How to Build a PC Article 2: Older College Essay

NOTE: This article was originally written in 2020. There are still some interesting points to be made

Having one’s own personal computer is amazing and makes life a lot easier, but there is a way to build a computer that is based on one’s personal preference on what they do on their PC. This can be multiple things, from gaming to business to a home or work PC. Custom building a PC is not as hard is one might think. All that is needed is the time and the money to create a system that is fast and reliable. In this essay, I will be giving a tutorial on how to build a reliable workstation PC for a cheap price of between two hundred to three hundred dollars. This PC will work better than most retail work on computers, and it will be much cheaper. My interest in building PCs started around June when I decided to get my first gaming PC. I loved to learn about all the parts of building a pc, and I wanted to learn how to get the most for my money. So, I built two PCs and learned from my mistakes how to properly build it without making any mistakes. I am studying information technology in college, and this is my main interest. I want to first discuss all the parts of a PC and what they do, the specific parts for a good workstation built, and then give instructions on how to build the pc step by step. This should help create a fast PC for less money.

First, I need to explain the parts of a computer that one would need and what they do. First you need to get a motherboard, which is basically the computer itself. This is stored inside the case, and its main function is to provide electricity to all the internal components and store them somewhere. Next one needs to get a central processing unit, or the CPU. The central processing unit is the central brain of the PC, and it tells every component of the motherboard what to do. Next would-be random-access memory, or RAM. It is called computer memory and stores the data of programs that the user is currently running on their PC. Also, one would need to get a storage device, mainly a solid-state drive, or SSD. This stores programs the user is currently not using on the PC but will use at a certain point. Two other items to include are a power supply, which provides power to the PC from an electrical outlet, and a case to store all these components in. It would also be handy to have a USB flash drive that is larger than eight gigabytes so one can install Windows Ten onto the new computer. 

For this build, I want to create a fast computer that appeals to students on zoom and maybe for adults looking for a reliable desktop for work. For a motherboard, I would look for a cheap board known as Micro ATX, which is a smaller and cheaper board for holding parts in the PC. It should support an intel processor and Ram for the computer. For a cheap central processor, I would go with a modern intel i5 processor. Some of the cheapest go for around seventy-five dollars. For the RAM, I would choose eight gigabytes, which is the cheapest option for around thirty-five dollars. For the storage device, I would recommend a Samsung two-hundred fifty gigabyte m.2 NvMe drive, which is one of the fastest storage drives there is, for only fifty dollars. This will load windows very fast. For a power supply, I would recommend a four-hundred-watt power supply. This is the best value for the price, because at around forty-five dollars, it leaves room to upgrade your PC. The case does not matter. The cheapest option is really the best. Once one has all these parts, they can begin to assemble the PC. 

First, take the motherboard out of the box.  Place it on top of the box out of the plastic. Take the central processor out of the box and place the fan to the side. There is a box-shaped socket in the center of the board. The CPU goes there. Make sure to lift the retention arm up and align the golden triangle on the processor to the white triangle on the socket. It should just rest in there, and then bring down the retention arm, so it stays in place. Next place the fan on top of the CPU. Intel cooling fans have push pins, so they should just be pushed down in four holes near the CPU socket. The fan connector should be connected to where it says CPU fan on the motherboard. To install ram, open the slots on the skinny rectangular-shaped sockets next to the CPU socket and align the bottom edges with the sockets. Firmly press down until there is a click, and the ram is installed. To install the solid-state drive, find a small sideways socket below the CPU socket. Unscrew the screw at the end of the socket. Align the solid-state drive with the socket, and once it’s in, screw it into place. Once all those components are installed, open the front and back panels of the pc case, and place the motherboard in the case. It should fit in the upper right-hand corner. Screw it in with screws provided with the motherboard. Next, install the power supply into the back of the case. It goes in one the bottom right, and must be screwed in. Connect all the wires using the handbook provided with the power supply. Then, connect all the wires from the case to the motherboard. Consult the motherboard manual for help with this. Once this is done, put both panels back on the cases and the computer should be ready to go. Plug it into an outlet and test it out. Windows will not boot up unless a USB drive with windows install media is plugged into a USB outlet on the PC. Make sure that it is plugged in and follows the instructions on screen. 

This PC build would cost around two hundred and sixty dollars, which is cheaper than a lot of retail PCs on the market, and it is faster and can be upgraded, as opposed to one bought that is already built. This has the capability of running at a faster speed for the same cost as a retail build and can support a low to medium size graphics card, used for 3D animation creation or gaming. I think it is best to build a PC to get the best performance for the right price.