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Choosing Between Self-Built and Pre-Build Gaming PCs

Gaming PCs are an important part of the general gaming scene in the UK. As consoles become more advanced and expensive, people find it harder to choose between consoles that were much cheaper than gaming PCs or buying a gaming PC that was once considered too costly for casual gamers. Due to the increase in the price of gaming consoles, many gamers are finding it easier to justify the increased expense of PCs and find many benefits to their choice. 

Anyone used to gaming with a PC rather than a console will tell you that PCs bring something to the gaming experience that consoles simply can’t. For one, you can completely customise a PC to contain all the parts you prefer. Consoles, on the other hand, cannot be personalised, and because they are sealed units, you can’t upgrade the parts like you can with a PC. It is this versatility that makes PCs so popular among gamers. If you have found yourself drawn to this kind of gaming system over consoles, you might be wondering whether you will be better off buying a PC bundle or building your own rig from scratch. 

Benefits of self-built and pre-built PCs

Unless you are experienced in PC gaming, you might be a little intimidated by the idea of building or configuring your own PC, and this is entirely normal. There is a lot to learn regarding the various components and the seemingly endless variety of specifications they are available in. You’ll be pleased to know that you don’t need a computer science degree to build or configure your own PC - just some targeted research - but if you are still put off by the idea, then you will always have the option to choose a pre-built gaming computer.

The benefit of building or configuring your own PC is that you will have complete control over all the components you use. This means you will be able to pick the parts you want to spend more or less money on, such as choosing a cheaper case and buying additional RAM. On the other hand, if you choose pre-built PCs, you can be sure that all the components will be compatible with each other and will work well. You will also have stats on the PC’s performance available without having to work them out by yourself. 

Whether you prefer to build or configure your own PC or choose an off-the-shelf option, you can save yourself some money by choosing a PC bundle with a monitor and all the other essential peripherals such as a keyboard and mouse. Bundles are a great choice for new and experienced gamers alike because they are often customisable to a degree, meaning you will be able to choose from a set range of compatible components and customise your rig to perform how you need it to. 

With modern PC retailers giving their customers so much choice in terms of components and configuration, it’s a pretty close call between choosing a pre-built or a configurable package. In truth, the real decision you need to make is whether you want to have a complete PC shipped to you or choose all your components separately and build your own PC from scratch. You might be surprised to know that beginners can build their own PCs; they just need to learn a little about the process first and make sure they have everything they need. 

Suppose you fancy having a go at building your own PC but are having trouble knowing where to start. First, you should think about the kinds of games you play because this will give you a good idea of the kind of specifications you’ll need. It is always a good idea to look online in forums for information on what other people have built to play the games you want to play, but you can also reach out to your retailer for advice. You’ll be able to tell them about the games you play, and they can then make recommendations on which components you’ll need for a self-build or which pre-built or configurable PC will be best for your needs and your budget.

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