I have built a lot of gaming PCs, hundreds of those. You will find many articles on the internet about building a gaming computer, but most of them share the same outdated knowledge. Well, I have 5 PC-building tips that you might not have read about before.
Be sure not to miss the Tip No #5.
Tip #1: You Don’t Need More Case Fans
A high-end gaming PC generates a lot of heat, so you will need plenty of cooling to maintain the temperature inside your PC case.
A decade ago, adding more case fans was considered an optimal solution for cooling down your machine. But now it’s not about the “quantity of the case fans anymore“.
For new PC builders, it’s important to know about the placement of PC case fans. I have built gaming PCs with only three fans installed (two at the front and one at the back side of the chassis).
When building a gaming machine for the first time, you must know about the type of PC case fans. Generally, PC case fans fall into two categories: intake and exhaust fans.
The intake fans (installed at the front of the case) draw fresh air inside the case whereas the exhaust fans (installed at the back) pull hot air outside the case.
So, the main point is to balance the amount of intake and exhaust fans on your PC case. Keep in mind that there is no exact amount or formula to follow when it comes to mounting fans on your PC case.
I usually look at the dimensions and type of the PC case I use for building a PC. In big PC cases where you have a lot of room for air to circulate inside, there’s no need to install too many fans.
On the other hand, when cramping too much hardware inside a small form factor PC case, I’ll consider increasing the amount of in-take fans at the front of the case.
Again, this doesn’t mean you should go with 3 or 4 fans at the front of the case. Adding too many fans at the front of the case would draw in more dust and other particles.
I prefer the 2:1 ratio (two in-take fans and one exhaust fan) for mid-tower or full-tower PC cases. Remember that we need to create an optimal airflow inside our PC case.
Tip #2: Screws Are In The Case
Assembling your parts and holding them in one place on the motherboard isn’t possible without the screws. Remember that all the screws that you need to build a gaming PC come with your “PC case“.
Some of the best PC case brands offer a complete accessory box that includes all the screws and screwdrivers that you would need to build a PC.
Although a PC case that comes without screws doesn’t look like a big deal, you can buy these from your local computer store. But it’s hard to find the right screws when you are upgrading your PC or adding new parts to it.
Tip #3: It’s Not the Hardware Everytime
Though the type of hardware you choose for building your gaming PC has much to do with gaming performance, you cannot ignore the compatibility and optimization of parts.
I always do small tweaks within the “BIOS” after building a new gaming PC. Restart your PC and hit the “Delete” button to enter the BIOS configuration menu. Remember that every motherboard manufacturer has its dedicated key for entering the BIOS.
Once you are into the BIOS, head over to the overclocking profiles option for Intel XMP or AMD EXPO to get maximum performance out of your RAM.
Don’t forget to check your motherboard manufacturer’s website for any latest drivers. Lastly, you must update your operating system to the latest version to get the most out of your hardware.
Tip #4: PSU Fan Placement
For newbies, it’s hard to figure out the direction of the PSU fan. Remember that your “PSU fan must be facing outside” no matter which type of PC case you have. Modern PC cases have a dedicated section for installing the PSU (usually at the bottom).
Tip #5: Don’t Overlook The Motherboard & PC Case
Every gaming PC is built on a foundation, so a motherboard and a chassis set the basic foundation for holding all the parts together in one place.
The motherboard and PC case are the two most important parts that should be compatible. Once your motherboard sits easily inside the chassis, it is easier to install the other parts like CPU, GPU, RAM, PSU, etc on it.
You can visit a website like PCPartPicker.com to find out if your motherboard would easily fit inside your motherboard.
This has happened many times when I bought an E-ATX motherboard that wasn’t going anywhere near the mid-tower PC case. So, I don’t want you to make this mistake as a beginner.
For example, for a PC case with USB 3.0 or USB-C headers at the front of a PC case, you will need a motherboard that natively supports these headers out of the box.
Some Other Bonus Tips
You will find lots of PC-building tips in subreddits like r/buildapc, r/pcbuild, etc. Please remember that everything comes from experimenting. Once you start building your gaming machines, you will come across new valuable insights.
There are hundreds of tips that I can share with you, and I will from time to time. Below are some PC-building tips that I find the most useful for beginners.
- Remember to remove the plastic from the pins on your RAM stick before installing it on the motherboard.
- Apply a small amount of thermal paste on the CPU cooler (not more than the size of a pea).
- Don’t rush and take your time to build your machine
- Don’t spend too much money on fancy PC cases, rather invest the same money on performance-based parts like CPU, GPU, RAM, etc.
Mosaab Jamal Ahmed is a seasoned technology enthusiast with a passion for gaming and PC upgrades. His journey began in 1998 with a Pentium 1 PC, igniting his lifelong fascination with computer hardware.
Over the years, Mosaab has honed his skills in upgrading and optimizing PCs with the latest components, ensuring peak performance for gaming and other demanding applications.
Through his insightful articles, Mosaab shares his extensive knowledge on building and enhancing gaming PCs.