I bought my last PC off the shelf sometime in 1996 - a Canon Pentium 75mhz screamer. Ever since then, I have built PCs using components that I bought one at a time, not because there is any cost savings - there usually isn't - but because that's the best way to get a no-compromise computer.
How to build a PC
Make no mistake, when you buy a computer from HP or Sony or Gateway or whatever, you'll generally get a better deal than when you buy the components yourself. They can generally do a better job at integration testing than you can, and they will bundle software that you're not going to get unless you pay for it out of pocket. Offsetting that, however, is the fact that to maximize profit margins, volume manufacturers have no choice but to drop in a few components that cost a bit less and maybe perform a bit less as well. That's never been good enough for me, and it doesn't have to be for you as well. A regular computer can be put together in a couple of hours, and installing the operating system isn't as tricky as you might think. Here is the catch: if you choose to build your own PC, your support line is YOU. It can be tough to return components that have been installed in something, and you may very well encounter some conflict in the components that you have chosen that will cost you hours of searching the Internet for other people with the same problem. By taking the road of building your own pc, you are making a commitment to solving your own problems.
Research
Well OK, you can skip this step, but if this seems like too much trouble, you probably ought to head over to circuitcity.com and just order something. That having been said, we'll assume that you are committed to following every step. To begin with, you've got to think about what you want this computer to do. Are you going to record all of your music and videos with it? Will it replace your TV, or do you want a whopping game machine? Maybe you just want it to read your web email. Answering this question correctly should pick all of your components for you. At a minimum, here are the parts you are going to need:
- case
- power supply
- motherboard
- processor
- processor cooling fan
- memory
- hard drive
- CD-Rom/DVD-Rom
- video card*
- keyboard
- mouse
- monitor
- operating system
- Sound Card*
- Speakers
- Network Card*
- Modem
- Floppy Drive
*Items with an asterisk are often built into the motherboard.
If you don't know that much about computer hardware, I recommend getting PC Magazine and or MaximumPC. The best way to start picking up on the terminology and the meanings of various access times and latencies, etc., is to jump in with both feet. As a shortcut, get the issues with top ten lists. Pick your items from the top tier equipment, and you're set. Here are some additional suggestions for picking your equipment:
- I like to go to computer shows and local retailers to buy my computer cases. It's easy to find a lot of cases online for $15 as well as cases for $100, sometimes the same case. Since this is the part you'll see the most, it's nice to get your hands on it before you buy.
- RAM is cheap. Get a lot.
- Processors are carefully meted out to the public to maximize the return on R&D. I can't fault you if you want the biggest and the fastest, but if you want the best return on your investment, get the most technically sophisticated processor that was released 6-12 months ago. Is that .2 Ghz jump in speed really worth the $500 price premium on the latest CPU? The answer is no. The performance of your system has a lot more to do with the speed of the hard drive, the amount of RAM, etc.
- If your case doesn't come with a power supply, I recommend PC power and cooling because the bargain basement power supplies tend to be LOUD.
- Like with power supplies, you may want to find out the db rating for the hard drive you buy. It'll be grinding all the time (thank you, Bill), forcing you to buy louder speakers.
Putting it all Together
Now for the easy part. Don't sweat it, everything is designed to fit only in the place it was designed to go. Three precautions: Everything can go in with two fingers. If you can't get it to go with two, it probably doesn't belong there. Don't plug the power supply into the wall until the components are all in and the case is on. Also, set all of the components on the case before you take them out of their anti-static bags. Once you take something out of the bag, keep the part in your hand and some skin against the metal of the case until you've got the component installed. Static discharge, that thing that can fry your computer parts and the reason you don't get back in your car while the gas is pumping, is caused when the electrical charge in the component tries to equalize it's charge with whatever it is coming into contact with. If you and the case are in constant contact and you and the component are in constant contact, there will be no difference in charge when you insert it into the motherboard. The component's charge will be balanced out while it is in the static bag and protected.
- Screw the motherboard onto the case. First place the motherboard in the case so that the usb plugs and connectors are aligned with the back of the case correctly. Note which mounting points on the motherboard backing panel have corresponding screw holes so that you can put mounting studs into them.
- Install the processor. Follow the directions in your motherboard manual, but the process is generally open the processor hold down clamp, use the alignment markings to drop the processor into place (no pushing) and close the hold down clamp.
- Install the processor fan. This will come with directions as well, but these generally only go on one way. The power cable will plug into a connector on the motherboard.
- Install the RAM. These only fit into the DIMM slots in one direction, and if you look at where the notch is in the recepticle, point them in the right direction and push them in until they click.
- Install the hard drive. Screw the hard drive into the drive carrier using the screws provided with your case. Using the ribbon cable that came with your motherboard, connect the drive to the motherboard. If you happened to get cables that did not come with the the alignment tab on the cable end, remember that the side of the cable with the red stripe is for pin 1. Pin 1 will be labeled on the drive label or on the underside of the drive, either with the number 1 (remarkably) or with a white dot/square.
- Install the video card. Nowadays just about every video card is going to be an AGP format card, which will be the slot that is slightly shorter than the PCI slots (into which the other cards will go) and will, of course, be the only slot into which the card will fit.
- Install the other accessory cards. This is the sound card, network card, modem or what have you.
- Install the power supply and connect power from the power supply to the motherboard. For some cases, this may need to be done first, but for most, it's easier to put the computer together without having all of the cables in the way.
- Install the CD-Rom drive and put the case together.
That wasn't so bad, now was it?