Prices for computers and their components have stabilized and returned to the January level. Such data were published by MTS and "M.Video-El Dorado". This is due, according to the companies, to the strengthening of the ruble and a drop in demand for equipment. We talked about the market situation with an expert, according to whose observation, at the moment the cost of components has become almost equal to a ready-made personal computer. About how to buy a ready-made computer today or assemble it yourself, and how much it will cost, the editors of "Made in Russia" talked with an independent IT specialist Nikita Korablinov.

"There are companies that keep large margins on the brand, assembly and visual component, but such expenses are not typical for the average consumer. If you are planning to buy a regular PC, it is easier to buy a ready-made computer and use it. They are sold in any store or on the marketplace," the expert said.

So, in order not to overpay for a computer, the IT specialist recommends not to purchase author's assemblies, since this is fraught with a large overpayment for the brand and design of the PC. At the same time, you should not try to save money and buy ready-made assemblies from strangers and stores without a reputation. So you can be deceived — overestimate the cost of components or even accept payment without providing a service. You can check the cost of parts through online stores or services that allow you to find the optimal cost of the goods

The expert also advises not to purchase components or ready-made PCs that were in use. In this case, you can stumble upon a "dying" device whose owner wanted to get rid of it quickly before it broke. There is also always a risk of breakdowns due to improper operation of the PC by the former owner. "At the moment there are a lot of video cards on the market, with high wear, since they were involved in mining," Korablinov warns.

Prices for computers and components tend to go down

Today, prices for video cards and PCs are returning even to the levels that were held even before the hype around mining," the expert notes. For example, according to the Yandex product search, where you can track prices for computers, components and peripherals, one of the MSI video card models in March 2022 at the peak of demand cost 59,914 rubles. Now the cost has dropped to 18,920 rubles. A more modern GIGABYTE GeForce graphics card cost 94,206 rubles in February. Now the price is around 24 thousand rubles.

Parallel imports from China also played a role in lowering prices for video cards, so today buyers can easily find goods for their tasks. The cost of processors has also decreased — for example, in March, one of the Intel Core i5 processors cost an average of 40 thousand rubles. Now the price of the same product is kept at around 23 thousand rubles.

How to build a computer yourself

In order to assemble a computer for yourself, it is important to take into account several things," Korablinov notes: "First, you need to define your tasks. Maybe you don't need a high-performance PC or something else, and you can save on certain details. At the same time, remember that you should not save on some things. For example, on the power supply — the life cycle of the PC depends on it.

Secondly, compare the prices of components. Study the cost on marketplaces (SberMegaMarket, Yandex Market and others) or use the product search in Yandex. Also, be sure to study reviews of stores — whether the seller is often written about marriage, whether they ask for a refund and whether there are suspicions that the retailer sells used goods.

Thirdly, prepare a list of components in advance. Study ready—made assemblies from users on the Internet - consumer reviews are available on them, and according to the ready-made instructions it is quite easy to assemble a similar PC and save money. There are also configurator sites that allow you to create a virtual assembly of your future PC. It is important to approach this task responsibly, since the details themselves must correspond to each other."

"One last, but no less important advice — do not chase new products. Processors of the new generation, for example, can be only 10-15% more powerful than processors of the previous generation, and their price is much higher. Make sure that the overpayment for novelty justifies itself," the expert sums up

Read more interesting news in our Telegram channelAuthor: Olga Paramonova

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