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With all the bits and bytes, choosing what kind of computer to buy can be an overwhelming task - not to mention all the options and accessories - but we'll break it down to make it simpler. When buying a computer, there are so many little details to worry about, it's usually easier to think about the basics first. The three main options are choosing between buying a bunch of parts, buying a generic preassembled model, and buying a brand name preassembled model. Buying all the required parts has its advantages and disadvantages. You can get exactly what you want, sticking more power where you need it without wasting money on options you don't need, and you can control the costs very well by choosing the make and model of every single componant that goes in to your system. Of course, walking away from a computer store with bags of parts is not for the faint of heart. In the best case, it's merely intimidating. For the average PC, there are many settings that may require optimization, like fans for cooling, overclocking settings, motherboard pins, and device drivers, along with the very real possibility of forgetting to buy a needed part half way into your assembly job. In the worst case, you can easily bend componant pins or otherwise break something and waste a chunk of your investment. Still, the effort is often worthwhile, since the costs can be controlled - most home assembled systems cost less than buying a comparable generic pc in the store. Generic PCs can be found at every corner computer store, so availability is certainly in their favor. These systems come already assembled and tested, with no money wasted on paying for name brand, and overall reliability pretty close to par with the more expensive brands. The problem is usually selection - you may not get all that you actually want or need and often end up picking up a package deal that appeals to your wallet with little to no swapping of options between the "low end", "medium end" and "high end" systems. Of course, any currently unused options may be something you will use later, and the fact that these PCs are by nature generic means that later upgrades and modifications are fairly easy, making these middle-of-the-road in terms of price, but popular choices. Brand name PCs put the ring into "you get what you pay for". These systems also come already assembled and tested, but tag on guarantees on the parts and performance with extended warantee options available as well, although the reliability of the parts is only contentiously a little higher than generic parts. You may not get all that you actually want or need, and often end up picking up a package deal that appeals to your wallet, however, there are usually options available to upgrade almost every system feature, from RAM to hard drives to CPU speed to additional cables. This means that prices can quickly baloon while choices get presented that you didn't even know existed - important because later modifications may be more difficult with the proprietary parts. This will at least set your feet in the right direction and prepare you to begin searching for the right computer in the best store, or on the best website.
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