PC assembly fees in Australia: what stores charge to build your PC
Fees checked:
Umart, Scorptec, PC Case Gear, PLE and Mwave will all build a PC from parts you choose for a fixed fee. This page compares each store's build fee, what it includes, the warranty and build time the store states, and its Windows 11 Home price. Prices are before shipping.
Build fees by store
| Store | Build fee | What it includes | Warranty | Build time | Windows 11 Home | Fee + Windows |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Umart | $198.50 (opens in a new tab) Customise your PC & have Umart build it! | Installation of all parts, the operating system and drivers, plus benchmarking and a stress test. | 2-year labour guarantee; parts keep their manufacturer warranty. | Ready in 5–7 business days. | $189 (opens in a new tab) | $387.50 |
| Scorptec | $219 (opens in a new tab) Custom System Parts Assembly 7 to 11 Parts | Assembly of 7 to 11 parts. Staff check the parts for compatibility and contact you to confirm them before building. | Standard 2-year return-to-base warranty, at no extra cost in the cart. | Normal build time 7–10 business days, after the deposit has cleared and parts are in stock. | $179 (opens in a new tab) plus $29 to install | $427 |
| PC Case Gear | $199 (opens in a new tab) PCCG Full Custom System Assembly Service, 2 Year Warranty | A compatibility check, installation of your chosen parts with the latest drivers, a testing regime, and foam packaging for transit. | 2-year return-to-base warranty on labour; parts keep their manufacturer warranty. | Allow a week from compatibility confirmation for assembly, testing and despatch. | $199 (opens in a new tab) | $398 |
| PLE | $257 (opens in a new tab) PLE custom PC builder base price | Assembly and testing, plus a PLE mousepad and a 4-way surge board. | 24-month return-to-base warranty. | Standard build 5–7 working days once all stock is in (the product description says 7–10 working days). | $199 (opens in a new tab) | $456 |
| Mwave | $199 (opens in a new tab) Mwave Custom PC Assembly and Testing Service | A compatibility check, assembly, stress testing and benchmarking. If Windows is on the same order, the PC is set up with Windows and drivers. | 2-year return-to-base warranty. | Usually 7–14 business days after stock is allocated to the order. | $175 (opens in a new tab) | $374 |
"Fee + Windows" is what a store adds on top of the parts: the build fee, Windows 11 Home and any separate Windows install fee. Today it ranges from $374 at Mwave to $456 at PLE. Scorptec charges separately to install Windows.
Sources: each fee and Windows price links to the store's own page. Scorptec: shown in the custom system builder and cart; there is no separate product page. PLE: builder page; the base price of the builder, before parts.
Build it yourself or pay a store?
The same budgets as our price pages, each with Windows 11 Home: our parts list bought and built yourself, the cheapest PC one of the five stores will build, and the best prebuilt.
| Budget | Parts, you build | Cheapest store build | Best prebuilt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $1,500 | $1,484 | $1,468 Scorptec | $1,399 Nebula |
| $2,000 | $1,979 | $2,004 PLE | $2,099 Nebula |
| $3,000 | $3,093 | $2,890.50 Umart | $3,099 Radium |
| $4,000 | $3,999 | $3,871 PLE | $3,899 Radium |
| $5,000 | $4,947 | $4,854 PLE | $4,903 Aftershock |
Buying the parts and building it yourself costs less than the cheapest store-built PC at one of the five budgets, by $25. At under $1,500, $3,000, $4,000 and $5,000, it costs more, by $16 to $202.50.
The best prebuilt costs less than the cheapest store-built PC at one of the five budgets (under $1,500), by $69. At $2,000, $3,000, $4,000 and $5,000, the store-built PC costs less, by $28 to $208.50.
Our pick at each budget, and why, is on the budget's own page. Is it cheaper to build or buy? has the full comparison.
Questions
How much does it cost to get a PC built in Australia?
At the five stores on this page, the build fee is $198.50 to $257. Add Windows 11 Home and any separate install fee, and the total over the parts is $374 to $456: $374 at Mwave and $456 at PLE. The parts are on top, and every price is before shipping.
How much do Umart, Scorptec, PC Case Gear, PLE and Mwave charge to build a PC?
Umart $198.50, PC Case Gear $199, Mwave $199, Scorptec $219, PLE $257. The table above lists what each fee includes.
Does the build fee include Windows?
No. At all five stores the Windows 11 Home licence is a separate line, from $175 (Mwave) to $199 (PC Case Gear and PLE). Umart: The build fee includes installing the operating system and drivers. Scorptec: Windows is installed for a separate $29 Custom System Software Installation fee. PC Case Gear: No separate Windows install fee is listed. PLE: No install fee; the builder shows Windows 11 as installed. Mwave: No extra fee: Windows is set up when it is bought on the same order as assembly.
Is it cheaper to buy a prebuilt than pay a build fee?
Sometimes. The best prebuilt costs less than the cheapest store-built PC at one of the five budgets (under $1,500), by $69. At $2,000, $3,000, $4,000 and $5,000, the store-built PC costs less, by $28 to $208.50. The parts are not identical, so each budget's page compares them part by part.
Is it worth paying a store to build your PC?
Buying the parts and building it yourself costs less than the cheapest store-built PC at one of the five budgets, by $25. At under $1,500, $3,000, $4,000 and $5,000, it costs more, by $16 to $202.50. The fee buys assembly, testing and a warranty that covers the build, as listed above. Building it yourself needs a few hours and the tools, and each part's warranty is claimed separately.
How long does a store take to build a PC?
Umart: Ready in 5–7 business days. Scorptec: Normal build time 7–10 business days, after the deposit has cleared and parts are in stock. PC Case Gear: Allow a week from compatibility confirmation for assembly, testing and despatch. PLE: Standard build 5–7 working days once all stock is in (the product description says 7–10 working days). Mwave: Usually 7–14 business days after stock is allocated to the order.
Under $1,500 · $2,000 · $3,000 · $4,000 · $5,000