On Fri, 05 Jun 2009 11:48:02 -0700, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
I think what you're referring to is the relative cost of building a
computer from replacement components versus buying a package. For
entertainment, I sometimes add up the prices of *ALL* the replacement

If you aren't restricting yourself to buying manufacteror replacement
parts, the cost of repairing a computer isn't prohibitive at all.

HP might want $500 for a motherboard replacement, but that doesn't mean that
the microatx MB can't be replaced with a non-HP board, probably of far
high quality, for $50.

If you tally up the parts that make up a computer, the total cost is about what
PC sellers charge. Only difference is that their bulk buying savings means
that they can basically toss in the OS for free. Of course, it isn't easy
finding those crappy $8 power supplies that make their way into most PCs. I
always seem to use power supplies that cost about $40 and unlike the crappy $8
ones, they won't have their fan fail in a few years, or run a 5% chance of
blowing up and taking out everything they power.