How to build a computer: A beginners guide to a new PC

Building your own PC may seem like a daunting task, especially if it's your first time. But learning how to build a computer is a satisfying experience, and building over buying might help you save money, too. And if you're not sure where to start, this guide will show you the ropes of building a PC for the first time.

In addition to providing some beginner tips, we've also suggested some parts in each section if you're looking for inspiration. No two builds are the same, and what works for one person may be completely wide of the mark for you. But once you've chosen your case and the internal components for it, the rest is simpler than you may think.

How to build a computer: What you'll need

A smooth and successful build has some prerequisites

It's always best to prepare yourself and have all the necessary tools at your disposal to help avoid detours while building a computer. Here are a few things to grab before putting everything together:

• All the PC components: Keep all the components directly around you so that it's easy to reach out for something.
• A large desk: Having a comfortably large desk area or table is key to a smooth building process. A 4ft x 2ft desk should be enough.
• Precision screwdriver kit: PC building involves dealing with a lot of screws and standoffs, which is why a good precision screwdriver (with multiple head types) is a must.
• Thermal paste: A lot of CPU coolers have this pre-installed, but you might need this if yours doesn't.
• Flashlight: It can get dark in the corners of a PC case, so you will definitely need a flashlight.
• Zip ties: You may not need these early on in the build since cable management can be dealt with towards the end, but it's probably not a bad call to grab them early on.
• Anti-static equipment: You're probably not going to short anything as long as you're building the PC on a wooden or a plastic desk (avoid metal ones), but there's nothing wrong with playing it safe.
• Magnetic parts tray: You don't want all those tiny screws and standoffs rolling around all over the place (or onto the floor). Whenever you're working on a PC, it's a good idea to have a magnetic parts tray handy to keep them all in one place.

Install core components on the motherboard

Get the processor, memory, and storage out of the way first

It's recommended that you connect some of the core components like the CPU, RAM, SSD, etc. before mounting the motherboard inside the case. PC cases tend to have limited space, so it's easier to do this before mounting the motherboard. You also have the opportunity to check that the system powers up and posts before going to the trouble of installing everything in your case and managing the cables. You should always check to make sure that your system powers up before you put it in the case.

Pro tip: the motherboard box makes a great workbench.

Essentially, you want to have a working system before you commit to putting anything inside the case. So once your CPU, RAM, boot SSD, and graphics card (if you have one) are in place, attach your power supply and a display, then fire it up. Exactly how you turn it on without the power button on your case will vary, so consult your manual. It may involve creating a connection between two pins on the board. But this is the critical part of the build process, because if there are issues to troubleshoot, it's much easier to do it outside the case before everything is cramped together inside later.

As for choosing a motherboard, we recommend buying something that offers potential room for future upgrades. You will always be limited by what sockets and chipsets the CPU makers support. But if you might want to add additional PCIe cards such as capture or sound cards, or additional storage, you'll want to leave yourself some room to add more.

Asus's ROG Strix X670E-E Gaming is a solid option for an AMD-based build, and MSI's MPG Z790 Carbon Wi-Fi Gaming option would be a great pick for Intel-based builds. As a reminder, 600 series AMD motherboards are for Ryzen 7000 CPUs, while Intel 700 series (as well as Intel 600 series) motherboards are for Intel 12th Gen, 13th Gen, and 14th Gen chips. These two motherboards are just two recommendations we have, and there are certainly cheaper alternatives out there. We've rounded up the best motherboards if you're still considering which one to buy, and we also have separate guides for AM5 (that's AMD 600 series) and LGA1700 (Intel 600 and 700 series) motherboards.

Installing the CPU

Start with one of the simplest steps

The CPU is the first thing you'll want to connect to your motherboard. The first step is to release the tension lever on the CPU socket so that you can drop the processor into it. You need to line up the arrow/triangle on the top of the CPU with the one on the socket or its cover. This is a crucial detail, and you may end up damaging either your chip, the board, or both if you don't pay attention to the direction you orient it.

The CPU will ideally settle into the socket due to its own weight. If it doesn't, pick it back up, check again, and re-seat it. Don't force the processor into the socket. Once it's in place, press the tension lever back down and lock it into position.

The above instructions remain the same for both Intel and AMD mainstream CPUs on the market. The big difference is where the connecting pins are located. On AMD motherboards from the 600 series onwards and on Intel motherboards, generally the pins are on the socket, while for AMD 500 series and older boards, the pins are on the CPU. Also, enthusiast platforms such as AMD's Threadripper and Intel Core X have slightly different steps involving multiple levers or even Torx screws. If in doubt, consult your motherboard's manual.

The Ryzen 7 7700 would be a great value at around $330, for anyone doing both gaming and content creation/productivity on the AM5 platform. Users building an Intel PC should consider the Core i5-13600K, which is priced around $300 and is one of the best CPUs for both gaming and anything else requiring a lot of cores. It's even at par with the newer and pricier Core i5-14600K. You could also opt for the variant without integrated graphics, the Core i5-13600KF, if you'd like to save money. Of course, however, keep in mind that you'll need a separate graphics card in that case.

Installing the CPU cooler

A powerful CPU needs a powerful cooler

You'll also have to install a CPU cooler to keep your CPU from overheating. Also, your PC won't boot without a CPU cooler connected to the motherboard. Many CPUs come with coolers in the box, and they should be enough to get you started. But the best aftermarket coolers will always unlock the best performance from your CPU. Exactly how the cooler mounts to the motherboard will vary depending on its design.

On some AMD sockets, your cooler may simply clip over the pre-installed brackets around the CPU. Some coolers will require you to remove those brackets and use the holes on the motherboard instead. Again, consult the manual for your cooler for specific installation instructions. Any additional hardware which may be required to mount a cooler to the motherboard will be included. The same applies to Intel sockets, though without the pre-installed brackets. You'll almost always be using the holes on the motherboard to attach the cooler, either directly or to a custom fixed bracket. This applies to both air and AIO liquid coolers. In the case of an AIO, in addition to the heatsink, you also need to install the attached radiator to the top or front (or side) of the PC case using the provided screws and instructions.

You also need to consider the thermal paste. The thermal paste solution fills the gap between the CPU heat spreader and the baseplate of your cooler. Many CPU coolers come with pre-installed thermal paste, so you should be fine if so. If not (or if you want to achieve better temps compared to what stock thermal paste will offer), then you can check out our guide on how to apply thermal paste to a CPU to learn more about it. The short version is not to use too much, apply a small dab to the center of the CPU, and then press the cooler down on the CPU.

Installing the RAM

Just stick it in

Installing memory modules is probably the easiest job of all. All you need to do is make sure the latches for each memory slot are open before snapping the modules in. Some boards have these latches on both sides of a RAM slot, while others have them only on one side. Pushing down the DIMM on each slot will allow the latches to close on their own. It requires a little bit of force, and you'll first want to make sure that you're not installing the RAM backwards. There's a notch on each RAM stick that will correspond to a break in the memory channel, so all you need to do is line them up.

If you’re installing two RAM sticks on a board that has four slots, you should install the first module on the far end of the CPU socket (not the one close to the socket). The second module goes into the third slot, which means you'll have an empty slot next to the first module. They'll still work if you put them in the wrong slots, but you won't get all the benefits of a dual-channel configuration. Again, confirm the proper procedure in your motherboard's manual.

When choosing RAM, you'll have to decide between DDR4 and DDR5. Both DDR4 and DDR5 RAM are supported by Intel 12th, 13th, and 14th Gen CPUs, while Ryzen 7000 CPUs only support DDR5 RAM. Ryzen 5000 and older CPUs only support DDR4 RAM. Just keep in mind that, as Intel CPUs support either type of memory, it's the motherboard (DDR4 or DDR5 model) that will determine which one you'll be using. Be sure to check out our guides to both the best DDR4 memory and the best DDR5 memory.

Installing an M.2 SSD

Use M.2 NVMe for your boot drive

We also recommend installing your boot drive before mounting the motherboard inside the case. You can do it later too, but other parts may get in the way then. Unlike RAM modules, installing an M.2 SSD requires a little bit of effort. You'll have to remove the screw located across from the M.2 slot and slide the SSD in at an angle. Then, slowly lay the SSD flat and secure the mounting screw. And that's it! Some motherboards may have a heatsink/shroud covering these M.2 slots, so you'll have to open this first to reveal the M.2 slot.

One important thing to consider is which slot you're using. On your motherboard, you may have multiple M.2 slots, but not all of them may be rated for full speed. For example, you could have one that is PCIe 4.0 but another that is limited to SATA. While faster drives may work in slower slots, you will need to match them up in order to make sure you get the best performance. At the time of writing, PCIe 5.0 is the fastest interface available for SSDs, though PCIe 4.0 is far more common since it's been around since 2019.

If you need some inspiration, the WD SN850X Black is one of the best M.2 SSDs on the market right now. You can check our collection of the best M.2 SSDs to see which ones are best for you.

Installing the motherboard in the PC case

Things are taking shape now

Now that you've installed some of the core components on your motherboard, and tested to make sure that everything works, it's time to put the motherboard inside the PC case. There are a ton of cases on the market and the choice of a PC case comes down to personal preference. From full-tower PC cases to compact mini-ITX cases, we've got plenty of options in our collection of the best PC cases.

Installing a motherboard inside the PC case involves careful maneuvering. You'll have to gather all the standoffs that came with your case and find the proper place to install them. Almost all the PC cases on the market right now have markings based on the size of the motherboard you chose. In fact, many cases even have the standoffs pre-installed, so you may be able to skip this step entirely. How many and where to fix them will depend on what size of motherboard you went for. The standoffs keep the motherboard sitting above the case, but also act as the anchor points for the screws.

Before putting the motherboard in place, you'll have to make sure to install the I/O shield which covers the area around your rear ports, so make sure it is handy. The I/O shield comes with your motherboard, and you'll have to install it from inside the case at this juncture. The ports on the board will fit through the holes once both are installed. You'll have to use some force to snap all four corners of the shield into the chassis, just like you did while installing the RAM modules. Some premium motherboards have pre-installed I/O shields, in which case, you can skip this step.

Installing the power supply

Keeping your precious hardware safe

The power supply unit (PSU) is usually mounted at the back of the PC case towards the bottom. This has been the designated spot for the PSUs for a long time now, and it's a safe space for the unit to work properly by pulling in cool air from under the chassis. Installing the PSU is as simple as screwing it into place with four screws at the back (or other designated spot) of the PC case. We recommend buying a modular PSU so that you can avoid creating a cable mess inside your case. When installing the PSU, you should mount it so the fan is facing down, over the ventilation in the base of the case. Then you just need to screw it to the case using the included screws.

Once the PSU is in place, you can connect the 24-pin power connector and supplemental/CPU power connector to the motherboard. The power supply unit, as the name suggests, supplies power to the entire PC, so you'll essentially be connecting a lot of components to the PSU via cables. If you have a modular PSU, this part will be a little easier as you will only need to use the cables you actually require. At the bare minimum, you'll use the 24-pin connector, CPU power connector, GPU power connector (if you have a graphics card), and enough SATA power connectors to connect any SSDs or optical drives.

A 750W or an 800W power supply is the most any user with a mid-range or upper-mid-range PC will ever need, but it can depend on what hardware you're using. Lower wattage PSUs (like the one we've recommended below) are also fine if you're not using top-end components. You can also check our collection of the best power supply units to see all the available options on the market across different power output ranges.

Adding SATA storage (if any)

SATA SSDs still have a place

The boot drive for your PC should be your fastest available storage option, usually the M.2/NVMe drive installed on the motherboard. But for mass storage, you might want to add some SATA SSDs or traditional 2.5-inch hard drives.

In each case, you'll be connecting the SATA data cable from the drive to the motherboard, then connect the SATA power connector from the PSU to your drive. You'll then have to find a spot to mount the SSD or the HDD, since you can't leave them lying inside the case. All PC cases have dedicated mounting brackets for the drives, they should be fairly easy to find.

Most cases will still provide caddies for 3.5-inch drives, while 2.5-inch versions are usually attached to the back of the motherboard tray. Aside from a little cable management, there's not much else involved.

Installing the graphics card

The moment you have been waiting for

Installing the graphics card is an optional step if you're using an Intel or AMD CPU with integrated graphics. However, you'll need a discrete GPU if your CPU doesn't have onboard graphics, in order to be able to connect your monitor. The first thing to do is remove some slot covers on the back of the case, so you can eventually mount the card to the case and get clear access to the video ports, letting you connect to your monitor of choice.

Once you've taken the slot covers off, you'll have to connect the GPU to the PCIe x16 slot on the motherboard. It's the longest one, usually found directly below the CPU socket. It's recommended that you use the topmost slot if there’s more than one on your motherboard. High-end GPUs demand more power, so you'll have to plug the PCIe power connectors from the power supply into the graphics card to your GPU. You can tell if the GPU will work just by drawing power from the PCIe slot, because it won't have any power connectors at the end.

The PCIe slot will have a latch that automatically grabs onto the base of the card, but you'll also need to screw it to the back of the case for stability. Depending on the size of your GPU, there will be one, two, or three screw mounting points on the I/O plate that will correspond to holes on the case near the PCIe slots. These should be enough to secure the card, but larger ones may need additional support from a GPU bracket.

If you're looking for a graphics card, we recommend you check out our collection of the best graphics cards. There are several choices on the market right now for those with different budget and performance requirements. Today, Nvidia's RTX 4070 Super offers great value for gaming.

Finishing touches

Attaching all the remaining cables

Now that you've installed most of the main components, your PC is ready to go. But there are still a few things left to do before we try turning the PC on again. You need to make sure the connectors for any fans/AIO pumps are plugged into the motherboard fan headers, especially from the CPU cooler. You'll also need to attach the front-panel audio cable and USB case connectors to the motherboard headers.

The location of these headers varies by motherboard model, so we recommend consulting the manual to locate them. But in most cases, you'll probably find them along the very top or bottom of the motherboard. Don't forget to connect the front-panel connectors, including power, reset, LED indicator, and any others, because they're crucial to the build as well. Installing these tiny headers can be very annoying, and you'll often find yourself reaching into the darkest corners of the case to locate them. But go slowly, have patience, and eventually you'll get there.

Time to POST

Hopefully, you'll make it on the first try

If you've made it this far, then, congratulations, you've finished building your PC. If you've plugged in all the fan headers and power cables, then plug the PC in, connect your monitor, and other peripherals like the keyboard and mouse. Now, turn on the power supply switch, hit the power button on the monitor, and lastly, press your PC's power button.

If everything's fine, the PC should turn on and run a power-on self-test (also known as POST). You'll be sent directly to the BIOS if you're using a new storage drive without any OS installed yet. However, that's fine, because we'll be doing that towards the end. Meanwhile, while you're in the BIOS, head to the memory settings and make sure to select the XMP/EXPO profile corresponding to your RAM's rated speed. By default, memory usually runs at a lower speed, so make sure to adjust per its recommended performance specifications. Once you're done, press F10 to save your changes and exit the BIOS.

Next, you should turn everything off again (with peace of mind) and get started with cable management. We're doing this after the POST because you now know that everything's working fine, and you will no longer have to re-seat or rewire any component. You can choose to avoid cable management if your case doesn't use tempered glass, but it's still good practice to organize everything inside the case.

Where possible, use cable ties to bunch them together, and make use of the cable management points on the rear of the case. Besides being better organized according to good practice, it'll also make cleaning your PC much easier than if you leave a spaghetti mess inside your case.

Installing the operating system and drivers

The final stretch

This is the phase during which you'll install the operating system of your choice. You can install Windows on your new PC or give Linux a shot by installing Linux Mint. You may want to dual-boot Windows 11 and Linux if you're so inclined. Our linked guides cover everything from creating a bootable Windows USB to successfully activating the OS. Whether you use Linux or Windows, you'll still need a bootable USB which has been created on a different PC to get started.

You may also need to boot into your PC's BIOS or UEFI first and manually tell it to boot from USB. Ordinarily, you will want the first boot device to be your SSD, and you can configure this now. But set the second boot priority to USB. Because you have a blank SSD installed, the PC won't boot, and it will then proceed to the next device in the priority list, which in this case would be your OS installation flash drive.

Once you have a working OS, you can begin the process of installing any important updates, drivers, and of course, your apps. On Windows 10 and 11, Windows Update will handle a lot of this. Nevertheless, it's worth checking your motherboard manufacturer's support pages, AMD/Intel's latest updates for your CPU, and AMD/NVIDIA's driver download pages for your graphics card. You will want to make sure that you have all of the current drivers for all of your hardware before you get comfy.

How to build a computer: Final thoughts

If you have completed all of these steps, congratulations, you have just built yourself a new computer! Pat yourself on the back and start using your new PC. If you have yet to begin, then I wish you good luck with your build, and don't forget to enjoy the process.

Once things are up and running, we recommend that you benchmark your PC by installing popular tools such as PCMark 10 or 3DMark and running some stress tests. Benchmarking will allow you to push your PC to its limits to see if it's overheating, throttling, or otherwise. This will help you understand your PC better and know if it's ready to tackle whatever it is that you're trying to do on a day-to-day basis with it.