STEP 1 : Materials Required

This tutorial is intended to assist you in building a basic PC. There are obviously a plethora of possible PC configurations and hardware that you could put into your new PC if you choose. But, what we are trying to do here is help you put together a basic PC. For this reason, we are only requiring the basic components and tools to get you up and running.

Tools Required

Screwdriver – A Phillips-head (cross-point) screwdriver is what is used in most PCs.
Screw Extractor – If you have surgeon’s fingers you may not need this. But, if you’re human, it is likely you might drop a screw into your PC during this procedure and be too big-thumbed to get it out. A screw extractor can help you grab those screws and get them out without messing with the hardware. You definitely do not want to run your PC with loose screws in there. It could cause a short circuit.
Flashlight – Unless you are in a fantastic lighting situation, you will likely need a flashlight to get a look of the landscape in your PC while you’re working.
Tweezers – May be helpful for you in switching jumpers later in the tutorial.

Hardware Required

PC Case
Floppy Disk Drive
Hard Drive
CD-ROM Drive
Processor
Processor Cooling Fan
Motherboard
Memory Modules
Power Supply
Video Card
Keyboard & Mouse

To build a basic PC, you will need at least a motherboard, a memory module, a processor with cooling fan, a power supply, a hard drive, a floppy drive, a video card and a CD-ROM.

Most electrically sensitive hardware comes in a static bag which is designed to protect the electronics from static electricity shock. Leave your hardware in these bags until you are ready to install them.

Software Required

System Disk
Device Drivers (these usually come with the hardware above)
Operating System (for the purposes of this tutorial, we will assume you are choosing Microsoft Windows as your operating system – PC Mechanic has lots of great information on Linux and other alternatives)

Cables and Miscellaneous

Drive cables
Motherboard spacers (usually come with the motherboard, but are used to space the motherboard up off the mounting plate)
Screws (usually a whole pile of screws will come with your PC’s case, but if you are using a case you happened to have around, you will need to collect some screws)
Power cords (for both your PC and your monitor. They usually come with the hardware when you buy it, of course)
CPU Cooling Compound

STEP 2 : Remove Case Cover »

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Kailey
I do not get this is this exactly like a laptop or destop?? plz e-mail back….

Alex
Desktop.

Connor
What do i have to add to this to get internet, and also wireless connectivity?

Elliott
Most motherboards have a 10/100 Ethernet port built in. If you want wireless there are a couple options. One is to buy a PCI wireless card which fits inside your computer. The other (which i did) is to buy a USB wireless adapter that plugs into a USB port. What i did on mistake was i bought a PCI wireless N card for $20 off http://www.newegg.com and didn’t realize the fan on my graphics card covered where the wireless card needed to be inserted so i had to buy a USB wireless adapter or leave out my sound card. I chose the adapter.
JoeC
The USB wireless adapters are the way to go. I have bought a couple different PCI adapters and I have had problems with them. Im sure you could get one that works well but for the price the USB adapters are better.
I did recently buy a pci to pc card that allows you to use a PCMCIA (Laptop) wireless card but havent had a chance to get it installed and tested.

Jamie
Its a desktop. Labtops have everything on the mother board itself thats why you can’t just change out video cards etc.
joey
how much money does it ususlly cost for the products necessary for building a pc

http://ZACKATTACK.TK Zack
around $750 per computer.

joe
This article is really not all that great. Besides everyone thinks that building your own PC is better then buying a prebuilt one. I disagree. you spend 500 bucks at dell and you get what you want a hell of a lot cheaper then what you get when you build your own. Plus 20 years from now when I need the drivers for my computer just go to the dell website and they will have it on there for me. unlike me going to build my own i need to keep track of cds and stuff all the time. If you guys really want a nice computer just save up 5 grand and go to dell and get w.e you want. Trust me 20 years from now you won’t regret it. I’ve had the same dell since 1995. I’ve rebuilt the operating system once (Due to virus’s) and the computer actually runs better then any of the new computers that we have now. I am using a dell with the vproccessor and it runs like mine at home.

ruis
20 YEARS???? You wish. Your Dell will be screwed waaay before that, and when it does screw up you’ll be reliant on Dell to help you out – which they won’t. And there’s no way your pre-packed Dell is better than one you could make yourself. It’s probably OK for now but when it comes to upgrading you won’t be able to upgrade bit-by-bit. Unfortunately my friend, Dell screwed you over.

Gord
You buy a Dell that’s it forget about upgrading if any really limited. I even had trouble in upgrading a graphics card. Then they load it with junk that slows the system down.
Steve
HAHA joe… I work for dell doing technical support and I would never buy a dell. It’s a good computer for people who want cheap computers and that when a component fails, you hope it’s still under warranty… Dell also offers pretty decent support on their machines.. Other than that, If you want any decent performance at all, you’re better off building it yourself. that’s what i did EVEN though i get discounts on dell products lol.

Joker
that comment alone is stupid.20 yeras would mean you would have to replace next to all your hardware.The comment that you had to “rebuild” your OS because of viruses alone makes me 100% sure you are an idiot or that your hardware was crap.The most a virus would make me do is reformat my drive.

Alex
You are the idiot. a computer virus unseen or found can cause your hard drive to completely. i have also found an instant on my computer that, when you insert the OS disk to reformat, the virus CAN ERASE IT COMPLETELY. even if the hardware was a piece of crap we all cant be as rich as you can.

Matthew
A virus can’t erase a CD.
http://barrar.org Jeremiah
Nothing can erase a CD, unless it is a CD-RW. Microsoft has never put windows on a CD-RW. If you boot from a windows install CD or DVD, the virus cannot do anything, because the setup runs everything from the CD. Microsoft does not put viruses on their windows install CD’s or DVD’s. You don’t know what your talking about.
Reu
lol dude it can’t erase the cd but it can disable the device, but if you bootinto the CD before you boot into windows you will be fine…

paul
That was very funny Joe. I am assuming , since it was so ludicrous, that it was done for the humor. Only other possibility is that he is a troll. 20 years, dang I’m crying here.
Nick
Lower end dells are cheap and nasty. before i became a techy i thought i was getting a good deal!!!! There made so they cant be easily upgraded so when yours is dead, or old and slow, you have to by another from them!!!! Dont listen to our friend joe!!!
Mike&Ike
Dude, its a dell. That means they suck. There is no room to upgrade any of your hardware. They make it impossible, just so you have to come back and buy a new one every few years.

Fergus
The way you talk about Dell you probably work there & this is just an excuse for us to give you our money to buy a piece of junk which in a few years will be as obsolete as a cardboard box.

http://jankons@hotmail.com jankons
Fergus, funny story. I… myself… am using a Dell right now, guess what. It has no AGP and PCI-E graphics card slots hahahahaha look at that, its a piece of shit, the highest I can upgrade to is geforce 6200.
Also it only supports DDR1 amazing!!!!!!!

Akshay
Friend..
D-E-L-L
Dirty-Electronics-Loosely-Lent!
Hey please go along this tutorial..
Its really helpful…
But there is something missing like the information on whats new and good for a specific user
rayne
in all honesty guys, im on a dell, and it hasnt crapped out on me yet. i have HEARD the horror stories trust me. for instance: the model im currently on is the xps400 model, one of the ones that is most talked about for shittiness. Most of the people say that the xps series mobos usually give out after 2-3 years. I understand but you also have to account for all the people that had something melted, or something got in there and fried it, or they were messing with something and just totally screwed themselfs on accident and didnt realize, and of course, you can image, that if you ALWAYS leave your computer on day and night and NEVER keep up matinance or dust it out or anything and never clean out your system, that eventually SOMETHING is gonna give (usually the mobo or PSU). I know that in some of these cases, the mobo or PSU just crapped out, no reason, no fault of there own, but hye, it DOES happen. And yes, most dells are unfortunatly built on the BTX format, which can, unfortunatly limit you to how you upgrade your PC. But do understand that if you have the patience, you can take an ATX PSU and make it work for a BTX layout. BTX layouts were origionally designed for optimal cooling of the main parts such as CPU ram and Vid card. In a BTX format, those 3 parts usualy form a triangle witin the mobo, (my cpu is actually near the center with a large funnel that includes a heatsink and cooling fan. with the ram and the vid card at opposite sides, so it is a noticable triangle formation. Ive had my cps for 3 years now, and so far, nothing wrong with it other than my temps are running much higher than i would like. But that is due to the fact that i have UPGRADED some parts such as i upgraded the vid card twice, and swapped out their shit ram for some better modules. also i added another 80mm fan with blue led lights in the back. i plan to mount on a few more to the case for some better cooling(liquid coolant is way to confusing for me lol) Unfortunatly im still running on there 375 watt psu, which still works thru the upgrades, but its running a little hard now so i need to swap it out. Look the point is, yes dell does include parts in there computers that you may have to go to them for if you cant figure it out youself, like the PSU, most believe you can ONLY get a replacement thru dell, which is not tru (this is the conflict between ATX and BTX i was talking about) And despite what people may say, you can still upgrade your PC, but if your looking to upgrade the PSU or the mobo, thats where you hit some problems because it gets confusing, for instance the PSU, there are a lot of cables involved in this, and what turns people off about it is that because dell uses BTX format, its really hard to make the cables flow through out the case comfortably, but it CAN BE DONE. If your looking to upgrade a MOBO, then yea, you might just want to build your own PC, since when you do upgrade it, its just like building your own since you have to TAKE EVERYTHING OUT, put the new mobo in there, and then rehook everything up, and sometimes, if you dont buy a mobo that is compatible with all your parts, you’ll need to get new ones. Ive seen people build kick ass gamer computers for 1000 dollars that do just fine with quadcore PCU’s, 550w PSU’s, an 8800gt 4 gigs of corsair, g-skill or muskin ram, and usually a intel, gigabyte or ASUS mobo and a nice 2-300g sata drive. of course there are a few other parts included like case, fans cd drives and whatever else. ANYWAY, if you have a factory computer, dont be disheartened, there is still room for improvement in there for you, its just slightly more difficult because you CANT be as picky as you’d like. Im all for building your own PC, its great, but there are other options like if you have a factory PC, and you slowly upgrade what you can, then one day, after you’ve upgraded a good but, you can go out and get a new mobo and case, and mesh all your new parts with the new mobo and case and such and there you have it, your own personal built computer.
kaitlin
ok maybe never mind what i said to go with joe. i deont know a lot bout computer stuff, wow. iv got to learn some more stuff!

http://comcast.net Ann
LMAO!! Dell??!!! They are a joke! Their stuff gets outdated within a couple of years.. You are just too funny……. I just got done building 2 high end superfast gaming machines (desktops) which cost me approx $300 each. The same thing retails for over $1000 each at Dell or Best Buy or many other retailers….. Can’t beat that …sorry…. And I use the same components they do-so where do they get off on quintupling the price? All in the name of putting money in THEIR pockets is all it is…….. And mine are upgradable in the future, theirs are definitely not.

Jim
Ann
I would love to have the specs for how you got a super fast for 300.
I haven’t been abel to get beloo 1200 for the box. I want E8500 4gig and a 500 HDD

Justin De Lora
I totally agree with this website, building is a way more viable option. This is even more true as you make better rigs. I was looking at getting an Alienware PC that ran about $2500. After doing some research, I found I could built a PC on my own (for less) that could blow it out of the water. I was able to build a Quad Core, 4 GB DDR2 1066 MHz memory, 1 TB HDD, 9800 GTX graphics, 21.5″ Widescreen LCD, 5.1 speakers, and a Blu-ray Disk Burner for about $1,700. ‘Nuff said =)
blade2577
Yeah mine was about $1700 with exact same specs as yours except I didn’t spend money on speakers, and went for two monitors. My only mistake was instead of choosing the 9800GTX I chose the 9800GT, for only like $30 less. Big mistake otherwise I just built the same rig as you. Not to mention my mother board used 1200 but I couldn’t afford the RAM with my budget. I’m kinda disappointed and I really think I should have gone for the GTX. *sigh* Sadly I can’t do anything about that. I wish I could SLI the 9800GT and the 9800 GTX, the GTX being primary but as for now it seems impossible. Sucks here. Maybe I can buy the GTX soon and then try and sell the GT.
blade2577
I worked very hard to find the right card for my budget but this is sickening for me… if anyone is looking to building a PC check out the specs Justin De Lora said and you won’t be disappointed. This was my error, bought this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814133243 instead of http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814143179 this. Of course I didn’t get it from Newegg I got it from Amazon for $108 with next day shipping. I would return it and buy the GTX if during that time I wouldn’t have a video card at all to run my PC with.

Craig
lol yeah ive owned two dells and they are the reason im looking into building my own stuff. the one im on right now isnt too awful bad…so long as you just wanna google all day >.>
Daniel
How do you build a “high end” machine for $300… I’m building one right now and the motherboard I’m using (EVGA x58 Intel Motherboard) cost me $299 alone on newegg.com. So either you created your own components from dirt or you’re a liar.
Justin
there is absolutely NO WAY you can make a pc with only $300, not even if u have everything but the motherboard and vid card, and if there is u should send me teh specs on it, kuz i wanna know how fast it is and how much u really spent on it

http://antiquerestorationco.com Dave
“I disagree. you spend 500 bucks at dell and you get what you want.”
What I want costs much more than $500 at Dell. If you are still using a computer that you purchased in 1995 you aren’t very demanding on the hardware. 95% of modern software won’t even run on such a system. Those of us who do more than play solitaire and surf the internet need more than a Pentium 1.
Jordan
are you serious about 500 bucks at dell? that might get you a computer thats good for browsing the net. seriously my ipod can do more then a computer for 500 bucks at DELL..of all places. you pay for the name, same with alienware, look at the actual specs and look up the parts individualy its almost half the price. you pay for the name
you wish you had a mac
dude, dells suck major ass, if you want a real computer, get a mac, if you save up 2-3 thousand dollars you will get a computer that actually will last you close to 20 years without the risk of the majority of the viruses out there.
but i do have a question, is there any way to build your own mac?

kite
Dear god there’s one on every site. some stupid mac user who knows nothing of obtainable viruses on macs therefor he thinks there are less, then he says a macs a “real computer” they are something that you pay 16 times what it would cost piece by piece. THEN he says it will last 20 years???[you wish you had a mac = IDIOT] then he/she asks if you can build your own mac
ANSWER: no you can have people in the stores make it but it costs extra, a lot more. and their stuff isn’t even that great in the first place it’s overpriced junk that 10 years ago was for “nerds”

Window SUCKS
unless all u do is play video game then ,ok maybe Vista is better then OS X……….Oh wait OS X can run Vista. As far as the price go’s “you get what u pay for”

Dannt
“you save up 2-3 thousand dollars” sorry are we talking about the same mac here? mac are extremely expensive compared to equal ability machines of other kind!

rudy
after much research and comparing, i found that you only save about $100 on average for a pc with equal specs to the mac. you may not need it, but mac comes with a webcam built in, photobooth (not on a pc), imovie (free on a mac, not on a pc if u wanna make movies), they are made of ALUMINUM (show me a pc thats made of aluminum), and if you know what your doing, youll see that dell is trying to sell you ram that is at a very low bus speed, and they try to include pentium, they charge $100 or so just to switch to core2duo, i sound like a fanboy, but macs are just a whole ton more pretty. oh, and you can say osx gets viruses, but windows gets a whole ton more! and if you happened not to like osx, you can go ahead and dirty up your mac with an install of windows. im not saying mac is perfect, but once again, pc is a little lower down on that scale. i still might build one soon, though, if i can get a bit more money together.
Sun
Reply to Rudy.
Why seriously buys software these days anyway… Just click and download and its all yours for free.
A webcam is around $20 for a one similar to the one on mac. And photobooth? just download one of those windows ones that is open source and you would be even able to edit it your self.
And the $100?
Currently,
Intel Core i7 940 2.93GHz quad core CPU socket LGA1366
ASUS P6T Intel X58 / ICH10R Socket 1366 Motherboard
Corsair TR3X3G1333C9 3GB (3x1GB) 1333MHz DDR3 CL9-9-
9-24 RAM
XFX Geforce GTX 295 1792 MB DDR3 PCI-E
Cooler Master V8 180W Cooling Solution
Antec P190 “Performance One” Black E-ATX Tower – 1200W
And a 250GB Samsung Hard drive
for only $3500 NZD which is around $1750 USD…
Do you see a mac that beats these hardware

Nairda
No, there isn’t a way to build a mac. They’re like a dell, minus the compatibility.
Edgarx
Why a mac? it’s no compatible with the games i play. ie Everquest 2., enough sayd! i wont get a Mac.

hmm
Guys this is what we call a TROLL. I was sure the $500 Dell from 1995 and the fact that he called a very detailed article as “not all that great” would be a dead giveaway but I guess not.
smb
Ha! A troll indeed… asking for angry comments or works for Dell. I bought a Dell 2.5 years ago…. for about $2300 and that was with a 30% off coupon already applied! …I calculated the price had I built it myself a month or so later ..and I estimated that it would cost about $1500 max including the OS annnd higher quality hardware. By the way – that Dell is already!! outdated..!! The only way a computer wont be outdated after 3 years is if you don’t install/update anything and just use it to write letters. Anyways…. I’m currently trying to building both myself and mother top notched computers w/ everything for $1500 for the two combined.
Alex
i beg to differ. When i was going through websites i found that i can get a 810 computer built for about 610 dollars.
jay
Dude, dell’s wear off way before that. I’m purposely replying to the front page and this page. Building a comp is fun. I’ve done it once before, and actually i’m typing this on it. I built it 10 yrs ago, and the only thing i’ve had to switch out is the power, and a hard drive. Plus, you can choose an pimped out case. I prefer the alienware looking ones. My comp costed about….ummm….i think it was like 600 bucks, and then a few years later i put in a Nvidia GeForce 8200. Good deal in the long run, I say.
http://comingsoon! RevUP2008
ermm….this stupid and shocking comment actually makes me sit down and think to myself what kind of person “joe” is…
DELL? i mean ive been running a business which offers people custom made pcs for affordable prices and in the 6 years of service it has never cost me to more than $1500 to create a top-end performance/gaming pc which is stable and extremely powerful….MUCH MORE THAN JUST A PIECE OF JUNK which is what i would classify the DELL machines as. The damn things exploded at some japanese conference due to overheating issues….i mean come on…that shows the “reliable and adequate” service…
Joe might find himself highly entertained with his ancient pre-built dell….but for some of us….we endure to achieve the best out of hardware….and from experience…for someone to make such a stupid comment shows how they have no idea about the growth of technology and how it can be used to your advantage….but if you are willing to fill the pockets up of those greedy retailers then so be it…
building your own machine gives you rigid results like no other…i hope nobody will make such comments in the future as it really shows stupidity and low intellectual knowledge of pcs.
good luck with the 20 years….i doubt they last for the next 2 years let alone the x10….
RevUP2008.com……coming soon guys…!
from pcs…to servers…all you need from one place for less than what DELL offers….
its not a business proposition….its the truth!
4GHz overclocked for just $320
D-Man
The benefits of building your own depend on what sort of user you are. If you are happy with a $500 Dell, then by all means get that. Third party components will generally out class the low-end Dell’s guts, even if you go with the lower priced comps. Building your own PC is far less complicated than it used to be and you get first hand knowledge of how the machine is put together. Try repairing that Dell after a few years, or upgrading it. Most likely the parts will be proprietary and you will have to send it back. I once had to send a Compaq away for almost three months because the floppy drive died and the thing wouldn’t work with an off the shelf drive! A $20 part! (last compaq I ever bought) Not to mention the proprietary screws holding the case together! I just built a Quad core Asus system with all the bells and whistles for under $600. Took about an hour to put together and it was my first scratch build.
Dave
It’s simple Joe. If you want a computer for just e-mails and simple data collection your 500 dollar Dell will be ok. But, if you are a gammer that 500 dollar Dell will do nothing for you. Top of the line gaming systems such as Alien wear are costing from $1700 to $5,000. I can build my own system that’s comparable if not in some ways better for way less. So for gaming even for studio work, your $500 Dell will not be suficient enough of a machine. You can build a 2.66 Ghz quadcore proccessor 4gig DDR4 RAM, with a pci-e 1gig/512mb core clock ~1000Mhz graphic card, a 1.5TB internal hard drive (if you don’t know what TB it’s Terabite) 500W powersupply, all things far supieor to your 500 buck Dell for around 750-1100 dollars and will perform just as well if not better then the 3,000 dollar desktops out. If you want to take the time and study and build your own. Buying that $500 Dell is for lazy people or people that aren’t actually using what’s available or have no need. Seems like Joe is just a person who probably shouldn’t even own a computer since he hasn’t a clue about anything. Those are only good for e-mail and solitare things for old senior citizens who aren’t able to grasp the consept.
ashutosh tiwari
i am a hp certified tech but according to use ur old ruined computerthis the best way to use it by trasforming it into qa new pc its cooland really u cn build it as u like it so its great a pc with all the things u want in it and only u an repair it no technedde no one needed to assist u in any case so it dam good to have this oppurtunity ,
Rex
Joe’s much maligned comment about a Dell 20 years from now is not as misinformed as many seem to think. Dell and HP have many consumer products which break easy and are cheaper to replace whole than buy the parts to repair. The high-end products by these manufacturers are quite durable and upgradable. Simply stated you get what you pay for. The machine you buy trying to adhere to a budget is much different than the machine you would buy if someone asked you to purchase the best machine available on the market.
Jonesy
Sorry Joe I have to disagree with you it saves you money to build your own PC, but I do agree it is not for everyone. I don’t do my own accounting or plumbing but if I am confident that would save money also. I just built a PC with :
Athlon X2 5600
Gigabyte Mobo with DVI and 7.1 sound
4GB on DDR 800 Ram
DVD Burner
Card Reader
340 GB Seagate 7200 GD
ATI 256 meg Vidio card
Roswill case 3 fans
XP
under 400.00, price that out at Dell then compare to http://www.newegg.com
Rod
the difference is that you use better parts when building your own and you also have all the software. Relying on Dell is not too wise – they are in business to sell computers, not help you fix your old one…
adam
dude i know for a decent computer it does cost more to build…but im building one just for the fun of it…so i buy everything off amazon and things are like $20 each…pretty cheap
logan
a pre built dell that costs less than a hand built might fit all your needs joe if all your doing is typing a word document
Taylor
Dude It depend’s on what kind of computer you want!!! If you want a gameing computer You want to build it. But a bisnes you want one that is built on a line or from a real computer programer!!!
Elliott
My sister got a dell for christmas and like a typical dell it died in about a year. It doesn’t make the dell any better that they make crappy computers and then put vista on them! Vista alone takes a nice computer (not a dell) The stupid computer type thing called a dell was running vista and it would start but as soon as you logged in it would crash. i had to reinstall xp home on it. same thing with the computer im using now. its an acer aspire 4520 and it would crash randomly (which can make you want to overclock it and take out the fans) so i took off vista and put linux on because i couldn’t afford xp and when i called acer they said “You may be charged a fee of $39.99 if you are out of warranty” or something like that so i though screw you all you hung up. i finally had to get my computer to a repair shop to get all the hardware working with linux. i am going to build a nice desktop to run all my games (like BF2142!) and just keep my laptop for surfing the net and other stuff like that.
http://None Kim
I Have a dell too it is 20 years old remains on the blink but I am going to a university to learn pc repair however. I will be a pc repair technician and have an a + certification in the field. In the first chapter you learn to build a PC but the notebooks and the laptops are sensitive are not like the desktop PC at all. Regardless you still have to get parts for the computer I just learned to build one. I recommend a warranty is the best investment you can make after purchasing the Dell computer and you need nothing else for the year.

user256
Please, I’ve been using my Commodore 64 with no no problems since I bought it. I haven’t even upgraded to MS-DOS yet and I’ve been fine.

James
Commodore 64 huh?? LOL.. Well after purchasing a “big name computer” (Okay it was a DELL) for my 18 yr old daughter, which crapped out on her after 6 months she asked if she could have my old Texas Instruments TI/99 Basic. She wanted to go further back, and try out an old Xerox laptop with the Calculator type LCD Screen that we have buried in the closet but I couldnt locate the charging cord… It has a dot printer built into it that prints on receipt paper.
It’s a shame these realy old “computers” still function fine while the newest ones give out… Perfect example of what type and quality of work the older generation was able to give us.. LOL..
Thanks
JLH

Gord
I have a Dell and for 4 years now and believe me your limited in what you can do. I was even limited in changing my graphics card. You a bit of knowledge though you may not save money though one thing if you say purchased a dell for $700.00 the one you build would be of better quality and power and building your own you get what you want at an affordable price and not garbage. Lets face it what will you use the computer for. Just a basic is just fine.
jay
I couldn’t get 20 months out of my dell! I got 10 months befor the chip and board needed replaced. I got another 3 months out of the replacements and guess what that 1 year warranty was up. Game over! To fix with non dell hardware you cant. Nothing fits.
Will
In twenty years your computer will be so out of date and slow for the software and media needed that you would need a new computer anyway. You would have to buy a whole new computer, rather than upgrading each part as it went out of date. So you could have your computer constantly up-to-date and fast or you can have a constantly slow and out-of-date computer until you buy a new one which will go out of date fairly quickly anyway.

Perry
The whole reason I’m looking at this tutorial is because my DELL screwed me over. I bought a “space saver” PC, and since it is so small, it has mixed parts. i.e. I have laptop and desktop parts. The case gets so hot and the fan stinks so much, I’ve had to replace so many parts,and my motherboard finally fried. So I’v decided to just keep my hard drive and RAM, and start new. I’ve been looking at TigerDirect, and their prices are amazing. I’m only going to spend $450, and I’m going to get a NEW computer TWICE as good as my DELL.
PS. It’s hard to try to find whats in my computer since I bought it refurbished and online, it doesn’t list the specs on everything. For instance, I don’t even know what my processor is.
Rhino
LOL are you kidding me?!?!n 20 years???? think to just 10 years ago from now thoughs computers can’t run anything!!! and ten years from now the computers we have no matter how much we upgrade them will be far out of date there is going to be something new in a few years that is TOTALLY different from what we are doing now….. on the other side of the globe they are already working on and testing a new and far better version the in internet…. EVERYTHING WILL BE OUTDATED BY THEN

Imation
a dell?!?! LMFAO that is like the joke brand of computers buddy

skeptik
Joe……5k? You’re a moron. I bet I can build I better/faster/cooler PC than your POS dell or any premade computer for cheaper….with a 24″ LCD monitor to boot. Don’t listen to this jerkoff.

Beverly Pitera
We have 4 Dell computers and I will never buy another Dell. There are so many reasons.
Dell can’t even make a flash drive for a dell laptop that has any drivers for 2 dell desktops running win 98 se AND a dell desktop running Vista. Bought a pack of 3 flash drives in Sams Club that work fine with Vista and Win 98. Simply had to download the win 98 driver.
Who ever did the design of the physical components of the new dell/vista must have been blind and never used it. Can’t reach the button to press to get the CD into the tower.
I could go on and on. Dell products stink. Husband bought 2 hard drives for his new computer. Both had to be replaced because they did not work from the very beginning. Dell support stinks. They sold my husband add on hardware for his new inspiron 530 that was not even compatable with it. Now we have credit. Well; we can use it to buy ink for his new expensive printer/copier/scanner. Betting that we can’t refile ink cartridge. At least I have an HP printer.
It APPEARS to ME that they do not know what they are doing about anything. When you buy a dell you get a lot of REAL JUNK “FREE” SOFTWARE they at least we did not want, had no use for and how do you ever really get every last bit of junk off the pc once it’s installed. Uninstall usually leaves a lot of junk behind that whoever wrote the software must have forgotton was there. True of Symantic, MS, etc, etc, etc. These people can’t test or do anything the way it used to be done.
AND, where are those dell people anyway? They are reading a script. You have to go “thru” levels to get to anyone who has a clue as to how to help the people they are “supporting”
As you can tell, I’m mad as “heck” at Dell. Will never buy a dell again. Consumer Reports rated computers. Building my own sounds good. BUT – I CAN’T AFFORD TO MAKE ANY MISTAKES. I know exactly what I want – BUT – not sure if I have the confidence to do it myself. I have taken a stair bannister apart, got it stripped, stain and painted myself and got it back together right. Fixed an electric hand mixer my son broke. Took it apart, made a diagram of where I got the pieces from so I could get it back together and it was a gift in 1971 – still using it.
Worked in IT – but IBM/OS mainframe, COBOL, IDMS DB/DC. In other words an OLD WOMAN who never wanted to work in systems support. Now I am systems support.
Maybe I can do it myself – I NEED MORAL SUPPORT!

Blitz
Let’s all be civil and avoid name calling. I agree in 2008 you can pay a fraction of $5K and get a great computer. I‘ve been looking at the barebones kits at places like Tigerdirect but it looks like more than what I want to bite off. I do like the idea of the kit because I’m thinking some engineer probably tested compatibility of parts so you have an optimal working system in one of these kits. What I have learned about the Dell I bought a couple years ago is that it’s really not upgradeable for any decent gaming. It’s not impossible to do but based on the price of new stuff and the limitation because of Dell chosen parts it’s not worth the money or headache. It’s no problem because originally I bought the machine for limited gaming. My error, I should have researched more about the upgrade ability of the system’s I was looking at. For example my power supply on the Dell 310 is a pathetic 230W which won’t work on most video cards. Also my motherboard is limited. If I wanted to replace the power supply I have to find a special one that works with Dell and fits in my mid tower with the correct wiring. My next machine will not be a Dell and will have a lot of upgrade ability which you won’t find in many of the Dell type packages. I’m currently looking at some system by Cyberpower. If anyone has any other sites like that it would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
Blitz

Kazak
Totally agree with you Blitz!!
I’ve got a Dell 3100c and I’m replacing it with a new build. I’ve spent hours trying to devise a way to upgrade it but it’s way too much hassle. I can’t upgrade the graphics card as the stock 220W PSU can’t be upgraded to power it as its a unique size and shape. Sure can you stick a new CPU in it no probs and you might be able to find a new motherboard that’s fits in the case but your upgrades will be limited by the low wattage PSU.
Dell design their PCs so only their parts are compatible. If you want to buy hassle free and don’t mind forking out for a whole new system in a few years to update, go for Dell. This is what they want!!
With the deals I’ve found, I’ve put together a self-build for £275 ($550) and its gonna rock!!
Jayman
Blitz, before you waste your time with Cyber power,IBuyPower or some of the other cutome PC builders, check out their better business Bureau
report. I have had the worst experience dealing
with IBuyPower. their customer service is crap and you have to deal with a bunch of people that treat you like a “stupid fat American Gui Lo”.They will rip you off at every turn. Half the stuff you order wont be the same or even close to what you get. They wont tell you that it could take weeks to even get your PC built and that $69 bucks you spent for rush service is a waste. they wont honor their 30 day return policy etc. etc. etc……not saying they are all like that but if you cant understand what the person on the other end of the phone is saying, time to hang up. research every thing you buy and every company you do business with. I’ll never let anybody rip me off if I can help it
Justin
Blitz,
I have had an extremely good time with Cyberpower, though I haven’t spoken or dealt with them in years. I bought my computre from them when I graduated highschool, and five years later it still works great. When I first got it, I managed to delete my hard drive, and had to reinstall everything. When I did it wrong, I called them at four in the morning and they helped me out. When my original video card crapped out, I called them, and they sent a new one to me; a better one that I didn’t have to pay for.
I cashed in on one of their deals, something like “Fourth of July” deal, and got a great computer that, while a little tired and old for gaming now, still runs the latest office/photoshop etc.
kory
your problem blitz is that you use tiger direct when you should get your parts from directron which are cheaper and ship faster i have used both if you are having trouble with compatibility start by picking a motherboard and using the dropdown menus to pick major componets to add such as cpu video card etc.
and joe i can build a better computer than any one dell has cheaper than them in fact i have i bought an emachine for $700 later i learned to build my own and built one for $650 that was 5 times more powerful

Aaron
hi,
i dont think i would be able to build a computer without some sort of guide… but im the same sence im not an idiot… like i know most of the components that i would need.
i wanna build my comp basically for gaming only, so i know i need a good graphics card etc…
but would you guys be able to tell me about how much i would have to fish out for building my own pc?
also where could i get, (on the net) good quality but cheap components?

James
its would roughly cost you for a decent machine between $2000 and $3800. if you want the latest and greatest top high-end powerful gaming pc your looking at cheapest of $6000+
kevin
Dude try newegg.com and dont listen to the idiot about 2000 to 3800 you could build a great gaming computer for around 900 to 1200 that would handle any game today and it would be badass the dude above is talking about just released shit that has been on the market for maybe a couple of months but most ppl wont find practical for another five years or more and by then it will be a hell of alot cheaper and you will know how to upgrade it with experience from this one the computer i am going to build will only cost me about 1350 because i am going to go a little overboard with some of the parts like i said check out newegg.com i have found them to be the cheapest most reliable source for a while.

Mike
Kevin,
I agree with you all the way. When I build my computers I always go through newegg.com. They are cheaper then TigerDirect.com, Directon.com or whatever it is. Newegg is way fast at shipping. I once ordered 2 sticks of RAM and literally 19 hours later is was there at my door and it worked just right. Also, neweeg.com is really easy to shop with, unlike tigerdirect.com you don’t have to search through endless pages with no useful filters to get what you want.
Best Regards,
Mike
http://comingsoon! RevUP2008
i agree with kevin too….
like i said before when i was talking about joe’s dells….
ive been building powerful PCs…for less than $1500 if not…the value itself…
as mike said….the hardware that has just been released are not considerable due to the high prices and also the compatability of the previous hardware that is already out in the mainstream market….there is no need for $3600.
ive always played around with the parts….experimenting….its the best way to get the highest results and ALWAYS ALWAYS RESEARCH….it might sound a lil off…but you need it merely to gain the knowledge of the parts you are going to be working with…it helps a lot….and its something that you being to take up as a skill when building pcs comes into practical life often…and its what leads to a pc engineer…lol
not that hard is it…..dont need a god damn degreee..!!
Newegg.com is the place….hit them up with some cash….get the gems you want….build the piece you need….
best of luck Aaron….=]

http://www.microcenter.com Sayer
Great guide, just built a 9600 Black Edition Phenom on a 790FX Motherboard by MSI, 2gb ram (pc6400), X-Fi Extreme Gamer (although I don’t need it with the awesome on-board 7.1), with a 750w Power Supply. Spent less than $1000, got EXACTLY what I wanted, and I don’t ever have to deal with Dell’s horrible customer service. This PC would cost way more at Dell, but I can’t tell you how much since they no longer carry AMD. The mid-range xps starts at $1500.00, way more than what I spent. Also when you get a prebuilt pc you can’t choose the motherboard, which a lot of people don’t think is that important but it is. I bought Half my stuff on e-bay, just timing it out until I got the price I wanted to pay for parts, and the power supply, box, operating system, and DVD burner from Micro Center (microcenter.com). THe power supply is normally $179.00 and I picked it up for $110 before my 50 dollar rebat. And the other stuff I bought from there because the price was within a couple of dollars of the cheapest things I could find. This project did take me a little while to do, but research pays off when you are wanting to build a wailing gaming machine. (by the way still using the x1650 by ATI, will upgrade to 3870 hd and eventually to 4 – 3870 hd cards, but this still wails) By the way you can get the motherboard I got for the phenom for $151 plus shipping on clubit.com, MSI K9A2 Platinum 790fx (HyperTransport 3.0 supporting speed up to 2600MHz, beat that Intel) That’s with the phenom.
http://www.microcenter.com Sayer
Blitz, CyberPower is your best option, yes I know you mentioned it, but like I said in previous post I researched a lot to build my pc and this was the cheapest and best place I have found. I just built an almost identical system to mine on there and it was less then $1500 ($1430 to be exact) without the monitor. Actually this is better than my pc, as it has Dual 3800 HD cards in it, which is my last step to finishing this beast. Not many computers will be able to beat this head on in a challenge.
http://www.newegg.com jon
hey u @ 3/23/08 5:15 pm,
highly sugest http://www.newegg.com
i built my 1st computer there and getting ready build another soon.
my second altogether is goin to cost under $600 bucks. but thats w/o the
monitor, keyboard, etc. keep in mind tho that under $600 ISNT high-end
this high-end that. u kno i can upgrade in the future.
Kate
i wish you had pictures of each item…it would help out!

http://www.newegg.com jon
hey kate,
sorry for late reply: if u are interested, go to http://www.newegg.com , ten go to wish lists on bottom , under public wish lists type: ‘under $600 budget pc’ . the post date is 3/25/08. i probably wont git this rig by summer time.
also, uh im probably goin to replace that Antec 900 for a Cooler Master Centurion 534 bc its cheaper and has the same capabilities as the Antec case except it doesnt hav backward compatibility for Micro ATX mobos.
and very lastly: im also thinkin about changing the AMD cpu to Intel bc i cant seem to find any 3ghz cpu from AMD’s single core processors. highest i can find is 2.6
thx for ur time
jon

http://www.youtube.com/dudeimamazingbeefORwww.bebo.com/jezza-psychoman Amazing beef
I was wondering if I actually need memory modules (RAM I think). I’m a bit confused because I am buying a 500GB hard disk and spending more on memory when i have that much sounds a bit pointless. Unless It’s RAM.
Basically I’m asking, by “Memory modules” do you mean RAM. Thanks

rob
yes you do need the RAM simply because your OS take up alot of space ,i.e,VISTA. and all other software you may install.THE MORE RAM ,THE FASTER YOUR PC WILL RUN.

http://newegg.com jon
amazing beef,
yes memory module and ram are the same thing. although i dont get ur question. i’ll admit i am not a computer technician. but like aaron said, i kno enough about computers to pick out the components and put them together.no problem
http://www.youtube.com/dudeimamazingbeefORwww.bebo.com/jezza-psychoman Amazing beef
tymv
sam
great guide!
i can definately attest to the idea that building a pc is cheaper than buying a comparable pre-build…i am in the process of building a quad-core desktop with 3g RAM, 810gb HD (750+60(salvaged), 512mb graphics card, with all personally chosen components and so on, for less than $700 (after rebates, etc.)…i tried building a pc at dell.com that is comparable, and it turned out to be over $1800 (video card is 8800, mine is 8600; OS included, mine is salvaged from current comp, and other minor details), but for a difference of over a grand, definately home built is the better choice…
franctuz
i want to build my own computer,but right now i dont buy any thing on my list im comparing the price of every component of my PC to buy.PLS SEND ME EMAIL if i mised something on my list main board;asus p5k chipset;intel p31/p35 processor;intel core dou e6550@2333mhz physical memmory;2048mb(2x1024DDR2-sdram) video card;nvidia corp ge force 8400gs or 8600gs hard disk;maxtor 250gb DVD-rom drive;tsst corp cd-dvdw sh-s202j ata device monitor type;m19w-19 inc network card; broadcom corp bcm4309 802.11 a/b/g o.s windows vista home prem. power sup;corsair 650w atx case midi…tv card haupaugewintv pci…do i need a sound card? and is atx case include c.fan and heatsink. im not much in to games but i also play.do u recomend any thing.fmt_kik@yahoo……thahnks
Olski
I saved up £400 (no idea what that is in dollars anymore $800?) and bought a high end mac mini. I got a cheapass acer 22″ widescreen and mac keyboard and its an absolute triumph. Ive had dells before but i got sick of random things going wrong with apparently no cause. After 2 trojan horses i switched to mac and they’ve been good to me ever since.
I had a go on vista the other day and it didnt impress me.
My advice? save up (not 5k) about £600 and get the full macmini works.
sevyrr
I made the mistake of buying from dell and I WILL NEVER purchase from them again. They are not updating the drivers for my computer I bought 1.5 years ago and said they will not even though the companies that made the hardware have updated several times. I payed off my computer and they charged me $400.00 extra because the payment of $150.00 that paid it off posted a day late, even though I had a receipt showing it was paid off on time. I told them I was very unhappy and would tell everyone I knew not to buy from dell and they didnt care, even after I went up several levels in management. I feel sorry for anyone that falls into the dell trap.

Andy
Hello! I am very happy Dell custmer. I bough a PC from them on 2002 and still working fine. The only thig that I need to upgrade is the RAM. But lets be clear, I got the top of the line at the time( Dimension 8200, 1.8Gz.) It still apgrdble.The tech suport is the best out there.I am sorry but I have no complains about DEEL.
Brandon
I have a Dell computer and it sucks. Both optical drives and the floppy drive have already failed on me and the hard drive is on it’s last leg. It isn’t too terribly old (has XP installed…) and I’ve been good to it (I blow out all the dust every once in a while). I’ve been replacing the Dell parts after they die with some from an old HP computer. If I buy another computer, it’s either going to be HP, Apple (Mac), or I’m going to build it myself.

JB
This is my first build. Purchased from http://www.newegg.com
Gonna be my first time with Vista. Can anyone tell me what the dif is between the 32bit and 64bit version oem home edition.
Unsure which one to get.

http://www.youtube.com/dudeimamazingbeefORwww.bebo.com/jezza-psychoman Amazing beef
JB, 32bit can handle up to dual core, whereas 64bit can handle up to quad core. I think this is the only difference, but to be honest the vista operating system is pants. You’re probably better off getting a top end version of XP, waiting untill the next windows operating system is released, or even buying XP and up-grading in the future. If it’s gaming you’re looking for, quad core is good, but vista isn’t. Whereas I think all but one XP (the most expensive) are only 32bit, so can not handle all four cores. Personally im going for XP and depending on how much money I make before my build, I’m either going to buy the most expensive XP or buy standard and wait for an upgrade.
Hope that was of help!
Taza
most programs can run on a 32 bit OS but their is a very limited number which can run on a 64 bit OS especially games.
64 bit can use upto about 8 GB of RAM, 32 bit can only use around just under 4 GB
You should only really get a 64 bit OS if you want the computer as a server or (no idea why) a really fast word processer. For gaming 32 bit is a must.

Will
When I was seventy-three years old I built my first two computers after reading magazines, visiting web sites and read a book. The studying gave me the knowledge to pick compatible parts and put them together. They both worked perfectly the first time I booted up after installing the OS.. I learned how to do it and since then when I upgrade I do it myself. No more paying for service. The original computers cost a little more than off the shelf ones, but the knowledge has saved me money. All components are of good quality, so after using these computers four years, at about five hours per day, they have never needed repairs or servicing. Can Dell or HP beat that? I am seventy-seven years old now and as long as I can operate a Phillips screwdriver I’ll not buy another one off the shelf. Building one only takes two to three hours at a slow pace and it is fun.
GB
Hope I’m as bright as Will is when I’m 77!
silenslaya
wow…most of you have zero knowledge of pcs and pc hardware
building a pc is cheaper then buying a pc PERIOD there are no ifs or buts about this statement!
I myself have built two pc’s in the past 2 years both with top end graphics, duel core 2 – 4 gig ram high end pcs for all around 1000 – 1200$ whereas gaming pc’s go for 1500+ at retailers like futureshop

Tim
silenslaya, just wondering here because I am researching building your own PC vs pre-built, could I get the specs of your PC? Sounds good, and cheap, which is great for me, plus I love video games. Anyway, specs would be handy for me. I am trying to look for great stuff for gaming.
Thanks

http://www.youtube.com/dudeimamazingbeefORwww.bebo.com/jezza-psychoman Amazing beef
Are you refering to me when u say that?
coz i agree, building is cheaper.
and btw gaming computers must be crap in USA. $1500? thats like £750! in england they are £2000+. and if u didnt know, thats about $4000. but when i say gaming computers, i mean like “holy s*** this is so f****** imense!!!”. do u have computers like that? (that wasnt ment to be bitchey or sarcastic, i ment it as a proper question) And btw, americans can’t spell colour and build crap cars. not trying to be racist, just pointing it out. actually pay no attention to this post. i talk about too much crap.

Kim
Ugh…”foreigners”. Yes, we have gaming computers like you are referring too, but apparently people over there are a little spoiled. There is no need for one that high priced, ever! They would be nice to have, but we have other things to pay for…like health insurance and many other politically influenced and media skewed items (i.e. war). Paying $4,000 for a gaming computer…those are for SERIOUS gamers. Now…being a gamer myself, I have to balance my desire for the best gaming experience with my ability to pay my bills, pay for school, rent, food…the usual. I would LOVE to have a computer for $4,000+, but I’ll be happy with a $1,000 computer that runs what I need it to.
If anyone reads this that is debating on building or not…if you have the guidance, BUILD IT! I’ve never built (no desire to learn) and had EVERY SINGLE computer I’ve bought from many different companies somehow fail on me. Most recently, my laptop decides to randomly eat my files and give them back to me 6 months later (conflict with programs I installed versus what was pre-installed).
This list has the basic components, and any company selling supplies will help you put it together…google some of the words if you are just starting out, read some articles and posts like this…and you will be well on your way to building one. I’m new and technologically stunted, and I can do it…anyone can.

Derek
I’m looking to create my own PC for gaming but I’m a noob in this “build your own” world. I would like some major help. I’m looking for a great Graphics card with lots of RAM to run smoothly, but I think I have those down. Im looking for some good Brand power supplies, motherboards. I also have no idea on Processors… Looking for spend alittle over 500 maybe. Also do most moherboards support all types of RAM or do they need some special stuff for eahc type of boards?