While you can save a lot of money by building your own PC, it’s also pretty easy to go overboard with buying costly components that you don’t really need. To that end, we’ve put together several buying guides on Bright Hub’s Computer Hardware Channel to help you make sure that you’re getting the parts you need while staying within your budget.
In Top Notch Gaming PC for under $1000, Michael Hartman gives a full list of components, along with individual prices, that you’ll need to build a system that can handle some of the most resource-intensive PC games on the market today. If you don’t have quite that much money to spend, take a look at PC Build Part Recommendations: Cheap Gaming PC where J.F. Amprimoz outlines what’s needed to build a PC that’s a little less flashy for less than $750.
In addition, further tips on finding cheap hardware parts are given in Buying a PC Things to Know: Spending Less on PC Hardware. Not only will this detailed article help with the building of new systems, it’s indispensible for those thinking about upgrading their current machine.
When you are putting together your shopping list, don’t forget to factor in the cost of the operating system you plan to use. For more tips on this, see Choosing an Operating System for Your New Build.
You may not need a new monitor for the rig you’re building, but if you do, there’s certainly no shortage of displays from which to choose. In Top Computer Monitor and Display Reviews, you can find information on monitors in all shapes and sizes. For more general buying advice, be sure to take a look at Jesma’s Tips for Buying an LCD Monitor. However, if you’re ready to go for the gusto and get the nice, big 24” screen, don’t miss out Rebecca Scudder’s analysis on the best 24” displays currently available.
On another note, maybe you’re more interested in building a different type of machine, such as a file server. These computers have very different needs when it comes to hardware. In Computer Build Parts Recommendations – A File Server, you can find a detailed list of components that you’ll need to construct a 2 TB file server for under $800.
This is only a sampling of the many computer hardware buying guides available at Bright Hub, and more are being added all the time. Keep checking back, and if you can’t find the answer to your question, leave a note on our discussion forum and our expert team will be happy to help.