Building My First PC: A Personal Journey and Guide

2025-02-04

Building My First PC: A Personal Journey and Guide

Introduction

Building your own PC isn't just about assembling parts-it can be an incredibly rewarding experience that teaches you valuable technical knowledge and problem-solving for a lifetime. In this post, I share a step-by-step guide on building a PC while incorporating my own personal journey along with practical advice, helpful resources, and a quick guide for beginners.

My Personal Story

Why build my own PC? From my very first computer, a Commodore Vic 20 to an Amstrad CPC 464 and then an Amiga 1200 before home pcs and laptops, I have always been fascinated by computers. Technically this is not my first build, back in 2006 whilst I picked out some parts and a general idea, it was a friends expertise and influence and who actually built it. That feels a lifetime ago now, serving the needs of the time, which being the noughties was all about media content. An extensive library of music, movies and tv shows it served me well until I begun my travels. Abandoned, the fate remains unknown but speculation would have me guess it went the way of a lot of my belongings. Left behind with my parents, my dad not a fan of clutter would find a home out of sight and out of mind. The garden shed and the fate of nature conspired to flood the shed and an infastation of earwigs. After ten years of travelling for experience and career, laptops became my goto for the portability, but I never forgot my dream machine. After covid changed the world, it was time to put down some roots and that meant a return to desktops. Two reasons inspired my build, signing up for a computing course means I would gain the skills needed and the requirements for a machine. The second, after entering the modern era of gaming during covid, I had six months to prepare for the launch of Total War: Warhammer 3 and that needed an appropriate ally.

Planning and Research

Whats your reason? Before planning or buying anything defining your purpose is key.

• Gaming: Focus on a powerful GPU and a high-refresh-rate.
• Productivity: Prioritize a multi-core CPU and a high-refresh rate monitor.
• Coding: Priortze ample RAM to manage resource-intensive IDEs, multiple processes, and seamless multitasking for efficient development.
• Everyday Use: Aim for a budget-friendly build with balanced performance.

If any of that sounds alien, then the next part is super important.

• Budgeting: Determine how much your willing to invest.
• Research: Compare parts, check compatability, and read user reviews.
• Timeline: Set a realistic schedule for you to avoid rushed decsions.

I set my Budget at between $2000-$2500 (NZD) when initially starting out, with the final build came in at around $3000. Which I will explain in detail why. You don't have to spend that much its really what you are wanting. A similar pre-built desktop at the time was probably about the same price minus peripherals, but I have the custom setup I wanted and gained the experience. As for Timeline beginnig with planning in March I aimed to have completed by November, (In time for Warhammer 3 which ended up being delayed!!). However good saving and some good deals sped this up despite more being spent. I put money aside every month for the build, and when a good deal came along I jumped on that componet. Originally I had plans for Monitor/Keyboard/Mouse/Headphones last of priorities. The first month was a great sale on these and saw me purchase these first and blow out the plan. The plus side is I did save money and ended up with a far better Screen than I anticipated and meant I could enhance my experience with my laptop. So, remember to be adapatable and flexible.

Choosing Components

You've set your budget and timeline, now what do you need? Selecting the right hardware is the most important foundation to any build, every component must work in harmony.

Ensure that all your components work together:

• Motherboard: Choose one that supports your CPU and has enough ports for your needs.
• CPU and GPU: Verify compatibility and performance balance.
• Memory and Stoage: Choose based on your usage-gaming, content creation, etc.
• Power Supply: Opt for a reliable brand with enough wattage for your build.
• Case: Pick a case that fits your components and provides good airflow.

Where to start? Research- this is key below are some insightful resources I relied on heavily. PCPartPicker
is great for getting insight from PC builders and is a great inspiration and their Saved Parts list great for budgeting. The second PBTech (New Zealand based onlne retailer) lots of sales, good review system to check feedback, reliable and prompt ordering could get parts within a couple of days.

Resources for Building a PC

Here are some resources that helped me:

1. PCPartPicker: Plan your build and ensure compatibility.
2. YouTube Tutorials: Channels like Linus Tech Tips and JayzTwoCents offer excellent guidance.
3. Reddits r/buildapc: A supportive community for advice and troubleshooting.
4. Manufacturers Websites: Access manuals and specifications for your components.
5. Online Retailers: Check reviews and customer feedback.

Apart from the change in order of purchase and upgrade in monitor my choices remained pretty consistent. The one major issue I had was GPU. Being 2021

The Assembly Process

Where planning meets reality. In the words of Lance Corporal Jones, "Don't Panic!" There is a good chance some things may go unexpected. Stay calm and do your research. There is a vast well of knowledge on the internet to help.

My track record of working with machinery was not good. I've killed several computers in the past in a variety of ways over archingly my lack of knowledge and clumsiness was the usual reason. My Amiga 1200 keyboard was rendered useless while I tried to fix the mouse port thats wiring had become detached and most recently my lenovo laptop which had a faulty case that I did not deal with correctly ended up in me snapping the wiring that connected the screen. So the idea of putting together a lot of expensive parts I had worked hard to save for filled me with dread. My confidence improved when as part of my course we dis-assembled and re-assembled a pc learning a few valuable lessons I would need, followed by watching a lot of youtube videos in how to put together the parts I had and what not to do to destroy those nice flash new parts. After putting together everything I pressed the power button and here we are ..... except that didn't happen. The dreaded fear of it not switching on happened but one thing I learnt through all my research was things go wrong and not too panic there is always a solution. In this first case I hadn't pressed the switch on the wall, massive rookie mistake. Try again and here we are...... except that never happened either. Two weeks later and finally it was the system I'm writing this blog now. There was a lot of trial and error and mis-steps that my research helped guide me through, building a pc isn't easy and combining various parts can be tricky, whether its updating BIOS for your motherboard because it has an issue with the CPU being too new or the graphics card and display needs time and love to work together, the RAM needs be in specific slots to work because its very tempremental or when installing an SSD in a PCI slot it is quite tricky for someone as clumsy as me. And finally bringing across everything I had built up over time on my old system by backing up my old hard drive before formatting it and turning it into a new storage drive. That was scary as I thougt I had lost some documents for an assignment that I was doing at the time but lo and behold we got here.

Quick Guide to Building Your First PC

1. Choose your Components
   • CPU, GPU, Motherboards, RAM, Storage, (SSD/HDD), Power Supply, Case and Cooling.
2. Assemble the Components
   • Install the CPU, GPU and cooler onto the motherboard.
   • Mount the motherboard into the case.
   • Connect the Power Supply and Cables.
   • Install Storage drives and GPU
3. Power on and Test:
   • Connect your PC to a monitor and peripherals.
   • Enter the BIOS to ensure everything is recognized.
4. Install the Operating System:
   • Use a USB drive to install your chosen OS (eg. Windows)
5. Install Drivers and Updates:
   • Download and install drivers for your components.
   • Update your BIOS if neccesary.
6. Enjoy your build:
   • Optimize your settings and start using your new pc!

Tips for Assembly and Troubleshooting

1. Stay Organized: Lay out all your parts and tools before starting
2. Follow the Manual: Component manuals are your best friends during assembly.
3. Handle Components Carefully: Avoid static electricity by using an anti-static wrist strap. More to avoid frying your parts than a safety aspect. Always make sure power is disconnected when assembling.
4. Double Check Connections: Ensure all cables and components are securely connected.
5. Troubleshoot with Patience: If your PC doesnt boot, start by checking the basics-power connections, RAM seating and front panel headers.

Final Thoughts

Building your first PC is an adventure filled with learning opportunities. With careful planning, patience, and a willingness to troubleshoot, you'll not only build a machine that meets your needs but also gain a deep, appreciation for the technology that powers it. If you're considering taking the plunge, go for it-you won't regret it!

Check out MyBuild here.