5 Effective Tips to Save Money When Building a New Computer
Many of us prefer to buy a "builder" machine over a Workstation computer, so that we can control every part we want to use in the computer. But the problem lies in the multiplicity of parts, their types and classification; there are multiple generations of processors, there are different shapes and types of motherboards and RAM, there are many sizes and classifications of hard disks .
and so on. And because each part has a completely different price than the other, you will need to determine your budget first and then search for each part on the Internet to assemble the new computer. But what if your budget is limited .
very limited! And at the same time you want to buy a new computer (for games) ? This will not be a dream, but you can get a new computer that performs excellently and at a low cost - only if you follow the tips in this article, as they help you save money while assembling a new computer, whatever the budget.
First: Use old components from your current computer when assembling a new computer.
If you’re building a new computer, you’re probably ready to get rid of your old one. But wait… before you throw it away, why not use some of those old parts in your new computer? There’s no better way to save money than to get free parts from a computer you already own.
And even if you’re not ready to throw away your current computer, you or a friend may still have an old computer sitting around collecting dust! Why not use up the parts of that computer if they’re still working? It’s a bit of a risk because those parts will soon fail and you’ll need to replace them anyway.
Maybe those old parts aren’t compatible with the computer’s capabilities. But try it. If you can use those old parts in your new computer, you’ll save money and free up more budget for new parts.
One of the older parts you’re likely to use in your next computer is the hard drive , as it works for a long time even if it’s been sitting idle for years, and it’ll be easier to move from an old computer to a new one if you use the same hard drive you used on your old computer. This is a great way to save anywhere from $20 to $50 depending on the capacity and type of hard drive. However, if you want better performance, you’ll probably want to avoid reusing your old processor, motherboard, graphics card, power supply, and RAM, as they likely won’t perform as well on a new build.
Second: Buy used parts - carefully -
If you don’t have any old computers or spare parts lying around, it’s probably a better idea to buy used hardware than to pay extra for new ones. But as we mentioned in the previous section, you should be careful when it comes to the parts you’re going to use in your new build. For example, used processors can work just fine as long as they’re not overclocked or overvolted.
Buying used RAM can also help you build a new computer without breaking the bank. The same goes for the case, which is the first thing anyone looking to build a new computer will look for. But when it comes to the motherboard, graphics card, and other essential parts of the computer, you may be less inclined to buy used ones, not because they won’t perform as well as you expected — you just have to be more careful when buying these used parts.
To buy used hardware, there are several places you can look. You can either check out OLX to buy used components locally, or Facebook Marketplaces to buy used parts from anywhere in the world. However, in my opinion, eBay is the best in such cases, as it is a great place to find good pages on used computer components. But let me tell you, it is risky. The only reassuring thing here is that the site allows you to refund deals that do not go well, so if you buy a part and discover that it is defective, you will be able to return it again safely.
Third: Buy computer assembly components at the right time.
Buying at the right time and getting the best deals is more of an art than a science. There are actually specific times when it’s cheaper to buy and build a new computer than usual. Let me tell you, in some cases, you can build the same computer for 30 or 40% less than it would normally cost you.
All you have to do is wait to buy the components until the big sales days like Black Friday (or White Friday in the Arab world!), Cyber Monday , or the shopping seasons during official holidays and holidays, or Amazon Prime Day, which in particular usually has great deals on many of the parts you can use in your build.
Discounts and sales are another great opportunity to save money if you understand how they work, but note that there are usually specific conditions that you must follow when getting a discount on one of these components such as not being able to get your money back or giving you a little time to do so once you receive it, but if the deal is done correctly, you will save a lot of money.
Fourth: Do not buy unnecessary components.
Knowing how you’ll be using your new computer beforehand can help you avoid buying unnecessary components. For example, if you don’t consume a lot of RAM because you usually surf the web, watch videos, and run light programs, there’s no point in spending a fortune on 16GB of RAM when 8GB is enough. Note that you’re building a computer, not a laptop , and you can upgrade the RAM as you please later if you find that 8GB is no longer enough for your needs.
Even the best laptops have a hard time upgrading their components. Or if you’re building a budget computer and have chosen a microATX motherboard, there’s no need to buy a full tower case unless you plan to upgrade to an ATX motherboard in the future.
Another component that you should not consider buying in 2018 is a CD/DVD drive. It is now possible to download games, programs, movies and songs from the Internet, so there will be no need to use a drive. And since it is also possible to install an operating system via USB flash drive, you can save about $20 by not buying it.
After planning everything out, before you start buying the parts and components you have chosen, you must carefully review each item on the list and then ask yourself if you really need this part? And what alternatives could be better and more economical. There is a good chance that you will find certain items that can be replaced with other parts that will be cheaper; saving you a significant amount of money.
Fifth: No need for aesthetics!
Of course, aesthetics are a personal choice, but ask yourself if you want your new computer to work exactly the way you want it to or just look average? Spending a lot of money on a fancy case or other fancy aesthetic features doesn’t make sense if you’re on a budget and trying to save money. Try to spend as much of your money on performance as possible because ultimately, you won’t care about what your computer looks like as much as what it can do. So, focus on the internal components first and test the computer’s performance for a while, and if you have the money, you can consider adding some cool RGB lighting.
Bottom line: The more money you can save by purchasing premium hardware components for your next PC build, the more money you can put into your pocket! Or you can spend it on essential components for your PC, giving you more performance in the end.