Whether you’re looking for your first-ever PC or seeking a total reboot of your existing setup, finding a quality new PC can be really difficult.
A lot of people don’t have the time or energy to sift through massive amounts of information about the latest hardware, how they compete with each other and how they perform in different games and applications.
This is one of the difficult things about the PC marketplace, it’s super competitive and full of data and statistics that can be impossible to keep up with.
Despite this, it’s well-known that getting a PC built offers a lot of benefits that buying stock computers can’t offer.
Pre-built PCs can’t be tailored to your specific performance needs, and they often offer pretty poor value compared to building a PC yourself.
Luckily there’s a perfect middle-ground for enthusiasts who want the flexibility and choice of PC building without having to spend time and effort learning how to install the parts themselves.
This middle ground comes in the form of PC building services. These companies offer enthusiasts a wide range of selection for components and once you’ve chosen your preferred options, they will build and ship the completed PC to you so that it’s pretty much ready to go straight out of the box.
There are many benefits to using a PC builder, chief among them being that you don’t have to research and attempt to install expensive and sensitive components that cost several hundred dollars.
People who build their own PCs take a risk every time they build themselves as if any components are damaged while installing there isn’t any coverage. If you break something, no one is going to provide you with a replacement or fix your problem for you.
This is where PC builders are really worth their weight in gold. Having a professional team of expert technicians working on your PC takes all of the stress and worry out of buying a custom PC.
You can rest easy knowing that an experienced team is handling everything, and using their knowledge to make sure everything is put together exactly as it’s supposed to be.
Another huge advantage of using these services is that they will often test your PC before shipping, to ensure that your system has been built correctly and is functioning exactly as it’s supposed to.
This gives maximum reassurance to you and enables you to boot up at home with full confidence in your system, which is something that most home builders will admit is truly nerve-shredding.
Hitting the power button and suddenly remembering you forgot to apply thermal paste is not an experience we’d like to repeat, and we certainly wouldn’t recommend this to anyone else!
The other great thing about custom builders is that they are experts in overclocking, allowing you to get the most out of your components without having to spend hours experimenting with voltages and trying to balance your temperatures.
This means you get a super powerful setup arriving ready to go, with no need to worry about stability or performance issues.
Another great benefit is that these experts will be confident when setting up efficient cooling systems, using their knowledge of cable management and airflow to create optical fan setups and cooling profiles, and also being able to set up water cooling systems with confidence.
To top it all off, many of the best builders offer warranties to cover everything from labor to parts, giving you total peace of mind not only when you buy but into the future too.
With their ability to handle various orders and cater their builds to every customer’s needs, it’s no surprise that these services are wildly popular among beginners and enthusiasts who want the absolute best performance and componentry without needing to spend a lot of effort and time researching and building.
The popularity of these services has led to a wide array of custom PC builders expanding and becoming very well known.
There are a vast number of different builders to choose from, and apart from your required parts list, the only thing you need to do is decide which PC builder is best for you.
In this article, we’re going to look at some of the biggest and best custom PC builders to help you find a team who will offer amazing value, parts, and build quality as well as superb customer service.
PC Builders – A Rundown
iBUYPOWER
iBUYPOWER is well known among gamers thanks to their prominent sponsorship deals with major gaming events, as well as content creators and professional gamers.
They have a great reputation for quality and are definitely one of the go-to choices for experienced computer users, particularly those interested in high-performance gaming setups.
They do offer builds to suit other needs, however, from workstations to streaming PCs and an array of other options.
iBUYPOWER provides a great array of parts and accessories and frequently offers exclusive deals and sales that offer amazing value.
They also provide robust warranties that range from a 3-year labor warranty and 1-year parts warranty, a 4-year labor warranty and 2-year parts warranty, or even a five-year labor and 3-year parts warranty, each of which provides you with reassurance should something go wrong.
Purchasing from iBUYPOWER is quick and easy, and they have a truly staggering selection of options, as well as order tracking to let you see how your build is progressing.
They also offer an easy building tool to help beginners put together an advanced system without needing a lot of prior knowledge about components which is a really handy tool for younger users or those with specific parts in mind.
They also offer debit packages for customers who prefer to spread the cost of their purchase.
If you have second thoughts about your choices and want to refund, iBUYPOWER also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, however, they don’t cover shipping and do charge a 15% restocking fee so keep this in mind before you buy.
OriginPC
OriginPC has been creating excellent custom PCs for a long time now, and they are known to produce some of the sleekest and attractive custom builds available.
They have a deep parts list allowing for maximum flexibility and have helpful recommendations to allow you to find a rig that will do everything you need it to without coming with a lot of unnecessary features and add ons.
They have frequent special offers that eagle-eyed customers can take advantage of, maximizing the value you get from this building service.
OriginPC also offers a range of warranties that start at a year and extend to three years, however, their coverage doesn’t include software issues or damages that are caused by things outside of the companies control.
Their prices range from around $1000 to $8000 dollars and are able to build gaming systems, workstations, laptops, and even media setups.
They also offer 4K gaming setups, overclocking, VR Ready systems, and water cooling installation to give you maximum performance and access to the latest technology and features.
Like a lot of custom builders, OriginPC offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, however, there is a 15% charge to cover restocking and certain aspects of the translation such as service fees aren’t refundable.
There are several great templates to choose from here, however, you can also put together bespoke parts lists to give you a lot of control over your system and performance.
Digital Storm
Digital Storm is one of the longest-running custom PC builders in the game and they put this vast experience to use building various systems from custom gaming laptops to ultra-quiet desktop workstations and everything in between.
They have a price range of around $700 to $3000 and are capable of fitting water cooling systems as well as overclocking your parts to make sure you’re getting every drop of performance possible.
They also offer fairly good warranties, such as a 3-year limited warranty for labor and a 1-year parts warranty, however, there are other packages available that range all the way to 6 years for labor and 4 years for parts, which gives amazing peace of mind for users who rely on their systems for work as well as fun.
Digital Storm also offers lifetime technical support which is available during working days from 9 till 5, which allows users with questions or issues to potentially solve problems without needing to worry about sending their equipment back to the manufacturer.
Overall Digital Storm offers some of the best warranties available, as well as a great array of build templates and custom options and many of the specialist services you’d expect from a quality custom pc builder.
They also offer a range of accessories at great prices and have an active community to turn to for advice and comparisons.
Falcon Northwest
Falcon Northwest was founded all the way back in 1992, which means they’ve seen all of the change and development computers have gone through over the last 29 years.
It’s a testament to their knowledge and quality that they have managed to navigate through a fast-changing industry and still produce some of the best custom PCs available.
They typically focus on high-end systems with a price range starting at $2000 and which extends up to $12000, meaning that these builds are some of the most powerful as well as truly stunning to look at.
Their focus on achieving stunning visual aesthetics alongside industry-leading performance has built Falcon a strong reputation for quality, and several of their builds have won industry awards over the last few years.
They offer laptop builds and desktops in a variety of form factors, allowing you to fit high-tier performance into a size that suits your needs.
Speaking of cases, Falcon actually uses some of the best paint – of automotive quality – in order to add a personal touch to your rig while also giving it long-lasting durability. They even offer custom artworks to really give you the chance to express yourself with your newest build.
They offer lifetime technical support as you’d expect from a well-established building service, and will answer any questions you have from 9 am to 6 pm pacific time, and these services are available 7 days a week which is really reassuring.
It’s also possible for you to get a 30-day money-back guarantee, however, the cost of some services such as custom artwork is non-refundable.
CyberPowerPC
CyberPower is a well-known brand that has built a strong image thanks to its superb gaming PCs and prominent sponsorship deals in the eSports community.
They cater to a range of prices from budget rigs at around $700 to high-performance 4K gaming setups worth over $6000.
They offer pretty standard warranties that are comparable to many of the other major builders, including 3-years of labor coverage, as well as lifetime technical support.
While they do cater to a more entry-level area of the market they are capable of also producing extremely well-finished products at all price points and also offer overclocking services, water-cooling installation as well as very high-quality cable management.
Alienware
Alienware is best known for its outstanding prebuilt gaming laptops and their excellent marketing across the industry, however, they do offer some customization on their website, allowing you to tweak their excellent existing designs so that they better suit your needs and preferences.
They offer pretty standard warranties and can produce systems capable of 4K gaming as well as providing overclocking.
If you’ve been won over by their iconic design and aesthetics then you’ll be in safe hands as their machines are some of the best looking and best performing available and can be found at various price points.
EcollegePC
EcollegePC is far less well known than some of the industry-leading brands we’ve looked at so far, and they actually made their name focusing on helping college students get excellent and affordable systems to help students access the power of custom systems.
They provide a range of options at prices from $500 to $1800 and also offer excellent warranty coverage which has 3 years labor and 3 years of parts coverage, one of the best packages available.
Xidax
Xidax is one of the best builders due in large part to their comprehensive lifetime warranty on parts and labor, which sets them well apart from their competitors in this regard.
It is a real sign of quality and craftsmanship that they have so much faith in their builds. The only downside is that AMD video cards aren’t included in this warranty, and have a separate limited 2-year warranty, while liquid parts have a 1-year warranty.
Besides this Xidax offers comprehensive cover giving you maximum peace of mind about your components.
The drawback is that while the 45-day money-back guarantee period seems generous, it is subject to approval which can mean you may not be able to return your rig so easily if you’d prefer a full refund.
Velocity Micro
Velocity Micro is another good builder that offers a wide range of options catering to various budgets, however, it’s their customer service that really makes them stand out.
They actually include lifetime in-house tech support available from 11 pm to 8 pm EST, with 24/7 support available for critical issues that prevent you from using your PC, such as boot failures, crashes, or systems failures.
Things to Consider
Budgets
Making sure you have the right budget is very important when planning to use a custom builder, as not all companies offer the same prices.
It’s also important to note that the services these companies provide do come at a premium, so you may find that some parts and builds are a little more expensive – however, the warranty coverage and tech support is often worth it.
Customizability
Choosing a company that has ample customization options will make it far easier for you to cater your build to your needs, and will make your budget stretch further.
Some companies have more options than others so if you have a particular parts list in mind, make sure to check several builders for quotes and availability to avoid disappointment.
Warranties
Most builders offer warranties of various lengths and styles to suit different budgets. Always make sure you’re getting the right coverage for you.
Typically longer warranties are more expensive but do give excellent peace of mind and value if something goes wrong.
Customer Service
One of the most important aspects of choosing a company to build your PC is their brand’s reputation for quality service, particularly when things have gone wrong.
Making sure they are responsive to queries and offer good post-sales care is important to ensure you aren’t left stranded with a faulty system.