Introduction
Most Hardware.Info readers probably do not need help assembling a PC. However, maybe there is someone out there that would really like to build his or her own first PC, but is still hesitant and unsure considering the countless options out there. We have written a step-by-step guide to building your own PC.
Building your own PC has many advantages over buying a standard configuration. Only when you choose the processor, graphics card, and other components yourself can you ensure that your new PC system is exactly the way you want it.
The passionate gamer will spend more on a video card than the typical business user. Someone interested in overclocking will buy a more expensive and fancy motherboard than someone running his PC only on standard settings. While many are perfectly content with a traditional hard drive, others find that even the fastest SSD is too slow for their liking.
For years now we have tried to facilitate informed choices with our product tests, so you know what you get when you buy a certain component. With our monthly PC Buyer's Guide we even give expert advice on which of the latest components you can combine for a good and affordable PC system that fits your needs.
When you've finally made your choice of computer parts, they still have to be put together into a working computer. Of course most online shops offer the option to assemble your components for you. However, as those who've done it before know, building your own computer is much more fun! Not only that, once you've built your first PC, upgrading it or replacing faulty parts is a piece of cake.
Planning
We realise that most of you are probably very adept at building a PC, so maybe this step-by-step guide is not for you. However, even if you've built a computer before, it won't hurt to have a glance at this guide. There have been plenty of developments recently in the world of hardware - new sockets, the arrival of SSDs, modular power supplies, and so on.