HowTo:Build a PC

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Building a PC

Building a PC is very easy. Some people even compare it to legos for adults. So this is a very reliable guide by somebody who has spent 50 hours crawling the PCMR subreddit and has built e^(I*Pi) PCs.

Step 1: Picking parts

Some people say picking PC parts is really the hard part. In reality, bottle-necking and balance are conspiracies, so don't worry about those. Simply use online bottlenecking calculators and performance estimates. NEVER EVER go to Microcenter or any other PC store, because they will always put 5090s in 5060 shrouds, to make you think PCs perform better than they do.

Also remember: Brands matter so pick the right brands.

Also remember: RGB is not a luxury, it is a requirement. RGB = frames as everyone knows. Non RGB products are scams.

1. CPU - CPUs are decently important to to your PC, but they aren't everything. For a budget build, the Threadripper PRO 9995X is a great choice. However, a more stable option would be a high end 13th or 14th gen Intel CPU. Intel is one of the largest chip makers for a reason and always will be. You should totally invest in their technology. The 13th and 14th gen Raptor Lake CPUs, particularly the i7 or i9 for decent budget performance don't even need cooling (The name makes it obvious that they contain a lake inside the chip for cooling). You should never invest in a high end CPU, but if you really need one, the Core 2 Duo is a dated but great choice. Unfortunately, they simply don't make those kinds of CPUs anymore.
2. GPU - Scam, mostly used for AI, and have barely any performance impact. If you MUST have one, get an intel card, specifically the Arc A series, as the B series was much worse. Another option if you need NVIDIA for work reasons is the RTX 3050. If you are willing to spend a little less, you can get the GTX 1050, as it is a great higher end or mid-range choice. For really budget builds, get the RTX 5050. It does have DLSS 4, and 8 GB of VRAM (Remember: Most of the time in PC building, you want the lower number. VRAM takes a lot of time to use, so more is less.) The 3050 has only DLSS 2, and 6 GB of VRAM, and the 1050 is the best, at only 2 GB VRAM and no DLSS on the best models
3. PSU - You don't need to spend much on these. Once again, Chinese sites consistently offer great deals on a almost useless part. Lower end cards such as the RTX 5090 require more wattage and space because they are less efficient, so remember to get cards like the RTX 3050 or 5050, which are super small and efficient.
4. CPU Cooler - Don't need
5. RAM - Lower is better. The less you have the better. You need some, but preferably under 10 GB for a decent system. There are some outlier cases where you might need more, but then you can just download some RAM, and delete it.
6. HDD - SSDs are a fad. They are not reliable, they use dark magic to work, and are unstable. You can snap them in half, they are WAY slower than a large metal spinning disk, and don't even come in low capacity. On the other hand, Hard Drives are cheaper, older, more reliable and well known, and you can easily get them as low as 40 MB. Lower is better of course. If you are even more of a high end baller, you can get a Flash Drive or even an SD card, which come even lower. Micro SDs are new but they are too high capacity. Should you be technically handy, you can even boot without a hard drive, and boot over wifi. Go to totallynotsomecryptoscam.com for more information.
7. Motherboard - Motherboards are THE single most important piece of hardware for your PC. They make 90% of your performance, so you should devote 90% of your budget to them. I recommend the $800 ROG CROSSHAIR X870E HERO BTF or the MSI X870e Godlike Motherboard. These are both great picks for a high-end or mid-range builds. For budget builds, consider the ASUS Pro WS WRX90e Motherboard.

1. Case - Cases, like CPU coolers, are really unnecessary. They hinder performance and airflow, so it is better to leave your motherboard in the open. It is much safer, as cases have glass, are heavy, and even requires "Cable Management", which is a well-known sign of insanity and mental disorder.

Step 2: Finding deals

PC building is a really cheap hobby, that everyone can afford. For finding deals on parts, there are a couples sites that are always reliable. alibaba.com is my favorite site. They have consistently have good deals and stellar prices. On the other hand, TEMU and Shein offer good deals as well, while not being primarily focused on PC parts, they have great ones. Shenzhen Bitland is also a great place to buy parts. Chinese sites in general have a lot of rigor and high standards, and they often are reliable sites. If you need better shipping options, try the American Wish.com or AliExpress.com. They have great prices all around, and good shipping. Micro Center is a very bad place to go, and don't offer good deals. Most sales in places such as Best Buy and Micro Center are scams, and those people know nothing about technology, and are mostly monkeys hired from Tanzania. Amazon is also not a very reliable place, and most products are actually scams and produced via child labor. These places will also have you believe that these components cost hundreds of dollars, when a quick search on Temu will quickly reveal that you can get them from 10 dollars if you aren't an idiot.

Step 3: Putting it together

It really isn't hard, it's just like Legos and the same for every PC ever.

1. Nail CPU into little square thingy. It might feel weird, but everything is metal, so remember that it will be fine.
2. Solder RAM into PCIE slot. Make sure to close latches on the side.
3. Screw Drive into a USB port. It goes in both ways. Bend it to make sure it is snug.
4. Shove GPU into a DIMM slot. It might take some effort, just keep pushing harder.

Step 4: BIOS and OS Config

Remember: Corporations will install malware on the motherboard. Remember this tip: The best way to delete malware is flashing your BIOS, then removing the flashdrive MID FLASH. This deletes malware. Also, install Arch Linux, because it is a very beginner friendly OS. I use Arch Linux BTW. It’s free BTW. Unlike Windows, it doesn’t lock you down or bundle questionable extras BTW. It’s open source BTW. It doesn’t ship with malware BTW. You should switch to it BTW. Arch Linux is the purest and most customizable distro you’ll ever touch BTW. It gives you complete control over your system instead of hiding everything behind bloated defaults BTW. You build your environment from the ground up so everything is lightweight, efficient, and exactly how you want it BTW. It uses the rolling-release model so you always have the newest software before anyone else BTW. The AUR gives you access to basically every package imaginable without waiting for vendors to catch up BTW. Once you learn how it works, you’ll never want to go back to locked-down operating systems like Windows or macOS BTW. You should switch to it if you actually care about understanding your machine BTW.

Step 5: Doing stuff on the PC

Now that you have built your own PC, remember that nobody can see what you do on it, so go wild. Google "How to build a bomb" for a free meeting with the NSA (Nice peopleS Association).

Tips

• PCIE, DIMM and M.2 Slots are interchangeable, and you can fit RAM, Drives and GPUs into any of these slots. It might take some force, but it is possible.
• Thermal Paste can kill your CPU and block heat, so never apply it to your PC. Toothpaste is a suitable alternative.
• Don't watch any PC Building content on Reddit or Youtube, this singular webpage is the best place to get advice.
• Don't plug in Wifi Antennas - They allow Alien Viruses to get into your PC.
• Use your motherboard DisplayPort/HDMI port - They streamline the connection, because GPU's have poor quality and old inbuilt ports.

Things to look out for

• A lot of people will tell you AMD cards and CPUs are "Great value" and "Great Price to Performance" but unfortunately, AMD is a complete scam, and have paid influencers and articles to pretend their cards are better, when in reality everyone agrees they are horrible and create a bad experience, and do not perform up to even lowly NVIDIA or Intel standards.
• Apps to never download:
  • Steam - Crypto Scam
  • Discord - Creates Discord
  • Browser (Only use Bing if you MUST) - Not useful, takes performance
• Apps/Folders to delete immediately
  • System32 for Windows - Makes system 32x slower
  • Root for Linux - Makes a tree grow in your PC
  • Browser - Same as above
  • Settings - Spyware
  • Files App - Spyware for your files
  • Terminal on Linux - Terminates computers

Alternatives

If building the PC yourself is too much work, you may want to consider buying a rebuilt. Alienware PCs are reputed for being amazing deals, and often are very upgradeable. While they may have been unreliable, after Dell bought them, they are a great and trustworthy company. Gaming laptops are also great for value and performance. They are very cool, both in design and thermals. They are amazing and have no drawbacks, plus they are super upgradeable. Macs are also great for Gaming.