I build my own desktops, too, if you can call getting a motherboard, memory, video card, power supply and case then just installing/plugging in actually building one. I find I can afford the latest and greatest that way when I do finally decide to upgrade. Right now my desktop is actually behind my laptop, except for the video card and monitor. Less memory and a lower processor, but it still is a really fast machine, at least to me. My desktops run 24/7/365, I'm a Seti devotee, so they do get some heavy use. I'm on the third power supply since I built this one, now an 800 watt gaming supply. It's held up fine for about two years now, but I'm always leery of switching supplies, no real isolation.