Computers have become a necessity nowadays. In fact over 75% of Americans own a computer, and that number will only grow in the years to come. For some of you, you're once great computer may now be outdated and unable to meet today's expectations. Some of you might just want to upgrade to a better computer to play the latest games. Whatever it is, this guide can help you decide if you should buy a computer or to build your own.

Let's first start with the advantages and disadvantage of purchasing a computer

Pros

• Warranty-Any computer you buy from a retail store is going to come with a warranty. Obviously this can save you a lot of money if something goes wrong with it.
• Compatible-When you purchase a computer you don't have to worry about the components being compatible with each other.
  
• Simple-All you have to do is plug it in and you're set.
• Software-Computers usually come with software already on it that is expensive to buy separately.
• Cheap Low End-If you want a computer for just doing tasks like browsing the web then you can find good deals on low end computers.
  

Cons

• Price-New computers are generally expensive and over priced. The truth is a lot of your money is paying for the name rather then the components, Alienware is a big example of this.
• Upgrade- At some point you may want to upgrade something in your computer but manufacturers like to make it difficult or impossible for you to, and it usually voids your warranty if you even open your computer.
• Parts-Manufacturers may use low quality and cheap parts.

Now let's see the advantages and disadvantages of building your own computer

Pros

• Price-You can get a high quality computer for a lower price then you would buying one.
  
• Custom-You get to choose what goes into it so it suits your needs and you know that your parts are quality.
  
• Knowledge-By building it on your own your knowledge for computers greatly increases and you learn a new and useful skill.
• Satisfaction-What a great feeling it is when you start out with a bunch of parts and put them together to make a functioning computer.

Cons

• No Warranty-If something goes wrong you have to fix it, which means money out of your pocket.
• No Low End- Unfortunately you don't save much money,if any, by building a low end computer. In fact you may even be spending more money. You're better off buying one if you just want a computer for browsing the web.
• Building It-For some, building a computer is a hassle. It can take time and sometimes it's frustrating. You have to make sure all the components are compatible with each other or it won't work.

And the winner is?

As you can see both sides of this fight have their advantages and disadvantages. I personally believe building your own computer is a much better option. If you don't want to put together a computer you can easily pay someone to do it and still save a lot of money. You also have the world wide web at your fingertips, you can find guides and help should you ever run into a problem. Although you don't have a warranty on your computer as a whole, you can purchase warranties for each individual part you buy so should anything go wrong with it you can get a replacement.

However, those who want a new computer need to ask themselves something, and that's what they will be using the computer for. If you do simple things like browsing the web, then building a computer is probably not a good choice and I don't recommend it.

Tips For Saving Money

Now when I say build your own computer I do not mean go to best buy and pick out all the parts, you absolutely will not save any money by purchasing parts from local retail stores. You save a lot of money by purchasing them online, from stores like Newegg and Tigerdirect. Now a part may be cheaper on Newegg then it is on Tigerdirect so it may be wise to buy that part on Newegg or vice versa. If you REALLY want to save money then you can buy used parts on websites like Ebay. By choosing that route you may not get any sort of warranty should something go wrong with it so keep that in mind.

List Of What You Need

Here is a list of all the components you will need should you choose to build your own computer.

• Computer Case
  
• CD/DVD Burner
  
• CPU(central processing unit)
• Heatsink
  
• Power Supply
  
• Hard Drive
  
• RAM(Random Access Memory)
• Motherboard
• Video Card
• Sound Card
• Fans
• Network Interface Card
  
• Monitor
• Keyboard
• Mouse
• Operating System
  

You may not need everything in the above list. For example some motherboards have built in sound cards which might be sufficient enough for you. Obviously you already have a keyboard and mouse and unless your monitor is outdated you should be fine. Some computer cases come with fans so you may not need that either. You also need to be aware that not all products are compatible with each other. As an example an Intel CPU will not work on a AMD motherboard and an AMD CPU will not work on an Intel motherboard. By reading the products description you can find out what it's compatible with. If you are not 100% certain with your build then it would be wise to ask someone before purchasing.

I thank you for reading and wish anyone looking to build their own computer the best of luck! I will try to update this as regularly as I can with new and useful information.