There are many guides out there on how to assemble a PC. Traditionally, these have been Dell, Maingear, or many other manufacturers (Falcon Northwest, iBuyPower, to name a few). Now, however, Newegg allows customers to assemble their own systems using custom parts selected from Newegg's vast catalog.

This is a major extension of Newegg's "PC Builder" tool, which was released in beta last year. The tool is designed to present compatible parts and guide DIY builders through the process of selecting parts. For example, if you select the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X as your processor, the motherboard section will only show SKUs that are actually available, ensuring that you do not inadvertently select an incompatible part (such as an Intel Z590 motherboard).

This is not only a boon for novice and inexperienced builders, but also for experienced DIY veterans who can cut through the confusion a bit easier than navigating Newegg's menu the old-fashioned way. You can also use toggles to sort by brand, price, features, and more to narrow down your selection of products.

The cost for Newegg to build your PC is a flat $99, no matter how big or small. This means that the value proposition will vary depending on the overall cost of the system and the complexity of the build.

This pricing seems fair to me if Newegg does a good job on the build. Another potentially important advantage besides price is access to a wide range of parts in all categories.

"Our dedicated PC assembly line is staffed by skilled technicians," says Vishal Mane, Newegg's engineering director. Newegg is the best choice for customers who want professionally assembled computers delivered faster than any other BTO (build-to-order) service, without compromising on quality."

There is a caveat, however: when using the PC Builder tool, turning on the newly added "Assembly Service Required" toggle narrows the list of parts to only "qualified items" available at Newegg's California warehouse.

Other than availability (i.e., a state-of-the-art graphics card is still hard to come by), it is not clear how Newegg determines whether a part qualifies for Professional Assembly Service, given the selection of a 5800X for the CPU, 73 compatible parts were listed in the motherboard section across multiple chipsets. When the assembly toggle was turned off, that number jumped to 121 motherboard options.

Newegg also promises a quick turnaround. It will be interesting to see if this option changes if it becomes popular or if Newegg adds more builders as needed.

What is currently available is described as an "early beta stage." The custom build service will expand over time based on the "valuable insights and suggestions" Newegg receives, and will eventually be expanded in a second phase to include options such as laser engraving and other unspecified benefits.

Intriguing. I also have a few questions, which I have presented to Newegg and am awaiting a response. The most important of these is the warranty mechanism. For example, if a PC arrives and won't boot, will Newegg cover the return shipping if technical support can't fix the problem, will Newegg replace it, or will the user have to go through the RMA process with the motherboard manufacturer and replace it themselves?

My hunch is the latter, and this would be like buying parts and paying a friend or local computer repair shop to assemble them. In such a scenario, you would typically only pay labor for the build, no extended service or support. However, this is a question Newegg should answer, and we will update this article when we receive a response.

[Update: Newegg referred me to the PC Builder Assembly Service FAQ. The bottom line is that technical support will solve any problems, and if a PC arrives with a component missing in a "very unlikely scenario," Newegg will work with you to "find a solution." If a component fails, the manufacturer should be contacted.]