Where you really begin to save money is on the medium to high end machines or specialty machines. I can build one hell of a gaming rig (within reason) for about 1000$ CDN and one very solid gaming rig for about 700$. Similarly I can build a really tight and aesthetically pleasing HTPC for about 700- 1000$ CDN with all the bells and whistles. Of course I can build you a decent system for 400$ CDN which will do 90% of what you want, entertainment included.
I know it is cliché but the way to save money whether buying or building a PC (and in my experience this applies especially to men, even of the reconstructed variety) is to start by making an *honest* list of what you intend use your pc for. Take this list when buying a pre-built PC and don't let the sales person up sell you. If you start the playing the game of "well for 50$ more I could get this: it becomes 300$ more by the time you hit the sales counter.
Part of the problem with corporate pc builds is they are designed as jack of all trades machines. And kind of like dual purpose motor cycles they don't do anything particularly well. This is part of why MACs do well, what they do do they do very well and their builds are targeted to specific task niches.
Travis
> So, just curious: How much does it cost to put together your own new
> computer?
>
> Joanna
>
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