Why Custom Built?

There are a number of benefits to building a custom PC. First, I’d like to dispel a common rumor; building a PC is not cheaper than buying one. Often, a system with similar performance can be purchased for less than the sum of the parts in a custom machine. This is a result of economies of scale and mass production, PCs made on an assembly line will always be cheaper than one hand-built. However, when taking other aspects into consideration upgradeability, parts quality and customization, custom PCs have no equal.

I. A Clear Upgrade Path

Mass produced computers often use proprietary hardware, which can make upgrades and repairs more difficult if not impossible. This unique hardware is almost never available for purchase separately, meaning if a proprietary component of your system breaks, the only option may be to replace the entire system. Sadly, this is a result of the “throwaway” culture we seem to have adopted as a species, where simply replacing a machine is cheaper (but much less environmentally friendly) than repairing it. With a custom machine, this is not the case. All hardware is purchased separately, so of course it stands to reason it could be purchased again. If an individual component dies, the end user can choose to have it repaired, or simply repair it themself! If repair is impossible, just replacing that component is cheaper and better for the environment that scrapping an entire machine because of a bad motherboard.

II. Quality Components

Parts purchased separately are almost of higher quality than those found in pre-built machines. Parts purchased separately are almost always validated on multiple systems, meaning general compatibility and reliability will be much better. Additionally, manufacturers in the component industry understand that their parts can’t “hide” is a non-descriptive black box. Pre-built machine are notorious about hiding what actual parts are in the PC, and sometimes will go to great lengths to hide less appealing (but cheaper) hardware choices. Take this example of PC builder Steve Burke, who reviewed a pre-built PC from Wal-Mart and found that the system they ordered was totally different from the system they received. Details like this may escape less tech savvy users, resulting in lower than expected performance for the price.

III. Customization

The final and arguably most important benefit to building your own PC is customization. Building a machine yourself allows total control over what goes into your system, and you can tailor your PC to be great at whatever it is you do. Want a PC that can run the latest games at high resolutions? Pair a strong graphics card with a fast CPU. Just want a basic system for reading emails and browsing the web? Buy a lower-spec system with a quality power supply and good cooling for a silent system that sips power. Is the main purpose of your PC to show off on the internet? In that case buy a glass case and fill it to the brim with custom lighting and water cooling. The possibilities are endless!