Earlier this year, I helped my brother-in-law and sister-in-law buy a new computer, specifically a refurbished Dell. Shortly afterward, I built a new computer for my family and myself. When my sister-in-law found out how much I spent, compared to how much they spent, she wanted to know if they had been cheated. I reassured her that they hadn’t.
Let’s look at what each of us got for our money: They bought a Dell Pentium III with a 20 GB hard drive, a DVD drive, a three-piece Altec-Lansing speaker system and a 21-inch monitor. I bought a motherboard with an AMD Duron processor, a 40 GB hard drive, and a case. Period. I didn’t pay for a DVD or other removable-media drive because we already had one. I didn’t pay for memory because we already had it. I didn’t pay for a fancy speaker system because we already had speakers, although not great ones. I didn’t pay for a huge, honkin’ monitor because we already had a monitor. Our modem, mouse, and old reliable keyboard are still perfectly serviceable, and our new motherboard has built-in sound and video. I also didn’t pay for a copy of Windows because I already had a copy.
But the most important thing I didn’t pay for was the “Dell” name. Our computer is a classic “I built it in the basement” special with no particular name except perhaps “Horizon Systems,” the name I use for the computers I build for friends and coworkers.
Let’s look at some other things my in-laws got with their computer that we didn’t get: As mentioned, they got the “Dell” name, with the cachet that comes with it. And that nice, big monitor (sigh). They got a three-year warranty. We got a one-year warranty on the motherboard and a three-year warranty on the hard drive. They get to take theirs to the shop when something goes wrong. I get to grab a screwdriver and a rescue disk, open the case, and pray. They get to spend an hour round trip taking theirs to the shop. I get to spend however long it takes to fix the thing.
But there are some advantages to having built my own computer as well: I built our last three computers, a ‘486DX 33, a Cyrix MII PR233, and our current Duron-powered system. I know exactly what components are in our computer, their age and condition, and where I bought them. When something does go wrong, I’m better equipped to fix it. Actually, we’ve had relatively few problems with the computers I’ve built: A bad floppy drive in the ‘486, and a bad motherboard in the Cyrix, plus a couple of hard drives that gave up along the way.
As you’ve seen, there are both advantages and disadvantages to owning a “homemade” computer. It depends on your confidence in your abilities and your comfort level in dealing with problems on your own. It’s easier than it sounds and it can be rewarding. Motherboard “bundles” are available that make it even easier; everything you need, motherboard, processor, CPU fan, etc., all preassembled and — in some instances — tested for proper function and compatibility. Plus, you can configure a system to your needs and preferences, and recycle any parts you might already have. But if you want the peace of mind that comes from owning a brand-name system, or having an extended warranty, that’s your decision.
David Phelps can be reached at mailto:davesplace@myfastmail.com. His web site is http://person2person.faithweb.com. He would like to hear about your computer building and troubleshooting experiences.