How To Build A Computer - Free Videos and Tutorials

Step Two

Purchasing your computer parts

Let’s go shopping!! The key to buying your computer parts is to simply not be sold on the first thing you see. Let this be your reminder to use common sense, everyone tries their best to make you think that their computer parts are the best. I’m not telling you that there aren’t great deals out there but be extremely cautious.

Another thing I need to stress is don’t buy anything until you have a complete computer system on paper. One of the biggest obstacles in building you own computer is compatibility. Build your computer on paper listing specific computer parts that you believe meet your requirements. Now compare the capabilities of items in your “wish list” to the minimum requirements of the computer software (antivirus, spam, operating system, etc.) that you plan on using. My suggestion is to exceed the minimum requirements of your most demanding program by 25 percent. Keep in mind that some programs will be running simultaneously so you may want increase accordingly.

Now that you’ve got your guard up let’s talk about where to shop. The safest place for a beginner is a computer show. The reason being is that it is harder to get ripped off because you are surrounded by experts, other customers and dealers. Most dealers will usually display user manuals of their computer parts and products so you can read to know exactly what you are buying.

Local dealers are quite convenient but you will more than likely overpay for what you get.

Online shopping for computer parts is your best bet. The key to online shopping is to look for the details. The more detailed a site is about a product the better guarantee you have of getting what you want. Beware of online auctions. They can get you a great deal or a world of hurt so you might think about getting an eBay buyer protection.  I have also bought a great deal of computer software like antivirus software, operating systems, computer games and more for very cheap prices.

ALWAYS REMEMBER:

1.      DON’T BUY THE FIRST PART YOU THINK WILL WORK

2.      KEEP TRACK OF SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS AND COMPATIBILITY

3.      LOOK FOR THE DETAILS, CHEAP ITEMS WILL USE VAGUE DESCRIPTIONS

4.      ASK QUESTIONS!!