Thanks to the ever increasing popularity of mobile technology, the market for classic desktop computers is shrinking beneath our feet. In fact, as PC World writes, PCs are increasingly a niche item with everyday that goes by. The most common holdouts are, of course, gamers.
That shouldn’t be terribly surprising. After all, desktop gaming offers you things consoles can’t, most notably complete customizability. That’s why so many gamers eschew the pre-built options offered by computer services, instead choosing to build their own gaming rigs. If you’re thinking of doing the same, there are a few things you need to keep in mind as a newbie builder to make sure you don’t have to take your poorly built rig to an IT support service the second its built.
Three Tips for Building Your First Gaming Rig Without the Help of Professional Computer Services
- Protect Your Investment
- Use Cable Ties Like They’re Going Out of Style
- Make Sure Components Are Compatible Before You Buy Them
As any IT management service will be able to tell you, the first thing you need to do when building your gaming machine is take steps to protect your investment. Don’t work in a dusty area, as getting dust on your processor or in any of your component sockets can cause a lot of issues down the road. Most importantly, you need to be sure to ground yourself while you’re installing your components. It only takes a single discharge of static electricity from your body to fry some extremely delicate and expensive pieces. A grounding cable can be picked up for less than $10. Do yourself a favor and buy one when you purchase your other components.
It might not seem like a big deal to have a messy case, but as Tech Radar details, having cords going every which way inside your tower is not only ugly, it’s also a hazard. Those cords can be pulled into your cooling fans, and that can very quickly lead to shorts, fires, and a very expensive repair bill. Bunch cords together and secure them to the case rings using zip ties to improve your rig’s appearance and protect your new machine.
This is one of the most common and most costly mistakes new builders make when getting the components together for their new powerhouse. As Maximum PC details, not every processor, RAM stick, hard drive, motherboard, and GPU is compatible with all hardware. If your modem doesn’t work and a network repair service can’t seem to fix it or your PC simply fails to turn on, this is probably your issue.
When you’re shopping for parts, look for terms like “compatible chipsets” to make sure you’re buying components that can actually work with each other. Since many parts are sold with extremely limited return policies, failing to do your research can be a very, very expensive mistake.
Are you an avid gamer who prefers a custom built PC over the more typical fare offered by computer services? What are some of the tips you’d give others working on their first gaming rig to help them avoid a trip to a computer repair service right off the bat? Share your tips in the comments below. Visit here for more information.
