Building a Gaming PC vs. Buying Pre-built

When you're thinking about getting a new PC, especially a desktop, the decision of whether to build or buy can be a tough one.

For this reason, it makes sense to compare the benefits of each.

Building Advantages

• All parts customizable
• Potentially more budget friendly
• Learn about PC components and computer building in the process
• Can be tailored exclusively to your computing/gaming needs

Disadvantages

• No warranty or support
• All parts come individually from various manufacturers
• Higher possibility of component failure

Buying a Prebuilt PC

Advantages

• Comes already built, so less setup time
• No hassles with installing an operating system
• Warranty and technical support

Disadvantages

• Not as customizable
• Probably have to pay tax and shipping, which can add $100 to the price tag - or at least $50
• May end up costing more overall

So what it really comes down to is how much time you are willing to put into the creation of this PC.  It's very simple to go to a computer manufacturer's website, choose a basic build, and then customize it from there, though you won't get to choose every single part.

It is also possible to find pre-built PCs from Ebay and Amazon.com which will give you free shipping - and Amazon doesn't charge tax.  So you can often get a decent PC for $600-1000 and avoid having to pay shipping/tax if you go through Amazon.

Again, the downside there is the lack of customizability.

So before you make your decision, think about your personal gaming and computing needs.  If you are a hardcore gamer who has very specific power requirements, and you have money and time to spend building a PC, that's going to be your best bet.  If you don't have as much to spend and would prefer to have your PC already put together, or just don't want to deal with the hassle of trying to compile individual parts, a pre-built PC is more than likely going to be a wiser choice.