If you're finally getting into PC building, you might naturally ask your friends, family, or community members on the internet for advice. While people will gladly offer best practices, part recommendations, and PC-building mistakes you shouldn't make, seldom will anyone point out the unsaid stuff about PC building.
This could range from the notions new builders have about a "good PC" to some of the overwhelming aspects of PC building. Let's dive deeper into each of these things that people don't usually tell you before your first PC build.
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5 You don't need the best hardware
Buy what's right for you
As a newbie who's building a PC for the first time, you'll probably have some preconceived notions about PC hardware. All the marketing and community discussions surrounding PC components might have you convinced that if you don't buy the absolute best parts, your PC will suck or get outdated soon.
If you're only interested in playing esports and relatively light titles, even a budget gaming PC will be perfectly adequate for you.
However, this couldn't be further from the truth. Not everyone needs to have flagship or even high-end components in their build. Mid-range hardware is probably ideal for a large number of PC users. Interestingly, if you're only interested in playing esports and relatively light titles, even a budget gaming PC will be perfectly adequate for you.
Even though PC building has gotten way more expensive than before, it's still possible to build a great budget rig for around $700-$800.
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4 Cable management isn't as easy as it looks
No one wants to do it
Everyone will tell you that perfect cable management is important both for airflow and future diagnostics. What they don't tell you is that it's not as simple as routing your cables properly and tying them up at the right places. Your first time around, you'll be legitimately alarmed at the number of cables inside your case at the end of a build, especially behind your motherboard.
You might just get fed up with it all, jam everything against the side panel, and call it a day.
Even if you have a PC case with the greatest cable management features, it will take some creativity on your part to do it right. You will at least need to watch a few tutorials in detail and spend considerable time tidying up everything. You might just get fed up with it all, jam everything against the side panel, and call it a day.
Cable management can't be perfected on your first try, and it's okay to do a shoddy job on your first build. As long as you aren't putting undue strain on any cable, you'll be fine. Just have the attitude to try your best and do better next time.
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3 Your first build will be stressful
That's just the rite of passage
PC builders don't often like to tell newbies that building a PC is stressful, but for a first-timer, it most definitely is. No matter how many tutorials you watch or how detailed your research is, when it comes to handling components purchased with your own money, you're bound to get a bit nervous. If nothing else, the process will take you much longer than you'd expect.
In some cases, you might not be able to fit parts like case fans or radiators properly, even though you'll be totally sure that they're compatible with the case.
Until the build is complete, you'll probably be worried about making mistakes or breaking a part or two. You'll be going back and forth between the build and the manuals when installing an AIO liquid cooler or your motherboard's standoffs. Finding the right PSU connectors will take you a couple of tries, and you might even forget to connect some essential cables.
Many components and connectors will need more pressure during installation than you'll be comfortable with. In some cases, you might not be able to fit parts like case fans or radiators properly, even though you'll be totally sure that they're compatible with the case. The front panel connectors on some of the cases will leave you severely annoyed, and finally, you might forget that you need another PC to prepare an OS installation drive.
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2 You'll have to troubleshoot (a lot)
A successful build doesn't mean it's over
Even after your new PC successfully powers on, and you boot to the desktop, some things might not work perfectly out of the box. You might open Task Manager and notice your RAM frequency isn't what it should be; that means a trip to the BIOS/UEFI to enable XMP/EXPO. After enabling the right XMP/EXPO settings, your PC might not boot.
You might end up with RAM that's not included in the QVL of your motherboard or isn't supported by your CPU's IMC.
Not every memory kit is compatible with every motherboard or processor. So, you might end up with RAM that's not included in the QVL (qualified vendor list) of your motherboard or isn't supported by your CPU's IMC (integrated memory controller). Another thing you might miss is initializing your SSD so that your PC is able to detect it.
Your CPU and case fans might be running at full speed, in which case you'll need to enter the fan settings in your BIOS/UEFI and switch them from DC to PWM mode. In the worst cases, your system might keep shutting down due to excessive heating, especially if you're using a modern Intel 13th/14th Gen or Ryzen 7000/9000 CPU. This could simply be due to an improperly seated CPU cooler, so you'll have to remove and reinstall it.
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1 You can't prepare for everything
Remember this, and you'll be more relaxed
Even if you manage to avoid the most common mistakes and do everything right, you can't prepare for every eventuality. The only foolproof attitude is to be mentally ready for surprises — you might be unlucky and end up with a DOA component, you might lose the silicon lottery and get a sub-par chip, or your PC might simply refuse to power on.
You might even face a situation where the only thing keeping your CPU from overheating is a thermal paste replacement.
In other cases, you might receive a motherboard whose BIOS isn't yet updated to work with your latest processor. And you might even face a situation where the only thing keeping your CPU from overheating is a thermal paste replacement. Such things might not happen to everyone, but you should be prepared for the worst. That way, you won't panic and will be able to think clearly when diagnosing the issue.
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Keep an open mind before your first PC build
Your first PC build can be endlessly enjoyable and a great learning experience, even with a few hiccups along the way. So, the best way to approach it is to have an open mind, do your research, ask as many questions as you can, and be ready to make mistakes. If you're a careful person and take instructions seriously, you'll rarely break anything.