build a computer myself?

I've built the last 3 computers I have, and I had a good experience
with 2 of them. The third was a pain to get correct, as I had to spend
so much time tweaking things to get it working. Now that I am in the
market again, I wonder if I should build my own.

The reasons to build my own:

* Cheaper?--not really. The manufacturers buy things in bulk and can
get things at a discount. In pricing everything, it seems that the
prices are about even between buying and building. If I were upgrading
only, it would be cheaper to build, because I could re-use certain
peripherals. Unfortunately, the various optical drives and video cards
that I have are so old that it is pointless to keep them.

* Flexibility with components--This is true compared to Dell or a
computer from Best Buy. Those computers are preconfigured and I have
to take them as they are, no matter what I would prefer to do. But I
was just looking at the Falcon Northwest site, and they seem to have
so many different options, that I am not really locked into a certain
configuration. Same with Alienware and other manufacturers.

Reasons not to build.

* Ease. The computer will (hopefully) come pre-tested, with Windows
already loaded. I won't have to spend a portion of my day formatting
hard drives and installing Windows like I did before. And everything
will (hopefully) work properly, so I won't have to tweak things to get
things right. Just plug and play. Now that I'm in the real world (as
opposed to college) and also have a child, I don't feel like I have
the free time to spend tweaking a system.


Sounds like you're better off just ordering a Dell, with everything
loaded, checked out, and guaranteed to work. Get one you can easily
upgrade components if needed.

lid wrote in message ...
Put that together with the non-standard hardware they often use, and
you might as well throw it out when you have a failure if it is no
longer under warrantee. It will cost you so much to repair, you are
better off buying a new one. From now on I am going to recommend she
have one custom made, even if it costs more.

I know about the non-standard hardware used by some of the big
manufacturers (like Dell and HP). But don't the more boutiquish brands
(Falcon, Alienware, etc.) use standard components?

Gus Mahler wrote:



* Ease. The computer will (hopefully) come pre-tested, with Windows
already loaded. I won't have to spend a portion of my day formatting
hard drives and installing Windows like I did before. And everything
will (hopefully) work properly, so I won't have to tweak things to get
things right. Just plug and play. Now that I'm in the real world (as
opposed to college) and also have a child, I don't feel like I have
the free time to spend tweaking a system.


Well now that you are "in the real world" I would hope you'd realize your
idea that -everying will work right- is a joke! How many hours are you
willing to spend on hold waiting for tech support you paid for to then be
asked questions like "Is it plugged into the wall?", talking to a person on
the other end who has no idea what a bios setting is or what ram does.
--

Stacey

lid wrote:


Put that together with the non-standard hardware they often use, and
you might as well throw it out when you have a failure if it is no
longer under warrantee. It will cost you so much to repair, you are
better off buying a new one.

What I love is the mobo's they use that have everything on board and like 1
or 2 slots for extras or replacements?

I feel your pain being the computer expert in the family and figure if I'm
going to be "tech support" I want it to be on something I know!
--

Stacey

(Gus Mahler) astounded us with:
om:

I will be upgrading or buying or building a new computer in the near
future. Are there any more reasons to build a computer myself?

I've built the last 3 computers I have, and I had a good experience
with 2 of them. The third was a pain to get correct, as I had to spend
so much time tweaking things to get it working. Now that I am in the
market again, I wonder if I should build my own.

The reasons to build my own:

* Cheaper?--not really. The manufacturers buy things in bulk and can
get things at a discount. In pricing everything, it seems that the
prices are about even between buying and building. If I were upgrading
only, it would be cheaper to build, because I could re-use certain
peripherals. Unfortunately, the various optical drives and video cards
that I have are so old that it is pointless to keep them.

* Flexibility with components--This is true compared to Dell or a
computer from Best Buy. Those computers are preconfigured and I have
to take them as they are, no matter what I would prefer to do. But I
was just looking at the Falcon Northwest site, and they seem to have
so many different options, that I am not really locked into a certain
configuration. Same with Alienware and other manufacturers.

Reasons not to build.

* Ease. The computer will (hopefully) come pre-tested, with Windows
already loaded. I won't have to spend a portion of my day formatting
hard drives and installing Windows like I did before. And everything
will (hopefully) work properly, so I won't have to tweak things to get
things right. Just plug and play. Now that I'm in the real world (as
opposed to college) and also have a child, I don't feel like I have
the free time to spend tweaking a system.

At work, my PC is a Dell, with a hideous plastic case, 8 meg Intel I840 (I
think) onboard graphics, no AGP slot, Soundmax sound chip, basic BIOS with
no tweakability. It's a piece of crap for anything but MS Office and
Outlook, which is about all that is on it.
If you want a non-upgradeable P.O.S, buy a name brand.
I know MY next PC at home will have been assembled by me, with components
chosen by me.
And all the assembling, installing and tweaking stuff? That's the bit I
love doing.

And just to close, the worst grief I had with components was a Gigabyte
I740 graphics card with lousy drivers. I eventually got it working under
98, but Linux never DID come to terms with it, but that's ancient history.





--
Gene P