Pro gamers have preferences that are as unique as they are; that’s why only a custom-built gaming PC can provide them with the best experience.
A customized gaming PC reflects your gaming taste and allows you to play the games you want at your preferred frame rate. Here is a complete guide on how to build a gaming PC from scratch.
1. Gather Some PC Building Tools
Before starting to build an affordable gaming PC, you should prepare the workspace and gather all essential tools. Preparing ahead of time will ensure a smooth building process without any inconvenience.
The basic requirements for building a gaming PC are:
- Workspace: You will need a spacious and large workspace to assemble your PC. Also, ensure to stand on a carpeted surface to prevent electrostatic discharge and other potential accidents.
- USB Flash Drive: A 16GB USB will be required to store the installer for the operating systems of your gaming PC.
- Screwdrivers: These will be used to assemble the PC components inside the case.
- Multiple Light Sources: You will need a well-lit area with multiple light sources when building the gaming PC. You can also use a moveable light source to illuminate the nooks and crannies of your case.
- Scissors: To unpack the components and assemble wires, you will need scissors or a pair of wire cutters.
- Zip Ties: You can use these to tie the cables and give a neater inside look to your PC.
- Organizers: Gaming PC components come with many additional parts, some of which are optional and some essential for installation. Organizers can help you to sort these parts and keep your workspace neat.
2. Select the Case for Your Gaming PC
Before picking the components of your gaming PC, you should look for the case. Which case will be perfect for you depends on the location of your gaming setup. When choosing the case, you must keep in mind where you are going to put it.
The general categories of cases are:
- Full-Tower Cases: They are around 22 to 24 inches tall, 8 inches wide, and 18 to 20 inches long. These can fit both standard full-size ATX motherboards and extended ATX motherboards.
- Mini-Tower Cases: These cases require extensive cable management and can accommodate several motherboards, such as mini-ITX motherboards.
- Mid-Tower Cases: These cases have enough storage for a couple of graphic cards, several hard drives, and a modest cooling system. They are the most common and suitable case size for a gaming setup.
3. Get All Gaming PC Parts Altogether
After gathering all the build tools and selecting the case for your gaming PC, now it's time to get all the parts together.
Step 1: Install the Motherboard on the CPU
Step 2: Install SSD
Step 3: Connect CPU Cooling System
Step 4: Install RAM
Step 5: Connect Cables
Step 6: Connect the Power Supply to the Motherboard
Step 7: Install a GPU
Step 8: Connect USB Flash Drive to Install OS
You can also seek help from the professional PC builder to customize your gaming PC further and update it according to your needs and preferences.
After making all the arrangements and setting up the gaming PC, you must ensure the following:
- Optimize system settings
- Update the GPU
- Explore what your system is offering
4. Optimize Your Gaming PC
Once you have set up the system and it is complete to run, consider the following tips to maximize its performance:
- Enable your RAM’s XMP from BIOS to make sure it is running at its rated speed.
- Monitor the temperature of your PC during gaming with the help of software tools like MSI Afterburner.
- For optimal gaming performance, adjust the Windows settings and disable all the unnecessary processes running in the background.
- To enjoy the latest features and compatibility improvements, update your motherboard’s BIOS.
- Consider overclocking the GPU to push it beyond its standard limits. This will significantly boost your gaming PC’s performance.
- Ensure your graphics card drivers are up-to-date.
- To reduce the boot time and free up resources, disable all the non-essential programs that launch automatically when your PC starts.
- During long-time gaming sessions, turn off notifications to reduce CPU usage.
- Enable Gaming mode in Windows to reduce latency and prioritize game-related processes.
