When the average user decides to build a PC for the first time, it is always useful to have a variety of tools at their disposal to make their life easier. There is no shortage of websites in the UK that offer system builder utilities, with PCPartsPicker being the most recognised. When a veteran PC enthusiast is building a new system, or upgrading a gaming rig, they also require the same basic tools and assistance, but rely heavily on the accuracy of the pricing & data provided by these websites.
Whilst there are solutions available for both ends of the self-build spectrum, few are able to meet the needs of these very different system builders. As most of these system building tools rely on data provided by affiliate companies - and few relay on direct pricing from retailers - it can often be difficult to get accuracy as well as information.
BUILDAPC.gg rolled out their UK site recently, offering users an extremely intuitive website for building everything from a family PC, to a workstation, right up to a battlestation gaming rig. Users at every level of experience are able to search for the UK's best value PC components and accessories and create a parts list for their dream system build. What's more, BuildAPC.gg also aims to provide the most accurate pricing data for users, which will be welcome news for professionals and new PC builders alike.
BuildAPC.gg Select Parts, Optimise and Share
We managed to get some time with Adam Andreasson, one of the founders of BuildAPC.gg, and asked him how their company was built, and how their fast-growing brand can compete in such a tough sector.
BUILDAPC.gg's Adam Andreasson - Interview
Hi Adam, thanks so much for taking part in this interview! Firstly, can you tell us a little about the founders of the company, and who is behind the website?
We’re just two guys who are enthusiastic about the art of building computers and have been since we were kids. This project started when we were both at university and has since grown to where we can work on it full time. I have a software engineering background whereas my cofounder Marko has a background in marketing and communications.
How did the idea for BuildAPC originate?
I hadn’t built a computer for a couple of years and was asked by a friend to help him build one. I was startled by how difficult it was to get back into it, having to spend a lot of time catching up on the latest generations and chipsets. And so, I figured this is a problem a lot of people might have that really is solvable.
BuildAPC.gg Popular Builds
Which retailers will be featured on BuildAPC?
We’re aiming to have all large and mid-sized UK retailers available as options. It’s quite the list already and we will be working on adding more retailers as we get user feedback.
In the IT space, gaming is of course one of the most popular verticals. Do you have plans to focus on gaming within your website?
Gaming is absolutely where our core competencies lie and what most of our members focus on. The “.gg” domain might be a hint as well! That said, we of course also support building PCs for all purposes.
Reddit is such a superb source of information. Do you have any plans to participate in the r/PCMasterRace or r/BuildAPC subreddits?
Absolutely. We’ve both been members of the reddit communities for many years and we see how much value they create for PC builders. Our growth in the Nordics has been almost completely fuelled by active users in forums sharing advice and builds, illustrating how important these communities are.
How do you think BuildAPC differs from PCPartsPicker?
We think the massive popularity of PCPartPicker has shown how useful PC building tools can be. Our goal is to specifically make the building journey even easier by simplifying the steps and options, as well as assisting in the next step of finding the best retailer for your selection. This way we can lower the barriers of entry even more for people who want to get into PC building.
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How are products recommended on the website?
Product popularity and filtering is all in the hands of our users. What we do is guide the users to the most important filters such as CPU generation or SSD type. Which products get recommended is not in our control.
Prices change rapidly in the IT space. How often are prices updated – is it an automated system or is there manual oversight for components?
Exactly how often prices are updated largely varies depending on the retailer, but generally we update prices 4-6 times daily to make sure we show our users the correct prices.
Do you have any plans for users to upload their built systems?
We have a lot of exciting new functionality in the pipeline so all I can say is keep an eye out!
What do you consider to be the most difficult thing for a PC enthusiast in a build?
I’d say this varies a lot depending on what type of build it is. But for the average user, “bang for your buck” is probably the most important measurement since PC building can get quite expensive. A lot of our users are first time builders, so keeping prices low is important. Being able to quickly switch out parts and not limiting oneself to the inventory at one specific retailer is key.
How can users share their parts list with friends or via social media?
We offer easy copy-paste sharing to BB code, Reddit, Discord, and other formats.
Can users create an account for multiple builds?
Absolutely. Builds can also be saved to collections which can be shared with your friends.
Moving forward, what are your expansion plans for your company?
We have spent the last four years perfecting the user experience together with our Nordic community members. At this point we feel that the website is ready to scale to more markets, starting with the UK. By launching in more markets, we hope to be able to grow our team and continue bringing innovating to the PC building process. We have no lack of ideas, just time!
What can users look forward to in terms of updates to the website?
We’re constantly improving the website and adding functionality and information. Soon we will have interactive building guides for complete beginners, that adapt depending on your picked parts for example.
We will also be rolling out our forums in the UK market shortly, where beginners and enthusiasts can meet to get advice and share recommendations.
We're looking forward to watching BuildAPC.gg grow, and with Adam at the helm, we're sure it will be a huge success in the UK. BuildAPC has the foundations to become one of the most reliable and forward-thinking PC building communities for PC enthusiasts, hobbyists and IT professionals.
