One of the greatest and most fulfilling achievements, especially for an avid gamer or tech enthusiast, is to be able to build your own custom desktop computer setup. This process is often described as challenging and tedious, yet at the same time, very enjoyable and incredibly rewarding.
Dream PC Build
Most of you may already have a planned build in mind. You may have already scanned the internet for all the parts that you want to include in your build. In this guide, we will talk you through the steps of how to actualize that plan. This list will include watching out for Newegg Black Friday deals, flash and clearance sales, and considering second-hand parts.
Black Friday Deals
As a gamer or tech enthusiast, you should already know that Black Friday is one of the most anticipated times of the year. This is precisely because it is the time when most companies and stores offer their biggest and most exciting deals and promotions. Typically, sales during this period will soar above 50% off. As such, it is undeniably the best time of the year to go ahead and buy the parts that you need for the build.
The key challenge, however, in a Black Friday deal sale is timing. Since it is a well-known time for sales, a lot of people will be falling in line and anticipate the sale. If you don’t get the timing right, you run the risk of losing the chance to be able to get the parts you want at a discounted price. More importantly, you could end up not being able to buy the part at all because it has already sold out.
Thus, when considering buying during Black Fridays, plan ahead of time. Look out for announcements or guidelines on company websites and online stores. They will usually post an announcement relating to the sale weeks or even months ahead. With this, you increase your chances of being able to participate in the said sale.
Clearance Sales
Another great way of sourcing out the parts that you need for your build is on clearance sales. These sales work pretty much the same as Black Friday sales, where huge discounts and promotions are offered. The key distinction, however, is that clearance sales can occur at any time during the year. Essentially, clearance sales are those promotions being offered by stores to clear out any unwanted inventory stock. To do this, stores will offer the products at prices way below the standard retail price. Thus, customers will be more enticed to buy the products because they get a better deal.
Clearance sales are great, especially if you tend not to be very rigid with the parts you want. In a clearance sale, it is quite common that the parts included in the sale may not be the ones you actually want for your build.
However, if you don’t mind, you can get really good deals if you choose to buy the parts offered on sale. But even if you don’t plan on actually using the part, still look out for clearance sales. You could instead resell the parts you purchased at just under SRP to other buyers, and you can profit a little bit from it. Any profit you generate can then be added to your budget to buy the parts that you actually want.
Second-Hand Parts
If you really want to maximize your savings during the process of buying the parts you want to use for your build your PC, you could consider buying second-hand parts. The only thing that you have to look out for when buying used parts is that you have to be very meticulous during testing.
Do not get easily baited by the incredibly low list price. Instead, take a look at the product yourself and, if practicable, meet the seller in person. Additionally, it would be wise to test the product live along with the seller at your side so that you can confirm if the part really performs as intended.