Interesting things happen when tech meets art. A growing community of PC modders — those who modify high-performance PCs into functional works of art — are creating a buzz in the IT world.Based on the idea from MTV reality show Pimp my Ride, a Spokane, Wash.-based system builder has taken custom designed computers to a new level. Pimp my PC was started two years ago by Joe Reynolds.
As lead tech, he modifies old computers using existing parts or builds entirely new systems, depending on the customer’s budget.
“We work with younger people, mostly college age, who don’t want the plain black or beige computer case that comes with Dell, for example,” said Reynolds.
Not able to afford expensive cars, he said they put their money into computers with neon lights, coloured wiring, multicoloured power plugs. But most just want a faster machine for games, he said.
“We try to upgrade what they have or build a new system if it’s going to cost the same as fixing the old one.”
Reynolds, whose background is in computer technology and support, saw a market that was moving to modified computers. “The big corporations are still hesitant, but smaller ones are taking notice of it as a specialized area,” he said.
Reynolds encourages customers to keep their old mouse, keyboard, monitor and CD-ROM drives — as long as they run at a decent speed.
“I can use old parts and mix them with a new motherboard, CPU, memory and case,”he said.
It is not only a cost saver but a good way to recycle existing material, added Reynolds.
A custom-built system and case can run from US$100 up to US$3,000.
For now, Pimp my PC relies on an old-fashioned method of marketing: word of mouth. The company’s Web site, pimpmypc.biz, has also garnered attention from modders across North America.
Fast and Furious
Think of modding as the computer version of the film, The Fast and the Furious, according to Gary Mullen, owner and senior editor of pimprig.com.
While hobbyists like Mullen like to squeeze every bit of performance out of their computers, others are more interested in the aesthetic of the machine.
“People do all kinds of weird stuff, some even hinder the performance to get the look they want (from the case),” he said.
What started as a hobby five years ago turned into a full time job for Mullen who lives in Nashville.
Pimprig attracts PC modders who are seeking ideas, advice and a general forum to discuss — what else — modifying PCs.
“As a computer junkie, it was getting harder to keep up with technology by buying new parts, so I thought of starting a Web site to get free hardware in exchange for work and it snowballed from there,” Mullen explained.
Now with a volunteer staff of 20 PC enthusiasts, pimprig.com publishes original articles and product reviews.
“There is definitely a market for it and manufacturers are willing to cater to someone like me, just to show off their hardware,” he said.
Growing in popularity are LAN parties, a meeting ground for modders and do-it-yourself system builders, as a way to showcase original creations.
And manufacturers have started taking notice.
“Many are behind the big LAN parties. Intel and DFI, for example, will send representatives to show off new hardware at these events,” said Mullen.
A lot of manufacturers are also willing to donate parts to PC modders for LAN parties as a way to display their hardware, he added.
“If you open a PC magazine, a regular beige PC is no longer made as a result of this trend starting five years ago.”
Companies are getting more advanced in the PCs they’re building, said Mullen.
“Even Dell added a little bling to its PCs with the XPS line, a really large, reflective, decorative front piece to make the machine just a little more eye-catching.”
