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You don't need a hammer, a saw, and a shelf full of This Old House tapes to qualify as a bona fide do-it-yourselfer. For computer aficionados, building your own PC is the ultimate do-it-yourself project--and you don't even need to be a pocket-protector type to get the job done.

Why build your own PC? The best reason is to craft a system that exactly matches your needs. The next best reason is to save money: With careful shopping, you can build a custom PC for $100 to $200 less than an off-the-shelf system costs. As a bonus, you'll learn a lot about how PCs work by building your own.

But building a complete PC isn't everyone's cup of tea. One of the biggest advantages of buying an off-the-shelf, name-brand system is having access to one-stop technical support. If you run into trouble with your home-built system, you'll have to figure out how to isolate the problem yourself. You'll also need to spend time researching and buying the components for your system. PCWorld.com's Product Finder is a good place to start looking.

But if you're ready for the whole enchilada, here's a step-by-step guide to building your own custom PC.

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