Computers and Technology

When you use an auto garage, you can look at paying in upwards of $70 to $80 dollars for an oil change, depending on where you live of course. You could also go to your local retail store, buy the same oil for about $2.00 a quart, buy an oil filter for $3.00 to $5.00, drive YOUR car up on the curb and change YOUR own oil. Of course you'll need other supplies like an oil pan, wrench or socket set, some old clothes, but you can save yourself around $65 an oil change. Multiply that by every 3000 miles and you can see the savings that can accumulate.

You can apply this same logic when considering purchasing your next home computer. You can have someone else build a computer for you and sell it at an inflated price or you can build YOUR own computer and save tons of money. You could also, of course, have someone buy a computer and give it to you (wouldn't that be great), but how often does this happen (after you've moved out of mommy and daddy's house)?

The first thing you must do is make a decision. Do you want to purchase a pre-assembled computer at an inflated price or do you build YOUR own computer and save? Below, I've listed some pros and cons to help you make an informative decision.

Pros to buying preassembled:

1. The obvious reason is it's pre-assembled. Someone else or something will build a computer for you. You are able to use the computer right out of the box.

2. There is usually some of customer support for the computer.

3. If something goes wrong with the computer, you can turn the computer in for a replacement or refund.

Cons to buying preassembled:

1. The customer support you receive may be for a limited time, especially if you contact them by telephone.

2. If something goes wrong with any part of the computer, you turn in the computer for a replacement or refund. The problem with that is, you are out of a computer for about a month. If the CD ROM is malfunctioning, you can still access the internet or use other functions of your computer that does not require a CD ROM.

3. Pre-assembled computers are pricey

4. Pre-assembled computers typically offer a lot of extras that you will never use. Dell has tried to address that problem.

Pros of building YOUR computer:

1. You get what you want in YOUR computer

2. You will have customer support for each component of YOUR computer

3. If something goes wrong with a certain component of YOUR computer, you return that component for repair or replacement or refund.

4. YOUR computer can be substantially cheaper than a pre-assembled computer

5. You gain a wealth of knowledge about the inner workings of YOUR computer

Cons of building YOUR computer

1. You have to build YOUR computer. It's not packaged and gift wrapped for you.

2. You will have to do some research. The research is essential to ensure components are compatible. Before I built my first computer, I did not realize a motherboard came in multiple forms factors. ATX and ATX micro are the norm for PC's, but not exclusively.

3. You have to be a keen shopper. Many online stores offer great prices for computer parts.

So, there you have it. There, of course, there are other factors to consider, like how soon YOUR computer needs to be operational and if you have the patience to build YOUR own computer. All in all, if you want to save money, get what you want and get the best bang for your buck, building YOUR computer is the way to go.