Many people believe that building a PC is hard to do. Many people are wrong. Building a PC is not that hard to do, and you can learn a lot about a computer by doing it. When building a PC you need a number of different components. You will need a Processor(CPU), a motherboard, memory(RAM), a hard drive, a power supply, a case to put it all in, any CD/DVD/BluRay drives you may want, and possibly a video card. Some tools you will need are a screw driver, and most importantly an anti-static band. The band will make sure that you are not conducting any static electricity, which will ruin your parts. Probably the most important part of building a PC is research. Be sure to do your research before you purchase the parts you need. This will help minimize any surprises during the building process.The parts that will be delved into further are the most important components when building a PC.
The Processor
The processor or CPU is probably the single most important part in your computer. Your choice of motherboards will depend on the CPU socket you pick. There are two main CPU manufactures. They are AMD and Intel. This is one of the divides of the computer world, as many people swear by one of these companies. CPUs come with a stock heat sink. If you are not over clocking, this will probally work for you, but many people invest in an aftermarket cooler. Again, research the product and see what will work for you. When picking your processor, make sure to note the socket type, which leads us to the next piece.
The Motherboard
The motherboard you pick will depend on the CPU you go with. If you chose for instance an Intel CPU with socket 1156, your motherboard must support this socket, or it will not work. Many companies make motherboards. They include EVGA (my personal favorite), ASUS, MSI and more. After you chose your motherboard, make sure the RAM you chose is compatible. Many motherboard manufactures have a list of compatible memory on their webpage. If it isn’t compatible, then it obviously will not work.
The Hard Drive
The hard drive is where the data is stored. You want to make sure you get a large enough hard drive to store everything you need. Make sure that you get a hard drive that will work with your motherboard. If the mother board supports SATA, get an SATA hard drive. If needed, you can use multiple hard drives, provided that the case you use has multiple places for them.
The Power Supply
The power supply is very important. You need to get a large enough PSU to run the computer or it will not work. Many people get around a 750w, but some have as high as 1200w. Power supplies can be modular, or non modular. A modular PSU has your main motherboard cable, and then you can add cables as needed to the slots provided. This helps reduce clutter. A few good companies that make PSUs are Thermaltake, Corsair, and CoolerMaster.
The Case
The case houses all of your parts. Cases come in Micro ATX, Mid ATX, and Full ATX. Full is the biggest size. Mid ATX is pretty good sized and can almost any parts in. The case is the outer look of your PC. Many companies make cases. They come in all colors. Some are simple, while other have fans for cooling built into them. Many people like cases with fans, so they don’t have to add any later. People also like LED fans, as they light up the PC.
The Video/Graphics Card
If you are going to do ANY gaming, get a graphics card. If you don’t get a graphics card, your motherboard must have on-board graphics or you won’t be able to hook up your monitor. The two main companies that make video cards are Nvidia and AMD (ATI). This is the other major divide in the computer world. Many people will tell you that Nvidia is the best, while others think ATI is the only way to play. You can find reviews of card online, along with test results, pitting cards against each other.
Where to purchase
Computer parts can be bought online or in stores. If you have a Best Buy or a Fry’s store near you, some parts can be purchased there. You can get the online at Newegg.com, Tigerdirect.com, and of course Amazon.com. Parts can also be purchased on Ebay.com. Some parts can be purchased second hard, but beware when doing this as the manufacturers warranty has probably expired.
The parts that have been detailed here are your basic parts for a custom PC. You of course need a CD/DVD drive, a mouse and keyboard, speakers, and a monitor. I cannot stress enough to research the parts you are buying. Read reviews on multiple websites before deciding on a part. Once you have done your research, and ordered your parts, you can get ready to put it all together. This is as simple as following the instructions given with each part. There are also many guides online to help people along this process. I hope that that has given some insight into the different components needed to complete the PC build. Again, research the parts you are looking at, because finding out a part isn’t compatible after everything is together is a bummer.