MicroByte TekSolutions - Why buy a Custom Built System

Types of Computer Choices:

Netbook	Also referred to as mini notebooks or ultra-portables, are a rapidly evolving category of small, lightweight, and inexpensive laptop computers suited for general computing and accessing Web-based applications
Notebook	A personal computer designed for mobile use which is small and light enough to sit on a person's lap while in use. A laptop integrates most of the typical components of a desktop computer: Display; Keyboard; Mouse (touchpad or a pointing stick); Hard drive; Optical drive; Speakers; and a battery for power.
Tower	A Personal Computer which generally sits on the floor under a desk and contains all the components which make up the computer: Motherboard; Processor; RAM; Hard drive(s), Optical drive(s); Video card; Cooling fans; and Power supply. Connected externally are Display(s), Mouse, Keyboard, Speakers, Camera, Printer(s), etc.
Apple	An alternate computer to the traditional PC made by Apple Computer. These include MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, Mac Mini, and Mac Pro. Computing devices also include the iPad. Since the two types of computers, PC and Apple, are so different, MicroByte TekSolutions currently only offers products and services for the PC. For Apple and Mac information, please refer to http://www.apple.com

What will I use a computer for?

The type of computer you purchase is based on your own needs. Most people use computers for email; accessing the Internet for information; social networking via Facebook or a similar site; playing games alone or online with friends; using accounting systems to run a business; using office software to write letters or reports, do spreadsheets, create presentations, etc.; create a music collection to sync with an iPod or other music device; store digital photographs; use software to manipulate and print photographs; the list is almost endless…

Criteria for Purchase

Price is generally thought of as the biggest concern when purchasing a new computer. What you ultimately want the computer to do for you, and how simple the transition to a new computer is, should be the main criteria for what type of computer to purchase. Below, we compare Prebult big box systems and Custom Computer Solutions.

Differences between Pre Built and Custom Built

Pre-Built

A Pre-Built system is designed for a mass market audience and contains the basic requirements for getting a simple job done. Many come complete with Tower, Keyboard, Mouse, Monitor, Printer, and a wide array of "Trial" software already installed. However, when you buy such a system the onus is on you to (a) lug the boxes home, (b) unpack everything carefully, (c) assemble all components which may or may not be familiar to you, (d) finish installing the Windows operating system, (e) install the anti-virus software before connecting to the Internet, (f) install the new printer that came with the system or connect to an existing printer from a previous system, (g) connect to the Internet and possibly your home network, (h) install any and all outstanding software patches relating to the operating system, (i) installed outstanding software patches for the installed hardware which has probably changed from the day the system was originally built - which may include the motherboard, the monitor, the printer, keyboard and mouse, etc., and (j) transfer the data from your old computer to the new computer so you don't lose anything of value.

The "Trial" software that is included generally expires after 60 days leaving you with the decision of having to uninstall it if you don't want it, or spending more money to keep something you didn't originally intend to buy. The anti-virus also expires after 60 days leaving your system unprotected until it is replaced.

Custom Built

When deciding on Custom vs. Pre-Built, there are a series of questions to answer:

Do you want to do all the work yourself, or have a turnkey solution put in place for you so all you have to do is use it? If you want to perform steps (a) through (j) above, prebuilt is probably a good solution for you. However, if you want to purchase a finished product that works the way you want it to when you turn it on for the first time, then a custom system is the best way to go.
Where will the computer be placed and what is the ventilation like? DUST is a major hazard for computer systems. Dust is an insulator and increases the heat of all components it rests on. Dust also conducts static electricity which can destroy the fragile components inside your computer. It takes as little as 15 volts to fry a circuit, but you can generate over 300 volts running your hand through your hair. If you are electrically charged, and your computer is dusty, your electricity can travel past the case and damage the internal components and you won't know until you turn i on. Therefore, the environment of where the computer will reside is important. This determines the size of the case and the material used, the number of internal fans used for cooling, and has an ultimate bearing on the size of the power supply.
Do you have a preference between Intel and AMD for the main processor? Intel historically has been more expensive, and as a result AMD generally provides more power. Internally, Intel has more cache memory, whereas AMD relies on GHz (raw power) for faster systems. Processors are generally a user preference thing, but can produce very different results.
How much drive space is required? Custom built systems generally have room internally for 5 or 6 drives. With terabyte (TB) drives now becoming more affordable, multiple drives are not always required. However, some applications work significantly better if the scratch drive is different from the program drive.
Do you want a 32 or 64 bit operating system. Windows 7 now comes in both flavours and both work very well. There are still not a lot of applications written for 64 processors, but 32 bit processors can only address 3GB of RAM or less. Depending on the application you will use, Photoshop for example, the more RAM the better and 64 bit processing will give you an edge.
How many display screens do you want to use? If the answer is one, almost any system will do. If you want two, then you will probably need a system that has a dedicated video card as opposed to video being built into the motherboard. If you want more than two, and there are many reasons why you would, then you need the power of a custom system to get the right mix of video cards.
Do you need the flexibility of wireless networking? Do you want a wireless keyboard and mouse? Will you be using external storage for backup? What additional things might you use the computer for 6 to 12 months from now?

If you would like to discuss the option of a custom built system further, or have questions about this list, please call us at (204) 771-8930 or send an email to MicroByte TekSolutions.