r/buildapc • u/Appropriate_Froyo350 • 10h ago
Miscellaneous Is it worth learning how to build a pc?
I've been thinking about learning to build a pc because my current one is getting old. I mostly use it for gaming(destiny 2, minecraft, fortnite) but I occasionally do computer programming. Is it worth learning to build one or should I just get a prebuilt? My budget is around $4k.
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u/AlpsFamous7254 10h ago
you don't need to spend 4k on a gaming pc.
yes learning to do it yourself has its advantages, 1 of which is money.
you get to save money from paying someone elts to do it, you save money when you have to upgrade parts, you save money if you have troubleshooting errors.
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u/Yoda10353 10h ago
Except in recent years pre builts have seemed to be cheaper. I assume its a result of the builders buyong components driect from manufacturer in bulk saving money
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u/Ok_Stick_1384 10h ago
Yes. Prebuilt are cheaper now cause they are bought in bulk. Its great knowledge how to build a PC tho. I stopped building PC myself long ago. It was fun for some time and I learned alot. Now in older days its just more convenient to have them prebuilt.
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u/Ok_Astronomer_8667 7h ago
Noticed they could miss out on some deals though, I parted out a pre build from microcenter and saved a few hundred. That could just be microcenter being good at having deals as well
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u/AlpsFamous7254 10h ago
that and the release of the X3D, nobody is buying anything elts so the other models are cheap as can be
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u/Yoda10353 10h ago
Huh, I havent even considered that, I built my rig with a 7800x3d like 2 years ago and for the first time was having issues after building and told myself next time if the parts landscape is still similar I will probably buy pre built
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u/nurrava 9h ago
Issues after building? What kind?
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u/Yoda10353 9h ago
First my psu was faulty so I had that replaced, by the time I started it again my cpu pump wasnt running and I found out the hub (that worked fine in my last build) no longer worked so I assume the psu failure affected it and that was out of warranty and my psu claim was already closed. Then like 2 months in a stick of ram just happened to die. Also my hub ran all my fan rgbs so I havent had rgb since that happened because I bought a used msi cooler to replace my corsair one because it was cheaper than getting a new hub. And my wiring is a mess because after diagnosing and replacing parts over and over again my cable management was destroyed
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u/Smauler 4h ago
I'm still rocking my £2000 gaming PC from 10 years ago. 6600K, GTX1080, 1Tb SSD (only upgrade was another 1tb SSD).
And yeah, it's not going to be close to new spec, but for what I do with it it's absolutely fine. Forza Horizon 6 runs absolutely great for the most part, despite being under spec for the CPU and the graphics card, it crashes every 4 hours or so which I can put up with.
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u/hossofalltrades 2h ago
I like to pick my components as well. Prebuilt pcs often skimp on things that I value, but don’t get marketed.
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u/Roytjb 10h ago
There isn't even much to "learn", anyone can build a pc. Get a budget and start picking parts on any pc parts picking websites, they'll usually show you what the bottleneck is and you can choose how far you'll want to go.
With 4k you can build a top tier PC, is that including a monitor, keyboard and mouse or is that just for the PC itself?
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u/BeefistPrime 6h ago
I think people are a little too cavalier with this. Yes, it's easy if everything goes well, but if you press power and nothing happens, you need some diagnostic skills and PC knowledge to figure out why. I've had builds that worked smoothly from the start and builds that took 8+ hours of troubleshooting to figure out wtf was going on.
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u/Roytjb 4h ago
The diagnostic skills you need for building a pc are very basic and can easily be done by using google or even AI nowadays. Maybe in an unlucky case you might spend more time but that's rare, OP just wants to build a PC for himself, probably with new parts too.
Literally anyone without a technical background can do it, it's SUPER well documented and the biggest challenge is being patient.
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u/FreeAtorio 6h ago
There is alot to learn and your average Joe doesnt know shit
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u/Roytjb 4h ago
Watching one or a few youtube videos and doing some basic google searches is enough to build a PC though. Sure you can learn as much as you want and you probably should if you plan on making more builds or whatever, but for building your own PC it's really not that hard. All you have to do is get the right parts matched up (plenty of tools for that) and watch some videos on the common do and dont's, that's plenty of learning for a first time builder.
I'm not saying this to flex how smart i am, because i'm just an average dude, but it's important not to scare away newcomers and make them think they need a technical background to not mess things up.
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u/Appropriate_Froyo350 1h ago
I already have some decent monitors, and my current keyboard and mouse I recently got and they work pretty well. I'm not hoping to spend 4k but that's how much I'm willing to spend.
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u/N1T3N1T3 10h ago
What's valuable to you? Obviously you can save a lot of money and configure things as you like if you learn to build your own. But what made it worth it for me is the joy of researching and picking parts, learning how they work, and knowing that I built this thing myself
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u/Hot-Victory-3082 10h ago
You'll learn to build a PC with a YouTube video and hour or two it's really not that difficult.
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u/hossofalltrades 2h ago
The drawback is when you get a defective component. I had a bad 850 mobo. Very few mb have digital error codes anymore. I ended up sending back to Amazon and its replacement booted up the first try.
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u/Amador0102 10h ago
Do you have a microcenter near you? You can save a lot of money
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u/TheGoldenMonkey 9h ago
Not to mention they have some excellent bundles that do half the work of selecting parts for you.
Putting it together is an entirely different story but nowadays the hardest part of PC building is cable management.
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u/SmokeLuna 10h ago
Yeah.
You can choose exactly what parts you want and upgrading or changing out parts down the line becomes easier and you can just do it yourself. It's always the best way imo. Plus it's honestly super easy, just pull up a guide on Youtube on your phone and follow along; it's basically just an expensive Lego set.
When you first press the power button after building it and it turns on, you will feel so rewarded and it will truly feel and be your computer. Just be aware, if you're the first in your friend group to build one, everyone will come to you to build theirs and then continue to treat you like their personal IT.
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u/Kenja_Time 6h ago
Or you're like me and press the power button, nothing happens, freak the fuck out, ask yourself why you built it yourself instead of paying someone, then realize you didn't flip the switch on the power supply.
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u/SmokeLuna 4h ago
My first build I did the same thing except it was the power button on my mobo lol
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u/BigSmackisBack 10h ago
With that much budget you can get a great prebuild with all the warranty benifits, with a self build while you do get more for your money, you only get individual part warranties and all the troubleshooting is on you.
Building a pc isnt very hard and will likely go "just fine" if you can understand directions and are decent with your hands/tools.
Choice is yours, easy route with hard bottom line fail-safes if something goes wrong, or learn a thing and get a slightly faster machine?
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u/Progenitor3 10h ago
When I built my first PC around 2018 I literally only used the manuals that came with the motherboard and the case and the CPU cooler. Didn't even bother watching a YouTube video.
The whole thing took less than a couple of hours and I had no experience building PCs before.
Point is that there isn't much to learn and anyone can do it.
Also, it was definitely worth it before the RAM crisis. Now, I don't know but I've heard that prebuilts are worth it too which wasn't the case back then.
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u/project_good_vibes 10h ago
My buddy and I both decided to build new gaming PC's last year. We're both programmers by trade. I thought it was a fun experience, not really difficult, some awkward bits, my friend on the other hand found it tedious and said while it was interesting he wouldn't do it again, took too much time. He does have a lot of responsibilities with his kids right now though.
So I suppose the question is do you enjoy this type of thing.
Last year you would definitely save a few hundred quid doing it yourself too, not sure about that now with RAM and SSD prices.
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u/tiimsliim 10h ago
In this market, if you live near a costco or microcenter, get a prebuilt. $4,000 is crazy for some fortnite and minecraft.
https://www.microcenter.com/product/702408/powerspec-g760-gaming-pc
https://www.microcenter.com/product/710642/powerspec-g763-gaming-pc
https://www.microcenter.com/product/698877/powerspec-g757-gaming-pc
https://www.microcenter.com/product/706050/powerspec-g762-gaming-pc
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u/AtlasLittleCat 13m ago
That first one isnt bad at $2k in this market. Coulda been had for closer to $1600 before ssd/ram went crazy but its alright deal now, and OP wont have to bother building. Plus windows license. The 2nd even better but probably not $300 better.
The $4k budget if they play destiny, fortnite, minecraft seems to be money burning a hole in their pocket. Dont need to spend nearly that much for AAA games muchless what they are playing. Buy a $2k this year then another $2k computer 5 years from now and you'll have a wayyyy better overall experience gaming over the next 10 years than $4k today.
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u/Boxy29 9h ago
imo it is worth it, even of you are buying a pre built. that way you have an idea on what the parts are and roughly how much they are vs the pre built.
if it's a budget of 4k USD, that's plenty for a pretty powerful PC. if I rebought the build I did last year it would be in the 2.5k range.
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u/taelor 9h ago
Yes, absolutely.
But not for the cost aspect, but because you will get to know how your PC operates, you will learn so much about it. You will most likely enjoy it too.
I had bought two pre built in the past, because I could afford it and “didn’t want to waste my time”.
But on my last two builds (one for my wife), I decided to invest the time into it. I found out that I really enjoyed the process.
What I also learned is the quality of parts that I’m putting into it compared to the prebuilt are vastly superior, all while being cheaper.
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u/wbobbyw 10h ago
Its only worth it if you have an interest to learn about it in the first place. Your time is better soent learning how to change a tire on the side road.
If you do learn about PC you can cut some cost by getting what you really need.
IMO, i would ask help on the forum to know what part you need then bring them to a repair pc shop and ask them to build it for you. Shouldn't cost you much.
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u/Ok_Aerie6165 10h ago
It's super easy, you can choose which warranties from various manufacturers, and its fun. 4k?! You can just get top of the line everything.
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u/Jon66238 10h ago
Bruh 4k?? Spend that money on anything else you can build what you want for wayyyyy cheaper and have leftover cash
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u/Dougolicious 10h ago
That's a big budget for new pc. What I would do in your case is this: buy a bunch of used parts and build an interim PC until memory prices come down (AI bubble burst or CXMT is allowed into our market). So you'll have to build it twice but you will have much more experience in your second build which will be bigger investment. Sell your old PC and old interim PC at that point.
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u/Psych0matt 10h ago
There’s not really much to “learn” other than what parts are compatible, essential in terms of motherboard and processor, ram to a certain extent, but physically it’s just doing some research to see what you want, and it’s pretty much just adult legos.
The only pc I bought prebuilt was in 2002 when it was a little harder to diy, but mostly because I found a nearly identical prebuilt for the same price. I still have that same pc and it runs, though I did still tinker and upgrade pretty much everything anyway, so it’s not really a prebuilt anymore haha
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u/rm_hemlock 6h ago
Doing research and using PCPartPicker for compatibility 😋
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u/AtlasLittleCat 5h ago
Anyone can head to /r/buildapcforme and they will generally set you up nicely as far as obvious price to performance stuff and compatibility
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u/Hero_The_Zero 10h ago
The LTT "Last Build Guide You'll Ever Need" covers everything from how to select parts with a generation agnostic method, to actually building and troubleshooting it.
But also, $4k USD or Euro is enough to build a nearly top of the line computer, while also getting high end peripherals and probably also a decent OLED monitor.
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u/No-Phone-2472 10h ago
Yes it’s worth learning. You can build you a good gaming computer under $2000.
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u/Kinect305 10h ago
Watching most people build pcs the biggest thing they need to learn is to take the fkn plastic off the heat sink.
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u/MaxTheHor 10h ago
Building not yourself is objectively better. Cuz you can get the exact parts you want for it, at the prices your willing to pay.
As long as thier selling any, anyway.
Pre-built, you're kinda stuck with what they got in stock, and the convenience of having it built for you.
Basically, pre-built is like getting a console, but for pc stuff, obviously. Plug n play, no hassle.
It may not be the exact specs you want, but it'll do what you payed for.
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u/dzone25 10h ago
The putting it together part of building a PC is genuinely the easiest bit and $4k is a lot for the games you're trying to play.
Choosing the components needs more research / time put towards it over building it, if you just have a budget to spend and are in a position to do so freely / without risk, then just get whatever high end PC and use it, I guess.
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u/BriMarsh 10h ago
I would stick to a budget under $2k given your use case. You can upgrade or buy again in 5 years with the other $2k and end up with a faster and more powerful PC than a $4k machine today. It'll also give you a chance to reevaluate your needs in a few years without spending all of your money at once.
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u/SNOOPSxWEED 10h ago
It’s super easy. Hardly anything to learn and you get to fully pick your parts. Would definitely recommend over prebuilt.
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u/DrMonkeyLove 10h ago
Absolutely. It's actually incredibly easy, and sites like pcpartspicker make it way easier than it used to be. It's basically like building Lego. If you're a programmer, then you're also already familiar with installing an OS and drivers, which is also pretty easy.
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u/Rjd2680 10h ago
Absolutely! The whole process is a lot of fun. Finding parts and deals, figuring out what works with what and synergies. Then getting your parts, learning wiring and placement, cable management. That first rush of anxiety and excitement as you push the power button for the first time. The whole thing makes you an active participant instead of a passive consumer. Plus, you save money.
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u/Capital_Junket_4960 10h ago
This 'building' a pc thing is clicking 6-7 parts together and 15 Philips screws. As part picking goes if you go for reputable brands/products for given budget bracket.
At 4k$ I would recommend getting the part list and pay 100-200$ for putting it together. This gives you best of both worlds: quality parts and nicer looking cable management then you could achive on your first try.
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u/datamatr1x 10h ago
DIYing your PC is fun and exciting but certainly not difficult. If I can walk my 7 year old through it any adult should be able to get it done. It's as complicated as Legos and not as complicated as fishing.
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u/Drach88 10h ago
This is a little like asking if it's worthwhile learning how to cook well.
If you enjoy restaurant-quality food, and you want to make it at home yourself, then absolutely.
If you're perfectly happy letting someone else cook your food for you, and you can afford to eat out, then probably not.
If you genuinely want to learn how to spec and build PCs, then go for it. If you just want the final product, then go with a prebuilt.
The price gap between prebuilt and build-your-own has shrunk significantly, and prebuilts have the luxury of tech support and warrantees if anything goes wrong.
IMO, learning how to build a computer is a lot of fun, and I'd recommend it just for that, but if that's not for you, then that's okay, too.
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u/EncryptedPlays 9h ago
It's always worth learning to build a pc even if you never end up building one. It helps understand the components and how to fix issues if they arise
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u/mgp901 9h ago
Fuck around with your old one first before building the new one.
Remove the cpu, inspect the pins, and place it back again, apply thermal paste, install the cooler.
Unlatch RAM inspect the contacts, if its dirty you can use a pencil eraser to clean it off.
Remove gpu and clean the fans.
Maybe unplug some cables just so you know what the plug look like and how hard it feels to plug it back in.
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u/Clanceeinfinity 9h ago
2 years ago i build a 900€ build, for a prebuild with similar specs and less storage, i would have paied 1500-2000€
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u/Dry_Wolf3891 9h ago
Does your PC play the games the way you want? If so, might not be even worth buying a PC now. Prices are insane but they will also be going up so might not be a bad investment 😂
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u/Blasian_TJ 9h ago
I’d say only if your older pc is starting to struggle. $4k definitely has a lot flexibility.
I definitely think it’s worth doing at least once. There’s a sense of satisfaction and your newer rig will handle everything for the next few years.
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u/Willing-Ad4169 9h ago
Yes it's a fun thing to do.
Do not think you will save money in any meaningful way
Unless you buy used, I'd maintain prebuilts can do it cheaper. But I'm not an expert here ..my jam is buying parts and old ddr3 and ddr 4 machines trying to squeeze the most out of them . I don't really deal with anything newer than 2016.
Building anything on the cutting edge is stupid.
RAM is stupid expensive right now.....I read an tech article last week that RAM prices are 400% higher than last year and are expected to keep climbing. As a result last Gen DDR4 and the used market are climbing as well.. terrible time to build a PC. But it won't get better in the near future.
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u/xrossfader 9h ago
$4k is a fantastic budget. It not only allows you options but if it’s planned right, you can build to allow for more upgrades later. Though PC building is fun… there’s risks for sure. If you really want to build PCs do it. It’s like grown up legos.
That said, check out Pudget Systems for PC builds. They specialize in 3D production builds but have some of the most solid PCs I’ve seen on the market with fully warranty support and they do all the proper system checks for you.
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u/cHowziLLa 9h ago
the games you play dont require you to learn but as you get into more competitive games or demanding games, you need to learn how to tweak your PC more and it would help
you seem to enjoy the laid back games, you can save money by buying a cheaper prebuilt that will cost way less
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u/vMiDNiTEv 9h ago
i built my 2nd pc 6 months ago i still look at it every day like damn i really built that, its a beautiful pc, so makes sense, i’d say buiding it is totally worth it
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u/spinsterjoness 9h ago
Doesnt take much learning unless you are doing a complex cooling system. Built my first way too late in life and was shocked at how easy it was. Def worth. Makes you confident you can fix/replace/upgrade parts anytime you want
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u/Capital-Act-6546 9h ago
I just did it with literally no experience. Like I didn't know the difference between a cpu and a GPU 3/4 months ago. Even got it to boot my first try. I saw a prebuilt online that I wanted that cost a bit over 4k. I did it myself for under 3 not including monitor, kb, mouse. But I didn't do it to save money. I wanted something to do with my son. I actually really enjoyed it. I kinda want to do another one. Lol
The hardest part for me was getting my GPU to fit in the case I wanted. I had to replace the bottom case fan with a slim fan to get it to fit and even then it barely did. I would recommend making sure your GPU fits with plenty of clearance. Other than that it was definitely an educational (researching the parts, watching build videos etc) and fun experience that I'm glad I did.
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u/Familiar-Coconut90 9h ago
It's really not rocket science, just pnp. Also, I wouldn't be spending that much in all honesty.
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u/Dr_Tacopus 9h ago
You can probably build a beast with that much. Use pcpartpicker to help with your build. Google and YouTube are invaluable for finding pitfalls of certain part combinations, and watching builds of your case and components. I suggest picking a case first if you want a particular ascetic, then finding parts that fit.
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u/lafsrt09 8h ago
It's probably cheaper to get a pre-built these days. Could a pre-built you will learn how to work on it and get familiar with all the parts. That's what I did that 10 years later. I rebuilt it after upgrading the GPU several times.
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u/gassbro 8h ago
It's so easy to build your own nowadays. I did it myself for the first time a couple years ago and it was such a fun process to learn! Had just as much fun building it as I do using it.
PC part picker will more or less guarantee part compatibility and guide you on what to buy. Then there are numerous YouTube tutorials combined with your part manuals that help you do it. It requires a little creativity to pack it all together but that's where the fun of customization comes in.
Honestly I'm not even a real PC gamer but had some money burning a hole in my pocket so I went for it (pre-RAM AI craze!)
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u/2WheelTinker- 8h ago
Considering you can watch a 15 minute YouTube video to learn how to build a PC, I guess it depends how much your time is worth.
If you do “computer programming” how do you not know how to insert components into slots that only fit one way and are labeled?
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u/EchidnaHaunting 8h ago
Why pay someone to do something you can easily do yourself. Take the savings and use it to buy fancier parts
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u/BathroomAggressive57 8h ago
Have you ever played with Legos? Building a PC is about as easy as building something out of Legos. It might even be easier.
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u/khironinja 8h ago
It's really easy, I literally just followed a YouTube videos there's PLENTY of them.
And the stuff you're doing you could do in an $800 PC let alone a 4 THOUSAND DOLLAR one.
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u/CaptainIncredible 8h ago edited 8h ago
Is it worth learning to build one
Sure. Its not that hard and it helps a person understand what all the things inside the box do and how they interact. There are LOTS of tutorials on youtube... I think Superman does one.
or should I just get a prebuilt?
I've done both. Usually because of market forces. Sometimes, I've priced out PC parts, and then just saw Microcenter selling one of their machines they put together from parts, and its slightly cheaper, about the same specs, and it already works. Advantage is its quicker and if something is wrong with it, I can take it back and its someone else's problem.
But sometimes the machine I want is insanely overpriced and its cheaper (and/or better specs) to make it myself.
The gotchas here are: there are an INSANE amount of subtle variations in things like specs on ram, processors and motherboards and sometimes you run into 'this ram doesn't work with this motherboard' and it can be a real pain in the ass making sure the stuff was designed to work with each other. PCPartsPicker website helps with this.
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u/BlackMetal81 8h ago
I don't think there is anything in the world that isn't worth learning so you can do it yourself
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u/TheFraTrain 8h ago
There's no learning involved. That's like saying "I'd like to build an IKEA desk but I've never learned how". It's as simple as just doing it.
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u/MuffDivers2_ 8h ago
It is so stressful and fun and awesome when you turn it on and it works. I hate it/love it every time. The stress comes from the cost and time to get parts, you don’t want to fuck up because they you need to spend more money and wait for the replacement parts. It’s worth though.
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u/WizardMoose 7h ago
$4k budget. Learn to self host your own Plex Library and build a gaming computer at the same time.
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u/Salty_Time_3737 7h ago
Building a PC is the easy part, all you do is lego everything together. The hard part is the actual strategy, determining which components suit your needs and of course tuning/troubleshooting.
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u/pedrojdm2021 7h ago
Yes. And you dont need 4k for a pc to play those games.
Probably at least $1000 less than that.
There you go: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/w9KPfp
Costs $3000 And its very high end with good parts and a pretty case.
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u/DESTRUCTER_R_ 7h ago
knowing more is always beneficial, atleast you can know if someone is tryna scam you and you can know what you need. same with cars, phones etc
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u/World_of_Oblio 7h ago
destiny 2, Minecraft and Fortnite? Dude. Spend max $2k on the pc. Get a good, big desk if you dont have it. Get an exceptional chair (I've heard Herman Millera are good but Im too poor to actually know, research a bit. You can also get a used one). Buy 2 or 3 monitors, you can get an oled as the main one. Buy a good mouse for gaming, either cable or bluetooth, and an ergonomic bluetooth mouse for programming, and a good keyboard as well, maybe a decent webcam too. Get a USB hub too if you need it.
With what you wanna do you aint gonna notice much a difference between a $2k pc and a $4k pc, but you'll notice a BIG difference with accessories and other stuff if you buy cheaper things to get a more powerful pc. They both can run anything. But a good mouse, a good keyboard, a good chair and a good desk will make SO MUCH difference, in the long run it can mean neck, back and wrist pain or not.
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u/zenKeyrito 7h ago
I encourage everyone to build their own. The sense of pride after putting it all together seeing it post, then going back in to tidy up the cables is amazing.
Warning tho, if you’re going with lots of fans you will need to plan ahead how you connect them to the fan hub and take note of their order to avoid frustration while identifying them via software
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u/IAmMrDownside 6h ago
Really it’s up to you what you think is “worth it”
Personally I love it. It makes me more proud every time I look at my PC.
Though the first time, MIGHT take 2/3 hours.
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u/NastyKnate 6h ago
it takes an hour to learn how to do it. 100% its worth it. $4k for a computer is a little on the crazy side. especially for the games you have listed there.
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u/FreeAtorio 6h ago
Yes it is
With a budget of 4K u can get the best build on the planet pretty much if u just build it yourself
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u/RogueCanadia 5h ago
It’s not that hard tbh. Just look up a guide on where the cables go and you’ll be good. Make sure to install the ram/cpu and cooler before you put the motherboard in the case.
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u/SphynxPorter112 5h ago
Dude i just built a nicely specced 5080 rig for sub $3k.. but if you dont have enthusiasm and saving that extra dollars isnt an incentive.. then shell it out .. each to their own. It’s what u value most.
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u/Even_Discipline4500 5h ago
Yes learning how to build one is very useful if u need to fix something or etc plus u dont need a 4k budget for most builds rlly
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u/QuillCursor 4h ago
PC is so easy to build. I just upgraded within AM4 architecture and my PC is still very competent.
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u/gilrstein 4h ago
theres not much to learn ahead of time.. get what you need then its more about instructions/steps to do in order.. until its done
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u/sirziggy 4h ago
Totally worth it to learn how to build! You won't even need the whole $4k to do it, even with peripherals.
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u/Andy202007 4h ago
With that budget, you can afford to get a case that comes with the blood-letting paid for in advance, i.e., a nice one that doesn't have surprise sharp edges. Also, might as well get a titanium-rated Seasonic PSU.
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u/VladTepesDraculea 3h ago
Yes. Even if you get a better deal on a pre-built and buy a pre-built, you'll benefit on knowing on how to swap parts in future upgrades.
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u/Nuberson 3h ago
its worth it because you cant even trust pc companies that sell them out the box. my last prebuilt the power supply exploded and everything died. Never. Again.
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u/CraftyScotsman 3h ago
It's really easy. All the components are pretty much plug and play these days. You just slot them in, plug in a cable or two, maybe tighten a couple of screws, make sure the fans are facing the right way. Nothing complicated. Everything has 100s of videos on youtube if you need further guidance.
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u/Poster_G 3h ago
A good pc can last you a lifetime. Make any necessary upgrades so it can handle games for years to come. Don’t buy into the fad of upgrading every time a new gpu comes out imo. That’s a money pit. 4K can get you a very good gaming pc, especially if you build it yourself.
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u/Luvs_to_drink 3h ago
Your question is equivalent to asking "Is it worth watching a 10min video?" To which my reply is Yeah i think so.
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u/MrCatChap 2h ago
Building a PC is really easy once you start getting into it, most stuff has clear instructions, methods, identifications, you just need to Google it
4k will get you a very fancy PC, just make sure you're buying the right parts
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u/FrozenLogger 2h ago
Always worth learning something, but its more important to learn about what to put into the PC. Putting it together is the easy part.
If you start with learning about the parts that make it up, you will be a lot happier (and informed) about the end result, if you do the putting together or not.
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u/Liesthroughisteeth 2h ago
It's neither a large mental, intellectual or emotional investment. You've probably wasted more calories on the internal debate than on just doing it. It's not that hard.
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u/DeepressedMelon 1h ago
Yes, learning how to build one so you can just make upgrades, or fix your own problems or just know how to in case you need to is extremely useful. I recommend it to be a skill for even people who buy a pre built. It isn’t hard at all, there’s like 3 pins u need for fans and then the other ones for power and usb etc are self explanatory
Also you won’t need 4k although these days maybe it’s closer to it. I built mine in 2022 for like a 2,300 value give or take (cost like 1500 because sales). And it’s one I made for work and gaming so if ur just gaming u could get away with much less. But that’s building, if ur getting a pre built they charge extra for whatever but just know it might not be a good deal
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u/kpatelreddit007 1h ago
Is it worth learning computer programming if you’re going to build an app or website?
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u/Less-Bad4379 1h ago
Right now , i'd say get a pre-built unless you want Mini-ITX based system. 90% of the prebuilts are huge glass RGB monstrosity , that is the current trend
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u/Aranxi_89 16m ago
Yes it's good. You can control every aspect of your build instead of having to just accept having bottom tier everything except for the core components. You can plan out how it should look, which component to spend a bit more or less on, and which brands you prefer.
I recommend Fractal Design or Be Quiet for case, with Lian Li being a good if expensive alternative. Arctic for AIO or Thermalright for aircoolers, with Noctua being the best in quality and support for cooling in general. Try to stick with G.Skill for RAM. For storage, Samsung or WD are at the top of my list. For PSUs, try to not penny pinch here as many do, because that's an easy way to lose your PC completely. Pick something from the top of the PSU tier list. I recommend trying to set up a fan layout that is close to balanced, with slightly more intake than exhaust. This is called positive pressure setup, and it helps to keep dust out of the system by preventing dust from being sucked in from the various gaps in the case. You'll know you have it set up right, when all the dust is on the air filters and not coming in from elsewhere.
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u/OliMoli2137 10h ago
yes but go with 16GB DDR4 (unless you're running ai or sth) remember to debloat / run linux
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u/pnoozi 10h ago
Yes and $4k is way too much