OldFatGuy: This is very interesting and VERY informative to me. I never realized you get a pretty darn decent machine for so little cost.
BUT, what I don't know, is, can a complete and total moron like myself go this route and feel comfortable when the parts arrive to build it???
I've never done that. I've always ordered mine through customizable sites like Dell in the past. But make no mistake, I am a computer moron. I'm guessing that mean I probably shouldn't try it, but wanted to ask just make sure.
iainmet: Its actually easier than what you would think. Everything has specific slots and will only go where they are supposed to. Only thing you have to watch out for is the CPU socket so in the case of the spec I put up I looked at the CPU first and made the selection and it tells you what you need.
So in my case there it is a AMD FX CPU that requires an AM3+ motherboard. So I looked at the boards that were AM3+ and made the selection. Then I looked at the board spec to see what speed ram it would take, in that case it supports all speeds of the DDR3 RAM, I selected the DDR3 1333 Mhz as it was cheapest but it runs a little slower, no biggie though, still ok for gaming. However if you want you can get upto the 1600 Mhz stuff but a little more expensive.
Check the SATA ports also on the board to see what the spec is, in that case it has SATA 3 ports so hard drive needs to be SATA 3 spec as does the optical drive.
All motherboards actually have a manual to read through. The hardest bit is actually the pins you have to connect that wire up the power switch and lights on the front of the case. There is a full diagram in the manual and all the wires are actually marked with what they are.
Main thing to be careful with is static electricity, get a anti static wristband which only cost a few quid and do the build on a wooden surface like a table that doesnt sit on a carpet if possible. If on a carpet a pair of rubber soled shoes alongside the anti stat band is a must.
THANK YOU very much. You know, I might just actually give this a try at some point.
I've gone on sites where you can customize a build for yourself, and just for grins I'll "build" one, though I won't add it to my cart or purchase it, and I would go more toward the latest technology than the builds here in this thread. Not THE latest, but like one or two notches below. I've been successful in the past that in that it really makes the computer last a long time. I built a Dell in 2002 that ran everything I ever puchased all the way up until about 2008. Not bad IMO. And even in 2008, I could find some games that it would run, but I did start seeing games it wouldn't run. At least wouldn't run without serious FPS issues.
Up until that time though, every game I purchased or wanted to purchase would still run. In fact, I'm still using that desktop right now because my newer one is out of commission right now. LOL
Anyway, whenever I would do these "fantasy builds" the price would almost always come out right around $3,000 USD. Reading this thread, I'm wondering if I couldn't get the same exact build and have it maybe only cost $2,000 USD. Or do you think I've exaggerating the benefit from building it myself???
Anyway, thanks again for the reply. I LOVE to learn more and more stuff like this. Thank you.
