Should I build a pc myself or pay someone to do it?
Posted by fishlantem@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 149 comments
I'm trying to make a pure performance pc and was wondering if I should save some of the budget to pay someone to build it cause I have no experience building a pc.
pcbfs@reddit
Depends on your comfort level and what you're willing to spend. It's not hard to build a PC if you spend some time learning how to do it. However if you just want it done right and it doesn't add a ton of money to the overall cost of the build to have someone else do it then go for it.
The only thing is that when you learn to build it yourself and something needs to be replaced/fixed you'll have a solid understanding of what to do. Same for if you want to upgrade parts in the future.
Kindly_String_4440@reddit
some guy said it would be £50 for him to install a gpu so i tried it myself on a pre built. Rest is history
m4tic@reddit
hey pay me 50 quid to tie your shoes.
Kindly_String_4440@reddit
Pay me 50 quid to put your trash out
Kennett-Ny@reddit
That guy's mental if they think it's that much for a GPU. That's one of the 2 easiest parts to install
Zrkkr@reddit
it's 6 steps at most
only easier upgrade is RAM.
styx971@reddit
depends on your components , if i wanna add another m.2 i have to remove my mounted to the motherboard gpu lol. but yeah all of that is super easy , its nuts honestly it takes like 5 mins to swap a gpu
dainafu@reddit
Just to add to this- as long as you are getting quality parts, and are avoiding problematic choices based on reviews, it will be rare when parts go bad. Most set up questions you may have are a YouTube search away.
kyronami@reddit
the actual building the pc isnt very hard especially if you just go air cooler, the hardest part honestly is cable managing it to look good and not be a rats nest in the back lol
Islaytomuch1@reddit
You don't need perfect cable management, the hard part is the power and front usb cables etc.
jerryeight@reddit
Front panel connectors are ridiculously annoying to plug in.
Islaytomuch1@reddit
Some cases have a single cable for everything, others have like 3+ single pin connectors you need to put on specific pins lol.
jerryeight@reddit
The part that frustrates me every time are the positive and negative pins on the board. The markings are hard to see and most diagrams of those pins are terrible. 😅
420KillaNA@reddit
ngl most people don't own a magnifying glass in this day and age and is a fairly useful common tool... but contacts/glasses and lasik surgery ftw - until you need ye olde $5 magnifying glass for something like this... "the once every 5-10 years thing, besides teaching kids how to burn ants and bugs" 😂
styx971@reddit
for me its not even seeing where they go thats the issue its fitting my fingers in the spot they go without knocking the others out lol
420KillaNA@reddit
for this... inside the case - with it usually laying on side panel and ready to drop board in "from above" - I use the box from motherboard before tightening it down on stands - and place the box under the board to provide a gap and connect the cables first, then finagle the box out and then plop the board on the stands and lock it down after without having it in ridiculous tight ass conditions "all the way butted up in bottom corner of case" on some bullshit where have those issues and thus avoid that shit and while Linus and those guys prefer to build PCs on YT and Twitch "standing up"
I'd rather "take 5 minutes longer" to unscrew one or more glass side panels and place on towel "above refrigerator" (if have kids and have to play w shit) or "on bed comforter" (if have no "I wanna jump on the bed" kids) -- but point here is I build with PC case laying on side in extremely well lit area or even use tripod floodlight if need and makes the cable and plopping CPU in socket without bending pins + applying thermal paste and mounting cooler and all the annoying shit "insanely fucking easier" but costs me 5 minutes more time... and while this shit makes people "God fucking dammit, can't get this shit connected 🤬😢" - the extra time actually averages out better in my favor than the tight spaces "try try again" of can't fit my fat ass hands in there
if you're telling me that Linus and these guys build every PC standing up - you're full of shit that they don't lay them on the side off camera and then turn the cameras back on... or they'd be fucking bending CPU and motherboard pins with how jackassed Linus build videos are "for shits and giggles and viewer ratings/humor"
don't get me wrong here though bc while theres some extreme gaming builds I would build standing up, 90% of them I'd rather avoid the bullshit and flop the case on its side on antistatic mat and not be one handing shit while holding a flashlight in other hand also the old ass "carpal tunnel/arthritis" sorta thing perhaps and maybe another general reason I'd rather take the additional 5 minutes bc not holding the damn flashlight between my toes and working with both hands etc
also not saying that Linus or other "on stream" PC builders are stupid/wrong by any means - obviously their methods work and can see by the end of the videos the PC fires right up and into BIOS & Win 10/11 install and fully functional - I just prefer building on side and makes my life easier as said above
styx971@reddit
yeah same here , i can't even wrap my head around why you'd build it standing up outside of 'looking good' on camera , sure theres a few things i can do fine, like sure i'll ad a quicky sata connected hdd if i need extra space or before things got too beefy i would swap out a gpu , but building building ...forget it .
420KillaNA@reddit
ngl im well experienced in building PCs after 30+ years... but I still watch some random ass "extreme gaming PC builds" - and not for learning - more or less for the technical explanation of 5200mhz vs 6400mhz DDR5 RAM and the commentary of "what difference in 360mm vs 480mm radiator liquid cooling"
my issue is watching this shit, watching Linus "do we make a smiley face, a line, an X with thermal paste?" - and you goddamn well know that they didn't just "eh fuck it it don't gotta be perfect" and just lockdown the CPU cooler without catching the runaway excess paste "even if non-conductive" and half those coolers can't just be mounted on motherboard before screwing the board down on the stands in case - well some air coolers maybe but AIO pump to radiator hose length and that shit has to be done afterwards
and "not standing up" is my point, the whole Newton's law & physics/gravity and picturing the paste dripping all over the motherboard while Linus is definitely high af on that good ass Canadian BC shit... you damn well know they have an "ad break from sponsors and take a piss" while one of the low man on the totem pole lackeys fixes that shit off camera and lays the PC on its side for a quick 2 minute adjustment and then they swap back to live and BOOM! shit magically boots on first POST and right to installing Win 10/11
but you never see them "press F2/F12/Del to enter BIOS" and change any settings on a new motherboard because most aren't "straight to Windows install" on brand new hardware or any of the extra shit and somewhat to simplify an hour long build on Twitch/YT - which is really about 15 mins of unbox and screwing shit in place and a bunch of commentary to demonstrate and explain shit to those who don't know - all while they stand around for 30 min behind the scenes during Windows install... "ugh 95% for 10 fucking minutes! come the fuck on already" 😂
jerryeight@reddit
The whole use the phone camera for a picture and zoom sometimes works. But, it's an unnecessary step.
FS_Slacker@reddit
And then you get the single wire skinny connector that you can’t get it onto the pin.
Breadnailedtoatree@reddit
I always use the diagram from the motherboard manual and even then find myself triple or quadruple checking which pins are which
awp_india@reddit
It amazes me it still goes that like that. Even 20 years ago building my first PC, I was like “why the fuck isn’t it just one cable?”
jerryeight@reddit
Like there's a ATX standard for power supplies and board sizes. Why not one for proper front panel connectors? Could even make adapters convert prestandard front panels to work with the new standard.
kyronami@reddit
I was so happy when i did my hyte y70 build that they made it one single cable that can only go onto the pins one way, makes it so incredibly easy
styx971@reddit
no joke they're the worst part , i have a front io panel i need to replace on mine cause i accidentally torn a usb cable so 2 of my 4 ports don't work n the only reason i haven't yet is cause i don't wanna deal with those tiny little bastards for the power lol
Werthy71@reddit
The hard part is remembering to flip the PSU switch
henrycahill@reddit
It's the troubleshooting that takes forever. The dumbest stuff like ram or gpu not seated properly because you're afraid it would break if you push it too hard. Front panel io reminiscent of the stone age, forgetting the mobo back plate, temps off the chart at boot, sata cable snafu, no internet connection for no apparent reason, bios version not up to date to support the cpu, instant bluescreen or greenscreen, no video outputs.
Honestly, the biggest struggle was with Intel CPUs where the lever sometimes requires way too much force compared to other components. I wish they would rethink the whole mounting mechanism.
I think that's all of the hardest part I ever encountered in my 15 years of building PC's. The best is to have a friend who doesn't mind shadowing even if it's just for peace of mind lol.
everpolo29@reddit
I was really confused on putting those cables. Was like rocket science to me, but I could install them well. The problem is that they look as a rat nest as you said lol
awp_india@reddit
Rats nest gang. If I can’t see it no one else can 🤷♂️
wakeupyouridea@reddit
If money is no concern to you, I don't see the reason to not pay for convenience as long as they don't change ridiculous prices. Just my 2c
laughing-pistachio@reddit
You can't even find anyone to build you a PC anymore. Just buy a pre built and replace the GPU. Congratulations you won the game.
420KillaNA@reddit
buy a prebuilt and replace EVERYTHING except the CPU/GPU 😂
laughing-pistachio@reddit
If you think motherboards are different other than maybe the sound chips you're under a consumer spell
double0nothing@reddit
VRMs, PCIE Lane Routing, RAM compatibility, USB Connectivity, BIOS Flash Capabilities, Wifi Cards, Ethernet frequencies
420KillaNA@reddit
this exactly but in short "chipset vs chipset" aka those B450, B550 vs X570 AM4 boards and the X570 being "top of the line" when comes to overclocking and enthusiast tier AM4 performance vs "it's a $100 or less 'whew it barely works' B450 economy tier"
ngl there's stuff under that - they're not bad boards either per se... BUT they generally have lower performance & aka "all of the above" and the ones that have only one NVMe, sometimes 2... while the god tier extreme boards have 2-5 NVMe and all the premium features... and while they do carry a heavy price tag... well to some is worth the $500+ motherboard for overclocking or third party onboard add-ons like Wifi 6+ or Wifi 7 capable & Gigabit 2.5gb/10gb ethernet ports
same goes with AM5 - hell even AM3 (for the exception that AM3 doesn't support NVMe afaik, only SSD) - but now instead of the B650 and 670, 700? is the newer X870E AMD chipset boards and ultra top tier $600+ models with support for 9000 and 9000X3D series AMD CPUs "with all the bells and whistles"
but while that same B650 could be BIOS upgraded/updated and support the same 9000 series CPUs and "achieve similar performance in mid tower PC case builds vs ATX or EATX X870E chipset boards more suited for full/super tower PC cases & accommodates God tier 480mm AIO liquid cooling or custom liquid loops" - not that couldn't achieve this with the same 650 in a bigger case but you could definitely push more out of that 9000 series or 9000X3D on X870E chipset and specifically designed for 9900X/9950X/9900X3D/9950X3D to push the top end CPUs and 7900XTX, 4080 Super, 4090 GPUs
but more or less - you're on the "short version" path and idk why people debate "motherboard doesn't make a difference"
as this isn't aimed at your reply here... but js wtf is that? it DOES make a HUGE difference... although on the economy side and "doesn't matter to me" people - yes you can achieve similar performance and cut costs/cut corners and save a bit of cash "if you're not after the 5%+ boost of ultra god tier top enthusiast level $500+ motherboard features" and well... its a budget "can I afford?/do I or don't I?" and a "whatever floats yer boat" sort of optional
for example - is a current Gen AM5 "brand new" ASRock board that is full USB-C connections on rear IO - which requires a modern keyboard/mouse & compatible monitor (not sure has onboard graphics? but if it did... if not would still use DVI/HDMI/DP off discrete GPU) - and "not typical of every PC owner" BUT there is this option and could only connect USB-A and other devices with adapters and conversion cables USB-C to USB-A cables or USB hubs - and as USB-C has a much higher connection speed & voltage/charging capability & "turbo charging mode" vs standard USB-A capability... other than the differences of USB 4.0+ vs USB 3.0/3.2? and more recent updates for Windows 11 supporting USB 4.0 - again "technicalities" and won't affect every single PC owner - but still "motherboard makes a hella huge difference" (short version) is the point here
double0nothing@reddit
You put a lot of effort here but the guy who should read it isn't gonna see it cause you replied to me lmao
YesterdayPractical24@reddit
i found Jay
No-Asparagus-4106@reddit
If you build a PC yourself, it's also cheaper, and you'll be sure that everything is done correctly. However, if you really have no knowledge of it, it's better to have someone else do it. If you want to try it yourself, I would recommend checking out PC Parts Picker. You can select components there and instantly see if they are compatible.
oom789as@reddit
At some point there gonna be a problem regarless of who's built it. Why not just take this time to learn so if there's a problem big or small at least you can try troubleshoot for yourself first and might save you some time and money later.
styx971@reddit
build it yourself , its pretty easy, watch a couple videos first ( LTT does have a good how to video that really helped my pc/tech illiterate fiancee build his ) and double check compatibility between parts with pcpartpicker or similar since it flags issues. aside from that just go slow and read your manuals
IndepThink@reddit
Learn and build yourself. It's not difficult at all.
everpolo29@reddit
Brother, I just built my first PC some days ago. It is time consuming since you want to be extra careful with the parts, but it is a satisfying process. In addition, you get to understand many things and probably you would spend less money in future tech mainteniance/cleaning.
Go for it. Study your PC parts, look for some YouTube tutorials and give it a shot.
Difficult_Pirate_782@reddit
Years, decades hell scores ago I used to go to computer shows to buy parts, I knew enough to get the matching bits. I’d try to build the best, cheapest PC and had no real issues with the results but didn’t learn about overclocking or squeezing as much as I could until later. All that being said you will be fine do your research and get what you feel meets your needs.
Desperate-Sir373@reddit
Build it yourself it is a very rewarding experience. Also if something goes wrong you know how to handle it and what the problem may be right in the beginning, as opposed of being afraid to touch anything because you might break something because you don't know how the person built it, did they under/over tighten screws or maybe connectors aren't right, you don't know.
ConceptNo1055@reddit
the funny thing about "doing it yourself then you'll know the parts to upgrade"
is you rarely upgrade one part at a time.
after 5 years, you'll get a new CPU with a new MOBO then you'll get a new GPU too at the same time its like a new PC again.
Then for "peace of mind" you'll get a new PSU and case as well.
No upgrade path.. Its just a new PC
6_Pat@reddit
To each their own. My mb+cpu have seen 2 cases, 2 cpu coolers, 4 GPUs, a 2nd set of ram sticks, 2 (maybe 3) PSUs, a few harddisks and ssds.
I planned to upgrade the cpu after 2 or 3 years but never did in 13 years, so you are not entirely wrong ;)
m4tic@reddit
PC of Theseus
Package_Objective@reddit
Ive upgraded one or two parts at a time in my pc atleast half a dozen times and in other people's PC plenty.
dont_be_that_guy_29@reddit
Yep. Just got done adding a newer CPU and GPU to my 5 year old AM4 build.
ArtVandelay32@reddit
Yeah this has been my experience as well. Maybe not upgrades, but for repairs if a part dies.
coldfurify@reddit
But I’ll keep the SSD… and maybe get another one for some extra storage
xYeahboiix@reddit
Honestly if you have no interest in learning how pay someone quite a few places you.gey parts from will build it for you for a couple hundred if you are interested in learning go for it there are lots of tutorials and it's not that hard a bit daunting sure but I believe most anyone can with a few hours of time build a PC
m4tic@reddit
I'm sure you have at least one friend that will do it for some food and beer (drinking age?). It's also not difficult if you are open to learning.
m4tic@reddit
It's really easy to learn to cook.
AdDizzy5829@reddit
Building the pc isn’t too complicated. Tons of YouTube vids out there fortunately. The only part I consider the most frustrating when building pcs are trying to fit the 8 pin cpu cable. I have fat fingers so it takes me a minute sometimes lol
binchickenmuncher@reddit
I couldn't be bothered, so I ordered the parts from a site and clicked 'build and insurance' which was like $100
Megafast13@reddit
I’d build it for you for free. I enjoy doing it.
ObviousDepartment744@reddit
Watch some tutorials on building a pc, these days it honestly couldn’t be easier. But watch a few videos and see if it looks like something you can handle. I was pretty hesitant to build my first one, but it went great and now I’m the guy all my friends go to when they want a new PC. I just enjoy doing jt. Haha.
Geek_Verve@reddit
It's not at all difficult to learn what you need to build it yourself. Basically if you have the mechanical inclination required to assemble a piece of furniture from Ikea, you can build a PC. Just watch a few YouTube videos on it, and you'll see it's not that complicated.
Bill_Quentin@reddit
I’d at least try to build it yourself. I’m an incredibly anxious person and the only thing that I dreaded more than paying for the parts was building it. I was terrified I’d break something, do something wrong, etc. was overwhelming.
Eventually I did get it all put together, no broken pieces but I did have to use the stock CPU cooler instead of one I bought because of the dimensions, but ultimately it was put together.
You’ll never get experience building a PC if you do t try, and worst case scenario, if you get stumped you can take it to a shop and i’m sure they wouldn’t mind finishing it up for you and possibly giving you some tips or advice at the same time.
oshkay@reddit
Theres alot of pros to building it yourself but no shame is getting someone to build it too! I hadn't of anxiety about building my pc myself as the parts were pretty expensive and I had the budget and wanted to peace of mind that I'd be done right. I got my PC built for me at my local Microcenter and they did a great job.
End of the day it depends on what you feel like is worth your money and time!
FlopsMcDoogle@reddit
Just watch a few videos on building a PC. It seems daunting, but you will probably be surprised how simple it is.
Maes_Hero_Hughes@reddit
EZ build it yourself. If anyone is ever one the fence, I suggest do it yourself. The knowledge you gain saves you money now, and headaches in the future.
Klondy@reddit
If the price isn’t an issue then the question is whether you want to build it yourself or not. Some people love building PCs, some hate it. I started with a prebuilt and over time have slowly upgraded almost every part of it. I’m confident I could build a new one from scratch with what I now know. I’m still gonna buy a prebuilt for my next big upgrade. I simply do not enjoy putting a PC together. For me, not having to bother with it is worth the extra cash.
carlbandit@reddit
Watch some videos and just follow the instructions in the manual, you should be fine to build yourself.
The main sdvantage of building yourself is you're then familiar with the parts and can upgrade yourself in the future. If you pay someone to do it, then you'll be less confident about swapping parts out in the future.
Prrg88@reddit
I depends. If you find it fun, great. If you find it stressfull, maybe dont. Here in the Netherlands letting a webshop build it costs about 90euros. You also get 1 year warranty with that. Ofcourse you do have to buy all parts in the one shop, so that adds some extra cost for sure. But it may be just worth it.
Atom_7298@reddit
You’ll learn more if you build it yourself. Watch a bunch of youtube videos
colin-java@reddit
Do it yourself, it's easy, and you'll know how to do it in future.
Annoying part is cable management and the front IO cables.
iClone101@reddit
Given this is a sub for building your own PC, the recommendations are going to be pretty heavily on the side of building it yourself.
If you have any amount of confidence in building it yourself I would go that route. If you really don't feel like you can do it, having someone else build it is an option. Just make sure you aren't getting scammed by someone charging way too much.
Basic-Necessary-6174@reddit
I went to an electronics market and selected the parts. The guy in the store assembled it for me for free. All you need to do is ask.
bwillpaw@reddit
It's pretty easy to build a PC, it's basically a Lego set with not very many parts.
Can you build something from IKEA? If so you can build a PC.
bwillpaw@reddit
It's pretty easy to build a PC, it's basically a Lego set with not very many parts.
Can you build something from IKEA? If so you can build a PC.
CommodorePuffin@reddit
There's a computer shop (that's been around a long time and has a great reputation) locally that will let you choose what parts you want from their stock (if they don't have it, they can order it or you can bring in your own) and they'll put it together for you.
Labor costs (which are separate from the cost of the PC itself) usually amounts to anything from $100 to $200, which I personally think is worth it so I don't have to go through what would undoubtedly be a very aggravating process. I know for a fact I'd screw something up.
That said, some people might feel the money is worth more than their free time and/or sanity, in which case you might be better off putting it together yourself.
My point here is that if you have someone you trust who can put the computer together for a relatively low fee, it might be worth it to you if you're not entirely comfortable putting together your machine itself.
InternetJettator@reddit
I think the simplest way to answer this is to ask yourself "does building a PC sound like a fun project?" If it does, go for it. There's tons of info out there about how to do it, right down to shopping lists of parts you can buy one-by-one and then assemble.
If it sounds scary or boring or you're in a hurry, just buy one. If you can't afford the extra $ for a pre-built, save up a little longer if possible.
Magnotec@reddit
I would build it yourself its pretty fun
thatarabguy69@reddit
Build it yourself. The act of building it teaches you a lot.
I had no clue how to build mine. I just was very very slow very careful YouTube videos step by step till I was done. Looked up some of my specific part specs along the way (I found out my mobo has no usb c compatibility but my case has a port, it is a ghost port). The act of failing to find where it goes and having to look it up taught me a lot
Built her at the beginning of 2020 and she’s still going pretty strong!
LupineLethargy@reddit
Build it yourself
I’m the single most tech inept fucker I know and if I can get something working outta junkyard parts an afterburner and a gallon of Duke Nukem gfuel you can too
cnedhhy24@reddit
if u have the tools, or can borrow them from someone, just take the few hours it takes to make it yourself. saves u some moneh
Dangerous_Trifle620@reddit
Do it yourself. It's fun and an experience that you won't regret.
Remote_Video1311@reddit
Falcon NW! 3 Year Warrenty. An insta replace if ..
candiedbunion69@reddit
Budget? Performance for gaming, or other tasks? A great gaming PC will also perform fairly well at other tasks, but a great productivity PC will not perform very well at gaming.
Fun-Search311@reddit
honestly building one on your own isn't too hard, u just have to youtube it. And it's much cheaper build
rdrg66@reddit
Build it yourself because if something goes wrong you'll know how to remove the part that's causing the problem and you don't have to take your pc to a repair shop.
The cpu is the most concerning when installing. Bent pins do happen and if it's not flush don't force it in. Remove and check the pins.
Watch videos how to install each part you bought even if it's installed in a different build. Your case, mobo, psu, gpu, ram, hdd/ssd/m.2, aio/air cooler, fans with controller, etc,. Do this so you can check for spacing clearance.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, ask questions if you find something difficult to install.
Ericzx_1@reddit
If 12 year old me can figure it out then it can't be that hard.
persson9999@reddit
I had no experience but just built my first one and it was easy. Just follow steps on yt
TheWarBug@reddit
Nobody starts with experience building a pc. We all started with no experience.
And if you let someone else do it you will never get it.
In the long run, doing it yourself will be the best for many reasons already mentioned here, lack of time should be the only valid reason imo because if you do it only every few years or less it will take a solid afterrnoon.
ultrafrisk@reddit
Get a used ebay computer with the cpu already on. Upgrade the rest.
Ddr4 is like 3% or better with lower latency with games, once a game is loaded.
Ok_Scar_7554@reddit
Build it, I did it myself and it’s not as hard as it seems, just a bunch of legos. However take your time and don’t stress
getajobtuga@reddit
For me depends on the budget. If you're going for a under 1000 budget do it yourself, it's fun, stressing and a whole experience really. If it's more on the expensive side I'd be a bit afraid of breaking an expensive part. Up to you
FilmOrnery8925@reddit
If your up to it then give it a go. If your not you can bring your own parts and/or buy parts from microcenter and they will build it on your behalf for a fee. If no micro center near you then I’d do some research on people that can build one near you or ask a friend for help that has experience.
Blasian_TJ@reddit
I'd say you might appreciate it more to get at least one build under your belt at some point. I think it also depends on your budget and time. It's entirely ok to acknowledge that it may not "be your thing" either.
I let my 10 year old daughter build her first pc with my old parts and it was awesome to hear her say, "Dad, your rig is getting a little old... Let me know when you want some help with a new one."
VersaceUpholstery@reddit
Build yourself. You learn things that will be helpful later for troubleshooting.
Package_Objective@reddit
100% this could potentially save you thousands of dollars later in life.
Package_Objective@reddit
Most people I know that PC game built their first PC early in high school. Also building your own PC makes you MUCH more likely to be able to fix it when something breaks in the future. Also you'll be more comfortable upgrading it instead of buying a whole new one which is almost never ideal. Tldr if a 14 year olds can figure it out im sure you can.
9551-eletronics@reddit
recently was building about a 1500$ build for myself with a friend of mine and soon gonna be making another.. as having someone build it for them would come with a lot of upcharge coming from some questionable services and just sourcing the parts from more expensive places
the savings in tbis case were about 260$ (i made a numbersheet to compare this)
so if you would say you are comfortable working ona computer and are willing to do some research id definitely go ahead and build it yourself. id say its relatively simple and pretty fun
Administrative-Ad970@reddit
Gonna be honest here. I built pcs my entire life. Currently looking to do a new build and its almost coming out cheaper to do a prebuilt, at least with the sales at nzxt. I think that's the way I'm going to go.
SputnikFalls@reddit
Its easy, making it looks beautiful is kind of hard and time-consuming.
Cheetochap@reddit
As someone who builds them for a living I'd honestly just pay someone to do it
CKCHDX@reddit
If you know what you are doing then build your PC rather than letting other do it.
Build only if you have knowledge, if you dont know anything try talking to a friend that knows rather than buying a prepaid or paying to build it
yick04@reddit
My flags for your post are a) you're asking to begin with and b) you used the words "pure performance" which indicates to me that I think if you can afford it, you'll be happier with the outcome if you get someone else to do it, someone who can help you pick optimal parts and who knows how to manage the settings for your BIOS, OS, and drivers. Just make sure you're paying an actual professional and not just some guy.
MundaneOne5000@reddit
There are two sides of the coin:
On one side these products are specifically designed to being put together by consumers, so they included a manual, and shapes and sizes which are incompatible most of the time if they shouldn't be put together. There are also a lot of step by step tutorials on the internet. The first time I was building a PC, I did it with two of my friends, in like 15 hours over the span of two days. I was continously sweating to not to obliterate something, and speaking of this,
On the other side, we are all humans, and no matter what mistakes can happen. Despite all of the design and help that other people put into these things to be as easy and simple as possible, you are a human and can mess things up. I don't know what, but I know you can, I can, everyone can. And these mistakes can be sometimes quite costly. Except, if you pay a professional to do it who takes the responsibility from you, including if he messes up something he will pay for the replacement.
When I was first building, I really worried to not to mess things up because I bought quite expensive parts compared to my country. But after meticulous study of the manuals, in practice it was much smoother than I anticipated. I could have mess up things, but I would have done "I don't know why I should do this, but I'll do it anyway" things. In the end, I got a nice and tidy PC put together, for free.
My recommendation is, try to put them together yourself, and when you come to a halt and have no idea what to do next, ask for somebody who built computers in the past or know how to read and apply the manuals. If you don't know anyone like this, then turn to a paid professional.
Ganda1fderBlaue@reddit
It's very satisfying building your own pc
GoldCupcake2998@reddit
Yo do everything for the first time eventually if you’re interested enough. Granted I have built many other things like engine’s gearboxes etc.
I’m team anyone can do anything with a little determination and time. Watch some build guides, learn to update BIOS/UEFI on the board from a flash drive before assembling. Figure out how to put an OS installer on a drive. You can do it. If you feel so uncomfortable that you can’t though find a builder.
skyfishgoo@reddit
learning to build it yourself is a skill that pays dividends on into the future (assuming there is one, bold, i know).
Ketheres@reddit
Both are valid options. If you decide to build it yourself you'll probably spend the entire day on it even with the help of tutorials (also have fun needing to apply uncomfortable amounts of force to properly plug in some parts), but at least you'll save a hundo. If you have someone else build it for you (be it a tech savvy friend or e.g. a local computer store) you'll get the PC when it's ready with 0 effort, and if any issues arise with the PC you can just discuss it directly with them, but in exchange you'll be down that extra bit of money.
TubyWildRift@reddit
Do it urself ! Its so easy
Northern_Blitz@reddit
It's not difficult.
Just watch a couple youtube videos.
Then you can put the extra money you'd use to pay someone to build it in to the GPU.
Main thing is to pay attention when you're putting the CPU in. If you put it in the wrong orientation, then you're in trouble. Just line up the triangles and you'll be fine.
If you're worried about part selection, try going to something like PC part picker. You can even choose a premade build.
NiKOmniWrench@reddit
Have someone do it for you.
There's 0 need for you to do it yourself if you are not an enthusiast like 95% of the people here unless you are very low on budget.
smolsmolchild@reddit
Depends on you and your comfort. I learned how to build myself because my first pc was built during the pandemic. However I had a grasp on it before, but with really older units (1990-2000s units) thanks to my dad.
Heinz_Legend@reddit
The knowledge you gain from building it is priceless. And it's also easier than ever.
dep411@reddit
Build yourself it's easy
Alauzhen@reddit
If you find an SI that also gives you a blanket warranty over all the parts and the price isn't more than +200 over MSRP, you can start to consider them. Especially if everything is off the shelf parts and they give you all the boxes.
awp_india@reddit
A 20 minute YouTube video will teach you how to build a PC. It really isn’t difficult at all, just gotta know what goes where. I’d say the “hardest” part would be putting thermal paste on the CPU before putting the heatsink/CPU cooler on.
You can also just come back here as you’re building with pics/videos if you’re unsure of something. But there’s tons of YouTube videos if you’re a visual learner. Chances are probably someone has a video of the same or similar specifications as you.
joeywithanr@reddit
Had my first gaming PC built by the store I bought from. But when time came for a system upgrade, I put some time into video tutorials. A couple of hours or so, it becomes easy enough to do DIY.
Agree with others saying the basics are easy enough but how neat and tidy it will be depends. Depends on parts selection, how much stuff you put in, etc. But modern components will typically have just what you need.
I'd say do it yourself. You save money and embiggen your brain! Totally understand if you go the pre built route too if you don't have the time or patience for it.
Enjoy!
legotrix@reddit
It's hard the first time but after your second build you will get comfy while changing PSU, adding RAM, changing SSD or moving HDD, saving you a lot of money.
What the the new standards life is simple.
laughing-pistachio@reddit
They don't sell shit to the general public to give them a chance to spend less money
laughing-pistachio@reddit
I'm going to do you a favor and let you in on a secret. Performance PC components are a scam. Just cheap out on everything except the GPU. Even the CPU unless you are a total pro with refrigerant pumping into ur PC case will be working at my the same level as a cheaper option.
Kathryn_Cadbury@reddit
It's cheaper and more rewarding to do it yourself. But, especially if it's a more complex build (water blocks etc), you need to be confident about all aspects of it. Not just putting the hardware together, but setting the BIOS and other software related things that a prebuild will usually do for you.
I worked at a PC/laptop builder for 10 years so have put together 1000s of PC's, and always get asked to build other peoples (friends/family etc you know the drill) so when I was getting a new gaming rig during Covid I had CyberPowerUK build me one to my specs. Just once I wanted to have one built for me :P
cliquealex@reddit
I am very glad I didn't do it myself the first time as I'm sure I would've gone wrong somewhere. Tutorials I watched even after building a second PC completely alone were a bit vague on some parts so I required help from a couple friends over the internet. If I build a third by myself I think I could finally do it all. My suggestion is that if you don't have any idea how PC's work or at least a general idea on how they're built, better leave it to someone else or at least have a friend help you out. If you find a good tutorial with an explanation you'll probably be able to do it, just be patient.
Building a first PC isn't always risking breaking it, it's mostly just risking your own mental stability trying to troubleshoot something you don't even understand and it can become frustrating. At worst, your PC won't start. But it's almost always fixable.
So long story short: You can try, might be slow and somewhat frustrating, so take a few breaks in between. Or ask someone else to but I'm not sure it's so worth it if you gotta pay money lol
Critical_C0conut@reddit
Build it yourself if you feel confident enough to do so, it really isn't difficult. Just make sure you read the manuals. There's quick videos you can watch on YouTube which are super helpful too.
If you're not so confident then get the prebuilt. The pros with this are you're getting the finished product quickly and they should have tested it prior to shipping, so you know it's all working correctly. But expect to pay a little more than you would building it yourself.
If you're interested in a prebuilt, I'd throw the specs together in PC part picker just to check you're not massively overpaying.
Ok-Grape-8389@reddit
If you have to ask, then pay someone.
Those who know do not need to ask this question
Ceezmuhgeez@reddit
It’s easy to build yourself but setting up the bios is pretty tricky. At least for me, I messed it up pretty bad a couple times. There’s also a sense of accomplishment. It if it’s not too expensive, getting someone to do it for you is just fine.
coldfurify@reddit
Do it yourself. It’s essentially plug and play, and be careful with the parts. Watch videos
Sylvi-Fisthaug@reddit
The only thing I regret about building my own PC, is that I will never have the feeling I got after my first build powered on first-try.
Other than the build itself, you might encounter a few "child-sicknesses" of your PC, mainly within Windows, usually due to some mistake you made down the line. If you are ok with that and don't mind troubleshooting to figure out stuff on your own, go for it.
If you want a plug-and-play experience and can't stand having some weird issue like something overheating or whatnot, then I'd have someone else build it.
Pushfastr@reddit
If you're in the Toronto area, I'll build it for you for free. I'm helping another buddy build his. I put my pc in a new case, offered him the case, and it snowballed.
CounterSYNK@reddit
If you can follow instructions build it yourself. A nice aspect of building it yourself is if something later goes wrong with your pc you’ll know how to fix it because you put it together.
thebeansoldier@reddit
Build it yourself, but have a friend help guide you. Pushing in the ram sticks for a first timer is probably the most anxiety inducing part of a first time build- for the builder and guide.
Philluminati@reddit
Building a pc is a skill that pays for itself. It gives upgrade options and can save you £400 off every machine you’d otherwise buy off the shelf.
If you don’t build your machine you’ll never get the skill.
Soon as I get my cpu I’m building my machine. My current computer is 8yo and it was a prebuilt from pcspecialist that I just added disks and a GPU to.
There are hardware bundles you can buy which are cpu, fan, mobo combos that mean all you do is screw it into a case and add power. That might be a gentle compromise if you’re not confident yet.
jerryeight@reddit
Do you have the time to watch tutorials and at least half a day and possibly more to devote to the building process?
snktiger@reddit
do it yourself or find a friend who has done it before to help you.
ainudinese@reddit
Benefits when you learn build pc by yourself, you also will learn how to troubleshooting, to repair your pc, know the compatible part, and also how upgrade your pc in the future.
Harman70625@reddit
Build it yourself but with the help of someone who knows how to build so you don't mess anything or break anything
burto18@reddit
id build it yourself, look at a general build guide its actually crazy easy, just use common sense and go in with an educated guess
Bwuaaa@reddit
if you have all the right components, building a pc is prty much like Lego for adults.
some things to pay attention to (look up vids/guides):
- cpu install. (also what most dont tell, installing the cpu fan takes a scary amount of force sometimes)
- Install everything but the gpu on the mobo first -> then insert into case
- airflow, generally you want more air going in than out of the case. (if you have cats, add an extra out-fan on the backside)
- hot take: stock ryzen cpu coolers are enough
- get noctua fans if you care for the noise your pc makes.
(your mobo will also have detailed instructions on the manual, it's not a shame to read it)
Bwuaaa@reddit
also, get a modular PSU
DXNiflheim@reddit
Watch enough YouTube videos nad you can do it yourself. That's how I got my confidence in building it myself also realizing how much more you have to pay and that ammount could go towards you buying a better PC part instead of being used to buy a prebuilt or paying someone to build it. However if you do have a friend who knows how just ask them to help you on your first build. I don't know of any PC builder that won't help building a new one specially if it's their friend's
Arnequien@reddit
TL;DR: Build yourself. It's like playing with legos. You will be confused at the beginning, but after reading the instructions is just connecting blocks.
Not the TL;DR:
It's really pretty easy. It's just a little bit scary when you start looking things up on the Internet, but in less than a day, you get the fundamentals, and you understand what the path to follow is.
I built mine by just doing the proper research. My recommendations would be:
And, related to components in general, I recommend:
YesterdayPractical24@reddit
with the wealth of build guides from JayzTwoCents, LTT, Paul's Hardware, the Verge (j/k pls don't), etc... there's never been a better time to learn to build, and it's wild how much cheaper it is to build it yourself.
_lefthook@reddit
Zero experience i'd pay a company to do it. Why? Because you can break things. The highest risk is motherboard or cpu pins. I worked IT retail and so many people bent pins. Bricks your mobo lol. Expensive lesson to learn.
Also you'll be suprised the amount of shit i've seen people do... like screwing mobos into cases with no stand offs and being suprised when it shorts the entire board.
If you're willing to learn and perhaps have somebody whos built before watching over you, then it might be a good experience. And you'll know how to upgrade later
Relative-Pin-9762@reddit
Depends. It's not difficult if u have prepared urself (watch a lot of videos, have some theoretical knowledge) vs really newbie and have no idea how to even hold the cpu while trying to place onto a AM5 board...(if u drop an AM4 cpu onto the socket, its still OK vs dropping ur CPU on a AM5 cpu socket..... also ur bios settings, windows setup needs some basic knowledge.
OftenXilonen@reddit
if youre gonna pay someone, go to people that work in stores like Canada Computers (idk where youre from). My parents brought me to CC in 2019 to buy parts as a birthday gift but I only had knowledge and no experience in building. The store offered to build the pc for us for a price (I remember $150 but it could be less). It came with a warranty for 1 year, if i remember correctly.
A few months later, I had a fan that was making noise during boot up. I used my warranty and got a set of new fans for free.
IamAfuzzyDickle@reddit
I just built one last week. I've never built one before. Wasnt to bad. Only thing I'm having a problem with is RGB.
I'm may have went overboard with my 1st build. The rbg is on the MB, ram, AIO, and GPU.
9800x3d 4080 super
Islaytomuch1@reddit
I would buy the parts and build it myself, but if you are not confident then you can pay someone, would still buy the parts so you know its quality thought.
AdMission8804@reddit
First of all, you can do it, it's not hard but do your research.
You will save money, and you will be able to say built not bought. Getting started on building your own PCs will save you a lot of money and it's really not that difficult.
CatVideoBoye@reddit
The only scary part is installing the cpu and the cpu cooler. For me, the cooler has always been tough since the screws haven't gone in easily. A company I usually buy parts from has multiple levels of service and for my girl friends pc I now chose the one where they update bios and install the cpu and the cooler. The rest is easy really.
jhaluska@reddit
There's a dozen different youtube videos on it. Watch one and decide if you can do the same.
TryToBeModern@reddit
Build it yourself. Trust the process it will be worth it.
toehutner@reddit
Well this is your chance to get experience, go build it yourself, watch a POV build video + consult the manuals of your components.
DardS8Br@reddit
Build it yourself. Ain't that hard