You can build a fast powerful desktop on your own.
You heard me right, you can build a fast powerful desktop often cheaper than you could buy an equivalent one, and it's so easy. Anyone with a small set of screwdrivers and a set of instructions can do it with the right guidance. Feel you are not computer savvy? You still could do it. It's really not much more complicated than Lego's. But most people get scared off by all the words and acronyms they aren't familiar with. Or they just have no idea of the anatomy of a computer. What is in that box anyway?
Well, most of us are familiar with the basic human anatomy. We have the heart that pumps the blood, the muscles that move the limbs, the lungs that process the air and the brain that controls it all. Of course that is not all the parts in your body (at least for your sake I hope not) but the idea is similar. Now imagine if you could just take all those parts and just plug them in. Almost all computer hardware is plug and play. Most of the parts only connect in one way so with few exceptions it's hard to screw it up. You can't fit a square peg in a round hole. Maybe it's those exceptions scaring you off. No worries I'll explain it all step by step and even provide links at the bottom for an already matched system. I'm not going to concentrate on building a super budget system. With the information provided hopefully you will be able to do that on your own. The examples I will give will be for a very current system but not the absolutely newest technology. It's seldom worth it to go that far as technology advances so quickly it's money wasted in my opinion. The items I suggest will be very current and powerful but not bank breaking.
I'll also explain where it's worth it to spend your hard earned dollar vs. what parts your dollars are less vital. I'm also going to assume you already have a mouse, keyboard and monitor. Also, everything I posted from Amazon is already compatible, but it's about a $1500 system but extremely powerful. You can cut down on costs significantly by going without a video card, using just one Blu-ray drive, one hard drive etc. That drops the price down to closer to $1000 for a top notch performing PC. You can go lower by using parts that I didn't list as I didn't skimp on the processor or motherboard. But most people aren't doing this for the cost savings, they are doing it because they want to build a computer.
Computer cases, your starting point
Computer casing
First thing you need is a case, the body of your system, and when choosing one there are a few things to consider. First of all it needs to be compatible with the type of motherboard you will be choosing. When I say "type" of motherboard all I really mean is size. They come in ATX, Mini ATX etc. Most people will just go with a standard ATX case and usually these cases can also accommodate the smaller motherboards. Since ATX boards are not that large and neither are ATX cases we'll assume you are going to go with those.The next thing to consider is what the case will fit. How many CD/DVD drives do you plan on having? Those are 5.25" bays. How many hard drives do you plan on having? Those are 3.5" bays. Make sure the case has enough bays to fit those other parts (we call them peripherals) So you can pick a case that's as big or small as you want.
Another thing to consider when choosing a case is the front panel ports. You are going to want to have at least a couple USB ports for easy connection for your camera or tablet. Headphone and microphone jacks are nice too.
The last thing to consider is ventilation. The hardcore computer builder will get a case that has no fans built in as he is most likely going to add his own upgraded fans. For our purposes that is not necessary so choose a case that has built in fans. It should run you no more than $100 and they can often be found closer to $50.
I included a link at the bottom to a case that I have personally and it's a fantastic performer. It's not overly bulky fits an ATX board, has fans built in and nice convenient front ports. But this is just a suggestion, with the info I posted above you can feel free to choose any case you want.
Table of Contents
Antec 300 Case
Mid sized, plenty of room, great ventilation
Next you pick your processor
The processor is the brains of your system. It comes in two flavors, AMD or Intel. AMD has long held the title of the more affordable but slightly less performing option. Intel usually holds the edge in performance at a slightly higher cost. I am an Intel guy myself so I will proceed that way but which you pick is really up to you. I would go with something quad-core either way as companies are learning more and more how to use this technology to its full capacity so it would be a shame to go with a lesser processor. As for speed, anything closing on 3 GHz or above is going to be pretty darn quick so go with whatever option you budget allows you. If you are not a gamer and don't plan on running any intense photo applications like Adobe Photoshop or the like the newer Ivy Bridge processors from Intel can actually run your graphics for you with a compatible motherboard, eliminating the need for a video card.But the two things that matter here are whether you choose an AMD or Intel processor, and then what socket size they are. The socket size is nothing more than what size slot the processor fits into. Remember the square peg in the round hole? We don't want that to happen. The motherboard and the processor must have the same socket size or it won't fit, that's pretty simple, yes?
The motherboard also has to be designed to work with either the AMD or the Intel processor. Think of it as left handed and right handed. The motherboard is designed to work with one processor architecture or the other. You don't want a "right handed" processor with a "left handed" motherboard, it just won't work.
The processor will come with a thermal paste with instructions on how to apply and a fan that mounts to the motherboard and the processor to cool it off.
Intel i7-3770 processor. Socket 1155.
Motherboards, the next step
A motherboard is kind of like the nervous system of the computer. It's what all the other parts plug into and it controls them all telling them how to function. ATX is the most common size motherboard and we chose an ATX case so we'll stick with that. If you want a smaller setup just choose a micro ATX case and a Micro-ATX board, all the rest of what I'm about to say applies.The motherboard is an important part not only because its the main control board for everything else that goes on in the computer but also because it's what physically holds all the other parts in there. It's not that the other parts are heavy or anything it's that a certain motherboard is made to accommodate a certain processor, and a certain RAM (Memory) This is where you can't mix and match whatever you want you will have to know what processor you are going to use and what RAM.
There are two types of processors, AMD and Intel. AMD has always been the slightly less performing budget option and Intel has always edged out AMD in performance but at a higher price tag. I'm an intel fan myself so we'll proceed that way but the same instructions apply if you want to use an AMD processor. Once you choose a processor you must know it's socket type. This is basically what size slot it plugs into.
So when choosing a motherboard you must make sure it's compatible 1. With the brand of processor you chose and 2. The socket type. The final item, the memory, comes in so many forms it's easy to find some that will accommodate your motherboard. In other words it's a much more generic product so there is less of a need to factor it into your decision. For the purpose of this article I'm going to use all the latest technology items.
As far as motherboards I've tried many of them and there are two that stand out in my opinion, Asus and Gigabyte. Lots of people have very good results with other boards, but I've found these two to be the most reliable.
Motherboards
Asus motherboards
The memory
Don't need to go overboard here.
The memory is the next item you need. Your motherboard will tell you what kind of memory it will handle. It will tell you what speed it can handle and what channel memory it needs. Any newer motherboard is made to handle 3 channel memory or what is called DDR-3. Since that is what is current it's not worth talking about anything else.Speed is semi-important but the latest and fastest is not necessary. What is important is the amount of memory. It used to be that 4 gigabytes was plenty and in a budget system 4 gigabytes will do. That is to say if you just use the computer to check email and surf the web very basic stuff 4 gb will still suffice. However memory is so cheap now and 8 gigabytes is useful.
Mushkin Blackine DDR3 1600
The video card
If you plan on doing any gaming or running any photo intense applications you need a video card. People who do intense gaming will run two or three video cards. People doing that don't need this tutorial so I'll give the rest of you a suggestion. This video card will do everything you need and not break the bank. Any Radeon 7850 card is plenty for current games. If you don't do any gaming as I mentioned before the processor I've linked below will handle your video needs.Radeon 7850
Power supply
This one is important
The power supply is important. This one area where you don't skimp. A cheap power supply may not provide enough juice to safely power your peripherals which can break them. Or the power supply can fail. If you can afford a modular power supply they are a nicer option. It means that the cables you don't need can be detached so the inside of the computer won't be cluttered with cables. Personally I feel this is worth the premium you pay. Cooler-master and Thermal-take have been reliable options for me in the past.Coolermaster Silent Pro
DVD drive
or Blu-Ray Drive
These days Blu-ray burners are so cheap I would grab two of them for easy CD/DVD/BD copying. Not much more to it than that. I've always had good results with LG so that is what I recommend to people. You will need one with software, and since you only need one copy of the software you can order the second one without software.LG Blu-ray burner
Hard Drive
Choosing the best hard drives
Hard drives are another thing that has become so cheap these days it's crazy not to go big. With all the storage people use these days your hard drive should be at least one terabyte in my opinion. When buying a new hard drive there are two brands to stick with, Western Digital or Seagate. If you have the money it's great to get two hard drives as then you can use some cloning software to constantly be backing up from one hard drive to another. What a cloning or back up drive will do is daily copy the contents of your hard drive over to the other drive so that if one drive ever fails, you have an exact replica on the other drive. You don't lose any data, precious photos, music you've downloaded, movies etc. I highly recommend doing it this way.There is a new technology in hard drives called Solid State Hard Drives. It has no moving parts so they tend to be much more reliable, they are a whole lot faster, it's not even a fair race, but they are costly. The prices are coming down steadily but if you want the best of the best a Solid State Hard Drive is what you want. Even though they are inherently more reliable than a spinning platter drive I would still go the above route
Western Digital Black
Operating system
Windows 7
Windows 7 is a great operating system, I use it myself along side my Mac operating system. This is the first operating system Windows has created that rivals Mac. It just works. No glitches, no bugs, it works like it's supposed to be. The reason you have to buy your own operating system is because when you buy a store bought computer it comes with Windows preloaded usually. However, it comes with all kinds of spam-ware. All those free trial apps like Norton Anti-virus etc that immediately start to clog up your system with unnecessary junk. The nice thing about buying and installing your own is that it comes without all that junk. Installing it is a breeze, you just put the disc in and follow the instructions. Very simple.
Windows 7
Now that you've got all your parts
Now that you've got all your parts you are going to want to have your tools and some work-space ready. You are going to make sure you don't have anything magnetic laying around and you also want something metal to touch before working on the computer to discharge any static electricity.
The computer case will come with instructions on how to hook up it's few electrical components. It will also come with numerous nuts and bolts to mount everything. I find the best thing to do is separate these into types (there will usually be 4 different types) and put them in small containers. Where everything mounts will be in the instructions but it's also fairly self explanatory. The 5.25" items only fit in the 5.25" slots. The 3.5" items only fit in the 3.5" slots.
All the peripherals will come with the necessary stuff to hook them up. This includes Sata cables which is how pretty much everything connects nowadays. But I've had some manufacturers forget at times so it's not a bad idea to order some extra sata cables. Make sure they are capable of 6GB pass through speeds. They are dirt cheap and can be found on eBay among numerous other sites. The main thing that may cause you some worry is connecting the power supply. This is where a modular supply comes in handy. Only use the cables you need to use. But everything is plug and play. The motherboard will have instructions as to what goes where as well as the power supply but it's really pretty simple. There are some 24 pin connectors, 8 pin connectors, 6 pin connectors etc. They only go in one way, square peg - round hole.
You'll want to physically mount your motherboard first, then physically mount your peripherals. No wires yet. Then mount the power supply and make your internal power connections. Feel free to unplug and replug wires if you feel the need to reroute them in order to make your wires nice and neat. You don't want a rat's nest in there. Once your power connections are made that's when you make your data connections with your sata cables. Your sata ports will be labeled with numbers. You want your first and second sata ports to be connected to your hard drives. Then go consecutively to your other peripherals. If you have a limited number of 6GB sata ports use them for your hard drives or in case your hard drives are not 6GB capable use them on whatever peripherals are capable of that pass through speed.
Your memory sticks depending on how many you use may have to be put in certain slots which will be outlined in the instructions for the motherboard. The motherboard will usually have color coded slots, for example two white slots and two blue slots. Sometimes if you are only using two sticks of memory the instructions will tell you to put them in the white slots only. Sometimes it doesn't matter so consult your motherboard instructions. Also, you cannot mix and match memory so think carefully about how many gigabytes you want to go with. Many motherboards support up to 32GB now (which is excessive at the moment, 16GB is plenty) But if you want to go with 16GB instead of 8GB buy it all at once as if you decide to upgrade down the road you may have a hard time finding the same memory that you are already using. The memory sticks will only mount in the motherboard in one direction so it's impossible to screw it up.
Once you are all done it's time to connect your keyboard, mouse and monitor. Then connect your power supply with the power cord to the wall outlet, turn the power supply on and power the computer up. If you have wired everything properly it will fire up and you can open up the blurry drive, put in your Windows disc and start installing it. This process will take about 20 minutes or so and you need to be in front of the computer to do it as it will keep asking you questions.
All your hard work paid off and you have something you built that you can be proud of. With higher quality components than a store bought model and no spam ware. Plus the learning experience of building it and now you know how a computer's internal parts work and run.
I haven't done a lot of details and pictures of the actual construction of all the parts because it's really pretty simple. Every part comes with instructions and the necessary parts to connect it, and almost every piece can only go in one way so I feel it's not really necessary. So long as your parts are compatible you really should be able to put it all together with relative ease. It's the compatibility part that I find mystifies most people and what I tried to clarify with this article. If you have any questions feel free to ask and above all, have fun!
The computer case will come with instructions on how to hook up it's few electrical components. It will also come with numerous nuts and bolts to mount everything. I find the best thing to do is separate these into types (there will usually be 4 different types) and put them in small containers. Where everything mounts will be in the instructions but it's also fairly self explanatory. The 5.25" items only fit in the 5.25" slots. The 3.5" items only fit in the 3.5" slots.
All the peripherals will come with the necessary stuff to hook them up. This includes Sata cables which is how pretty much everything connects nowadays. But I've had some manufacturers forget at times so it's not a bad idea to order some extra sata cables. Make sure they are capable of 6GB pass through speeds. They are dirt cheap and can be found on eBay among numerous other sites. The main thing that may cause you some worry is connecting the power supply. This is where a modular supply comes in handy. Only use the cables you need to use. But everything is plug and play. The motherboard will have instructions as to what goes where as well as the power supply but it's really pretty simple. There are some 24 pin connectors, 8 pin connectors, 6 pin connectors etc. They only go in one way, square peg - round hole.
You'll want to physically mount your motherboard first, then physically mount your peripherals. No wires yet. Then mount the power supply and make your internal power connections. Feel free to unplug and replug wires if you feel the need to reroute them in order to make your wires nice and neat. You don't want a rat's nest in there. Once your power connections are made that's when you make your data connections with your sata cables. Your sata ports will be labeled with numbers. You want your first and second sata ports to be connected to your hard drives. Then go consecutively to your other peripherals. If you have a limited number of 6GB sata ports use them for your hard drives or in case your hard drives are not 6GB capable use them on whatever peripherals are capable of that pass through speed.
Your memory sticks depending on how many you use may have to be put in certain slots which will be outlined in the instructions for the motherboard. The motherboard will usually have color coded slots, for example two white slots and two blue slots. Sometimes if you are only using two sticks of memory the instructions will tell you to put them in the white slots only. Sometimes it doesn't matter so consult your motherboard instructions. Also, you cannot mix and match memory so think carefully about how many gigabytes you want to go with. Many motherboards support up to 32GB now (which is excessive at the moment, 16GB is plenty) But if you want to go with 16GB instead of 8GB buy it all at once as if you decide to upgrade down the road you may have a hard time finding the same memory that you are already using. The memory sticks will only mount in the motherboard in one direction so it's impossible to screw it up.
Once you are all done it's time to connect your keyboard, mouse and monitor. Then connect your power supply with the power cord to the wall outlet, turn the power supply on and power the computer up. If you have wired everything properly it will fire up and you can open up the blurry drive, put in your Windows disc and start installing it. This process will take about 20 minutes or so and you need to be in front of the computer to do it as it will keep asking you questions.
All your hard work paid off and you have something you built that you can be proud of. With higher quality components than a store bought model and no spam ware. Plus the learning experience of building it and now you know how a computer's internal parts work and run.
I haven't done a lot of details and pictures of the actual construction of all the parts because it's really pretty simple. Every part comes with instructions and the necessary parts to connect it, and almost every piece can only go in one way so I feel it's not really necessary. So long as your parts are compatible you really should be able to put it all together with relative ease. It's the compatibility part that I find mystifies most people and what I tried to clarify with this article. If you have any questions feel free to ask and above all, have fun!
If you know of any other that may be better than some of my, please add a comment.
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