Computer Building Explained

In the gaming community, one’s PC is their pride and joy. They often spend countless
hours picking and waiting for parts as well as constructing the computer itself. Like many others
during the pandemic, I found myself playing more video games than usual. It was the perfect
way to kill time as well as catch up with friends scattered around the country. But as someone
who rarely played video games before, my ancient gaming computer made it difficult to enjoy
the time spent playing games. So, I scraped up whatever money I had left and built a PC.

The entire process of building the computer took up my whole Saturday. Now, you might
be wondering, “Wouldn’t it be easier if you just went online and bought a pre – built one?” And
you’re right, it would be. Instead of delicately plugging in components and screwing in parts, all
you would have to do is wait for the computer, plug it into the wall, and start playing. “So, why
didn’t you just do that? Why go through all that hassle?” As someone who asked those exact
same questions, allow me to scientifically explain the phenomenon behind computer enthusiasts.

The explanation is actually quite simple and is tied to concepts known in social
psychology. In a recent study at Harvard Business School, researchers looked to see the extent of
value people place on self – assembled products compared to objectively similar objects that
already came assembled. What they found was that when people build their own products, they
tend to love them more than if they had just purchased it. As a result of their study, “The IKEA
effect” was coined, in which people value an object more because one had a hand in creating it.
So yes, it would be easier to just buy a pre- built one, but that’s not the point. Working for
something leads to an enhanced liking of it because the thought that you worked for something
lousy causes you to believe that you must actually love it.

“But couldn’t it be that people enjoy building computers because of the ability to
customize it to their liking and not because of the process?” This is certainly a big reason to
construct your own computer, but researchers proved this isn’t the case. In one experiment, they
used standardized IKEA boxes in order to control for customization. Participants who were
randomly assigned to assemble their own storage boxes were willing to pay a 63% premium for
their boxes as compared to those who were given the chance to buy an identical preassembled
box. This suggests that the increase in valuation was not because of customization.

What is important to note is that people will only enjoy building computers if they do it
successfully. With a simple google search, you can find accounts of unsatisfied enthusiasts
complaining that the finished computer just won’t turn on or that a key component was broken in
the building process. And as a result, they declare that the time and money sacrificed was not
worth it at all. Similarly, participants in the IKEA study who unbuilt their creations or were not
allowed to finish their creations also did not show an increase in their willingness to pay.

So, if you were to talk to a computer enthusiast and ask them if you should build your
own computer or buy a pre-assembled one, you will probably them say that a self-built computer
is better than anything you can find pre-assembled. Not only is the machine better, the process
more enjoyable and rewarding, but the money you save while doing so will produce other
positive feelings of being a “smart shopper”.