How to Build Your Own Gaming PC

By John Teti Published 20 May, 2011

An idiot's guide.

To build a gaming PC is to enter a dazzling realm of modern engineering, blazing fast processors and cutting-edge graphics. Why, just the process of selecting a hard drive offers hundreds of possible options, each one representing an opportunity to fine-tune your machine into peak performance. This is the guide for people who cannot be bothered with that crap.

Look, your consoles play games just fine. Some of them do other things as well, like streaming movies or facilitating identity theft. You don't need a gaming PC.

Sure, many games look better on a well-equipped computer, and there's the occasional big-ticket game that's exclusive to Windows. But in truth, there is only one good reason to build a gaming PC, which is that it's fun. It's fun to piece something together, plug it in and make it go. And the pride from a successful build lasts a long time.

This guide is not about maximising your computer's specs; it's about maximising fun (or, more to the point, minimising agony). It is designed to be both helpful and laughable in its inadequacy. Much of the advice I offer will be objectively terrible. Dedicated hobbyists will not like (or need) this guide. I am fond of hobbyists. I just don't think you need to be one in order to build your own PC.

1. Should you do this?

Probably not. It's sort of complicated. Take this questionnaire.

Do you know how a computer works?

A. Yes. The hard drive is for long-term storage, RAM is for short-term data, and they both connect to a motherboard, which... [You continue to recite an accurate outline of a computer's workings even though I have obviously stopped listening.]

B. Yes. I type the thing into the Google, and my internet goes to the thing.

C. Yes. I push the lever down, and a few minutes later, my potato waffles are done.

For those who answered anything other than "A," put down the hammer and nails - you are not going to be building a PC today. The fact that you thought you'd be using a hammer and nails should have been a red flag.

2. Prepare to shop

There are two things you need to start shopping: a store and a better guide than this one.

Here in the US, I like to get computer stuff from Newegg. I hear that in the UK, Novatech and Aria PC are popular. I'm not endorsing any of these. Honestly, if you can't find a computer store on the internet, that does not bode well for success in this process.

Watch out for money-saving opportunities. For instance, many items come with a rebate offer attached. A rebate works like this: the manufacturer promises to give you money if you buy a product, and then once you buy the product, they do not actually give you money.

1

Case (n.): The paper bag you put over your computer's head.

As for the better guide, I mean a guide filled with the technical arcana that this guide lacks. You will reference this as you shop, and here's how: if the product you're considering seems to have a lot of the same acronyms and numbers as the products in the tech-speak guide, you can buy with 100 per cent confidence, maybe.

Select the homeliest, pixilated spreadsheety-est, jargony-est message-board guide you can find. I highly recommend the annual NeoGAF PC-building thread as a model of the form. It presents a surfeit of solid information in the most unattractive manner possible.

Ugly is good. Putting a computer together is a raw, nuts-and-bolts deal; that's part of the joy. When people try to make the process romantic, it feels false at best and icky at worst.

True story: while researching my recent PC build, I came across a glossy online guide in which the author described Intel's new Sandy Bridge processor chipset as if it were a woman whom he desired to have sex with. This despite the reality that Sandy Bridge is the least arousing name Intel could have chosen for their product.

The downside of message-board guides is that they are typically followed by thousands of enraged comments to the effect that everything in the guide is wrong. Ignore them. Which brings me to the next step:

3. Embrace your ignorance

Decide how much money you'd like to spend on this enterprise. For my recent PC build I set a budget of $900, which is the equivalent of about £25.50 or, in the imminent post-economic-apocalypse landscape, a tooth.

Don't worry too much about that budget at first. Just start piling motherboards and other junk into your cart while staying in the ballpark of your ideal figure. Maybe you end up with a computer worth two teeth. That's OK. Dream a little.

After you've pretend-splurged, whittle things back down under budget. Don't mourn the high-end kit you have to delete from your cart because - I can't emphasise this enough - you were never going to notice the difference anyway.

See, as you research PC components, a strange thing will happen. You, a person who stands there picking chunks of raw cookie dough from the tube without even closing the refrigerator door, will come to believe that you have the expert discernment of an audio-visual engineer. "This 6850 video card won't do at all," you'll harrumph, "a person of my taste requires the 6950."

No, you don't. Richard Leadbetter can tell the difference between the graphics power of the 6850 and the 6950, probably with his eyes closed. You and me, we can't. MAYBE if we run a side-by-side demo. By the way, never do this.

Don't run benchmark software, either, because it makes a little chart with little bars on it, and then you compare the length of your bar to the bars that people have posted on the internet, and all of a sudden it's gym class 1996 all over again.

2

Overclock (v.): To convert a functional processor into one that crashes a lot but does so very quickly.

Your ignorance is an enormous asset. It saves money and preserves fun. Build something that works nicely within your budget, and then forget that anything else ever existed. If you still find yourself tempted by the high-end, keep in mind the great equaliser: no matter how much you spend on your PC, in a few years it will be junk.

Beware. People will try to undermine your bliss. Last weekend I mentioned to my brother, a PC-building enthusiast, that I had put together my own computer.

"I think I have an extra video card that you could use," he said.

"Nah, that's OK," I said.

"Are you sure? It's probably faster than the one you have. I think it's a 9500," he said.

"Oh, mine is a 9600," I said, and he relented.

Lesson: If you ever get into a conversation with someone about your PC's specs, lie. Specifically, take the last number mentioned in conversation and add 100. When the interlocutor asks about a 3.3 GHz Intel i5 processor, casually offer that you have the 103.3 GHz Intel i105 processor. If questioned further, say, "You know, the new one." Then place a large quantity of food in your mouth and walk away.

The truth is, I don't remember what the model number of my video card is. All I know is everything looks real pretty.

On to the components, then.

4. The case

The case is the hulking plastic box into which you will cram the computer's innards. To decide on a case style, it's time for another ultra-short questionnaire:

Do you have dignity?

A. Yes

B. No

If you answered "A," just get an inoffensive black / grey case and be done with it.

If you answered "B," ask somebody who answered "A" to pick a case for you.

"Case style" is an oxymoron. No one is going to find your computer stylish. It's a wheezing box of circuitry. Midnight-blue LED spotlights, transparent side panels and garish paint jobs aren't going to change that. They only compound the embarrassment.

(Confession: I think the see-through panel is a neat idea, but I've never seen a windowed case that didn't look like it was designed by a 12 year-old sketching in the margins of his geometry textbook.)

Because you will reuse it for future builds, choosing a case is the PC-building equivalent of getting a tattoo. A blinged-out dork-box is the equivalent of a rainbow-unicorn tramp stamp. While you might convince yourself that it's cool right now, it is a time bomb of regret.

By the same token, a boring grey-rectangle case is like a little heart tattoo by your ankle: still not so tasteful, but whatever.

5. The processor and motherboard

The processor, or CPU, is the "brain" of the PC, according to a Burger King placemat I read once. Modern games, however, depend much more on the graphics card than the CPU. In gaming PCs as in life, the brain matters a lot less than you might hope.

The gigahertz / cores / chipsets breakdown changes on a monthly basis, but processors are a commodity. As such you will notice they fall into a consistent price hierarchy, even as the technology evolves.

High-end processors are manufactured as a practical joke. In essence, Intel is daring you to purchase a CPU that is maybe 2 per cent faster than comparable products costing hundreds less. They put this precious jewel on the shelf and then sneak around the corner, trying to hold in their giggles as some dingus with a God complex walks up and buys the thing because he has to have the "very best".

Then there is the second tier. The prices are reasonable by comparison and their still-considerable power will come in handy for all that protein-fold analysis you do. What's that you say? You don't decode intensely complicated atomic structures on your PC? Rather, you play Desktop Dungeons and design flyers for your alt-rock band in Microsoft Paint? Right, that's what I thought.

In short, if you plan to spend more than £150 on your processor (and even that is a lot), it might be time for some soul-searching. Hie thee to the third tier.

Motherboards are pretty easy. Find the boards that are compatible with your processor's chipset. Next, find a midrange model that has plenty of slots and a number of decent user reviews. Buy that one. Sure, the most popular motherboard is not necessarily the best one, but at least if it stinks there are plenty of people suffering along with you.

6. The video card

3

AMD PH II X4 955 3.2G AM3 RT (n.): Hell if I know.

Feel free to spend a little more on your video card as games rely on this component more than anything else. That said, you should still avoid the deep, pricey end of the technological pool, which is where the rubes swim. And, in all likelihood, where they pee.

If you're hooking your PC up to a huge, high-resolution desktop monitor, you're going to want a powerful card because it has a lot of pixels to push. (This is a colloquialism; the card is not literally pushing the pixels. In actuality, the process is more like a stern beating.)

I connected my gaming PC to my TV, a setup I recommend. A TV typically has fewer pixels than a comparable monitor, you see. Plus, my couch is eight feet away from the set. The viewing distance means that I can buy a cheaper card and the picture still looks great. Therefore, if you want to save money on a video card, move your couch.

7. The hard drive

Hard drives are cheap. Get a fast one. Anything slower than 7200 RPM, and you might as well chisel the ones and zeroes in there by hand. I mean, honestly.

The other consideration is size. Here is the formula for determining ideal hard drive capacity: take the number of times per week that you download internet pornography, and multiply that number times 100. This is the number of gigabytes your hard drive should have. (NOTE: Current drives generally max out at 3000 gigabytes, but you can buy more than one.)

An exciting new innovation is the advent of fast solid-state drives. Less capacious and far more expensive than traditional hard drives, today's SSDs are great for PC builders who find themselves in a "Brewster's Millions"-type situation, in which they must spend a huge quantity of money within 30 days so that they may inherit an even larger sum of money. Good luck!

8. Everything else

RAM is even cheaper than hard drives so there's no need to skimp. A pair of 2-gigabyte sticks, for a total of 4 GB, should do the trick. You must install the sticks in adjacent slots on your motherboard for maximum performance. Placed in such close proximity, each stick of RAM will fight to outperform its sibling and win your favour. They will grow to resent each other and, with time, you.

4

RAM (n.): Rutherford Access Memory, named for its inventor, William RAM.

Do you need a sound card? If it is 1997: definitely.

You'll have to purchase an OS for your rig, which is to say Windows. Microsoft sells discounted editions for system builders; don't buy the regular boxed copy. You may have a friend who will urge you to try gaming on an open-source OS like Linux. This is a great opportunity to not be friends with that person anymore.

Buy your power supply last. There are a number of online calculators that can help you determine the right wattage (probably in the 500- to 600-watt range). Get more wattage than you need right now, to allow for later expansion.

The most reliable power supplies carry what is called an "80 PLUS" certification. This seal of approval indicates that the unit has undergone rigorous industry tests to ensure that it has at least 80, and sometimes even more than 80.

9. Put it all together

The parts will be shipped to your home in the finest cardboard boxes. Open these boxes and take the parts out. Put everything into the slot where it looks like it's supposed to go.

No kidding, it's not much more complicated than that. Sure, there are going to be gaps between the myriad instruction booklets you receive, and Tab A doesn't always slide effortlessly into Slot B. You'll have figure a few things out for yourself. But that's your deal - you're a gamer, right? You thrive on challenges like this.

Keeping that philosophy in mind, here are a few general tips to make your assembly go more smoothly.

  • Always ensure that parts are seated firmly, yet do not apply excessive force.
  • The tangle of wires coming from the power supply can be intimidating at first. Be patient; sort through the cables one by one.
  • Minimise the number of tacos you consume while assembling the computer. If possible, eat no tacos (or, more reasonably, only soft tacos).
  • If the PC doesn't work the first time you start it up, don't panic! Simply switch the computer off, put it in the garbage and begin again from Step 1.
  • If you find that the verge depth of your anchor escapement is causing the wheel to bind up, you have mistakenly assembled a cuckoo clock.

10. Bask in your superiority

Congratulations! You have joined an elite group: those who dared to build it themselves. Granted, you didn't do much more than place a bunch of pieces in their respective holes - you "built your PC" in the same way that a guy who screws in a light bulb has "invented electricity".

Still, you should be proud. Now it's time to reward yourself with - what else - a pleasant afternoon of gaming. So fire up that Xbox and enjoy. You've earned it!

Picture of John.

About John Teti

John Teti is a writer and producer based in New York. His interests include games, TV, cake, and being a writer and producer based in New York.

Read more articles from John by visiting the John Teti archive page.

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Comments (144) Latest comment 1 year ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • LHH #1 1 year ago

    slow news day? Build all my own PCs anyway, it's really not that hard anymore.

    Edit, article is quite humourous actually

    pc gaming sucks
    Edited by LHH at 20/05/11 @ 09:49

  • Cordite #2 1 year ago

    Heh, good stuff.

  • mk-1601 #3 1 year ago

    Is John Teti someone's 'wacky mate' that it would be socially awkward to turn down when he submits humourless, insightless drivel like this? Please stop.

  • Eraysor #4 1 year ago

    I built my current PC last week, it's incredibly easy.

  • Amajiro #5 1 year ago

    Well I learnt absolutely nothing but it was a fun read.

  • chudders #6 1 year ago

    Tres bon bon bon bon.

  • Bertie Verified Senior Staff Writer, Eurogamer.net #7 1 year ago

    Ha - great :)

  • suicida #8 1 year ago

    What a shit article

  • linea #9 1 year ago

    The other advantage of building your own is of course that if your house gets broken into then the thieves are bound to go off with your housemate's shiny iMac instead of your ugly beige box (which in my case still has a 'Windows 98' sticker on it) but is in fact at least 4 times as powerful as said iMac.

    buahahaha.

  • subedii #10 1 year ago

    Well someone's having a bad morning.

    I've read countless articles on the "right" way to build a new PC over the years, and not one has ever informed me of the critical cuckoo clock error. It's always important to avoid that.

    Look, it's an article that's generally informative for people new to what they need, and still doesn't hesitate to poke fun at the whole process. What's to hate?

  • SuperFanBoy #11 1 year ago

    Quite funny article, but isn't it going to seriously tick off pc gamers? "Only good reason to build a PC is because it's fun" seems kinda harsh.

  • supermaniacs #12 1 year ago

    To add another place to shop, try PC Specialist. Attractive price with an awesome helpful community answering any questions you may have....

  • SeesThroughAll #13 1 year ago

    "Here in the US, I like to get computer stuff from Newegg. I hear that in the UK, Novatech and Aria PC are popular. I'm not endorsing any of these."

    lol

    Seriously, very nice article. Thanks, EG.

  • jellyBelly #14 1 year ago

    Ssd all the way. Faster, less noise, less heat, less moving parts,no fragmentation, etc.

  • Vroom #15 1 year ago

    Great stuff.

  • jimr9999us #16 1 year ago

    My gawd, if you can play with legos you can build your own computer.

    Should you build your own? If you want twice the rig for half the cost then YES YES YES.


    You're not "building" anything, you're just plugging in some parts and inserting a disk. SERIOUSLY folks, fear is the mind killer.

    Ignore this article and build, rather, assemble, your own rig. DO IT!

  • Xabarin #17 1 year ago

    True fact: when I build a PC I do it just wearing my underwear because that way I don't have to worry about static electricity. The joys of PC gaming.

    /sheds a tear

  • Haloboy #18 1 year ago

    But in truth, there is only one good reason to build a gaming PC

    Yes it's called The Witcher 2.

  • LHH #19 1 year ago

    Yes it's called The Witcher 2.

    hahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

  • jimr9999us #20 1 year ago

    lol, ok....after I posted my comment I went ahead and read the entire article.

    Whatever. I admitted it. Great article and my original point doesn't change it's just kind of the same as the article I should've read before posting.

    Whatever. Clever article, it made me chuckle :)

  • SeesThroughAll #21 1 year ago

    Should you build your own? If you want twice the rig for half the cost then YES YES YES.

    Quoted for truth. :)

    Next "gen" (whatever that is) I'm planning to go exclusively PC. Skyrim, Civilization, RTS games in general, etc., will always play better on PC - FACT

  • Ryboy #22 1 year ago

    Do it for a living. Easy.

  • Subquest #23 1 year ago

    @mk-1601 That's shockingly poor form. Please leave.

    I'd just add - don't forget thermal paste

  • LHH #24 1 year ago

    If you want twice the rig for half the cost

    That isn't technically true anymore unless you're a mong who buys their PCs from pcworld

  • bad09 #25 1 year ago

    Good read.

    Building one is piss easy and you get more for money than these pre-builds companies do. I've had to get a pre-build just last night, my own baby died thanks to a drunken spilt vodka and orange and I just can't fix her. Lack of funds means we can't buy the parts right now to build a whole new rig so we just asked Mr Catalogue for a PC (some Acer I5 jobbie). Graphics card is a step back but I'm still upgrading in many ways so it'll do until funds are better and I can build something meatier.

    Building the PC is alost as fun as the gaming side for me love opening new bits and bobs smelling all nice and fitting 'em in, it's not for everyone as it can be pricey as you go higher and trouble shooting can be a pricey clueless bitch (although all questions can be answered eventually thanks to google)! but the bond between you and your hand made gaming machine just cannot be had on the consoles.

    With that in mind can we please have a minutes silence for my dead baby who served me well over the last couple of years and was declared unsavable last night due to a tragic and silly accident :(

    / mourns the death of his baby, awaits new baby coming Tuesday so he can bloody well get on with Witcher so he can bloody well get on with Witcher 2!

  • Popzeus #26 1 year ago

    Bravo, Teti. Best article on EG in a good long while. More of this, please, and ignore the inevitable backlash from the Aspergers Brigade.

  • Subquest #27 1 year ago

    But in truth, there is only one good reason to build a gaming PC

    Three reasons: resolution, frame rates, mouse driven games (eg Civ V)

    I'll show myself out.

  • mkreku #28 1 year ago

    I thought it was hilarious.

  • Snufkin #29 1 year ago

    All those moaning that this is a useless article - maybe if you already know what you're doing, but the most I have ever done is insert a firewire card in a PC so this guide is potentially useful to me. The range of options are very dizzying for the uninitiated!

  • andywilkie35 #30 1 year ago

    Surely you could just buy an xbox - cheaper and much, much better.

  • DiamondIce #31 1 year ago

    Why the word rig? It is one of the most nauseating ways to refer to a bloody computer I have ever heard.

  • Peregrin #32 1 year ago

    Great article! I am SO going to quote 'you "built your PC" in the same way that a guy who screws in a light bulb has "invented electricity"' at every opportunity.

    Seriously, though. A current generation console costs what, all of £100? Anyone who still plays games on a homebuilt PC either has too much money or not enough friends.

  • Adi-C #33 1 year ago

    I never though one can laugh all the time while reading a "how to build a pc" type of article. Turns out it's possible. Instant classic. Laughed so hard at the psu "80" part!
    Edited by Adi-C at 26/01/12 @ 08:58

  • LHH #34 1 year ago

    Why the word rig? It is one of the most nauseating ways to refer to a bloody computer I have ever heard.

    'cos some people actually think it's hardcore and makes them really cool like the guys in fast and furious

  • Clavain #35 1 year ago

    Fantastic article. Poking fun at the process and actually pretty much nailing the essential fact that as long as you have a mid-range graphics card there's nothing you can't run on reasonably high settings these days.

  • Apollo #36 1 year ago

    Nicely done humourous piece! More of these please - 8\10 ; )
    Edited by Apollo at 20/05/11 @ 09:27

  • Inmediasress #37 1 year ago

    @andywilkie35

    To be honest a mid range PC can play almsot any kind of game with good graphics settings.
    Kind of the same shit as consoles because thanks to consoles the PC market in terms of hardware slowed considerably down.
    I remember the old days when a video card lasted a month before a new one was released.
    The thing is that it irritates me when all the console boys start to moan about how expensive a pc is and what not whereas it was true say 6-7 years ago but now I'm perfectly fine with my current 5 year old config it still plays the Witcher2 in med to high setting with some tweaking here and there.
    So in other words I don't hate consoles just the idiotic console fanboys spouting nonsense.

  • frunk #38 1 year ago

    I have built dozens of PCs in my life. Some serious rigs with custom phase-change CPU cooling to push the 5GHz barrier.

    I usually have a couple of gaming PCs "on the go"... and never ever have I read a more accurate article on building a PC.

    Really leave the moronic water cooling crap to folks like me. This article actually makes a lot of sense and I wish I had read it years ago.

    The key is "buy mid range" unless you have more money than sense. John hit the nail on the head with the 2% faster = 100% more cost, it IS a joke to catch out the perfectionist. I fell into the trap a few times... love what I made and hardly played anything on it before feeling I had to "upgrade" again... sigh...

    But that is the joy... my hobby was "putting together a Killer PC"... not playing games... they *should* go hand in hand, but often don't.
    Edited by frunk at 20/05/11 @ 09:33

  • Anciegher #39 1 year ago

    Eh...I've built my own computers since I was 15. If a kid can do it, anyone can. It's so easy now adays you can't really fail. Just follow the instructiosn included in the box, if in doubt, use google.

    This will usually save you 50% of the price of a similar speced rig from a retail store (usually they ship with subpar components).

    2 hours of work and save a thousand bucks! Sounds good to me.

  • Toothball #40 1 year ago

    Very useful guide. I've build PCs in the past, but I have to admit to taking the easy way out with my current one by letting Dell do it for me. Building a laptop isn't quite so easy.

  • Zeliard #41 1 year ago

    Why the word rig? It is one of the most nauseating ways to refer to a bloody computer I have ever heard.

    'cos some people actually think it's hardcore and makes them really cool like the guys in fast and furious

    Look up the definition of "rig", children.

  • cianchristopher #42 1 year ago

    Ha! Brilliant article, bravo.

  • Subi #43 1 year ago

    At the risk of sounding like an advert, <a href = "http://www.bit-tech.net">Bit-Tech.net</a>, Custom PC's partner website. Plenty of UK-based build guides, complete with parts lists and cheapest sources. Personally, I tend to use Scan to buy bits from, because I drive past Aria's warehouse on the way to work every morning. :)
    Edited by Subi at 20/05/11 @ 09:53

  • abigsmurf #44 1 year ago

    Traditional, US style rebates are illegal in the UK so avoid websites that promise them (although 'cashback' offers somehow get around this, guess it's because they pay you automatically rather then making you send all your receipts off).

    The cheapest site for components is generally Ebuyer although scan and dabs occasionally have good deals.

  • OnlyMe #45 1 year ago

    This article tells the truth. I've built around three gaming PCs for myself, and a couple for others. I don't do it very often, but quite frankly it gets easier every time. Not because of experience, but because everything fits perfectly into slots. Only thing I have problem with is that the graphics cards keep getting bigger and bigger, and the midi-towers doesn't seem to have grown an inch to make up for that. I'm thinking of getting a maxi-tower next time, but then again, I guess maybe that's what I should've gone with from the start when making a gaming pc? I know my simple black tower has no chance of fitting two graphics cards into it.

    Anyways, fun article, and as I said, completely true.

  • RobTheBuilder #46 1 year ago

    The cuckoo clock thing can be fixed in bios.

  • humanchu #47 1 year ago

    Great writing! Please follow up.

    I am currently debating about going through this ordeal again (being a Mac-guy you can imagine the easthetical agony of choosing among all those revolting case designs) and this article puts all that performance/numbers-nonsense in perspective. Perspective is quite valuable after a couple of hours in pc-builder forums. Like oxygen.

  • Haunted_Tree #48 1 year ago

    Built my first just over a month ago - really simple if you follow the steps in "Build a Better PC 2011".

    Got a bit stuck with the hard drive recognition for the Win7 install. It was OEM so needed to be formatted first. Just followed method 8 on this page: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927520.

    Finally, if your internet connection isn't recognised - run and install the disc that came with your motherboard. Stupid I know but that had me swearing for a while.

    Very useful to have a PS3 or laptop running while your building if you get stuck. Just take your time and you'll be fine.


    If completely new to PC components, watch the Tested video at:
    http://www.tested.com/news/build-an-awesome-gaming-pc-previously-recorded/718/.

    It demystifies the jargon and explains some of the worries you may have - e.g. how much pressure should I put when locking a CPU.



  • KujiGhost #49 1 year ago

    Here is the formula for determining ideal hard drive capacity: take the number of times per week that you download internet pornography, and multiply that number times 100.

    Download pornography? What is this, 2004?

    This article made my morning and has seriously tempted me to build my own. How hard can it be ;)
    Edited by KujiGhost at 20/05/11 @ 09:56

  • AaronTurner #50 1 year ago

    Good read

  • KayJay #51 1 year ago

    Its always been something I would love to do. I have specc'ed up and added to cart so many times but never committed.

    Really enjoyable read this. Perhaps it might give me the inspiration I need to DO IT...

  • infernox1 #52 1 year ago

    ebuyer and scan are very good UK retailers

  • tiddex #53 1 year ago

    LOL
    "Do you have dignity?"
    So true!

  • UncleLou #54 1 year ago

    Surely you could just buy an xbox - cheaper and much, much better.

    It's only cheaper if you define cheaper as "my initial costs are lower". I spend, on average, around 150,- € a year to keep my PC up to date. That's less than the money I save when I buy games for the PC rather than a console.

    This guide was made for people like you. Try it, you might like it.

    edit: spend, not spent
    Edited by UncleLou at 20/05/11 @ 10:41

  • Wildcat-X- #55 1 year ago

    I laughed so much, thank you!

  • Freki #56 1 year ago

    Made me smile. :D

  • PlugMonkey #57 1 year ago

    @SuperFanBoy

    It being fun is certainly the main reason. You can also save money, but mostly it's for the fun of it.

    Now some practical advice:

    If you're not sure if you can do it, start by upgrading an existing PC. If you can manage to replace a graphics card or add a hard drive, you're good to go.

    Start with the graphics card. Pick a bunch that are in your budget range, and then google up a load of benchmark tests. These will be 20 page long documents where a geek has tested every single facet of all the cards you are looking at against each other. Skip to the end. Buy the one they say is best. It often won't just be the one with the most GHz and RAM.

    Next, buy a motherboard which, as John says, as plenty of ports and some decent reviews and is compatible with the CPU you want, BUT make sure you buy one made by the same company as your graphics card. I REALLY CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH. This is the main source of potential incompatibility in your build, and if you ever have ANY problems with your graphics card, the customer service department WILL just fob you off with this as an excuse. Having a motherboard also made by them is the only response that will have any traction.

  • Snaggletooth #58 1 year ago

    @LHH "pc gaming sucks"

    really, you obviously haven't played on a decent one for a long time! nothing wrong with playing games at 2560 x 1600 (yes, twice as much as your console) at 60fps+. Not to mention the extra effects the latest cards are capable of. There is just absolutely no comparison....period. It's like comparing a Megadrive to an XBOX360

    Yes, setting a PC up can be a pain in the arse if you don't know what you are doing. But once setup properly, it can give years of awesome gaming...and I mean awesome.

    I think the quality of the games and the PC exclusives really make it worth the hassle factor of owning a gaming PC.

    EDIT: oh and the games are a lot cheaper. You'll save around £15 on a £40 console release... so around 30 games bought will pay for a £500 gaming system that will last 3yrs easy. 10 a year!

    /goes back to Arma II
    Edited by Snaggletooth at 20/05/11 @ 12:02

  • gelf #59 1 year ago

    Loved this article. Never built my own PC from scratch but I have bought custom builds and replaced components and this article shares my attitude to being on the bleeding edge.Its totally not worth it as I wouldn't notice much difference from budget components. Definitely wanna build my own someday.

  • Snaggletooth #60 1 year ago

    BTW....Scan.co.uk offer component insurance for just 2% of the value. This covers you for damage caused by you when building a PC, including overclocking!!! Not many people know about this but it's fricking awesome!

    So a £100 motherboard will be £102 with the insurance. If you go home and try a 10GHz overclock and fry it, then you can send it back and swap it, provided you have the insurance.....bargain if you ask me.

    And no, I don't work for Scan, I just think this is the best service offered for anyone building a gaming PC, especially if you plan to overclock it.

  • arcam #61 1 year ago

    Also, companies like XFX offer a lifetime guarantee on graphics cards. 3 years after he bought it, a friend of mine's 6800gt card started overheating. He rang them, and a few days later had a brand new 8800GT (a much better card too). I was pretty impressed with that.

  • Spooke #62 1 year ago

    for what it's worth, I can recommend building your own PC, I built my own two years ago, bought around £400's worth of parts and it still scores 8/10 on the Windows 7 score thingymabob. It's been a very worthy purchase.

  • obscured021 #63 1 year ago

    From start to finish it only takes about 1-2 HRS to build a pc depending on what is going on in the box, my last upgrade changing the cpu, board, and putting in 2 graphics cards /soundcard took about 30 mins, and you save yourself a lot of money when compaired to the big system builders, and if you get stuck youtube is full of videos.

  • EVERYGAMER #64 1 year ago

    Lesson: If you ever get into a conversation with someone about your PC's specs, lie. Specifically, take the last number mentioned in conversation and add 100.

    Really don't do that! Graphics cards are not categorized in how good they are the bigger the number.
    e.g an 8800GT is better than a 9500. This is possibly the most confusing part of getting the right graphics card as there are cards over 2 years old that still equal or outperform all but the latest new cards which cost around £400 quid a pop!

  • Zomeguy #65 1 year ago

    Anyone who learned anything from this article should stay away from building their own PC.

  • miiiguel #66 1 year ago

    I'm a systems engineer and I have no desire to have a gaming PC, though, the article is funny and useful (for some, I think). Good job.

  • AbyssUK #67 1 year ago

    Step 1 : - Ignore all internet articles telling you what to do
    Step 2 : - Locate somebody who knows what they are doing i.e. your friendly neighbourhood geek
    Step 3 : - Its good to remain friends with the geek for support when you need it
    Step 4 : - Promise said geek beer in return for building a gaming PC
    Step 5 : - A gaming PC is born
    Step 6 : - Ask the geek about a certain bay found on the internet

  • PearOfAnguish #68 1 year ago

    It's a funny article but does actually make some good points - don't get hung up on comparing specifications and benchmarks or you'll drive yourself insane.

    Oh, wait, I mean HERF DERF WHATS THIS SHIT POST SOME MORE PS3 NEWS

  • Cadence #69 1 year ago

    Excellent article, very funny! That has really made my morning. But seriously - some people on here really need to get a damn sense of humour!

  • wizlon #70 1 year ago

    "Do you need a sound card? If it is 1997: definitely."

    Brilliant.

  • humble #71 1 year ago

    I loved the tone of this article! Way to piss off your user base ;)

  • mumblyjoe #72 1 year ago

    Although it was a good read I doubt anyone that hasn't built a pc before would be able to after reading this.

    Dunno about Novatech but I find Scan to be better than Aria, that might be because its only 5 mins down the road though

  • Frybird #73 1 year ago

    While really not that hard, i tend to ask myself if there is really much benefit on building your PC from scratch.

    In germany at least, it's usually cheaper to just order a pre-built "gaming PC" from an online store, or click one together to be built for you. True, those packages usually save money on SOME parts, like cheap Soundcards or whatnot, but you could still replace those parts and get a PC thats cheaper and/or more powerful, one that comes with a complete guarantee and most importantly, is probably configured in such a way that all the parts work together without conflict.

  • Spuzzell #74 1 year ago

    Absolutely brilliant, the RAM advice in particular made me laugh out loud :-)

    EDIT: There are some very stupid people who comment on Eurogamer.
    Edited by Spuzzell at 20/05/11 @ 10:56

  • knightmt #75 1 year ago

    Hahaha luddite I do like John, but he is evil.
    I particularly like the linux joke, though I think everyone should have multiboot.
    Things I am asking myself for next pc?
    USB3, SATA3, SSD am I going to bother with water cooling.

  • PearOfAnguish #76 1 year ago

    "EDIT: There are some very stupid people who comment on Eurogamer."

    Indeed, some people appear to have got to the end of it still believing that it would show them how to put a system together.

    It is rather unfair of EG to publish an article which requires you to read and have a sense of humour.

  • SandyMcD #77 1 year ago

    This is fucking awful.

    Who hired somebody completely unfunny to write a 'comedy' article about building PCs

  • whatfruit #78 1 year ago

    "RAM is even cheaper than hard drives so there's no need to skimp. A pair of 2-gigabyte sticks, for a total of 4 GB, should do the trick. You must install the sticks in adjacent slots on your motherboard for maximum performance. Placed in such close proximity, each stick of RAM will fight to outperform its sibling and win your favour. They will grow to resent each other and, with time, you"

    It was worth reading just for this.

  • Jimster71 #79 1 year ago

    Nice article. I'd not really done any PC gaming until Portal 2 because I have an oldish PC that won't do justice to modern games. Since I got the PS3 version of Portal 2, with the free PC version, I thought I'd give it a go.

    My core 2 duo machine with 2GB memory and a radeon 5570 gfx card managed to run it at 1920x1600 with almost full detail on everything. Cool, I thought, until I realised that the sound wasn't working. I then hunted around online for a solution to the problem, which required finding some up to date drivers for my sound device. I only had an hour free to play the game, but instead I spent that time trying to get it to work properly.

    This is why I prefer gaming on consoles.

  • jaguarwong #80 1 year ago

    I'm confused.

    This article is funny... and yet it's 'on the interent'...

    Nothing on the internet is funny - unless you stumble over someone streaming Airplane or something.

  • orangpelupa #81 1 year ago

    btw if you "cheated" making gaming PC can be very cheap.

    my Gaming PC built almost 3 years ago costing about 300USD even today is still awesome. Crysis running 1440x900 with custom config (higher than the max from game menu) @30fps.

    the "Cheat" i do:
    - i use free pc casing (i found it on warehouse...)
    - i use 2 core Processor but unlock it become 4 cores (saving about 120USD)
    - i use the cheapest mainboard i can found on store.
    - i use cheapest RAM i can get on store. (its ok RAM slower than the bus, thus not running 1:1)
    - as for GPU, im lucky ATi releasing Radeon HD 4770. It is cheap but almost as fast as the expensive radeon HD 4850.



  • M_of_the_sys #82 1 year ago

    "Quite funny article, but isn't it going to seriously tick off pc gamers?"

    Wow, look out. I'd hate for them to go and get their mums.

  • orangpelupa #83 1 year ago

    also for those looking for VGA CARD or GPU.
    Beware of annoying marketing trick to "fool" customer....

    actually not fooling but the information can be missleading for normal human.

    1. RAM in VGA .
    Huge ram not the same as huge VGA speed

    Example:
    Radeon HD 6000 2048MB GDDR3 ---- 100USD
    Radeon HD 6000 512MB GDDR5 ----- 100USD

    looking at the listing, it seems logical to choose the 2GB. But, you need to CAREFULLY read the spec.
    from that example, Radeon HD 6000 512MB is faster.

    also the bad news is many stores (at least in where i live) wont mention the memory type "GDDR5" and so on. The customer need to see the spec written on the box by him/herself...

    there also the case of <strong>rebranding</strong> that give price disadvantage to customer.
    Basically, the same old product is rebranded as new product with new price tag. Buy the old product you should get 100% same performace but lower price.


    Edited by orangpelupa at 20/05/11 @ 11:42

  • Peregrin #84 1 year ago

    I dunno about the suppliers the author recommends but this is a great site for building your own PC, you can choose how much memory and what printer and everything
    http://store.apple.com/uk/configure/MC30...

  • megurushi Verified Consultant, 2e2 #85 1 year ago

    Does everything on EG have to be a joke now? Have they finally realised that other sites do real news better than they do?
    Would be good if stuff like this could be put in a neat little "comedy" section so that any of us who actually give a shit could avoid it.

    Ok you got me, my PC elitism and general nerdrage has overcome me.
    I will try to take things less seriously...
    Carry on conslol boys. ;-)

  • Schmoke-n-a-pancake #86 1 year ago

    Best bit of writing on Eurogamer for quite some time. Great stuff John.

  • Darren #87 1 year ago

    I prefer to buy custom built PCs myself as it reduces the risk of mixing incompatible/conflicting components and the price includes thorough testing before hand which means I can just use my PC when it arrives not have to spend hours/days/weeks trying to isolate issues. Of course, if you enjoy that then go for it, it's the cheaper option, but I have a low patience threshold. I'll be doing the same again for my next PC which is slated in for later this year/early next when the new high-end Intel processors are due out.

  • LowEnergyCycle #88 1 year ago

    Great article. Shame about some of the humourless commenters. Nobody forced you to read this - you can only blame yourself.

  • dibeztawound #89 1 year ago

    HAHAHAHAHAHA is so funny cos is has the jokes about the pc gamings and no relevant informations. I like the bit where he is willfully ignorant about anything that may be related to the topic. VERY FUNNY SHOULD BE A STAND UP LIKE RUSSELL HOWARD OR RICHARD HAMMOND

  • apoc_reg #90 1 year ago

    Ha as someone who has built for years I found this a good read with some knowing jokes thrown in. Neon get outta my stuff!

    Good work

  • mojo_x #91 1 year ago

    Hahah quality article. Honestly, ignore it though. Bleeding edge and credit card debt is where the hardcore PC gamers play. If your PC doesn't increase the ambient temperature of your room by 30 degrees after 5 minutes of playing Peggle, then you're doing it wrong.

    After 8x AA, 16x AF @ > 1920x1200 resolutions with 100+ fps...it's hard to go back. That said, this comment will get negged by all those with a smaller disposable income. That's cool too. Enjoy your Voodoo 1 + Pentium 100 and 16mb of ram (those were the days).

  • CaptainKid #92 1 year ago

    "Motherboards are pretty easy. Find the boards that are compatible with your processor's chipset. Next, find a midrange model that has plenty of slots and a number of decent user reviews. Buy that one. Sure, the most popular motherboard is not necessarily the best one, but at least if stinks there are plenty of people suffering along with you."

    Actually that's the hardest part for me..
    How fast RAM do I need and will I perhaps need in the future?
    How future proof is it CPU wise?
    Plus its the only part you really need to read reviews for.

    That's why I bought AMD stuff, Easily to upgrade because they don't change CPU sockets every 5 weeks.

  • Buran #93 1 year ago

    Totally useless article, is fun to read but wrong in so many ways...

    Build a PC is matter of science and economics, and the approach of this text is too "casual" to be useful. As guide will be perfect to waste money.

  • orangpelupa #94 1 year ago

    ^^ in my mind its Whetley voice that come to me >_

  • Lemming81 #95 1 year ago

    I think it could have been summed up thus:

    Go to overclockers.co.uk, pick one of their rigs to your specifications, (not forgetting to pick a monitor, keyboard and mouse), and buy it. They actually put it together themselves and to prove it send you all the bits you usually get if you buy components individually in a separate box.

    I know how to build my own PCs and worked in IT for a number of years, but there isn't anything wrong with letting someone else do the work for nothing (that someone, to people who know me, was usually me :-/ ).

  • Lemming81 #96 1 year ago

    Also, interesting side-note about 'windowed cases'. I've always bought them thinking 'it's convenient so I can see if the fans inside are working without taking the case off', but in reality it goes somewhere under the desk where I can't see it anyway. I'm sure I'm not alone in this.

  • AlvySinger #97 1 year ago

    Great piece Mr Teti. I generally apply the 'look at what's the best and buy the one that came before it policy'.

    Aside from my graphics card (which uses four power cables and was so expensive I had to hide the receipt from the wife), the rest cost me just over £200 to upgrade last month via Ebuyer (new processor and motherboard) and I'm set for a couple of years at least.

    Plus, it really was great fun picking out the components and fitting it all. Providing you back-up first, Windows 7 handles the migration of your hard drive for you.

  • Sharzam #98 1 year ago

    Got to say i cant disagree with anything in this feature its all so true. A guy at work asked me yesterday what processor should he get as shopping for a new PC i said 'need a bit more detail' he then sited every single type i5,i7,athlon etc

    I have built my own PC for the last 10 years its almost a ritual and is funnily relaxing and fun. Once a year i add/upgrade a new bit (this year was GPU, and 2010 was RAM) i think everyone should build there own really is wasting money buying a full system.

  • Trafford #99 1 year ago

    Inspiring, thanks. I want one for under my TV.

  • felicitous_blue #100 1 year ago

    As an avid system builder/upgraded who happily spends the same money as a new console on a graphics card every year or so, I found this article hilarious and the funniest thing I've read for a while. More than happy to have more of this.

  • suicida #101 1 year ago

    "This is fucking awful.

    Who hired somebody completely unfunny to write a 'comedy' article about building PCs"

    This.

    I saw the article title and thought 'this could be an interesting read, I might learn something about current gaming PC tech.'
    Instead I got a "wacky comedy" article written by someone trying so hard to be funny it was painful to read.

  • lord_fartsalot #102 1 year ago

    Hah... dingus... now that's a new word worth knowing. Love it.

  • Vivid #103 1 year ago

    I've only ever found it cost-effective to do major updgrades to machines. If you haven't got a donor machine then all of the fiddly little bits (optical drives, PSU, adequate cooling, cabling, licenced copy of Windows 7 etc) push the cost so high that you'd be better off going to a system builder.

    It can be rewarding to nail all of the bits together yourself but don't be silly enough to think that you're going to save much cash.

  • Vivid #104 1 year ago

    "I saw the article title and thought 'this could be an interesting read, I might learn something about current gaming PC tech.'
    Instead I got a "wacky comedy" article written by someone trying so hard to be funny it was painful to read. "

    This.

    I ran the article through Babelfish to try and translate it from American to English and it was still fucking dreadful.

  • actionfitz #105 1 year ago

    "The downside of message-board guides is that they are typically followed by thousands of enraged comments to the effect that everything in the guide is wrong. Ignore them. "

    so a bit like the Eurogamer review comments then?
    hehe

  • Tinrib72 #106 1 year ago

    Good read, and nice to see the humourless PC virgins having the odd nerdrage on the comments. Gotta love 'em, eh?

    As for building a PC...Nah. I can see that being as much fun as setting fire to my teeth.

  • MadDave123 #107 1 year ago

    'You may have a friend who will urge you to try gaming on an open-source OS like Linux. This is a great opportunity to not be friends with that person anymore.'

    I love it. Why all the hate on this article? I found it a genuinely funny play on many stereotypical situations that play out when building PCs. Perhaps people need to lighten up?

    *ducks the incoming wave of negs*

    Edited by MadDave123 at 20/05/11 @ 14:43

  • Bilstar #108 1 year ago

    Great article, enjoyed that muchly.

  • M_of_the_sys #109 1 year ago

    @suicida & Vivid

    Thanks for taking time out from your 'Points of View' letters to comment.

  • suicida #110 1 year ago

    @M_of_the_sys

    This is a comments section, I am commenting on the article. What has a BBC programme got to do with anything?

  • robjwalmsley #111 1 year ago

    I build my own PCs usually but this time went to buy a motherboard / processor / memory kit. I order from Aria (recommended here). They took my money, when it didn't come in the suggested time I had to ring up to find out the motherboard wasn't in stock, after some tooing a frooing that just showed up their customer support, I cancelled the order, bought the bits myself (from dabs.com) put it all together and worked fine. weeks later I had to threaten to go to the papers to get a refund for my money they'd had for about 6 weeks (£280). Use them at your own risk!

  • gymreaper #112 1 year ago

    Obviously written by someone that has no idea of building a gaming computer. Case noise, case heat, noisy graphics cards, slow motherboards, upgradability in sli, importance of powersupply, overclocking potential, crap fans, future proof build, chassis safety, demands of user: 3d, more monitors, more graphics cards.

    DO NOT TRUST THIS MANS QUICK WHIPPY FLATULENCE.

  • darc #113 1 year ago

    Step 1: Fiddle with computers from roughly 10 years of age.
    Step 2: Run off and get an engineering degree.
    Step 3: Spend 15 years building and tearing down PCs, installing firmware, OS's and drivers, swearing copiously all the while.
    Step 4: Buy an XBox 360.

    There may be more efficient methods, but this builds character, and - largely on account of Step 4 - you get to play video games when you're done. If you haven't died of old age by then.

    (OK fine, Steps 1-3 are optional.)
    Edited by darc at 20/05/11 @ 14:19

  • darc #114 1 year ago

    Dear negger, it's called humor. ;)

    Yikes, just read that back, and is "negger" a word? Definitely one to be used cautiously.
    Edited by darc at 20/05/11 @ 14:53

  • Buran #115 1 year ago

    ^ Console players are so insecure... Always acting so defensively.

  • darc #116 1 year ago

    Speaking of humor/humour, I finally read the article and it is awesome! John Teti is the new Dave Barry, or maybe that "Oatmeal" guy - both high compliments.

    Oh and re: my 1st post above, it was meant as *self-effacing* humor. It is literally what I did with half of my sad life - not just me dishing on PC hobbyists. And I still play PC games on occasion, so I am not your enemy. ;)
    Edited by darc at 20/05/11 @ 17:18

  • FogHeart #117 1 year ago

    Been building my own PCs for almost 20 years now, and while it's still fun for me in a nerdy, geeky way, I can fully understand why it's so offputting for most people. After 20 years, we are still gingerly inserting silicon chips with fragile pins into circuit boards, which in turn we have gingerly screwed into place inside a case. And we have to use just enough force to insert RAM to make us feel a bit nervous about it. And when the put in the graphics card we're slotting a circuit board into another circuit board while trying not to dislodge a whole bunch of wires.

    We've moved on so much in twenty years but assembling a PC is still about handling delicate components and then inserting them with alarming force. By now we should be slotting in CPUs, RAM and graphics cards as easily as cartridges slot into portable gaming devices. They're both about making electrical contacts.

    What I don't sympathise with is the indignance of those who don't complain about the complexity of choosing components. It's the same as shopping for anything you use in your house - a coffee maker or a hoover. Just look at price, performance, features and take a punt. It won't go drastically wrong and no one will point and laugh.

    Is a PC worth having? Hell yeah! Yesterday I watched TV via Windows Media Centre on one screen - a TV screen, not a monitor - while playing Amnesia on another. Later I did some cooking so I set the PC to stream a recording of Walking Dead into a little laptop I had in there. Finally, I dropped some more recorded TV into a folder which gets processed overnight and copies wirelessly to my Android device for watching today. The rewards for having a PC you make to your spec are out there, but you need to learn how to find and set up the stuff I just talked about, and most folks just want it there for them in an off-the-shelf product. But there will always be something the custom PC does that an off-the-shelf product cannot.
    Edited by FogHeart at 20/05/11 @ 17:21

  • Boomerang #118 1 year ago

    Great article. Anyone complaining that the advice is inaccurate is a fucking moron who just doesn't get it.

    More of this stuff.

  • TexMurphy01 #119 1 year ago

    Yeah well I tell you what Richard Leadbetter can't do, and that's send out VF3 books to those people who wrote star letters to Sega Saturn Magazine.

    Still, an entertaining read.

  • Noble6 #120 1 year ago

    Brilliant.

  • davisorle #121 1 year ago

    Post deleted at 20:44:35 16-04-2012

  • DaemonSpawn #122 1 year ago

    The article is great - I've built all my PCs since 1998, but reading this was fun. Plus it's really quite informative and is an excellent guide for people without experience at hardware.

  • Rarehunter_idol #123 1 year ago

    Haha, great read. As someone who is going to be building his first PC at the end of the year, i was hoping for an article that was serious and about, you know, building a PC.

    But what i got was great. Cheers.

  • RobTheBuilder #124 1 year ago

    When I replaced (and built) my PC. I looked around and couldn't find a similar spec ready-made PC within £150 of the price.

  • j1m.ch053n #125 1 year ago

    excellent read

  • phantasma #126 1 year ago

    An article so entertaining that i have to abandon lurker mode just to say....

    ehm

    .....excellent article^^.

    ps: Is it just me or is this article another sign, that the ol' doom and gloom "PC gaming is deheeead" prophecies fanned by the industry and console gamers (who never seem to forgo an opportunity to take a stab at PC gaming for some reason) is finally getting revised?

    pps: Please excuse my terrible English. I'm quite a notorious grammar nazi in my own tongue, so my deficiencies in foreign languages may as well be some kind of karmic payback for that :-D.

  • sabbede #127 1 year ago

    Woah.... No wonder my cuckoo clocks keep booting windows.

  • DoKtoR #128 1 year ago

    I built my PC about 2 years ago (it's called "black beauty", guess why).

    The main reason for me to build a PC from scratch is the price - idiots who don't realize how easy it is pay four times what it cost me (which was about $1200 Australian dollars).

    Here's what's under the shiny black bonnet: Quad core i7 CPU, 4GB RAM, Nvidia GeForce GTX 260 with a nice black BENQ 24inch widescreen monitor... the keyboard and mouse are also black.

    2 years on and I still haven't had a game that has needed to run on anything less than the highest graphics settings... $1200 - do the math.

  • TheTrueSpin #129 1 year ago

    "If the PC doesn't work the first time you start it up, don't panic! Simply switch the computer off, put it in the garbage and begin again from Step 1".... I did laugh.

  • comedian #130 1 year ago

    "Congratulations! You have joined an elite group"

    Le sigh.
    Edited by comedian at 21/05/11 @ 10:29

  • nagi #131 1 year ago

    Funny-wannabe article... as someone who has actually built PCs for a decade or so, it also sometimes hurts to read. It is kinda like the joke about smoking chips not working because the smoke that made the thing work got out.

  • kongzi #132 1 year ago

    hah this comes out just when I got my first pre-built pc in years. But yeah that's basically the process. Don't forget the nagging feeling that everytime you have a crash it is because you had to use brute force to get that CPU Fan in place, and now you fucked it up, maybe. Oh, and put your system spec into all your forum sigs of course, but you already did that before placing the actual orders from 25 different online stores.. if you're real enough.

  • Pickster #133 1 year ago

    I just feel like I have to stick my noes in here.

    The people saying its ultra easy to build a PC are almost right. It is easy to fit the stuff together, the hardest part isprobably the CPU heatsink.

    The trick is picking all the right components to go together (and I'm not talking about trying to avoid putting an AMD chip into an Intel motherboard).

  • monkfishjoe #134 1 year ago

    Genius.

  • faux_carnation #135 1 year ago

    Fantastic article, thanks!

  • BadBoyBonner #136 1 year ago

    Mojo_x wrote - "If your PC doesn't increase the ambient temperature of your room by 30 degrees after 5 minutes of playing Peggle, then you're doing it wrong."

    ROFL - best comment I have seen in a whlie - quality!

    You forgot to add " "If your PC doesn't increase the ambient temperature of your room by 30 degrees after 5 minutes of playing Peggle,..and if you can be heard without having to shout over the noise of your cooling fans then you're doing it wrong..." lol

  • BadBoyBonner #137 1 year ago

    FogHeart

    Get Rockplayer lite for ya little andriod device and you will not need to convert it.

  • Martin #138 1 year ago

    Very well done, exactly what I hoped for when I clicked the link. :)

  • tenseiga #139 1 year ago

    I just registered here (Came from RPS) to say that i loved reading this article. It was delightfully funny and a great read. It even contains some broad level guidelines (which to my knowledge are correct except the part with the connecting to the TV) for building a gaming RIG. If you honestly disagree with ANYTHING In the guide it means you know enough about building a RIG and this guide is not for you since you are well informed. If you didnt find the article funny you are probably a snob. See a doctor.

  • Chupakun #140 1 year ago

    "You must install the sticks in adjacent slots on your motherboard for maximum performance. Placed in such close proximity, each stick of RAM will fight to outperform its sibling and win your favour. They will grow to resent each other and, with time, you."

    And that's where I snorted out whatever I was drinking at the time. Bravo Mr Teti! More tongue-in-cheek articles like this please!

  • callum9999 #141 1 year ago

    I did my school work experience in a PC shop and was astounded by how easy they were to build. I'd go as far as to say a complete amateur (I myself knew very little at the time) could build a decent one with help from the internet.

  • Snake_2k #142 1 year ago

    This is the best article I have ever read...ever thanks for the entertainment! :p

  • Marshall2008 #143 1 year ago

    Get a copy of windows 7 along with windows loader. No license required. That saves you 100 quid.

  • Maverick1069 #144 1 year ago

    I want the record to show that I still have a 9600 GT as well as a 260 GTX that I'm dying to give you to bolster that machine of yours. Good read!