How to actually save money building the PC yourself?

[Crazy_Zaul]

I have never built a PC before but considered trying it for my next one.

PC gamers all say that building the PC yourself is a lot cheaper then buying full PC from normal retailers or custom build websites but I just can't find that to be the case.

I made a build on PC specialist and then removed the GPU and the price went down by £62. Then looked for that GPU on its own and the cheapest I could find it for was about £73. Adding up the individual costs of all the other parts comes to about the same price as the build without the GPU.

I found out about motherboard bundles with the Mobo, CPU and a 4GB stick of ram but the cheapest one is the same price as buying the 3 individually.
Then I found barebones PCs which also have the case and PSU but the extra cost was the same amount as buying a case with PSU included on its own.

So how do you actually get components cheaper than what they are valued at in a pre built system?

Do components go on sale at Christmas etc?

 

[Mizchief-n-Mayhem]

Ok i just did this for fun on pcpartpicker.com and cyberpowerpc.com. Okay so here are my side by side results you tell me why the ship built version is over 300 dollars more(cyberpowerpc.com).


PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/1GLpk
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/1GLpk/by_merchant/
Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/1GLpk/benchmarks/

CPU: AMD FX-8320 3.5GHz 8-Core Processor ($153.61 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.98 @ Outlet PC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-970A-D3P ATX AM3+/AM3 Motherboard ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($67.50 @ Newegg)
Storage: Sandisk Ultra Plus 256GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($159.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Green 3TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive ($114.99 @ Microcenter)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 3GB Video Card ($199.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Thermaltake Commander MS-I ID ATX Mid Tower Case ($37.99 @ Microcenter)
Power Supply: Corsair CX 750W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($56.50 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Pioneer BDR-208DBK Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($57.99 @ Adorama)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($87.98 @ Outlet PC)
Monitor: Asus VW226T-TAA 22.0" Monitor ($147.58 @ Newegg)
Keyboard: AZIO Levetron Clicker Wired Standard Keyboard ($39.99 @ NCIX US)
Mouse: AZIO Levetron Wired Laser Mouse ($34.99 @ Microcenter)
Total: $1279.07
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-09-23 11:36 EDT-0400)



*BASE_PRICE: [+730]
BLUETOOTH: None
CAS: Thermaltake Commander Mid-Tower Gaming Case [-4] (Black Color)
CASUPGRADE: None
CD: Pioneer BDR-207BKS 12X Blu-Ray Writer (Black Color) [+60]
CD2: None
COOLANT: Standard Coolant
CPU: AMD FX-8320 3.50 GHz Eight-Core AM3+ CPU 8MB L2 Cache & Turbo Core Technology
CS_FAN: Default case fans
ENGRAVING: None
ENGRAVING_MSG:
FA_HDD: None
FAN: * CoolerMaster Hyper 212 Evo Gaming Cooling Fan [+4]
FLASHMEDIA: None [-3]
FREEBIE_MB: 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi + Bluetooth 4.0 Combo w/ Dual Antenna PCI-E Adapter [+0]
FREEBIE_VC1: FREE AMD Tahiti Bundle Game Coupon [+0]
FREEBIE_VC2: FREE Sleeping Dogs Game Coupon [+0]
FREEBIE_VC2: None
GLASSES: None
HDD: 256GB ADATA SP900 SATA-III 6.0Gb/s - 555 MB/s Read & 530 MB/s Write [+168] (Single Drive)
HDD2: 3TB (3TBx1) SATA-III 6.0Gb/s 64MB Cache 7200RPM HDD [+135] (Single Drive)
IEEE_CARD: None
IUSB: Built-in USB 2.0 Ports
KEYBOARD1: AZiO Levetron KB528U Clicker Mechanical Gaming Keyboard [+52]
MEMORY: 8GB (4GBx2) DDR3/1600MHz Dual Channel Memory (Corsair or Major Brand)
MONITOR: 22" Widescreen 1680x1050 TFT Active Matrix LCD Display [+148]
MONITOR2: None
MONITOR3: None
MOTHERBOARD: * [CrossFireX] GIGABYTE GA-970A-DS3P AMD 970 Socket AM3+ ATX Mainboard w/ On/Off Charge, Ultra Durable 4 Classic, 7.1 Audio, GbLAN, 2 Gen2 PCIe X16, 3 PCIe X1 & 2 PCI
MOUSE1: AZiO Levetron GM2000 2000 DPI 6-Buttons USB Gaming Mouse [+10]
NETWORK: Onboard Gigabit LAN Network
OS: Microsoft® Windows 7 Home Premium [+0] (64-bit Edition)
OVERCLOCK: No Overclocking
POWERSUPPLY: 750 Watts - Corsair CX750 750W 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply [+26]
RUSH: NO; READY TO SHIP IN 5~10 BUSINESS DAYS
SERVICE: STANDARD WARRANTY: 3-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY PLUS LIFE-TIME TECHNICAL SUPPORT
SOUND: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO
SPEAKERS: None
TABLET: None
TEMP: None
TVRC: None
USB: None
USBFLASH: None
USBHD: None
USBX: None
VIDEO: AMD Radeon HD 7950 3GB 16X PCIe 3.0 Video Card [+265] (Major Brand Powered by AMD)
VIDEO2: None
VIDEO3: None
WNC: None
PRICE: (+1591)

So you were saying

and as far as the freebies included in the cyberpower build you get any three free games you want just for buying that video card so they are kinda picking for you thus limiting you and that mobo comes with built in wifi so its not really an upgrade and you can get it for $30.00

 

[Crazy_Zaul]

The thread was already answered and finished and also wrong country and completely wrong price range but OK.

 

[Guest]

I originally decided to reuse the case from my old PC,but a local PC store had a going out of business sale I ended up getting a damned good case for $25! Cases range in price so your savings may vary, I was originally looking at $100 case saved some cash by getting that case from the sale. I would have saved $100 reusing my old case.

Bought a new DVD/Blu Ray burner for your current PC? Don't junk it, save it and put in your new rig. A good Blu Ray burner costs at least $99

I also found that if I need additional cables that was much cheaper for me to go to a mom and pop computer repair shop than to go to Best Buy or a big name retailer. I needed an extra SATA cable and was short a thumb screw, I got both for about two bucks (they even gave me two extra screws for free). I will say that some of these places sell parts from companies I have never heard of, so buyer beware if you buy these products.

I know I knocked Best Buy earlier but they do price matching (not sure stores in the UK do that or not). IF BB will price match something I get it from there so that if I get a defective piece of equipment I don't have the hassle of shipping it back.

Finally save money by looking at the software you're intending to use, check the stats to see what that software needs to run then base your build on those stats.

 

[Mizchief-n-Mayhem]

The thread was already answered and finished and also wrong country and completely wrong price range but OK.

type of money doesn't matter most major companies ship overseas or have overseas distributors . secondly it wasn't solved it was unanswered so unless you are the drafter, in which case i am sorry, it needed to be answered.