I've been considering building a PC because my current laptop is pretty terrible. I've heard some people suggest that upgrading to a slightly better laptop might not be worth the investment. So, I'm curious: if I were to buy parts from thrift stores, would it be feasible? I don't need the best PC out there; I'm just looking for something functional. I'm still figuring out my budget since I'm saving up for it. Also, I really don't have much experience with PC parts—I'm not even sure what a GPU or CPU is. Is building from thrifted parts worth it?
4 Answers
If you're really set on building, I'd recommend looking for specific components online or at thrift stores. Aim for a Ryzen 5600 with a B450/B550 motherboard, 16GB or 32GB of DDR4 RAM, and maybe a used RX 5700 or 2060 Super. Don't forget to get a decent power supply and a cooler, but those can be pretty cheap. Just be ready to also find a case and some storage.
It's mostly hit or miss with thrift store parts. One day they might have some junky old Dell office PC, and another day you might score some recent upgrades. It also depends on what you want to run on it. For example, games like Cities: Skylines won’t have super high requirements, but different setups might be needed if you were aiming for something more demanding.
For real though, you should define what you'll be using the PC for and a budget you have in mind. That way, people can give you tailored advice. Like you mentioned Cities: Skylines, keeping your plan moderate will help you avoid overspending.
Honestly, you'd probably have better luck finding a full used PC than trying to piece together parts from various thrift stores. It's a lot of work to find compatible parts, and you might end up spending more trying to make everything fit right.
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