I must admit, I’m currently writing this on a laptop. Though I’ve been using personal computers for damn near my entire life, I still haven’t figured out a way to tote my tower down to the café to hammer out a blog post. Indeed, nowadays, the majority of users do not require the power that was once exclusive to these desk-bound behemoths. For most, an average laptop or even an ultra-portable solution offers all the computing muscle they’ll ever need.

Still, for some users, a desktop remains de rigueur. Professionals working in video or photo editing, graphic design, animation or programming demand the multiple cores, massive hard drives and copious screen real estate largely exclusive to desktops. Gamers not content with 720p Call of Duty screaming matches on Xbox Live invest in beefy graphics cards that need the airflow and cooling only offered by large cases. Beyond these, there is a small segment of unabashed technology enthusiasts who simply love to revel in obscene amounts of power and engineering prowess, to hell with budgets, restraints, or a child’s college fund.

If you fall into any of the above categories, I cannot overstate the benefits of building your own desktop. While this may come as old hat to seasoned vets, those of you who still find yourselves wandering over to Dell.com when in need of a new PC need to close that browser window and… open another browser window.

Even if you are a complete novice, there’s no shortage of websites offering invaluable resources on the art and science of building your own. While sites like Anandtech, Tom’s Hardware and the erstwhile Canadians at Hardware Canucks provide countless guides, primers and reviews of computer hardware, it’s in the forums where the magic happens. Head to the general hardware forums at Anand, Tom’s and HC, and even if you don’t know a motherboard from a matzo ball, a community of resident experts is on hand to help put together the system of your dreams.

All of these sites publish “stickied” posts informing newbies how to go about asking for help (Anand, Tom’s, HC). Though it may seem slightly daunting at first, all you really need is a budget and an idea of what you plan to use it for, and let the pros take care of the rest.

For Canadians, there are helpful communities at online retailers like NCIX. In their forums, you will find plenty of savvy experts happy to help you get the best bang for your buck among NCIX’s excellent selection of hardware. When you’ve finalized your components, you can either choose to assemble them yourself or pay a small fee to have NCIX technicians build and test your rig.

At the time of this writing, I am in the process of replacing my venerable LGA775 Core 2 Quad machine with a shiny new Sandy Bride-E monster. After months of dreaming, planning and inevitable waiting that comes along with new hardware releases, I’m just about ready to hit “check out.” Like any proud new parent, pictures will likely follow, along with unrealistic expectations and an inflated sense of self worth.

Now it’s your turn, DailyXY readers. Post your current or fantasy builds in the comments. Link us some pics or post them to our Facebook wall — we’d love to check out your baby. Think we missed some handy sites or indispensable resources? Let us know.

So roll up your sleeves, grab a screwdriver and try not to forget about natural light.

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Image courtesy of bugbbq.