Gaming Is it really cheaper to build your own PC?

[GeekyGuy]

It's more of a rhetorical question, really, but when I consider how Microsoft has us by the balls, it really doesn't seem much cheaper to build your own PC anymore.

Consider: You go to Newegg, pick out all that great stuff, and you're all like, "oh dayumn, I've got a sweet rig, all for about $150-200 less than a retail product with fewer options and less power." You put that thing together, pat yourself on the back for your technical ability to build a PC from the ground up, and then realize, "oh shit, my work requires that I have Windows, so that I can utilize the myriad of software that simply won't run in some form of Linux." The price of Windows?

First of all, I don't see how in the hell they legally (in the U.S. anyway) get away with limiting use of the Windows OS to one computer (for any home version of the software). Either way, though, when you consider the cost of the operating system, it sure starts to seem like a better option to simply find the cheapest retail deal and then strip out parts for other stuff you want instead. Since Windows (not the upgrade versions) seems to cost, in many cases, more than the hardware itself, this sure seems like the more frugal route to take.

Am I looking at this from the wrong perspective, perhaps?

 

[Synchromatic]

Well, you can always buy the OEM versions of Windows, which costs significantly less.

 

[Lee79]

Most people I know who build there own PC's know enough to Pirate the OS anyway.

 

[Retal]

Pirate the OS

Problem solved.

 

[DSGamer64]

I dunno, XP was always pricey at 150 or so for the Professional version. Vista is a complete rape job though to actually purchase the damn OS, when you build a gaming PC that is a powerhouse, the Ultimate version is probably your best option to some extent, but it's still like 600 dollars or something isn't it? I think the difference between pre-built machines and customs reside in a number of factors. Pre-built machines come pre-loaded with all your drivers and everything is setup right out of the box while the real bitch with customs is you have to basically setup everything yourself and then create a recovery disc on your own which adds to getting into using your machine. The pain about pre-built though is the myriad of completely useless crap that is installed on your system, especially if you own an HP desktop where they like to screw customers over with so much garbage software, though Microsoft is doing it now with all the Windows Live shite being crammed into computers (I removed like 10 programs on my netbook that were all Windows Live related). If you are a lucky college student or knows someone who has access to the MSDN program, obtaining legal copies of an OS is easy.

 

[Panzer Tacticer]

Most people I know who build there own PC's know enough to Pirate the OS anyway.

Basically the truth of the matter right there.

Odd you would be asking that question on this forum though.

Anyone savvy enough and interested enough already knows A you don't buy from someone like Dell, you buy from a parts retailer (in my case Canada Computers), B you buy on sale, not just for the heck of it, C, you don't buy pre installed anything including the OS. You don't buy applications any more than you buy games.

If your PC is for work though, work buys it. And you don't use a work PC for entertainment. You work PC is also not used for internet use not connected to work.

My current computer is a collection of evolutionary upgrades. The Case mobo and processor were not yet bought when I bought the video card and sound card and burner drive, and the hard drive is a seaprate purchase also. I haven't the slightest idea of what my computer is worth, as I didn't buy all of it the same year.

 

[blitzer320]

while we're on the pirating os topic it has always fascinated me how easily each windows version can be faked to activate and appear genuine does Microsoft even care cause 7 hasn't even "officially" came out and already there are like three cracks for it

 

[Golfman560]

while we're on the pirating os topic it has always fascinated me how easily each windows version can be faked to activate and appear genuine does Microsoft even care cause 7 hasn't even "officially" came out and already there are like three cracks for it

Actually there's 7, all of which basically do the same thing. Theres a few frankenbuild cracks, but since the SLIC2.1 can be faked frankenbuilds are useless.

 

[DaMummy]

pirating software is an ability you learn once you get to level 7 at the internets, sadly enough some people arent even past the lvl 1 of always asking google first, or lvl 6 where you learn how to use torrents, too many people spend time on their 4th lvl of getting free porn....and very few people know that you need to keep going until you get to lvl 60 which is where you get your newsgroup account and then everything short of downloading a new gfx card is possible with the click of a mouse

 

[FAST6191]

Cheaper: probably not for a basic machine, almost certainly for a high end machine.

Worth it: the amount of headaches (and sliced hands) I have dealing with cheap OEM parts is not funny; any fool can build a machine if given the components so the big builders like Dell and HP will cut corners everywhere and I am not just talking cheap network card (although that is a major problem) I am talking cheap PSU, cheap cooling, poor ram and everything else than can be overlooked (for example most people will look at the size of the ram and not the speed and timings) will be. Needless to say when it falls over it is not nice to put right and for me this is the primary reason to build your own machines.

Extra software: he who does not possess a copy of nlite/similar is no PC builder. This goes for both hand built and factory built.

"pre-loaded with all your drivers" ten versions out of date or worse the first rough and ready drivers (don't believe me; round on me if your printer disc drivers work as well as the current ones and I am not just talking piddly extras I am talking core functionality).
Also nlite.

"limiting use"; you do not own you "license" the use of the software. Naturally this gets hideously complex (I have met people whose full time job is to ensure license conditions are met for otherwise very small companies).

@Panzer Tacticer five years ago I might have agreed but present work situations (looking at "unpaid yet expected" sort of thing) and availability of VPN and the like, mainstream operating systems with a clue on how multi users work, multiboot and/or virtualisation, prevalence of flash drives, wifi and "open" offices means the lines are at best extremely blurred. I am a great fan of such things too but even I have relented and gone the liveCD + flash memory route.

 

[arctic_flame]

FAST6191 is correct about cheap components. A recently bought Dell Laptop contained DDR2 RAM with 6-6-8-20 timings (IIRC) which is pretty poor, even with 4GBs of it.

 

[playallday]

I got a legal key for Vista for like $40.

It paid for me to build mine anyway. Just went to the Dell site and saw a PC that was $1,000 (vs. my $750 a few months ago) and it wasn't even as good as mine.

 

[Radio]

Well, you can always buy the OEM versions of Windows, which costs significantly less.

What he said. Around the time I needed it boxed version of XP £199, OEM version £60.

 

[Retal]

newsgroup account

He thinks news groups are the highest tier of file sharing ascension!

 

[mattsaysfooey]

You can't use pirated Iso's at work you will get sued or fired.
The company pays for the broad user license enstatments.
Home - Burn the iso use wpa killer if needed problem solved.
School - already installed all machines.

??

 

[soulfire]

well in my country it does

it saved me 400 dollar just because was selfmade

 

[Splych]

It saves sooo much money... Hell, the stuff you buy at BestBuy in Canada is like getting yourself a Core 2 Quad instead of a Core 2 Duo.

For me, I made a Phenom II X2 550 system... With the money I bought for it, I could probably get a Dual Core CPU at BestBuy xDD>

 

[Argon]

They say it's cheaper but I'd rather buy a new one and customize it.

 

[Splych]

But sometimes that "new one" doesn't have the same quality as the custom one...

Such as PSU, RAM, Mobo etc.

 

[Chris_Skylock]

you can build yuour PC in my country for really cheap. americans loves to buy things in my ocuntry for PC related.

PC case is US$30 complete with power supply (600 watts) compare to US$150 in the US.

I have the most powerful computer of 2008 with the highest graphics card for only US$ 400. The PC case only.

As for software, DONT BUY FROM MY COUNTRY. IT'S F*CKING EXPENSIVE that's why most people pirate it.