Guide to Buying a Computer

Hello everyone!
Today I will get you a good guide on how to buy a computer for your needs, without spending extra money on things you don't need.
First of all, there are two ways to get a computer.

1. Buy a pre-built PC
2. Build a computer (which is actually not as complicated as it sounds!)

Buying Computers
Pros:
You don't have to worry about having a non-working computer/incompatibilities.
If there is a problem, you always have a support line.
You don't need to get any experience to have a computer like this. Just plug in your mouse and keyboard into the computer, plug your computer in the monitor and poof, you're done!
Cons:
You're gonna pay too much for the power you're gonna have.
Pre-built computers are barely upgradeable (except if you get a computer from high-end gaming computer companies in which you'd rather build your rig (IMO))
The hardware they use is mostly bullshit. Companies for example will add like 8gb of very slow ram and a 1tb 5400rpm hard drive and claim that it's fast as it has 8gb of ram and 1tb hard drive.

How do I choose the right computer?
First of all you're gonna want to know what you want to do with your computer.
If you want to get a computer for general use (browsing the internet, using office) I'd suggest getting into the cheapest computers. A dual-core intel processor with 4gb of ram can do the job very well (SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE). But, where do I buy my computer? For general use, I'd suggest going with Lenovo or Asus, although there are plenty other companies you can go with.
But, if you want to get a computer for Gaming, there is more you need to consider.
First of all, you're gonna want to know which games you want to play, and then you're gonna want to look at the recommended specs of the game (not the minimal requirements!) which can be easily found by a simple google search. Then, you're gonna want to find a computer that fits those requirements (remember, the more, the better!). For buying a gaming computer, I'd suggest Ironside Computers (I think they ship worldwide) and what they do is relatively cheap. Oh and also you're gonna want to connect to wifi, make sure what you're buying has a wireless adapter.

Building Computers
Pros:
You're gonna have more "bang for buck". You're not gonna pay extra money to the companies, which can do a big impact on a budget.
It's more customized. You can make a cheap everyday-use computer that looks like a gaming rig with the lights and all the stuff (or vice versa), you can make your build more powerful, etc.
Cons:
You will need some experience.
Some parts may come DOA (dead on arrival) which can really hurt a budget if what you bought didn't come with a warranty (BUT, you can always contact the manufacturer and very few parts doesn't have warranties, I'd just suggest not buying something that doesnt have a warranty)
There is no customer support in custom built computers, you are the customer support, so if the computer won't load up, you're the one that needs to find why.
You can't simply build a laptop or an all-in-one pc.

How to choose and then build the right PC
First of all, you're gonna want to go on the site of your choice,
either PCPartPicker (choose your parts) or ChooseMyPC (generates build), and then you're gonna want to pick your location (if your country isn't listed, I'd suggest not building a computer as you're gonna pay like 80 billion for handeling shipping and taxes!) and then you're gonna want to choose the right parts for you.

CPU/Processor/Microprocessor: For cpus, you're gonna want to get the recommended one for your games and if you want to make a home computer, you're gonna preferably want to have a processor with graphic integrated and core amount/core speed doesn't count that much when you're not getting a gaming build. Speaking about gaming builds. Also, AMD is not better than Intel and vice versa! And if you want to know where your CPU stands at, you can take a look at this useful website.

CPU Cooler/Heat Sink: If you're using a "(EOM/Tray)" CPU (which means it doesn't include a heat sink), you'll need to get a heat sink unless if you want your computer to get in fire. Otherwise, if your CPU includes a heat sink, the only reason you'd want to get another heat sink is to upgrade from your stock one (which I highly recommend). I don't know much about CPU coolers, but I know that water cooling gives higher performance than air cooling (as weird as it might sound for people who have never heard about liquid cooling).

Motherboard: I'm not going to write an entire paragraph on this, as this youtube video explains very well how to choose a motherboard:


RAM/Memory: Now, don't think memory is where you save your files! A lot of people calls storage memory, which is totally wrong! Memory is the amount of gigabytes your computer allocates to any actions you do, but you can't save files on ram. To choose ram, you're gonna need to know if you want to overclock or not. If you will overclock, I'd suggest getting corsair vengeance memory, or even dominator platinum if you are ready to pay more for higher performance. But, if you do not want to overclock, you could turn more into less expensive RAM (also, the minimum amount of ram I suggest for gaming is 8gb). If you are building a Xeon-based server/workstation, ECC ram is way better.

Storage: Storage, which is not memory, is where you store your files. Now, before you just go there buying the less expensive 1tb drive, you MUST know what kind of storage there is! You have HDDs (hard drives), SSDs (solid state drives) and Hybrids. HDDs are the kind of storage most people use. HDDs are normally kinda slow compared to other drives, but they cost less and they can have higher capacity. If you want to get an HDD, get a 7200rpm or higher, or else it's gonna be very slow. Hybrids are faster than the HDDs but they have less possible capacity than HDDs. SSDs are probably the fastest kind of storage but they are smaller than hybrids and hdds, and they have the smallest possible capacity (the ssd with the highest capacity was 16tb and it was made by samsung. It costs 7000$!) I'd suggest getting SSDs in workstations, servers and gaming builds as they will make bootup times and file saving faster.

Video Card/Graphic Card/GPU:


Case: When getting a case, you're the one that decides. Just make sure that it is compatible with every other part.

PSU/Power Supply:


Optical Drive: You're gonna want to get an optical drive if you want to be able to read or write CDs or DVDs. It's pretty easy to get information about optical drives on a retailer site or the manufacturer's official site.

Sound Card:


Wireless Network Adapter: This is, in my opinion, one of the most important parts in your computer. What it does? It lets you connect to the internet without an Ethernet cable! Pretty much any wireless adapter will be compatible with any router, so the only thing you have to worry about now is how fast you want your connection to be.

Now that you have all your parts, it's time to build your computer!


Whenever you buy a computer, remember, there is not a choice that is better than the other. Intel is not better than amd and nvidia is note better than ati/amd (and vice versa). PC building is not better than buying. It depends on what the other person needed.

I really hope this thread helped people choosing what computer they needed. Have a wonderful day!
If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments or by PMing me or @valentino (who really helped me with this thread).​

 

I have the worst luck with expensive things, so I'm not gonna trust myself with building a PC, so I'm taking option 1.

I was suggested an ironside computer, but 4 GB RAM and kinda crap specs overall for $600? Nty. I'm currently looking at intel, as one of their gaming PCs goes for $63o, and will probs last me to 2020 on graphics, gaming, and office use. If you find anything between $400-$600 in means of desktops that have not-shit specs, I would gladly appreciate suggestions ty very much.

 

1. Figure out everything you need to put in a tower.
2. Shop on Newegg.
3. Ez-Pz