Are you a newbie who wants to dabble in the science of PC building? Building your first ever gaming PC can be a lot of fun. If you’re a serious gamer, you must try to build your own PC at least once in your life. There’s nothing as cool as saying “I built my own PC” to other gamers in the chatroom. It’s a source of pride! So are you ready to create your first ever gaming machine? Then this article is for you. Read on to find out some of the common mistakes you can avoid when building your first rig.
Forgetting Standoff Screws
These screws put the motherboard in place. Many new PC builders forget to screw them up and only realize it after putting all the parts together! Make sure to remember to insert your standoff screws before inserting any component onto the motherboard.
While some cases have standoffs preinstalled, others don’t. So make sure you count how many screw holes! Mounting your motherboard without the screws can lead to getting shorted because the pcb will be in contact with the metal case.
Forgetting the IO Plate
Even those who have built PC’s more than once often forget the IO plate. The motherboard IO plate or the input output plate is a small removable metal plate which protects the back of your computer. It provides access to USB and prevents dust from getting inside your computer.
Overspending on the CPU
Your computer’s central processor or the CPU is perhaps the most important part of your computer. It’s the component that handles tasks and allocates them to your PC system. In other words, it’s your PC’s brain—it’s what makes your machine run.
The CPU is also the PC part people usually overspend on. Many first-time PC builders tend to overspend by buying the latest and fanciest version. However, there’s not much difference between the previous gen to the new one. If you’re on a budget, it makes more sense to spend cash on the video card instead!
Buying Cheap PSUS
Some rookie gamers think PSU are simple parts that you can get for just $15. But like other parts of your computer, the PSUS are also very crucial to the system—which is why you shouldn’t buy a cheap one!
Always buy your PSUS from trusted brands such as SeaSonic or Corsair before installing them on your gaming PC. A cheap PSU isn’t just bad for your computer, if your PSU couldn’t deliver sufficient power, they can cause short to long term damage—and maybe even cause a fire in your home!
Not Plugging Your Graphic Card on the Motherboard
Some people think that if the gaming GPU is screwed into the case, it’s already ready for use. This is a common newbie mistake. Always remember that your graphic card needs to be plugged into a slot on your PC’s motherboard.
Touching the CPU socket pins
Newbie builders don’t pay importance to the bits and pieces parts of the processor—which is actually very important. These little pins should be handled as gently as possible. They shouldn’t get bent at all cost as one tiny dent can affect the whole system. It could result in booting problems or other serious issues that might completely break your PC.
To prevent touching the pins, make sure to place your processor gently and don’t drag it when aligning. You don’t want to buy a new motherboard just because you bend the pins!
RAM Frequency Is Not Important
High frequency RAM does not impact your PC’s overall system performance. In fact, it can even cause crashes and freezes if overclocked to reach the highest numbers. There’s also little gain when upgrading RAM frequency as the benefits in gaming is actually counterproductive.
Poor Cable Management
A messy cable system is a recipe for disaster. When building your PC, don’t laze about the additional work of tidying up your cables, it will help you more than you think! Making sure your cables are routed nicely and secured will help it run faster. It will also make cleaning extra easy. And in times of upgrade, it will also be easy to install new parts.
Building Your PC on unsafe surfaces
Find a safe and non-conductive surface to do your work. It could be a wooden desk or a floor. Avoid building your PC while sitting on carpet as it could conduct static and shock your parts. If you have the budget, buy an anti-static wrist wrap to reduce the risk of getting shocked.
Building your first ever PC can be challenging at first, but once you’ve finally succeeded, you’ll see that it’s not so complicated after all. The mistakes mentioned above should save you a few to a hundred dollars of unnecessary upgrade and potential disaster.