5 reasons why you should build your next PC

 1   Why you should build your next PC

Don't buy your next PC. Build it. The advantages are legion. For starters you have complete control over the build. You'll learn more about your machine by building it. You'll be able to pick components from manufacturers that you trust and you won't waste cash on components that aren't important.

You can build a system that's the perfect size for the space you have; a machine that hits your budget too. Hell, you might even save money.

Combine it with the most beautiful screen you can afford, and plug in the best darn peripherals around and you're good to go. Basically, build it yourself and you can create your perfect PC, as opposed to someone else's concept of perfection.

 2    The bits you need for the machine you want

Of that long list of advantages, the key entry is the fact you get to pick exactly what goes in the machine, and thus tailor it to your needs.

If you want to play the latest games at the best quality settings, then make sure you dump most of your money on the graphics card, because that single component is going to be doing the lion's share of the work. Want to build a video editing system? Then plenty of memory, a beefy CPU and fast storage are all going to do you favours. Just want to build a budget rig? Pick the best value components.

 3    What you'll need

or most machines your component list needs to include:

• Graphics card
• Processor
• Motherboard
• CPU Cooler
• Memory
• Storage
• Optical drive
• Case
• Power supply
• Operating system
• Screen
• Keyboard
• Mouse
• Headset/Speakers

Once you've got your perfect PC list it's time to actually go out and buy it.

 4    Shop around and save cash!

It's a truism of modern consumerism, but if you want the best deals, you've got to shop around. There's an important caveat to bear in mind though, and it's a caveat that makes sense of some of the low, low prices you'll find on some of the most sought-after pieces of kit.

That caveat is your biggest nemesis in this bargain hunt: postage. Get each piece of kit from a different retailer and any savings you've made will be swallowed up by the shipping costs and then some.

 5     Bundle for even bigger savings

The thing to do is to pick your list of components from several resellers and see which one works out cheapest overall. If there are one or two real bargains (even after including the shipping costs), then it may be worth buying those on their own, but the general rule is to buy everything from one, or maybe two, shops.

Microsoft explains what you’ll lose by upgrading to Windows 10

Microsoft announced today that it will be launching Windows 10 on July 29th, encouraging Windows 7 and 8.1 users to reserve their free upgrade with a notification in their task bar. However, while the company has been busy highlighting all the shiny new features in the upcoming OS, it's been a bit quieter when it comes to spelling out the limitations — including making updates automatic for Windows 10 Home users.

SAY GOODBYE TO HEARTS AND DESKTOP GADGETS

Firstly there are the software losses. Most of these will only affect a small number of users, but upgrading will mean saying goodbye to Windows Media Center, the card game Hearts, and Windows 7's desktop gadgets. Anyone in the habit of using floppy disks on Windows will also have to install new drivers, and Microsoft warns that watching DVDs will also require "separate playback software." Microsoft manager Gabriel Aul has said on Twitter that a DVD option for Windows 10 is coming "later this year," but early upgraders can always download VLC instead.

In addition to the software losses, there are also a number of limitations for some of Windows 10's most exciting features. Cortana will only be available in the US, UK, China, France, Italy, Germany, and Spain at launch, while Windows Hello (which offers support for various biometric passwords) will need an infrared camera for facial recognition, or a supported fingerprint reader. The Xbox Music and Xbox Video streaming apps will also be constrained by the usual, complex web of region-based licenses.

More annoyingly, perhaps, Microsoft has also changed how updates will work with Windows 10. Although the Pro and Enterprise editions will both be able to defer updates, Windows 10 Home users will not have the option. Updates will instead be downloaded and installed automatically as soon as they're available. System requirements for the new OS have also been detailed, with PCs and tablets needing to pass a fairly low bar: a 1GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, and a display resolution of at least 1,024 x 600 are required. These specs are a bit higher for the 64-bit version of Windows 10 but for these details and more, you can check out Microsoft's full specs page.

Microsoft confirms Windows 10 will launch globally on July 29

Microsoft has today confirmed that Windows 10 will launch globally on Wednesday, July 29. The release date gives Microsoft less than two months to finalize Windows 10’s features and fix its bugs, of which there are many in the latest preview build.

More recent previews have certainly taken great strides toward becoming ready for public use, but even the latest build — version 10130 — has its fair share of problems. Microsoft will be hoping to eliminate almost all of those by the time Windows 10 goes on sale.

It would be naive to think that the software will arrive without any bugs, however, so early adopters should bear that in mind. The good news is, Microsoft can easily rollout fixes, and many of them are likely to be available before consumers buy new Windows 10 PCs.

“Windows 8 launched with a big update available on the first day, and many separate app updates,” The Verge notes. “Windows 10 looks set to continue that trend.”

Of course, a few bugs are unlikely to discourage hardcore Windows fans from upgrading on day one — especially those already running Windows 7 or Windows 8, who qualify for a free Windows 10 upgrade during the first year.

In addition to bringing back the Start menu, Windows 10 offers Cortana integration,Microsoft’s new Edge browser, a new Xbox app and the ability to stream Xbox One games to a PC, and lots more changes and improvements.

It is certainly worth the upgrade, then — even if you have to pay for it. It’s still unclear how much Windows 10 will cost for new customers and those who aren’t eligible for a free upgrade, but recent listings from Newegg suggest pricing will start at around $109.99 for OEMs.

Windows 10: the Last Version of Windows?

Windows 10 will be the last major version of Microsoft's operating system.

Microsoft's developer evangelist Jerry Nixon made the announcement at the company's Ignite conference in Chicago last week.

"Right now we're releasing Windows 10, and because Windows 10 is the last version of Windows, we're all still working on Windows 10," he said. But don't let his comments freak you out — Windows isn't going away — far from it.

Microsoft is instead changing the way it distributes improvements for the operating system in the future. Instead of releasing a whole new version every few years, as it's done until now, Microsoft plans to improve Windows through regular updates.

"Recent comments at Ignite about Windows 10 are reflective of the way Windows will be delivered as a service bringing new innovations and updates in an ongoing manner, with continuous value for our consumer and business customers," a Microsoft spokesperson told PCMag.

This jibes with Microsoft's recent announcement that it's killing off Patch Tuesday in favor of pushing out patches to Windows 10 users as soon as they're ready, on a 24/7 basis.

At this point, it's unclear whether Microsoft plans to keep the Windows 10 moniker forever, though. The company does have a history of making frequent and sometimes unpopular name changes.

"We aren't speaking to future branding at this time, but customers can be confident Windows 10 will remain up-to-date and power a variety of devices from PCs to phones to Surface Hub to HoloLens and Xbox," the spokesperson said today. "We look forward to a long future of Windows innovations."