Many people dream of building their own custom gaming PC, but worry about the countless myths and horror stories floating around the internet.
Most have heard of builds gone wrong, ending in broken parts, wasted money, and tears on an RGB keyboard.
Building your own PC, however, isn’t half as risky and complex as these stories might make it out to be. Building a PC is simple and straightforward with the right approach and knowledge.
Take a look at six of the most common myths about building a gaming PC so you can get started without fear or avoidable accidents.
1. It’s extremely complicated
This is by far the most common misconception about building a gaming PC. Most people don’t know how the inner workings of their computer work, so it’s only natural to assume it’s too complex. for a beginner.
This is not the case, however. In fact, it’s no more difficult than building a LEGO set. You just need the right instructions and the right parts, and it all fits together pretty much one piece at a time.
Building your own PC comes down to two main steps: choosing the parts and putting them together. Luckily, every PC uses the same core set of components and the same basic build process.
Once you know what parts you need and what they do, things are very simple.
2. Pre-built PCs are a better deal
Too many people fall into the prebuilt PC trap, especially gamers on a budget. A pre-built PC isn’t usually the answer if you’re looking for the best graphics for your money.
As a rule, they are rarely a better deal. Sure, there are great pre-built PCs out there. However, you can build the same yourself for less money.
Pre-built versions have to add labor costs, so you’re paying more for someone to spend a few hours doing something you could do for free.
Also, shipping will likely be dangerous and expensive since the entire unit is shipped all at once.
Instead of paying someone to build your PC, you could invest those extra dollars in better parts or even games.
3. Building a PC is risky
A common fear among hesitant PC builders is that they might break their parts during the build process.
It’s natural to worry about these things, especially after you’ve invested hundreds or thousands of dollars in your coins. Some may even worry about their physical safety when building their own electronic device.
In reality, however, building PCs is safe for you and your parts as long as you take basic intuitive precautions.
For example, don’t connect your power supply to your PC during the build process – then you don’t have to worry about electrical burns.
Also, even when your computer is plugged in, it only uses about 110 volts, while serious injuries are mostly only caused by voltages of 500 or more. Basically, there is virtually no risk of injury when building your system.
Set up an anti-static workspace and your parts will be safe too. You can do this by simply having some cardboard to build on and wearing an ESD wrist strap.
Plug in your power supply, keeping it disconnected from everything else, and turn it off. Attach your wristband to something metallic on the PSU, like the fan slots, and you’re grounded and good to go.
It’s so easy. Most PC parts are quite sturdy and hard to break as long as they are installed correctly.
4. You need a GPU
One of the most common PC build issues today is the price of GPUs.
Computer chip shortages, crypto mining and scalping drove the cost well above the usual MSRP. Gamers on a budget often think they can’t build a PC because a graphics card would be too expensive.
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a dedicated graphics card to build a great gaming PC. You can opt for a high-performance processor with integrated graphics instead. Generally, however, AMD’s integrated graphics tend to outperform Intel’s.
Gamers on a budget should go for something like the AMD Ryzen 5600G, which can happily run most games you throw at it, since the boost”Minecraft“Amendments”Haloand even esports titles.
Graphics performance is comparable to a GTX 1650 in normal gameplay.
Will a PC without a GPU outperform an RTX 3080? No of course not. However, it will work great for gamers trying to build on a budget, and that’s what matters.
5. 500 GB of storage is enough
Insufficient storage is mostly an issue in budget builds and pre-builds, but it’s something to watch out for. You’ll be surprised how quickly you fill up 500GB of storage.
Some of today’s most popular games will devour everything in no time. For instance, “sea of thieves” alone requires almost 100 GB of storage space.
You’ll probably want to play more than four games if you’re building your own gaming PC. Never settle for 500GB of storage. The extra money for 1 or 2TB of storage will be worth it.
6. It’s okay to put your PC on the floor
It’s less of a building myth and more of a guarding myth, but it’s still a big deal in the gaming community.
Do not put your PC down. It would be best placed on top of your refrigerator, in the middle of your coffee table, or literally anywhere else.
Dust is the enemy of custom PCs. It will get sucked into your cooling fans, create havoc, and might even slow down or damage your carefully assembled parts.
There’s way more dust and debris on the floor than on your desk. Get a side table or stand for your PC if your desk is too small.
This also applies to the construction process. Never put your PC on the floor, especially not on a carpet or fabric surface.
It’s a recipe for static disaster. It’s also a quick and dirty way to lose parts like the tiny screws in your PCIe slots.
Build your own PC fearlessly
You don’t have to be a computer whiz to build your own custom gaming PC. You also don’t need the most sophisticated parts on the market or special installation.
There are some things to watch out for in the build process, but it’s actually very simple. Choosing your parts is easier than you think and can even be a lot of fun once you understand the components you need.
Now that these PC building myths have been debunked, you can get started with confidence.
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