For years the answer was easy: building your own saved money. In 2026 it depends. Memory and SSD prices rose sharply from late 2025, and large system builders, who buy those parts on long contracts, have been able to sell some prebuilt PCs for less than the same parts cost separately. So price both before you decide.
The cost comparison
- Price the exact parts. Take a prebuilt’s spec sheet and price each part yourself. That’s the only comparison that means anything.
- Include the extras. A self-build may need a Windows licence (Microsoft sells Windows 11 Home for $139 in the US; authorised resellers are often cheaper), plus shipping from several shops.
- Lower budgets: a prebuilt deal often wins right now, because memory and storage take a bigger share of a cheaper PC.
- Higher budgets: building more often comes out ahead, and you choose the parts that prebuilts tend to cut corners on.
- Prices are moving. IDC expected average PC prices to rise by up to 8% in 2026 because of the memory shortage, so check again close to when you buy.
What building gets you
- You choose every part, including the ones prebuilts skimp on: the power supply, the cooler and the case airflow.
- Standard parts, which are easy to upgrade or replace one at a time.
- You learn how your PC works, which makes fixing it later much easier.
The costs: a few hours of your time (a first build usually takes an afternoon to a day), a warranty per part rather than one for the whole PC, and the chance of a mistake on the first boot. Our roadmap and troubleshooting guide cover the process. You’ll need a Phillips screwdriver and, ideally, a clear table and good light.
What a prebuilt gets you
- One warranty and one support contact for the whole PC.
- It arrives assembled, tested and with Windows installed.
- In 2026, sometimes a lower price for the same parts.
The costs: less choice of parts, and sometimes proprietary parts that make upgrades harder. Some prebuilts also ship with extra software you’ll want to remove.
What to check in a prebuilt
Prebuilts often save money on parts that don’t show up in the headline spec. Check the spec sheet, or ask the seller, for:
- The power supply’s brand, model and wattage. “650 W PSU” with no brand is a warning sign.
- Memory in two sticks. A single stick runs in single channel and costs performance.
- The SSD model and size, not just “1 TB SSD”.
- Standard parts. Some prebuilts use a proprietary motherboard, power supply or case that limits upgrades.
- The CPU cooler, especially with a high-power CPU.
- Warranty terms: how long, whether it covers parts and labour, and whether opening the case to add parts voids it.
A quick way to decide
- You want the lowest price for a basic gaming PC in 2026: start by checking prebuilt deals.
- You want specific parts, a quiet PC, or easy upgrades later: build.
- You’d rather not troubleshoot anything yourself: buy, from a seller with good support.
If you decide to build, the part picker checks that your parts fit together. It doesn’t show prices; its Check price links open the retailer.