> >#1)  Just how much can one expect to save by buying components
> >     and assembling a computer yourself?
>
>Others will tell you that you can save as much
> as 30% on the price of a comparable system ...  it is hard for Dell, Compaq or the others to build
> a system with all high quality parts, (this is the important part), for anywhere
> near the cost of the components, if you buy them at the best price available.

Agreed. But remember that with Dell, etc. you also pay for a Dell sticker
at your machine, a
fancy case , large warranty and tech support; this has a significant
effect on the price.
  If you decide to do PC on your own, you still
have a warranty on parts [3 years for HD, 1 year for other stuff-
typical] but if you're got tech problems, you have to deal with them
all by yourself [and/or write to PCBuild :) ].

> There are many avenues to locate quality components.  Remember there
> are two basic ways components are sold, retail or OEM.
> So, buying OEM components will often
> save you substantially.

But, some OEM components are considered worse than their retail
counterparts; for example, the retail Intel Celerons have better
"overclocking success rate" than OEM celerons. If you're not
in overclocking stuff though, OEM could save you a nice bundle.

> 2)  Local large computer component warehouses:  some of these companies
>      will sell to walk-in trade and do not require that you are an existing business.
>      You will need to consult your phone book/yellow pages for companies in your
>      area.

This is where I ordered all the stuff. And use PriceWatch, StreetPrice
or any other comparsion engine to get an idea on the current prices.

Max Timchenko [[log in to unmask]]

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