Specifications

chines, by contrast, require little more than a screwdriver and
a free Sunday afternoon.
Do-it-yourself
PC building has become a hobby in its own
right, and
DIYers cite the fun of selecting components and inte-
grating them into a working machine. Of course, you can’t just
build a machine every evening for relaxation—
PCs would start
piling up around you pretty quickly—but
DIYers feel that they
have an advantage over system buyers, because they understand
what goes into a
PC and are not afraid to dig in when it’s time to
Build
or
omputer prices are low, and manufacturers’ of-
ferings are comprehensive, so building your own
PC may seem like a peculiar notion. But compo-
nent suppliers’ business is booming, and increas-
ing numbers of people are building their own machines, so
there must be something to it. Indeed, in the early dawn of
PC
history, building a computer was the only way you could get
one. You needed a soldering iron, infinite patience, and a
month’s worth of spare evenings. Today’s do-it-yourself ma-
C
Buy
PC MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 16, 2003 www.pcmag.com
80
With a little spare time and
initiative, you can build a top-
of-the-line screamer or a budget-
conscious workhorse with exceptional
price performance. Here’s how.
BY BILL MACHRONE
ILLUSTRATIONS BY JOHN RITTER