Any Tips for Building a Gaming PC?

Hello fellow simmers and computer lovers,

I was wondering (Okay, more like I have a pit of desperation in my stomach and a thirst for gaming knowledge,) if anyone could give me some tips for building a gaming PC? I'm more experienced with Atari's and Commodore's instead of modern computers (Well, hardware-wise anyway,). I want to make sure I know what I'm doing but...I really could use some tips. Okay, actually, how about WikiHow detailed like tips? I just would like to see if anyone can recommend specific video cards or tell me how much ram speed I should probably invest in.   

Thanks!
~Despense   

(PS. How adorable is this teacup? It just looks happy and content with its pal, the tea bag (Personally, I think I will call the tea bag...Simon. I have no idea why to be honest....). )

Hi there,

Putting the PC together is not extremely hard, really. Just follow the instructions that come with the parts. I think the most important thing is that you connect the PSU connectors correctly. We have a lot of experienced users here that can assist you in building your own PC. I built my own PC too, so I might be able to help with some things.

The prices and stock depends on local availability, so there's not much I can say about that.

The main components you're going to need are as follows (please correct me if I forgot something):

- Case
Doesn't have to be expensive. If you're going for a nice gaming PC, go for a (full) ATX Tower. Those are pretty big, if you're used to "normal" PCs, so be sure to check one out in your local PC store first. The pros are that there is lots of space to work in and you can use all modern hardware, like the big(ger) GPUs. It also helps with the internal (cool) air flow.

- Motherboard (Or short: mobo)
Go for a modern motherboard, because this is not something you'll upgrade after a few years. It's supposed to last for the lifetime of your PC. Having a modern motherboard, ensures that all modern connectors are there, like USB 3.0 and other new standards. It should also support Gigabit LAN, but I think pretty much all mobo's have that nowadays. NOTE that there's a difference between the AMD and Intel socket models. So if you get a mobo that only supports Intel CPUs, you will NOT be able to install an AMD CPU!

- CPU (Central Processing Unit, or short: processor)
Same as motherboard. The CPU is like your PC's heart, so don't save on the CPU too much. If you want to be future-proof and like hardcore, go for the third generation Intel i7 processors. (Or was it the 4th generation - not sure)
You might want to get one that has at least 3.0-3.4 GHz speed. MAKE SURE that your motherboard actually supports the CPU model. (AMD only works on special AMD sockets on the mobo, and same goes for Intel CPUs)
By the way, a "Boxed" CPU means that it comes packed with a fan/cooler. These fans usually aren't very good, especially not if you plan to overlock the CPU.

- GPU (Graphics Processing Unit
You can upgrade this later on, but it can be expensive, so it's a good investment to get a good one right now. A good GPU can last for about 4-5 years before becoming "old". I recently got the NVIDIA GTX 780, which is good in my opinion. Note that different manufacturers can make the same graphics card, but with a different shape. For example, you can get an MSI GTX 780, but also a Gigabyte GTX 780. The specs should be exactly the same. The only difference can be that one has more fans than another one. Or that one makes less noise than the other. Some bad GPUs can start making a lot of noise when you run a game and it starts to heat up. That can be pretty annoying. I recommend getting a GPU with at least 512MB of memory. 1GB is slowly getting standard though.

- RAM (Random Accessible Memory, or short: memory)
This is like the brain of your computer. It stores all the temporary data. The RAM is cleared as soon as the power to your PC is lost. (E.g. when you shutdown) This is something you can easily upgrade later on. I recommend getting at least 4GB. Note that most PC games and software are 32-bit and can't use more than 4GB anyway. If you get 4GB or more, make sure to get a 64-bit operating system as well, because otherwise it won't be able to use all the memory, which is a waste of money and speed, of course.
Also note that it's better to get 4x2GB of RAM than 2x4GB of RAM. (So it's best to spread the RAM) If you have two RAM modules, it'll use a specific technology to spread load or something. Ah darn, I forgot its name... I'll edit if I remember what it was called. Ah yes! Dual Channel, it was called. It'll improve performance a little bit.

- PSU (Power Supply Unit)
This is also something you probably won't change, so get something that is future-proof. (It is easy to upgrade though, but why would you) If it can't supply enough power for the CPU and GPU - modern GPUs need lots of power - your PC will simply not start. (It might even damage the PC, never tried that ) Get at least 750W to be on the safe side. I recommend more though.
Note that the brand is very important. If you get one with low efficiency, you might run into problems. I highly recommend a CoolerMaster GPU. Preferably a "Gold" one.

- HDD (Hard Disk Drive)
No PC without a hard disk, of course. Doesn't matter which one you get. To make life easier for yourself, get at least 1TB of storage. Or even 2x500GB, so you can use one for Windows and software and the other one for storage. NOTE that Western Digital advertises "Intelli speed" drives. This is just a fancy word for "slow(er) 5200 RPM disks"(!). If you go for speed, go for the 7200 RPM disks. These are a little bit more expensive, but worth it. Western Digital has some nice disks for sale. Other good brands are Samsung (I think they sold their HDD division to Seagate a few years ago), but I personally had some bad experience with a Samsung disk in the past. The standard size for PC HDDs is 3.5", where laptops have 2.5" HDDs. Note that the 2.5" ones are more expensive.
If you have a flexible budget, go for an SSD (Solid State Drive). This is a... well, it's not really an HDD, but it's like a big flash drive. It has no moving components, like a normal HDD, so it makes no noise at all, it's very fast, but they can wear out over time. (I think they'll wear out after about 8-10 years, not 100% sure about that) They are very expensive though. If you want to have a nice boot time, get a small SSD for WINDOWS ONLY and then use a big HDD for storing software and other stuff. I have a 128GB SSD from Intel (They give a stunning 3-5 years warranty) with only Windows on it. (And some other small applications, like my anti-virus) It has about 9.5GB left, so that should say enough. (I store all my software and other stuff on another HDD)

- Card reader (SD cards and stuff like that, this is optional!)
If you plan on using SD cards or stuff like that, it's good to get one of these. They are not very expensive. I think I got mine for about €15,- They usually have a USB port too, which might come in handy, since it's located at the front of your case. (Most cases already have USB (3.0) ports at the front though)

- CD/DVD Writer (Optional)
Your PC wouldn't be complete without, obviously. It really doesn't matter which one you get, as long as it can read and write DVDs. I got the cheapest one I could find, one from LG. (Life's indeed good ^^) If you like, you can also get a BluRay writer, but... I don't recommend those if you don't actually use them, as they're quite expensive. At least, the last time I checked.
If you copy discs a lot, I recommend getting two DVD writes, so you can put the empty CD/DVD in one and the CD/DVD you want to copy in the other one, and then just read and write to the empty disc at the same time. Saves a lot of time.

- Extra fans for the case, IF not already included (optional)
Some cases come with (a few) fans included. Mine had 3 built in to the front, 2 in the back and a big one at the top. There was still place for one extra inside and on at the side. I bought a cheap one of the internet and put it at the side. This is not mandatory, but I do recommend getting on for the front and one for the back, at least. MAKE sure that you place them correctly (usually have an arrow that points to the direction the fan blows in), so that the front one blows in and the one at the back blows OUT of the case. That way you'll have an optimal air flow inside the case, to cool all the components.

NOTE: before buying any components, always make a list of all the items you want to get and then check compatibility first. If you want to be sure, feel free to post your configuration, so we can help you with that too.

Pohoo, this was the longest PC recommendation I've written so far.
Please correct me if I forgot something, or if I provided wrong information.

Well, I hope this clears up. Please do let me know if you have any questions!

I would suggest if you want it to work right away... there are computer kits. You can get a basic gaming computer kit and put it together. Then as you get the money, cause money is evil and always eludes me personally, you can upgrade the parts like the graphics card and the processor... Building your own computer also depends on your personal preference too... What do you want your computer to be able to handle and so on. I bought my computer at tigerdirect.com and spent a totaly of $450 and I have a 3.8ghtz processor, 8GB of ram.. 1TB hard drive... and so on. First thing i will be upgrading next year is the graphics card... cause there is ALWAYS something new and beter on the market :PWell.. GOOD LUCK!!

LoriliHime wrote:I would suggest if you want it to work right away... there are computer kits. You can get a basic gaming computer kit and put it together. Then as you get the money, cause money is evil and always eludes me personally, you can upgrade the parts like the graphics card and the processor... Building your own computer also depends on your personal preference too... What do you want your computer to be able to handle and so on. I bought my computer at tigerdirect.com and spent a totaly of $450 and I have a 3.8ghtz processor, 8GB of ram.. 1TB hard drive... and so on. First thing i will be upgrading next year is the graphics card... cause there is ALWAYS something new and beter on the market :PWell.. GOOD LUCK!!

Hi there,

True that! A good/modern GPU can be a good investment though:

Admin wrote:- GPU (Graphics Processing Unit
You can upgrade this later on, but it can be expensive, so it's a good investment to get a good one right now. A good GPU can last for about 4-5 years before becoming "old". I recently got the NVIDIA GTX 780, which is good in my opinion.

Hi there,the best graphic card with upto 4GB is good for the next gen games and also 8GB or more would be good.That's just my suggestion.