Build your own computer. As long as you can follow directions and have a better understanding of technology than an octogenarian, it's pretty simple. You can get something more powerful than a prebuilt for a fraction of the price and it won't come pre-loaded with a bunch of garbage programs.
this just isn't true anymore
Yes it is. If all you want is a laptop for work/school the difference won't be huge, but it is most definitely true if you want a high end PC. I spent $1000 on parts and built something that would cost $4000 if you bought it premade from Dell. Even if you don't need something that powerful, a $400 custom built computer is going to be better than a $400 premade computer.
does the op, who's having trouble with YouTube, seem to you like the type who'd be in the market for a $4000 rig? these salient points of yours keep getting better.
That post had nothing to do with the OP, it was refuting you saying that it isn't more cost-effective to build your own computer.
If all you need is something basic and you don't know how to build a computer, buying a premade is probably a better choice. But still, if all you need is something basic and you want to learn how to build one, you're going to get something better that will last longer for the same price. You can pay $400 for a premade where half the cost is labor and half the cost is overpriced parts, or you can buy $400 worth of reasonably priced parts from newegg.com and spend a couple hours putting them together.