Building your own PC might seem like a daunting task, especially if you’re a beginner, but it’s actually a fun and rewarding. Imagine having a computer that’s perfectly tailored to your needs, whether it’s for gaming, content creation, or everyday use. Not only will you gain a deeper understanding of how computers work, but you’ll also save money and have the satisfaction of knowing you built it yourself.
In this guide, we’ll break down the process into simple and easy-to-follow steps. We’ll provide essentials and some tips to help you build your very own PC.
Prepare the Tools and Work Area
1. Screwdrivers, especially a Phillips screwdriver
The most important tool you’re going to need is a Phillips screwdriver. All of the screws will require a Phillips screwdriver. We recommend having different sizes and lengths of this to ensure you have a match for every screw sizes you will need. Magnetic screwdrivers are also nice to hold screws for hard-to-reach areas, just don’t put them near your drives.
Torx screwdriver (optional)
Sometimes you will encounter screws with star shape etching. This is commonly found in drive cages and pre-built systems. For this type of screws, you will need a Torx screwdriver.
2. Cable ties or small Velcro straps
For tidying up cables and wires, you can use cable ties, small Velcro straps, or any wire with coating like a twist tie.
3. Wire or Box cutter or a scissor
For cutting excess wire, a wire cutter is the best tool, but a scissor would also do the job for thin wires. You would also need the scissor for cutting straps and tapes.
If you haven’t unboxed all of the components you need for the build, you will need a box cutter for cutting the tapes and cardboards. A scissor would also do the job, but it is easier with a box cutter.
5. Screw tray
You will deal with a lot of screws when building a PC. Prepare a small box or tray to hold those screws. You can also buy a magnetic tray for screws to make sure those screws won’t go anywhere.
6. Anti-static wrist strap (optional)
An anti-static wrist strap helps you prevent damaging your electrical components through electro-static discharge (ESD). It grounds your body so that static electricity won’t go through the components you’re holding. But don’t worry if you don’t have one, this is actually optional. There are some safety precautions you can do to prevent EDS on your electrical components
- Don’t stand and walk around on a carpet. This will build static electricity in your body.
- don’t walk barefooted. wear rubber slippers.
- touch something big that is metal, like a computer case. This will take the static electricity from your body. Do this every time you will hold an electrical component.
- hold the motherboard, RAM sticks, graphics card and other ad-on cards by the edges. Don’t hold its electrical components like the capacitors and microchips.
7. Headlight or phone’s flashlight
You might have enough light in your room, but when look down to work on something, you will block the light from your ceiling’s room, making it harder for you see to the things you’re working on. This is almost always the case when you are working with the PC case. A headlight, or your phone’s flashlight will help you to see things in darker areas where you are working on.
8. Double-sided tape (optional)
If want to place your SSD other than the designated area in the case, you might need a double-sided (foam) tape to put them in place. You might also need this for your fan hub if the fan hub doesn’t come with double sided tape.
9. Thermal Paste (optional)
You might encounter coolers that doesn’t have pre-applied thermal paste. Just in case, prepare your own thermal paste.
10. Prepare the table and work area
Having a desk or a table, preferably made of wood, is a must when building your computer. A 36in x 18in is workable, but bigger is better so you can put everything on the table making the tools and components easier to reach. Drawers are also good addition you can set aside the tools not needed but still within reach.
Allocate Time
Finally, allocate time of about 2 hours when building a PC. You don’t wany to leave the build unfinished and leave clutters in your room. Components might get mixed up and when left exposed might get damaged. If you needed to go somewhere while building a PC, make sure to put everything in safe place and in their boxes.
We have an article for common mistakes in PC building. Have a look at it before building a PC to avoid these mistakes.
Start Building the PC
Prepare the Motherboard
1. Take the motherboard out of the box and anti-static bag then place it on something soft like bubble wraps or big mouse pad. This will protect the pins under the motherboard as well as your table. You can also use the motherboard box. Do not use towel or any material with cloth.
2. Open the CPU socket cover by pressing down the lever then pull it away from the CPU slot. Open the bracket and you can now remove the plastic cover or later. Applies to both Intel and AMD motherboards.
- If your motherboard has its pins on the CPU socket, check if there are bent pins. You can use your phone’s camera to zoom it in and take a closer look of those pins. If there are bent pins, or even a single bent pin, return it immediately to the store where you bought it.
Install the Processor
Installing an Intel or AMD processors are pretty much the same and you can follow these steps when installing either an Intel or AMD processor.
1. Take the Processor out of the box. Hold the processor from its sides and locate an arrow in one of its corners. This will indicate the processor’s orientation during installation. Align that arrow from the processor to the arrow indicator in the motherboard’s CPU socket.
If your processor has pins, check if there are bent pins. If there’s a single bent pin or more, return it immediately to the store where you bought it.
2. Gently lower the processor into the socket. Do not apply pressure as it might damage the pins in the socket or in the processor. Have a visual inspection to make sure the processor is fully seated. If not, gently lift the processor then place it again.
3. Lower the lever and lock the processor into the socket. The plastic cover will pop up if you haven’t removed it earlier.
Install the cooler
Take the cooler out of the box and check its bottom if it has pre-applied thermal pads. Some has plastic covers underneath, remove it if it has. Do not touch the pre-applied thermal paste.
Intel Cooler
Intel stock coolers come in two different types – the one with screws (Laminar RH1) and the one with pushpins (Laminar RS1 / RM1). The Intel Laminar RM1 is the most common while the RH1 comes with the Intel i9 processors. The Laminar RS1 comes with Intel Pentium and Celeron processors.
Laminar RM1/RS1
1. Align the 4 pushpins with the 4 holes around the CPU socket and lower the cooler until it rests in the socket.
2. Push down the pushpins until you feel or hear a click. Do this one by one following the X pattern. To check if the cooler is locked and completely tightened, hold the CPU cooler then lift it and turn it upside down, left and right. If the cooler not tightened properly, you will feel a little movement in the loosed pushpin.
3. After securing the cooler, plug the cooler’s fan connector to the motherboard fan header, usually labelled CPU_FAN.
Laminar RH1
1. Take the cooler out of the box. Loosen the screws to separate the bracket.
2. At the bracket, remove the protective paper from the double-sided tape.
3. Flip over the motherboard so that the underneath of the motherboard is facing upwards. Place the bracket on top of the CPU socket backplate. The posts on the bracket should match the holes in the motherboard.
4. Flip over the motherboard and take the cooler. Align the screws of the cooler to the posts of the bracket then gently lower the cooler until it touches the processor.
5. Use a screwdriver to tighten each screw, but not fully tightened. Switch to the next screw after 2 or 3 turns, following an X pattern. Do this repeatedly until you feel a resistance while tightening.
6. Lift the cooler and turn it upside down and left and right to check if the cooler is fully tightened. If there’s a little movement in the cooler and motherboard, that part is not fully tightened.
7. Plug the cooler’s fan connector to the motherboard fan header, usually labelled CPU_FAN. If your motherboard supports ARGB, plug in the ARGB connector to the motherboard. Check the motherboard manual to locate the ARGB header. If your motherboard does not support ARGB, tie the cable with a twist tie or a cable tie.
- The center of the Laminar RH1 cooler can be rotated.
AMD Cooler
AMD stock coolers come in two different types – the one with screws (Wraith Spire and Wraith Stealth) and the one with retention clips (Wraith Max and Wraith Prism).
Wraith Spire and Wraith Stealth
1. All of the AMD motherboards today have retention brackets pre-installed. Unscrew and remove these brackets but keep the backplate underneath the motherboard.
2. Position the cooler the AMD logo on the side of the RAM slots. Check if it doesn’t interfere with your RAM sticks. If it does, you can rotate the cooler which put the AMD logo on the side of motherboard ports.
3. Align the screws from the cooler to the holes from the backplate then carefully place the cooler onto the processor.
4. Use a screwdriver to tighten each screw, but not fully tightened. Switch to the next screw after 2 or 3 turns, following an X pattern. Do this repeatedly until you feel a resistance while tightening.
5. Lift the cooler and turn it upside down and left and right to check if the cooler is fully tightened. If there’s a little movement in the cooler and motherboard, that part is not fully tightened.
6. Plug the cooler’s fan connector to the motherboard fan header, usually labelled CPU_FAN.
7. If you have the Wraith Spire RGB edition, connect the RGB cable to the side of the cooler and connect the other end into the RGB header in the motherboard.
AMD Wraith Max and Wraith Prism Cooler
1. Unbox the cooler and check if there are pre-applied thermal paste or thermal pad. Also remove the plastic sticker if there is one.
2. Locate the retention bracket that has a lever and set it to left position.
3. Gently lower the cooler onto the processor then hook in the retention bracket without the lever on the motherboard bracket, then hook in the bracket with the lever on the other side. The bracket without the lever goes in first.
4. Pull the lever in the cooler all the way to the opposite side. You might need a little force but it is normal.
5. Plug in the fan connector to the motherboard, usually labelled CPU_FAN. Also plug in the RGB and USB connectors. You can connect both the 3-pin or 4-pin connectors, but connecting only one of them is also fine. Check the CPU and motherboard manual for the proper connection of RGB connectors.
Aftermarket and AIO Cooler
Aftermarket and All-In-One (AIO) coolers have different mounting mechanism. Be sure to carefully follow the manual for proper installation. For AIO cooler, just install the pump’s mounting brackets and install the pump, radiator, and fans later when the motherboard is installed inside the case.
Install the Memory Modules
1. Push down the latches on both ends of the memory slots. Some motherboards only have a single latch.
2. Line up the notch in the memory slot to the gap at the edge of the memory module, then push the memory on both ends downwards. The latches will automatically lock the memory modules. You might hear a clicking sound when it locked. If you don’t hear a click, inspect if the latches are locked into place or not.
3. Do the same to other memory modules. If you are only installing two and your motherboard has four memory slots, install the modules in an alternate position to activate dual-channel mode. Install the modules in slots 1 and 3, or 2 and 4. Also check the motherboard manual.
Installing M.2 SSD
1. Locate the M.2 slot in the motherboard. If your motherboard has two or more M.2 slots, check the manual to see which slot is the fastest or the one that has direct access to the CPU. This slot is usually the closest to the CPU socket.
- If the M.2 slot has its own heat spreader, remove it. You may need to use precision screwdriver for this. Then remove the plastic cover from the thermal pads.
2. Get your M.2 SSD and locate the gap on one end and align it to the notch in the M.2 slot.
3. Insert the M.2 SSD by sliding it gently into the slot, then lower the other end to reach the latch or screw standoff depending on your motherboard. The screws to lock the M.2 SSD are included in the motherboard box.
4. Put back and screw the heat spreader. Make sure the plastic cover on the thermal pad is removed. Do the same in other M.2 drives.
- Some M.2 SSD has its own heatsink. You have the option to not use the motherboard’s heat spreader.
So far these are the components we installed,
- The processor and its cooler;
- Memory modules
- M.2 SSD
Place the motherboard with the components we installed in a safe place as we need more space preparing the case.
Prepare the Case
1. Place the case upright, remove the side and front panels. Refer to the motherboard manual on how to remove the panels. Be careful when removing tempered glasses. Place it in a safe place, far from getting hit. Also don’t remove its plastic cover yet. Also remove any dust filters and top cover if there’s any. Also remove the drive cage if possible.
Install the IO shield
1. Get the IO shield from the motherboard box and place it in the rectangular cutout, inside the back of the case. Check the motherboard rear IO for the correct orientation.
2. Apply pressure to all sides and corners one by one until it firmly placed.
- Some motherboards have the IO shield built-in at the back of the board.
Install the Motherboard
1. Lay down the case its side where the side of the motherboard is facing upwards.
2. Count the installed motherboard standoffs and check their positions if aligned with the motherboard screw holes. If not, remove and reposition the standoffs. You can use the plier to tighten the standoffs if it is hard tightening by the hand. Additional standoffs are included with the case.
3. Take the motherboard with the components we installed earlier, align its screw holes to the standoffs and gently put it down. Use the screws specifically for standoffs and begin tightening each screw. Refer to the case manual to see which set of screws are for standoffs.
Connect the Case Cables to the Motherboard
We will now connect the case cables for the power switch, reset button, front or top USB and audio ports.
1. Flip the case in its upright position. Gather and sort each cable and locate where its connectors will be connected in the motherboard. Refer to the motherboard manual to help you navigate the motherboard ports and headers. The manual will also tell you the correct orientation of each connector.
- We suggest that you route the cables at the back of the case and insert them through the holes near the headers in the motherboard.
Install AIO Cooler
At this point you can now install the AIO cooler. Each AIO cooler manufacturers have their own way of installing their own coolers. Refer to the manual for installation instructions.
Install the Case Fans
1. Gather all of the fans for your case and decide where you will place them in the case. Also decide for the placement of your fan hub controller if you have one. Some cases have a specific placement for a fan hub, usually at the back side of the case.
- For the orientation and placement of fans, we recommend fans placed in the front or side and bottom positioned as intake while fans at the rear and top positioned as exhaust.
2. Place and tighten each fan to the desired place in the case with the supplied screws, then route the cables at the back of the case.
- Some cases have fans pre-installed. You have the option to replace or relocate those fans to your liking.
Install the Power Supply
1. In your PC case, locate the area where a power supply unit will be placed. This is usually at the bottom of the case, some are at the side, and older ones are at the top. You will notice a giant rectangular cutout in the case.
2. If you have a modular power supply, connect only the cables you need. Refer to your power supply’s manual for proper connection and orientation of each cable.
3. If your case has a power supply bracket, remove it and screw it on your power supply.
4. Look for the air vents near the power supply. Position the power supply where the fan is at the side of the air vent then slide the power supply into place and tightened it with the supplied screws.
Install Additional Drives
1. Locate where in the case the hard drives and SSD will be installed. Refer to the case’s manual for specific placement and orientation of the drives.
2. With the supplied screws, install the drives into the drive cage and brackets and install the cage and brackets back into the case.
Install the Graphics Card
Horizontal/Regular mounting
1. Remove the PCI covers at the back of the case. Remove the cover that is aligned with topmost PCI-E slot, then also remove the covers below depending on how many slots your graphics card will cover. Some cases have reusable PCI covers which detach itself from the case when the screw is remove, others need to be bent in and out until it is removed, and they are non-reusable.
2. Tidy up the cables from the power supply and put it near the power supply, then lay down the PC case where the motherboard is facing upwards. Make sure there are no cables in the way while laying down the case.
3. Put the other cables away from the PCI slots where you will install the graphics card and push down the slot retention lock of the PCI-E slot.
4. While holding the graphics card, put it near the PCI-E slot then align the notch from the graphics card with the notch in the PCI-E slot and carefully push down the graphics into the slot until you hear a click from the retention lock.
5. Tightened the screws you removed earlier from the PCI covers to the graphics card. I personally use two screws to secure the graphics card.
Vertical mounting
If you want to mount your graphics card vertically, check if your case supports vertical GPU mounting. If it is not supported, you can make modifications at the back of your case to fit a vertical graphics card bracket, but it still doesn’t ensure that you will mount the graphics card properly.
Some cases that support vertical graphics card mounting comes with a bracket and a riser cable, some does not. The bracket and the riser can be sold separately. Whether it comes with the case or you sold from a third party, refer to their instructions manual as different manufacturers have their own installation method.
Install Additional Expansion Cards
1. If you will install additional expansion cards like Wi-Fi cards, capture cards, or USB expansion card, install it in the appropriate PCI-E slot. Inspect if the card has an x1, x4, or x8 PCI-E interface and check if your motherboard has the appropriate slots. If none, you can install the x1, x4, and x8 PCI-E cards to a PCI-E x16 slot, that is if your motherboard has an extra x16 PCI-E slot.
2. Connect the necessary cables then tighten the card with a screw.
Connecting the cables into the motherboard and components
Power Supply Cables
1. Turn the case upright. Sort the power supply cables and plan its route to the motherboard. Insert the cables to the nearest holes of the case to the slot or connector in the motherboard where the cables will be connected.
2. For CPU EPS power connector, route the cable from the back of the case to the hole in the top above the motherboard.
- Modern power supplies have a breakaway 4+4 8-pin EPS connector. Lock them together if your motherboard has eight pins for the processor, split them up if your motherboard only needs four.
3. Line up the position of the locking clip of the plug to the ledge of the socket and push the plug until you hear a click from the locking clip. If it doesn’t fit, use the other half of the connector.
4. The same process for the 24-pin motherboard connector and 6+2 8-pin PCI-E connector for graphics card. The 24-pin motherboard connector usually has a breakaway 4-pin, while the PCI-E connector can be split to 6 and 2 pins, be sure to join or split them according to the socket before you plug it in.
5. You might a little more force to plug the 24-pin motherboard connector and the motherboard bend to some extent but don’t worry it won’t break. You can put your index finger under the motherboard for support and minimize the bending.
- If you need PSU cable extenders, use the one that came with the power supply if any, or buy from a reputable brand.
HDD and SSD Cables
6. Next are the cables for hard drives and SSD. You need 2 cables for each drive – the SATA power cable and SATA data cable. The power cables are connected through the power supply while the data cables are separate cables, usually comes with the motherboard.
7. Both SATA power and data connectors in the cable and in the drive have an L-shape notch. Align them to the socket before plugging them in. Some SATA data cables have locking latch and usually you will hear a click when plugged properly. Also keep this in mind in case you need to remove these cables.
Case Fan Cables
8. Next are the fan cables. If you have ARGB fans connectors, usually it will come with 2 or 3 connectors, refer to the motherboard manual for correct connection. If you have non-ARGB fans, it will come with either a molex power connector or a 4-pin connector, or it will have both. You don’t need to connect both connectors, just one of them is enough to power up the fan. Other fans only have 3-pin connector instead of 4, but both of them connect to the motherboard fan header, usually labeled SYS_FAN1 or SYS_FAN2 or more.
9. If you have a fan hub, connect all case fans with the appropriate connectors and only the fan hub is connected to the motherboard. Refer to the fan hub manual for more detailed instructions.
- Some fans can also be daisy-chained, meaning fans are connected to other fans and only one of them is connected to the motherboard, or fan hub, or power supply. If you get confused with the wiring, the manual will offer a big help and give you specific instructions.
Graphics Card Anti-Sag Bracket
Finally, if you have a big graphics card, use an anti-sag bracket or holder. Some High-end cases have included this. If your case doesn’t come with one, you can improvise with Lego bricks or chopsticks, or you can buy a dedicated graphics card anti-sag holder.
Now that you connected all of the cables needed, don’t tie them just yet. Inspect each connector if they are properly connected and no loose connections. A little push will do if you’re unsure it isn’t connected properly.
Boot Test
1. Connect the monitor to the graphics card, with either HDMI or DisplayPort cable. Also connect its power cable and turn it on.
2. Connect a keyboard and mouse. Connect one of them to the front or top USB ports to test these ports if properly connected and working. If you have a PS/2 keyboard or mouse, plug it in the PS/2 port of the motherboard if it has at least one.
3. Check the power supply voltage selector switch if it is set to right amount of voltage your outlet delivers.
4. Connect the power supply’s power cable to its power outlet and plug it into a UPS, AVR, or extension cable or directly to the wall outlet. Turn on its switch and press the case power button.
5. Wait for couple of seconds or even a minute before you get a POST ( Power-On Self-Test) and see something in the monitor. You will hear a beep sound before post. If your motherboard has debug lights, pay attention to those if you have an issue. Check the motherboard manual for specific issues and troubleshooting.
6. If everything is connected properly, you should be able to see the POST. Don’t worry if you get a “No Bootable Device Found” error, it is normal as you haven’t installed an operating system in one of your drives. Some motherboards enter the BIOS automatically on the first boot.
7. Turn off the system by switching off the power supply’s power switch and disconnect the power cable. HDMI or Display Port cable, and the keyboard and mouse cables. Sort the cables and wires then tie them up with cable ties or Velcro straps, or other coated wires. Cut excess wires with a wire cutter or a scissor.
8. Put back the side and front panels and other panels you removed as well as the dust filters. You can now remove the plastic covers from tempered glass panels if you haven’t removed them earlier.
9. Reconnect the power cable, the monitor, and the keyboard and mouse then turn on the system for final boot. You should see the POST if you haven’t messed anything while tying up the cables.
AND CONGRATULATIONS! You have successfully built a PC.
The next step is to install Windows, or any operating system of your choice. Stay tuned for our guide in installing an operating system. Be it a Windows or Linux based operating systems.
