The Best PCs You Can Build for $ 300, $ 600, and 1200
We have already told you about creating your own computer . In this post, which we’ll update periodically as prices and components change, we’ll walk you through the hardware we’ll need for three different system builds: a budget workstation, a powerful all-in-one PC, and an enthusiast system. gamers and professionals.
While desktops are viewed by some as a dead platform, many of us still use them as often as or in addition to laptops or tablets, love to play computer games, or just love to get our hands dirty and build our own systems. Before we go any further, we must point out that these PC builds are designed to optimize your universal computer experience, with some emphasis on PC gaming. The components that give you the most bang for your buck depends a lot on what you plan to do with the system: your parts will be different if you are building an HTPC with the same budget or a super fast file server for your home network.
We’ve already covered our own experiences with building the system , why it’s important, and some great tips for newbies . If you’re ready to get started with the challenge of building your own computer, here are the components you’ll need to build the best system you can get for your money.
http://lifehacker.com/6-essential-tips-for-first-time-pc-builders-1458484291
Update – December 2016 : Again, it’s been too long since our last update. Prices for storage, RAM and other components have dropped a bit, but GPUs are the odd part, both AMD and NVIDIA are holding firm prices, at least until AMD unveils its latest and greatest version in Q1 2017. … If you are an AMD fan, or just want to try and do a GPU deal, you can wait until these AMD cards hit the market and NVIDIA will not tune in to them, because they will definitely be, as AMD tries to leapfrog its next generation. Graphics processors. That alone might make you wait.
However, prices for other components are unlikely to change much and there are plenty of offers, especially during the holiday shopping season. We’re constantly amazed at how much power you can get for such little money – our $ 300 build is still a strong MicroATX performer this time around, so much so that we added the same form factor to our $ 600 build, changing at this insides. The money we saved by switching to MicroATX in these cases went towards other perks like solid state drives across all builds and extra RAM. Keep in mind that you should use these guides as a template – they won’t be perfect for all use cases, but they are good regular PCs with some emphasis on gaming (they are not clearly gaming PCs, though).
As usual, we use PCPartPicker to build our assemblies. We love it, and we think you should use it too – it gives you more flexibility when purchasing parts and helps you get rid of potentially incompatible components. Plus, it ensures that you get the best prices for the items you plan to buy, even if that means you have to buy them from different stores. If you have custom PCPartPicker assemblies that you want to show, be sure to link them in the discussions below! As always, keep in mind that prices are constantly changing, so if you check this and prices have changed, just go back to PCPartPicker and see if you can find a better price.
Build vs Buy
The old debate about whether you should build your own system or buy a ready-made one is an old, long-standing argument that will never be easily washed away. However, there are some advantages to building your own system that cannot be measured in dollars and cents. Perhaps you enjoy your own hand-built system better, or you can win deals and get discounts that lead to a more powerful computer packed with better components than the manufacturer would have used.
http://lifehacker.com/how-to-save-money-when-you-build-your-own-pc-511195742
Building your own PC also gives you complete control over the components of this system and its extensibility. Unlike buying an OEM PC, building your own PC gives you the power to make decisions about when and how you upgrade that system in the long run, rather than just taking what the manufacturer sells to you. For example, you can buy a new motherboard chipset ahead of time and wait to spend money on a next-gen graphics card later, updating yourself in time when the moment or your budget is right.
Ultimately, while it might be easier to just pull out your credit card and buy whatever is sold from your preferred OEM, there is a little something about assembling the system components you choose to suit your needs, turning it on, installing your favorite OS. and use it every day, which is “incredibly helpful. If you are interested, we talked about this in more detail here .
http://lifehacker.com/is-building-a-pc-really-cheaper-than-buying-one-1443171781
Choosing the right parts
There was a time when building a PC was about buying the most expensive and powerful components that you could use within your budget. While some of this is still true, even budget components can be surprisingly powerful, and if all you plan to do with your system is word processing, surfing the web, and some light entertainment like streaming video or listening to music , almost all building the system will work for you.
You don’t need to spend a lot of money on high-quality gaming components if you are building a system for a friend of yours who doesn’t know or care what graphics card comes in the box. At the same time, this does not mean that they are doomed to a computer full of non-standard components. We explained earlier that you should carefully assess your needs before rushing into component pricing, and this advice is still valid today.
http://lifehacker.com/5684015/crafting-the-perfect-computer-spec-list
After all, you have no reason to rush and buy the most expensive components you can afford, unless you are an enthusiast and want the very best system you can afford. And don’t be fooled by the brands . Here we take a closer look at two separate builds: a high-performance system for enthusiasts and power-hungry users, and a mid-range build that will cost about half the price but still have excellent quality.
http://lifehacker.com/does-brand-matter-when-i-buy-computer-parts-718131802
Budget system $ 300
The first few times we wrote this guide, some people commented that $ 600 and $ 1200 were more than enough to buy powerful PCs, but a good machine for about $ 400 or less would be a great project. Well, that’s it – not only can you go beyond $ 400, we chose $ 300, and the system we created with that budget isn’t stupid.
Parts
This parts list assumes that you will need the main components: a case, motherboard, processor, memory, storage, a specific type of graphics card, and a power supply. We’ll assume you have a great USB keyboard, mouse, and display that you can use with your new system. Before blindly buying what we’re about to offer, take a moment and check out our Lifehacker Night School article on choosing PC components , where we discuss some of the things you should think about before purchasing components. For example, our $ 300 PC is designed for economical and general use, not necessarily high-end gaming or video editing. Do not forget to think about what you will use the system for before buying.
However, here are the details for our low-cost PC: