Rolling Your Own PC: Easier Said Than Done? (Pt. 2)
by Mitch Stone, the Accidental Expert
When last we left our intrepid technology columnist, he was preparing to test the theory that anybody can build their own PC from scratch, and save a ton of money at the same time. But first, the mind-numbing technical details.
After much investigation, I decided that my home-brewed PC would be powered by an AMD 2800+ processor on an Abit NF7-S motherboard. I specified an 80 gigabyte hard drive, a CD-DVD combo drive, and a half a gig of RAM. Splurging on a video card, I ordered the formidable ATI Radeon 9800 XT Pro.
Within a few days, cardboard boxes began dropping onto my doorstep.
Ripping open the packages, I discovered immediately that each PC part came with instruction in ten languages. Unfortunately, none of them appeared to be English.
Juggling Parts and Manuals
Following these complex, awkwardly-written and sometimes incomplete instructions would prove to be the biggest challenge of my new PC building career. A certain amount of instinct came into play when deciding whether a plug was supposed to connect here or there on the motherboard. Did I guess right? I wouldn’t know until I was finished.
The assembly process became one of juggling not only components, but multiple instruction manuals — as many as five at a time.
I’ve worked inside of enough computers to appreciate quality fit and finish. Compared to factory-made PCs, I found my project case to be crudely constructed, at least on the inside. It’s full of sharp metallic edges and parts that fit only with exertion.
The CD drive wouldn’t slide into its bay the way the instructions suggested. I was forced to improvise. Then, after installing the video card, I discovered that a cable from the CD drive would no longer reach its motherboard connector. I had to remove the drive and relocate it to a lower bay. This was one of several frustrating, knuckle-busting experiences I had assembling this monster.
When at last I ran out of boards, wires and screws, I threw the switch. Much to my surprise, the PC animated.
“It’s alive!” I shouted, frightening the cats.
After a couple of false starts, WindowsXP installed, and so did the various device drivers.
My home brewed PC actually works. I’ve decided to call it “Frankie.”
I spent about six hours building Frankie, not including research or shopping. The bill, excluding shipping and tax, came to $821.00. After ordering the PC parts, I rechecked the benchmark Dell Dimension 4600 system I’d used for comparison purposes in the first round of this exercise. It now prices out at $1,138.00, nearly $200.00 more than a month ago.
It probably isn’t entirely fair to compare the Dell to the PC I built. Dell’s pricing structure is loaded with inducements geared towards encouraging the purchase of extras. In building myself, I missed out on Dell’s offer of a 17-inch flat panel display for only $50.00. They’d also throw in some bundled software, though nothing I’d be likely to miss.
As some my readers pointed out last month, by home-building I’d also forego warranty service. Or, as the manufacturer of my video card advised in their manual “for more assistance, contact the computer manufacturer.”
I called myself, but was put on hold for an hour.
Make No Small Plans
My advice for anyone else who might be tempted to home-brew is to build large. Fabricating a high-end PC won’t take any longer than a middling machine like mine, and the cost savings are likely to be more significant. I’d also council patience, and knowing someone who can bail you out if you get stuck.
But think twice before you take on a project like this just to save money. Do it because you enjoy a good challenge, and the personal satisfaction of being able to say, “I built that.” It’s a claim not everyone can make.
What did I hear? Why, it must be Igor, calling me back to the lab.
05 July 2004 |
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