As technology has become increasingly accessible, affordable, and easy to use, building your own computer has become less and less popular. However, it’s still a great project for anyone who wants to learn their way around hardware. Here’s how to get started on a gaming computer.
You will need a case, a power supply, a motherboard, a high-end graphics card, plenty of RAM, a hard drive, additional drives (like a DVD and/or blueray) possibly some fans or heat sinks, and input/output peripherals. For a gaming PC you’ll also want a copy of Windows for your main operating system, though it’s highly recommended that you play with some other operating systems in a virtual box environment sometime. Shopping for all these goodies is half the fun of putting together your own machine, but you’ll want to look up the specs and be very careful that the pieces you choose all work together. Start with a specific form factor, such as ATX, which will have standard power needs, case measurements, and connectors; your case, motherboard, and power supply should all be of the same form factor. RAM is another place to be especially careful about compatibility, but do your homework all around; this is possibly the hardest and most annoying part of the project.
Make sure you have a clean, dry, well lit space to work in. You’ll need some screwdrivers, thermal grease if you’re installing a heat sink, and maybe a grounding bracelet, but that about covers it; tool needs for this project are minimal. You do want to be near a working machine with an internet connection, so that if there’s any part you don’t know what to do with, you can ask the web. And finally, a few words about safety: don’t ever force things you don’t want to break. Never open your own power supply, and for heavens sakes, make sure nothing is plugged into the wall when you’re working on hardware.