Your first PC build is pretty daunting. You’ll get through it, trust me – but you will make mistakes. It’s all part of the process. Even people who have built a dozen PCs will still make mistakes! So, I wanted to write a piece to reassure new builders that even pros will make errors from time to time. So, here are 5 mistakes every PC builder makes (at some point!).
1. You didn’t measure correctly
A mistake I’ve seen people make again and again is not triple checking clearance space. There is nothing worse than installing a bunch of parts and then going to install your AIO only to discover it won’t fit properly due to your motherboard. Or you go to slot in your GPU and your radiator is in the way so there is no space between them. Little things like that can happen to anyone, especially if you’re working with more compact cases. So, when in doubt measure again and again to make sure all your parts will fit okay BEFORE you buy them.
2. Not researching enough
It is very tempting to just buy the first part you see, but knowing what is best for you and your budget is a vital part of building a PC. Not looking into what hardware you want to use properly means that your poor wallet is suffering for potentially no reason, not to mention your suffering when you go to build and your hardware isn’t compatible. Oh, so you heard AMD is great so you grabbed a CPU from them, but didn’t research motherboards properly and ended up buying an Intel one by mistake! Yeah, those don’t work together friend, so please do your research to avoid this painful mistake.
3. Not giving yourself enough time to build
No matter if its your first build, or fifty-first build, it’s not going to take five minutes. Things happen and you never know what could get in the way. If you’re going to do a job interview on Zoom in an hour and waited until now to build your PC, that’s just a big no-no! Building a PC takes a lot longer than you think. Our pro builder here Nick says it takes about an hour for a standard PC build for him, and that’s assuming everything works properly. That means you should DEFINITELY plan out longer than an hour at minimum, especially if you’re building without the help of a pro.
4. Inefficient Fan Configuration
Did you know that depending on what way you place your fans, it will have an effect on your PC? I assume a lot of people don’t, as it’s not really common knowledge. Depending on what hardware you are using, you will want to look into fan configuration and find out what is the best option for you. Creating a balanced airflow configuration is ideal, with fans both intaking air and exhausting it, as this will keep your PC nice and cool and your hardware will run at its best. So don’t skip over this part, as I’m sure even the pros have at times – and it’s really worth doing.
5. Never cleaning your PC
I hate to sound a bit like your mother, but when was the last time you cleaned your PC? If it was longer than a few months ago, it’s time for an intervention. Whether your built your PC or not, it still needs a good clean every now and then. Micro-fibre clothes and cans of compressed air are your best friends here. Make sure you clean your fans, fan filers and remove as much dust as carefully as you can from your PC overall, as dust can cause a lot of problems down the line. I‘m sure even the pros leave their PCs dusty for too long, so don’t make this mistake too!
So, there were 5 mistakes every PC builder makes (at some point!).
Are there any other mistakes every PC builder makes that you can think of? Share them below!
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