A lot of people get seduced by the idea of building their computer at some point in their gaming journey, and it can seem enticing. You could create the PC of your dreams and only spend on the things you really care about. Or you can go all out and create a behemoth of a machine.
But things can go wrong when you build a PC and too many people concentrate on the good parts of it only. Yes, you could save money and get a machine that is perfect for you, but you could also lose a lot of money if you make a mistake. So, is building your own gaming PC a good idea?
How Savvy Are You?
The first thing you have to assess is whether you are ready to build a gaming PC from a technical and skills standpoint. If you already know computer components in and out and know how they all work, then you have at least one part of it down. But you also have to gauge your level of manual dexterity.
If you are known for being clumsy, then be aware that one small error could eventually end up ruining a specific computer part or your whole motherboard. So, think twice about embarking on this kind of project unless you’re 100% that you have what it takes to complete it safely and competently.
What is Your Goal?
You also have to assess what your reason is for building a PC in the first place. If you wanted a specific exotic graphics card and you couldn’t find it on a prebuilt PC or the ones you saw had unnecessarily powerful components on top of it, then building your machine could make sense. But if you wanted to save money, then prebuilt gaming PCs are a much better option for you.
You may think that you’ll be making savings when building a PC, but there are other costs that you have to think about. First of all, you have to cover for possible losses. Second, you never know what could happen with the machine over time. You can’t get a full warranty on your machine as you would on a prebuilt PC and you could even void your warranty on components because of how you assembled them. So, this is something you’ll always have at the back of your mind.
How Important Are Upgrades for You?
If you want to be able to make upgrades to your machine easily, then going for a self-assembled custom build can be a good idea, but only if you know what you’re doing. There are plenty of pre-built PCs that are upgradable out there, you just have to do your research before you pick any model. If you can find an upgradeable model, then there’s no point in building one on your own just for that.
As you can see, it’s not always easy to tell whether building a PC is a good idea or not. It’s really a question of how confident you are in your skill-set and if the risk is worth it, so make sure that you give it careful thought before you go through with this project.