The only computer I've ever owned has been a not particularly powerful laptop. A month or so ago I decided I was going to try building a pc, since I have discovered that video games are fun and I would like to play them more, and now I have a job that will actually pay for computer parts! However, the hard drive in my laptop started making terrible and ominous noises about a week ago and I fear death is imminent. I don't think I have enough time to save up enough for the parts and finish the project of actually building the computer before my laptop dies and takes all my stuff with it, so I've been considering buying someone's already built used gaming pc instead. My problem is that I don't know fuck about computers. I'm not an idiot when it comes to technology, but when I start looking at lists of specs, my eyes glaze over. I can plod through research on the quality of the individual parts listed in a craigslist ad, but I don't know what questions to ask to make sure I'm not getting somehow screwed over. I just want to know if the thing will let me play fallout 4 finally -_- If anyone has advice about building computers in case I do decide to go ahead with my original plan, that would be appreciated, too!
Don't buy a used computer from craigslist. It will be defective in some way, otherwise they would be keeping it as a second computer. Refurbished parts from dealers are usually a good deal EXCEPT for hard drives. Hard drives have the shortest average lifespan of computer parts and refurbishing them doesn't increase it, it just fixes the smaller errors that can occur - the drive will not last much longer than its original span (typically 3-5 years depending on brand and model) unless you're lucky (and since it already needed work, is probly not a lucky drive). Building a puter is always the best deal for the money if you can take the time to search out good prices and find which brands to trust - they vary over time (like western digital was great for a while, then got lazy and made real crap, then learned their lesson and made good stuff again). @PrinzVyper has done lots of building and researching parts - he's currently in the process of moving house so might take him a few days to respond.
So, you're looking for a gaming computer then? Are you looking for any other specifics? Oh, and for building computers there's a thread from when I was building my desktop, Over Here. It might answer some of your questions. I changed the title today, it might be nice to have a general thread for it? or maybe not, but its there if anyone wants to use it. [Edit:] Seconding @Lissa Lysik'an, don't buy a used computer from craigslist. And for advice on computer building, if its possible for your budget I'd really recommend a small solid state hard drive, I have one just for google chrome, and a couple other programs I use everyday and my computer literally boots in seconds, and chrome starts up in seconds as well.
To be honest, unless you are dead-set on a laptop, I would recommend building your own desktop. That way you save a huge load of money, get the quality of parts you want and learn something in the process. As I did with @Elanor Pam, I will be more than happy to walk you through buying parts and building a machine. What do you want this new PC to be able to do, and what is your price point? That's a good place to start. Thirding @Lissa Lysik'an. Craigslist is a very bad idea!
i'm just laughing right now, because my dad had me list a bunch of older but working computers on Craigslist (we have a small mom-and-pop computer store) and i was like, "uhhhh no one reputable looks for computers on Craigslist but ok" and here's a whole thread of people saying it's a bad idea. DAD NO ONE IS GONNA BUY OUR COMPUTERS ON CRAIGSLIST.
Thank you so much everyone for the advice! I do want a gaming computer, but it doesn't have to be a top-of-the-line one or anything. (Almost anything would be better than the little asus laptop I got for school three years ago, lol.) My sibling is also planning to use it for school stuff in the fall, but probably the most taxing thing it'll need to do is run fallout 4 or tf2. I'm aiming to keep the price under a thousand. I found this guide and had been planning to use a mix of the second and third builds they suggest. I am open to future upgrades, but I'd rather spend more on something that'll last me a while than get a cheaper part that'll need frequent replacing. So far the advice I'm getting from this thread is: buy refurbished parts if possible, except for the hard drive get a solid state hard drive (in addition to a regular one?) research and shop around for good prices Fuck Craigslist @PrinzVyper if you would be willing to help me through the process, that would be amazing! I don't want to distract you from moving though, I know how much of a pain in the ass that is :P Edit: maybe I should move this to @NevermorePoe 's computer building rave thread, since it looks like that's what I'll be doing after all...
@adisagestar I've finished the move but have to go back Sunday to clean the old place. Sure I'll help, but let's move this to the computer building thread.
