My Experience Building A Computer

At the end of my high school career, I quit playing video games that were wasting my valuable time. With a shift to working on personal self-improvement, my involvement in the Neomasculinity and red pill community as increased.

One thing I have incorporated into my learning is a number of seasonal projects, something that I do every three months. This has become my version of hobbies, and I am here to talk about the last one I completed a few months ago. During the winter season, I decided to build a computer, and now that I am finished, I would like to discuss the pros and cons of the experience.

 Pros Of Building A Computer

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Gents, I would not suggest making this the conversation piece when you take that annoying iPhone-addicted dumb loser special someone back to your place.

Customization

Everyone including myself prefers certain hardware specifications for certain parts, while usually being apathetic towards some specifications as well. This means that customization is a big part of any computer, and the only way you can get complete customization to fit your needs is to build a computer yourself. You can only go so far with customization when buying a computer compared to when you build your own.

Cost Effectiveness

Building a computer is cost effective for two reasons. The first goes back to the issue of customization. Because you are buying individual parts, you can save money by buying bare essential hardware that you are indifferent towards. The second aspect is the fact that you are cutting one of the middlemen out the computer business, which means you will be saving a lot of margin that a company would typically make on assembly and sale, etc.

Cons Of Building A Computer

Time requirement

One of my computer science professors loves to say: “When dealing with computers, allot three times the amount of time you think it will take you to finish,” and he could not be more correct. When I was building a computer, I ran into multiple problems that took a lot of time to fix. Be prepared to deal with malfunctioning hardware, BIOS issues, and other configuration problems.

When you are done, you are on your own: If something is not working on the software end and you cannot fix it, you do not have a fallback like a refund. You will only be refunded for deficient parts, and this could be a serious issue if you are not heavily versed in troubleshooting.

When Is It Worth It?

Man computer angry

You should build a computer when you need something really advanced to handle a very specialized workload. If you are just searching the internet or writing Word docs on your computer, I would not suggest doing it. The money you save on building your computer becomes greater as your computer becomes more advanced and specialized.

Tips and Tricks

Because computers are very idiosyncratic in nature, I unfortunately cannot give you a large amount of detail on how to exactly build/configure your PC; however, I am going to pose a few general guidelines.

How to search for parts

670px-Fix-Bent-Pins-on-a-CPU-Step-1

The one part that is filled with a weird mixture of exuberant and anxiety.

You first have to find out what you are looking for when it comes to computers:

  • RAM: An acronym for random access memory, this is the part of the working memory that currently in use software/programs have access to currently. This is measured in gigabytes, and the more the better. If you like to multitask on your computer, pick up more RAM. If you are a hard core programmer, the bare minimum to have on a Desktop is 8 gigs for laptops and 16 for desktops; however, if you are in data analytics, and other areas of computing that are computer intensive, I would move up to around 32/64 for desktops.

CPU: The CPU is in essence where all computations and calculations occur in a computer. The more power your CPU has, the faster the computer is going to be overall. This is generally something you want to put your money towards regardless of what you are doing. There are two specifications that you need to look for when searching for a processor: cores and speed (in Ghz). Usually when there is a tradeoff between cores and GHz, you go for more cores.

CPUs is an industry where consumers are very brand-oriented. You either are an Intel person, or you’re not. Intel CPU’s are without a doubt more reliable compared to CPU’s such as AMD; however, AMD’s are a lot cheaper and definitely a possible option for the price conscious without sparing performance

Motherboard: This is where you connect everything on your computer. Now there are some tech specs to motherboards, but I would suggest buying a gigabyte motherboard that matches all of your parts. If you do not know whether all of your parts will be compatible, I would suggest using the site: PC Part Picker.

Hard Memory: This is the actual storage for things on your computer when they are not in use. If you have a lot of shit that you store electronically, beef up on this; however, even as a data analyst, I do not use more than a few terabytes. Also, an important thing to note is that there is regular hard memory and SSD memory. SSD memory is faster in boot time; however, it is a lot more expensive, and is generally not worth it unless you do not use a lot of memory.

What I did for my computer is get one small SSD, and put my two operating systems and software on there for a fast boot time, while buying the rest of my memory as external hard drives, which is a big plus if you need portable memory.

Other stuff: There is a lot of other stuff I would like to discuss, but cannot due to the lack of brevity already apparent in this article. What I would say is if you are a gamer, look into very strong video cards (or maybe multiple) and high resolution monitors.

Building the actual computer

This is where the process gets very sticky. The hardware part was not that hard for me, but the software was rough. You are really going to need to pay attention to drivers, but a great place to start the building process is with this sequence of videos.

Conclusion

Building a computer was something that challenged me a lot more than I would like to admit, but now that I have finished, it is a great feeling. I want to emphasize that it will take a lot of time. If you also live in an urban area like where I am from, Chicago, it is easy to find little computer shops where people would build it for you. It will cost a good chunk of money, but typically no more than what you are saving from buying all of the individual parts, so it is something to look into.

However, if you are into computers, and want to learn and cherish a system that you built from the ground up, it is worth it. Happy building.

Read More: Are We Living In A Computer Simulation? 

105 thoughts on “My Experience Building A Computer”

  1. Not so sure about saving money. You do on the hardware itself, but you won’t have the software like the OS. The prepackaged computers usually has it all bundled, even ones you don’t care for.
    It is a good experience building one and you’ll be able to identify a problem and fix it on your own most of the time since you built it.

    1. I think It used to be cheaper to build your own, but due to OS cost and the fact that brands get bulk discounts on the components, buying them individually will cost you more.

      1. …unless you go with Linux or, ahem… “non-commercial” Windows from teh torrentz ;-P

        1. Well yeah, today most PC games are Windows-only, so if you’re a hardcore gamer you still need Windows.
          Fortunately, most people aren’t – and there’s enough good games with Linux ports to fill their time with some casual entertainment.

    2. think about getting into linux if you’re interested in computers. free OS, free software, no corporate control, and there’s a lot of demand for linux in the job market.
      FOSS (free open source software) fits the spirit of the manosphere and ROK better anyway. once you get away from microsoft and apple and their ilk, the idea of paying tons of cash to essentially rent software that they control doesn’t appeal at all.

      1. What is Linux exactly? I’ve been thinking about building a Gaming PC and I’ve always wondered about Linux, Is it different then Win and OS X?

        1. Yes, it is different. It’s another operating system like Win and OSX are different operating systems*. If you’re going to build a gaming pc, choose your OS based on the games you play. If you’re games run on Windows, then run Windows. If they run on Linux, then dabble around with that if you’d like.
          *Actually, Linux is just the kernel of the OS. The kernel is the lowest piece of software that handles all the memory management, I/O, and is responsible for running all the other software on the computer. The interface and software that runs on top of the kernel isn’t technically linux. Companies and other users simply use the linux kernel and build an Operating System around it. But when you say linux you’re talking about a linux based operating system aka a linux distribution.

        2. You can always try a linux distro many of the popular ones have a “Live” CD/DVD. Burn the cd or dvd then boot off that. You can try it w/o installing it. (It’ll be slow running off the cd/dvd but when you reboot, nothing will change on your machine.
          Or throw in another hard drive, install a distro and dual boot Windows/Linux.
          You’re not stuck with your first choice.

        3. I liked ubuntu when it started. Not so much anymore for the desktop. I’m not a fan of Unity. I’m dabbling with elementaryOS now and that’s debian based as well.

        4. I’ve been using it on a laptop for a couple years. I’m not a tech person, but more of an average user looking for something better.
          It is a free operating system, an alternative to Windows or Mac OSX. I think one of the most popular versions is Linux Mint, which I use. It’s not difficult, but different. There’s a whole lot of variations for different uses. It runs well on older computers. I like it.

        5. I find Lubuntu (Lightweight Ubuntu) superior to Ubuntu. Same kernel, same package managers, but no Unity.
          Also, it takes about 200MB ram for the OS. It’s awesome for virtual machines and/or low-power machines.

        6. it’s finicky if you have a particular hardware set up.. My desktop at work is linux. I love it but it also annoys me at times… It’s not like windows. Things don’t always “just work”..

        7. yes, linux is another operating system, different from windows and OSX. it’s based on unix (windows and OSX are also largely based on unix). very powerful, and most distros (versions) are free to download and use.
          this looks like a good link to explain a little more:
          http://opensource.com/resources/what-is-linux

        8. Canonical started screwing things up and mono is garbage. I switched to Linux Mint / MATE and haven’t looked back.

        9. Something like Mint, is essentially like windows, without all those things in windows that piss you off.
          Same icons, same file system formats.
          Ubuntu is more like OS/X, which is not my thing, but my friends rave about it.
          I guarantee that if you install a decent LINUX O/S on a computer, you will have minimum trouble using it after an hour. And there are hundreds of support forums for advice, and its more self intuitive than XP ever was.

        10. Agree. Tried Ubuntu and Bodhi.
          Mint 17 Xfce is the best for my 32 bit, non PAE 2003 model system. Handled the HP printer using CUPS, and all other hardware is easy.

        11. Buy a second hand decent piece of hardware, and put a common version on Linux on it. Mint, Ubuntu…etc.
          I have a 10yo IBM running Mint, and its faster and better than when the computer was brand new running XP.
          Minimal to zero problems with malware, generic drivers and lots of fantastic open source software that usually is better than the equivalent windows/apple stuff.

        12. Haven’t tried Bodhi but I’m putting Xfce on some older machines soon. Light weight and no nonsense. Just noticed Mint was at 17.2 but likely be using an older kernel anyway.

        13. You can download Linux to a thumbdrive, called a live boot, which lets you stick the thumbdrive in, turn on your computer, and it loads the operating system off the thumbdrive, even if you have windows or mac loaded on your harddrive, you can try it out this way. One of the most popular versions is called Linux Mint. I don’t currently use it but will probably add it to a second pc soon.

        14. Out of curiosity – what CPU do you have there that doesn’t support PAE? At 2003 that would be a rarity.

        15. Terminal command says: Intel(R) Celeron(R) CPU 2.93GHz
          Maybe it does support PAE ?, but at the time XP got canned, I did some research, and it seems to not support it.

    3. OS come free now, at least with buying a laptop/computer. Not sure how it is with a custom built, but it should also be free.

      1. If you build it from scratch, OS does not come with it. You could try installing Windows from a previous computer on your newly built PC, but it may not work right. Not sure because I never tried doing that thinking the drivers were for the previous computer and all those BS advertising software are on there.

      2. Windows doesn’t come free, at most it can be bundled with a prebuilt system. The company that built the system for you had paid for it.

        1. I’m a carpenter, I don’t mill wood, produce hardware or even pre-build my built-ins… I just put the studs, trim and cabinet pieces, metal, etc. in the right places.

  2. The only people what should be building their own computers are enthusiasts and pc gamers. Anyone doing web surfing or school work or other basic tasks, should buy prebuilt with a warranty for repairs. If you know you’re going to be needing 16+GB of ram for intense applications, you’re in workstation territory and I’d say buy prebuilt workstation with a warranty for repairs. If you want the experience of building a pc, then build you’re own. If you’re a pc gamer (more than DOTA) then you’ve probably already built your own.
    My recommendations:
    RAM (memory): 4-8 is fine for the masses. Hardcore gaming: 6-8 maybe 12. If you need more than 16GB of ram, you’re building a workstation or wasting money.
    CPUs: going for more cores isn’t always a better choice. Don’t go more than 4 cores without a specific reason to use them all. It’s not worth it. (I prefer Intel but I won’t knock anyone for going AMD; they can be significantly are cheaper.)
    Motherboard: I also prefer Gigabyte brand motherboards. Especially their UltraDurable series. I’ve been burned on mobos with bad capacitors before.
    Storage (hard drive): ~256GB (or bigger) SSD for Windows or other operating system and most used apps. Then a regular HDD for TBs of storage for music, videos, downloads, etc… Saying SSDs don’t matter is folly. HDDs are the slowest component of the computer by a lot and SSDs are magnitudes faster than HDDs. SSDs are the best performance upgrade to your machine you can do (once it has enough RAM). Everything is just snappier and more responsive. I won’t go back to a computer with the OS installed on a HDD.
    Those are my thoughts. I work as a network administrator and I’ve build several machines for myself and others.

    1. “The only people that should be building their own computers are enthusiasts and pc gamers.”
      Bullshit.
      Buying PC’s retail is a waste of money. Price markups are a bitch. Everyone should build their own box. I’m typing this on my home built custom machine. It’s not hard to do. If you can’t do it, then get a friend that can buy the parts off newegg and build it for you. You will save in the long run v. buying at best buy. I only build my own machines but I was a network admin in a past life as well so I know what I’m doing.
      And if you buy retail, god forbid you take it in for any type of warranty service if you have anything on your hard drive that can can be constituted as “illegal” material such as porn. And double god forbid if that porn is teen porn where the girls look underage. Men have gone to jail for that shit.
      If you’re going to collect kiddie porn, then that’s one more reason to learn how to build & service your own systems.

      1. “Everyone should build their own box.” I disagree. I know a lot of people with borked machines and they don’t have the time or money to fix it themselves. In that instance, I think buying a pre-built machine with a warranty is a better investment.

        1. I think it applies to a lot more than just gaming or enthusiasts.
          Learning to build a pc is easy. It is an essential skill with the tech boom in todays society. Even programming is something which is a valuable tool for everyone. Even if it is not a path pursued in life, it’ll change the way you think for the better.
          Video editing, graphic design, 3D, music production, audio engineering, oh the list goes on.
          People say they don’t have time, yet they can sit infront of a TV for x hours a day. I call bullshit.

        2. Its very easy, I built mine for maybe 1800$ If you want the same but prebuild by shop you would spend hmm minimum 2500$. But some morons have to exist so others can make money.

        3. The warranty rarely comes into play. I bet most pcs come with a 1 year warranty, and if it works when you receive it, chances are almost 100% that it will work for at least a year before breaking.
          If you want a good deal on an assembled machine, check out the refurbished desktops and laptops on newegg.

      2. Nobody should be discussing kiddie porn here. Even in jest.
        All it takes is for one SJW to screen shot it, tweet it around, and before you know it the whole site will be castigated for endorsing it.
        Just like they twist Roosh’s words to pin him as part of rape-culture.

        1. I discuss what I want. The SJW bitches can kiss my black ass. Again, another reason to build your own systems. YOU have complete control over it. Worried about some SJW taking pics of your screen? Then lock it out & password protect it when you bring her over to fuck. I guarantee that she’s to dumb to know how to get around a basic windows password.

        2. bridgeport makes a good and valid point. Being dismissive of it is disrespectful and inappropriate. Ignore it at your peril.

        3. 8chan poster here. you’re already castigated heavily, why not go full edgelord? There was an article on why beating your kids is a good thing, FFS.

        1. I was just joking. You’re right though, flight sims, cad design, 3d modelling, photography, video editing, programming…hell, most businesses that require any specialized hardware need a custom computer.
          I feel every man should build at least one computer, watch a friend build a computer, or take a pc hardware class in college for a basic understanding of electronics.
          Those guys dropping $1500 on a pc for dota 2 or some bs…they’re even lamer than the losers on consoles playing call of duty.

        2. Well if youre PC game enthusiast and love 144hz monitor and 144+ fps in every game that comes out or online games like CS:GO, LoL, Dota, WoW etc. then spending atleast 1500$ doesnt make you an idiot 😉

    2. There was a time where I put together my own PC to save money, but I agree with this post now, there isn’t much point with building it yourself now with technology so cheap. Could I put together my own PC or take apart what I have? Yes, but I wouldn’t bother, much of the time it causes too many problems and stress.

    3. I bought a solid used PC for $100 via the local auction website. The same one in retail would cost me at least 3x as much and come with a boatload of useless programs.

    4. One thing to keep in mind is that Intel is a major SJW sponsor. Go with AMD if you can get away with it.

      1. True. That’s a shame. Plus, Intel has been beating AMD in perf in the last few years and that makes it difficult to buy AMD if you’re looking at performance. Choices come down to fastest cpu+SJW OR cheaper (except in energy use).

        1. The good news is that we’ve come to the point that the vast majority of users don’t need top CPU performance. Even games are more likely to be GPU bottlenecked, unless you spend some major $$$ for a top-end graphics card.
          A nice AMD quad-core APU has more oomph than most people will need in the CPU department.

        2. I agree that most users don’t need a top of the line cpu. I ran a Q9450 for a long time (8 years i think) until I upgraded to a 4790K. The stuff I played just didn’t need a lot of cpu power. I’m hoping to get another 8+ years out of this cpu too.

      2. Intel requires less voltage and puts out less heat.
        It also has better compatibility with games overall.
        I got cucked by AMD for many years and don’t regret switching over to Intel.

  3. I would never build anything because it might make me less attractive to females.
    Attractive men buy Chinese made products with clever branding.

  4. do you have to put the RAM chips in adjacent RAM slots on the motherboard?
    If a motherboard has 4 spots for RAM, and I’m only using 2 RAM chips, do I have to put them next to eachother or can they be spread out in different slots on the MB?

    1. Yes. They’ll work in any slot, but some chipsets (maybe most?) will have an option for dual-channel memory. Best bet? put the two sticks of memory into color matching slots.

    2. That’s why you should build your own computer. It’s easier to troubleshoot and to upgrade. Nothing like having the documentation for all the components — like the motherboard which will tell you which slots (normally there are 4) are paired to work together, and how to overclock what you have.

  5. I bought a no-name pre-assembled computer from Newegg and went from there ($480 or so a few years back). Recently I got a new chassis and ram chips.
    However, I prefer carpentry. Trained by a former Broadway carpenter for college work study. My latest project was an adjustable drawing table.

  6. “You should build a computer when you need something really advanced to handle a very specialized workload. If you are just searching the internet or writing Word docs on your computer, I would not suggest doing it. ”
    What is life if you don’t try to build or create something yourself? The practicality of it is not the issue….its the self-satisfaction of using something you created yourself.

  7. I’ve never built one. I’m more of a software guy, so I understand a thing or two about computers…I think it’s fun, I should do it sometime.. Anyway, what I wanted to say is I remember one of my childhood friends (he was my best friend at the time) built his own (very) rudimentary computer. The thing actually worked.. what was that ping pong game? The whole computer was laid out on a desk… Anyhow, what’s to note here, the year was 1981 or 1982.. Can’t remember exactly. Thinking back now, that was a huge accomplishment for a high school kid.
    We kept in touch on and off, he worked with hardware his whole life.. Oh, how time goes by. It was like yesterday..

  8. This article leaves out a few considerations. He essentially lays down this seemingly hard and fast rule that unless you’re running a server or you’re a hard-core gamer, that you don’t need an advanced system. That’s ridiculous. First, you could make/buy an advanced system to future-proof it for later advances. Second, there are other tasks besides gaming and large-scale data processing that require computing power. For instance, I use a high-end NLE (Non-Linear Editor–in other words, video) that demands a lot of muscle from my processor, RAM and video card. While I didn’t build my laptop, I bought one with an i7 processor and a 64-bit OS. I also upgraded to 16GB of RAM (it came with 8GB) and installed an SSD boot drive and a higher-end spinning disk for storage. If I hadn’t enhanced my laptop’s capabilities, it would’ve choked like Rick Perry during a geography quiz.

    1. Agreed. I built mine for general internet purposes (and of course a light game or two). I later turned it into a gaming rig and all I needed was <$100 video card, because all the other specs were up to par.

      1. Exactly. Oh, and try doing that on a Mac. I think people who buy Macs are the same assholes who go to Stabucks and literally pay twice as much, just so they can be seen buying Starbucks. Macs use nearly identical hardware (except those expensive, proprietary connectors) and yet can cost 3 fucking times as much. AND you can’t upgrade.

      1. 1. It has dual air intakes with fans
        2. I use a laptop chill pad
        Why so angry and negative? What’s wrong, cupcake? Did I strike a nerve? Are you jealous because you’re still chained to a Commodore 64?

        1. “I’m rocking a 3000 dollar Pc.” Ha, ha. No, you aren’t. If that were true, you’d discuss the specs and explain exactly how you spent that money. Furthermore, you know if you did explain those specs, you’d probably be found out as a liar because your lack of knowledge would be shown in your inability to discuss components/features in such a way to justify the expense.
          “Only a retard uses a laptop.” Given that you have to resort to second-grade emotional attacks with no real technical critique to give your viewpoint merit, you’re obviously one of these assholes who hangs out at Panera with only a glass of water (you can’t afford the coffee or iced tea, can you?), using their free wi-fi for your shitty “smart phone” (TracFone makes them now, right?). You look around and see all of these people with their nice laptops and you feel a jealous rage, which makes you lash out like a confused animal, flinging these pathetic, incoherent insults.
          Btw, lots of professionals use laptops (like me) because we have wonderful careers that permit us mobility.
          Go back to your pathetic, boring life.

        2. CPU: Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition Processor (3.0GHz, 8
          Core, 20M Cache)Core, 20M Cache)
          GPU: 2 x EVGA Nvidia TITAN X Graphics Card (1000 MHz, GDDR5, 384 Bit, DL-DVI-I)
          RAM: (I do 3D modelling and video work hence why I need this much)
          CorsairCMD64GX3M8A2133C9 Dominator Platinum 64GB (8x8GB) DDR3 2133 Mhz CL9 Enthusiast Desktop Memory Kit
          Motherboard:
          MSI Z97
          Gaming 7 Intel LGA1150 Z97 ATX Motherboard (4x DDR3, 10x USB3.0, 6x USB2.0,
          GBE, LAN, HDMI, DP)
          PSU:
          RM1000
          80 Plus Gold 1000W ATX/EPS Fully Modular Power Supply Unit (Probably more then I need but why cheap out on PSU?)
          Tower:
          NZXT
          S340 White Mid Tower PC Case
          (I could go cheaper but why not go with preference)
          Butthurt in 3…2…1.
          Oh let me guess you don’t even have a Computer Science degree? I’ve been gaming on Pc since the 90’s faglord step up and learn. Laptop is garbage and you know it. Now kill yourself.

        3. Have a computer science degree? “I’ve been gaming on a Pc since the 90’s . . . ” Right. So, you’ve holed up in your parents’ basement, pissing away 25 years of your life playing Minecraft and you think that makes you cool? Oh, and if you’re a fucking expert, why do you ALWAYS write “Pc” instead of PC, a distinction which any industry pro would know.
          Even if you ARE telling the truth–which I doubt–all you’ve done is confirm that you’re the asshole that people in the front office call to do maintenance. Yay.
          As for the parts, anyone could go to TigerDirect.com and find those.
          Furthermore, any real computer pro wouldn’t be so insecure as to verbally attack someone, just because they have a laptop. As I ORIGINALLY posted, not everyone is running a server. For video editing and word processing, slide shows, spread sheets, etc., this is far more than powerful enough and has NEVER over heated in the time I’ve owned it.
          Just admit that:
          1. You’re a bitter loser
          2. You’re a bitter loser
          3. You’re a bitter loser

  9. I built mine 3 years ago. Budget gaming desktop. Less than $300 for everything. Here’s what you need
    Decent case mid-tower
    Gigabyte micro-atx motherboard
    8gb DDR 3
    1 TB hdd (7200 speed) sata
    Antec 450w power supply
    Gtx 750 video card nvidia
    DVD burner sata
    Haswell pentium dual core CPU (at least 3ghz) in box
    Windows 10 (but 7 still works fine)
    Logitech keyboard and mouse (USB)
    Any decent brand monitor (extra $120 or so for that)
    Decent 2.1 speakers (creative or Logitech — klipsch is $$)
    And a decent online article or instruction guide from maximum PC or PC gamer, not this essay.
    PS Newegg and (yes) Amazon are good places to buy parts, but you can snag a good deal on an hdd or psu at staples

      1. Good. Mines a little older than the specs I posted (it’s 3 years old) so the newest games would chug at higest settings, but games a few years old would run fine at max resolution. The system I posted here would run even 2015 games at a high res

    1. Cool! Here’s my specs from the last build a couple years ago (<800 usd w Newegg promo codes/ clearance/ rebates)
      Case: Fractal Design Define-R4 Blk-Pearl
      MoBo: Asus P8 Z77
      PSU: Corsair HX850 Pro
      CPU: I5 3570K @ 3.8GHz turbo
      HSF: Phanteks PH-TC12DX
      GPU: AMD R9 290x 4GB (+280 usd -oops)
      RAM: 8G Corsair Vengeance d/c DDR3
      SSD: Samsung 840 EVO 120GB
      SSD: PNY Xlr8 240GB
      HDD: WD1002FAEX 1TB
      HDD: WD1003FZEX 1TB
      BDR: Pioneer BDR-209D
      OS Win 7 Ult SP1 64-Bit (games/edits)
      OS Linux Mint MATE 17.1 64-Bit (everything else)
      Plays everything. Linux just works. 3 second Win boot time. 😉

        1. I like. Best case I’ve ever had, for sure. Thought I’d mention, Western Digital blacks have 5 yr warranty and these TB HDDs were superior models to the originals from Newegg (recert+clearance) and WD shipped them after I checked S/N on their site and told them about bad sectors, even before I shipped the bricks back.

    2. If you go budget gaming, I’d suggest an AMD APU that obviates the need for a discrete GPU card. You could even get away with a tiny ITX build this way.

  10. Snapping together a bunch of pre-made electronic parts is not building a computer.
    God, did you even have to plug in a soldering iron? Yeah, I thought so.

  11. I always build my own computers, on my third now.
    Im kind of self taught in it and my current one is a powerhouse and aesthetically pleasing.
    My problem, and it is a big one, is getting a decent desk. My 20 yr old desk is so old that no amount of new nails hammered in will keep it alive.
    No decent desks anywhere online, so I am going to have to build my own desk now. So be aware of the hidden extras required with self-build PCs.

    1. I don’t think there are welfare checks in Ghana, Nigeria, or wherever these scammers are located

      1. Ha, The Nigerians! The other day in Washington, a couple of them were protesting the “missing sum” of by their government of $50 Billion. 50 Billion Cold Dees!!!
        Where else does that type of shit ever go down

  12. The only reason I built mine is because you get 20x the computer for the money, and also why I went with AMD. I needed something that would be sufficient for 4k gaming and not break my wallet at the same time.
    As long as you do your homework, you shouldn’t have any problems.

  13. Got wondering about this article.
    Are most readers of this site so inept that an article about the advantages of constructing one’s own PC is needed?
    That’s funny, as I thought that making one’s own computer has some decided advantages:
    – Saving money: in today’s market, making a computer from self-bought components will save some hundreds of EUROs when compared with the same computer. I’m definitely not paying €500 more merely because a machine has a logo from Dell or HP on it.
    If you’re bypassing Windows for Linux (an operating system used by the basement dwelling introverts who run most of the internet), you can save €100 from this item alone
    without having to beg the dealer for a rebate.
    – Quality: most ready-made computers are made from the cheapest components available on the market – the assemblers go cheap to eke out bigger margins. Also, mass-made PCs assembled by unmotivated slave-laborers are often assembled sloppily.
    – Get what YOU want: The models offered by the manufacturers or assemblers always have some harebrained deficit built in so they can push their “top-of-line” (and “top-of-price”) model at an exorbitant surplus margin. If you know for what you want to do with the computer, you can design it and select exactly the components which best fit your use case and fancy. Put in the time and attention to detail to get a machine which corresponds to YOUR quality requirements.
    Small extra benefit: if you have a son, imagine this as a fun weekend project where he’ll also learn something 🙂
    And c’mon: assembling a computer is really not that hard: you need a phillips screwdriver, a modicum of dexterity and the minimum of intelligence that will allow you to not force square pegs in round holes, to plug in the CPU and extension cards in the right orientation and connect power where it should be connected.
    Gentlemen, man up and learn to do something with your hands!

  14. Wow, did your parents also buy you the 101 electronic experiments kit from Radio Shack, too?
    I thought this was a website for Men.

    1. Actual building is outsourced to immigrants and multinational cooperations, fiddling with some computer pieces is the only thing ‘men’ can do in this cucked anti-white culture.

  15. I don’t want to hate on anyone’s parade, but I found this article of rather poor quality. There were spelling mistakes, swaths of information hugely overlooked even for an entry level breakdown, and there was not much in the ways of relating this activity to anything actually pertaining to NeoMasculinity or Red Pill. Certainly there are other hobby pieces that come to mind (such as the dog raising and cooking implement articles from a few months back) that were excellent in their verbage and delivery, but this article has definitely left me wanting and if I wasn’t already capable of this one myself, I would likely be more confused after having read this article than before.

    1. Agreed. The parts about the CPU and motherboard are a useless as it is. The architecture of the CPU and the size of the transistors is at least as important as the number of core and their frequency. Also no explanation about the fact that some CPU can be overclocked and some other not. Sometimes it’s more cost efficient to go for an older CPU model, but an overclockable one, compared to the most recent CPU that can’t be overclocked (there is always an overclockable version, but it’s more expensive).
      No mention of the GPU either or even the heatsink which can be tricky to choose and install (I still recall the sheer terror of installing one of those on my last computer… I hope I’ll never have to touch it again).

      1. Didn’t even cover the differences between CPU brands (amd vs intel debate), the significance of which generation and model, any useful and well-known websites for choosing parts, mentioning that most repair shops sell prebuilt custom machines with a marginal upcharge ($20-60 for the labor already with an OS compared to retail stores charging up to triple of that for certain brands (cough apple)), we didn’t even touch customization options even for beginners (LEDs? Mice? Keyboards?).
        To be honest, it was just lackluster. I would encourage the original writer to do a revision and produce a more thorough piece of work, not that I am saying I couldn’t on my own (I could), but because they do deserve some kudos for taking the initiative and stepping forward and I would want them to have a better representation of their skill by updating this document with a higher quality piece more in line with what is normally published here.

  16. Building a computer is good because it allows a man to think and understand how a computer works, and stimulates his mind. It also will hopefully trigger a desire to learn how to do and build more things, and be more autonomous. I have always built my own computers. They last longer, and are upgradable, so I can often spend just $100 in 2 or 3 years and extend its life for another equal period. It has encouraged me to attend local “maker” or builder classes, including carpentry, metal work, etc.
    If you are looking for what parts to purchase for your computer, look at one of the buyer reviews at anandtech dot com. This is an Indian guy named Anand who has been reviewing computer stuff for over a decade. Toms hardware is also good but what I like about anandtech is they put together specific guides so for example “budget pc guide” or “mid level gamer guide” where, based on your budget and the system’s purchase, they tell you the best components for the greatest return on your money. I personally prefer Gigabyte motherboards (they are not the only good ones but they use a high amount of real copper, and are designed with long term reliability in mind, whereas cheaper components skimp on materials and they will not last as long). I started doing it mainly because I wanted to eliminate PC noise (computers used to be quite noisy, with the fans and power supplies, now many are quite soft but you used to have to buy a special $100 power supply to get this).
    Most off the shelf computers use the cheapest components possible, and when one of them fails, the system often becomes useless because these computers are rarely upgradable. They use permanently soldered chips instead of removable modules. The first computer you buy will take a long time. But we’re talking a few hours here, it’s really not a big deal. Go for it, you will learn.
    EDIT: OK I haven’t been to Anandtech in a while and the site sucks now and it appears they have done away with buyer guides. I did find something on his forum. Here are a few links to try:
    http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2192841
    http://www.techspot.com/guides/buying/page3.html
    http://www.pcgamer.com/pc-build-guide-recommended-mid-range-gaming-pc/

  17. As a guy who has worked in electronics/IT for 28 years…
    Building your own machine is fun, educational, empowering, frustrating, and the only way to get a specific purpose-built computer. But in my experience (which is considerable) it is rarely practical. The machine you buy at Best Buy or Fry’s is heavily subsidized by all the crapware that is pre-loaded and is easily removed which is why you can get a brand new i686 machine for 250 dollars US. Hardware isn’t always compatible even when it fits and you often wind up buying the same part twice. Not to mention the monetary value of time spent troubleshooting. You will not be saving money when you roll your own, or at least I was never able to.
    And besides, you probably don’t want a desktop computer anyway. Laptops are far more practical for most applications.
    If you want to learn about computers, here is what I recommend for what it’s worth. Get an old one that someone is about to throw out and have fun modifying it. Upgrade the RAM, get a bigger hard drive, upgrade the video card, and build a web/ftp server. But most importantly, LEARN HOW TO LOAD AND USE LINUX.

  18. I had the bad luck of buying a prebuilt computer with an extremely fragile enclosure. I’ve cut myself multiple times because of that cheap computer case when I had to install a DVD drive or HDD. So after that first disaster pc, I’ve always built my own. Nothing but A-quality stuff now. In the end it’s not so much more expensive. And building a pc is easy, really.

  19. Look up falconguide. It shows different combinations of hardware for different price ranges. Makes finding the right combination of hardware easy. I don’t know how often it gets updted anymore though.

  20. Big deal, so you built a PC. In 2008, I built out an ASUS MoBo with an Intel quad-core CPU, a two-drive RAID and 16GB of RAM into a two-foot tall tower and a 1000W power supply and I’m on it to this day. It runs everything in addition to CAD, 4 monitors and three workstations. It’s no badge of masculine honor to build a PC. Pussy. Why anyone thinks building a PC makes a man I have no idea. You Hannibal,and anyone else that thinks building a PC is manly, are a bunch of pussies..

  21. You can save money with building your own. I built a home theater PC for about $600
    with a TV tuner card.

    1. According to one commenter there, we are just “a group of insecure manbabies who have gotten together under the banner of a psychopathic rapist to talk about how evil women are and dream up ways to degrade and hurt them.”
      Incredible how disconnected from reality they are.

  22. >Talks about building a computer
    Aactual tutorial is an external link
    >Talks about being masculine
    >Blogs about ‘muh iphone users’
    Topfookin’ Kek.

  23. As an IT since the data processing days, I can say….if you want to, go ahead and build your own computer. There are plenty of sources to help you get things going, and help when you get stuck. The beauty of it all is that once you dig in, you will have an appreciation for the final product, and you will know how to fix it when it breaks. Best of all, you will have a new found respect for ITs.

  24. I would rather build/rebuild a PC than pay over the odds for one. If you are a hardcore gamer, I hate say it but Windows is your best OS. For everything else use Linux. Linux offers a fast and stable alternative to Windows, and it’s free.

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