First of all, pre-built computers come with some parts you don’t want or need as well as useless software. On the other hand, building a computer lets you decide exactly what to put in it and what to install on your computer. That helps out by freeing the hard drive, but sometimes computer companies have great deals on their software bundles. If you know somebody that has the software, don’t bother buying a pre-built computer. You can just use his/hers for free (unless they charge you haha).

Secondly, building a computer is usually cheaper since you don’t pay for labor. All you do is pick out the parts you want in the computer, put them together, and install your software. It’s really not as hard as you think it is and you’ll save some cash doing it. One the other hand, if you are absolutely lost when it comes to computers, then you should probably just buy one. Building a computer isn’t hard, but it’s much easier if you have a basic understanding of computers.

Thirdly, there is no warranty when you build computers. Since it doesn’t come from a manufacturer, there will be no damage protection for it. If something goes wrong, you’ll have to replace the parts. The bad news? Well, you’ll have to spend some money to get it fixed. The good news? It’ll usually happen after 2 years which means it needed to be upgraded anyway. The warranties by Dell or Gateway aren’t free and they will charge you even more if you want it for 2-4 years and during that time, you can not upgrade your computer yourself or else you’ll void the warranty.

So if you like do-it-yourself projects or love complete control over your computer, building a computer is for you. If you don’t even want to think about it or think you might need a warranty, then buying a computer would be best for you.

Jared Strop has been using a computer for as long as he can remember and now is a dedicated webmaster. He created a site called http://www.gaming-computers-authority.com to help people with building computers and even recommendations on computer parts.

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