Tips to Building a Computer

Through the years, I've built/repaired/upgraded more computers than I can remember, and in the beginning, these are some tips I wish someone had made clear to me before I started. There are more guides to building a computer than I can count, so that is not what this article intends to do. I just want to share some tips that I've come up with that I hope are as useful for you guys as they are to me.

1. Newegg is your Best Friend

Even if you don't buy from Newegg, you should be taking advantage of them. Why? Because 90% of building a computer is (or at least should be) research. Their site has 100 of every product you would need and gives you the ability to sort through them. Their Powered Search is probably the best thing that has ever happened to finding the right part for your build. Also, they generally have great prices and free shipping offers, which translates into them having a lot of my money, and me having a lot of their stuff.

2. Numbers and Charts

As I stated earlier, picking the right parts is the majority of the build process. So unless you have an infinite source of money you probably want to get a good deal for the performance you receive. This is where the comparison charts at Tom's Hardware come in. They have more graphs/charts than you can count, and way more than you'll need. I've found these come in handy in the selection process.

3. C-C-C-Combo Deals

Numerous sites allow you to purchase a combination of parts that go together at a discount. You may have to compromise some on the parts you want but if the deal is good enough, definitely consider it. Also, shipping will add up quick, so try to get as many parts with free shipping as you can, especially cases.

4. Part to Price Comparison

Most people build around a budget. They have a target price, and they need you to keep it under that. I've found a few ratios from parts to the price. From my experience, you will spend a bit less than half on the graphics card and the CPU, and two thirds on those two including the motherboard. This will differ greatly depending on the type of build and the price range, but those numbers are what I've found in building $1,200 gaming rigs. Using that assumption makes the beginning selection of parts easier since you'll come out closer to your budget price.

5. Intel vs AMD

I'm not going to say one is better than the other. If you look at the numbers they generally have an equal price to performance ratio. However, I've found more value in AMD. This is because the motherboard for an AMD processor will generally cost less than that of an equivalent Intel motherboard. However, Intel's best processor will generally be better (thus costing more) than the best AMD processor. So again, it comes down to how much money you have to spend.

6. Operating Systems

This is something most people forget to put into the price. For the best deal, assuming you want Windows, get a System Builder's disc, since they cost considerably less than regular editions. However, most people I know “obtain” Windows so if you're one of those, then don't worry about it, but I like to support companies whose software I use. Also, Linux is usually an option but really doesn't seem as useful to most people as it is to tech nerds.

That's just a few things I was thinking about recently. If you have any comments/suggestions/critisisms feel free to leave them on my blog.