If you’re installing an AMD CPU, fortunately installation is much less daunting. Be sure to stow the cover away in a safe place as it'll protect the motherboard's sensitive pins if you decide to remove the processor from the motherboard. During this process the protective plastic cover should pop off, so don't freak out if it comes flying at you. Then, gently place your CPU inside the socket, matching the golden triangle located on the bottom left corner of the processor, with the triangle on the socket bracket.įor the next step, you should slide the securing bracket back into its original position so it locks in place underneath the screw, and secure the retention arm back down. Here’s where things are a little different depending on which processor family and/or brand you decided to go with.įor Intel mainstream CPUs, slide the spring loaded retention arm out and up, then lift the bracket up leaving the plastic cover in place. Next up, socket your CPU into the motherboard.
Make sure you use the right ones here, as you don’t want to thread the standoffs, in case you need to remove it at a later date. Then it’s a simply case of securing the motherboard down with the screws that came with your chassis. Next, lay your motherboard down inside the chassis – carefully lining up its rear ports with the corresponding holes in the I/O shield you just installed – on top of the standoffs installed in your chassis. Make sure it’s right side up by matching the pattern of cutouts to the arrangement of ports on the back of your motherboard.
Now that’s done, first find your motherboard’s rear I/O shield, and push it into the rectangular slot in the back of your PC case.
If it doesn’t you may want to install any CPU cooler backplates and M.2 solid-state drives at this juncture. Secondly, see if your PC case has a large CPU cutout or window cut into the back of the motherboard frame. Check for pre-installed motherboard standoffs, ensure the number and arrangement of them conforms to the holes found on your motherboard. These components are also exactly what you need to construct an modest – if a little last generation – gaming PC.īefore we get to install the motherboard, you’ll want to check on a few things about your PC case.
Now for the purposes of our PC building guide, we’ve used these following parts as an example of how to build a complete computer. You’ve got a phillips head screwdriver in hand, and you’re ready to go. Finally.Īfter spending weeks coming up with a list of PC components, waiting anxiously for them to go on sale, and getting them delivered to your door, it’s time. If you can’t find a handy thumb drive and a laptop, we would cannibalize an older rig for a CD drive, or even just buy one – you can find them online for less than 10 bucks these days.
It’s hard to find a modern build with an optical drive these days, so put the Windows 10 installer onto a USB stick ( we’ll show you how). You should also have a power socket and internet connection available. Just do yourself a favor and discharge any latent electricity by placing your hand on metal, like your PC case or power supply.Īs for your workspace, you’re going to want to clear off a good bit of table space, as you'll likely be flipping your PC on its side, feet, back and any which way to install everything.Īnd, before we forget, it’s a good idea to get a monitor, keyboard and mouse set up before you start building, so you have something to plug it into when the building is done. Unless you’ve been running around on carpet all day, or have cats, you likely aren’t holding enough static charge to damage the electronics. You can’t go wrong with an anti-static wrist strap, either – though you can get away with not having one.
You’ll also need a pair of side cutters (or just scissors) to cut those said zip ties.
Zip ties are useful for tidying up all your PC cables and luckily, you most likely won’t have to buy them as they often come included with several different types of computer parts. For example, needle nose pliers or a simple pair of tweezers may come in handy to place screws into tight places or retrieve them. Although a single phillips screwdriver is all you need to construct a PC, you may want a few more things on hand just in case.