Do you build your own computer?

I am currently taking an A+ course, and as I am learning, I think to myself, I should build my own computer. I am in the market for a new one, but if I learn all this A+ stuff, shouldn't I be able to build my own?

Do you all build your own?

or is it like changing your own oil? Like I know how to change my own oil, but I would much rather just drive through a quick change and pay someoen to do it

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Devilsbane

za3bour wrote: »

I can't imagine not having a desktop at my house.

If I had space for one I would like one. I don't like to keep my laptop on when it isn't needed. It would be nice to have a dedicated (low end) machine for downloading stuff or things like that.

wd40

MentholMoose wrote: »

Why not? My ThinkPad supports dual external monitors. It has VGA and DP output built in, and the dock I have has two DP and two DVI ports (only two outputs can be enabled at a time, though). I use a DP to HDMI adapter to connect to a 1080p HDTV, with audio over HDMI. Now if I wanted a triple monitor setup (well, I do want it, but don't need and cannot justify it) I would be out of luck, whereas with a desktop I could just add another video card, or get an Eyefinity card.

I have an HDMI port on my laptop

, and I can connect an ergonomic keyboard and mouse to it etc etc, but then it would not be much of a laptop then

.

as I said, it can be done, but it will never be the same

Devilsbane

wd40 wrote: »

I have an HDMI port on my laptop , and I can connect an ergonomic keyboard and mouse to it etc etc, but then it would not be much of a laptop then .

as I said, it can be done, but it will never be the same

You just reminded me of this.

http://www.amazon.com/3M-Vertical-Notebook-Ergonomic-Adjustment/dp/B0006HVM4A/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1286302889&sr=1-3

Basically a docking station that repositions your laptop so that it is out of the way and the screen is at a good angle. Then you can plug in your keyboard and mouse and use it as a desktop.

As for my laptop, I have a VGA and an HDMI out. I've never tried to use them both at the same time...

Paul Boz

wd40 wrote: »

People always ask me, why do you still use a desktop :

I answer, Big Monitors, more than one of them!

you can have an external monitor connected to your laptop of course, but it is not the same.

I regularly hook my Studio XPS16 to my 52" HDTV and or two LCD monitors. I have never had an issue with amount of screen real estate.

brad- wrote: »

Plus you cant beat it for gaming.

Thats a big reason I havent owned a desktop for years...I had to give up gaming when the family started arriving.

It blows me away that people spend $1000 or more to play crappy games that are buggy and under-developed. You can buy a PS3 or Xbox 360 for 1/3-1/4 the cost of a gaming rig and wind up with a better, more polished product that has far more titles. Sure you may miss out on user-community built add-ons but lets be honest here. After 120+ hours of actual game content do you really want to play fan-mods anyway? Dynamik told me about some rather awesome Oblivion add-ons that radically improve the game but Oblivion has been in my rear-view for like three years now.

tpatt100

Paul Boz wrote: »

I regularly hook my Studio XPS16 to my 52" HDTV and or two LCD monitors. I have never had an issue with amount of screen real estate.

It blows me away that people spend $1000 or more to play crappy games that are buggy and under-developed. You can buy a PS3 or Xbox 360 for 1/3-1/4 the cost of a gaming rig and wind up with a better, more polished product that has far more titles. Sure you may miss out on user-community built add-ons but lets be honest here. After 120+ hours of actual game content do you really want to play fan-mods anyway? Dynamik told me about some rather awesome Oblivion add-ons that radically improve the game but Oblivion has been in my rear-view for like three years now.

I have been thinking like you for a while now. I used to be PC only but the last generation of consoles kind of pulled me away from PC gaming. Not because I think its better hardware but the whole "just drop the disk in and play" vs "install, patch, configure settings etc".

Another reason I enjoy consoles more now is because its become more family oriented. Yes some games are not family friendly but my wife likes to sit with me sometimes when I am playing Modern Warfare 2 because of the cinematic feel of some games. I got everything hooked up to my 61inch tv and the 5.1 surround and she watched me play a lot of Halo Reach this week. What annoys me in multi player when she goes "ooohh that guy got you good" or "oww wow he really got the lead on you" or "oh watch out! oh too late".

Devilsbane

Paul Boz wrote: »

I regularly hook my Studio XPS16 to my 52" HDTV and or two LCD monitors. I have never had an issue with amount of screen real estate.

I had a clunky CRT on my desk and wanted to get rid of it. A new LCD was gonna cost in the low $100's. I opted to spend $300 and bought a 32'' 1080i/720p TV. That way I got to get rid of my old clunky TV, and my monitor in 1 shot. Plus I didn't need to buy a converter box.

tpatt100

Devilsbane wrote: »

I had a clunky CRT on my desk and wanted to get rid of it. A new LCD was gonna cost in the low $100's. I opted to spend $300 and bought a 32'' 1080i/720p TV. That way I got to get rid of my old clunky TV, and my monitor in 1 shot. Plus I didn't need to buy a converter box.

I was going to do that as well but the 720P resolution was kind of too low and 32 inches on my desk meant I would be too close.

Devilsbane

tpatt100 wrote: »

I was going to do that as well but the 720P resolution was kind of too low and 32 inches on my desk meant I would be too close.

Well the TV is in a normal TV position. I just lay in bed with my wireless keyboard and mouse.

brad-

Paul Boz wrote: »

It blows me away that people spend $1000 or more to play crappy games that are buggy and under-developed. You can buy a PS3 or Xbox 360 for 1/3-1/4 the cost of a gaming rig and wind up with a better, more polished product that has far more titles. Sure you may miss out on user-community built add-ons but lets be honest here. After 120+ hours of actual game content do you really want to play fan-mods anyway? Dynamik told me about some rather awesome Oblivion add-ons that radically improve the game but Oblivion has been in my rear-view for like three years now.

The game itself was always a backseat to the semi-social nature of playing with a guild/team on good voice comms. To have a bunch of good ppl on Ventrilo or Teamspeak playing a competitive pvp FPS or MMO is what really kept me tied to gaming. The community etc. Single player games dont really hold my attention.

Chris:/*

There is also a difference in player type console players jump into one game and then the next like it is today's fashion. You more often see PC gamers stick with a couple of games mod them and share with the community.

I must disagree about a more polished product coming out on consoles, they are just tailored more to the hardware set it was made for.

Everything goes in cycles though people jump back and forth between consoles are better then PCs are better but I really do think this generation is changing that. A few games will remain on PC but with MS desire to make the home entertainment system the focal point of gaming there is going to be less and less support for PC games.

Anonymouse

My current build is pretty old. I built it a few years ago 'cause I was broke. I end up building friends computers for beer or food in recent times. Fry's Electronics around me usually has good looking deals on computers so my next one will probably just be purchased.

RomBUS

I build my desktops, I had just build my second one until a big thunderstorm which knocked out my power and short circuited the mobo. I bought myself a laptop for the meantime and fell in love with owning one. I mean I will get around to repairing or buying a new build as soon as I get the money now that I have steady income coming in

nel

wd40 wrote: »

People always ask me, why do you still use a desktop :

I answer, Big Monitors, more than one of them!

you can have an external monitor connected to your laptop of course, but it is not the same.

i can see what your saying but i hook the laptop up to an external monitor and it works fine for me. main reason is that i take my laptop everywhere so i can do uni work on the go. its great when your away skydiving in the middle of nowehere and you can crack open the mbp to do a quick 5-10 mins here and there when its pi$$ing down with rain

As for gaming, i use the 360 all the way. PC gaming is so 1999 now

but seriously, i just prefer console gaming as it usually has a wider range of titles, plus online seems to be better for many of my games re the number of people who play etc.

wd40

It looks like I am the only supporter of the desktop here

.

I have a 13.3" Laptop for university, a laptop in my opinion should be small, lite weight and quite, in theory I could have bought a Toshiba Qosmio X500 with 18.4" monitor, core i7, dual HDD "or SSD's", but it will not be practical.

I like photography and have loads of pictures + HD videos of my son, I will not keep them on a laptop

again, in theory, I can buy the powerful laptop, a network storage device for my important files, a docking station and large monitors but the cost will be much more than using a desktop and buying a cheap laptop to be used on the move.

DevilWAH

wd40 wrote: »

It looks like I am the only supporter of the desktop here .

nope I love the desktop, and I still believe that for gaming the desktop is still the king.

Yes consoles come out top in some games, but I have yet to find a console that is so easily configured to adapt to different gaming styles.

I have a friend who plays lots of FPS games at competivie level (cash winnings), I don't know a single one of them guys who uses a console.

za3bour

I use 360 for games I will never use PC anymore for games it needs a lot of money. I have a laptop that I use for reading/internet ..etc I use my desktop for labbing only

I can't imagine missing any of these three, this setup is the ultimate for me.

wd40

My BIG graphics card on my BIG Full tower case was dying for a few weeks and I just ignored it

, yesterday I decided to update the drivers thinking that maybe it will solve the problem, I was wrong, this accelerated it's death

.

So, I opened it and it turned out one of the two fans was stuck

, and the thermal grease was like sand

.

I thought, that's it I will never find a replacement fan locally and I will have to replace the Card

..

Then I checked the manufacturers site, it was available, shipping costs 2 times the cost of the fan but a total of 9.60 US$ is much cheaper than buying a new card

http://www.arctic-cooling.com/webshop/product_info.php?cPath=72_75&mID=314&shopid=1

For now I am back to a single 22" monitor