I don’t have any problem with your building a pc, but what caught my eye is that you are going to build it from used parts bought on ebay. This is a bad thing. A very bad thing.
Thanks for the advice, everyone.
Why? Please fight my ignorance.
Would you rely on a car built entirely from parts found in junkyard?
Yes, you could build a car that runs, but would you trust it?
you pay for the used part and shipping off ebay. this requires multiple transactions. if parts don’t work well together then more purchases.
a large vendor like NewEgg can sell new parts at low prices with low shipping. you could get all the parts from them in a single order. if you bought a combination deal of a computer chip (CPU) and motherboard then you know they work together. reading the specifications will lead you to ordering the other compatible items.
the same with a computer store local to you.
Generally speaking, used parts on eBay come without documentation, installation disks, cables, or anything else that you might need. Plus, if it’s DOA or dies in a day or so, you’re stuck with having to send it back and wait for them to check it out and then, more often than not, tell you it’s not their fault.
As another long time system builder, I agree with Reply, “Building a PC is little more than snapping cards into slots and screwing things in, and it’s not a particularly scintillating experience.”
The “fun” of building your own computer is a short lived experience and if what you’re left with is a blah computer, then even the memory of that fun pales pretty quickly. The real fun of building your own computer is having a kick ass system when you’re done and if you’re removing that possibility from the get-go, there just isn’t going to be much fun left to squeeze out.
Save up and build a killer system that you will enjoy using for at least a few years.
IMO: If you buy parts from high-feedback sellers, it should be OK. I’ve replaced a lot of single components (usually graphics cards or laptop keyboards) this way.
But when you’re building an entire computer from eBay parts… that’s like 10 different sellers you gotta deal with, 10 shipping fees, 10x the possibility of problems and delays and troublesome returns if something goes wrong, etc. Unless you’re buying all the parts from the same guy. But if you’re doing that, might as well just have it be pre-built on top of all that – for cheaper, and with a warranty. Dell has a bunch of pre-owned computers for sale that they service for at least 30 or 90 days, forget which. Other manufacturers have similar programs. Just so much less hassle than dealing with that many eBay transactions…
For that matter, at least you’d have a fighting chance to identify poor auto parts by sight. To the untrained eye, a motherboard with a bad capacitor looks just like a working motherboard.
I have bought used parts through eBay before but it was always singular parts (like a CPU) where I wasn’t guessing which of the ten ‘new’ parts wasn’t working. Plus stores offer return policies, eBay sellers usually don’t.
I think that even a modest gaming rig (sub $1k) is worth building just to hand select your components and get familiarity with the system for when you want to upgrade. A productivity machine will likely be fine with onboard video and a 350W power supply so I agree that you’re probably better off just buying a refurbished unit from a reputable retailer if you wanted to go “used”.
Three. As it happens I’ve got a bunch of spare parts already. I’ve got a brand new case and PSU, several nearly new disk drives, DVD, a few add on cards, and a bunch of cables. I just need three things: 1) motherboard 2) CPU 3) RAM. plus a CPU fan, but I could get that at Maplins.
Anyway, based on this thread I’ll have to rethink the whole idea.
Would there be any issues if I bought a combo?
Combo with the motherboard, cpu, and memory is a good route for first timers. Takes much of the confusion out of selecting the right parts. All you need is a case and a power supply. Nearly all modern mb’s come with built in graphics already. I wouldn’t buy a mb that didn’t have built in graphics.
Don’t forgot to price check Newegg. They’ve been selling these parts since the late 90’s.
If you buy used make sure they warranty it for 15 or 30 or 60 day returns.
I used to buy a new mb/cpu every 18 to 24 month and kept my personal pc current. This was when I was active building and selling pc’s. I tested new gen mb’s and stayed current. I sold my gently used mb/cpu and sometimes the memory.
I think some gamers still do that. You can get some good deals on one of their 18 month old combos. Buying the newest and most up to date mb’s and cpu is expensive. The price drops a lot after its been on the market a year. The typical home user doesn’t need the newest tech.
The trick is finding that gently used mb/cpu combo on Ebay. 
Theres some really old junk listed on Ebay. The best option is to google the mb name and model. You’ll often find dated reviews and articles written when the mb was first released. That gives a good indicator.
Ah, ok, if you already have most of the parts, it might make sense to finish your build.
How much money are you looking to spend? If you could spare $250 or so, you can buy a pretty decent mobo + cpu + ram combo, new. Something like a Core i3 or i5 setup with 4 to 8 GB of RAM.
You could definitely spend less and get used, using aceplace’s links from before. Also check your local Craigslist (is that a thing in the UK?) because that tends to be where the less computer-savvy people, college students, etc. go to get rid of their PCs. Usually better deals to be found there than on eBay.
There shouldn’t be a problem buying a bundle, except if they’re shipped together already installed, you just have to make sure everything is still tightly assembled upon arrival.
Geez, I’m tempted to buy this bundle deal myself. $199 for the mb,cpu,memory, 1 TB hard drive, and case with power supply.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.1765717
Thats about as cheap as I’ve seen for all new parts. It’s a limited time offer. Probably only for a few days. New Egg has these specials occasionally. Its one of the last companys that still sell to systems builders. There used to be dozens of companies to choose from.
I don’t know that building a new computer with a hard drive makes a lot of sense any more. In recent years I have had more problems with failing hard drives than any other component. My latest computer, which I did not build but actually ordered through walmart, has a solid state drive instead of a hard drive. I am very happy with it, the solid state memory boots way faster than a hard drive. I haven’t had it long enough to give a real test of reliability, but I rather doubt a solid state drive is as likely to fail as a hard drive with its multiple moving parts. Many new computers are being sold with SSDs, especially the popular new all-in-one formats with everything but peripherals built into the monitor stand.