How a Friend Convinced Me to Switch to Custom-Built Gaming PCs
Sometimes in life, we all have that one friend—the tech guru, the gaming enthusiast, the one who always seems to know about the latest gadgets before anyone else. For me, that friend was Alex. Alex is the reason I made one of the best decisions of my gaming life: switching to a custom built gaming PC.
Looking back, I don’t know if I should thank Alex for introducing me to the world of PC building… or blame him for turning me into a full-blown gaming hardware addict! Either way, I’m grateful. Here’s the story of how Alex opened my eyes to the wonders of custom-built PCs and why I’ll never go back to pre-built systems or gaming on consoles.
My Life Before Custom PCs: Consoles and Pre-Builds
Before meeting Alex, I was strictly a console gamer. PlayStation, Xbox—you name it, I was there. I loved gaming, but I never thought much about hardware. All I cared about was plugging in my controller and jumping into the latest games.
When I eventually made the leap to PC gaming, I didn’t even consider building my own system. Instead, I went for a basic pre-built gaming PC. At the time, it felt like the easiest option—plug-and-play, just like a console. It ran games decently, but nothing spectacular. I couldn’t max out graphics settings, my FPS was inconsistent, and my load times were painfully slow. But because I didn’t know any better, I thought, “Hey, this is just what PC gaming is like.”
I didn’t realise what I was missing until Alex came along.
Enter Alex: The Custom PC Evangelist
Alex and I met through a mutual friend during an online co-op session of Valorant. He wasn’t shy about letting everyone know he’d just upgraded his PC, boasting about his RTX 3070, liquid cooling system, and RGB lights that synced to his gameplay.
At first, I rolled my eyes—who cared about fancy lights or custom parts? I was there to game, not talk about hardware. But Alex was persistent. Every time we played together, he’d casually bring up how smooth his FPS was or how fast his load times were. Meanwhile, my PC struggled to hit 60 FPS, and my fans sounded like a jet engine taking off.
One day, after I complained about my lag spikes for the hundredth time, Alex finally said, “Why don’t you just build your own PC? You’d save money, and it would run way better than whatever pre-built you’re using.”
At first, I laughed it off. Build a PC? Me? I didn’t know the first thing about CPUs, GPUs, or motherboards. But Alex wasn’t about to give up.
Alex’s Sales Pitch: Why Custom PCs Are Worth It
Over the next few weeks, Alex made it his mission to convert me. He wasn’t just throwing out buzzwords—he broke it down in a way that even a newbie like me could understand. Here’s what he told me that finally convinced me to make the switch:
1. Better Performance for Less Money
Alex explained that pre-built PCs are often overpriced because you’re paying for the convenience of having everything put together for you. He showed me how I could buy the same components individually and save hundreds of pounds while getting better performance.
2. Total Customisation
“Do you want a PC that looks like a disco or something sleek and minimal?” Alex asked one night. That’s when I realised I could make my PC look however I wanted. From RGB lighting to custom cases, the options were endless. Plus, I could choose components that perfectly matched my gaming needs.
3. Easy Upgrades
With a custom-built PC, upgrading is simple. Instead of buying an entirely new system every few years, I could swap out individual parts like the GPU or RAM to keep my system up to date. Alex told me it was like building with LEGO—fun, customisable, and always upgradeable.
4. The Satisfaction of Building It Yourself
This was the point that really stuck with me. Alex said there’s no feeling quite like pressing the power button on a PC you built with your own hands and seeing it come to life. “Trust me,” he said, “it’s addicting.”
Taking the Leap: Building My First PC
After weeks of Alex hyping me up, I finally decided to take the plunge. I didn’t know where to start, but Alex was there every step of the way. He sent me YouTube tutorials, guided me through picking the right parts on PCPartPicker, and even offered to video chat with me during the build process.
Choosing My Parts
We settled on a mid-range build that wouldn’t break the bank but could handle my favourite games (like Minecraft, Valorant, and Elden Ring) at high settings. My parts list included:
- CPU: Intel Core i5-12400F
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
- RAM: 16GB DDR4 3200MHz
- Storage: 1TB NVMe SSD (because Alex insisted load times would be life-changing)
- Motherboard: MSI B660M
- Case: A sleek white NZXT case with tempered glass (because aesthetics matter!).
Building the PC
The actual build process was both nerve-wracking and exciting. I spent hours carefully slotting in parts, connecting cables, and double-checking every step. At one point, I thought I’d broken something when the PC wouldn’t boot, but Alex calmly walked me through troubleshooting (turns out I hadn’t plugged in the CPU power cable—oops!).
When I finally pressed the power button and saw the RGB lights come to life, I was overwhelmed with pride. Alex was right—there’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of building your own PC.
How My Custom PC Changed Everything
Switching to a custom-built gaming PC was a total game-changer for me. The difference in performance was night and day. Suddenly, I could run games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Red Dead Redemption 2 on high settings without breaking a sweat. Load times? Practically non-existent. And the best part? My new PC was quiet and sleek, unlike the noisy, clunky pre-built I’d been using before.
But it wasn’t just about performance. Building a custom PC gave me a deeper appreciation for gaming hardware. I started learning more about how components work together and even got into tinkering and upgrading. Alex wasn’t kidding—once you build one PC, it becomes a hobby.
Why I’ll Always Recommend Custom PCs
I owe a lot to Alex for introducing me to the world of custom PCs. It’s not just about having better specs—it’s about the freedom to create something uniquely yours, the satisfaction of building it with your own hands, and the thrill of knowing you can upgrade and evolve your system as technology advances.
If you’ve ever thought about switching to a custom PC but felt intimidated, let me tell you: it’s easier than you think. With a little guidance (and maybe a friend like Alex), you can build a PC that fits your budget, your gaming style, and your personality.
So here’s to Alex, the friend who turned me into a custom PC convert. And here’s to many more gaming sessions, hardware upgrades, and late-night build projects in the future. GG, Alex. GG.
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