Buy Or Build

[hyperpep111]

I'm just wondering would it be better to buy a new one because I've got an alienware that will cost me about $2000. and it has a 3.2 ghz processor e.t.c.
But A friend built his computer for half the price and he got the 8 Ghz out of it.
And he says if I get the components he can build it for me. So what would be your advice?

[Groundbound1]

Building your own can not only be a cost efficient route, but can also be very rewarding. If you have the time, I'd say build your own. A word of caution however. Even though it isn't that hard at all to assemble a machine from parts, you do need to take your time and research the parts you intend to purchase. Learn all you can about compatibility, memory timings, clock and front bus speeds, power requirements, etc. This will not only help to eliminate compatibility issues, but also help you get the best performance for the money you plan to invest.

[Slotback]

I'd get your friend to build it.

[ozzy72]

I always build my own, I can get various parts from various suppliers at great prices, then I can spend a Saturday assembling it, installing the OS and getting it running sweet and then spend all the money I've saved on software, beer and chocolates 8-) 8-) 8-)

[F35LightningII]

I'd also say build it. I'm gonna build mine sometime next year.

[Slotback]

Also, you can't get 8 Ghz out of any processor without liquid nitrogen or liquid helium as a coolant as well as a high-end motherboard.

If you build things yourself (or get a friend) you can usually get a better PC for the money that also has higher quality components. I don't see what's good about Alienware. The two problems with building it yourself or getting a friend, is if one part of the computer turns out to be defective, it can be difficult to pinpoint what part is. Also it's possible for people to kill hardware if they don't know what they're doing.

If you or your friend are not 100% confident in building it then get a computer store to build it using parts you choose. A local PC store near me offers this for $70, but I live in a different country...

[Fozzer]

I've always built my own Computer Desktops and Towers, and generally, when you purchase a Motherboard it comes with a comprehensive set of instructions, together with photographs, drawings, etc, on how to put it all together.
Once you have successfully built one, and learned how to do it, it becomes easy to modify the existing one, and build the next one!

Paul.... ...!