Assembling PC,Selecting Parts

Assembling PC

Assembling your own PC takes time, skill, and research, but it can be a great learning experience. You might even want to consider it your “rite of passage” toward being a PC technician because all the skills needed to be a PC technician are tested. However, don’t build your PC in order to save money, because you probably won’t. The total price of all parts usually about equals the price of a comparable clone PC that is pre-built. Here are a few good reasons to assemble your own PC:

The whole process can be quite fun.

Knowledge is power. The knowledge and experience gained in researching the parts to buy, studying the documentation, and finally assembling the PC can’t be over emphasized.

When you buy all the parts and software for a PC individually, you are also getting the documentation for each hardware component. This is most likely not the case when you buy a PC already assembled. If you plan to upgrade your PC later, having this documentation can be very valuable. Many pre-built PCs come with software already preloaded. You may not receive the original CDs or disks or the documentation for these programs, which can be a problem when you try to maintain your system. However, when you buy each software package individually, you have the installation disks, CDs, and documentation. When you purchase each computer part individually, you are more likely to understand exactly what you are buying, and you can be more particular about the selection of each component. You have control over the brand and features of each component in the PC. Here are a few reasons why you might not want to build your own PC:

If you are in a rush to get a PC up and running, assembling your own is probably not a good idea, especially if you are a first-time builder. The process takes time and requires patience, and the first time you do it, you most likely will make a few mistakes that will need to be resolved.

Individual parts may be under warranty, but if you build your own PC, there is no overall warranty on the PC. If a warranty or a service agreement is important, then look for a ready-built PC with these services included.

Clone PCs have been tested to assure that individual components are compatible. When building your own PC, it is possible you might select components that are incompatible. For this reason, buy quality mainstream components to best ensure

compatibility.

Don’t plan to assemble a PC for the first time unless you have access to an experienced technician or a technical service center you can consult if you encounter a problem you cannot resolve. For example, you may buy all the parts from a store that has a service center. The store may offer to assemble the PC for you for a charge ($50 to $75 is about right). If you find you cannot resolve a problem, you can always go back to the store for this service. Remember, don’t assemble the PC to save money, because you probably won’t.

Getting Ready For Assembly: Selecting Parts

If you have decided to buy parts and assemble a PC, expect the process to take some time. The systemboard and expansion cards are full of jumper switches, connections, and ports, and the documentation must be carefully read to determine just how to configure the systemboard and all components to work together. Technicians in service centers can assemble a PC in less than an hour—but they have already assembled the same group of parts many times! You must plan for everything you will need before you begin. As you select and purchase each part, two things are important: part functionality and compatibility with other parts.