Custom PC Builder for Cranford, NJ
We build new custom PCs and upgrade the PC you already own. Every custom built PC is specced, hand-assembled and stress-tested by one builder at our Somerville shop, about 43 minutes west on US-22 from Cranford station.
75 North Bridge St, Somerville NJ 08876 · Private parking · Building custom PCs since 2011
What do you need?
Build a New Custom PC
A new gaming PC or workstation, designed around your games, software and budget.
- $150 consultation with 2 build ideas, credited to your build
- Hand assembly and a 2-hour stress test
- 1-year labor warranty, first boot together
Upgrade Your Current PC
More speed from the PC you already own: RAM, graphics card, SSD, CPU or power supply.
- Best choice for a gaming budget under $2,750
- We supply the part and install it
- Diagnostic credited toward the upgrade work
A Gaming PC Builder, Not a Warehouse.
Looking for a gaming computer or a gaming desktop that's actually built for the games you play? As a local custom computer builder, we spec every custom gaming PC around your games, your monitor and your budget, then build it by hand.
Only need more speed from your current PC? Jump to Upgrades ↓
From "Here's What I Play" to First Boot.
One PC builder, one bench, one build at a time.- 1Tell us how you'll use it. Competitive shooters, big open-world games, streaming, video editing or CAD. Use the build request form or call the shop.
- 2$150 consultation. We come back with two build ideas matched to your needs and budget. The $150 is credited in full toward the build when you approve.
- 3Hand assembly and a 2-hour stress test. Clean cable routing, BIOS updated, memory profile set, clean Windows install, then a full-load test of CPU, GPU, memory, storage and thermals.
- 4First boot, together. Most gaming PC builds are ready 3 to 5 business days after parts are finalized. You come in, we boot it with you and walk you through it.
Two minutes inside the shop: how we spec parts, hand-assemble on the bench and stress-test every build before it goes home.
Honest Starting Prices.
Priced for a build that doesn't cut corners.A gaming PC worth building starts at $2,750. Below that, something has to give, usually memory or the graphics card, and you end up with a new PC that still can't run certain games. If your budget sits under that number, we'll tell you so and point you to Option 2: upgrading the PC you already have.
Have a case, power supply, SSD or graphics card from an older PC that still holds up? Bring it. Reusing good parts moves more of your budget into the CPU and GPU, so you get a more powerful build for the same money.
Prebuilt Gaming PC vs. a Custom Built PC
A lot of people searching for the best gaming PC end up with a prebuilt PC from a warehouse club or big-box store. We repair prebuilts that are less than a year old every week, and the failures usually trace back to the same cost-cutting parts.
Built to hit a price tag
- Generic NVMe drives and the lowest-end motherboards, the parts owners most often report failing.
- Specs picked for the box, not for your games or your monitor.
- Preloaded extra software and a phone line instead of the person who built it.
Built around how you play
- Quality retail parts with standard sizes, so the PC can be upgraded later.
- A 2-hour full-load stress test before it ever leaves the shop.
- Clean Windows install, a 1-year labor warranty, and a local builder you can call.
Already own a prebuilt? It isn't a lost cause. Many can be fixed or improved with the right upgrade. That's Option 2, right below.
Upgrade the PC You Already Own.
Gaming budget under $2,750, or a prebuilt that's falling behind? One or two targeted upgrades are usually the smarter spend. We supply the part, install it, and test the whole PC before you pick it up.
Ready for a brand-new machine instead? Back to Builds ↑
Pick the Upgrade That Fixes Your Problem
More RAM
Stutters, freezes when you alt-tabCurrent games want 16GB as a floor and 32GB is the comfortable target, especially with Discord and a browser open behind the game.
PC RAM upgrade →New Graphics Card
The biggest jump in framesOne card swap can take a game from unplayable to smooth at 1080p or 1440p, matched to your power supply and CPU so nothing holds it back.
Graphics card upgrade →New NVMe SSD
Boot and load in secondsStill on a hard drive or an old SATA SSD? We clone your existing drive so nothing is lost, and big open-world games stop hitching.
SSD upgrade →Faster CPU
More headroom on the same boardWhen your motherboard supports a faster chip, a CPU swap lifts frame rates in sims, strategy games and competitive shooters. We check socket and BIOS first.
CPU upgrade →Power Supply
Makes a GPU upgrade possibleA newer graphics card often needs more wattage and the right connectors than the unit that came in a prebuilt. A quality PSU protects every part in the case.
Power supply upgrade →Not Sure What It Needs?
Start with a diagnosticWe find what's actually holding the PC back before you spend a dollar on parts. The diagnostic fee is credited toward the upgrade work.
PC upgrade service →Diagnose First, Then Upgrade.
Diagnostic credited toward the work.Bring the PC to our Somerville shop from Cranford. We find the bottleneck, text you the upgrade options and price, and nothing is installed until you approve. Standard turnaround is 48 to 72 hours, with rush service available for an added $100.
- Brand DesktopsDell, HP, Lenovo and similar
- $75
- Custom-Built & Boutique PrebuiltsCustom PCs and boutique gaming prebuilts
- $149
Credited if you go ahead. The diagnostic comes off your upgrade labor when you approve the work.
Custom PCs for Cranford Gamers, Students and Home Offices
In Cranford, the "Venice of New Jersey" along the Rahway River, one computer often has to cover homework, work from home and weekend gaming. We build machines that handle all three without compromise.
Union College students
Union College has its main campus right in Cranford. We build PCs that handle coursework, design apps and a game or two after class.
Raritan Valley Line commuters
If you ride the train some days and work from home the rest, a quiet desktop with room for extra monitors keeps those home days productive.
A family's first gaming PC
Parents from Indian Village to downtown can start with our parent's guide to a first gaming PC, which covers prebuilt versus custom.
Heads up: Dave's Computers doesn't have a location in Cranford. Every build and upgrade is done at our shop at 75 N Bridge St, Somerville.
Directions from Cranford to Our Somerville Shop
The drive from the Cranford train station follows North Avenue out of town, then settles onto US-22 West for most of the trip to Somerville.
From Cranford station (NJ Transit Raritan Valley Line)
- Leave the station area and turn right onto South Avenue East (CR 610). Stay on South Avenue for just under half a mile.
- Turn right onto Lincoln Avenue West (Route 59). It is a short block, about 0.1 mile.
- Turn left onto North Avenue (Route 28). Follow North Avenue west for about 3.5 miles.
- Continue straight onto Midway Avenue (CR 610). North Avenue hands off to Midway Avenue; stay on it for about 1.3 miles.
- Turn right onto Terrill Road (CR 611). Go about 0.6 mile, then take the ramp on the left side for US-22 West.
- Merge onto US-22 West. This is the long leg: stay on US-22 West for about 12 miles.
- Exit right and bear right onto Grove Street. After about 0.2 mile, bear right again onto Ivanhoe Avenue for roughly a block.
- Turn left onto North Bridge Street. Drive about 0.6 mile, then turn right into our driveway at 75 N Bridge St. Look for the blue Dave's Computers arrow sign; the private lot is right there.
A Real Office, With Our Own Parking
We work out of a commercial office building on North Bridge Street, not a spare room in someone's house. It's the large gray-shingled building with the stone front and the tall brick chimneys.
- Find the blue arrow sign. Our Dave's Computers sign sits at the curb right at the driveway entrance.
- Pull into the private lot. Follow the driveway along the left side of the building to the parking lot. Parking is free.
- Look for our windows. Our entrance is in the single-story wing facing the lot, with Dave's Computers signs in the windows.
Cranford Custom PC FAQ
Do you build custom gaming PCs for Cranford customers?
Yes. We build custom gaming PCs and workstations for customers throughout the Cranford area. Every build is assembled and tested at our shop at 75 N Bridge St in Somerville, about 43 minutes from Cranford station, and you pick it up in person.
Can you upgrade my current PC instead of building a new one?
Yes. We upgrade RAM, graphics cards, SSDs, CPUs and power supplies in the PC you already own. It starts with a diagnostic ($75 for brand desktops like Dell, HP and Lenovo, $149 for custom-built PCs and boutique prebuilts) that's credited toward the upgrade work.
How much does a custom gaming PC cost?
Gaming and creator builds start at $2,750, and workstation or office builds start at $2,000. It starts with a $150 consultation that's credited in full toward the build when you approve.
Why not just buy a prebuilt gaming PC?
Budget prebuilts usually save money with generic NVMe drives and the lowest-end motherboards, and those are the parts we see failing in PCs less than a year old. A custom built PC uses quality retail parts, gets a 2-hour stress test and comes with a 1-year labor warranty.
My budget is under $2,750. What should I do?
Upgrade the PC you already have. More RAM, a new graphics card or a faster NVMe SSD usually does more for the money than a new build that has to cut corners. See Option 2 on this page.
How long does a build or upgrade take?
Most builds are ready 3 to 5 business days after the parts are finalized and you give the go-ahead. Upgrades follow our standard 48 to 72 hour turnaround, and rush service is available for an added $100.
Build New or Upgrade? Let's Talk.
$150 build consultation credited to your build, or a diagnostic credited to your upgrade. The same builder since 2011.
908-428-9558Mon-Fri 10am-5pm · Sat 9am-2pm · 75 N Bridge St, Somerville NJ · About 43 minutes from Cranford