thescruff wrote:Do you build your own computer Billy, Root.
Kindof. No, but yes.
I've built my desktop, because I was literally given everything to do it with. I've also had multiples of the same (broken) laptops and re-built those into working machines too.
It's a good excercise to learn building, helps you add another level to your trouble shooting skills. It's good to chose your own componants IF you have time to read up on what's best/what gives you a bang for your buck - but as Rich rightly points out, it won't save you money.
OEM's build to scale and often get price breaks/advertising cash that they can subsidise the PC - which is why it's hard to get close to the price.
The DOWNSIDE to that, is that savings are always being saught. For example, removal of a socket/header off a standard motherboard can save $1 per board - x10,000 and that's quite a saving, so you don't always get the full retail products options/funtionalility that one might expect.
A lot of componants are also built onto the motherboard these days, which means with a low end PC, you might find it's pretty much a disposable PC......soooooooooo, things that can make a 'good' PC perform badly:
HDDs - cheap HDDs = slower spindle speed (5400RPM rather than 7200 or 10,000) or less cache/buffer memory means lower transfer speeds
Motherboards - 'altered' to save cash, lots of integrated componants, BIOS updates not freely available without breaking modified componants (OK, unless a problem with the board NEEDS one - more common than one would imagine).
CPU - lower models means worse performance. Typical to save cash here (like installing an i3, which doesn't do the multimedia work/grunt of the slightly more expensive i5s and much more expensive i7s).
Wireless - crap wireless cards, if intalled - poor driver support means poor performance in some cases, harder to resolve connection issues with newer kit/differnt routers.
Slower memory - it might only be 1-4 %, but if EVERY componant is slower by that much, it all adds up.
Crap software builds - OEM's subsidise the machine with pre-installed software. Tools bars, trial software, 'trouble shooting' software - all can make a good machine slow (IF it's pre-installed, not pre-loaded - BIG difference).
blar blar blar....could go on forever.
Do your research, there are bargains out there though - don't buy the first thing you see. There are some damn good guys here to help you out. I'll try too ....
