Got parts?

Building your own computer has become more and more common as the economy has forced us to look for cheaper solutions. Where can I buy computer parts though? Is it cheaper online or offline? The answer is that it’s definitely cheaper to buy computer parts online from many of the trusted companies. This article will introduce you to 3 companies that have notable reputations among online computer component buyers.

Newegg.com

Newegg is the premier stop for all of your computer part needs. With warehouses located all over the country, Newegg is able to offer great prices and shipping times on any parts you may need. Notable advantages to buying from Newegg include there Newegg Deals, mail-in rebates and great prices. That’s why they’ve declared their slogan “Once you know, you Newegg”. Newegg has over 26000 reviews on resellerratings.com and a 9.85/10 rating and an A rating on the Better Business Bureau website (BBB). If you’re looking for a highly reliable and popular website, look no further than Newegg.com.

Tigerdirect.com

A competitor of Newegg, Tigerdirect has become another popular website to buy anything from computer parts to TVs. Tigerdirect offers back to school specials that students may find especially appealing as they’re much discounted. In addition to offering discounts for students, Tigerdirect often has deals on parts and sets just like Newegg. Like Newegg, Tigerdirect often includes mail-in rebates on many of their products saving you money. Tigerdirect has 6000 reviews with a 9.16/10 rating on resellerratings.com as well as an A rating from the BBB.

NCIX.com

NCIX.com is a lesser known vendor, but that doesn’t mean it is any less powerful than Newegg or Tigerdirect. A defining feature of NCIX.com is the ability to create your computer and pay an extra $50 to have NCIX assemble it for you. This makes NCIX the choice for casual buyers who don’t understand how to put a computer together. NCIX often has specials of the week or month that offer lower prices on pre-built computers, and even bundle deals for certain computer components. NCIX has 600 reviews with a 9.76/10 rating on reseller ratings and an A rating from the BBB.

When build your own computer, these three websites can offer you any parts you need as well as fantastic service. You can also take advantage of their great deals and services such as computer building making them a much better choice than going to your local computer vendor.

Photo Credits: ctitze

Originally posted 2009-11-18 03:55:07.

Computer parts...

1. Recycle- Perhaps the best thing you can do with your old computer is to recycle it. Many computer parts such as the hard drive are completely reusable saving you money when you decide to make the purchase towards a new computer. You may even be able to find a use with some of the other parts such as a case that have nothing to do with a computer. Plain recycling is also a choice, and may computer manufacturers such as Dell and Gateway do accept old computers for recycling.

2. Donate/Hand down- If you’re feeling generous, you can always donate your computer to a charity. Make sure you investigate the company you are donating to, you want to make sure they’re a non-profit refurbishing company and that they give the donated computers to schools or other worthy causes. Handing down your computer to relatives and friends is also a great way to get your computer off your hands.

3. Return- HP offers a return program where you can return your old PC for a discounted price off of a new one. While this may not seem to be the best value for your money, it’s a guarantee and it helps save you money towards a future purchase. If your computer is very aged, be prepared for a mediocre amount of money, however.

4. Upgrade- If your computer is only a few years old, why would you completely replace it? Many computer parts can easily be popped in and out and be upgraded. This allows you to increase the productivity of your computer while avoiding the cost of a brand new computer. Common parts that are upgraded are video cards, RAM, and external parts such as the monitor, keyboard and mouse.

5. Resell- Reselling your computer is one way to get rid of your computer where you can decide how much money you’d like to receive. It’s important to be reasonable with price considering technology becomes dated quickly. Ask around, many friends and family members may be waiting for an opportunity for a new cheap computer.

When trying to get rid of your old computer, it’s very important to consider all of the options you have. Weigh the hassle and the reward that you will deal with when approaching each method and it will be obvious which the right choice is for you.

Photo Credits: jon_a_ross

Originally posted 2009-11-17 03:44:43.

Things to Remember When Buying a Gaming Computer

* RAM-Ram or Random Access Memory is one of the biggest problems that many people face when trying to create a PC that can run high end video games. The good news is that RAM is probably the least expensive hardware cost that you will spend, being about $150 at most. Make sure if possible that the RAM you buy is DDRM3 and not 2 because DDRM3 will be faster. It’s important to have at least two gigabytes of ram if you’re running Vista, but you should shoot for four.

* Graphics Card-Your GPU or graphics card is probably the most important part of your purchase when buying a gaming computer. It’s important to note what memory associates your GPU. You should ideally shoot for about 512 MB along side of your card, but it’s completely acceptable to buy a 256 card. It’s extremely important to realize that you should never buy any computer utilizing an integrated graphics card if your purpose is playing high-end 3D games.

* Processor-Processing data and multitasking is very important for gaming computers because it plays a part in determining the speed of your computer. If you get a duo or quad core processor you’re splitting up the work done by your computer making it much more efficient. Processor speed is measured in Ghz and a 3.0Ghz duo core processor is probably the most value you can get for your money. While quad core processors are new and flashy, they aren’t fully utilized in gaming yet, though you may want to purchase one for the future.

* Hard Drive- Making sure that your computer has enough hard drive space is very important when you’re playing video games since many games now can cost you up to 10 gigabytes in hard drive space. This isn’t as important for in-game performance, but hard drives are still a important part of your computer that is required.

When buying your new gaming computer be sure to question your needs while trying to minimize your cost. If you consider the above parts carefully you can construct a very powerful computer that can last you for the years to come.

Photo Credits: Steve Crane

Originally posted 2009-12-03 03:23:07.

From scratch...

1. Compatibility- Compatibility is one of the biggest things to keep in mind when ordering computer parts. You want to make sure that all of your parts can work in harmony so that your computer actually works. This can be a hassle if you happen to order from a site or store where the parts can’t be returned for full price. Most often you should look at your motherboard when determining compatibility, but it will take some research.

2. Be patient, don’t force- A common problem many people face when building their new computer is that parts aren’t fitting very well. This is extremely common if you buy a small case and get a top of line video card. It’s important never to try to jam the thing inside of your case with all of your might, but it’s also important to at least put a respectable amount of pressure on it to make it fit.

3. Connections- So you have put together your computer, but a USB drive isn’t working or the video card isn’t outputting to the monitor. What happened? It’s very likely you misguided your power supply cable to wherever it was suppose to go. Make sure to check and to double check where each connection is supposed to go.

4. OS- This could go under compatibility, but it’s a little different. It’s important to keep in mind when building your computer that certain parts are not compatible with a specific OS. This is a big problem if you’re buying new parts and are trying to run an older Windows OS. If you’re trying to install a brand new Windows 7 OS onto an old windows 98 computer this is also likely to thwart you

Building a computer is a fun and a rewarding experience. I most usually comparing to finishing a Lego set. Like Legos, however, computers can be very frustrating if all the pieces are not fitting together properly. It’s very important to have patience and to not make any mistakes out of frustration.

Photo Credits: moriza

Originally posted 2009-11-16 03:36:41.