Build a PC
Building your own PC, whether it be for gaming, media creation, or another market has seen a steady increase in popularity as the overall price of hardware has stabilized. Many see it as intimidating, difficult, expensive, even dangerous, but building a gaming PC is most definitely a good investment.
Advantages
There are many advantages to building your own PC, namely:
- No pre-packaged bloatware slowing you down.
- Hardware is overall a lot cheaper than prebuilt computers
- Purchase the hardware that you want, not what the vendor wants you to purchase.
- Easier and often cheaper to upgrade in the future.
- No included Operating System. Choose one according to your needs.
- Improved reliability - system vendors often cheap out on things like power supplies or system cooling to increase their profit margins. Since you're sourcing everything yourself, you can make sure every part is high quality.
- Customization - enthusiast cases come in a wide variety of shapes and colors, and many have large side-panel windows for showing off your rig. LED-lit fans, cold-cathode lights and UV reactive cable sleeving let you add light and color.
Disadvantages
However with anything there will always be a downside:
- No one warranty covers your computer. Warranties cover individual parts, and some will last longer than others.
- It will take time to construct, and if rushed can lead to complications, and possibly destroyed hardware if you have not connected it correctly.
- If you are not wise with your hardware purchases, you can create hardware bottlenecks - basically, money wasted as the computer cannot run all hardware optimally.
- No included Operating System. If you buy OEM then you must provide your own vendor support.
Buying The Parts
When it comes to building your own computer, there are a multitude of parts available. If you haven't quite settled on a price range or don't know exactly what parts you want to buy, there are many guides available to help you choose your parts.
ZDNet puts together a bimonthly list of current parts.
It can also behoove you to look at the best selling items in each parts category on Newegg to see what other people are buying.
One final thing you want to do when using any of these resources is to shop around. Use these as a starting board, and don't treat them as the be all end all of kits. In looking at alternatives, you may find one that is slightly cheaper or suits you better.
Also try and purchase the parts from as few shops as possible as this will cut down on delivery costs as some online stores will deliver to you for free if you spend a certain amount with them.
Installation Tips
This section isn't meant to be a comprehensive install guide for newbies, you can find those farther down the page. This is a list of things to watch out for; steps the guides often skip or gloss over, and things to watch out for.
Preparation
- Plan out your build before you begin. Once you've assembled a parts list, make sure you know the following for each item:
- How much space it will take up in the case, and what mounting fixtures it needs (if any).
- How much power it will need to run.
- How much cooling, if any, it needs.
- Look for reviews of the hardware you're planning to buy, both professional and user-generated. Read them carefully; look for hidden problems or conflicts.
- Seriously consider budgeting for a good uninterruptible power supply (UPS), they can save you all sorts of grief. If your budget is very tight, get a good surge protector at the very least.
Assembly
- Read the manuals before you begin.
- No, seriously, read them. You'll avoid a lot of stupid mistakes—and possibly burnt-out hardware.
- Don't do the assembly when you're rushed, exhausted, stressed out or distracted. Definitely don't do it while drunk or stoned; you need a working brain for this.
- Keep pets, small children, clumsy/drunken roommates and other potential hazards out of the room while you do this.
- Small furry animals are a double hazard—they're naturally curious, and their fur can build up hardware-killing zaps of static electricity.
- Avoid clothing made of wool, polyester, or other static-building fabrics while assembling your PC.
- Make sure you have the proper tools before you begin. Basic kit includes:
- #1 Phillips-head screwdriver
- anti-static wristband or table mat
- needlenose pliers or a similar tool for retrieving dropped screws from tight places
- bowls or empty egg carton for holding on to loose screws.
- If a part isn't going in the way it should, stop and look carefully; don't force it. If you force a part into place, you will break something, guaranteed.
- If your system won't power on, doesn't display a boot screen, or otherwise balks, don't panic. Strip the system back to the bare minimum components and try again.
Setup and OS Install
- Keep your motherboard manual handy as you proceed, it will answer all kinds of questions.
- If you're going with MS Windows, make sure your copy is legit. The money you save won't be worth the grief you get later on.
- If at all possible, have a laptop or second computer nearby with an internet connection; a timely web search can save you hours of frustrating trial-and-error.
PC Building Help
Hardware Revolution - A good site for finding a range of options for your build -- from economy, to mid level, to beastly machines that will require a second mortgage. You can build a PC based just off of their suggestions with no compatibility issues.
Tom's Hardware - All manner of hardware reviews.
Ars Technica - A cheeky little video series on building your machine.
/r/buildapc - get help with your build here
PC Perspective Hardware Leaderboard - helpful resource for getting the best parts for the money; updated constantly as new products are released.
Step by step guide by Testet, With jeff form Giantbomb.
Resources
NewEgg - NewEgg is great for finding good deals for computer parts.
PCPartPicker - Great to help you list the parts you're considering and then allows you to solicit feedback.
Logical Increments PC Buying Guide
eXtreme Power Supply Calculator - Handy tool for making sure you don't under- or over-provision the power supply for your planned system.