How to build a PC

A step-by-step guide to enthusiast system assembly
The best thing about being a PC enthusiast—beyond, of course, the never ending joy of serving as the personal support technician for friends and family—is being able to assemble a system from the ground up with the perfect mix of components for a given budget. That mix of components will vary depending on your needs, but with today's market so rich with high-performance hardware at affordable prices, it's easy to spec a custom system that will blow the doors off pre-built boxes from major PC vendors.

Users new to building systems from scratch need more than just a shopping list, though. There's an art to assembling a rig from bare components. Building a PC can be a daunting task for a newbie who has never put a system together before. For those folks, a step-by-step guide covering the basics of system assembly is given below. Keep reading to know how to build a PC from scratch.

Getting started
Before diving into assembly, you'll want to gather a few supplies and find a large, clean work area that preferably isn't teeming with static electricity. As far as tools are concerned, you shouldn't need more than a Philips head screwdriver; one that holds screws in place with a magnetic tip is ideal. We'll also be using rubbing alcohol, Q-Tips, and zip ties. Everything else that you need should be included with the various components you've gathered to put into the system. Yes, you'll need those components, too.

Prior to removing any of the components from their packaging, you'll want to take the precaution of grounding yourself by touching a large, metal object like a table base, filing cabinet, or your PC's case—whatever's nearby—in order to discharge any static electricity you may be carrying with you. Static electricity can be harmful to PC components. Some folks prefer to use an anti-static wristband in order to keep themselves grounded.