There’s no weekend project that’s as fun and practical as building a computer, especially when you have so many options. Whether it’s a home theatre PC, a new workstation or a gaming machine, it’s a great way to spend a day (or two) off.
Regardless of what type of machine you decide to build, be sure to check out our PC building guide for step-by-step help. It contains video tutorials so you can see what you need to do, and additional references if you need them.
Small Builds
A tight budget is less restrictive than you might think. You can put some tiny, inexpensive and surprisingly powerful machines together. Our best builds for $700 and $1400 offer some good starting points. The hardware we recommend for a hackintosh mini often works well even if you don’t plan on turn it into a hackintosh.
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Big Builds
Our best builds guide remains a useful place to start; simply go for the pricier and more powerful components. Hackintoshers should check out our Hack Pro builds as they pack more power than Apple’s offerings for far less money.
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Specialised Builds
Standard builds are versatile, but sometimes you want a computer designed for a very specific function. If gaming is your thing, our 2012 gift guides included powerful gaming rigs you can build yourself. To really step it up, add a water cooling system. If you’re looking for a lower-powered machine to use as a media centre, we have those those, too. Whitson recently put together his dream HTPC build for under $700. Alternatively, one of the coolest computers you can build yourself is an all-in-one machine. While it might not offer the level of upgradeability that a standard case offers, it will save space and still provide a lot more customisation options than a store-bought machine.
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