How to build a gaming PC: a beginner's guide. There’s never been a better time to be a PC gamer. The gaming scene is vibrant: envelope- pushing graphical powerhouses look best on the PC, and it’s the first stop for independent developers making creative and innovative games. And building a great gaming PC has never been cheaper or easier. But, we admit it—if you’ve never built a PC before, it can still be a little intimidating. Our example RIg. For this build, we're using the following components. Your build will likely differ slightly, but most of the steps are universal and will look and function similarly: Prcoessor: Intel Core 7 Motherboard: Asus LGA 1. ![]() Memory: Corsair DDR3 Graphics card: Nvidia GTX 9. Power supply: Antec 8. SSD: Samsung 8. 50 EVO HDD: Western Digital Black CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 2. EVO Disc drive: None Case: Fractal Design Define R5. But it’s easy. We promise. And we think you should build your own gaming rig, even if your last gaming PC was a great system from a custom rig- builder. If you’re ready to take the plunge and build your next gaming PC, we’re here to help. This is our step- by- step guide to building your own PC, with video embeds illustrating each major step of the process. Seriously, putting together your PC isn’t much tougher than putting together a model kit or a big Lego set. Here are some general starting tips before getting into the step- by- step process: Avoid static electricity! Build your PC on a table or some flat surface away from carpet. Ideally, dispel any built- up bodily charge by touching a grounded metal object before you touch sensitive PC components. As long as you’re not rubbing your socked feet back and forth and building up a static charge, you’re probably fine. ![]() Open up your motherboard manual to the diagram page that shows a layout of the motherboard. If you ever get confused about what goes where, the labels on this page should help you sort it out. PC Gamer readers have also given us some great tips, which we've compiled here. Read through the building section before tackling your first. Build steps. For this build, we're using the following components. Your build will likely differ slightly, but but most of the steps below are universal and will look and function very similarly. ![]() ![]() Install the CPUParts used: Motherboard, CPURemove your motherboard from its anti- static sleeve and place it on a clean, flat surface, where you'll be doing your build. Remove the protective plastic covering over the CPU socket on the motherboard by pushing the lever arm down and to the side, then pulling the covering up. Now you’re ready to install the processor. Open your CPU box and take the processor out. It’s probably safely housed in a plastic sleeve. Look at the CPU, and match the arrow on the bottom- left corner of the chip with the bottom corner of the socket. If you get some free parts you can build a strickly gaming only machine. Lots of people in the PC gaming crowd have spare parts that they will never use just laying. If you are looking for cheap affordable gaming PC Builds there is no better place than PC gaming builds. All of our builds are up to date and full of. Popular in gaming. Investors Realize Nintendo Doesn't Own Pokemon, Stock Prices Plummet; Valve Commemorates 'The International DOTA 2 Championship' With Special. But it’s easy. We promise. And we think you should build your own gaming rig, even if your last gaming PC was a great system from a custom rig-builder. There are also two notches on the top half of the chip. The pins face down, so the plain silver side should be facing up. There’s only one possible way to correctly orient the CPU, which makes it easy to install! The CPU fits into the socket, and you don't need to press down to force it into place. It doesn't "snap" in—it just rests on top of the pins. To finish the installation, simply lower the socket covering and push the lever arm back into place. Install the CPU cooler. ![]() Parts used: motherboard (with installed CPU), CPU cooler, thermal paste. Ready for what is (usually) the hardest step of your build process? Everything from here on is a total breeze, but installing a CPU cooler can be a bit tricky, especially because they vary in design. For this step, you should primarily be following the steps shown in your CPU cooler’s included instructions. But I’ll walk you through two examples: installing the stock Intel cooler included with Intel’s processors, and installing the popular Cooler Master Hyper 2. Evo, our recommended air cooler. Stock Intel cooler: This little guy will keep an Intel processor cool enough if you’re not doing any overclocking, but it’s not as quiet or efficient as an aftermarket cooler. Its greatest strength, however, is simplicity. If you look at the bottom of the cooler, you’ll notice it already has thermal material on it. This means you don’t need to add thermal paste to your CPU. Intel’s cooler is also easy to mount. Simply place it over the CPU socket, oriented so that its labeling faces the same direction as the text on the processor. The frame of the socket is the top, while the lever arm juts down to the bottom. Push the cooler’s pegs into the four holes surrounding the CPU socket until they click into place. Cooler Master Hyper 2. Learn how to build a computer the easy way. Professional video tutorials, gaming, office, media PC's. The web's most respected computer building resource. Vika Kaj adjustable legs ($15 ea.) The only way you can get a standing desk this cheap is to improvise, and the only way to do that at IKEA is to get these legs. Evo: This cooler takes a bit more work. First, find the CPU mounting plate (aka back plate). You need to install this plate to the backside of the motherboard to provide extra support for the cooler. Written by Kevin Lee. Updated November 20, 2015 by Tom Marks. Picking the right computer case is a monumental decision. Perhaps even more important than choosing the. Amazon.com: Thermaltake CHASER MK-1 ATX Build-in HDD/SSD Hot Swap Color shift LED Fan Full Tower Gaming PC Computer Case: Electronics. Updated: Cheap gaming computer parts list for the best PC you can build on a budget. Powerful desktop, low cost. AMD or Intel CPU. [View]. Refer to the instructions to find the proper screws and backplate positioning for your motherboards, since the mounting positioning can vary slightly between sockets. But lining it up should be easy—there are four holes around the edges of the CPU socket, and that’s where you’ll be placing screws to attach to the backplate on the backside of the motherboard. Hold the backplate in position so its mounting holes line up with the holes around the socket, then screw it into place from the top side. With the backplate securely in place, you’re ready to install the cooler. Unclip the fan from the radiator to make it easier to install. Now flip the radiator over so that the small side, with copper piping, is facing up. There should be a clear plastic covering on this surface to keep it clean. Remove the plastic and apply a pea- size dab of thermal paste to the middle of the surface (I did a sloppy job in the video above: you can use about half that much thermal paste). You don’t need a lot, and you don’t need to spread it around—pressing the cooler onto the CPU will do that for you. Ready to put it in place? Orient the cooler vertically over the CPU socket (the socket is taller than it is wide, so you should orient the cooler to match) and press it down firmly on the CPU. Make sure it’s on straight. Home stretch: look at the CPU mounting bracket, a crossbar with spring- loaded screws on the ends. Reference the instructions to make sure those screws are positioned properly for your motherboard socket. Then, with the bracket closed, slip it in the gap between the radiator and the contact point of the cooler. There’s a little peg hole here that the center of the bracket nestles into. Push it into place, then spread the two arms out and position the screws into place over the four mounting screws you installed earlier. Screw them in, and you should feel the cooler tighten up against the motherboard until it’s held solidly in place. Reattach the fan to the heatsink simply by clipping it into place. You’ve now installed your CPU cooler. Slot in the RAMParts used: motherboard (with CPU and cooler), RAMThis step is easy. So easy. Take your RAM sticks (you probably have two or four) out of their packaging. Before installing, refer to your motherboard manual’s page about the RAM slots. This page will tell you which RAM slots are the ideal slots to use based on how many sticks you have. These slots are usually color coordinated. Once you know where you’re putting the RAM, unlock the slot by pushing down on the hinged tabs on one end. Orient your RAM so that the notch ⅓ of the way through the stick matches with the notch on the slot. Now press the RAM sticks firmly into the slots. Don’t worry about pressing too hard—it takes some pressure. The tabs will click into place when the sticks are fully inserted. Snap the I/O shield into place. Parts used (PC case, motherboard I/O shield)Time to open up that shiny new PC case you bought. Opening it is as simple as undoing the thumbscrews at the back of the case that hold the panels in place, and then removing them. Now lay the case flat on your table so that the main cavity faces up. Your motherboard should’ve come with a rectangular plastic or metal I/O shield that fits over the motherboard’s input/output ports. To install the I/O shield into the case, first orient it correctly in relation to the motherboard, then fit it into the rectangular slot at the back of the PC case. You’ll have to press it firmly into the slot from within the case; they can be finicky to install, and the edges are sharp, so watch your fingers. Press against each side of the I/O shield until it gives you a solid snap. Install the motherboard standoffs in the PC case and screw in the motherboard. Parts used: PC case, PC case standoffs and screws, motherboard. Your case should’ve come with a box or bag full of screws, zip- ties, and other odds and ends you’ll use for installation. Find the motherboard standoffs—the bottom halves of the standoffs are threaded, while the top halves are screw holes that you’ll be screwing the motherboard into. Now examine your case. There should be about a dozen small holes around the inside of the case where the standoffs go. Depending on your case, they may be labeled for different size motherboards: A for ATX, M for micro ATX, and I for mini ITX. Depending on the size of your motherboard (in most cases, you’ll be building with a standard ATX size), you want to put the standoffs into the correctly labeled holes. If they’re not labeled, you should have enough standoffs to simply cover every hole. Screw them into place using the included standoff tool, which fits over the standoff and lets you use a screwdriver. With the standoffs in place, it’s time to screw in the motherboard. Orient it so that the I/O ports line up properly with the I/O shield, then lower the motherboard until it’s resting on the standoffs. Most cases have a peg that fits up through a hole in the center of the motherboard, so if you have it properly positioned, it should now be locked into place. Once the motherboard’s placed, find the motherboard screws that came with your case and tighten that mother down. Install the power supply.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
October 2016
Categories |