The Ultimate PC Building Guide

How To's Guide / June 20, 2023 / 6 minutes of reading
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Building your own PC is an exciting and rewarding endeavor. You’ll be able to customize your machine to suit your specific needs. But, before building your own PC, you’ll need to get the right parts. In this ultimate PC-building guide, we will walk you through the step-by-step process to build your own PC. We’ll focus on a gaming computer in this guide.

How to Build a PC: Steps to Building a PC 

  1. Preparation
  2. Choose and find components
  3. Motherboard 
  4. CPU or processor 
  5. Memory (RAM)
  6. Graphic card (GPU)
  7. Storage (SSD or HDD)
  8. Power supply unit (PSU)
  9. Cooling system
  10. PC Case
  11. Operating system
  12. Put everything together and install components.

Part 1: Planning Your Build

Before diving into the actual building process, it’s crucial to plan your PC build meticulously. Start by determining your budget and understanding your requirements. What will you primarily use the PC for? Do you need a powerful graphics card for gaming or a robust processor for video editing? These questions will help direct you to the right parts.

Part 2: Choosing the Right Components

Once you have a clear vision of what you need to build your own PC, it’s time to choose the components for your needs. Research each component and consider factors such as compatibility, performance, and future upgradability.


Additionally, pay attention to managed XDR which is a security service that’s outsourced. It provides detection on a higher level and response capabilities using technology and human intervention. 

Regardless of what type of PC you’re building, the components you need are often the same, and they include the following:

  1. Motherboard

This is the circuit board that connects all the other PC components. It allows communication and collaboration between the different PC hardware. Motherboards come in different sizes and configurations and the type you’ll get will depend on the CPU you bought, the features you want, and the PC case. 

The key thing to know about motherboards is what kind of socket it has: Intel LGA and AM. You’ll see it listed with a number after it, such as “LGA1150” or “AM3.” The most common motherboard size is ATX (or “full size”).

  1. Processo or Central processing unit (CPU)

The CPU or processor is the brain of the computer and sockets directly into the motherboard. It controls everything that the computer does. The two popular manufacturers of CPUs for consumer PCs are:

  • Intel 
  • AMD

AMD will currently give you the third-generation AMD Ryzen and Threadripper for high-end PCs. Intel’s Core i CPUs are all great choices. As a gamer, you might need to go for the i5, i7, or i9.

  1. Graphics card (or GPU)

A GPU is a specialized processor that handles and optimizes visual data like games, as well as video or photo editing. The GPU (graphics processing unit/video processing unit) has the most impact on your entire gaming action. The two famous graphics card manufacturers you can choose from are AMD and Nvidia.  

  1. Memory (RAM)

Random Access Memory is your machine’s short-term memory. It stores (caches) temporary data/information you use and is often quickly accessible. This means your PC or CPU doesn’t have to reach out to the main storage first each time you search or need any data. 

RAM restarts everything when your system doesn’t have power, so you’ll still need a larger storage drive on your PC. RAM varies in size, design, and speed. The larger RAM you have the better. RAM begins from 2GB but most gaming PCs need 8GB, 16GB, 32GB or more for better performance.

  1. Primary Storage (SSD or HDD)

The primary storage is the location you store all your files, data, games, movies, documents, photos, and everything. There are two main types of computer storage solutions: 

  • HDD (hard disk drive)
  • SSD (solid-state drive)

Initially, storage was mostly hard disk drives (HDD). Now, SSD (solid state drives) are widely available. They are smaller, quieter, faster, more durable, versatile, and provide better performance, but they’re also more costly. Storage varies, but the common configurations are NVMe or SATA SSD.  

  1. Power supply unit (PSU)

Your PC’s power supply unit supplies the PC with power. It is a little box that keeps the electricity running to every other PC component and determines how powerful and quick your PC can be. The faster your PSU is, the more power it needs. If you’re using high-end PC video cards, you’ll want a Power Supply Unit with enough wattage. A good example of well-performing PSUs is Seasonic PRIME GS-1000 1000w or Rosewill HIVE 550S 550w.

  1. CPU Cooling System

Your CPU needs a cooler because it works very hard, which creates heat. The cooling system helps cool your CPU to keep the system/PC running properly. Though most CPUs have a built-in cooler, if you’re building a new PC with more power, you’ll want a cooler that is a bit more powerful. 

Cooling systems can be simple fans or more advanced liquid cooling solutions (or All In One (AIO). Installing the cooling solutions may vary, but often involve attaching it to the PC’s motherboard. You may also need to use a thermal paste to make heat dissipate well from the CPU.

  1. PC Case

PC cases are highly customizable, they come in different sizes. Make sure you match the case with your motherboard size. For instance, if you have an ATX motherboard, go for an ATX (or “full-size”) case. Many PC cases also come with fans already installed, which can be useful. Only find a cooling system if your case doesn’t come with one.

  1. Operating system

You’ll need an operating system for your PC to run and allow you to install other programs on the PC. There are several operating systems to choose from. The most popular for the average person gamer is Microsoft Windows (now Windows 11) due to its straightforward user experience. Linux is popular and has the added advantage of being free, but it isn’t straightforward to use.

Part 3: Assembling Your PC

Pc Assembly With Cable Management And Cooling Solution

Now comes the fun part: assembling your PC. Since you’ve got all the components you need. During installation, make sure you screw in everything that needs to be screwed and fix everything compactly to ensure proper functionality. Assemble your PC in the following steps:

  1. Put your motherboard into place
  2. Install the RAM by pushing the RAM stick into place
  3. Install the CPU by connecting the four holes closest to the CPU socket
  4. Plug the CPU cooler into the motherboard to give it the power it needs to function 
  5. Prepare the case. Get the motherboard in the case by installing standoffs
  6. Install the power system following the instructions 
  7. Put the motherboard’s I/O shield together  
  8. Install the motherboard while being careful not to damage anything
  9. Install the GPU on the PCIe slot
  10. Install the storage (M2 SSD) into the appropriate slot on your motherboard
  11. Plug in all other accessories, gaming chair, mechanical keyboard, and mouse

Endnote

You have successfully built your own PC and integrated the powerful security capabilities of managed XDR. By following this ultimate PC-building guide and harnessing the benefits of managed XDR, you have created a high-performance machine. Your machine now meets your computing needs but also provides robust protection against cyber threats.

Thank you for reading!

Tags: gaming, hardware, PC, RAM, Video Editing, Windows

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