Eleanor Fudd
Member
In the modest I-7 range, a custom job with good components would cost about 40-50% more [+ or -] than an HP or other brand name job. Is it worth the expense for the custom job?
Thank you.
Thank you.
Custom build or brand-name desktop
- Thread starter Eleanor Fudd
- Start date
TetraFish
Well-known member
I don't think it would cost that much more. I haven't bought a brand name pc for years, I just buy parts and put them together.
With an HP you get so much crap you don't need you'll spend a day deleting stuff you don't need. With a home recording PC you want to keep it as simple as possible. To me there's no question, custom build.
Go to a shop that sells parts and tell them what you want. Set a budget and have them put something together that fits in that range.
With an HP you get so much crap you don't need you'll spend a day deleting stuff you don't need. With a home recording PC you want to keep it as simple as possible. To me there's no question, custom build.
Go to a shop that sells parts and tell them what you want. Set a budget and have them put something together that fits in that range.
EtherealEntity
Dreamer
From what I've heard a custom (built yourself) would cost about the same. A custom built by a company (for example ADK) will indeed cost perhaps 50% more but you get exactly what you need and nothing else. ADK built my laptop and installed and setup everything for me. Definately worth that extra price imo.
You can do it yourself if you know what your doing for around thesame price as a HP etc.
You can do it yourself if you know what your doing for around thesame price as a HP etc.
Eleanor Fudd
Member
Thanks for the replies. On the point of HP software, I could clean that stuff quickly enough. The hardware is the thing I am concerned about.
As EtherealEntity says, you can do it yourself if you know what you're doing. 
Most consumer computer which is not built for audio-specific purposes (HP, Acer etc.) works great for, erhh, consumers. But most of the crap inside is poor quality parts (poor as in poor performance) which only sounds good in the add. Even if it says it has 4Gb of ram, it might read "UP TO 4GB RAM" in small letters, which means thay can upgrade it for you.
And yeah, all the software HP puts in their computers are crap, which slows down everything else.
If you got the know-how, or are willing to jump into it and try, i highly recommend you build it yourself. Or as mentioned, go down to a computer store (not HP-heaven!) and ask them if they can build one for you with your specifications.
Good luck!
Magnus
Most consumer computer which is not built for audio-specific purposes (HP, Acer etc.) works great for, erhh, consumers. But most of the crap inside is poor quality parts (poor as in poor performance) which only sounds good in the add. Even if it says it has 4Gb of ram, it might read "UP TO 4GB RAM" in small letters, which means thay can upgrade it for you.
And yeah, all the software HP puts in their computers are crap, which slows down everything else.
If you got the know-how, or are willing to jump into it and try, i highly recommend you build it yourself. Or as mentioned, go down to a computer store (not HP-heaven!) and ask them if they can build one for you with your specifications.
Good luck!
Magnus
Lungsh0t
New member
It is always possible to get more bang for your buck if you build it yourself. I just put one together for a family member for around 800 bucks that will blow the pants off of anything hp can do for that price range.
VomitHatSteve
Hat STYLE. Not contents.
I've generally found that home-building gives you better hardware for slightly less price.
Plus, if you're using it for audio, some of the things which are practically necessities (e.g. a good sound card) are never included in pre-fab PCs, and you'd void your warranty putting it in later.
Plus, if you're using it for audio, some of the things which are practically necessities (e.g. a good sound card) are never included in pre-fab PCs, and you'd void your warranty putting it in later.