Yes, I totally 100% most definitely built this myself and it wasn’t overwhelming at all...
Hello and welcome to DIY in 5, the show where we increase your tech know-how one byte at a time -
that’s byte with a ‘y’.
My name’s Trisha Hershberger and I’m really excited because today’s episode begins a journey -
a journey that many only dream of - a true adventure whereby a young techie Padawan becomes a Jedi.
Build this PC you must!
Sorry, that was awful.
Yep, that’s right.
We’re embarking together on the voyage that is building your own PC.
If a custom PC is something you’ve been dreaming about but weren’t sure where to start,
we’ve got you covered - component by component.
Today’s episode will be focused on the case and the motherboard.
Other components will be covered in upcoming episodes so be sure to subscribe to catch ‘em all.
It’d be a real dang shame if you tried to boot up without any power!
When shopping for any PC components, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Make a budget.
Think about what you plan to use the PC for and allocate the most moneys to the components
that are YOUR highest priority.
After all, this is your custom PC build for a reason.
Do your research - read as many reviews of components as you can.
Great benchmarks are worth nothing if consistency and reliability are nowhere to be found.
Also, it’s best to future proof as much as possible.
You want this thing to last a long time and technology is constantly changing.
10TB of SSD?
Yeah, I am totally going to need that.
With these overall tips kept in mind, let’s start off by talking about what type of casing
you want to house all your components in.
Cases come in a variety of sizes to match your motherboard.
They are referred to as ATX sizes - mini, micro, super, etc.
Make sure that whatever size you choose is large enough to house all the components
you are going to put in it and be sure it matches your motherboard or vice versa.
In addition to case size, the type of case you get is important too.
If you are looking for something quiet, there are cases made with foam or other padding
on the front and side panels for noise dampening.
Shh!
I’m trying to write this DIY in 5 script!
Want to show off the goods?
You can get a case with glass on one side to provide a window into your system.
Mmm! Lookin’ fine!
These cases usually come with built in ambient lighting and/or support for RGB LED strips
to really make your system look cool.
There are also open systems which provide easy access to all your components
and A+ airflow, but do leave your system open to dirt, dust and you hear everything.
And nowadays there are also tool-free cases that don’t even require a screwdriver to swap components!
Cases also have a dedicated area for the PSU, or power supply unit and some even come with it included.
We’ll deep dive into PSUs later, but for now it’s important to decide if you want
your PSU bottom mounted, which gives your system a lower center of gravity making it
more stable, or rear-mounted, which is usually the top rear, giving your system more build and cooling options.
Finally, you’ll want to make sure the case you choose has every type of port you anticipate needing.
Most cases come with two front panel USB ports.
Will you also want SATA, memory card slots, USB 3.0, etc?
These are all important to consider.
Now, let’s talk motherboards - the very foundation of your whole system.
The motherboard connects all the most important components of your PC
and allows communication between them.
Honestly, it’s probably the most complex part of your whole system
and it most likely has a bunch of features you won’t use.
When choosing the right motherboard, remember that it needs to match in size with your case.
The most common size of motherboard is Standard ATX,
which stands for Intel’s Advanced Technology Extended.
Then there’s flex, micro, embedded, and mini, which are smaller
and extended and workstation for larger builds.
The biggest difference between small and large boards are expansion slots and CPU support.
You know how we had to match motherboard and case size?
Well, you also need to match your motherboard to your CPU.
Different CPUs fit different processor sockets, so you may want to decide which CPU you want first,
then find a motherboard to match.
Your motherboard manufacturer should have a full list of which CPU series it is compatible with.
The chipset on your motherboard is the part that’s responsible for all the gibber jabber
between your CPU, RAM, GPU and peripherals.
It also has support for features like USB 3.0, the latest PCI-e, etc.
So be aware of all the features you think you’ll need when shopping motherboards.
When you are making that feature wish list,
like I said before, be sure to take your future self into consideration.
…some of that DDR8.
Burn everything with sequins.
Will you want USB 3.1 or USB Type-C?
How about M.2 SSDs?
Will you need wireless because that’s usually only included on smaller motherboards where
you may not have room for a PCI card or much more pricey motherboards.
Don’t panic here, you can always get an inexpensive Wi-Fi add-on later if you’d rather do that.
Once you’ve chosen your motherboard you are well on your way to your own custom rig!
The motherboard layout will show you what goes where and then the real hype can begin.
But don’t get too carried away and buy everything just because you know where it goes.
We’ll get into the nitty gritty of CPU, RAM, GPU
and a bunch of other letters that go together in later episodes.
Have you built your own system before?
If you have any tips to share, please leave them in the comments below.
And if this is your first build, and you plan on doing it alongside this series, keep us posted on your progress!
We’d love to hear about it.
My name’s Trisha Hershberger and thank you for watching this episode of DIY in 5.