BUILD IT: My First PC

A simple, affordable computer, ideal for beginners setting out on their system-building journey

- CHRISTIAN GUYTON

THE CONCEPT

IF YOU’RE A SEASONED PC BUILDER, this might not be the build for you. We’re just being honest; this is a straightforward build, the perfect PC for a novice tech head looking to build their first rig. We’ve made the instructions simpler than usual, and this system has as few cables and components as we could manage. Within reason, of course: We want this to remain a capable home PC, with a bit of gaming and workstation potential, at a sensible price point, so we’re still including a GPU and a case with some RGB lighting.

The goal is to help you—or your PC-assembly challenged pal—put together a functioning computer while also learning the basic building blocks of what makes a PC. Obviously, we have limited space to do this, but if you’re ever uncertain of what goes where, don’t be afraid to leaf through the manuals of each component. If you don’t know your GPU from your PSU, you might want to take to Google for each step, to make sure you’ve got the right hardware.

While we have a list of specific ingredients for this build, don’t feel compelled to stick to it. Some of the components here (notably the GPU and SSD) were chosen to keep the price down, so higher-spec components there wouldn’t go amiss. We do advise against swapping out the CPU and motherboard for this build, though, to keep compatibility problems at bay.

This build should teach any rookie the fundamentals of PC building. If you’re new to the ancient art of custom system building, or have a friend who’s eager to build their first PC but doesn’t know where to start, look no further.

KEEPING IT CLEAN