A Quick Guide to Building PC
If you’re into gaming or want to build a rig that will make short work of anything you throw at it, building PC may be the best solution for you. This way, you’re able to have a good understanding of every single component in your PC, which is often not the case on pre-made builds. For PC-building beginners, the many components and their interactions can feel overwhelming.
What you need to get started with
Before you start working out whether you need a gold 850w power supply or a bronze 1000w power supply, the best place to start is really understanding what you want out of your build. If the build is mainly for gaming, you’ll need to budget for a powerful graphics card. But if it’s for a reliable workstation, a fast, multi-core CPU is a better use of that money. Of course, you can have it all, but it would certainly cost you a hefty chunk of money. Once you know the build’s purpose, you can consider which CPU to use.
AMDs new lines of CPUs are considered to be much better bang for buck than Intel’s. But if it’s for a reliable workstation, a fast, multi-core CPU is a better use of that money. The CPU you choose will also determine what kind of motherboard you get. Make sure that you don’t just randomly pick CPUs and motherboards, as they may very well be incompatible.
How your components relate to each other and your budget
As with your motherboard and CPU options, you’ll need to make sure that all of your pieces fit together. If you’re wanting to construct a PC with a slim profile and want to put the biggest graphics card possible in it, think again. Smaller cases need slimmer cards and tighter fits, so choose your components carefully. Sometimes its as inconvenient as a certain motherboard not accommodating certain SSD formats. And it has the potential to be a very expensive mistake. Speaking of expensive, assembling all of the components you want in a PC can be a lot of fun. But you need to ensure that you keep a steady eye on the total price of the parts. Computers can be very expensive, and the prices of all those shiny bits of tech can add up very quickly.
Working out your build budget
When you’re working out your budget, it’s a great idea to know your priorities – if a certain CPU is the most important aspect of your build, then allocate money accordingly and see where the rest of your budget stretches. This helps you avoid a build that’s more fantasy than reality.
