Build Your Own' Custom Gaming PCs and Custom Gaming Laptops
When it comes to custom gaming PCs, there's build your own – where you buy and assemble the parts yourself – and "build your own," where you choose components to add or remove on a base model that’s then built and shipped to you. Either way, competitive gamers love custom gaming PCs: they get the exact system they need, with the specs required to play their favorite games.
The easiest method, by far, is "build your own," which some call "customize and buy," "make to order," or something similar. No deep PC knowledge or tools are required, and you’ll be using your new custom gaming laptop or custom gaming desktop almost as soon as you unbox it. The build-your-own-from-parts method has advantages, too, but you really need to know what you're doing.
Custom-built gaming rigs from Lenovo
In the end, most experts agree that buying a customized gaming rig from a major manufacturer will get you up and playing faster, with greater reliability, and possibly at a lower cost. It’s the best of both worlds. You take a known quantity – a famous laptop brand, for example, or a top-selling tower PC series – and make it your own.
Just think of the possibilities within the Lenovo PC ecosystem alone:
Custom LEGION gaming PCs
Lenovo Legion gaming laptops and Legion gaming desktops are already top-of-the-line. What if you outfit yours an even faster CPU, or a graphics card with extra VRAM?
Custom ThinkPad gaming laptops
Who says you can’t mix business and pleasure? Put game-quality components in a ThinkPad business laptop and you’ll be ready to win – whether it’s at work or an eSports arena.
Custom Yoga gaming 2-in-1s
There’s nothing like a Yoga 2-in-1 laptop/tablet combo for convenience and easy mobility. Add an upgraded processor and 4K display and you’ve got a super-flexible gaming rig you can use anywhere.
No matter what you call it, buying a customized gaming system is far easier than assembling one on your own, where you have to shop for parts, confirm they’re compatible, piece everything together – and hope it all works. Plus, when you buy a built-to-order gaming rig from a global manufacturer such as Lenovo, you get warranty protection and technical support just like with a pre-built computer. Try getting that on a PC you build yourself with a screwdriver!
Benefits of custom gaming PCs and custom gaming laptops
When it comes to competitive gaming, your system components make a big difference. Sharp eyes and quick reflexes will carry you only so far. If your system can’t support fast frame rates, you’re short on CPU cache or RAM, or the keys on your keyboard don’t respond quickly enough, you’ll be out of the game nearly as soon as you start.
Fair gaming requires a level playing field, technically speaking. It’s why a custom gaming desktop or custom gaming laptop is so attractive to today’s gamers. But should you assemble your own computer from parts or buy a custom-built gaming rig from a company such as Lenovo? Each method has its benefits.
Advantages of a buying a custom-built gaming PC
Buying a customized gaming system from a major manufacturer – whether it’s Lenovo or some other company – has numerous benefits. Here are the most oft-cited advantages of configuring your own gaming laptop or gaming desktop:
- For most gamers, it’s faster and easier than assembling a system yourself.
- The process is easy, with lots of options – and assured parts compatibility.
- You get manufacturer’s warranty coverage, technical support, and so on.
Custom-built gaming PCs have two additional potential advantages: delivery speed and price. Depending on the source, ordering separate PC components through the mail can take weeks, but you can receive a complete, custom-built gaming PC in about the same time. And when you add up the price of each part you order, the cost to return parts that don’t fit, and factor-in the time it will take you to assemble everything, the true cost of a build-your-own system may rival what you’ll pay for one you build yourself.
Advantages of assembling a custom gaming PC from parts
If you’re handy with tools, there are several benefits to building a gaming system from separately purchased components (such as RAM memory modules from Lenovo). Among the popularly accepted advantages are these:
- You get exactly the system, components, and OS you want – no compromises.
- Unlike commercial PCs, there’s no pre-installed software you probably never use.
- If choose the right frame and other components, it’s easy to make upgrades later on.
Generally speaking, it’s far easier to assemble your own gaming desktop or gaming tower than to assemble your own laptop. Pre-built desktop/tower frames and cases are relatively easy to find, and they typically have lots of interior space to hold a variety of components you obtain from different sources. In contrast, while you can buy so-called “barebones” laptops – comprised of little more than a laptop frame, display, and motherboard – it’s sometimes hard to find compatible components (SSDs, RAM modules, fans, etc.) to fit within them.
Configure your own custom gaming laptop or custom gaming desktop/tower
Manufacturers typically list PC prices based on the least expensive configuration available, so customizing or "building your own" system typically involves adding cost. But that's not always the case. Sometimes you can swap a smaller storage drive for a bigger one, or buy a system without the normal operating system and install your own instead.
Most experts suggest starting with the lowest cost product line or series that has the basic features you like – a big display, lightweight construction, or special cooling features, for example. Find the customizable models (at Lenovo, they’re identified with colorful "Build Your Own" banners) and scan the listed specifications to find the base model you prefer. Finally, click "Customize & Buy" – or something similar – to begin configuring your new system.
During the configuration process, you’ll add, remove, or change components until you've got the exact specs you need to play your preferred games. For example...
- Move up to a better processor (Intel Core i7, AMD Ryzen, etc.) or drop down to a cheaper one if the games you play don't need one of today’s fastest CPUs.
- Boost your game visuals with a top-of-the-line AMD or NVIDIA graphics card with lots of video RAM for frame rates worthy of competitive gaming.
- Add extra RAM to maximize system performance (top-flight gaming needs at least 16 GB), or look for empty RAM slots so you can add more later.
- If buying a laptop, upgrade to a high-res 4K display, or one with HDR technology for game environments with greater luminance and color depth.
- Add disk space -- either a fast SSD or less costly HDD -- so you can keep more of your favorite games in local storage.
You can't swap out every component in every PC, but most times, you can choose the CPU, GPU (unless graphics are integrated), storage drive(s), RAM and operating system (if applicable). Some systems offer optional battery, security and wireless selections, and a few present choices for cameras, keyboards, and so on.
If you're not sure what a specific component does, Lenovo provides helpful notations that explain things, and often lists "recommended" components for different user types and needs. To help you judge the financial impact of each option, the displayed system cost updates with each selection you make.
Plus, the customization process doesn’t have to stop with your gaming PC’s internal components. Most manufacturers, including Lenovo, allow you to add pre-installed software to your device such as Microsoft Office or security suites from Norton or McAfee (sometimes at a discount). You can also add compatible accessories, including game controllers, headsets, custom keyboards, speakers, high-resolution external displays, and so on. Typically, you’ll also have an opportunity to upgrade your warranty beyond the typical one-year coverage, or purchase optional support packages such as include Accidental Damage Protection or, for Legion gaming systems, Legion Ultimate Support.
