Parts Needed To Build a PC

One advantage of building your PC from scratch is that you can customize it according to your preference, budget, and style. In doing so, knowing the main parts to make your gaming PC is essential.

If this sounds overwhelming, relax; you don’t have to worry. We’ve helped you highlight all the tools required and a concise list describing all the parts you need to build your gaming PC.

Before you start building, there are a few things to think about

Knowing how your PC works on the inside is crucial if you’re gaming a lot. The essential PC components like motherboard (MB), processor (CPU), and graphics card (GPU) are a few important things that’ll help your gaming PC work fine. But that’s not all.

Building your gaming PC all by yourself would save you labor costs and enhance your knowledge of the inner workings of your PC. Choosing the correct power supply (PSU), monitor, case, and proper cooling are among the essential things that’ll give you the best performance from your PC.

Which tools are required to build a PC?

Custom PC parts Builder

Since this will be a custom PC build, you need to be aware of websites that’ll help you put together the list of required parts specifically for your gaming needs. We have also prepared a detailed guide for building your first gaming PC.

PC Build Kit

Before we get into the parts, we need to know the tools to get our hands dirty in building the gaming PC of our choice.

The list below comprises well-rounded essential tools that you should prepare beforehand to give you less trouble and aid your work. Let’s go.

• Screwdriver (Phillips)
• Pliers
• Adjustable Wrench
• Clean Workspace

Here are the gaming PC parts you need in a quick view:

Below are the parts you need to build your gaming PC without further ado.

• Central Processing Unit (CPU)
• Motherboard (MB)
• Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)
• Random Access Memory (RAM)
• Storage (HDD, SSD)
• Power Supply Unit (PSU)
• Cooling System
• Case
• Display Device (Monitor)
• Input Devices (Mouse and Keyboard)
• Operating System (OS)

Let’s have a look at the parts list one by one:

1. Central Processing Unit (CPU)

Often referred to as the computer’s brain, the CPU (also known as Processor, Central Processor, or Main Processor) is responsible for performing tasks based on the instructions it receives from hardware and software installed on your computer.

When building your PC, you must ensure that your CPU is compatible with the motherboard (We’d talk about the motherboard shortly). The compatibility implies that the CPU socket is a container for other mechanical parts, and the chipset must be just right.

There are several CPU manufacturers around, but Intel and AMD stand out. Both companies are well known for producing high-quality processors that’ll serve you well for work, gaming, or any other purpose.

Our pick for gaming CPUs:

2. Motherboard (MB)

We’ve mentioned the motherboard so often, and you may be wondering why. The short answer is; The motherboard serves as a connecting point for all other PC components to aid communication. You can call it a backbone if you want.

The motherboard (also known as mainboard or mobo) is crucial to building a PC. You must ensure it supports all other parts you may want to install. The CPU, for example, must have the same socket type as the motherboard; the same goes for the GPU and RAM (Random Access Memory).

Motherboards come in different sizes, shapes, and specifications (called Form Factor), such as Standard-ATX, Micro-ATX, and Mini-ATX. Out of the bunch, Intel and AMD are the top manufacturers of chipsets for motherboards.

The takeaway here is to look out for the socket type. LGA 1700 for Intel and AM4 for AMD are the standards at the time of this writing.

Read more: Best Mini ATX Motherboard

Our pick for gaming mini MBs:

3. Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)

Along with the CPU, the graphic processing unit (GPU) is often referred to as the essential part of the PC. Necessary because it is responsible for displaying images on the computer. Every gamer on earth always looks out for the GPU when building their PC, and rightly so.

Most PCs are pre-installed with an integrated GPU that can handle office work, word processing, some older games, and movies. Adding a discrete GPU to your PC is recommended and would give you high-quality visuals.

However, GPU must have more processing power to keep up with modern games and achieve as many FPS (frames per second) as possible for smooth gaming without jerks and hiccups at high details.

We recommend that the discrete GPU in your PC should have a minimum of 4GB VRAM for 1080p resolution and at least 8GB for 2K and higher resolutions. AMD and Nvidia are leading manufacturers of GPUs.

Read more: AMD RX 6500 XT vs. NVIDIA RTX 3050, Best CPU with Integrated Graphics.

Our pick for  gaming GPUs:

4. Random Access Memory (RAM)

RAM is a medium for temporary storage and retention of data for your PC. Information stored in RAM is erased when your computer crashes or loses power. RAM is vital because, in addition to the CPU and GPU, it significantly affects the performance of your computer.

Ideally, the minimum RAM you should have in your PC is 8GB. However, for gaming, 16GB is preferable. The performance of your game would be increased, and you will be able to run background applications on your PC conveniently.

Again, your RAM must be compatible with your motherboard (I’m sure you know why by now) and your CPU. If you’re using a new Intel Alder Lake motherboard while building your PC, a DDR5  is what you need. Other than that, DDR4 or DDR3 should be used, depending on the version of your motherboard.

Read more: Corsair DDR5 RAM Review, Best White RAM, Memory Clock.

Our pick for white gaming RAMs:

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5. Storage

For your PC to function well, good enough storage is crucial. Unlike the RAM, the storage stores data for a long time. HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), and NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory Express) are the primary forms of storage on your PC.

Each of these storage drives has pros and cons; HDDs are slower, have a longer lifespan, and are the best for storing extra data, while SSDs are faster, have a shorter life span, and are best for storing operating systems and gaming apps.

NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory Express), on the other hand, are what most people use these days. They are plugged directly into the motherboard (MB must have M. 2 slot) to enable them to have super-fast speeds of up to 7100MBps (read speed) and 6600MBps (write speed) with Gen4 NVMe drives.

Read more: Storage for Gaming PC, NVMe SSD for Gaming.

Our pick for NVMe SSDs:

6. Power Supply Unit (PSU)

After assembling all these parts, the importance of having an excellent power supply cannot be over-emphasized. A good PSU would determine how efficiently all your components would work overtime.

To have a PSU that will supply enough power to other components in your PC, you need to consider the modularity, wattage, and efficiency rating.

The modularity is responsible for allowing connection and disconnection of cables from the PSU, requiring a sound cable management system. The Wattage; Between 650W to 850W is ideal for a gaming system, and an efficiency rating of 80 Plus and above would make the PSU perfect for your component.

Our pick for PSUs:

7. Cooling System

When the human brain has worked for long hours, it needs rest. The same applies to the CPU. After obeying many instructions and performing tasks, the CPU generates heat and needs to be calm to aid optimal performance.

Air cooling and water cooling are the two central cooling systems in the computer. Most PCs come with air cooling; a pressure fan is present to absorb heat from the CPU, giving your PC a better performance. Other cooling systems may have multiple fans.

Water cooling is more expensive but can lower the temperature than the air system. It’s a good thing both are reliable, and again, they should be compatible with the motherboard. If your CPU doesn’t come with any cooler, you should purchase one.

Read more: AIO CPU Cooling, Best RGB Fans, NZXT Kraken Z Series, Asus ROG Ryujin.

Our pick for RGB cooling:

8. Case

A PC case is where all your components will be housed. They come in different colors, sizes, aesthetics, and compatibility tendencies, to mention a few. Choosing the house your PC components live in will significantly affect how long they last.

Generally, there are four primary PC case sizes; Full-Tower, Mid-Tower, Mini-Tower, and Small Form Factors (SFF). These four are further classified based on their motherboard compatibilities, drive space, expansion slots, graphics card, cooling fans, etc.

Aside from the space, ensure the airflow is excellent, storage capacity is big enough, cable management perfect, and the cooling system is top-notch. Once these boxes are ticked, you’re good to go.

Read more: Best White PC Cases, Best Pink PC Cases, Best Cases Under $100, Small ATX Case

Our pick for cases:

10. Display Device (Monitor)

The monitor is essentially the gateway into the gaming world. Ultimately, the GPU plays a significant role in how images and visuals, in general, appear on your screen. But that’s not all; The resolution, panel size and refresh rate of your monitor need to be suitable to give you an unbelievable express while gaming.

For the monitor’s resolution, you don’t have to get a 4K monitor if your graphics card can’t handle more than 1080p. 1080p is the standard monitor resolution for gaming, with a 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution. Anything higher is excellent too.

The size depends on personal preference. The Pixel Per Inch (PPI) is what to consider here. A modern monitor between 24 and 32 inches for gaming will do justice. Every gamer should consider a monitor with a 144Hz or higher refresh rate because the image will be sharper and the gaming experience smoother and more pleasing to the eye.

Read more: Best Monitor for Gaming, Best 144Hz monitors,  Gaming Monitor under 200$, Gaming Monitor under 300$

Our pick for monitors:

11. Input Devices (Mouse, Keyboard)

Input devices are crucial parts of your PC, and unlike what many people think, there’s a lot to consider when picking a mouse. It is best to look out for the sensor, tracking speed, connectivity, and a host of other specifications in a mouse.

 

Ordinary as they may sound, a keyboard is also an essential part of your PC. The keyboard size, the way the keyboard sounds when pressed, the way the buttons are customized, illumination, and a host of other factors are essential for your PC’s keyboard.

Read more: Best Keyboard Under $50, Best Keyboard Under $100, Best TKL Keyboard, Best Small Mechanical Keyboard, Best Mouse Under $50, Best White Mouse

Our pick for keyboards:

Our pick for mice:

12. Operating System (OS)

The Operating System manages the tasks of the hardware and software of your PC. Most PCs come with pre-installed OS, but there’s a bunch you can choose from to upgrade it yourself.

Microsoft Windows, Linux, and macOS are the top Operating Systems around. Each has its uniqueness and shortcomings, but Microsoft Windows is widely used because of its compatibility with many software. Advanced users mainly use Linux.

While installing the Windows OS on your PC, you’d need to buy a license from either Microsoft or other official vendors to improve OS performance. This license doesn’t cost much.

Conclusion

There you have it! Reading through this guide must have given you all the help you need to build your dream PC. Before you go, remember to get a good gaming headset because not all monitors have speakers.

In the end, we can safely say that if you stick to our recommendations, you cannot go wrong in choosing the proper gaming hardware for you. Since we always care about your budget and getting the best performance for your invested money, pay attention to our recommended configurations.