Correct computer assembly. Building a powerful gaming computer

It is worth noting the following point. Budget motherboards are equipped with a 4-pin CPU power connector. So, we divide the existing 8-pin cable with our hands into two 4-pin cables and connect it to the board. Expensive motherboards, on the contrary, are equipped with an additional connector in addition to the 8-pin connector. The trick is that in this case everything will work from one 8-pin wire. An additional port is needed if, for example, you seriously overclock the central processor. But then you will need an accompanying power supply or adapter.

Step No. 5: installing drives and optical drive

For desktop PCs, there are two most common drive form factors: 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch. Plus, solid-state drives with an M.2 connector are gaining popularity. As for the latter, everything is simple with this form factor: the device is installed directly into a port soldered on the motherboard. But 2.5- and 3.5-inch drives must first be secured in the case.

In 99% of cases, the case is equipped with a special basket with a slide. The manufacturer also indicates in the specifications the number of slots for 2.5- and 3.5-inch drives, as well as 5.25-inch devices. In the case of the Fractal Design Define R5, two metal baskets are used. The first (top) can accommodate five 3.5-inch or the same number of 2.5-inch drives. The second (bottom) is three. In some cases these baskets may be removable. Plus, this particular case has two seats for 2.5-inch drives behind the chassis.

Not all computer cases optionally support the installation of 2.5-inch drives. True, many SSD manufacturers complete their products with special adapters for 3.5-inch sleds. They are usually packed in cardboard boxes, but not sealed in a blister.

Before you decide to select the system configuration of the devices required to build a computer, think carefully. Many people think that a computer system unit is a construction kit, that you can thoughtlessly put together any configuration you want, and everything will work great. This is far from true!

Our company “Computer Master” is ready to help you select components for assembling a computer directly by phone to order! You can leave a request for a professional selection of components for a full-fledged computer system unit. In less than one day, our specialist will draw up a list of tested equipment based on your order. All you have to do is buy everything you need and assemble your new computer, or simply use our services for assembling a custom computer!

When assembling a computer, you need to consider:

• The power of the power supply should be 30-40% higher than the total power consumption of all devices, including hard drives, motherboard, video adapter, processor, cooling system, RAM modules, optical drives. It is also recommended to think about the prospects of connecting new devices or upgrading existing ones.
• When choosing RAM, pay attention to its rated supply voltage. If the supply voltage is not standard (1.7 - 1.9 V), then you should make sure that these voltages can be adjusted in the BIOS settings of your motherboard.
• RAM frequency. If the motherboard does not support the clock speed that the RAM modules are capable of, then you need to choose another one.
• Availability of the required number of power cables. Very often, powerful graphics adapters require additional supply voltage. Even if the power supply you choose is very powerful, this does not mean that it has the required number of power cables. This should always be checked.
• Checking whether the processor matches the motherboard.
• You need to check how much heat the processor generates per unit of time. This is a very important parameter. Choose a cooling system so that it has time to remove heat from the processor at maximum load. If you are going to overclock your computer, then you need to pay a lot of attention to this point.

Computer assembly process

Preparing to build a computer

First of all, prepare your workspace for assembling your computer. Check the entire equipment of the devices: fasteners, cables, connecting elements.

We did not separate the installation of the power supply into a separate category of the article. In many system units it is already installed. If you purchased a different power supply or are assembling a computer in an old case, then simply replace the power supply, securing it securely.

Note

Very often, a small syringe or tube with a special heat-conducting substance is included with the motherboard. This thermal paste. It is applied to the surface of the processor for better heat transfer to the radiator of the cooling system. This point cannot be neglected. If you do not have thermal paste, you will need to purchase it separately. Good thermal paste, popular and low price KPT-8.

Installing the motherboard

We will begin the assembly by preparing the computer system case. Remove all shipping plugs, stickers, and pieces of packaging material. Before attaching the motherboard, do not forget to install the back panel that comes with the board, and also check for the presence of mounting pegs. Unscrew some or rearrange them as needed.

Attention!

Before installing the motherboard, install the plastic CPU heatsink bracket on the bottom of the motherboard.

Now carefully place the motherboard on the mounting pegs so that the holes on the board line up with them. In this case, you need to slightly press the board to the back of the system unit, pressing down the springs on the rear wall of the case. Then tighten the screws.

Processor Installation

Let's move on to the next stage of assembling a computer: installing the processor. This is a very important point that requires extreme care and accuracy. Let's consider installing the most common processors - Intel and AMD.

Intel processor

Intel processors are available for mounting on Socket 775. This is a new type of mounting for processors that do not have legs. Instead of legs, this type of processor has special contact pads that are pressed against the motherboard.

To install an Intel processor on the motherboard you need:

1. Remove the protective cover from the mounting pad on the motherboard;
2. Move to the side and lift the lever;
3. Raise the metal bracket;
4. Install the processor, lower the bracket and gently press the mount with the lever.

Attention!

Handle the processor by its edges only! Do not touch the contact pads of the processor and radio elements soldered on the bottom with your hands. Install the processor strictly vertically, parallel to the motherboard, avoiding distortions. The flag on the corner should match the triangular flag on the board.

The next step is installing a cooling radiator on the processor. Before this, you need to apply a thin layer of thermal paste to the entire surface of the processor. Apply evenly, avoiding the appearance of empty areas. Remove excess thermal paste with a dry, clean cloth.

To install the cooler on the processor, install it so that all four mounting pins fit into the holes on the motherboard. Then press on each pin, you should hear a click.

Now check that the heatsink is firmly in contact with the surface of the processor. All that remains is to connect the fan power cable to the motherboard - CPU-Fan socket.

AMD processor

If you choose an AMD processor, you need to pay attention to the fact that it has contact legs, unlike processors from Intel. Be careful! Do not touch the legs with your hands or bend them. Today, mounting pads for AMD are available in the following types: Socket 939, Socket AM2, Socket AM3.

Installing an AMD processor is not much different from Intel: the main thing is to take into account the coincidence of the flags on the processor and motherboard.

There are no difficulties in installing a cooler for the cooling system either. You just need to attach the metal bracket to the plastic pad of the motherboard and press the lever in order to press the heatsink to the surface of the processor.

Installing RAM modules

There should be no problems when installing RAM modules. You just need to move the latches along the edges of the slot, install the module and press it until it clicks on both sides.

On the other hand, you will not be able to insert the memory - there are keys on the mounting platform of the motherboard and on the RAM module itself in order to prevent mistakes. So there is nothing to be afraid of.

Hello, my dear readers!

During the rapid development of computer technology, it is very difficult to imagine your life without a PC. And if you don’t yet have a laptop, netbook, or personal computer, then you are definitely thinking about such a purchase.

What could be simpler: go and buy?! But purchasing a computer in parts and assembling it from components yourself is much cheaper, and you can choose the characteristics as you wish.

Before you assemble your computer from scratch with your own hands, find out how much a standard set of parts costs in a store. Actually, I used the online service to check the compatibility of elements of the future PC http://www.edelws.ru/constructor/. This is very convenient, since without special computer knowledge it is very difficult to select the hardware yourself. In addition, the components here are cheap.

Frame

There's no need to choose much here. This element has absolutely no effect on the operating process of the device. You should buy a case based on comfort. It is desirable that it be possible to install a USB port on the front side of the box, a disk drive and various panels on the rear wall (TV tuner, etc.).

The material doesn't matter either.

Dimensions may be an important aspect.

There are two main factors that play a role here: the number of slots for RAM sticks and cooling. If you just want to work on the computer and nothing else, then 2 slots for brackets are quite enough and cooling does not play a particularly important role.

But, if you are an avid gamer, then you should have the option of installing RAM from 8 GB or more, and for this you already need 4 slots. Naturally, for such power there must be a good and reliable cooler for cooling. So when choosing a motherboard, pay attention to the size of the stock fan. It seems like a small thing, but it is important.

power unit

The most popular option is a 500W power supply. Its power is quite enough to connect any peripheral device without autonomous power supply. In addition, such a unit is able to withstand voltage surges without harm to the computer.

The power supply must also fit the case you choose (for reliable fastening).

All memory modules are divided into 2 types: DDR2 (for desktop computers) and DDR3 (for laptops, netbooks and all-in-one PCs). The number of installed brackets directly depends on the motherboard you choose (discussed above). They are installed extremely simply, like a flash drive in a phone: press until it clicks.

When purchasing RAM, you should pay attention to the cut of the copper contacts of the strip, since they are all different in their design, that is, only a certain group of memory modules corresponds to each motherboard.

Choosing this part is very simple: the larger the volume, the better.

This is a very important detail for any gamer. It is the graphics memory that can provide high-quality images. Among the large number of video cards, the most commonly used are Nvidia G-Force, AMD ATI Radeon (for video games) and Intel ® Graphics HD (for work and office programs).

Intel ® Graphics HD is not a very powerful graphics card, but most stock laptops come with it. Naturally, a gaming computer also copes well with office work, but it costs more.

The type of connector for connecting a video adapter is different, so the graphics chipset must be selected according to the main circuit.

Nowadays the selection of such computer parts is simply incredible, so there will be no problems with the search. Cooling is also important for a video card. Regular office adapters do not have a cooler, there is only a large aluminum radiator that provides cooling. More powerful cards are equipped with one or even two fans for more reliable cooling.

There is no point in hiding the fact that the graphics chipset is the most expensive part in a computer, since most of the functions of a PC or laptop are available thanks to this particular adapter. Needless to say, most of even the oldest video games will not run on a stock graphics memory unit! If you need a budget work computer, then a discrete graphics card should be enough for you.

Processor (CPU)

Most motherboards already come with a processor installed. But, if you know how to install it yourself, then you can take an empty main board and select the CPU yourself.

Now the most popular central processors are i3, i5, i7 devices. The most expensive, the last respectively. There is absolutely no point in buying the first options, since they are already considered outdated.

The above processors from Intel operate at maximum frequencies, which allows you to enjoy the work process of your computer or video game with great pleasure. But be aware: installing a CPU is not as simple a process as it might seem, so if you don't have even the most basic understanding of PC hardware, then buy the main board with the CPU already installed.

There is no need to select this part for a long time; all contacts are absolutely the same on any processor.

Hard disk (HDD, Hard drive or hard drive)

This computer part also has absolutely no significance in terms of device performance. The hard drive is only responsible for storing files, software and the computer's OS. All new generation hard drives have exactly the same connection principle (SATA II), the only difference is in their purpose (PC or laptop).

If you want to store fairly large volumes of files, but don't want to throw away large sums of money, then 500 GB will be enough for you. All knowledgeable people choose Hard drives from Samsung, since these drives are highly reliable and have good throughput.

Sound card

This is a small board that connects to the motherboard and is output to the back of the box. It contains inputs for headphones, speaker system and microphone. Even the age of the sound card does not matter: they are all structurally the same. Choose what is cheaper.

A couple more nuances

In principle, there is no need to install a floppy drive or optical drive, since they are already a thing of history. External hard drives and flash drives have completely displaced them from the world of computer technology. But, if you prefer to store information (photos, movies, music, etc.) on DVDs the old-fashioned way, then make sure you have a drive on your PC.

After reading the article, you learned how to assemble your own computer from components yourself. This way you can save up to 10%-15% of the cost of the long-awaited computer. If you want to understand hardware better and more deeply, I advise you to take the training course “ Computer genius”.

I wish you everything succeeds! Tell your friends and acquaintances about your intentions on social networks by sharing a link to this article. Don't forget to subscribe to blog updates - this is an opportunity to get a lot of useful information about your PC. See you!

Sincerely! Abdullin Ruslan

The laptop and iMac have lost the war to the desktop PC. You’ll finish reading and run to the store for a system unit.

The emergence of each new type of portable PC disrupts the market for desktop units. But in vain.

A desktop system unit lives with the help of upgrades for years: the motherboard and processor rarely need to be changed more than once every 4 years; the rest sometimes live for 10 years.

It is not necessary to keep a huge Full Tower (a body taller than 50 centimeters) under the desktop. The powerful engineering system will fit into a body the size of a Mac Mini and can be hidden anywhere in the house (even behind the TV).

Get a desktop PC, don't be like everyone else.

Rules for selection and assembly. 1. Motherboard, processor and memory

Always get a motherboard with a lot of peripheral ports. It will be great if it can work with the new generation of processors.

There are life hacks for memory and storage devices. Always check:

• will the memory work on the current build;
• Is it possible to seriously improve performance with faster memory;
• It’s always easier to buy more than to sell, so buy one small, fast bar;
• start with a hard drive for file storage, an SSD greatly increases productivity, but you can install it at any moment;
• Take a small but fast SSD; only for the system and main programs.

Rules for selection and assembly. 2. Block, cooling and peripherals

You can't skimp on the power supply. It must provide an output power 20-30% more than the computer consumes at peak load.

It is better to change the unit when buying new hardware than to change the entire system unit due to constant power surges. And don’t take the block as part of the case. It always ends badly.

The easiest way to save money is on cooling. Be patient with overclocking and save money at the start. Instead of fancy turbines and water cooling, use 120mm coolers installed on the same level. Or don't bother at all.

The main thing is that temperatures do not jump: a stably hot system unit (for example, at a constant 70 degrees) works longer than one in which there are changes from cold to warm (even if it is from 25 to short-term 50).

What to build a computer from today?

The following systems should be considered as the most attractive options for a universal system unit:

To a poor student

What to improve: install a more powerful i3-7350K processor and a motherboard based on the Z170/Z270 Express chipset; install an AMD Ryzen 3 processor and corresponding motherboard; install a 120 GB SSD (SATA 6 Gb/s) for the system.

How to save: abandon the discrete video card in the assembly with Intel, the built-in video core will handle all work tasks and allow you to play a little on minimal settings.

I would choose an Intel based system. It scales better, allows the use of powerful processors and a decent amount of memory. The AMD build is more productive in video rendering and multi-threaded computing. But the lack of a large number of such applications almost destroyed the company, so this is not a reason to choose an outdated and cheap FX.

Installing an i3 processor into an Intel assembly will not significantly increase performance: the selected Pentium supports Hiper Threading and works no worse.

But the Intel Core line supports a number of additional instructions that greatly increase the speed of working with video and some work calculations. Take this into account when choosing.

For a novice gamer

What to improve: install a processor with an unlocked multiplier and a motherboard based on the Z170/Z270 Express chipset; replace the video card with a GTX 1070.

How to save: install GTX 1030, 1050Ti or GTX 1060 3 GB; discard the second magnetic storage device.

It's the same story as with the previous build. A proven i5 is preferable to a new Rizen. But all markers have different tastes and colors, so you can choose the cheap AMD option.

Rizen has excellent overclocking potential. A small additional payment on the motherboard and changing the processor to an option with an unlocked multiplier will seriously improve the results. But the younger ones do not work very well with memory, which often neutralizes all performance.

On the other hand, the current i5 from the Skylake/Kaby Lake families do not provide the advantages that the expensive and powerful Haswell i5 had, which were barely inferior to the top-end i7. The absence of Hiper Threadign forces us to describe another configuration.

“...Work, play and stay for a long time”

What to improve: install the processor, motherboard from the following option; replace the video card with a GTX 1080; use a PCI-Express drive.

How to save: use smaller storage devices; replace the video card with a GTX 1060 6 GB.

These configurations are based on serious, almost flagship solutions. An important point: a system unit based on an AMD processor implies overclocking (as evidenced by the motherboard chipset). The Intel solution does not provide for this and, what is much worse, is picky about power quality.

This build will allow you to run almost any game in 2K at maximum graphics settings, and will perform well in 4K. Unfortunately, the Radeon line of graphics cards is completely useless for this application.

However, for Full HD you can go with a 6GB GTX 1060. The difference in performance between the two Nvidia lines is only 15-20%. It's hardly worth it.

God, Caesar and for 3D modeling

What to improve: use water cooling; use a second video card.

How to save: replace the video card according to the requirements; use smaller storage devices.

Record-breaking builds for performance at the moment. The transition to platforms for enthusiasts based on server solutions will provide virtually no increase in real-world use. So before we go out Intel Core i9 and flagship Rizen It is this set of components that will become the ceiling.

There is enough performance for any task. It is worth noting that when purchasing a board, you need to think about whether a second video accelerator will be used in the future and check whether the selected motherboard supports SLI. You should forget about Crossfire and Radeon cards.

Why not replace it in the future? The GTX 1080 Ti is the most powerful graphics card today. This won't change in a couple of years. Purchasing the vaunted Titan is an unjustified luxury that brings very little power.

I have enough money for everything, but I can't decide

The right choice today, regardless of budget, can be a motherboard on a flagship chipset (AMD X370/Intel Z270 Express) and a mid-price processor (AMD Ryzen 5 1600X/Intel Core i5-7400K) with 1 memory stick of 8-16 GB. With an SSD and a GTX 1060, 6 GB is enough to cover everything for several years to come. If you don't like it, you can always improve it.

Is it worth changing your system unit today? If the current one is based on an i5-2500(K), i7-2600(K), i5-3550(K), i7-3770(K) or similar processors with 4/8 physical/virtual threads, the upgrade can wait. All that is required is a new (scarce) video card: GTX 1060 or older. And increase memory.

Greetings, dear readers. Surely there are people among you who are planning to buy a computer in the near future. So, in fact, I decided to write a short series of articles about how to build a computer yourself and how to choose the optimal components based on your needs. We will not talk about the process of physical assembly itself, but about how assemble the optimal configuration.

To prevent the article from becoming huge and difficult to read, I divided it into separate articles:

1. How to assemble a computer yourself(are you here)

Desktop or alternative

Why do we need desktop computers these days? After all, progress does not stand still and there are an abundance of more modern devices on the market, such as tablets, smartphones, all-in-one PCs, ultrabooks, and so on. But the point is this. Modern gadgets may satisfy most of the modern needs of mankind, but there are always tasks that require more productivity than mobile gadgets can provide. That's when desktops come to the rescue.

Before you wonder " how to build a computer yourself“First of all, you need to decide what you need a PC for. Even when you go to a store to buy a computer, the first thing they ask you is how you are going to use it. Maybe you need it for office work, or maybe, on the contrary, you need it. But these are two completely different computers.

I'm sure you already have a rough idea in your head of what kind of computer you want to build. And I’ll just describe the possible options for what might be in your head right now.

Do you want to build a gaming computer?

If you love gaming, then you most likely want to build the most powerful gaming computer (or something close to it). By the way, it will be said that a gaming computer is suitable not only for games. It is also great for video and graphics processing, 3D modeling, and audio processing (if you add a professional sound card to it). In general, this PC is suitable for everything. But his appetites are not childish either (in terms of electricity consumption).

Every gamer's dream

To build a gaming computer, Intel Core i5 / Intel Core i7 / and preferably at least 6th generation. Its analogue could be AMD FX / AMD RYZEN 5 / AMD RYZEN 7, if you are a fan of AMD processors. must be at least NVidia GeForce 780Ti or higher. I don’t see any point in taking it, since its price is inflated out of proportion to its power. you'll need 16GB, but it's not difficult if the motherboard has enough free slots for it. And it’s definitely needed for the system, or better yet, for all software, including games. Fortunately, the volume of solid-state drives is now growing in leaps and bounds. Soon we will completely forget what it is.

Want to build an office PC?

In fact, these are the weakest computers; sometimes it is really better to prefer such a PC. So, if you decide to build an office computer, then you will need an inexpensive Pentium or Celeron processor (but Pentium is better), or a dual- or quad-core AMD processor of similar power. The video card will have a fairly built-in head. However, you should not install less than 4 GB of RAM.

Do you want to build a PC for video processing, graphics, design work, layout

This is, in fact, a medium-power computer. About 8-16 GB of RAM. The main load will fall on the central processor and video card. Therefore, at a minimum, you need an Intel Core i5 processor (preferably the latest or penultimate generation). And consider video cards from .

If we are talking about layout or programming, then you can assemble a system that is a little weaker. For example, an Intel Core i3 processor (also the latest or penultimate generation) will suffice. And since you don’t have to work with graphics, an integrated video card may well be enough.

How to assemble a computer yourself: summary

Now you know in general terms how to assemble a computer yourself. We will look at each point in more detail very soon. In the meantime, a checklist on the topic “Build a computer yourself”:

1. Any case will fit. Take a beautiful one.
2. The more powerful the computer, the more powerful the power supply.
3. The motherboard must support the connection interface for each component you choose. For example, processor chipset or .
4. There is no need to skimp on the processor.
5. If you plan to overclock the processor (), then take care of good cooling.
6. System performance depends not only on the amount of RAM, but also on the frequency of the RAM bus.
7. Often, a video card of the penultimate generation will be enough for any modern game. Don't waste your money on the latest generation video cards.
8. The hard drive can also affect the speed of the system. If this is important, then it is better to look towards SSD drives. They are much faster and quieter.
9. An optical drive is a completely optional attribute. You can save money on it.

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