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So you’ve decided to take the plunge and assemble your own desktop PC.
Whatever your intentions, our five part guide is here to help you.
Before you could get to building, you need a plan.
Why Build Your Own PC?
You don’t want to get in too deep and regret your decision.
You just can’t compete with the prices they get on bulk parts.
Building your own PC has other advantages, too.
If the length of this guide or the complexity of the components seem intimidating, don’t worry.
It’s kind of like assembling flat-pack furniture or a set of LEGO with instructions.
Everything fits together in a very specific way.
If you follow this guide, you’ll be just fine.
They include:
Those are just the pieces you’ll need to get a computer up and running.
Where Should I Buy My Parts?
If you want computer parts, the best place to look is online.
And generally speaking, the best places to look online areAmazonandNewegg(again, in the United States).
With millions of parts in stock, they’ll generally have the best prices and selection between them.
So now you know the basics of what goes into a computer and where to start your shopping.
Let’s talk about how to pick the right parts for the job.
Which Parts Should I Chose?
Here’s where a lot of people get tripped up.
How powerful does a full-sized desktop need to be?
Should you buy an Intel processor or an AMD one?
Do you need a graphics card, or will the CPU’s on-board graphics be okay?
How many watts do you need in a power supply?
Let’s break it down piece by piece.
And generally speaking, the more expensive a part is, the more powerful it will be.
Processors
Related:CPU Basics: What Are Cores, Hyper-Threading, and Multiple CPUs?
Let’s start with the brain of your box: the CPU.
This will determine which other parts are compatible, so it’s a good place to begin.
AMD or Intel?The first question you’ll have to answer is: which brand?
These two processor manufacturers have been duking it out for decades.
They’re also great for applications like home theater PCs.
AMD’s lineup for desktops is more split.
Processor cores increase as you go up the line and get more expensive CPUs.
The top-of-the-line AMD chips are called Ryzen Threadripper, with up to 32 cores.
The sweet spot for AMD is in Ryzen 5, either the 4- ore 6-core chips.
AMD’s APU models, for more general, less powerful computers, include decent on-board graphics as well.
AMD releases new CPUs and socket designs at less frequent intervals.
Ryzen, Ryzen Threadripper, and APU chips all use different processor sockets.
It’s easier than it sounds, though.
What Size?The motherboard you choose needs to be compatible with the case you’re using.
it’s possible for you to find all that information on the specifications page.
Which brings us to the final part of the motherboard: the extras.
Choose with extras you want (if any), and pick the motherboard that has them.
Recommend brands: ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI, and AsRock are all great brands to look for here.
confirm you get enough.
But you might as well buy RAM modules that are as fast as your motherboard can handle.
Recommended brands: G-Skill, Corsair, and Crucial are all solid picks.
Storage
Here’s a tip for buying storage: get an SSD.
No, seriously, get an SSD.
Now, SSDs are cheap enough that they’re becoming standard.
They all use the same SATA cables and data ports.
As long as you don’t have more drives than you do SATA ports, you’re fine.
You’ll also want to pay attention to the motherboard size.
Cases also have standardized mounting areas for the power supply.
Many smaller cases will even come with their own power supplies to avoid this hassle.
But they aren’t the only ones, so feel free to shop around.
Power supply selection is a lot more important than it seems on the surface.
The biggest draws here will be your motherboard, CPU, and graphics card.
The total power draw of your combined components determines how much capacity your power supply needs, in watts.
The GT 950, a much less powerful card, needs only 150 watts.
If you’re not sure exactly how much power you need for your system,use this handy calculator.
If you budget will stretch, go for the upgrade over a non-modular model.
If you get a cheap, poorly-built model, you’re asking for trouble.
At best, it’ll fail early and be unable to power your PC.
At worst, it could harm your parts or even be a fire hazard.
This is not the place to skimp, guys: buy a decent power supply.
NVIDIA also has technologies likeGameStreamthat may be worth paying extra to you.
Lastly, double-check the card you buy can get enough power from your PC.
Check the specifications: most require either a 6-pin rail, an 8-pin rail, or multiples of both.
The GPU also draws electrical power at a rate that shouldn’t exceed your power supply’s capacity.
Just confirm you have enough connections and space to supply them and you’re fine.
Double, Triple, and Quadruple Check Your Parts for Compatibility!
), but this article is all about choosing components that are compatible with each other.
It’s time to build your PC!
Or, if you want to jump to another part in the guide, here’s the whole thing:
