How to Build a Computer

HOW TO BUILD A COMPUTER

Building a computer might seem like an impossible task at first. It's understandable; there are multiple complex parts that need to be purchased that have to be able to work together. I like to think of it as a LEGO set. If you buy all the pieces that will fit together, you will have no trouble getting things up and running. However, if you try and slip in a few Mega Bloks in, you're likely going to run into some trouble. As someone who's been through this process and is now writing this blog from the computer I built, I'd like to try and make this process seem as easy and fluid as possible. When you compare the price of a pre-built computer or a laptop to building your computer, the results are astounding. As of a year ago I owned a "gaming" laptop (which cost me $1400) that I could beat with a computer I built for less than $500. While obviously you can't carry around a desktop, it's key to evaluate your needs and whether or not a desktop could solve them. 

Step 1 - Determine Your Budget and Needs
The first and most important step for yourself is determining a budget. If you go into it and just start buying parts left and right, you'll probably end up breaking your bank. Knowing your budget will not only ensure you don't overspend, it'll also help you narrow down the parts that you can choose from. While I won't be going into great detail on a keyboard, monitor, and mouse in this guide, it's also important not to forget those three parts when setting your budget. If you go with the more expensive options, you could be looking at an extra $200. While a budget will help to narrow down what parts to choose from, you still need to decide what the computer will be used for. Whether it be gaming, video editing, streaming, or music making, there are parts that are suited for your build that are entirely dependent on what you choose to primarily use your PC for.
Step 2 - Understand and Choose Your Parts
Now that you've set a budget and decided what purpose your PC will serve, it's time to choose your parts. This is perhaps the most stressful step for most people, as there is an overflow of parts to choose from and very little to help you decide. To break it down, there are 6 main internal parts that are 100% necessary for a computer to work;

• First and foremost is the CPU. The CPU is the brains of your computer, it handles all the processes of your computer, and is directly related to how well your computer performs. The better and more expensive the CPU, the better equipped your computer will be to handle more strenuous activities. There are two main brands of CPU's, Intel and AMD. Intel is the chip that the majority of computers use today. Many PC's, and almost every Apple computer uses some variation of an Intel CPU. The other brand is AMD, which is a formidable competitor to Intel. For the performance, AMD is slightly cheaper on most levels when compared to an equivalent Intel processor. The only main difference is that the better Intel processors come with integrated graphics, which allows your computer to render all kinds of 2D and 3D graphics to a certain extent. 

• Next is the motherboard. The only main choice to be made for the motherboard is to find one that will fit with your CPU. Motherboards are either made for Intel or AMD CPU's, so you will have to choose one that fits the CPU you have chosen. In most cases, there is little performance change between different motherboards. Simply choose one that fits your CPU you will be good to go.

• After the motherboard is your GPU. The GPU is what processes all the video processing for your computer. Essentially, a decent GPU is necessary for a gaming or video editing build. The better (and more expensive) the GPU, the higher settings it will be able to render graphics at. There are no restrictions as to which GPU's fit with other parts, so the main choice here is to choose which one best suits your budget and needs.

• The RAM, or random access memory, is what allows your computer to process multiple tasks at once. For instance, if you're working on homework with multiple tabs up, while listening to music, it is your computer's RAM that is allowing your computer to work without freezing up or slowing down. The only main decision is how much RAM you will need. 8 GB is fairly standard and usually plenty for most people, however some people will choose to opt for more, upping to 16 or even 32 GB in some cases. There is only one technical issue to worry about, and that is to make sure that the speed in which your CPU operates is the same speed that your RAM works at. All CPU's will list the speeds at which they can operate, and you have to make sure that the RAM will work at those speeds. 

• Next is the hard drive, which lets you store all your data. Most of you are familiar with hard drives, as we are constantly managing them when the storage on our computers gets too full. There are two main kinds of hard drives, the SATA and SSD. SATA hard drives usually have larger amounts of storage but are slow in comparison to the SSD. SSD drives are generally very small, but compensate for that with fast speeds in processes such as booting up your computer, loading a program, or transferring files from one place to another. The only main decision you have to make is about how much storage you need for your computer. 

• Lastly is your power supply. This is the part that most people overlook, and often don't invest enough money in to get a reliable one. Power supplies are rated by the amount of wattage they provide, and are given a rating as to how well they perform in the long run. The ratings run from Bronze to Platinum, with Platinum rated power supplies being the most reliable and efficient of the choices. Determining what amount of wattage you need is one of the harder parts, which is where I'm going to bring up a wonderful website that is the sole reason that I was able to build my computer. 

Step 3 - Determine the Compatibility of Your Parts
PCPartPicker is a wonderful website that takes all the information I just gave you and puts it in a streamlined, easy to use format for you. It lets you set a budget, gives ratings for all parts, and lets you know whether or not all your parts will work together. If you have trouble getting started, there are also pre-made builds that are usually set to a certain budget so you can see an idea of what you can get for your budget. It will also tell you the power supply needed for your parts, so that it's easy to choose what supply you'll need. Before you're ready to order all of the parts, your last step is to choose a case to put everything in. For the most part, as long as you're not building a mini computer, your parts will fit in just about every case. The most important choice you'll be making is which one looks best to you and won't break your budget. 
Step 4 - Purchase Your Parts
I know this step might seem redundant, there are advantages to being patient when ordering your parts. Parts will go on sale all the time, and saving a hundred bucks here or there will go a long way, and may even let you get the much desired upgrade you need. 

After getting all of your parts together, your next step would be to put it all together, of course. However, for the sake of the length of this blog, I'll wait to add the next step, as it is even longer than the parts above. If there is a chance to continue this guide in the future, I'd be happy to guide you through the process of getting everything assembled. Just know there are thousands of us out there that would be more than happy to help you through any part of the process. 

1. Computer 1 - Reddit
2. Computer 2 - Imgur
3. Computer 3 - Reddit