Depression, PCs and Dollars

How to brave your next upgrade

It was only a couple of months ago that we were basking in a boundless bounty of cheap computer components.

Sadly, the recent financiapocolypse has pulled this beautiful, hand-crafted Persian silk carpet from under our feet -- leaving us walking barefoot on the floorboards from the house in Saw 2.

But despite the recent deterioration of the Aussie dollar, you can still build a new PC with careful planning and a sprinkle of wisdom without breaking (into) the bank.

The design stage of the PC is where it all starts. It’s critical to set yourself a budget and stick to it, and avoid splurging needlessly on components that’ll exceed your maximum.

Here’s some tips on saving your hard earned cash.

Use retail search engines
There are a lot of free retail search engines available on the Internet. Searching for components via these services can save hundreds of dollars compared to local stores. While it can be more economical to purchase individual components from stores with the lowest prices, it’s wise to limit the variety of stores you buy from. It’s easier to keep track of one or two stores than half a dozen, and shipping costs from multiple stores can add up. One of the best for computer components is StaticIce, which has recently become integrated into Atomic. Others include ShopFerret, ShopBot and Shopping.com.

Select overclockable components
Overclocking is simple and, if you plan your purchase correctly, can push the performance of cheap low end components up to the levels of much more expensive gear. Be on the lookout for CPUs and video cards which are known to overclock well -- preferably without having to resort to aftermarket cooling. Most Intel and AMD 45nm CPUs are vicious overclockers.

Spend more on long-term hardware
Some components (particularly peripherals) can last two or more PC upgrades. Typically this means your keyboard, monitor, mouse, printers and other tidbits. Instead of buying cheap peripherals which generally fail quite quickly, spend a little extra to ensure they go the distance. If you’re prone to extensive PC sessions, keep ergonomics in mind when purchasing said peripherals.

Free alternatives
There is a vast array of free alternatives to expensive software packages on the Internet, which are often just as good (if not better) than the stuff you pay for. The cornerstone for most of us is the operating system. If you’re willing to give Windows the flick and try Linux, you’ll save yourself a few hundred bucks. There are several Linux distributions out there, and Ubuntu is arguably the most user-friendly. Remember: use the 64-bit version if your PC has 4GB RAM or more.

Bundles
Some retailers bundle a few combinations of CPU/RAM/motherboard at a discounted price. If the combinations contain what you’re after, give them some serious thought. Just be aware that it’s not uncommon for retailers to create these bundles to sell unpopular or old stock. There’s bargains out there if you do your research first.

Say you find a case that comes with a power supply. Sure, you might be able to save a decent wad of cash, but beware: most cases have shoddy generic power supplies that are best suited to low-end builds and won’t power high end machines well. Some good bundles are the Antec NSK4480 and NSK6580 towers, which feature quality PSUs.

Special offers
Many online stores let you enter a coupon code at checkout. Coupons may have many benefits, like a percentage off your purchase, free postage or free shop credit. Finding these coupons is easy with the assistance of coupon sites and search engine queries. RetailMeNot is a good example.
Companies like PayPal often send out coupons to customers to encourage the use of their service. Sometimes you can use a shop coupon and then double dip during payment by using a PayPal coupon. Like some of these ones.

Limit early adopting
As much as it tempts us to have the very latest in computing gear, it almost always comes at a cost. Companies know full well that early adopters will spend a fortune to have the best, so they adjust the price accordingly. A recent example is the new Nehalem CPU range. They cost a fortune (particularly the ‘extreme’ edition), but in a couple of months the prices will drop.

Build it yourself
Most people already do this; but there are still some people who are yet to take the plunge. Building a PC is no more difficult than constructing a Lego kit -- everything fits into its respective socket, and configuration is pretty much automatic. Not to mention that the Atomic forum is there to help out along the way if you need it. Even if you end up killing something (PC components may be pretty rugged, but they’re not invincible), you can send parts off to be replaced under warranty as long as there’s no physical damage.

Recycle!
This one is the easiest of the lot, and also the most ‘green’. If you have hardware from an existing build which is perfectly suitable for your next one, use it. Your CPU and GPU may go out of date quickly, but if your peripherals are still going strong, why buy them again?

Times are tough, and our dollar may not recover for some time yet. At the very least, you’re now equipped to tackle the financial burdens of your next upgrade.