Saturday, December 20, 2008

Custom Built Computers - The Glory of Customisation

By Dan Ashton

Custom built PCs - what's the point? One problem with store-bought, off-the-shelf computers is they are well-rounded, average machines built for general use. That may not seem like a problem, and for people just needing a small home office, it isn't. But for people using their computers for very specific purposes, store-bought general use computers are often just not good enough.

When you buy a custom built computer, on the other hand, you can carefully pick out the best hardware and software for your specific purpose. You'll end up with a computer better suited to your needs, and often cheaper than a store-bought PC. Here's some examples of people with special hardware needs:

The Gamer. New video games constantly push the limits of what PCs can handle. Buying a store-bought PC fast enough to run the newest games basically means having to buy the most powerful and expensive one available. Consequently, lots of hard-core video gamers have custom-built computers designed to run games at optimal efficiency (and often at a cheaper price tag).

The priorities for a gaming PC are speed and graphics. With the advent of online gaming, the last thing you want is to fall behind your online competitors because yoru PC can't keep up. With a computer that has been built specifically for this purpose, you have the ability to upgrade various parts (such as the graphics card) without having to purchase a new PC.

Every now and then you hear about the next music superstar who made their first tracks in their bedroom or garage. Now in order to do that they will have needed something different to your standard PC. Fast processing speeds are essential, as are high spec audio cards and a decent memory. If you want to make your own music or mix your own tracks, then you will need a very specific system custom made for these requirements.

The advancement of the internet has meant that a lot of people who previously would have had to work from an office or studio can now work from home. A prime example of this are people who edit video for a living. This can range from large scale movie editing to wedding DVDs. This has meant a raft of software specifically designed for video editing, and as per the gaming machines it is vital that your PC can not just run the software, but run it well.

The more powerful the better is the guideline for video editing. Faster and more efficient computers render fancy effects and titles faster. For High Definition editing, then it is generally better to go for the most powerful processor available. For video editors, it's vital to ensure that a system has the capability to be upgraded, particularly if you are doing high-resolution work or 3D graphics production.

As we have said, there are many scenarios where a standard PC just will not cut the mustard, I hope I've given you a taste of what they may look like.

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