Build your PC: planning, assembly and setup
Work through the build in order: define the job, check the exact parts, prepare the workspace, then establish a stable first boot.
Plan before buying
Choose your games and display target, set the complete budget and decide what you can reuse. Write down the exact component models. Compatibility checks should happen while you can still change the shopping list.
Use PC Builder to plan your AM5 tower before working through assembly. Its 3D preview and component selectors keep your chosen parts together.
Prepare, assemble and configure
Download the current manuals and identify the small headers and mounting hardware before fitting the largest components. Build with power disconnected. Establish a basic working configuration before changing memory profiles or tuning fans.
Build for the space you have
A compact layout needs room for cables and maintenance as well as the bare components. Plan intake and exhaust around the actual obstructions. Assess noise during normal use, with consistent conditions if you compare configurations.
If the first boot does not work
Record what the PC does: no power, fans with no picture, repeated restarts or an operating-system error. Follow the relevant checks instead of buying replacement parts on the strength of one symptom.
Start with the complete build guide
The beginner’s guide covers all eight core parts and the complete assembly sequence.
Build a sim-racing PC
Follow the sim-racing build guide for the component shopping lists, then use the triple-screen guide or the VR guide for your display setup.
Build for a particular purpose
Use the guide that matches the workload, then follow its component choices and complete starting basket.
Simulation and specialist gaming
Flight Simulation builds · Competitive Esports builds · Strategy and City-Building Games builds · Living-Room Gaming builds · Portable Mini-ITX builds
Creator and technical workstations
Music Production builds · Photography and Lightroom builds · CAD and Engineering builds · Game Development builds · Local AI and LLMs builds · Photogrammetry and 3D Scanning builds · Astrophotography Processing builds · Software Development builds · Gaming and Streaming builds
Home servers and storage
Home NAS Storage builds · Plex and Jellyfin Media Servers builds · Proxmox Home Labs builds · Home Game Servers builds
Processor choices for your build
For the processor step in any build, the CPU guide connects the workload, platform and budget. Check CPU and motherboard compatibility before ordering.
Understand the parts before assembly
For the choose-component steps, use the GPU guide, the memory guide, the board guide and the storage guide. The build and buying guides remain the routes to the complete basket.
Prepare the build and the connected desk
Prepare the tool kit and the power-supply fit, then plan the home network. The accessory hub covers the finished desk.