---

A COMPLETE

HOW-TO

PC BUILDING

GUIDE FOR

BEGINNERS

CONTENTS:

PART 1 :

INTRODUCTION TO PC COMPONENTS

01~02 CPU

03 CPU COOLER

04 MOTHERBOARD

05 MEMORY

06 GRAPHICS CARD

07 HARD DRIVE

08 POWER SUPPLY

09 CASE

10 PERIPHERALS

PART 2 :

HOW TO BUILD A PC

11 STEP 0 : PREPARATION

12 STEP 1 : CPU INSTALLATION

13 STEP 2 : MEMORY INSTALLATION

14 STEP 3 : M.2 DRIVEINSTALLATION

15 STEP 4 : CPU COOLER INSTALLATION

16 STEP 5 : MOTHERBOARD INSTALLATION

17 STEP 6 : STORAGE INSTALLATION

18 STEP 7 : GRAPHICS CARD INSTALLATION

19 STEP 8 : POWER SUPPLY INSTALLATION

20 STEP 9 : FRONT PANEL CONNECTORS AND CABLE MANAGEMENT

21 STEP 10:OPERATION SYSTEM INSTALLATION

WHY SHOULD YOU BUILD YOUR PC?

We choose any combination of components we want to fit our requirements.

We make the best use of our limited [or unlimited] budget.

We can upgrade and maintain our PC with ease.

In a nutshell…

Building it yourself is just cooler!

PART 1 :

INTRODUCTION TO PC COMPONENTS

WHAT DO I NEED TO BUILD A PC?

Although building a PC is as easy as putting together a LEGO set, you should know about the building blocks before starting.

PC builds can have many styles and uses, but some components are fundamental and must be a part of every PC.

01~02 CPU:

CPUs are essentially the brains of computers – responsible for interpreting instructions and processing data. There are two major high-performance desktop CPU players in the market: Intel and AMD.

AMD:

AMD’s CPU lineup:

AMD starts with Ryzen 3 and Ryzen 5, an upgrade over legacy Athlon and Sempron lines.

•Ryzen 3 and 5 : Suitable for casual gaming and office applications. Although most Ryzen 3 and 5 processors offer simultaneous multi- threading (SMT), the very entry-level Ryzen 3 products do not. Make sure you check before you buy. AMD processors with “G” at the end feature integrated graphics; all other Ryzen processors will require a separate graphics card even to display an output.

• Ryzen 7 : The Ryzen 7 has more cores, and this line is suitable for gaming at a mid-tier level.

• Ryzen 9 : Ryzen 9 chips currently have the most cores when we’re talking about the mainstream consumer CPU segment – making them great for both high-end gaming and CPU-intensive tasks like video editing and rendering. The top-end Ryzen 9 processor boasts 16 cores and 32 threads.

•Threadripper and Epyc : AMD’s top-tier Threadripper and more power- ful Epyc CPUs are geared towards the workstation and server market.

Intel:

Here’s Intel’s CPU lineup:

• Celeron series: A series that houses Intel’s entry-level products. It caters to users who don’t need to handle CPU-intensive work. Celerons are suitable for users who just need something to handle tasks like watching/streaming videos, surfing the web, or running Office applications (word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, and so on).

• Pentium series: Offers a higher level of performance than the Celeron but features weaker integrated graphics performance and a smaller cache than the Intel Core series.

• Core series: The current mainstream Intel CPU lineup.

Core i3:Perfect for tackling daily tasks, light gaming, watching videos, and browsing the web.

Core i5:The Intel 10th generation i5 processors have up to 6 cores and 12 threads. They (the non-F models) also come equipped with decent integrated graphics, making them suitable for light gaming/graphics editing.

Core i7:Deliver exceptional performance and boast significantly better multitasking abilities than the weaker processors in Intel’s lineup. It can run most games and heavier applications like graphics editing software programs effortlessly.

Core i9:The most powerful processor in the Intel Core family. They are perfect for hardcore gamers, streamers, and content creators.

Core X and Xeon:Tailored for workstations and servers. These processors usually feature higher core counts and more enterprise features than other processors in Intel’s product lineup.

03 CPU COOLER:

CPUs produce a lot of heat. High temperatures can cause the system to shut down in order to protect important components, and may even cause permanent damage. Fans and heatsinks are therefore necessary in order to keep the CPU running cool. Except for some high-end CPUs, most boxed CPUs are bundled with a corresponding CPU cooler which can meet basic demands for heat dissipation.

For better system performance, it is suggested to buy a better CPU cooler.

The cooler can be classified in terms of heat dissipation medium into two types: liquid cooling and air cooling. Air coolers can be further classified into tower-style, downdraft and updraft coolers, depending on their appearance and airflow direction. Users should choose a cooler that fits their product and circumstances.

04 MOTHERBOARD:

The motherboard is a platform that holds all the parts and components in a computer. It links the various components of a computer, including expan- sion cards, hard drives, memory and peripherals such as keyboard and mouse, as well as handling communication and transmission between these devices.

The following considerations should be taken into account when choosing a motherboard:

Motherboard Dimensions:

Just like clothes, motherboards come in different sizes. Common sizes include:

• Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX, ATX and E-ATX, four types of motherboard dimension.

The motherboard is the second most important choice when building a PC. The motherboard, also called the mainboard, links all the components of your computer, connecting your processor, memory modules, graphics and expan- sion cards, hard drives, and connections for your network, keyboard, mouse, and more.

05 MEMORY:

In simple terms, memory is used to store data temporarily, increasing the speed at which the CPU can access data from the hard drive. Both memory capacity and frequency affect computer performance. The higher the memory frequency, the faster it is. Having more memory means more space for temporary storage, and better performance as a result.

DDR4 is the current mainstream, starting at DDR4-2133 for entry-level computers.

Higher frequencies such as DDR4-2400 and DDR4-3000 are typically targeted at hardcore gamers and overclockers.

06 GRAPHICS CARD:

The graphics card takes data from the computer and outputs it as text, images and colors on a display monitor.

At present, the two main graphics manufacturers are NVIDIA and AMD.

two main GPU manufacturers are NVIDIA and AMD, and at MSI we offer cards for both GPU brands, ranging from entry-level to ultra high-end

NVIDIA : 3000-series cards offer a huge leap over the 2000-series, and the current models are the entry level RTX 3070, the powerful RTX 3080, and high-end RTX 3090 cards. The “R” stands for “Ray Tracing”, Ray tracing is the

holy grail of gaming graphics, simulating the physical behavior of light to bring real-time, cinematic-quality rendering to even the most visually intense games.

AMD : starts with the Radeon RX 5500XT, up to the RX 5600 XT and RX 5700 XT, For the high-end we have the RX 5700.

07 HARD DRIVE:

The hard drive is the computer's storage device.

Whether we're talking hard disk drives, solid state drives or SSDs, or NVMe or SATA m.2 drives, these are all forms of storage for files in your computer. Storage has evolved from hard drives that use magnetic tech- nology to store data on spinning disks. Reaching 20 terabytes or more, 4 to 8 terabyte hard drives are a cost-effective option for mass storage. But, with data transfer around 140 to 180 megabytes a second, speed is far surpassed by SSDs and m.2 drives. Solid state drives, whether SSDs or M.2 drives, use memory to store data. Whereas the DDR4 memory in your computer is emptied when there's no power, SSDs and M.2 drives can store data without power. For SSDs, they use the same SATA connectors as hard drives, but good drives offer read and write speeds of over 500 megs a second, triple the speed of hard drives. These go up to 2 terabyte capacities, some reaching 4 terabytes.

08 POWER SUPPLY:

The powersupply converts AC power into DC power for computer components.

The following considerations should be taken into account when choosing a power supply:

Wattage

General guidelines- a PC for the web, word and excel can get by on 500 to 600 watts. For NVIDIA GPUs, a last gen RTX 2000 series needed about 650 to 750 watts. The new RTX 3080 GPU requires 750 watts, and the high-end RTX 3090 needs 850 watts or more.

Energy Efficiency

The 80 Plus certification program for power supply units features the following ratings – 80 Plus, 80 Plus Bronze, 80 Plus Silver, 80 Plus Gold, 80 Plus Platinum, and 80 Plus Titanium. The most efficient (and most expen- sive) Titanium tier offers more than 94% energy efficiency at 50% load.

09 CASE:

Selecting a case can be done mostly to personal taste, but there's a few factors to keep in mind.

1. Airflow: The case needs to have good airflow, so there should be lots of fan mounting spots. Also look for wide openings at the front for air to enter, and having them filtered will help keep dust out of the case.

2. Dimensions: Check what size motherboard your case will accept, most motherboards are ATX sized and won't fit in smaller cases. Check the case specs, or consider a smaller case to match. Also you'll need to check the length of the graphics card the case accepts, as newer graphics cards can reach 27, 30 or almost 33 centimeters in length. And do you need spots for SSDs or hard drives? Check the case has mounting spots for your storage. Next, what kind of CPU cooling solution will you be using? For air cooling, check the case's maximum CPU cooling height in millimeters, at least a few mils more than the height of your actual cooler.

10 PERIPHERALS:

Keyboard:

The keyboard is mainly used for text input. Keyboards use the USB or PS/2 interface.

USB keyboards are the norm, with only a few high-end or low-end products employing PS/2.

The mechanism and actuation method on a keyboard determines its tactile response when typing.

The two main switch types are membrane and mechanical.

• Mechanical keyboards are actuated by an independent physical switch. Different mechanical switches have different tactile responses; the main types are brown, blue, black and white.

• Membrane keyboards are cheaper and make up a majority of the market.

Monitors:

A monitor connects with one DisplayPort or HDMI cable, and high-end models may have a USB-C video input. Often there's legacy VGA, also known as D-Sub, or DVI inputs. Monitors can be flat or curved, and 1080p is the basic resolution, but 1440p is becoming the gamers choice as you can see more game detail. There are 4K screens for high resolution media playback, and creative professionals. Refresh rate is important for gamers; most 1080p and 4K screens have a 60 hertz refresh rate, but 1440p can do 120 or 144 hertz, this is often a TN type display. Your display can update twice as fast, and the split-second difference may help you win competitive online games. AMD Freesync or NVIDIA G-sync features can reduce screen tearing.

You should pay attention to contrast and especially brightness, rated in candela or nits, same thing. Panel type can be In-Plane Switching or IPS, with better color accuracy and wider viewing angles, or Twisted Nematic or TN, known for its ultra-fast refresh rate. Vertical Alignment or VA panels used to sit in-between these two.

One problem that membrane keyboards may encounter is registering simultaneous key presses, so competitive gamers may want to choose keyboards that support N-Key Rollover (NKRO).

Mouse:

Mice are typically classified according to their method of connection - wired or wireless. They can also be classified according to their sensor type, depending on whether they employ optical or laser sensors.

Wired mice typically connect via a USB port, while Bluetooth and 2.4GHz WIFI are the norm for wireless mice.For gaming, we recommend using a wired mouse to avoid wireless signal and battery life issues.

PART 2 :

HOW TO BUILD A PC

STEP-BY-STEP BUILD GUIDE:

STEP 0 : PREPARATION

Before start, some simple things to be prepared:

*A magnetic screwdriver.

*Some zip ties /velcro strips and a pair of scissors.

*A clean non conductive surface to build your PC onto.

*Take a deep breath, read the manuals first and you are good to go!

Caution:

Pins on the motherboard are vulnerable, so be careful to not bend them.

STEP 1 : CPU INSTALLATION

*Unlatch the lid of the CPU socket.

*Line up the notch printed on the CPU with the guiding notches marked on the socket; carefully insert it inside the socket.

*Make sure the CPU is placed properly then resecure the lid and lock it onto the processor.

Caution:

Be careful with the CPU socket pins (or CPU pins), as it is made of gold, which is soft material. They are exceedingly fragile, any slight collision can bend the pins, which might cause functional errors.

STEP 2 : MEMORY INSTALLATION

*Pressing down on the lock/ejector tabs that are located at the ends of the memory socket.

*Check the memory module installation order outlined in the motherboard manual, and make sure which the suggested matching memory slots to insert first.

*Push the modules down until you hear a “click” as the retention clips are pushed upwards and lock the module.

Tips:

The suggested sequence of which memory slots to be installed first may differ due to different motherboards. Take MSI motherboards as example, you are suggested to insert the memory kit into Dimm1 slot first.

STEP 3 : M.2 DRIVE INSTALLATION

*Move and fasten riser screws on the M.2 standoffs.

*Take your drive and gently insert it into the connector at a 45 degree angle.

* Push it down towards the standoff and secure it with the little screw.

Tips:

Some high-end motherboards come with special cooling solution for M.2, such as M.2 shield and M.2 FORZR. You can refer to motherboard manual for additional installation steps.

STEP 4 : CPU COOLER INSTALLATION

*Mount the back- plate onto the back of the motherboard. (If you have one)

* Apply a drop of thermal paste onto the surface of the processor.

*Connect CPU Fan Cable to CPU Fan Header on the motherboard.

*Lower the cooler vertically and place it onto the CPU.Secure it evenly tightening opposite screws progressively.

Caution:

Make sure you apply thermal paste with the right amount. Too little or too much will cause bad contact or get paste into the socket relatively.

Make sure the screws are tightened properly, and the pressure applied at the corners is even to avoid CPU damage and cooling performance degradation.

STEP 5 : MOTHERBOARD INSTALLATION

*Install I/O shield onto the back of the case.

*Take your motherboard and gently lower it at a 45 degree angle into the case.

*Match the mounting holes on the motherboard with the stand-offs in the case.

*Secure the board with each of the supplied screws.

Tips:

Don’t leave out screws - a solid mount will be very helpful to secure the motherboard in place to avoid unsteady movement.

STEP 6 : STORAGE INSTALLATION

Connect one end of the SATA cable to the SATA ports on the motherboard, and the other end to the storage devices (2.5’’ inches / 3.5’’ inches) itself.

Caution:

Make sure you mount the hard drive tight to avoid damage.

STEP 7 : GRAPHICS CARD INSTALLATION

*Remove rear PCI-e bracket from the case.

*Unlock the PCI-e slot by pushing back the small plastic lock located at the rear of the slot.

*Hold the card with two hands, lower the graphics card into the case and install into the PCI-e slot of the motherboard.

*Secure the graphics card with the required screws to the back of the chassis.

Caution:

Some high-end cards are longer or use up even more PCI space. Make sure to check that beforehand to choose the appropriate case that could fit the graphics card.

STEP 8 : POWER SUPPLY INSTALLATION

*Mount the Power Supply (PSU) into the chassis and secure it with all the screws.

*Connect 24-pin power connector into the socket on the motherboard.

*Connect 8-pin CPU power connector to motherboard.

*Connect 6+2 Pin PCI-E Cable to graphics card (it may vary by graphics card products).

*Clip in your SATA power connecter to hard drive.

*Connect other Molex connectors(with 4 horizontal pins) to extra devices (e.g. DVD/CD Optical Drives).

Tips:

Choosing the appropriate wattage for a Power Supply is essential. You can use online PC build simulators such as PC Part Picker or MSI Power Supply Calculator tool to get an estimation of the power required by your build.

Make sure to purchase a Power Supply with a little headroom to account for future upgrades.

STEP 9 : FRONT PANEL CONNECTORS AND CABLE MANAGEMENT

*Connect Power switch / Reset switch / Power LED/ HDD(Hard Drive) LED Cable to motherboard JFP1 Pin header.

*Connect front USB cables to USB pin headers on the motherboard.

*USB 3.0 / USB 2.0 Cable to USB 3.0 / USB 2.0 Pin Header.

* Front USB Type-C Cable to Front USBType-C Pin Header.

*Connect the Audio(Speaker) Cable to the motherboard JAUD1 Pin header.

*Use zip ties or velcro strips to secure the cables in tight bundles to the back of the case.

Tips:

Check the maximum amount of USB ports on the motherboard before purchasing a PC case. Make sure the case you want to purchase also support enough USB ports as the motherboard does.

STEP 10: OPERATION SYSTEM INSTALLATION

*Insert the OS device (CD / USB)

*Follow the OS installation steps

*Download the latest device driver from the website and Install.

Tips:

If your system can’t be booted from the installation devices, enter the BIOS and prioritize the boot sequence.

CONCLUSION:

"My overall conclusion to whether building a PC is easy or not is a mixed opinion. I do believe that it is hard to build a PC because a lot of research I have done have said that people should look up books or documents on the web to help them build a computer. From the questionnaire I have found that many people have never built their own computer, this must mean that they aren't comfortable with themselves to actually build one.

If people do spend time researching how to build a computer then they will comfortably be able to build one. Researching is the key to being able to master things; making things easier to do or understand. It seems as though people don't really research as from my questionnaire many people have put that you don't need to wear an antistatic wrist band when building a computer; which you do, to protect the components from blowing up.

So to conclude, building a computer is not easy unless you take time out for yourself to do a little research on the steps and how to safely build a PC. Many people are scared that they might break some components or don't even know what components they need. Research is the answer for people who want to build a computer with ease otherwise if not, you'll find it hard."

THANK YOU!!