# Required complete $3000 gaming pc



## Rolls Royce (Apr 8, 2016)

Hi I am starting new assembly lineup so that I can build PCs for my friends and family on regular basis. This is my first project on this lineup. Please help

I am building this PC for my friend and his budget is $3000. He wants a heavy gaming PC. So, that he can run games on high settings.


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## Vineet Reddy (Apr 8, 2016)

I am not sure that it can run all new games at high settings but this is the best I can do.

Link: http://pcpartpicker.com/user/VineetReddy/saved/N2cJ7P

CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($348.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i GTX 70.7 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler  ($111.99 @ B&H)
Motherboard: Asus MAXIMUS VIII FORMULA ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($399.00 @ Amazon)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-3000 Memory  ($189.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-3000 Memory  ($189.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Intel 535 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($54.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($84.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Video Card  ($572.98 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT H630 (Black) ATX Full Tower Case  ($130.49 @ NZXT)
Power Supply: Corsair 1000W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($168.79 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG WH14NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer  ($40.98 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Dell S2716DG 144Hz 27.0" Monitor  ($529.99 @ Amazon)
Keyboard: Logitech G910 Orion Spark Wired Gaming Keyboard  ($149.99 @ Amazon)
Mouse: Logitech G502 Wired Optical Mouse  ($79.98 @ Amazon)
Total: $3053.04
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-04-08 14:30 EDT-0400


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## EarthDog (Apr 8, 2016)

So wait, you are doing this for people and have no idea what you need for parts??????????????????????? Wow. 

Really, it depends on the use of the computer. Most people don't need to spend $3K on a great PC... that is an important question to ask. I saw gaming on high settings, but...does he need a monitor too or already have one? If so, what resolution? 

FOr gaming on high settings, $1500 will do if they don't need monitor/OS, etc......

What parts do they need?


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## OneMoar (Apr 8, 2016)

EarthDog said:


> So wait, you are doing this for people and have no idea what you need for parts??????????????????????? Wow.
> 
> Really, it depends on the use of the computer. Most people don't need to spend $3K on a great PC... that is an important question to ask...


correction most people are gullible morons that think money = performance
I am not gonna touch this thread with a 15ft pole op has a mountain called Autodidacticism to climb,before he can even think about doing something like this for a living
i7 + a 150ish motherboard 16GB of ram and a 980 or 980ti
done


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## Rolls Royce (Apr 8, 2016)

EarthDog said:


> So wait, you are doing this for people and have no idea what you need for parts??????????????????????? Wow.
> 
> Really, it depends on the use of the computer. Most people don't need to spend $3K on a great PC... that is an important question to ask. I saw gaming on high settings, but...does he need a monitor too or already have one? If so, what resolution?
> 
> ...


The thing is my friend doesn't know a lot about PC components and is running old PC so he needs complete PC setup.
He wants to spend total amount of $3000 and wants high gaming experience.
So he asked me to assemble it for him.
I told him to cut down his price but he would not listen and acts stubborn. I don't know where he heard about $3000 pc but wants one.



Vineet Reddy said:


> I think it is his first project, so he wants to hit high with the startup.


Nothing like that.


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## Vineet Reddy (Apr 8, 2016)

I think it is his first project, so he wants to hit high with the startup.


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## Rolls Royce (Apr 8, 2016)

CAPSLOCKSTUCK said:


> for your own credibility  on this site list your specs
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/account/specs


I only have laptop.

Building this for my friend.

Will plan to get a desktop after I earn some by doing jobs like this.


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## dirtyferret (Apr 8, 2016)

doesn't maximum pc post all kinds of crazy $2k+ builds but if you want a "heavy" PC i suggest going with full tower case filled with granite rock


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## CAPSLOCKSTUCK (Apr 8, 2016)

for your own credibility  on this site list your specs

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/account/specs


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## EarthDog (Apr 8, 2016)

Rolls Royce said:


> I only have laptop.
> 
> Building this for my friend.
> 
> Will plan to get a desktop after I earn some by doing jobs like this.


Fair enough, you can still answer the questions.... 

Does he need a monitor? OS? Keyboard? Mouse?


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## cadaveca (Apr 8, 2016)

CAPSLOCKSTUCK said:


> for your own credibility  on this site list your specs
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/account/specs


Credibility by the hardware you have? WTF!


I got more hardware than nearly anyone else, guess I must be the most credible person ever! WOOT!


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## Rolls Royce (Apr 8, 2016)

EarthDog said:


> Fair enough, you can still answer the questions....


Do you want to know my laptops hardware specs


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## Kursah (Apr 8, 2016)

Rolls Royce said:


> Hi I am starting new assembly lineup so that I can build PCs for my friends and family on regular basis. This is my first project on this lineup. Please help
> 
> I am building this PC for my friend and his budget is $3000. He wants a heavy gaming PC. So, that he can run games on high settings.



First questions you need to ask is what the PC will be used for beyond gaming? What games will he want to play? How many screens? VR capable?

Is he going to do any rendering, converting, service hosting, network lab/projects? Does the projected budget include peripherals (keyboard, mice, headset), how about screen(s)? Do they need to be 4K capable or is he good with 1080?

*My first question to you is what is your experience?*

Second, are you familiar with PC Parts Picker?


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## cadaveca (Apr 8, 2016)

Rolls Royce said:


> Do you want to know my laptops hardware specs


Nope. Don't bother. We (as in TPU proper, not memebers) have a few written guides here:

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/?category=System+Building+Guides&manufacturer=&pp=25&order=date

By our own guides, $3000 will give you an easy 120 Hz gaming experience, with a part list included at the end of the article. (Just add OS)


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## Rolls Royce (Apr 8, 2016)

He said it will be single screen but he will be doing 4K



Kursah said:


> First questions you need to ask is what the PC will be used for beyond gaming? What games will he want to play? How many screens? VR capable?
> 
> Is he going to do any rendering, converting, service hosting, network lab/projects? Does the projected budget include peripherals (keyboard, mice, headset), how about screen(s)? Do they need to be 4K capable or is he good with 1080?
> 
> ...


This is my first build.
PC parts picker I just visited it

I will be taking help of videos from YouTube


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## Champ (Apr 8, 2016)

Save yourself a ton of money and back down to 1150. Chips, boards, ram and everything else is much cheaper.


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## Rolls Royce (Apr 8, 2016)

Champ said:


> Save yourself a ton of money and back down to 1150. Chips, boards, ram and everything else is much cheaper.


It is not my call 
My friend decided on amount and is not backing down from that price


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## Champ (Apr 8, 2016)

This money can go to cards, quote cards and a g sync 4k monitor.


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## Rolls Royce (Apr 8, 2016)

Champ said:


> This money can go to cards, quote cards and a g sync 4k monitor.


Can you please give me the complete spec list


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## dorsetknob (Apr 8, 2016)

Do you personaly have ANY EXPERIENCE OF BUILDING/CONFIGURING pc's or are you relying on Youtube for tutorials


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## CAPSLOCKSTUCK (Apr 8, 2016)

cadaveca said:


> Credibility by the hardware you have? WTF!
> 
> 
> I got more hardware than nearly anyone else, guess I must be the most credible person ever! WOOT!



Ability might have been more appropriate. I stand corrected. Seems quite a clever route actually. Practice  with someeone elses money.


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## Kursah (Apr 8, 2016)

Rolls Royce said:


> He said it will be single screen but he will be doing 4K
> 
> 
> This is my first build.
> ...



Do yourself a favor and stop now...don't build PC's for a profit unless you're experienced. You're going to run into issues and cost yourself money you might not have.

Play it smart, watch the videos now, buy some used/second-hand PC's and tear them down...all the way down...put them back together and make sure they boot.

Just because your buddy says $3000 doesn't mean you need to use ALL of it...you need to be in control of the deal...not him. And if you're inexperienced, honestly your chance of screwing your friend and yourself over is far higher than someone with experience building and deploying PC's. What are you gonna do if the mainboard has a bent pin? What are you gonna do if the RAM or SSD/HDD is DOA and he wants his PC TODAY? What are you gonna do if the PSU fries the graphics card as it gives up the ghost?

I cannot recommend with a clear conciense that what you're doing is close to a good idea...build for yourself successfully first...make it a hobby. IF you enjoy it then start building for others. It is easy to fuck up with inexperience here...and unless you have enough capital in your savings/checkings to cover the entire cost of that PC...you're a fool for trying to build for others for $$. I don't mean that to be offensive...I mean it to be blatantly clear on how bad of an idea this could be unless you're experienced and prepared.

Tell your buddy to either wait until you're more experienced or find someone else this time, do yourself a favor and build your own PC's first...go through the learning curve and rookie mistakes on your own dime, not someone else's. We will be glad to help you, but you're making a bad decision and Youtube nor this forum will save you from potentially making a costly error. Until you know how to build a variety of PC's from OEM replacements to new gaming PC's, etc, and price one out initially then ask for feedback, you're nowhere near ready.

/thread


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## Rolls Royce (Apr 8, 2016)

Champ said:


> This money can go to cards, quote cards and a g sync 4k monitor.





dorsetknob said:


> Do you personaly have ANY EXPERIENCE OF BUILDING/CONFIGURING pc's or are you relying on Youtube for tutorials


Relying on YouTube for CPU setup rest I have experience. I used to change all different components except CPU



Kursah said:


> Do yourself a favor and stop now...don't build PC's for a profit unless you're experienced. You're going to run into issues and cost yourself money you might not have.
> 
> Play it smart, watch the videos now, buy some used/second-hand PC's and tear them down...all the way down...put them back together and make sure they boot.
> 
> ...


Changing differnt components and managing the cables I can handle the problem is with CPU 
How hard is it


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## cadaveca (Apr 8, 2016)

CAPSLOCKSTUCK said:


> Ability might have been more appropriate. I stand corrected. Seems quite a clever route actually. Practice  with someeone elses money.


Buying/having hardware does not equal ability. That's even funnier than it leading to credibility. I guess I have both more credibility AND ability than most, WOOT WOOT!!



Rolls Royce said:


> Changing differnt components and managing the cables I can handle the problem is with CPU
> How hard is it



It's not hard. What is hard is choosing the right components to go together to actually give you the performance results, with the minimum cost involved. Yet even that is fairly easy if you read some reviews and build guides. That's really why we do those things, so that the readers can educate themselves on what is best for their needs.

First, find out which monitor he wants.

Then choose a VGA (or VGAs) that work well with that exact monitor (4K can be very problematic still).

Then, choose board/CPU/memory so as to not bottleneck the VGAs.

Then choose A fast SSD for OS, maybe a large SSD for game storage, and a HUGE mechanical drive for storage of everything else.

Choose case to fit it, and then a PSU to adequately power it all.

Buy OS, get it all together, test it, hand it off to the end user, and put a smile on their face.

$3000 is a very realistic budget for 4K gaming, IMHO.


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## Champ (Apr 8, 2016)

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/zwts6h

My attempt, although almost all of this is cheaper second hand.


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## Rolls Royce (Apr 8, 2016)

cadaveca said:


> Buying/having hardware does not equal ability. That's even funnier than it leading to credibility. I guess I have both more credibility AND ability than most, WOOT WOOT!!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


This is the only list I got that @Vineet Reddy gave me. Is it good enough 
http://pcpartpicker.com/user/VineetReddy/saved/N2cJ7P


CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($348.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i GTX 70.7 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($111.99 @ B&H)
Motherboard: Asus MAXIMUS VIII FORMULA ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($399.00 @ Amazon)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($189.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($189.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Intel 535 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($54.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($84.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Video Card ($572.98 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT H630 (Black) ATX Full Tower Case ($130.49 @ NZXT)
Power Supply: Corsair 1000W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($168.79 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG WH14NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($40.98 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Dell S2716DG 144Hz 27.0" Monitor ($529.99 @ Amazon)
Keyboard: Logitech G910 Orion Spark Wired Gaming Keyboard ($149.99 @ Amazon)
Mouse: Logitech G502 Wired Optical Mouse ($79.98 @ Amazon)
Total: $3053.04
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-04-08 14:30 EDT-0400


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## CAPSLOCKSTUCK (Apr 8, 2016)

cadaveca said:


> Buying/having hardware does not equal ability.



I never said it did. 

Good luck with your new business venture OP.


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## BigPaPaRu (Apr 8, 2016)

My computer....

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/CHyr23

Kills anything I throw at it. Most all games run 4K ultra 40-55FPS


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## Rolls Royce (Apr 8, 2016)

Champ said:


> http://pcpartpicker.com/p/zwts6h
> 
> My attempt, although almost all of this is cheaper second hand.


Will that old processor be able to handle 4K 
Will 980sli give good results


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## EarthDog (Apr 8, 2016)

LOL, 'old processor'...

Id go 980Ti for 4K. You will eventually want that 6GB I am sure.


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## Rolls Royce (Apr 8, 2016)

EarthDog said:


> LOL, 'old processor'...
> 
> Id go 980Ti for 4K. You will eventually want that 6GB I am sure.


K will go with 980ti an which processor should I choose 4790k or 6700k


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## GhostRyder (Apr 8, 2016)

Rolls Royce said:


> Hi I am starting new assembly lineup so that I can build PCs for my friends and family on regular basis. This is my first project on this lineup. Please help
> 
> I am building this PC for my friend and his budget is $3000. He wants a heavy gaming PC. So, that he can run games on high settings.


 Well, stretching it out into a high gaming PC can be hard to get value after a certain point.  However for 3K, here is what I would do:

i7 5820K
Asus X99 Pro USB 3.1
Gskill Trident X 32gb 3400
DeepCool Genome With LC system built in for CPU (Thought it would be cool)
EVGA 1000Watt Platinum PSU
2x EVGA GTX 980ti Classified Gaming
Samsung 950 Pro 512gb M.2 Drive
WD 1tb 7200RPM Black
LG Blu-ray Drive

There is a $3000 build (Little over).  This gives you maximum performance, nice cool system, looks, etc.  The 950 Pro m.2 SSD is extreme speeds so loading times are nill, GTX 980ti classifieds are great performance cards, and your case with LC will keep the system cool.


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## Toothless (Apr 8, 2016)

Just get a prebuilt. Easy way to waste $3k and get a pc.


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## EarthDog (Apr 8, 2016)

The fact that you can't pull ANY parts out of your hat really has me concerned for the person you are selling this to. Its the blind leading the legally blind... 

GL!


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## cadaveca (Apr 8, 2016)

EarthDog said:


> The fact that you can't pull ANY parts out of your hat really has me concerned for the person you are selling this to. Its the blind leading the legally blind...
> 
> GL!


I mostly agree, but each and every one of us started in the same place. Nothing like a little bit of pressure to create potential for exceptional performance. For all we know, the actual system buyer is fully aware.

Like really, slapping hardware together and installing an OS is simple. Heck, he could buy all the stuff minus OS at some local store, have them assemble the CPU/board, and then that removes the biggest point of failure (although I find the removing a CPU is far more difficult than installing it).

My 10-year old son built his first PC, with very minor guidance from me. It's not hard.


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## dorsetknob (Apr 8, 2016)

i think this thread will go nowhere the OP does not seem capable of dealing or delivering a $3000 system not without Serious hand holding and help

I will decline to participate further

Ps my first thoughts on viewing this thread were 
job vacancy

UNPAID Consultant Purchase Manager for incompetent wanna be system builder

apply Here
http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/required-complete-3000-gaming-pc.221576/#post-3442498


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## alucasa (Apr 8, 2016)

I've got to agree with @Kursah . And a good builder will try to save his client money. Even if your pal insists on 3k, try to convince him a less expensive route.


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## ASOT (Apr 8, 2016)

For @3k $ u can build a solid 4k pc.

Take i7 6700K a decent Z170 mobo,16 Gb Ram Ddr4@3000,M2 SSD,HDD 1 or 2 Tb,GTX 980Ti,PSU 850w Gold,Case Fractal Design/NZXT/Corsair,Monitor Acer CB280HK UHD/Asus MG28UQ UHD

The mouse,keyboard,air cooler,os and speakers can be more custom or added later,changed


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## alucasa (Apr 8, 2016)

If someone entrusted me with 3k to build a pc, I am taking 5 hundred from it. Researching components and building the rig is going to take hours and I wouldn't do it for free.

If I were you (OP), I'd hand over copy of all the invoices to your pal and make clear that you are taking some fee, like 10% of the 3k, as labor charge.


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## ASOT (Apr 8, 2016)

@alucasa  Yes,agreed is a hard work on picking parts,searching and after that put together in system


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## jaggerwild (Apr 8, 2016)

dorsetknob said:


> i think this thread will go nowhere the OP does not seem capable of dealing or delivering a $3000 system not without Serious hand holding and help
> 
> I will decline to participate further
> 
> ...



 He's gonna build his own after he makes a living off doing it for others lOLZ!


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## R-T-B (Apr 8, 2016)

I mean, I started off doing some iffy build choices in my first "for friend" builds, but I admitted I was learning as I went and charged bottom dollar for it (as in, no labor).

My feelings?  You can make a business out of this, but don't bill him labor on your first rodeo.  Make this a learning experience for you and him together.  Once you have some skill accumulated, then you can start charging for it.

I mean, I don't think you needs certs and degrees out the wazoo to do this (I have none of the above).  But you do need a little experience, especially before talking about a lot of money in labor.  How much will you be billing there?  It may change the whole perspective if it's sub $100 or something.


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## Champ (Apr 9, 2016)

EarthDog said:


> LOL, 'old processor'...
> 
> Id go 980Ti for 4K. You will eventually want that 6GB I am sure.



At the rate developers are competing with consoles, I believe it'll probably be good for another 5 years


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## little cat (Apr 9, 2016)

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

*CPU:* Intel Core i7-5930K 3.5GHz 6-Core Processor  ($554.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
*CPU Cooler:* Corsair H80i GT 70.7 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler  ($69.99 @ Newegg) 
*Motherboard:* ASRock X99 Extreme6/ac ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard  ($243.98 @ Newegg) 
*Memory:* Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR4-3000 Memory  ($89.99 @ Amazon) 
*Storage:* Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($87.77 @ OutletPC) 
*Storage:* Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($47.77 @ OutletPC) 
*Video Card:* MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Video Card (2-Way SLI)  ($653.98 @ Newegg) 
*Video Card:* MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Video Card (2-Way SLI)  ($653.98 @ Newegg) 
*Case:* Fractal Design Define R5 w/Window (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($89.99 @ NCIX US) 
*Power Supply:* EVGA SuperNOVA 1000G2 1000W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($163.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
*Operating System:* Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit)  ($86.49 @ OutletPC) 
*Monitor:* Acer G257HU smidpx 60Hz 25.0" Monitor  ($259.99 @ B&H) 
*Total:* $3002.91
_Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-04-08 19:35 EDT-0400_


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## Toothless (Apr 9, 2016)

R-T-B said:


> I mean, I started off doing some iffy build choices in my first "for friend" builds, but I admitted I was learning as I went and charged bottom dollar for it (as in, no labor).
> 
> My feelings?  You can make a business out of this, but don't bill him labor on your first rodeo.  Make this a learning experience for you and him together.  Once you have some skill accumulated, then you can start charging for it.
> 
> I mean, I don't think you needs certs and degrees out the wazoo to do this (I have none of the above).  But you do need a little experience, especially before talking about a lot of money in labor.  How much will you be billing there?  It may change the whole perspective if it's sub $100 or something.


I still don't charge people for services. If it needs a part and I don't have it, I'll explain "we need this and it costs x-amount."

My excuse for not charging is that "I'm not certified" but I'll take donations.


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## Rockarola (Apr 9, 2016)

alucasa said:


> If someone entrusted me with 3k to build a pc, I am taking 5 hundred from it. Researching components and building the rig is going to take hours and I wouldn't do it for free.
> 
> If I were you (OP), I'd hand over copy of all the invoices to your pal and make clear that you are taking some fee, like 10% of the 3k, as labor charge.



I build as a hobby and that is EXACTLY what I do. I do the research, order the parts and put it all in the right places...that'll cost you a flat 10%.
If you want a windowed case with the internals all blinged up (cable combs, hidden LEDs and so forth) that'll be an extra fee, usually around 100€.
(if you want custom watercooling, you are looking in the wrong place...haven't played enough with that yet)


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## R-T-B (Apr 9, 2016)

Toothless said:


> My excuse for not charging is that "I'm not certified" but I'll take donations.



Ummm...  no offense toothless but I have only a high school diploma and have probably made more in PC builds than you want to know about.  It's about skillset, not sheepskin (diplomas/certifications) on the wall.

Of course if you want stable employment, the diplomas/certs do help, no argument there...


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## cadaveca (Apr 9, 2016)

Toothless said:


> I still don't charge people for services. If it needs a part and I don't have it, I'll explain "we need this and it costs x-amount."
> 
> My excuse for not charging is that "I'm not certified" but I'll take donations.


But the thing is, your TIME is valuable. Just your time. That's what you get paid for at any job, whether it's by the hour, the week, bi-monthly, or salaried. So you should value that accordingly, applied skills or not.


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## R-T-B (Apr 9, 2016)

cadaveca said:


> But the thing is, your TIME is valuable. Just your time. That's what you get paid for at any job, whether it's by the hour, the week, bi-monthly, or salaried. So you should value that accordingly, applied skills or not.



I never work for under minimum wage anymore...  Except for with parents.  They have that mean "I made you, do what I say!" card.


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## cadaveca (Apr 9, 2016)

R-T-B said:


> I never work for under minimum wage anymore...  Except for with parents.  They have that mean "I made you, do what I say!" card.



Heh. When you have kids, they'll do the same thing, except it'll be "You made ME!!!"


ROFL.


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## Toothless (Apr 9, 2016)

cadaveca said:


> But the thing is, your TIME is valuable. Just your time. That's what you get paid for at any job, whether it's by the hour, the week, bi-monthly, or salaried. So you should value that accordingly, applied skills or not.


Time that I use to get better. "Let me use your stuff to learn more." 


R-T-B said:


> I never work for under minimum wage anymore...  Except for with parents.  They have that mean "I made you, do what I say!" card.


My mother gets me pizza for fixing the printer.


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## MIRTAZAPINE (Apr 9, 2016)

The keyword here is "friend". I would be very weary of that if it is a friend and it comes with dealing with huge amount of money. I would simply push to someone else to build it. But if I have to I'll make it clear of how much I have spend and how much I would be charging for labour. Yes time and effort is valuable you charge for your skills but the friend card to carry problems and baggage associated  with it depending on how your friend is.

So far I do pc builds for friends out of a favour or to have fun to learn only rather than profit. I don't have much time nowadays for these things.

You can go much lower in price than 3k usd for a pc to get satisfactory performance. Having a pc that meets your needs and having alot of cash to spare for future upgrades is better than blowing it all in one shot. Take your friend around and see what type of rigs there is and experience it in real life first. Maybe a computer shop or someone that have a high rig.

I would always say to write down a list of need and be specific about the goal you have. It would put your effort and money to good use. Good luck for your build.


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## R-T-B (Apr 9, 2016)

Toothless said:


> My mother gets me pizza for fixing the printer.



If it's good pizza, I could see that as payment for a printer fix.

Is it good pizza?


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## Toothless (Apr 9, 2016)

R-T-B said:


> If it's good pizza, I could see that as payment for a printer fix.
> 
> Is it good pizza?


Good pizza.


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## Rolls Royce (Apr 9, 2016)

I agree I am inexperienced but I have to start at some point. 
And I need some money so that's why I am charging my friends


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## Toothless (Apr 9, 2016)

Rolls Royce said:


> I agree I am inexperienced but I have to start at some point.
> And I need some money so that's why I am charging my friends


That's an a-hole move imho but that's just me.

Start small. You're basically summing up a 1st grader taking charge of a nuclear plant. You need to actually work on some old crappy rigs before you jump into a $3k build. 

Direct your friend to a prebuilt/custom site, help pick the parts, and I suppose charge him for the tuning (removing bloatware and making sure everything works)


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## Rolls Royce (Apr 9, 2016)

Toothless said:


> That's an a-hole move imho but that's just me.
> 
> Start small. You're basically summing up a 1st grader taking charge of a nuclear plant. You need to actually work on some old crappy rigs before you jump into a $3k build.
> 
> Direct your friend to a prebuilt/custom site, help pick the parts, and I suppose charge him for the tuning (removing bloatware and making sure everything works)


K will try and throw some sense into him.
How much can I earn that way.
He promised $100 for the complete build


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## OneMoar (Apr 9, 2016)

there is so much wrong here I am flabbergasted
the op is gonna find out the hard-way  when he destroys several hundred dollars worth of hardware because he doesn't know what hes doing
if this friend is reading this 'RUN' run run away you don't wank this guy touching your hardware or money
there seems to be a rash of new users lately that just don't seem to get it ...
I been doing this a long time so here is some advice
there is no money in building high end computers NONE


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## R-T-B (Apr 9, 2016)

OneMoar said:


> there is no money in building high end computers NONE



Agreed.  The better money is in, ironically, building little "put put" computers.  If there is any money to be had, it's there.  The amount of integrated graphics systems I've assembled pains my inner enthusiast...

None of it beats a real job.


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## alucasa (Apr 9, 2016)

I used to build mini-itx rigs that surprised average folks. They'd go "wow" and state how small it is. Nowadays, I just get them NUCs. No point in wasting my efforts in building mini-itx rigs for the average.

As for building for parents, I've been doing that for over a decade for free. Free as in everything free including all component cost. I'd hate to see them hire some dude and let him overcharge. But I gave them an i3 NUC this time few months ago.

... Intel NUC ruined my little hobby.


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## R-T-B (Apr 9, 2016)

alucasa said:


> I used to build mini-itx rigs that surprised average folks. They'd go "wow" and state how small it is. Nowadays, I just get them NUCs. No point in wasting my efforts in building mini-itx rigs for the average.
> 
> As for building for parents, I've been doing that for over a decade for free. Free as in everything free including all component cost. I'd hate to see them hire some dude and let him overcharge. But I gave them an i3 NUC this time few months ago.
> 
> ... Intel NUC ruined my little hobby.



Actually, I've been feeling the NUC pinch as well...  Damnit Intel!


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## CAPSLOCKSTUCK (Apr 9, 2016)

OneMoar said:


> there is so much wrong here I am flabbergasted
> the op is gonna find out the hard-way  when he destroys several hundred dollars worth of hardware because he doesn't know what hes doing
> if this friend is reading this 'RUN' run run away you don't wank this guy touching your hardware or money
> there seems to be a rash of new users lately that just don't seem to get it ...
> ...





^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This, 

as was pointed out from the start, the guy has no experience and should not be "practising" with other peoples money. It sounds like a good way to go from "friend" to "debtor"


I build for friends and offer online/telephone support for free. If i am offered cash i take it. 
Incidentally,where i live, friends do friends favours.


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## Ebo (Apr 9, 2016)

When I get asked to built a new system for a friend, I allways ask how much are you willing to put into it, and what do you want it to do ?.

Then we find something that can actually do that, and all I ask fore is mabye a beer for doing it, thats friendship for me.


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## johnspack (Apr 9, 2016)

I'm building almost the exact same system for a buddy.  Your mobo,  way overkill...  your psu,  way overkill....  16gbs ram is enough....   you can shave 100s off this build.
 But he's the opposite,  and trying to keep the cost 
down......  which I agree with......  and I'll probably do the whole dam thing for free....  arg.


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## n-ster (Apr 10, 2016)

IMO 2.5-3K isn't ridiculous. I'd ask your friend if 1440p 120+hz IPS G-Sync interests him or not, it's worth looking at, as well as ultra wide monitors. 

I'll need help from the American members here, is there any similar service as the 50$ fee for assembling / testing for DOA kind of service NCIX gives here in Canada? That's probably your best bet IMO if there is anything like that.

I'm not going to tell him or you what to do, as long as he knows you don't have any experience building a computer, it's not my business lol


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## Rockarola (Apr 10, 2016)

Ebo said:


> When I get asked to built a new system for a friend, I allways ask how much are you willing to put into it, and what do you want it to do ?.
> 
> Then we find something that can actually do that, and all I ask fore is mabye a beer for doing it, thats friendship for me.


For friends my rates are pizza'n'beer...I'll bring one, they'll supply the other. (I usually do the build at their place, I have built a fully portable work area and most like to watch the build)


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## WhiteNoise (Apr 10, 2016)

I never charge friends or family to build computers. But then friends take care of friends. We do each other favors. That is what being friends is all about.

That said I'm not sure the OP knows what he is doing. He stated he has experience with some hardware but I'm not sure that means building a PC from scratch. Then again maybe he knows enough. 

As long as his friend knows that he is inexperienced as I hope he would not lead people to believe he is an expert or something.

I've been building computers for over 16 years and I still look towards my fellow TPU members for advice on components. Not because I cannot do it myself but I like getting feedback. What I'm trying to say is I don't find it out of the norm for a builder to look for input but in this case he comes off as inexperienced and I hope he doesn't get in over his head. When the problems pop up, you better be able to fix them.

I didn't start building PCs for friends or clients until I had been building them for myself for a year or two. Back in the early days I built a new PC every six months. 

To the OP, just make sure you do this right. Be prepared to handle problems when you friends call you up complaining that something doesn't work.

My best advice for you OP is once the PC is built, keep it with you for at least a few days for some serious testing. Don't let your buddy rush you at all.


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## Toothless (Apr 10, 2016)

OP probably ditched and went to a different site with no brains or care for friends since we're the logical site.

At least we care about our friends and family, guess OP doesn't feel the same way.



Or I could be wrong and OP isn't as active as some of us.


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## yotano211 (Apr 10, 2016)

The OP said he was a pure laptop person, why is he/she building a complete desktop, esp. a such a high price desktop. 

I am not saying in not building a nice desktop but the OP has pure laptop only experience. 

I am in the same boat, I am a 100% laptop person. I can take apart the entire laptop and upgrade the graphics card on a laptop if its a MXM design and if there is customs bios to support it but I dont touch any desktop, I would if its a simple problem.


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## Rolls Royce (Apr 10, 2016)

WhiteNoise said:


> I never charge friends or family to build computers. But then friends take care of friends. We do each other favors. That is what being friends is all about.
> 
> That said I'm not sure the OP knows what he is doing. He stated he has experience with some hardware but I'm not sure that means building a PC from scratch. Then again maybe he knows enough.
> 
> ...





Toothless said:


> OP probably ditched and went to a different site with no brains or care for friends since we're the logical site.
> 
> At least we care about our friends and family, guess OP doesn't feel the same way.
> 
> ...


Not going leave this thread 



yotano211 said:


> The OP said he was a pure laptop person, why is he/she building a complete desktop, esp. a such a high price desktop.
> 
> I am not saying in not building a nice desktop but the OP has pure laptop only experience.
> 
> I am in the same boat, I am a 100% laptop person. I can take apart the entire laptop and upgrade the graphics card on a laptop if its a MXM design and if there is customs bios to support it but I dont touch any desktop, I would if its a simple problem.


I am not a pure laptop person. I agree I never did pc build before. But I changed nearly all the components at some point of time of different PCs except CPU. But never did all together but it should not be a problem. Only problem if I face one will be with CPU mounting can I do it correctly by following videos on YouTube


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## little cat (Apr 10, 2016)

If the price can get lower :
i7 6700 + GTX 980 ti (or a new Pascal)

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

*CPU:* Intel Core i7-6700 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($309.99 @ Amazon)
*Motherboard:* ASRock Z170 Pro4S ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($109.88 @ OutletPC)
*Memory:* Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3200 Memory  ($84.99 @ Amazon)
*Storage:* Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($87.77 @ OutletPC)
*Storage:* Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($47.77 @ OutletPC)
*Video Card:* MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Video Card  ($653.98 @ Newegg)
*Case:* NZXT S340 (White) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($61.59 @ NZXT)
*Power Supply:* SeaSonic G 550W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($77.99 @ SuperBiiz)
*Operating System:* Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit)  ($85.49 @ OutletPC)
*Monitor:* Acer G257HU smidpx 60Hz 25.0" Monitor  ($259.99 @ B&H)
*Total:* $1779.44
_Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-04-10 13:46 EDT-0400

PSU for GPU overclocking_
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/seasonic-power-supply-ssr650rm


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## yotano211 (Apr 10, 2016)

Rolls Royce said:


> Not going leave this thread
> 
> 
> I am not a pure laptop person. I agree I never did pc build before. But I changed nearly all the components at some point of time of different PCs except CPU. But never did all together but it should not be a problem. Only problem if I face one will be with CPU mounting can I do it correctly by following videos on YouTube


Mounting a CPU on a laptop is not hard if the laptop can. Todays newer laptopss are all soldered anyways so the days of exchanging a processor for a another one are long gone.


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## Vineet Reddy (Apr 10, 2016)

yotano211 said:


> Mounting a CPU on a laptop is not hard if the laptop can. Todays newer laptopss are all soldered anyways so the days of exchanging a processor for a another one are long gone.


Nope, I was talking about mounting it upon a desktop not laptop.



little cat said:


> If the price can get lower :
> i7 6700 + GTX 980 ti (or a new Pascal)
> 
> PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
> ...


Can you please provide me something nearing $3000. Thank you for the list


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## little cat (Apr 10, 2016)

Vineet Reddy said:


> Can you please provide me something nearing $3000. Thank you for the list



i did this several posts backwards .

But for 2K gaming a single GTX 980 ti is enough . 4K monitors are too expensive

Also new cards are coming in this summer

Edit : I changed the RAM to 3200MHz for better compatibility , i7 6700 rig


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## Toothless (Apr 10, 2016)

Vineet Reddy said:


> Nope, I was talking about mounting it upon a desktop not laptop.





Vineet Reddy said:


> Can you please provide me something nearing $3000. Thank you for the list


You really gotta stop double posting.


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## n-ster (Apr 10, 2016)

little cat said:


> i did this several posts backwards .
> 
> But for 2K gaming a single GTX 980 ti is enough . 4K monitors are too expensive
> 
> ...



But he doesn't want 1080p. The value of 1440p or 4K is subjective, I went with 1440p for instance, I went with lightboost monitor when it came out...


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## RCoon (Apr 10, 2016)

Vineet Reddy said:


> Can you please provide me something nearing $3000. Thank you for the list



I'm confused. Are you using 2 accounts? (I presume you are, as your IP address is identical with the OP)

Please choose one, so I can ban the other.


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## CAPSLOCKSTUCK (Apr 11, 2016)

Well, well, well.


I so nearly called this a few days ago by PM


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## P4-630 (Apr 11, 2016)

ASOT said:


> For @3k $ u can build a solid 4k pc.
> 
> Take i7 6700K a decent Z170 mobo,16 Gb Ram Ddr4@3000,M2 SSD,HDD 1 or 2 Tb,GTX 980Ti,PSU 850w Gold,Case Fractal Design/NZXT/Corsair,Monitor Acer CB280HK UHD/Asus MG28UQ UHD
> 
> The mouse,keyboard,air cooler,os and speakers can be more custom or added later,changed



1 GTX980Ti is not enough horsepower for 4k


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## R-T-B (Apr 11, 2016)

Ok, I am off this trainwreck.  gg guys.


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## Renegogier (Apr 11, 2016)

Rolls Royce said:


> Hi I am starting new assembly lineup so that I can build PCs for my friends and family on regular basis. This is my first project on this lineup. Please help
> 
> I am building this PC for my friend and his budget is $3000. He wants a heavy gaming PC. So, that he can run games on high settings.




I would not build a PC for someone else if i hadnt built one for myself, and the fact that ur friend wont go away from his 3000dollar build shows that he has no idea of PCs either,I really recommend NOT to build a Pc for someone if u dont have any clue, even les when it costs 3000 friggin dollars.

(I just created this account to reply to this post x) )


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## neatfeatguy (Apr 11, 2016)

Not sure if OP is still lurking around this thread or not....

First PC I built for someone cost around $400. The PC was designed to give web browsing, flash video game capability and be functional for video watching. It needed to be just for that.

The cost would have been closer to $500 if they needed to buy an OS. I was able to provide them the free beta copy of Windows 7 and I informed him the copy would eventually expire once Windows 7 officially launches. I told him what he would need to do to buy a legit copy and how to apply the windows key he would get (this was about 4-6 months down the road when he had to do this) and to expect the cost to be around $100-150 - he was okay with this since it would give him time to put cash aside for the OS. I gifted him the old GT 7600 I no longer used so it would have something better over the onboard GPU. Everything worked with the build, no hardware issues and the beta Windows 7 worked just fine.

To my knowledge, they still use it to this day for just basic web browsing so they kids have something to use for school work research.

Having put a few PCs together for myself prior to helping this person out, building this new (albeit cheap, but still new) PC for someone else was a tad nerve wracking and this was only with around $400 of parts, not $3k.

In your situation, you have some experience with PC parts, but you also have to realize what else will come from this. Your friend will hold you responsible for any issues that may (and probably will) arise on the computer. I had to help the guy I built the PC for with a couple of OS issues because he couldn't figure them out on his own. I was able to help him over the phone so it was rather painless, but he came back to me with the issues he had no idea on how to fix.

Also, in about 2 years when this $3K PC can no longer keep up with the newer games on 4K resolution, what's your friend going to do? I personally believe that even with current SLI/Crossfire builds, while they can play very decent frames on 4K, they still lack enough punch to make them a worthwhile investment. 4K is just past the reach of current generation GPUs to provide constant solid performance for the next few years. If Pascal and Polaris rumors are true, they'll be the sweet spot for GPUs to handle 4K once their flagship cards come out, but that's going to be closer to Q4 this year.

Do yourself a favor and set yourself up to expect the worst when doing this job for your friend - it's a lot of money and you'll be responsible for it, even after it's built.


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## Vayra86 (Apr 11, 2016)

OP, please, don't visit tech forums with zero insight on what's going on. We are not going to be able to help you, because 95% of what we say is wizardry to you.

Step one to 'DIY' is finding out what these three letters mean. Then when you've gone along and made steps towards that understanding, you will come out with actual sensible questions regarding the choice between, for example, components of a PC build.

I'll help you along step one, courtesy of one google search (hint hint):

*Do it yourself*, also known as *DIY*, is the method of building, modifying, or repairing something without the direct aid of experts or professionals. Academic research describes DIY as behaviors where "individuals engage raw and semi-raw materials and component parts to produce, transform, or reconstruct material possessions, including those drawn from the natural environment (e.g. landscaping)".[1] DIY behavior can be triggered by various motivations previously categorized as marketplace motivations (economic benefits, lack of product availability, lack of product quality, need for customization), and identity enhancement (craftsmanship, empowerment, community seeking, uniqueness)[2]

The term "do-it-yourself" has been associated with consumers since at least 1912 primarily in the domain of home improvement and maintenance activities.[3] The phrase "do it yourself" had come into common usage (in standard English) by the 1950s,[4] in reference to the emergence of a trend of people undertaking home improvement and various other small craft and construction projects as both a creative-recreational and cost-saving activity.


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## alucasa (Apr 11, 2016)

neatfeatguy said:


> Your friend will hold you responsible for any issues that may (and probably will) arise on the computer. I had to help the guy I built the PC for with a couple of OS issues because he couldn't figure them out on his own. I was able to help him over the phone so it was rather painless, but he came back to me with the issues he had no idea on how to fix.



This is the main issue with "helping pals out for free". They keep counting on you for free. They expect you to fix things up for free. Basically, in rude terms, they sort of abuse your generosity.
That's why you shouldn't do this or you need to do it properly businessman-like. Make clear of what you would do and what you wouldn't. What's covered and what's not and charge accordingly.

Or better yet, don't do it at all for friends and those close to you.


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## dorsetknob (Apr 11, 2016)

alucasa said:


> This is the main issue with "helping pals out for free". They keep counting on you for free. They expect you to fix things up for free. Basically, in rude terms, they sort of abuse your generosity.



 Your Money or your wife/girlfriend for equal hours spent  working


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## Tatty_One (Apr 11, 2016)

Don't like this thread for too many reasons, the topic, IP addresses, locations it's just crying to be closed, for those that tried to help/advise...... thank you.


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