Custom built PCs – what’s the point? One problem with store-bought, off-the-shelf computers is they are well-rounded, average machines built for general use. That may not seem like a problem, and for people just needing a small home office, it isn’t. But for people using their computers for very specific purposes, store-bought general use computers are often just not good enough.
When you buy a custom built computer, on the other hand, you can carefully pick out the best hardware and software for your specific purpose. You’ll end up with a computer better suited to your needs, and often cheaper than a store-bought PC. Here’s some examples of people with special hardware needs:
The Gamer. New video games constantly push the limits of what PCs can handle. Buying a store-bought PC fast enough to run the newest games basically means having to buy the most powerful and expensive one available. Consequently, lots of hard-core video gamers have custom-built computers designed to run games at optimal efficiency (and often at a cheaper price tag).
The priorities for a gaming PC are speed and graphics. With the advent of online gaming, the last thing you want is to fall behind your online competitors because yoru PC can’t keep up. With a computer that has been built specifically for this purpose, you have the ability to upgrade various parts (such as the graphics card) without having to purchase a new PC.
Fancy the idea of becoming the hottest new DJ or music producer? The possibilities are almost endless for what you can achieve on your own computer, but only if it is built to be capable of doing what you need it to. Obviously sound is a priority, with a top of the range sound card and fancy speakers, but you will also need a high specification processor, particluarly if you are mixing different tracks.
The Armchair Editor. If you plan to make movies on your PC, once again a custom-built computer gets you the most bang for your buck. Video editing and video game computers share a lot of hardware requirements, but with a different emphasis. If video gamers love speed, video editors love storage.
For a motherboard, inexpensive solutions usually have more built-in options directly on the motherboard, such as graphics and audio support. What this means is that it can be more difficult to upgrade in the future. Whilst they may be cheaper now, to keep pace with technological developments it is important that right from the outset you have the right motherboard. Generally you won’t have a choice of a motherboard in a standard system.
The situations whereby a custom built PC is not just a “nice to have” but a necessity are varied, and the above are just three of those.
Posted under Hardware
This post was written by Dan Ashton on December 22, 2008
