Building a PC can look difficult, but it’s really not. Once you know what pieces go in which location, it becomes a plug-and-play situation. This makes it suitable for those beginning to learn about computers, without becoming too daunting a task to get into.
I have been building PCs for the last 10+ years. I began when I was 13, and have since put together many custom PCs for various uses, from gaming to hosting servers.
In this article, I’m going to explain why building a PC is not as difficult as it seems, and hopefully encourage those of you who are interested to give it a shot and see where it takes.
Contents
Reason 1: Choosing the Right Parts Is Not Hard
The first step to building a PC is to choose the correct parts. This is the hardest part and will require a little bit of research. This takes only a couple of minutes, and you will be able to come up with a list of parts that should work within your computer.
There are many resources out there on the Internet on how to choose the correct parts and many websites that will pick the parts for you. These websites make this process even quicker, by asking questions about what you need the PC for and giving you a list of what to buy.
Reason 2: Putting it Together Is Also Easy
Once the parts arrive, you simply connect them together in the correct interfaces. This is the easy part since it is easy to see which component goes where. For example, RAM cannot fit into a CPU slot, as they are not even the same shape.
The same goes for other parts of the PC, making this a pretty simple task and allowing you to put together your own computer in a timely manner. That’s why the research section takes the longest.
Other Questions You May Have
Here are some other questions you might you in mind before you build your own PC.
Is Building Your Own PC Worth It?
Yes, building your own PC is worth it. While you can buy pre-built computers, many of these computers with the same parts as a self-made computer will be double, or even triple the price of the parts individually.
This means you can save a lot of money by building your own, and with so many guides out there on how to, it simply makes more sense to build your own. You can also customize the look of yours much more when you build it yourself, making this an attractive option.
In order to put this in perspective, a server computer can easily cost over $3,000. In comparison, you can build a server with the same specifications for about $1,500. This is less than half the price of buying one pre-built.
How Long Does Building a PC Take?
This is a difficult question to answer because frankly, it depends. If your build is simple with one component for each section of the computer, it should take 30 minutes to an hour. If you are adding in multiple graphics cards, more fans, or RGB lighting, it could take up to 2 hours.
This is also dependent on the skill of the user putting it together. A new builder could take longer to put it together, as they will need to ensure they are putting it together in the proper order and in the proper slots.
What Kinds of Computers Can I Build?
You can build yourself a computer for any usage! That’s the best part about it. Whether for gaming, video editing, normal home use, or server use, it is possible to build it all yourself.
Now it should be noted that the specifications for a computer will change based on what you are building it for. For example, a gaming computer will want a good graphics card while a video editing PC may not need that, and opt for a better processor.
On the other hand, a server will want a good processor with lots of RAM inside. It all depends on the use you want to get out of it.
Conclusion
So as you can see, building a PC isn’t really that hard. Overall, there are many benefits to buying the parts individually and assembling them yourself. It is cheaper, more customizable, and not that difficult. And hey, you can also tell your friends you built your own PC!
