2.4.15

The Benefits of Custom Built Computers

I was in the market for a new computer a few months ago. At first, I was all set to buy one of the pre-packaged versions that every electron... thumbnail 1 summary


I was in the market for a new computer a few months ago. At first, I was all set to buy one of the pre-packaged versions that every electronics store sells, mostly because that's what I've always done. But a friend of mine convinced me that I was wasting my money that way. He went over the list of features that are typically included in a pre-packaged PC, and showed me that I could get even better specs at a lower price if I purchased everything separately. In fact, many people have custom built computers these days and will never go back to the store-bought models.

In the beginning, I was under the impression that in order to get one of those custom built computers, I would actually have to build it myself. I wouldn't be able to do that in a million years, not even with a step-by-step manual to guide my every move. I just don't know enough about the inner workings of a computer to put one together properly. But I should have realized that these days I can simply pay someone else to do the manual labor for me, which means I can still enjoy the benefits of custom built computers.

And what are the specific benefits of custom built computers? As I mentioned above, one of the biggest benefits is that you might be able to save money on the individual components. Pre-packaged PCs often come with name-brand parts that are attractive to consumers for no other reason than recognition. People feel more comfortable buying something if they've at least heard of the manufacturer before. But there are plenty of high-quality components from manufacturers that the general public probably has never heard of. These parts can deliver the same performance for less money.

Another benefit of custom built computers is that you can beef up the specs you're most interested in. For instance, if you're a gamer, then you can make sure you have a state-of-the-art video card that can process the latest graphics. If you're a pack rat and need to keep every single document, photo, and email that crosses your desktop, then you can make sure you get a bigger hard drive. Want to compute at lightning speeds? Make sure you have the best processor available. There are very few ready-made machines on the market that offer all top-grade components, so doing it yourself would definitely be the way to go.

A third benefit of custom built computers is that you don't have to pay for pre-installed software programs like Microsoft Office. With the prevalence of free alternatives, you could end up saving a couple hundred bucks on this alone.

I can't believe it took me this long to figure out that custom built computers are superior to mass-produced models in nearly every way. But at least I've finally come to my senses and won't make the same mistakes anymore!