A Beginner’s Guide to Building Computers
Written by Alex Fisher
Thumbnail & Banner Photo by Nathan Anderson on Unsplash
Computers are an incredibly important part of our daily lives. They have had a massive impact on countless industries, from entertainment to education, and even various recreational industries. We even carry one in our pocket with us all the time. Given that computers are so prevalent in basically everything we do, it’s no surprise that some people take an interest in how they work (which, if you’re interested, we’ve even written a couple of articles about this in the past). Of those people, many are also interested in how all of the different components that make up a desktop or a laptop fit together—they may even be interested in building a computer themselves.
This is the basis of the PC building community. Buying computer components in-store or online to put them together and build a computer essentially from scratch. Members of this community typically convene on sites like Reddit or Discord, though more specialised forums can also be found for particular subsections of the community, such as a forum for people who specifically use ASUS products in or with their computers. No matter what social media you use, there is almost certainly some subset of the PC building community present on that site. Overall, there are countless resources like these available online to help you, such as YouTube channels like GamersNexus, JayzTwoCents, or Linus Tech Tips. You can also find written reviews and guides on sites such as TechPowerUp or TechSpot, which can help you discern which components you want to use or identify the differences in similar products. This article, however, will also serve as a general guide to the hobby, written by someone with several years of experience in building computers.
Getting started can seem impossible. There are so many different components, and so many retailers, that it begs the question: how do you pick a starting point?
This is where websites like PCPartPicker or PC Builder can help. These websites allow you to pick out your PC components from a huge catalogue of current generation and previous generation hardware. I personally recommend using PCPartPicker, as not only does it have a Canadian version of its website, but it also has several useful features including a community page where you can see the computers that others have built, a compatibility detector that will tell you when your chosen parts won’t work together, filters to help you sort out parts you don’t want to consider, an automated price tracker which also directs you to which stores and websites carry the parts you want, and more. While there are many potential sites to choose from, they all have great features that allow you to configure and reconfigure the computer you plan to build with zero risk or cost, making them an excellent place to start designing your dream PC.
Photo by Martin Katler on Unsplash
When it comes time to buy your chosen parts, it might start to seem as though building computers is an incredibly expensive hobby. In some respects this can certainly be true: building computers can get very pricey very quickly if you only buy brand new current-generation parts. There are several ways to reduce this cost, however. Waiting for sales (you can set PCPartPicker to alert you when a specific part goes on sale), buying parts that are one or two generations old, or even buying used parts on sites like Kijiji can save you significant amounts of money. Alternatively, you could sell your own used parts on such websites and make some money back. You can also buy parts strategically, saving on some so that you can spend more on others. The general rule for building computers is that the majority of your budget should go to the two most important parts: the GPU (graphics processing unit), often referred to as the graphics card, and the CPU (central processing unit), as these two components primarily determine how powerful your computer will be. One final strategy to save money while building a PC is to sell the computer once you’ve finished it. For some people, the hobby is just as much about building the computers as it is using them, and if you find yourself to be one of those people then it is possible to make your money back or even turn a profit—especially if you happened to use older or used parts in the build.
So you’ve picked out your parts, bought them, and now they’re sitting on your desk waiting to be assembled into a working computer. What now?
Building a PC can seem challenging at first, but with practice and a few learned tricks you may soon come to find that it’s actually quite easy. In fact, to those who regularly partake in this hobby, putting the pieces together and constructing the computer itself is often seen as the most fun and rewarding part of the entire process. Every PC will be slightly unique in how it is built, but the entire process generally involves connecting smaller components such as the RAM (random access memory), any NVMe SSDs (non-volatile memory express solid state drives), and most importantly the CPU and its cooler to the motherboard, installing the motherboard into the case, adding any accessories such as fans or the GPU, then finally adding the power supply and plugging in all of the cables before sealing the case and powering on the computer. The order of this process may change slightly depending on the case you buy, however. There may also be some troubleshooting steps to get the computer fully up and running, but a quick Google search of your specific problem will have it resolved in no time.
There are almost limitless options for the type of computer you can build. If you want something small and portable, there are special small form factor cases and motherboards you can buy. You could build a PC that’s modest on the outside but a powerhouse on the inside, or even—with a bit of artistic skill—design a computer that looks like something else entirely, or has a diorama inside of it. The only major caveat is that you generally can’t build your own laptop. There are some exceptions, such as the laptops made by the company Framework that do have a do-it-yourself option, but unless you’re willing to pay significantly more money than you typically would for your laptop due to the highly specialised components and the low availability of them, you will be limited to building desktop computers. This can make the hobby challenging for a university student moving back and forth every eight months.
PC building is a fun and rewarding hobby, even if it can be an expensive one. Whether you’re building a computer to play games, render videos, run simulations, or just work on assignments, putting together your own computer will, in most cases, give you a better PC at a cheaper price than if you were to buy one at a store. There is a learning curve, and it can seem daunting at first, but with some help from YouTube tutorials, PCPartPicker, and guides such as this, the task of assembling your own computer can quickly go from scary to enjoyable.
Have you ever built a computer, or are you thinking about building one? Let us know on our socialmediapages.