Let's Begin!

I'm excited that you've finally decided to take the jump and begin assembling your own PC. I've tried to make this as easy and simple to follow as possible. Below, you'll find out what parts I bought to begin assembling them and the tools needed to make it possible. Building your own PC can be very rewarding, educational, and can save you a truckload of money.

Here's what I bought:

Item
Place Purchased
Comments

Computer Case:

Generic Computer Case

 I originally purchased my entire computer with price in mind on every component. I have enjoyed my case overall, but I would look for one now with a guaranteed 'quiet' power supply included, similar to the one I recommend today at Amazon.

Case Fan:

Vantech Stealth 80mm Case Fan

 Purchasing one of these when building a PC should be a requirement written in the Constitution. Having a case fan that is set up as an exhaust fan can dramatically lower the internal temperatures in your PC and prolong its overall life. This fan utilizes the 3-pin power connection, which means it connects directly to the motherboard instead of off the power supply.

Motherboard:

Machspeed ViA KT400-8235

This motherboard served we very well at the time, however you should check out my current suggestions for a better pick. This box includes several additional cables to connect your drives together.

Processor:

AMD Athlon XP 2600+

 There are now several processors that are much better picks than when I built my PC (check out my current suggestions for a better pick). AMD processors have shown themselves to be very reliable, powerful, and relatively cheap.

CPU Fan:

Generic Fan

 I wish I had investigated this more before purchasing. My fan is a little louder than I expected, so I would advise going with a guaranteed 'quiet' cooler, similar to ones I recommend.

Thermal Compound:

Generic Compound

 Using the thermal pad/compound already on a CPU fan is perfectly acceptable.

RAM:

Crucial 512 MB PC3200 DDR

Good, dependable memory.

Video Card:

N-vidia GeForce 5200fx (128 MB)

 This card has proven very reliable for me. Video cards are pretty straight-forward to shop for; check out my recommendations for current picks and features to look for.

Sound Card:

Creative Labs Sound Blaster Live! 5.1

Generally, for the non-audiophile, you can get away with using a motherboard's built-in sound card. However, if you decide to get an add-on card, you can start thinking about high digital-quality sound and Surround Sound. Check out my current recommendations!

Speaker System:

Altec Lansing 251

Ideally, you want at least a 3-piece speaker system, but this system is a 6-piece one, fully enabling surround sound. Check out my suggested speaker systems at the link below.

Hard Drive:

Maxtor 160 GB Ultra

Circuit City

I am a big fan of Maxtor hard drives due to the spotless track record I've had with them (to me, this is the one area you can't go for a no-namer).

Floppy Drive:

Generic Drive

 While a lot of people today are going without a floppy drive, why risk it when you'll probably find a time you'll really need one... and only have saved a couple bucks by going without one. Besides, computer cases have a slot for them for a reason.

DVD Burner:

Sony Dual Format Drive

I think DVD burners are practical for a number of reasons: DVD playback, data backup, burning movies... the list goes on.

Keyboard/Mouse:

Logitech Cordless MX Duo

 A cordless mouse and keyboard combination is truly amazing; the freedom it gives you is unimaginable.

Operating System:

Windows 2000

 I use Windows 2000 because I was given it, plus I like the ability to modify some higher-end options. However, most people really need a home version of Windows, like Windows XP or Vista.

 

Here again are my complete recommendations for building a PC with great parts at a low price!

Slightly Less Essentials...

Here are some additional supplies you may need:

Item
Reason
Anti-static Wrist strap Generally, it is better to be safe than sorry. Wearing one while assembling your PC will help you prevent from messing up any parts from static electricity.
Philips Screwdriver You need this to remove any case screws and to fasten your drives in their bays.
Flathead Screwdriver Sometimes this is needed to leverage the CPU fan onto the motherboard.
Small Flashlight To see in those dark areas.
Tweezers

You may need to pick up a screw you dropped into the case, or to set the jumpers on the back of your drives.
Cable Ties Using these will help you keep everything organized, and it also could help improve airflow inside the case
Paper and Pencil Useful for making notes.

 

Common Problems

Most problems encountered in assembling and using your newly-built PC can be traced back to poor component quality. Go with my recommended parts, and you should prevent a lot of future headaches. Now, let's roll up our sleeves and get to work!

 

Next - Assemble a Computer: The Case »

 

Tip: Building a computer is not as big of a challenge as you might think. With helpful guides (such as this one!), along with the fact that nearly every computer part is 'keyed' so it will only fit one way, it's a lot more like assembling a Lego set.