RF Quick Tips: Before you build your own PC

Written by Louis

May 6, 2020

So, they say that you wanted to build your own PC.

The imminent adjustment to the new “normal” while the COVID-19 pandemic still ravages the globe will have some of us bringing our work and studies at home as modern technology will be utilized more and more by way of Working From Home setups and as well as Online Schooling. To prepare this adjustment which is expected to take place up until a vaccine or a cure gets developed, many have finally started to invest and set up their own Personal Computers to serve as work stations and source of additional entertainment while we ride out the current situation.

Now if you are reading this, first we hope that you are safe and sound within the confines of your home and are maintaining safe social distancing during the times that you need to go outside, and next we would assume that you too are planning to set up or build your own personal computer. Now before you go on and login to Lazada or Shoppe or Amazon or Newegg or where ever you feel like buying your stuff from and start adding hardware to your cart, we at Reimaru Files would like to give you a few pointers on what you might want to consider when setting up your first PC.

Take note that this is not an actual price build guide as our other friends and buddies from the local media already have a ton of those on different price ranges and various performance tiers, but rather quick tips that you could use before building your own PC.

Performance over Aesthetic

With the market becoming more active than ever, you might have noticed a surge in various marketing materials from retailers and brands on your social media feed promising PCs with “beastly performance” paired with photos of elegant looking, cable-sleeved, RGB peppered workstations. While this may be able to deliver on the performance that it promises, the price may be more than what you have to pay for what you actually need. While spending on whatever is top of the line isn’t necessarily wrong, your starting build should revolve around your immediate need in terms of actual performance and as well as budget. Before adding hardware picks based on recommendations from social media, consider the number of tasks that you need to do on your PC, especially if its really meant to be your daily workhorse and maybe even throw in games that you want to play on it as well because you know why not? Questions such as “Do I really wanna play and view excel sheets in 4K?” or “Do I need a 2080Ti to create my thesis?” (actually depends on what you’re working on), or “how much additional performance do I get for this full RGB feature?” should be considered and answered as you go along with your build. To answer these various resources, review articles and comparisons are available online so it’s just a matter of looking it up and doing comparisons.

It’s (mostly) okay to buy second-hand parts

When we think about creating or building something we think brand new, completely sealed, out of the box, stacked with bubble wrap brand new, but in terms of PC hardware, second hand is always a viable choice. As the technological progression from key hardware manufacturers happen almost annually with new models coming out of their factories each year, constant upgrading is becoming a thing which means that older hardware, while still not that old, constantly make their way to the 2nd hand market. Just like most electronic goods, PC Hardware has a relatively long lifetime and the performance gap isn’t that far off. One great thing about PC hardware too is that given that most parts stay inside your case or chassis, you don’t really have to worry about menial issues such as surface scratches, and, again, all of the focus is comparing performance benchmarks to make your purchase worth. Just be vigilant when browsing through second hard parts and be sure to establish proper lines of contact between you and the seller should any previously undiscussed issue arise with your purchase.

Invest in Key Components

While we may want to make sure that our spending on building a PC does not kill or wallets, it’s also important that we properly spend or invest in key components. A second-hand market is available sure, but that doesn’t mean that you have to go all cheap and affordable with every component. One component that is commonly suggested that you never go cheap on and preferably buy brand new is your Power Supply Unit. As the name suggests, the Power Supply Unit or the PSU supplies power to your components in terms of their various power or voltage requirements so it really makes sense that you would want to invest in a new one as faulty PSUs could easily burn your system literally and figuratively. Also, consider your unit as a long-term investment that is bound to receive upgrades over time, and as such putting more thought on what your motherboard model should be would mean that you’d only have to spend less on replacing parts once new ones come out. Over the past few years or so, motherboard compatibility includes 2-3 generations or waves of hardware before you’d feel the need to upgrade them so it’s another part of your build that you would want to dive deeper into.

Get assistance if needed

Building is fun and easy and it’s just like building Legos right? Well if you have a certain amount of tech know-how and basic DIY understanding then it is but at the same time, it’s also the same amount of frustrating. Do not shy away from asking assistance if you need to and if you really need someone to completely put it up for you then, by all means, utilize that support if available. You’re going to invest and deal with electronics and while it’s easy to put them together, it’s also easy to mess them up and could result in some long term damage. Retailers offer services and assistance when building units especially when you plan to buy everything from a single store. Additionally, if you really wanna push through and experience the joys of building, and if you’re confident and feel like you’re knowledgeable enough then make sure that you have the proper tools to do the job, particularly a phillips screwdriver and a good amount of patience.

Should I just buy a laptop?

Will a laptop be able to help you accomplish your office and school tasks while staying home? Yes. Does it allow you to choose which place or surface in your home you want to work on even without a dedicated table or corner in your house? Yes. Are various options in terms of brands and models available for me to check and compare to see what would fit my needs? Yes. Can it also be used to do other tasks such as playing video games and become an overall desktop replacement? Not always. Again, the goal is to have a machine that will allow you to adapt to the new working and study setups bought about by the pandemic so yes, a laptop is a route that you could consider. Now if you’re really looking for something top of the line though and is really willing to spend that extra cash to get the best the market has to offer then you might wanna check out ASUS Republic of Gamers’ new ROG Zephyrus G15 now available for pre-order up until May 15, 2020, you can check more details about this promotion over at the ASUS Republic of Gamers’ social media page.

 

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