Build Your Own PC -- Or Upgrade an Old One

I tried it once. I built a PC from scratch and it reminded me of a Heathkit electronics kit I assembled for a Boy Scout merit badge.

Sure, I saved some money--but overall, I didn't enjoy it. Intel's motherboard manual was poorly written and confusing; I never got the front USB ports to work; and I cut my hand on a sharp edge inside of the case.

You Want To Do It?
Some of you may be interested, though, and I dug up some glass-half-full pieces you might look at. PC World's Zack Stern seemed to have fun and was clearly successful. Zack's probably 22 and makes use of a pocket protector. (Read Build Your Own High-Def PC.)

Tom Mainelli, on the other hand, admittedly isn't a youngster, so he's less tolerant of noisy PCs. He tackled the problem by convincing a PC World editor to let him build a quiet computer. He did it, in two parts (How to Build a Superfast, Superquiet PC, Part 1 and Part 2), and it's a great instructional how-to. The reader comments are also fun.

Earlier in the year, Tom decided to build a tiny, cigar-box PC, something that could fit on his kitchen counter. (See Build a PC So Small It'll Fit in a Drive Bay.) He used a Pico-ITX MOBO from Via, a company specializing in tiny, energy-efficient motherboards.

BTW, if you're into form over function, check out these 15 Offbeat Computer Designs.

Tomorrow: Save some money by fixing up your notebook.