[desktop PCs] Do you buy your computers in "ready to use" state or do you buy them part by part?

Do you buy your computers in "ready to use" state or do you buy them part by part?

  • I use/buy a "ready to use" configuration.

    Votes: 3 20.0%
  • I build my PC part by part.

    Votes: 9 60.0%
  • It makes no difference to me.

    Votes: 3 20.0%

  • Total voters
    15

rado84

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Until 2015 I was buying mostly "ready to use" computers, meaning they have already been built and sold. But then I noticed that all "ready to use" computers were one way or another locked at using Crapindows only, so I started building my PC part by part. Because when the vendor doesn't know what I'm gonna use the respective part for, they can't lock it to a single OS, especially the motherboard. Locking the motherboard to a single OS or even to a single version of Crapindows was a common vendor's practice in my country in 2015 and earlier and from what I hear, some vendors still do that nowadays. What's worse, in my country I've seen a lot of cases where the pre-built configuration was supposed to have a certain hardware but it turned out to have older hardware and there's no way of you knowing that, unless you open the case which removes the warranty. I've never liked this forcing of hands to use Crapindows only, let alone the bad practices I just described and I never will, which is why I always build my PC part by part.

So, what do you prefer? A pre-built configuration or a manually built one by you personally?
 


I'd be more concerned that where you live opening the case voids the warranty! That's crazy!

Also, I just buy something new - complete. I've got better things to do with my time than putting parts together. I used to build all my computers, sometimes even with water cooling and fancy cases. These days, I get more than adequate results from just buying the complete device.
 
I use laptops nearly exclusively because I can take them with me wherever I go, and thus I use pre-built computers.
 
I built my first Tower in 2013 which I still use now...you get a sense of satisfaction doing it yourself and you don't get ripped off either. I buy brand name parts because they last...my power supply lasted 6 yrs and the only other thing I replaced was HDDs for SSDs...of cause I had to get SSD brackets as the Drive bays were 3.5".
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I usually order the parts and then pay for the the store where I order them to put it together and in a rare occasion I do it myself.
 
Back in the late 1990's I built all my own computers. But today I'm lazy and get just about as good results form pre-built, Usually refurbished computers. And mostly use laptops today. Older Lenovo thinkpads are my favorites.
 
I'm not a Laptop person...never have been...I do have a Laptop which I purchased in 2012...might use it twice a year...has Linux Mint Cinnamon 20.1 on it now.

The only things I know how to do on this Laptop are...replace the HDD and RAM and of cause the Distro.
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I usually prefer a more 'basic' pre-built, though with one condition.....that the base hardware has plenty of room for improvement. And then I modify/upgrade the hell out of it.

I've always preferred desktop PCs because there's a lot more space to work in.....and you can (usually) see what you're doing. I know the whole 'building your own PC' thing is well-covered on the 'net, but I'm not quite brave enough for that. Not yet!


Mike. :D
 
My first Tower came with the new widwoes XP about 2001...I'd only had it for about 6 mths when I got a virus. Back then as now you'd take it to a computer shop...after 5 days without my computer I was told we couldn't remove the virus...so we had to Re-Install windwoes and cost me a truck load of cash.
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It was then I decided to learn to do things like this myself and it all started from there...I'm on my 3rd Tower now...wow how things have changed computer wise. When my power supply failed I went to a computer shop to get a new one and while there a couple came in and said our computer just stopped.

The guy at the counter said leave it here and we'll take a look...well I don't know what happened but I can imagine...it could be as simple as a loose cable...power supply...HDD...who knows but you know what to check.
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I'd be more concerned that where you live opening the case voids the warranty! That's crazy!
They put a shiny sticker on the closed case and sell you the whole computer with it. If you remove the sticker and open the case, they won't recognize the warranty if any of the parts fails during the warranty period. That's a common practice with pre-built configurations. Which is why I don't use them. Even for cleaning from dust you have to take it to the warranty service and knowing how unloyal all of them are, I'd rather not.
Another common practice until 10 years ago (IDK if it's still happening, though) was to take your computer for cleaning from dust, replace your good hardware such as fast RAM and/or video card with an older one and then resell the stolen parts as new to someone else. That common practice was the main reason I stopped using computer services and when I still had to use them, I would mark the parts with a bright color permanent marker and then tell the service I've marked the parts, so that they don't get any ideas.
Nowadays there's a government agency that takes care of the rights of the end user and does it well but back then that agency was corrupt and worked for the interest of the vendors, not for the users, so we had to outsmart the vendors/the computer services.
 
I have always built my own from scratch, But this one is an HP pre-built job, only because my last home build was wrecked by a power surge at the beginning of lockdown 1, and none of my suppliers were open for me to get the parts, I could only find one outlet open online with next day delivery. It came as a 5 gen I5 with 4 gb ddr3 ram which I upped to 8gb at the first opportunity, but it still seems bloody slow compared to my last home build with Atherlon twin 6000 cpu and 8gb ddr2
 
I've built many computers myself, not a big deal. But you generally build for 2 reasons: 1) to save money or 2) to get better part specs. Gamers are mostly into the parts specs, and I'm not a gamer. I don't think the cost savings is huge either. So I shop pre-builts for both cost and specs and have it delivered to my door. I'm lazy. ;)
 
That's a common practice with pre-built configurations.

Weird. That's not the case here. I've sent multiple computers back after they've been opened and know others who have done the same.
 
I've gone the other way, I've assembled several ATX cased PCs in the past but more recently I can't be bothered researching and sourcing the parts. These days I prefer small format renewed/refurbished desktops, usually ThinkCentres. Running Xubuntu, I find they perform well enough for my usage pattern at a fraction of the price. I like messing about with Raspberry PIs though.
 
I can't afford to buy brand new and don't like to get into debt via credit, or loans. So I always buy cheap, second-hand/reconditioned laptops/PC's. So they're never cutting edge, or top of the line.

But having slightly older hardware means that generally speaking, everything just works out of the box.

I always look up the manufacturers full specs for any PC's before buying, to ensure that all of the hardware is well supported on Linux. Especially graphics cards and wifi chipsets.

And upon arrival, they are completely wiped and I'll immediately install Debian on them.

That's probably why I've rarely had any hardware related problems in all of the years I've been using Linux. Most problems I have are user related error.
e.g.
I've borked something after quickly entering a command without checking it for typos. Or after messing with some config settings to see what they do.

PICNIC problems! (Problem In Chair, Not In Computer!)

But even those sorts of problems are not difficult to deal with, as long as you have decent backup habits! Which I REALLY don't at the moment. Ha ha! I really aught to do a back-up at some point! :/ Hmmm..... Maybe this weekend, if I can be bothered?!
 
I can't afford to buy brand new and don't like to get into debt via credit, or loans. So I always buy cheap, second-hand/reconditioned laptops/PC's. So they're never cutting edge, or top of the line.

But having slightly older hardware means that generally speaking, everything just works out of the box.



And upon arrival, they are completely wiped and I'll immediately install Debian on them.

That's probably why I've rarely had any hardware related problems in all of the years I've been using Linux. Most problems I have are user related error.
e.g.
I've borked something after quickly entering a command without checking it for typos. Or after messing with some config settings to see what they do.

PICNIC problems! (Problem In Chair, Not In Computer!)
Even though I can afford to buy a new computer I prefer the older computers for the reason you stated and I quote.

"having slightly older hardware means that generally speaking, everything just works out of the box."

Yep I use Debian and Debian based distros on my old desktops and rarely if ever have a problem OOTB.

I create most of the computer problems I've had / have thinking I know what I'm doing and then :oops: o_O realizing I don't PEBCAK.

Yep older computers make excellent Linux computers from my experience and are very affordable.
 
I like to build myself rather than buying "ready to use". :D
 
They put a shiny sticker on the closed case and sell you the whole computer with it. If you remove the sticker and open the case, they won't recognize the warranty if any of the parts fails during the warranty period.

The shiny sticker thing was a common practice in France in the 1990s when I bought my first tower. It was a common practice in Switzerland too. I don't know if they still do it. Since then I have built at least 5 towers myself, for me and for family.

The tower case from the 1990s still exists, with completely "new" hardware (2017).
 
New?....whats that ?

I am definitely a second hand sorta guy......pc wise at least.

the case?....unknown origin...actually I think I rescued from a landfill somewhere. The insides had been stripped out and the case just left there. 'Cooler Master'...could be around 13 or 14 years old....thats just a guess. I have had it for 11/12 years.

My son did a build job on it for me way back..(when I had zero clue re pc's)....around 9 or 10 years ago....he used what was a cheap motherboard (on sale) ...it has turned out to be an absolute blessing. #B150M Pro4...ASrock
it has no graphics card....but has been capable of installing an M.2 ssd on..(NVMe ssd).....so it 'flies'....at least in my little world it is quick. I am responsible for fitting everything to it now....it has the m2 plus a couple of standard ssd'd and an external 2tb hdd....newish power supply, and a few other bits and pieces.

I grumble and whinge about new versions of Linux mint like you would not believe (well....yes you probably would believe if you read all of my posts).....but eventually I get my mind wrapped around it and the pc itself just sits there quietly and does its thing....beautifully.

Occasionally I look at prebuilt pc's....and I ask myself what one of those will do that my current setup will not do.

Nothing. Bugger All.

And so it stays, keeping me warm, day in and day out
 
Up until now I always bought my desktop computers by parts (although paying for assembly at the retailer). I don't know what I would do with the next one, I'm kinda more inclined to smaller forms now that I don't play games that much, and that leans more into ready-to-use things.
 

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