Building a New Computer During a Bad Economy

The recession has hit everyone hard and the purchasing of big ticket items such as cars, washing machines, and computers are often placed on the back burner on people’s priority list of things to buy. However, unlike previous decades, computers need no longer be the $2,000 to $3,000 behemoths they once were. The sub-$1,000 computer is a powerful tool capable of running just as many programs and processes as their $2,000 brothers and sisters. The key to getting the most out of a budget computer is a bit of planning, some searching for the best prices, and some room for expansion in the future should the computer begin to show its age.

It is beyond the scope of this document to recommend specific parts to buy; the computer industry moves much too quickly. By the time a set of components is recommended, the window of opportunity closes within about three months when a new set of components replace the originals. However, some basic guidelines, tips, and shortcuts stand the test of time. These recommendations are as valid today as they will be several years from now when the latest and greatest computers of today are sitting on the junk pile.

Unlike buying a computer from a major retailer offering cookie-cutter machines, building your own computer is cheaper and more flexible because it allows you to choose only what you need and want and nothing more. You are no longer bound by the few combinations of components the retailers are willing to offer you. All too often, retailers put together machines that reduce their support calls more than they offer the customer what he/she really needs.

To formulate a budget-computer-building strategy you must first ask yourself realistically what you will be using the computer for. You may wish that the computer is capable of displaying state-of-the-art graphics and you may take pride that your computer contains eight gigabytes of RAM, but will you really need those things? Many builders overbuy. That is, they are so worried about obsolescence that they invest more money than is needed in a computer that is capable of far more than their needs dictate.

Some computer buyers are caught up in having the most powerful computer money can buy without asking whether all that power is needed. Generally, as the speed of processors increase linearly, their prices increases exponentially. Buying the third or fourth fastest processor is not only far cheaper but is often imperceptibly slower than the fastest processor. Do not be caught up in the manufacturers’ claims that this or that processor is x times faster than its predecessors. Those companies have an incentive for you to buy the fastest processors; they are the most expensive ones they sell.