Deciding between Alienware and building something myself

[Mjolnir84]

I've used a Mac since college, and my current one is about 7 years old. Didn't buy it specifically for gaming, but I've been playing WoW since just before WotLK dropped and ESO for about a year and a half. Looking to upgrade, because my gaming experience lately on even just low/minimum settings has been sub-par, and my current computer won't be able to handle Legion when it drops.

I was talking to a coworker about a new computer for gaming and he suggested building my own because it can be done for relatively cheap. Unfortunately I legit know nothing about the tech/hardware side of computers whatsoever. Literally. I checked out the Marest's Megaguide to a Custom Computer thread and was legit completely lost even before I reached the second post. I mentioned just buying a gaming rig from Alienware and he went off about how Alienware sucks because they're overpriced and it's owned by Dell and all sorts of other crap I didn't understand.

That's my question to you guys: for someone that knows legit nothing about the inside of a computer and the parts and whatnot, is it worth it for me to attempt to spend money on parts and try to put it together myself? Or should I just buy a custom rig and not risk completely screwing up trying to build something myself?

[potis]

Short answer: Yes

Long answer: Yes

No self-respecting PC Tech / IT would ever recommend you to buy an Alienware or a Mac for that matter.

If you are afraid to build it yourself, just buy the parts and have someone build it for you, there must be a shop nearby that can do that or anything similar.

Remembering quickly about how Alienware custom rigs work, you save about 500$ the least, and probably up to 1K on some of their "bigger" ones.

Only Custom Rig company i would ever recommend for a US Citizen is the Origin PC's and those just the extreme overclocked ones, for the completely clueless customer, they are overpriced too, i just trust them , ever since they were created years ago they were more legit than others.

[McLovenIt]

Do NOT Buy Alienware, it's a Dell computer with a bigger price tag and a cool logo.

But seriously, it is a Dell and they aren't that awesome, especially for the insane price tags they slap on those things.

Like Potis said, just ask around to your friends or even find some friends on here, tomshardware, or newegg forums and there are always people willing to help you to make your own PC that will meet the requirements you're looking for at the price you're looking for. Than if you can't build it or are intimidated, again; ask friends or call around to local shops n see how much they would charge you.

I got my 1st custom build 2 years ago and I love it, it doesn't come with hundreds of apps and programs pre-installed in your system, you can install whatever OS you want. (most pc had windows 8 when i was shopping but of course I purchased Windows 7 OS because I'm smart like that lol) now I'm rocking the free windows 10 software and it's a great system.

Best of luck man, and if you have questions, feel free to hit those forums or this one to get them answered. There are a lot of people in the PC/Gaming Community who gladly help newcomers with build/product questions. You just have to ask

[Lathais]

Why not ask the co-worker to help you put it together?

[DrMcNinja]

As someone who took the step to self-building in January without any prior knowledge, I can guarantee you that self-built is the way to go. You have full control over what goes in your computer, how much you spend and you won't have all that annoying bloatware that companies pump in their products.

You can do a bit of research on how to put a PC together in a few hours, there are a lot of step-by-step videos on YouTube which go all the way to the software installation. Most products also come with a rather clear guide. The toughest job when building a PC is watercooling and cabling.

It turned out to be one of the simplest DIY jobs I've done, though it does take a little bit of time.

[Icoblablubb]

Never ever go with Alienware .. as someone already said its basically just a Dell Computer with a shiny sprinkle logo that costs you like 500$ extra just for that ..

[enragedgorilla]

If you like assembling things on your own,have time to do so and are willing to learn/make mistakes. Go for it on the self build! Having something you learned to make ..then finished it is a level of satisfaction you can not achieve in any other way.
Like making a Pizza from scratch at home.

however...

3rd party builders (Alienware,Origin,Cyberpower,ibuypower,ecollegepc,microcenter etc etc) are a good option if you do not mind paying for a person to put your machine together for you and charging a modest - considerable fee for the convenience .
Like having a pizza built to your specs AND having it delivered ...or picking it up if you are local.

My personal thinking is, the time it would take a complete novice (like myself) to put a machine together(I rate myself at my hourly work rate of $36 an hour)
+/- the time I do not really have in the first place to spend on it +/- the amount and cost of any / all mistakes I make +/- cost it would incur to have a pro fix them.
That formula , for now leaves me to have 3rd party builders to create my machines for me.
Though over the years I have become more brave and am willing to install storage drives,graphics cards,sound cards and memory, as well as fans.

[khazmodan]

the big thing is do your research for the best quality within your price range then when you get the parts just take your time, focus on the next detail and keep doing that until its done. the motherboard map is your best friend and of course try to stay grounded since you can damage something with static electricity without even knowing you have. there is a small risk of getting a defective item so be ready to send something back. In the end it is so much more satisfying to build yourself since the selection of parts is so much better and the price difference is freaking ridiculous, better to have the several hundred dollars you save in better parts than giving it to some company that does the exact same thing you will and add a bunch of bloatware to slow down your comp and annoy the hell out of you. Also i recommend getting a large case so your fingers have room to work and avoid water cooling if this is your first time.

[Phraun]

Yes, it is worth it to piece it out yourself. It will generally be cheaper, and offers much more granularity in terms of component options. There are plenty of guides available for actual assembly, and forums all over the internet that can help pick components given a use-case and a budget if you're not comfortable doing it yourself.

That being said, building it yourself means that, to a degree, you have to rely on yourself if something goes wrong. If you're willing to exercise a little Google to fix anything that arises, you'll generally be fine. If you're not sure, forums can be invaluable.


If you absolutely must buy a pre-built rig from someone, do not buy an Alienware. There are much better options, including the aforementioned OriginPC, Puget Systems, and Falcon Northwest.

[Mjolnir84]

Thanks for all the replies and advice guys. Decided to try my hand at building my own custom rig. Talked to another friend of mine who's more local and works in IT and he said he wouldn't have a problem helping me out with it. That honestly was the make or break thing...trying to do something like this all on my own would most likely end in disaster. Ask me about landscaping or building a fence or remodeling, and I'm ok. Ask me about electronics, and watch me give you a look that would make Hodor look like a Mensa member.

[unbound]

I'd recommend building yourself and ask your friend to help. That's how I learned to do it a very, very, very long time ago. I've been building my own PCs every 2 to 3 years ever since. It has only been getting easier as the years go by...not quite fool-proof, but pretty close any more.

[Thunderball]

Thanks for all the replies and advice guys. Decided to try my hand at building my own custom rig. Talked to another friend of mine who's more local and works in IT and he said he wouldn't have a problem helping me out with it. That honestly was the make or break thing...trying to do something like this all on my own would most likely end in disaster. Ask me about landscaping or building a fence or remodeling, and I'm ok. Ask me about electronics, and watch me give you a look that would make Hodor look like a Mensa member.

That's good to hear. I suggest answering the questions in the sticky and creating a new thread when you're ready to start building.