I Have Converted

I recently have had a conversion. I am a bit taken back by my actions as well. It came upon me like a flash of light out of the darkness one evening, and I have obsessed about it ever since.

That's right! I was going to build and use a PC!

I have been an adamant Mac/Apple user my entire career. However, nobody, not even me, suspected that I might someday build/assemble my own PC and use it.

Why the change? 

I have wanted a new computer for some time, and Apple has delayed the new M1 chip lineup. Also, the recent desktop mac seemed so overpriced for the power it supplied. I imagine the next generation will be more of the same overpriced lineups. Also, the fact that I was still working on a trashcan mac from 2013 was a hard daily reality. Apple/Mac has lost its roots and the "how and why" they made it this far. Creatives have helped build Apple. It helped get them out of the financial issues they had in the 90s and brought them to the point of releasing the first iPhone. But not anymore. They have what they wanted as a company, and those of us old die-hard fanboys don't get the same love we used to get. So, my conversion was inevitable and now completed. I will still enjoy all the aspects of Apple (Laptop, iPads, iPhone, Ecosystem, Entertainment, etc.). Still, I have to move on to my work and production. 

I have joined the PC population

I was able to learn so much about building a PC. I researched motherboards, CPUs, GPUs, Power supplies, and the why's and how's of building a PC. It took me some time digging around. In the process, I got enamored with the style of gaming PCs. Wow! I had no idea you could customize so much. I watched a channel on YouTube: TechSource, and in a recent video, they walked through the steps and parts to build a PC. I also watched a few other videos, of course. I have to say that I was obsessed. It started with this build: How To Build A PC - Step by Step (Full Build Guide). I got completely sucked in, and the idea that I could upgrade my system with compatible parts later really sealed the deal. So, a few weeks ago, I threw down the credit card and loaded up the shopping cart, and clicked submit.

PC Parts - Global

• i9-12900K: https://geni.us/HW0AO

• ASUS STRIX Z690-A: https://geni.us/daJ9dKS

• ASUS Strix RTX 3090 White: https://geni.us/syCbdbg

• ASUS Strix LC360 White: https://geni.us/bRwJr

• Thermaltake Toughram 32GB: https://geni.us/s0QS

• Sabrent 8TB M.2 SSD: https://geni.us/cFogia

• Corsair RM850X: https://geni.us/VudqE

• Thermaltake Core P6 TG: https://geni.us/7BclNa

It didn't take very long. I had watched a lot of videos and was prepared to jump in. However, I knew there were extra steps in setting up the PC with windows, adding drivers, etc. It would take what it always takes, obsessive diligence and an overwhelming urge to "figure shit out."

It's not as hard as you would think

It came together relatively quickly and was much more simplified than I imagined. Nothing went majorly wrong. I had a few hiccups, but I managed to figure it all out. The PC I assembled has a gaming feel and it can be used for gaming (of course), but I got it to continue my video, audio, and 3D work. It's something I want to focus on for my own enjoyment as well as potential work in the future. I am very satisfied with the performance and the aesthetic is like a work of art. 

If you are interested...

Give it a try. Really. It's not has hard as it looks and if you take the time to understand the parts, what they do, what you want, and potential compatibility issues, you can assemble some pretty inexpensive, but powerful builds that fit your needs. You can even get the lowest prices by entering your parts at "pcpartpicker.com" and it will help you with sourcing the parts. I happened to build mine when GPU prices were being raised across the board. I threw down the extra cash rather than waiting for prices to come down. All it takes after you have the parts is a screwdriver and USB stick. I did take the opportunity to get a couple monitors, new keyboard, and a mouse. All in all, it was really satisfying to see it all come together. I highly recommend it. 

Now, the only thing I need to do is figure out Windows 10 and by the time I get used to that, I am sure Windows 11 will be available. Ha! 

Remember:

“Change is the only constant in life.” - Heraclitus 

Change.