How to Build a Computer

Find out where parts are sold. Computer parts stores often display products for you to choose from, but you can find similar products for less when ordering online. A few websites to buy electronics online are Tiki, Shopee, and Lazada.

• Don’t ignore used parts, especially if they are classified as “Like New” or are in good condition. You can usually buy these components at extremely favorable prices and the quality is not inferior to the new product.

Find out each component you want to buy. You should read magazines and consumer review sites for more information. Even so, this is only one of the most important steps, as everything depends on the performance of the hardware.

• You can refer to articles about assembling computers at low cost, how to choose components when assembling computers, and how to assemble computers that work both strong and quiet.
• See if the product you want to buy has good reviews on ordering sites and other websites. Avoid promotional charts or figures, as that information is often “enchanted” to look better than it actually is. Some reputable tech review sites are Exquisite, Linus Tech Tips, Tom’s Hardware or Gamers Nexus.
• After you find a component with good reviews, you should also look at the negative reviews about that product. You may find that the component has some good functionality, but is not suitable for your needs.

Find the processor. The processor (CPU) is the core component that determines computer performance. The higher the gigahertz (GHz) speed of the processor, the faster the data is processed. Many applications use multiple threads at the same time, so multi-core processors can improve performance.

• The processor will take up most of your budget.
• Processors usually have 4 cores, 6 cores or more. You only need a processor under 6 cores, unless you want to build a gaming PC with super performance.
• The two leading processor manufacturers in the market are Intel and AMD. Usually, AMD offers better values.

Choose the right motherboard for the processor. You need to choose a motherboard that is compatible with the processor by checking the CPU socket and the motherboard. A few other factors that you need to consider when choosing a motherboard are: ^[3]

• “Built-in Wi-Fi” (make sure the computer can connect wirelessly)
• Bluetooth
• Multiple RAM slots
• Graphics card support if needed (PCIe x16 Slot)

Buy RAM. This is the component that plays the role of storing data for the active program, so choosing the right RAM is very important. Before buying RAM, you need to check what type of RAM your processor and motherboard support. ^[4]

• The computer limits the amount of RAM it can use, and that limit is determined by the capacity of the processor (usually 64GB) and applications. If a program only stores 1GB of data in RAM, having more RAM will not speed up task execution. Normally, you only need to use 8GB RAM, while a gaming computer needs 16GB RAM.
• Depending on the motherboard you will buy DDR3 RAM or DDR4 RAM. Your motherboard manual will tell you what type of RAM is right for you.

Buy a hard drive. In general, buying a hard drive is a breeze, as most hard drives are compatible with most motherboards and processors, but you need to make sure the hard drive selected will fit in the case. You can buy a SATA hard drive that can hold at least 500GB of data, and make sure it’s from a reputable manufacturer like Western Digital, Seagate, or Toshiba.

• The basic hard drive has a speed of 7200 RPM.
• Hard drives can also use an IDE connection instead of SATA, but SATA is newer and is supported on all newer motherboards.
• If you want a smaller hard drive with faster data retrieval, you can buy a solid state drive (SSD). This type of hard drive is more expensive than most standard computer hard drives. Often they are used as auxiliary hard drives for larger hard drives.
• SSDs typically have a SATA connector, with newer models using NVMe M.2 or SATA M.2. Some motherboards may not support standard NVMe or M.2.

Buy a graphics card if needed. A dedicated graphics card is needed for playing the latest games, but not for a computer used for everyday tasks. If you want to watch or edit a lot of HD videos or play games, you’ll need to purchase a separate graphics card. ^[5]

• Just like any other component, you need to make sure the graphics card is compatible with the motherboard. However, this is not a common problem.
• The graphics card will make up about a quarter of a gaming PC budget.
• Nearly every Intel CPU has a built-in graphics card, so you don’t need to buy an extra if you want to use your computer for office work, web browsing, email editing, and occasional online gaming. AMD company also produces 2200G and 2400G processors with built-in powerful graphics cards, supporting playing games with low settings.
• Graphics cards are also known as “video cards” or “GPUs”.

Make sure the power supply provides enough power for the computer to operate. The power supply supplies power to all components in the computer. Some cases come with a pre-installed power supply, but others require additional installation. The power supply must have enough power to charge all components; Don’t worry that a powerful power supply will consume a lot of power when it has to provide more power than it needs, because the power supply only generates power when you are using your computer and the number on the power supply only shows the maximum amount of power. .

Choose a case that is both useful and easy on the eyes. The case protects the computer components. Some cases come with a power supply built in, but if you want to build a gaming PC, it’s better to get your own power supply, as pre-installed power supplies are often of poor quality. ^[6]

• Case size will depend on the number of hard drive bays and card slots, along with the size and type of motherboard.
• Choose a case that can hold all of the components, including the hard drive.
• The case can prevent air from circulating, causing some high-end power-intensive components to overheat.

Self grounding . Wear an antistatic bracelet to prevent electrostatic discharge (ESD) from damaging computer components. Or, you can also touch a metal block as big as a radiator to protect yourself.

Open the case. Unscrew the screw on the side panel of the case (or push the shield to the back of the case) to do this.

Install the power supply. Some cases come with a pre-installed power supply, while others require you to purchase a separate power supply and install it yourself. Make sure the power supply is mounted in the correct orientation, and that there are no components blocking the power supply fan. ^[7]

• The power supply is usually installed near the top or bottom of the case. You can determine where to mount the case by looking at the free space on the back of the case.

Install additional components on the motherboard. You’re better off doing this before you install the motherboard in the case, as the case can limit the ability to connect components: ^[8]

• Attach the processor to the motherboard by finding the processor port on the surface of the motherboard. The instructions on the CPU and motherboard will tell you the correct installation direction.
• Insert the RAM into the motherboard by finding the slot and inserting it correctly (usually only in one direction).
• Attach the power supply to the motherboard’s power connector.
• Find (but do not attach) the motherboard’s SATA hard drive port. You will use it to connect the hard drive to the motherboard in the next step.

Apply thermal paste to the processor if necessary. Put a small dot (equivalent to the size of a grain of rice or a pea) of thermal paste on the CPU. Adding too much thermal paste won’t do any good, for example letting the glue stick to the motherboard pins will cause a short circuit and reduce the value of the motherboard if you want to resell it later. . ^[9]

Attach the radiator. Each heatsink is different, so you should read the processor manual. ^[11]

• Most available coolers are attached directly to the processor and clamp to the motherboard.
• Lateral heatsinks usually have brackets that need to be mounted below the motherboard.
• Skip this step if the processor has a built-in heatsink.

Prepare the chassis. You need to remove the rear panel of the case to be able to attach the components to the correct positions.

• If the case has a separate compartment to install the hard drive, you will use the screws that are included to install the hard drive.
• You may need to install and connect the case fan before you can install other components. If so, follow the case fan installation instructions.

Fixed motherboard. After mounting the bracket, you will place the motherboard in the case and push it towards the rear shield. All rear ports must fit into the holes in the I/O shield.

• Use the supplied screws to secure the motherboard to the bracket through the shielded screw holes on the motherboard.

Attach the chassis connectors. The connectors are on the motherboard and near the front of the case. The order of connection will depend on which type is easiest to attach. Be sure to connect the USB ports, the Power and Reset buttons, the LED power light and hard drive, and the audio cable. The motherboard manual will tell you where to attach the connectors. ^[12]

• You can only attach these connectors to the motherboard in one direction. Do not try to force the connectors into place with force.

Install the hard drive. This will vary slightly from case to case, but is usually done as follows: ^[13]

• Remove the front panel of the case (if you want to install an optical drive, you need to install it near the top of the case).
• Insert the hard drive into the correct location (usually near the top of the case).
• Tighten the screw needed to secure the hard drive.
• Insert the hard drive’s SATA cable into the SATA slot on the motherboard.

Connect the power supply to the necessary components. If you have not connected the power supply to the component that requires power, make sure the power supply is connected to the following:

• Motherboard
• Graphics card
• Hard Drive

Completing the computer assembly. After you have installed and connected the computer components, all that remains is to make sure there are no wires blocking the air circulation and close the case.

• If you’ve purchased a cooling system, you’ll need to install it before doing anything else. Refer to the cooling system installation manual for instructions on how to do this.
• Many cases have shields that slide or screw into the sides of the case.

Connect the computer to a power source. Use the power cable to connect the computer to a wall outlet or electrical outlet.

• First, you need to attach one end of the power cable to the power input on the back of the case.

Connect the monitor to the computer. Usually you use the graphics card output near the bottom of the case, but some motherboards will have this port on the right or left side of the case. ^[14]

• The output here is usually a DisplayPort or HDMI port.

Turn on the computer. Press the Power button (Power)

of the computer on the front or back of the case. If everything is connected properly, your computer should boot up right away.

Install Windows or Linux operating system. The Windows operating system is compatible with all desktop computers and users can use many features (such as Bluetooth), but you must purchase a copy of the Windows operating system if you do not have a product key. Linux is a free operating system, but you can’t use all of your computer’s hardware.

• If you don’t have an installation USB, you need to create it on another computer before you can install the operating system.