The Difference Between Retail and OEM Components

All computer chips are produced in volume on large silicon wafers. Individual chips are trimmed from the wafer and used to make components; processors, graphics cards, modems, network cards, and motherboard chipsets all result from this process.

But where on the wafer these pieces of silicon are cut from can affect the component's performance. For this reason, component manufacturers measure performance and speed to make sure that they meet their minimum standard. If a component meets their standards, it's boxed up and sold in bulk to an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). If a part exceeds the benchmarks, it gets sold individually as a retail unit. When an OEM like Dell or HP builds a machine, they use those components qualified to be cheaper and slower.

That's why a PC built with retail computer components will always outperform an OEM box with similar specs and why retail components are all we use in our custom rigs.

All our motherboards, CPU's, video cards, and other components are retail box, premium grade parts. On top of that our engineers test each part ourselves with an extensive set of benchmarks to ensure they meet our loft standards. Then, we put your custom PC together by hand. It's this meticulous process combined superior components that creates an ultra-performance system OEM's can't match. Learn more about the differences between retail and OEM computer parts.