Any desktop computer is a construction set. It’s quite fun and absolutely accessible to everyone. In this sense, there is nothing wrong with self-assembly of a gaming PC from components purchased in a store. In fact, Computer Part Picker Sites are available for such users to provide guidance.
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How to Choose a Processor?
There are two manufacturers of computer processors in the world: Intel and AMD. According to old statistics, it was possible to unambiguously list the pros and cons of chips from each manufacturer, but recently everything has changed – AMD has jumped ahead. Therefore, we will limit ourselves to general advice about a home PC.
- If your budget is not limited, then it is better to choose Intel.
- If you are assembling the maximum budget PC for a home office, then it makes sense to look at the solutions of both companies. Most likely, AMD will be cheaper.
- If you build a gaming computer, it is better to take Intel.
- If you build a PC for editing, rendering and other serious tasks, then both companies have excellent solutions. It all depends on the video card that you decide to choose for work. If NVIDIA, then Intel. If Radeon, then AMD.
Both companies have a huge number of different processor lines. Getting confused in them is as easy as shelling pears. However, there are not so many chips that are relevant for home assembly; we listed them especially for you on the site.
How to Choose a Motherboard?
In order for the previously selected processor to be installed without problems in the appropriate place on the motherboard, you need to know its size. This is called Socket. For example, if you decide to build your new PC based on the Intel Core i5-7600 chip, then you need a motherboard with Socket LGA1151.
There are many different parameters, but you need three of them. The first is the form factor. For a home PC, it will be either ATX or a smaller version of mATX. You have probably already guessed that this is necessary for the further choice of the case. The second is the number of slots for RAM and its maximum supported amount. Of course, it is better to take the board in which there are four connectors, so you will leave yourself room for further machine upgrades. The third is the number of PCI Express slots for installing video cards. If you are building an editing or game monster for 4K entertainment, then it is better to have two of them. In other cases, one is enough.
How to Choose a Video Card?
There are also two manufacturers of video cards for computers on our planet. The first one you already remember from the processors is AMD with its proprietary video adapters called Radeon. The second is NVIDIA with GeForce GTX graphics accelerators, and in terms of market share, it is far ahead of its competitor. As a result, it turns out that Radeon is for those who are trying to save money, and GeForce is for those who want maximum performance and are ready to pay more for it.
