I'm building a computer -- what do I need to know?

July 6, 2008 6:54 AM

I'm building a computer. What do I need to know?

I'm going to uni (college for you Americans) in October and I want to build myself a computer for then. It's going to be medium-high-end -- ~£800 -- as it's hopefully going to last the next three years of games, upgrades, OSs and so on. I know what components I want - I can sort those out by myself.

The thing is, I've never built a computer before. I have poked around in their insides to install RAM, hard drives and so on, but that's not really the same thing. So I don't know what else you need actually to assemble the bits and pieces into a computer. For example: I can buy the individual components -- will they each come with the cables etc I need? Do I need to buy power cables for each component or do they come with the PSU? How about USB ports built into the case -- do they need special, I don't know, connectorthingamajigs and will those come with the case? Will the CPU come with a heatsink, thermal paste and whatever you need to attach it to the motherboard?

At the moment the following is the entire contents of my shopping cart. Basically, what else do I need to turn these into a computer?



Gigabyte GA-EP35-DS3 iP35 Socket 775 8 channel audio ATX Motherboard

Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Socket 775 (3.0GHz) 1333FSB 6MB L2 Cache Retail Boxed Processor

Kingston 2GB Kit (2x1GB) DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 Memory Non-ecc CL5 Unbuffered 1.8V

Kingston 1gb DDR2 800mhz/PC2-6400 Non-ecc CL5

Inno3D 8800GT 512MB GDDR3 Wind Edition Cooler Dual DVI TV Out PCI-E Graphics Card

Maxtor 500GB Hard Drive SATAII 7200rpm *32MB Cache* - OEM

Samsung SH-S223F 22X DVD±RW/RAM/DL Serial ATA Black Bare Drive - OEM

Antec Solo Quiet Mini Tower Case - Piano Black/Silver - No PSU

Seasonic S12 II 380W PSU - 12cm Fan 80Plus Efficiency

BenQ G2400W 24" TFT Monitor 1920 x 1200250 cd/m2 5 ms 16:9 HDMI/DVI-D/VGA Black

Logitech X-530 5.1 Speaker System - 70W RMS

Logitech Trackman 2-Button Optical Cordless Trackman Wheel Mouse - PS2/USB

Extra Value 1.3 Megapixel Snake Neck Webcam - USB

Startech Latching SATA Cable M/M - Straight 18"


P.S. I have thought about these component choices but I'm no expert so for instance if this particular PSU is known to be utterly crap and overprices, and the alternative Someoneware PSUII is half the price and never breaks, I'd like to know :)

posted by katrielalex to computers & internet (33 comments total)

I would suggest that you go to a local computer store, one where they have empty cases for purchase, as well as each component individually. You're in the right store if there are bare motherboards displayed on a shelf and a whiteboard with RAM prices on the wall.

Give them the information on your components and ask if there are any gotchas about mixing them all together. In general, you're only going to run into physical limitations. So, you'd want to be sure the motherboard you've selected will physically fit into the case you want. You'll want to be sure that if your motherboard offers more than just rear USB ports that the case either has its own USB ports elsewhere, or has a space for additional ones. The connectors for these to hook onto the motherboard are pretty standard.

Select a power supply based on the number and type of components you're including, as well as whatever expandability you want to have as overhead. There are calculators online for performing the math, i.e., if you want two SATA drives, two optical drives, and you have X processor, you'll need at least a XXX Watt power supply.

Building computers is a fun and fairly simple task, so enjoy it, but be sure you have someone knowledgeable at the store that will be able to double-check your components against eachother.
posted by odinsdream at 7:03 AM on July 6, 2008

There are about 10^4 guides to building a pc online. My case/psu and hardware purchases all came with the required cables. In fact, I have a glut of leftover cables because sometimes both ends came with cables (ie, my SATA drive and MB both came with SATA connectors).

Read your MB manual all the way through. I missed out on dual-channel RAM config for years because I wasn't paying attention to which slots they weren't supposed to go it. I also had/have very suboptimal performance because of too much thermal glop (it came on the heatsink!). Try not to kill stuff with static; the wristbands help.
posted by a robot made out of meat at 7:05 AM on July 6, 2008

Oh, and since you're buying your own case, I would recommend getting one where the hard drive cages are easily removable. I have a tall Antec case where the hard drive cages can swing 90 degrees out, then can be fully removed. This makes it much easier to install and remove drives since you don't have to take off both side panels to access the screws on the opposite side.

You also might want to get drive rails which let you easily slide components in and out after affixing the rails. Anything to reduce the number of times you have to disassemble the case or move it out from the wall to do something is a bonus.
posted by odinsdream at 7:07 AM on July 6, 2008

Will the CPU come with a heatsink, thermal paste and whatever you need to attach it to the motherboard?

Yes, if you buy the one in the retail box vs the OEM model. But you should get some better thermal paste than the thermal pad that comes with it, and probably an a better heatsink. Im not sure what the retail intel heatsink looks like these days, but on my last build it was pretty inferior.

Just looking at your components you should check to make sure 380watts is enough for that graphics card, it might need a 400 or a 450, the new ones draw a TON of power.
posted by T.D. Strange at 7:29 AM on July 6, 2008

For example: I can buy the individual components -- will they each come with the cables etc I need?

Yes, almost certainly. If you check the product pages on newegg, they should be able to tell you what comes in the box either directly or in the purty pitchers.

Do I need to buy power cables for each component or do they come with the PSU?

How about USB ports built into the case -- do they need special, I don't know, connectorthingamajigs and will those come with the case?

There will be cables extending back from the USB / 1394 / eSATA ports in the case that you plug into parts of the motherboard.

Will the CPU come with a heatsink, thermal paste and whatever you need to attach it to the motherboard?

Yes. If you're not planning on overclocking, the thermal pad/paste on the retail chip's heatsink is one less thing to fuck up and probably works well enough. You can always replace the heatsink later if you have heat problems.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 7:44 AM on July 6, 2008

Yep there are a lot of guides out there, and a lot of askme questions on this topic. My advice hasn't changed much since this thread. I don't recommend you visit a pc shop, you can get the information you need and much better prices online. You save so much with better price/performance by building yourself you still come out ahead even if you wind up burning a little money on an incompatible or flaky component.

Don't know much about your particular component choices, except I particularly like that case. Do a little reading on silent pcs. PCs have so much power these days, reducing noise is the place where you may want to pay for a little extra "performance". I would buy a heavier duty power supply with good ratings. That's one place to spend extra to avoid annoying problems.


"I have poked around in their insides to install RAM, hard drives and so on, but that's not really the same thing"
Actually, it pretty much is.

"will they each come with the cables etc I need"
For the most part I find things come with the needed cables these days. If it says "retail" it definitely has the cables, oem may not. However the motherboard will come with the necessary drive cables. You can visit the shop for missing cables without getting burned too much.

The retail cpu will come with a heatsink. If it is not already mounted, buy your own top-grade heat-sink paste, and don't put it on too thick.
posted by Manjusri at 7:48 AM on July 6, 2008

Kingston 2GB Kit (2x1GB) DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 Memory Non-ecc CL5 Unbuffered 1.8V
Kingston 1gb DDR2 800mhz/PC2-6400 Non-ecc CL5

Surely it makes more sense to just get 2X2GB sticks. Okay, you won't see all of it if you're planning on running XP or Vista32. But if you're going to university, you're going to be in an environment where Vista64 disks are around in your friends' rooms or available cheap. 2x2GB preserves your upgrade path to 8GB+ of RAM when your machine starts to feel pokey in two years.

Seasonic S12 II 380W PSU - 12cm Fan 80Plus Efficiency

Probably cheaper in the long run to pick up a good 500 watt unit, esp. if you're planning on grabbing a new video card. A new video card will really extend the life of the machine, but at the same time you want to be able to drop in a GT280x2 or ATI 4870x2 in two or three years. Which you won't with a 380 watt PSU.

BenQ G2400W 24" TFT Monitor 1920 x 1200250 cd/m2 5 ms 16:9 HDMI/DVI-D/VGA Black

Are you sure you want a 1920x1200 monitor if you're going to be gaming? Driving a monitor at that high a resolution takes lots of oomph, and running LCD monitors at other than their native resolution results in a big quality hit.

Startech Latching SATA Cable M/M - Straight 18"

For what? Have you heard of people having their SATA cables just fall off?
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 7:55 AM on July 6, 2008

For what? Have you heard of people having their SATA cables just fall off?
OEM drives don't always come with cables.

You'll definately need a bigger PSU, particularly if you're planning to upgrade in the future. If you want to future-proof, don't skimp on the mobo, get the best you can afford because once its time to replace that you might aswell buy a whole new machine.

This is just my annecdotal experience with BenQ but you get what you pay for - mine had 2 stuck pixels within weeks of getting it and last little more than a year before it died completely.
posted by missmagenta at 8:05 AM on July 6, 2008

Definitely go with 2x2 GB ram and a bigger PSU. I generally spend more on my MB, because that determines your future upgrade path, so you want the best you can get. You're probably OK with a 2GHZ processor, if you need to take money from somewhere else. I'd also go with a raid card(or maybe a MB that supports it) and two of those drives, too, but that might be a little advanced to start out with. Makes installing the OS a little different, but increases performance and mirroring can save your ass. Speaking of saving your ass, you'll need some sort of backup setup, the easiest being an external drive.

HDs and drives generally come with the cables necessary.
posted by Mr. Gunn at 8:13 AM on July 6, 2008

I've had great luck with the arstechnica guides... I'd go to their website and just order what they list for a particular computer build. That was what got me up to speed on how to build a computer, after not having done so for 10 years.
posted by tinkertown at 8:16 AM on July 6, 2008

Heh, you'll be fine. The components themselves have everything you need included, except maybe thermal grease for the processor fan. Get an extra packet/syringe of that if you're not sure. And you'll need a phillips head screwdriver. I went in to my first build cold and it's fairly easy. The instructions for the motherboard will feature diagrams of the various usb 'headers' and other little pin slots like the power button and HD light. Those are tricky, depending on how helpfully the wires in the case are labeled. Needlenose pliers are useful there. Pay attention to how the chip fan is installed, too, since you may need to do that before screwing the mobo to the case. Once you have usb/power headers covered, the chip fan slotted, and the PSU squared away, the rest is easy.
posted by cowbellemoo at 8:47 AM on July 6, 2008

I can't recommend NZXT cases enough. Completely toolless install of components (except for mobo and power supply), and NO BUSTED KNUCKLES. Cheap cases always have sharp edges that kill the crap out of your hands. All the edges on my NZXT Nemesis Elite are folded/rounded.
posted by Mach5 at 8:49 AM on July 6, 2008

A laptop would be more useful.
posted by w0mbat at 9:16 AM on July 6, 2008

OEM drives don't always come with cables.

Assuming the OP means the GA-EP35-DS3 L, his/her chosen motherboard appears to come with two SATA cables.

Unless the UK version differs from the one on Newegg.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 9:20 AM on July 6, 2008

With that graphics card you might need more power. Consider the Antec Sonata III case, which comes with quiet drive mounting hadware and a quiet, energy efficient 500W PSU.

The other thing I highly recommend to protect your investment is an uninterruptable power supply, mostly to filter the power coming into the box, thought it'll also help if you end up in a dorm with splotty power.
posted by dws at 9:27 AM on July 6, 2008

Having built my last 4 computer I can tell you that the power supply is the weak link. Don't buy cheap. A quality PSU isn't that much more than the bargain ones and usually the first thing to break so don't skimp.
posted by Bonzai at 9:32 AM on July 6, 2008

Thanks all of you so far! From what I read so far:

1) Upgrade the PSU -- will do! I like the sound of "futureproof" =)

2) Upgrade RAM -- likewise, especially for an additional £10. I can always dual boot into 64bit Ubuntu if I want to use every last megabyte.

3) @wombat -- A laptop would be more useful: I've thought about it but I don't need it in lectures (am reading Maths -- handwritten notes are the way to go!) and somehow I think a laptop with the above specs would be out of my price range. I may buy an Eee PC if it turns out I really need the portability.

4) RAID array: my important backups fit easily onto a 4GB thumb drive and I'm not too worried about hard drive failure. Unless it's better somehow to use RAID 0 and lots of smaller drives?
posted by katrielalex at 9:35 AM on July 6, 2008

will they each come with the cables etc I need?

Yes and no. OEM drives may not, but your motherboard may come with the cable. I wouldnt worry about it until everything arrives. No user spending 20 or 30 dollars on cables you never use.

Do I need to buy power cables for each component or do they come with the PSU?

All items plug into the PSU. There are no seperate cables for this.

How about USB ports built into the case -- do they need special, I don't know, connectorthingamajigs and will those come with the case?

Yes, the motherboard will have a cable that plugs into the mobo's USB header. Along with on/off button, drive lights, etc. This stuff is mostly standardized, but may inolve some guesswork the first time.

Will the CPU come with a heatsink, thermal paste and whatever you need to attach it to the motherboard?

Yes and no. Buy the retail box of the CPU. It will come with that stuff. The OEM version may not.

If youve ever installed a heatsink on a CPU before it might be a good idea to have someone help you the first time.
posted by damn dirty ape at 9:35 AM on July 6, 2008

Personally I'd buy the OEM version of the CPU and buy some decent thermal paste and a decent heatsink. Personally I've always loved the Zalman heatsinks, but some of them are HUGE. I've always bought heatsinks on ebay too, but then I aim to be about 2 years behind the OMGHOWMUCH?!? level of building just so I can buy all the super top end stuff the hardcore gamers are just throwing out. :)
posted by twine42 at 10:11 AM on July 6, 2008

You don't need RAID. Moreover, raid 0 will not do a great job of protecting your data. In fact, 0 makes it more likely your data will be unrecoverable unless you have several drives. Raid 1+0 is not bad, but it is very space inefficient and requires a minimum of 4 disks.

If you're really nuts about data safety, buy 3 Seagate Baracudas (7200 - 10k rpm) and set up Raid 5 which allows one drive in the array to be physically replaced without losing the data on the entire array.
posted by judge.mentok.the.mindtaker at 11:02 AM on July 6, 2008

I mean, Raid 0 will make it more likely your data is unrecoverable, and the chance that you will lose your data increases as you add more drives (srsly)
posted by judge.mentok.the.mindtaker at 11:03 AM on July 6, 2008

Intel stock heatsinks can be very, very loud, so an aftermarket heatsink is a good idea.

Definitely go with either 2x 2GB or 2x 1GB on the RAM, don't do 3x 1GB. Dual channel won't work with 3 sticks.

Power consumption of the 8800GT. 380W is plenty. Also, that Seasonic power supply appears to be about $75 itself.. There are a thousand sub $50 choices (here's one at $50) that will be more than adequate for your needs. Even a sub $25 power supply will be completely fine, though you may need a PCI-E 6pin power cable with cheaper power supply choices. If you do decide to move up to very high end SLI configurations, more power will be important, but to me it makes absolutely no sense to spend that money now.
posted by Chuckles at 11:27 AM on July 6, 2008

I like the sound of "futureproof" =)

Don't fool yourself, there is no such product. The best way to be futureproof is to learn about the subject, and become resourceful. It's one thing to plan an upgrade path.. I often recommend getting the best motherboard and the cheapest CPU, and then planning to upgrade the CPU in a couple of years. But nobody knows what new standard will come up in the next 12 months (let alone 3 years), and no amount of money will tell you.
Ya, I didn't listen to this advice when I bought my first 'real' PC either. It was good advice though..
posted by Chuckles at 11:32 AM on July 6, 2008

Power consumption of the 8800GT. 380W is plenty.

But what's the consumption going to be on a 4870x2, or GT280, or GT260x2 or 280x2 in two or three years?

Buying a 500 watt PSU now is not significantly more than buying a 380 watt PSU.

Buying a 500 watt PSU in two years is a whole lot more than not buying one at all in two years.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 12:31 PM on July 6, 2008

Keeping away from product recommendations here, and speaking just of pure assembly -- I have put together several computers in my day, and find that they all go basically like below. You may already know much of this, but I'll include everything I can think of.

1) The case. Unpack it, take off all the tape and rubber bands. Find the pack of screws it undoubtedly came with. Remove the motherboard standoffs (they'll either be brass or plastic, and will look like one of these). If they're brass, there will be matching screws with flat, wide heads that screw into the top of them; remove these as well.

2) The power supply, if not already built into the case. Screw it into place securely. Keep the power cables tied up for now so they don't get in your way. (Incidentally, DO NOT CHEAP OUT on this component. It is by far the most important component in your computer in terms of reliability and longevity.)

3) The processor and heatsink. Place the motherboard on a solid surface with light padding underneath it (they usually come with a very thin foam pad, use that). Install the processor and heatsink per the manufacturer's instructions. Note that many heatsinks take significant pressure to install. Don't be afraid to press as hard as needed, but be careful not to slip and damage the motherboard. If the heatsink came with a thermal "pad" feel free to use it; if it came with paste, remember you're only using a very thin layer. Probably less than you think you need.

4) The motherboard. Position it gently in the case. Note where the mounting holes are. Remove the motherboard, and install the standoffs in the case underneath the motherboard's mounting holes (and nowhere else!). Remove the generic back plate (where all the ports are in the back) from the case, and install the one that came with the motherboard. Make sure to install it in the proper direction, using the motherboard as reference.

Then, place the motherboard back into place, and either snap it onto the plastic standoffs, or screw it onto the brass ones. Make sure none of the metal contacts on the backplate got stuffed into any of the ports. Do not use excessive pressure when screwing the motherboards into place; you want to secure it, not crush it.

5) Hard drive(s) and optical drive(s). If using PATA drives, check their jumpers for proper master/slave settings. If using SATA this is not a concern. The necessary cables should come with the drives if you have retail packages (and not OEM), they'll probably come with the motherboard as well.

Install hard drives in the internal cage. Optical drives generally slide in from the outside. Good cases will include plastic mounting rails to make this easy; in cheaper ones you'll have to screw them directly in. The screws to do so are often included with the drives; if not, they should have been included with the case. There are two kinds of screws that fit in CD/DVD drives, but only one that fits properly. Make sure to use the right one. They generally have small, rounded heads.

6) Cables for the case's front panel. These include power and reset switch, power LED, hard drive activity LED, and audio and USB connectors. Consult the motherboard manual to ensure they're installed properly. Most common error is installing the power or HD connectors backwards -- if a switch or LED doesn't act as you expect, flip it around.

7) RAM. Install it now while there's no other cables or cards in the way.

8) Expansion cards. Sound, video, whatever else you bought. Put them in their slots and screw them into place.

9) Power. Start with the power for the motherboard (often two connectors in modern computers, a large 20+ pin connector, and a smaller 4-pin by the processor). Then wire up the optical drives near the top of the case using the shortest run available, then hard drives. If your video card needs its own power, don't forget that as well. Also connect any case fans (they may plug into the motherboard, or directly into the power supply, you can tell by the shape of the plug -- connect it wherever it fits).

10) Close up the case, you're done!
posted by CrayDrygu at 12:45 PM on July 6, 2008 [3 favorites]

Yes, if you buy the one in the retail box vs the OEM model. But you should get some better thermal paste than the thermal pad that comes with it, and probably an a better heatsink. Im not sure what the retail intel heatsink looks like these days, but on my last build it was pretty inferior.

The retail heatsink is designed by the CPU maker to cool of the CPU at it's intended speed and voltage. If you're not going to overclock, it should work fine.

I can't recommend NZXT cases enough. Completely toolless install of components (except for mobo and power supply)

Wow, those things are tacky. I got an Antec 300 for my most recent PC (just a couple weeks old - dual quad core xeons with for total of 8 CPUs :). The case was easy to open without tools and didn't look like a set-piece from a klingon spaceship.

---

One thing about futureproofing, I think it might be a good idea to get "server" class stuff rather then desktop. My last PC was a socket 939 PC, I got a single-core chip and figured I'd be able to upgrade to dual core pretty easily, indeed dual core chips were only $50 for a while, then they disappeared entirely. But you can still get socket 940 server CPUs You can even find quad socket 940 motherboards and plenty of CPUs, even though socket 939 and 940 came out at the same time. I'm hoping I'll be able to upgrade my socket 771 CPUs for a long time, although the chips are pretty expensive right now.
posted by delmoi at 12:48 PM on July 6, 2008

Screwdriver.

No, seriously. That's what's missing from your list.
posted by ysabet at 1:06 PM on July 6, 2008

Oh, you also need a box/folder where the broken down component boxes, receipts, manuals, etc. go and live forever. I recently had and ATI card die within the warranty period but couldn't find that UPC from when I bought it. That will make you crazy.
posted by a robot made out of meat at 1:20 PM on July 6, 2008

I'm right there with CrayDrygu. That's all good advice.

I just put together essentially the same system you've specified, the same gigabyte mainboard, etc. - I have different memory, a stronger video board, and two hard drives, but the process and the basics are the same. I'm using it right now, fresh built yesterday. Crysis is fun. :)

I will say:
- Unless you intend to really rock out the gaming/overclocking, you don't need a third party cooler. I got an Intell P6600 quad core and the stock cooler is just fine. It's also preloaded with thermal grease.

Installing the CPU: Make really sure you set the processor in the socket properly, and don't wiggle it side to side once it's there. Those gold dots at the bottom of the processor socket don't look much like pins, but they are, and if you bend them, you're done.
So, bravely set the processor in the socket, aligned, once, and then close the lid and clamp it down. Set the cooler on top, aligned with the four holes in the board, and push down the four pins until they snap in. If you need to pull a pin up, use a screwdriver and turn the pin counterclockwise about a half turn, then pull up on it to unseat it.

If you have any concern about mounting the CPU and cooler to the mainboard, then install the RAM on the mainboard and take all three components to your local computer store, ask them to install them and then do a POST test to make sure they're all working. Once they are, take the assembled board home and continue building the system.

On the mainboard, there is a gold heatsink that says "Gigabyte" on it. You will be tempted to use this device to move the board around, it looks like a great handle, but please, don't do that. It's glued down to the BIOS and could cause real heartache for you.

Email's in the profile if you have questions... but you probably won't.
posted by disclaimer at 1:21 PM on July 6, 2008

I've been building computers since the PC XT. I know what happens when you install a 80387 math co-processor the wrong way. I've flipped more DIP switches than light switches. And I will never install another power supply into a computer unless it says PC Power and Cooling on the side.

The key ingredient to a good power supply isn't the power output, it's the quality of the components. Most are junk. Like the "1000W" car amplifiers you see for sale at Target. My simple rule of thumb for power supplies: the heavier, the better. You could take a time machine back to the middle ages and use your PCP&C power supply as a weapon. The things are indestructible.

The other thing, perhaps the most important thing: get the best case you can afford. A poorly designed case will make you cringe any time you have to work on the system. A well-designed case is a joy to behold. Lian-Li is the most consistent performer in this category, though there are plenty of other very capable contenders.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 1:59 PM on July 6, 2008

Grounding strap - USD$5. Prevent mysterious component failures further on.
posted by sebastienbailard at 5:35 PM on July 6, 2008

The key ingredient to a good power supply isn't the power output, it's the quality of the components.

Seconding this. I'd probably move a step up or two from 380W, but it's all about the quality of the power supply, not the raw wattage.

Also seconding Lian Li cases. My latest build used a low-end Lian Li case, and I'm very fond of it (although the pin pivot for the little door at the bottom front snapped off after a year or so, which annoyed me a bit).
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 6:13 PM on July 6, 2008

Just to finish this off, I'm typing this message on the computer which I just built :) It was much easier than I was expecting; if you're in doubt I say give it a go!

The hardware is more or less as above.
posted by katrielalex at 9:58 AM on August 18, 2008