How to build your own computer. How to assemble a computer yourself from components? CPU cooler
Many people want to build a gaming computer in 2017, while staying within a small budget. But this is a very difficult matter, because the cost of computer components increases every year, as well as the demands of games regarding PC performance. At the same time, I want to build a computer whose hardware will remain relevant for at least several more years, because it is not profitable to invest in its modernization every year, and not everyone can afford it. In our material you will learn which parts are most important in games and how to assemble an inexpensive gaming computer.
Assembling a gaming computer 2019 with your own hands
CPU
The first step is to decide on the choice of processor - the most important element of the computer, which is responsible for everything computing processes. You have to choose between the products of two world-famous brands, Intel and AMD. It is recommended to find performance tests on the Internet and compare the results with each other. Optimal choice in our opinion is Intel processor core i5 - its power is enough for any games and the operating system works quickly.
The higher the processor generation, the better the performance, so take this into account when choosing. To build a powerful budget gaming computer, you can use the i5 7500 - practically the top-end solution in the line, which copes well with resource-intensive tasks. Of course, Intel core i7 processors will be better, but the performance gain in them is not as great as the overpayment. AMD Athlon II X4 640 will be great solution for assembly budget computer, although in terms of its capabilities it is inferior to solutions from Intel.
Choosing a motherboard
You need to find a motherboard that will support the format of the selected processor. When choosing it, you need to pay attention to the processor socket (for example, to connect an Intel i5 you need an LGA 1151 socket). Also important is the standard of RAM slots, their number and frequency. There may also be additional connectors, which is worth paying attention to in order to choose a motherboard with suitable functionality.
RAM
When assembling a gaming computer 2017, the optimal solution would be DD4 standard RAM with a capacity of 8 or 16 GB. There is simply no need for a larger volume, and everything will fly that way. But 4 GB will not be enough for modern games, especially since part of the memory is consumed by the system. You need to choose the amount of RAM based on your budget - the more you install, the faster games will load and the smoother the interface will work. But keep in mind that if in the future you want to expand the volume, then you need to install a bar with a similar frequency and preferably from the same manufacturer, otherwise it may turn out to be incompatible. It is better to choose memory with the maximum frequency; its performance largely depends on this. When deciding how to build an inexpensive gaming computer 2017, you need to make sure that the selected RAM standard is supported motherboard.
Please note that if you set the RAM level to more than 3 GB, then the operating system must have a 64-bit architecture. Otherwise, no matter how much memory you install, no more than three will be available.
The video card is the most important part during assembly. gaming computer
The question of how to build a good gaming computer is impossible to imagine without choosing a video card that is responsible for processing graphics in games. The video card and processor are the most expensive parts on which gaming performance is most dependent. When choosing, it is better to read reviews, since manufacturers offer a huge variety of models that vary greatly in their capabilities. Sufficient for a budget PC Nvidia GeForce 1050 Ti with 4 GB of memory. But in lately With video cards, not everything is so simple - they are bought up by miners, and if you manage to find them on sale, they cost much more than they should. This applies to the entire video card market. If you have a large budget, then you should pay attention to Nvidia Geforce 1060, 1070 and 1080 cards - top solutions today, purchasing which you will get maximum performance.
When deciding how to assemble a gaming computer yourself, you can also pay attention to cheaper solutions from ATI or Nvidia. When choosing, consider the connector to which the video card is connected. DDR5 is in the lead - this is the latest format with which almost all motherboards are equipped. Therefore, it is better to opt for it; DDR3 will become less and less popular over time until it becomes completely extinct. And remember that a higher model number doesn't always mean it's better. You need to look at reviews and comparisons of performance tests on special sites.
Selecting a drive
The best option today is to use an SSD drive paired with a standard one. The system is installed on the first one, which gives a noticeable increase in productivity. But due to the high cost, it will be unprofitable to buy a large-capacity SSD, which means that over time you will no longer be able to store all the files on it.
This is where the standard one comes to the rescue hard drive, which costs much less. So, for 3000-4000 rubles you can buy a 1 TB hard drive, while for the same amount you can find an SSD with a maximum capacity of 128 GB. Again, when deciding how to build a good gaming computer inexpensively in 2017, you should read reviews and pay attention to such characteristics as rotation speed. It must be at least 7200 rpm. The speed of writing and reading data depends on this parameter. A fast drive allows games to launch faster and also reduces installation time.
power unit
When thinking about how to assemble a gaming computer in 2017 yourself, you need to calculate the required power of the power supply. To do this, you need to look in the specifications to see how much energy each part of the computer consumes, add up the sum and add about 20% just in case. Most power supplies come with 20 or 24 pin connectors, make sure they are compatible with your motherboard. You should not take the power supply included with the case. As a rule, it is not of high quality. For a gaming computer, you will need an option with a power of at least 500 W.
Frame
The case should not only be beautiful, but also contain all the connectors necessary for use. Particular attention should be paid to cooling, because even on the most powerful hardware, games will slow down if it overheats. Some cases have 80mm fans, others have 120mm fans. The top solution is a liquid cooling system, but it is unreasonably expensive, so it is better to opt for a case with 3-4 powerful coolers. The more powerful the filling, the more efficient the cooling system should be.
Imagine that you cannot live a day without playing computer games, but you do not understand computer hardware. Either you don’t have time to delve into this, or you’re just lazy, although most likely it’s the latter, or you’ll be lying by saying the former. For users here, we will help you choose modern spare parts at an affordable price, as of March 2014. Thanks to this article you will be able build a gaming computer and don't overpay.
Armed with the Internet and necessary knowledge, we are moving forward in search of not expensive, but most importantly high-quality components.
Shopping plan
First of all, we need to collect system unit, why collect? The fact is that in any finished computer there will always be 2-3 spare parts that can negate performance or break down prematurely due to quality. Don't be afraid, no one is forcing you assemble the computer yourself. Usually, when you purchase computer parts, you can use the services of our service center ITcom in Kharkov by .
Let's start with the selection of components for the system unit. First, I will list it:
- CPU
- Motherboard
- RAM
- Video card
- System unit case
- power unit
- DVD drive
- Hard drive
- CPU cooling system (cooler)
Let's start choosing components for a gaming PC
System unit
The appearance does not affect the performance of a gaming computer, so we take a case without bells and whistles, entry level. The case must be of medium size so that everything fits and extra space did not take up, that is, with the ATX marking. For example, body AeroCool V3X Black Edition Black . As a rule, the case is sold with a power supply, but this is not our method because the power in standard units is not suitable for us, so we choose without power.
power unit
Let's not chase after brand names, but choose a good one based on reviews 600 Watt power supply, Enough for a gaming computer. After looking and reading reviews, we choose FSP Group ATX-600PNR 600W the average cost of which is about 700 UAH. Quite a decent power supply, especially since the 12 cm fan in its case will dissipate heat well.
Processor CPU
For stable operation and less heat generation, choose processors Intel. Many AMD fans will argue that AMD is cheaper and more powerful, but I’d rather pay a little extra and be sure that the gaming computer will not overheat and will work stably for many years. Choosing a processor Intel Core i5-4670 Haswell(3400MHz, LGA1150, L3 6144Kb) average price about 2600 UAH. Expensive, but for games this is the very extreme price line, because further it only gets more expensive. Intel i5-4670— the processor is quite cold, so there will be no overheating, however, just in case, you will equip it with a good fan to prevent overheating. Core processors i7 is still an unjustified luxury, without which games will fly well anyway. Now, based on the processor model, you can choose a suitable motherboard.
Motherboard
Considering that we have a processor with an LGA 1150 socket, we can choose a motherboard, I won’t lie, I admit to you that almost since childhood I have been a fan of high-quality equipment and hardware, so the choice fell on Asus products (I hope with me many will agree).And now let’s be more specific. Nothing extra, 4 slots for RAM (for expansion), 6 USB slots on the rear panel (4 of them USB 3.0), the ability to connect two video cards (if you suddenly want something more). For overclockers (lovers of overclocking hardware) there is also where to go for a walk. The name of the “leopard” is ASUS Z87M-PLUS and this joy costs an average of 1330 UAH.
RAM.
Everything is simple here, choose a normal brand, choose a frequency of 1600 and a memory capacity of 8GB (it’s better to have two 4GB dies so that the RAM works in parallel mode). There’s no point in more, there’s no point in less, so to speak, the golden mean. The classic Kingston never It didn’t let me down, so amid the fanfare of a lifetime warranty and additional heat sinks, I chose the Kingston KHX1600C9D3K2/8G model (the kit comes with two 4 GB boards).
Tip: when Windows installation be sure to select 64 bit operating system, since in 32 Bit 8 GB the system simply will not see it.
Video card
One of the most subtle and scrupulous choices, since we are not building an office calculator, but a decent gaming computer. I’ll say right away that I trust my hardware only to GeForce products, so AMD Radeon is again on the side. Yes, I understand that AMD is cheaper and all that, but if you build a computer on this architecture, then you will not need a heater in the winter, but in turn you will need an air conditioner in the summer. So, what do we have on the sweet market? We always choose cards with the suffix Ti, which means increased power. I won’t bore you, but I’ll introduce you to a cheap but angry bear called Palit GeForce GTX 750 Ti 1202Mhz PCI-E 3.0 2048Mb 6008Mhz 128 bit DVI Mini-HDMI HDCP is still a new product on the budget market gaming video cards, but judging by the tests of the game it will be a great success. The cost is on average 1800 rubles.
DVD drive
Everything is very complicated here, we close our eyes and poke at any black CD (since we chose a black body). The lottery fell on optical drive ASUS DRW-24F1ST Black cost 180 UAH.
Hard drive.
We choose Western Digital with an interface SATA connections 6 Gb/s with a capacity of 1000GB and a buffer memory size of 64 MB. All other parameters are standard. Model Western Digital WD10EZEX cost 700 UAH. Why didn't I choose Seagate? Because in all my work in engineering, only hard drives This company gave me the most trouble and gray hair on... well, you get the idea.
CPU cooling system (cooler)
Everything is simple here, for good and quiet cooling we take a cooler with a 12 cm fan, it will quietly and efficiently cool your processor, which is what we need. This little Zalman CNPS10X Optima will suit us, it looks impressive and in fact will work the same. The cost is only 360 UAH.
Let's sum it up
- System unit AeroCool V3X Black Edition Black - 500 UAH.
- Power supply FSP Group ATX-600PNR 600W - 630 UAH.
- Processor Intel Core i5-4670 Haswell (3400MHz, LGA1150, L3 6144Kb) - 2600 UAH
- Maternal ASUS board Z87M-PLUS - 1330 UAH
- RAM Kingston KHX1600C9D3K2/8G - 1200 UAH
- Video card Palit GeForce GTX 750 Ti 1202Mhz PCI-E 3.0 2048Mb 6008Mhz 128 bit DVI Mini-HDMI HDCP - 1800 UAH
- DVD drive ASUS DRW-24F1ST Black - 180 UAH
- Hard drive Western Digital WD10EZEX - 700 UAH
- CPU cooling system (cooler) Zalman CNPS10X Optima - 360 UAH
Total: 9300 UAH.
At a minimum, this is how much a system unit for a gaming computer will cost, the hardware of which will be enough for you to play games for at least 2-3 years. Let's continue with the selection. What else do we have left?
- Monitor
- Keyboard
- Mouse
- Mouse pad
- Validol tablets (this is for those who are bothered by the price of the system unit)
Monitor
For comfortable gaming and good pictures, we choose Philips monitors model 226V4LAB price 1400 UAH. Good color rendition, response time, resolution and of course the brand. Only before the game will it be necessary to adjust the color, Philips has a jamb with the factory settings, you always need to adjust it yourself. And the price for 22 inches is quite reasonable.
Keyboard
We choose a gaming keyboard with a backlight for night gaming and a small fan to cool your fingers. Model Tt eSPORTS by Thermaltake Challenger price 450 UAH.
Mouse
It’s more complicated here, for a gamer the mouse is everything!!! Therefore, her choice must be taken responsibly. An inexpensive and fairly competent solution is called Mad Catz R.A.T.3 Matte Black. Cost 700 UAH. Good indicators of accuracy and stability. This mouse was created by people who specialize in computer games and I know what it takes to play well. Most budget option of good play rodents. There is also a braided cord that prevents kinks and chafing.
Rug
We take the mouse pad STEELSERIES QcK+, the connection with the mouse will be excellent and the dimensions are quite acceptable for gaming (400x450x2 mm.) price 150 UAH.
Let's summarize our selection.
- System unit – 9300 UAH
- Monitor – 1400 UAH
- Keyboard – 450 UAH
- Mouse – 700 UAH
- Mouse pad – 150 UAH
- Total: 12,000 UAH for the entire set
In conclusion, I can say that this rocket will be enough for you modern games, and I think there will be no problems with quality and performance.
It is worth noting the following point. Budget motherboards are equipped with a 4-pin CPU power connector. So we divide the existing 8-pin cable into two 4-pin cables with our hands and connect to the board. Expensive motherboards, on the contrary, are equipped with an additional connector in addition to the 8-pin connector. The trick is that in this case everything will work from one 8-pin wire. An additional port is needed if, for example, you seriously overclock CPU. But then you will need an accompanying power supply or adapter.
Step #5: installing storage drives and optical drive
For desktop PCs, there are two most common drive form factors: 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch. Plus, solid-state drives with an M.2 connector are gaining popularity. As for the latter, everything is simple with this form factor: the device is installed directly into a port soldered on the motherboard. But 2.5- and 3.5-inch drives must first be secured in the case.
In 99% of cases, the case is equipped with a special basket with a slide. The manufacturer also indicates in the specifications the number of slots for 2.5- and 3.5-inch drives, as well as 5.25-inch devices. In the case of the Fractal Design Define R5, two metal baskets are used. The first (top) can accommodate five 3.5-inch or the same number of 2.5-inch drives. The second (bottom) is three. In some cases these baskets may be removable. Plus, this particular case has two seats for 2.5-inch drives behind the chassis.
Not all computer cases optionally support the installation of 2.5-inch drives. True, many SSD manufacturers complete their products with special adapters for 3.5-inch sleds. They are usually packed in cardboard boxes, but not sealed in a blister.
For those who decide to build their own computer from scratch, rather than buy a ready-made system unit, it will be useful to know how to correctly assemble individual elements into a single workable whole. I present to your attention a guide on how to assemble a computer.
What to buy
The first step is to buy the minimum required kit to start the computer
- frame
- source
- motherboard
- CPU cooling system
- RAM
- Video card (discrete is not always required)
- hard drive
It is necessary to understand that all purchased items must be compatible.
Upon purchase motherboard and processor, the socket (in other words, the platform where the processor is inserted) on the board and the CPU must be the same. This parameter always indicated in technical specifications, for example, Intel Core i3-4130, has an LGA1150 socket, we can easily install it on the ASRock H81M board. It is also necessary to take into account the connector for RAM; at the time the article was published, the most common is DDR3, therefore, you need to buy DDR3 memory.
We start with the case, which will be the “home” for all other components. After unpacking, unscrew the side panel.
We see the finished holes for fasteners motherboard. All you need to do is “try on” the board to the holes and secure it. There are a lot of holes, since some cases are designed for motherboards of different sizes (form factors).
However, before attaching the motherboard, you need to install some elements on it.
Installing an Intel Processor and Cooling System
Open the processor socket using the latch shown in the figure. The thing is quite delicate, you don’t need to make a lot of effort.
After opening the slot, pay attention to the processor. In the case of Intel, there is a special edge and a guide on the motherboard that will prevent you from inserting the processor incorrectly. Which makes our life much easier; those who are familiar with electronics know how to tinker with microcircuits in order to solder them correctly to the board. As a rule, there are no guides on the board, only a dot in the corner of the chip indicating the first leg.
After installing the processor, we complete the procedure by protecting the socket: we close it in the same way as we opened it before.
The next important step is connecting the cooling system.
A cooler is often included with the purchased processor; if it is not there, the processor manufacturer has a list of recommended ones for connection.
You definitely need to remember about thermal paste. Some radiators already have thermal paste applied; if it is not there, you need to apply it.
Please note that the cooling system is secured using four latches. They should fit perfectly into the holes on the board, in the corners next to the socket.
Actually, we install it in the holes, and begin to press without much effort until you hear four clicks.
All we have to do is connect the fan to the power system; on the board the connector is designated CPUF AN, so we connect it to it)
If you bought cooling separately, you decided that the standard one is not enough for you. Then you will definitely need to apply thermal paste. Just apply small quantity on the center of the processor and smear it over the entire surface, using an old credit card or discarded plastic card, accurately adjust the surface of the processor and cooler
Note: When buying a cooling system, do not forget to peel off the film
System Installation with CPU and Heat Sink - AMD
Consider that in the case of an AMD CPU, installing a cooling system
First, unlock the socket by pulling the metal handle directly adjacent to the edge
Legs AMD processors are positioned so that they can only be inserted into the slot in one way: as in the case of Intel, it is impossible to install the processor differently than the manufacturer intended. Inserted and secured.
Then apply thermal paste...
Combining the processor plane and the base cooling system
The mounting methods for coolers are different, and they are all indicated in the manual; there should be no difficulties. In our case, next to the socket we have a plastic base with protrusions. The metal mount comes complete with cooling.
Installing memory (RAM)
The last element we can install in this phase is the RAM.
To do this you need to find slots RAM memory located next to the processor socket.
Before installing memory, you should check your motherboard's manual to find out which slots to install in first (if the number of modules is less than four). In our case, these are blue slots. Opening the latches
Inserting modules properly
After installation in the memory slot, return the plastic latches to their original position
At this stage, you should receive a motherboard with a processor, cooling and memory modules. Let's put everything aside for a while and move on to the case and power supply.
Installing the power supply
The power supply is installed at the bottom of the case.
Secure it with the fan DOWN.
This position provides it with ideal operating conditions: the device constantly has access to cold air from under the body and at the same time excludes the entry of warm air, which is thrown out of it onto other elements, and nothing is additionally heated.
On the rear panel of the case, secure the power adapter by screwing four bolts.
If the power supply does not have removable wires, then we simply pass all the wires through rubber bushings to the rear panel of the case.
If it is modular (removable cables), then you first need to connect the necessary cables, including power PCI Express(for video card) and SATA (for storage media).
Only now we pass the entire bundle of wires from the power supply through rubber hoses behind the tray with the motherboard.
Installing the motherboard into the case
We insert the board into the case; there should be a specially allocated place in the case for it.
We do not install any gaskets or pads, we only use the set included in the kit (bolts plus stands)
Then you need to connect external USB ports, located on the front panel, as well as the Power and Reset buttons, two indicators indicating the activity of storage media and power.
First we look for a connector labeled as USB, then we connect the plug
And then find the pins (JFP1) associated with the buttons and LEDs, connect them to the connector, according to the markings nearby.
Installation media (HDD/SSD)
Talking about mount hard drives, again, everything is individual. In our case, we have a rack with plastic slides. We attach the hard drive to these slides and insert it into the rack.
The next necessary step is to connect the media/media to the motherboard using SATA signal cables, as well as supplying power to them.
To do this, find small connectors on the board labeled SATA. In the instructions for the board, we check which of them are the fastest (SATA 3 - 6 Gb/s), and it is to them that we connect the disk on which we will install the system, especially if the system is installed on an SSD. Other media will satisfy in full or more slow speed(SATA 2 - 3 Gbit/s).
First of all, connect the power cable, and then the signal cable
Installing a video card
The video card is the last item (within the basic configuration) that needs to be installed.
Look for the first free PCI Express x 16 port (blue, closer to the processor cooling system in the photo below). First, let's look at the traffic jams. 99% of currently available graphics cards require the space occupied by two dies on the back
As with memory module slots, the PCI Express slot has small protrusions that will prevent you from misplacing a video card. You simply have no choice, you will do everything right.
Then we attach the video card.
Connecting power to the motherboard
The motherboard is powered through two wires. One of them is a 24-pin connector, shown in the picture below. Located on the right side of the board, next to the RAM.
The second cable is for powering the heart of the computer – the processor. insert it into the slot located in the upper left corner.
All that remains is to “feed” our video card. The most energy-intensive (but powerful) models require two plugs, as can be seen in the photo.
Before closing the case, you need to check the operation of the power button, reset button and LED information (the part that tells you that your computer is on, and others that indicate HDD / SSD activity).
Results
The idea that there is something extremely complex in the assembly is erroneous. It really takes a lot of effort to ruin something. Equipment manufacturers take care of user convenience by introducing physical restrictions: the processor can only be inserted into the socket in one position, and it is impossible to connect the power connector to the wrong side or to the wrong connector. The worst thing that can happen is that you might forget about one of the cables. But don't worry about this: the computer won't do anything, it just won't start until the wires are connected correctly. Good luck!