15 PC building mistakes to avoid

1. Choose a motherboard that is not compatible with the processor

Perhaps even newcomers to computer assembly understand that the processor must be compatible with the motherboard socket. And if you try to install the block in the wrong socket, you will either break the legs and lose the CPU, or damage the socket and lose the motherboard.

But even full hardware compatibility of these parts does not guarantee that your board will start with the existing processor. For example, some variants on AM4 are ready to work with still relevant, but no longer new AMD blocks, only after updating the BIOS.

Imagine: you have assembled a PC, and in order for it to work, you need to update the firmware. But this cannot be done, because the board does not start.

To get out of this stalemate, you have to go to the service and flash the BIOS there. Or, in advance, use sites for the selection of PC components - for example, PC Builder.

2. Assembling the computer in the wrong place

Where only people do not assemble a PC: some do it on the dining table, where there were crumbs after breakfast, others on the bed. And still others - in general, on the floor, covered with lush woolen carpet.

In such an environment, it is easy to lose small parts, especially screws for securing M.2 drives. And the worst part is that carpets and blankets can become a source of static electricity that will short out your motherboard or other sensitive Components.

Therefore, assemble the computer only on a clean table. And so that nothing threatens the motherboard, put it on the antistatic bag in which it was originally wrapped.

3. Install fans in the wrong direction

Many are at a loss when they pick up fans - how do you order to guess which way they blow? If you install them at random, then it may turn out that the blades move air in the wrong direction. And a lot of unnecessary work awaits you: you have to unscrew them, turn them over and install them again.

Sometimes on the body of the device you can find arrows indicating the direction of flow, but they are not always present.

However, even without them, understanding how the fan blows is quite simple. Look at him. The front side, which sucks in air, looks prettier: it shows the manufacturer's logos. Also, there may be no grid. Wires and racks are attached to the rear side, on which the shaft with blades is held. And it usually has stickers with the technical characteristics of the fan.

If you come across some exotic devices and you cannot determine the direction of the flow, take a closer look at the blades. If the plates are curved towards you, then they will suck in air, and if away from you, then blow them out. In the picture below, the first option is on the right, and the second is on the left.

And yes, if you first mounted the cooling system, and then began to think about whether you did everything right, you don’t need to put your palm on the spinning blades - this will not help. It is better to bring a sheet of paper to them - it will show which way the wind is blowing.

4. Spending a lot of money on extra cooling

Good cooler can help unlock the capabilities of your processor if you overclock. But for people who aren't into overclocking and don't use hot Intel Core i9s or AMD Ryzen 9s, shelling out for expensive options like Dark Rock just doesn't make sense. The same money can be invested in extra memory or a more powerful graphics card.

It's the same with water cooling systems - having one for many PC builders is considered a matter of honor, but there is not much practical use in the entry-level and mid-level gaming system from it a lot of.

An ordinary cooler will cost significantly less, and it will cope just as well with blowing the processor. In addition, air cooling is trite more reliable and durable than water cooling: the latter can leak over time, and a short circuit awaits you.

5. Forget about the motherboard backplate

Overwhelming majority motherboards come with a metal panel like this. Some particularly expensive gaming models do without it, but this is rather an exception to the rule.

This plug is needed to protect the ports of the board - for example, so that you do not break some important part while trying to blindly plug the connector in the back. Yes, and this thing saves a little from dust. In addition, without it, the computer looks sloppy.

And believe me, screwing the motherboard to the case, and then discovering that you forgot about the plug, is extremely unpleasant. Because of this, you have to unscrew everything and install again.

6. Wrong choice of slots for RAM

stick RAM into the slot on the wrong side is quite difficult: it is equipped with a jumper that will not allow this. But beginners may well mix up the connectors.

If you have two sticks of RAM and four slots for them, do not put them close to each other. This will prevent the PC from using dual channel RAM and the system will run noticeably slower.

For everything to work correctly, the straps must be installed through the slot.

As a rule, it is done like this. The first one is placed in the slot farthest from the processor socket, the next slot is skipped, and then the second bracket is installed. However, all boards are different, so check your manual to see how the memory slots are labeled in your model. Choose slots 1 and 2.

If you have 4 brackets and 4 slots, or 2 brackets and 2 slots (as happens on Mini-ITX motherboards), don't bother and just fill all the slots to capacity.

7. Place the motherboard in the case before installing the processor and M.2 SSD

Some inexperienced assemblers can easily screw the motherboard to the case first, and only then begin to mount processor, its cooling system and M.2 solid-state drives. This will significantly complicate life simply because the body will interfere. And the review will limit.

To avoid damaging the socket, install the processor while the board is still in the case. Then mount the cooling system. After - install RAM and M.2. And only then carefully transfer the assembled components to the case.

8. Install the video card at the very beginning of the assembly

Having mounted the processor, memory, cooling and M.2 drives, someone can rashly and video card install - what will it be on the sidelines to cool off? But you shouldn't do that.

The video card should be installed when the rest of the system is already assembled. Otherwise, it will interfere with your cable routing and limit the movement of your hands.

In addition, modern gaming cards are heavy, and if you plug in a graphics accelerator before you securely fasten the motherboard to the case, you can inadvertently bend or break the PCI-E slot.

9. Connect the processor power and power button contacts after placing the board in the case

Here is another point that will make it somewhat difficult to assemble a computer.

Let's say you've placed your board in a case and successfully screwed it on. Now you need to connect the power supply and the contacts of the power button to it. The catch is that some cases make it difficult to conveniently connect the processor power when the board is already in place: there may be too little space between the connector and the window for the wire.

The second problem is related to the cables of the front panel of the case - where the power button and headphone jacks are. To correctly connect the contacts to the pins, you need to see clearly where you are connecting what, and be able to move your fingers freely.

And when the motherboard is already screwed on, there is little room for maneuver.

The optimal build order would be: mount power unit and push the cables from it into the intended windows in the case. Then we simply place the board on the racks in the case, but do not screw it. We connect power cables, front panel contacts and audio connectors to it, and only then we take up a screwdriver.

10. Use force when installing the CPU cooler

Some cooling towers - for example, for socket AM4 - are not supplied with screws, but with metal ears that they cling to the mounts on the motherboard.

Inexperienced assemblers, leaning the cooler against the processor, begin to push hard on these parts so that they reach the right places. Naturally, this can lead to damage to the board.

Instead, take a screwdriver and loosen the screws on the motherboard cooler mounts a bit, but don't unscrew them completely. Now you don't have to use force to secure the ears. Attach the cooler to the tower, and then tighten the screws again so that the tower is pressed against the processor evenly from all sides.

11. Do not remove the plastic sticker from the base of the cooler

This is elementary, but there are people who manage to make this mistake. Before installing the tower on the processor, remove the sticker from it, or it will melt and stick the cooler base to the CPU cover. In this case, overheating of the processor cannot be avoided, and the socket can also be damaged.

12. Applying too much thermal paste

Video snippet: This Computer / YouTube

Computer enthusiasts as soon as they do not apply thermal paste: some smear it with a thin layer of credit card, while others simply generously squeeze onto the processor cover, like a hamburger with ketchup flavored. But if you overdo it with the paste, it will leak out from under the cooler. And if it hits the socket and legs when installing the processor, it can bend.

Therefore, do not smear the entire CPU cover with thermal paste, but drip a little in the middle. The cooler itself will distribute it evenly when you press it.

13. Screw the motherboard to the case without standoffs

Before installing the motherboard in the case, look at where it has bolt holes. And make sure that special standoff screws are screwed in the same places on the panel for mounting. Usually they are already installed in the case, but sometimes you have to change their location yourself.

If you screw your board to the panel directly, without racks, you can bend the textolite or even provoke a contact closure.

14. Connect the display to the connector on the motherboard, not on the video card

So, you have assembled your PC, it starts up, the system is successfully installed, you open some new game... And enjoy monstrous brakes and FPS no more than 15.

The reason is that you made a mistake and connected monitor to the HDMI connector on the motherboard, not on the video card. In this case, the computer will use the built-in processor graphics, and it is not designed for games - a maximum for a run in Dota 2. The new and shiny video adapter will remain unused.

And if you have a processor without integrated graphics, then you will not start the system at all and will wonder why you have a black screen. But as soon as you connect the monitor to the connector on the video card, everything will return to normal. So be careful with this.

15. Connect SATA cables and M.2 drives in the wrong order

It would seem that SATA connectors are universal and a compatible cable can be connected to any of them. But on many motherboards, the order in which the drives are installed is important. If you do not connect drives to slots 0 and 1, the board may decide that your drives are not boot, and will not offer to start the system from them. Or he will refuse to notice them at all, while the necessary slots are empty.

Exactly the same story with the connectors for installing M.2 solid-state drives. It often happens that on board can only boot from one of the slots, and if you put a drive in another, the system will not recognize his.

To avoid such trouble, before installation, study the order of the ports in the motherboard manual. The system drive on which Windows will be installed should be connected to the SATA connector that has the lowest number - SATA0 or SATA1.

The M.2 boot drive must also be placed in the slot with the lowest number. These numbers are printed on the textolite of the motherboard, and are also written in the instructions.