As many students can attest to, the number of customized computers on campus is pretty high. Whether you see them at the LAN parties (guilty as charged), or in dorm rooms, these cool and unconventional looking towers are everywhere. Why do students go out of their way to build these bulky hunks of metal? Not only is it a cool representation of what you are capable of, it also provides a rich and rewarding experience.
From what I have noticed, most of the students here on campus use their computers for gaming. There are many other reasons to build your own computer, such as the benefit of knowing every aspect of your computer and what role each part plays. This can be very helpful for troubleshooting, as you will know the roots of any problems you should encounter. Other than that, the feeling of carefully putting in each part, seeing it all come together, and powering everything on is gratifying.
I have asked those that I know about their experience with building their computers and comparing them to mine. A good friend of mine, freshman Evan Bedser, commented on the matter.
For him, the act of building his computer was a chance to experience the freedom of being able to play around with the internal parts and learn what role each part played and how to configure them. He has assembled three computers, and each was a learning experience.
Though the task seems daunting at first, it is easier to begin building computers now more than ever. There are hundreds of forums filled with experienced computer enthusiasts who can lead you in the right direction. These sites include Reddit’s /r/buildapc, where many redditors post their own personal builds as well as solutions to any problems one may encounter while assembling a computer. YouTube, in my experience, has also acted as a useful resource for building computers. Other than that, there is a site, pcpartpicker.com, that I have used the most while assembling my computer. It allows users to input parts they are looking for, and where to find them at the lowest price.
I can confirm these feelings because I also have a custom computer. In the summer before my senior year of high school, I had gathered enough cash to finally build a computer. Originally I had wanted to assemble my own computer to run video games that were impossible to run on my poor Mac Mini. After receiving my parts in the mail, I eagerly set them up on my table and started watching tutorials on the internet. I thought I could assemble anything. Though it took me a couple hours, the computer turned on and it was the best feeling I have had in a long time.
My advice to those who haven’t assembled a computer before: take the time to do the research. List everything you want to do with it and build your computer to be optimized for your tasks. Besides that, have fun!
