Build it myself or buy a preconfigured...

Hrimnir

Hey guys.  I've finally gotten to the point where i'm ready to buy my nephew something decent for gaming.

Originally i was going to give him my old gaming PC (i7 2600k, gtx 760, etc etc), however that PC has been doing server duty running dedicated servers for Ark, Conan, etc.  So i'm not ready to give it up just yet.

Here is the dilemma.  I have an extra GTX 760 lying around (i had originally SLI'd on the old one) collecting dust in the closet. I've got plenty of cases i can use as well.

Should i:

A. Pickup "the rest of" the components (mobo, ram, PSU, HDD) and use the old video card, putting it together myself. (I have metric shit tons of experience building PC's, that's not the issue).

B. Buy something prebuilt from someone.


Right now i'm leaning towards option B for a few reasons.  


1. When you're getting in the $500-600 range for a complete build, paying $100 for a license of Win10 is a significant cost of the PC, since these vendors get bulk discounts, they can a lot of times sell a pre configured "cheap" PC for less  or roughly the same than i can reasonably build it myself.

2. I really don't want to spend 4-6 hours of my weekend building and configuring, etc, a new PC, so how much is the headache worth for me not to dick with it myself, monetarily speaking. 50 bucks? 100?, etc.

3. While i'm not trying to build any kind of ridiculous gaming rig, just something he can play reasonably modern games like CS:GO and Paladins / Overwatch, etc at decent framerates, the GTX 760 is a bit old and is only a 2gb card.  I'm really not sure it's the best option for him at this point and would prefer something with at least 4gb.

Curious what your guys opinions are on the overall issue, you in particular @Quizzical.

I'd prefer to keep it in the $500 or 600 range and less if possible as i'm not exactly swimming in extra money.

Also any build suggestions would be fantastic.  I know very little on the low/mid end hardware scale of things outside of graphics cards, so if you think a build is the way to go, any CPU/Mobo suggestions would be welcome.

Ridelynn

Option C - give him your current computer, keep that 760. Build/Buy a new  game server. Run linux versions of your servers.

Zebbakei

Option D - Build a pc and install a download of cracked windows for free. I haven't paid for windows in any of my last 4 builds.

Hrimnir

Ridelynn said:

Option C - give him your current computer, keep that 760. Build/Buy a new  game server

I thought about that, however then i would have to go through, back up a ton of stuff, figure out what i need to save, what i dont, etc, and then reinstall windows.  Not sure i want to deal with that headache frankly.

Ridelynn

Then tell your nephew to buy his own damn computer - that's the least headache option. If you are charitable, give him the $500-600 in cash and point him in the right direction.

Quizzical

Ridelynn said:

Option C - give him your current computer, keep that 760. Build/Buy a new  game server. Run linux versions of your servers.

If it's intended as a game server, would the games even run on a Linux server?

Hyperpsycrow

You can buy legit cheap win 10 here for 10-12 EU

http://www.allkeyshop.com/blog/buy-windows-10-professional-cd-key-compare-prices/

Also i would build a pc my self since the prebuild pc alsways has a shitty motherboard and psu and skanky ram with  800-1200 mhz even the cpu they use dual cores still..overpriced ez money in the pocket for the sellers

They always put in a decent gfx card and makes it the headline for selling the prebuild pc..but overall the pc will sucks hard and the kid will nag you about lags and bad fps

Im using 2 x 970 sli atm but going for the 1080 ti soon when a certain worthy monitor will be released from asus.

Ridelynn

Quizzical said:

Ridelynn said:

Option C - give him your current computer, keep that 760. Build/Buy a new  game server. Run linux versions of your servers.

If it's intended as a game server, would the games even run on a Linux server?

Conan Exiles:
https://steamcommunity.com/app/440900/discussions/0/133256240741724410/

Ark:
http://arksurvivalevolved.gamewalkthrough-universe.com/dedicatedservers/linux/Default.aspx

Don't know what other games you are looking at. Source-based games all have linux-native versions as well.

Quizzical

If you order a computer from a site that lets you pick the exact parts, then it's not guaranteed that you're saving that much on the OS.  Sometimes if you get the computer without an OS installed, that saves you $100 as compared to having Windows installed.  A cursory look at AVA Direct is that having Windows 10 costs $105 more than no OS.  On Cyber Power PC, it's a difference of $60.

If you buy from a site like Dell that gives you far fewer part choices, then yeah, they get the OS for cheaper.  But it also means that you get a computer loaded up with so many cheap junk parts that you're likely to regret it later.

How old is this nephew?  Would it be viable to tell him that if he wants the new computer, he has to assemble it himself?  My parents once told my sister that if she wanted a new computer, she'd have to do the rebates herself.

Hrimnir

Quizzical said:

If you order a computer from a site that lets you pick the exact parts, then it's not guaranteed that you're saving that much on the OS.  Sometimes if you get the computer without an OS installed, that saves you $100 as compared to having Windows installed.  A cursory look at AVA Direct is that having Windows 10 costs $105 more than no OS.  On Cyber Power PC, it's a difference of $60.

If you buy from a site like Dell that gives you far fewer part choices, then yeah, they get the OS for cheaper.  But it also means that you get a computer loaded up with so many cheap junk parts that you're likely to regret it later.

How old is this nephew?  Would it be viable to tell him that if he wants the new computer, he has to assemble it himself?  My parents once told my sister that if she wanted a new computer, she'd have to do the rebates herself.

He is 14 and has no experience whatsoever with PC hardware. So i'd pretty much have to guide him through the process, which i'm not opposed to doing.  But i was more trying to ease him into the PC gaming master race thing. Right now he is a pretty dedicated console gamer, and really only plays stuff like minecraft and zombie stuff on the PC i've rigged to be as gaming as possible at my parents house. I'm just not sure diving head first in like that is the right way to go.

I figure the age he is at, this should last him decently until he can get a job himself and then at that point if he wants to use his own money to upgrade this one or buy himself new stuff then i can help him put it together, and he will have some skin in the game so to speak.

Hrimnir

Ridelynn said:

Then tell your nephew to buy his own damn computer - that's the least headache option. If you are charitable, give him the $500-600 in cash and point him in the right direction.

Having a bad day today bruh?

laxie

My father builds PCs for a living and absolutely loves it - it's a labor of love for him. Whenever he makes a PC for someone as a gift, he is excited to spend a couple of days with the PC to put it together. For him, putting it together is as much fun as seeing it complete - I think the labor is as much of a present as the PC.

If you are like my father, it makes sense to build it yourself. Based on your OP though, it seems like you are the opposite? If it's going to be a headache for you, something you're not looking forward to, then it's fair to get someone else to do it.

I wouldn't be using the OS License as the main deciding factor. The price is likely going to be accounted for in some other way - either by charing a bit more on the parts, or by using average parts you wouldn't pick yourself. The PC builders don't actually have huge discounts from the suppliers, so they often get the money from you in creative ways.

Ridelynn

Hrimnir said:

Ridelynn said:

Then tell your nephew to buy his own damn computer - that's the least headache option. If you are charitable, give him the $500-600 in cash and point him in the right direction.

Having a bad day today bruh?

Well I didn't exactly mean it that way, but I can see how it would be taken that way. Sorry.

Quizzical

Hrimnir said:

Quizzical said:

If you order a computer from a site that lets you pick the exact parts, then it's not guaranteed that you're saving that much on the OS.  Sometimes if you get the computer without an OS installed, that saves you $100 as compared to having Windows installed.  A cursory look at AVA Direct is that having Windows 10 costs $105 more than no OS.  On Cyber Power PC, it's a difference of $60.

If you buy from a site like Dell that gives you far fewer part choices, then yeah, they get the OS for cheaper.  But it also means that you get a computer loaded up with so many cheap junk parts that you're likely to regret it later.

How old is this nephew?  Would it be viable to tell him that if he wants the new computer, he has to assemble it himself?  My parents once told my sister that if she wanted a new computer, she'd have to do the rebates herself.

He is 14 and has no experience whatsoever with PC hardware. So i'd pretty much have to guide him through the process, which i'm not opposed to doing.  But i was more trying to ease him into the PC gaming master race thing. Right now he is a pretty dedicated console gamer, and really only plays stuff like minecraft and zombie stuff on the PC i've rigged to be as gaming as possible at my parents house. I'm just not sure diving head first in like that is the right way to go.

I figure the age he is at, this should last him decently until he can get a job himself and then at that point if he wants to use his own money to upgrade this one or buy himself new stuff then i can help him put it together, and he will have some skin in the game so to speak.

Does he particularly want a new computer?  If so, and if you help him build one, you could at least go the "you have to fill out the rebate forms" approach.

Hrimnir

laxie said:

My father builds PCs for a living and absolutely loves it - it's a labor of love for him. Whenever he makes a PC for someone as a gift, he is excited to spend a couple of days with the PC to put it together. For him, putting it together is as much fun as seeing it complete - I think the labor is as much of a present as the PC.

If you are like my father, it makes sense to build it yourself. Based on your OP though, it seems like you are the opposite? If it's going to be a headache for you, something you're not looking forward to, then it's fair to get someone else to do it.

I wouldn't be using the OS License as the main deciding factor. The price is likely going to be accounted for in some other way - either by charing a bit more on the parts, or by using average parts you wouldn't pick yourself. The PC builders don't actually have huge discounts from the suppliers, so they often get the money from you in creative ways.

I've been putting my own PC's together since the Pentium II days, and tinkering with my own since the 486 days.  At this point between me, friends, family members, etc, i've put together over 70 PC's in the last 23 or so years.  I'm just kind of burnt out with the whole thing /shrug. Not sure what else to say.

jdnewell

Take the time to build the kid a PC. Get him to help and you basically stand by and instruct him how to do it. This will allow you to spend some quality time with a family member and also teach him how to do it. 
This can either be a teachable moment and help him be proud of something he built, or a " ahh f**k it , i dont feel like the trouble" moment.
Up to you to decide.

simsalabim77

Building a PC is like adult Lego's. 

Hrimnir

jdnewell said:

Take the time to build the kid a PC. Get him to help and you basically stand by and instruct him how to do it. This will allow you to spend some quality time with a family member and also teach him how to do it. 
This can either be a teachable moment and help him be proud of something he built, or a " ahh f**k it , i dont feel like the trouble" moment.
Up to you to decide.

This was honestly the best post IMO for this side of the argument.  I actually ordered a PC last night, found a refurbished Asus that had a GTX 970 and otherwise decent other components for $599.  I think what I might do is have him sit down and learn how to set it up and such.  Hopefully then if he gets "into" PC gaming, then his next PC we can sit down and do together.