In this article, we’ll go over 31 of the most typical PC construction blunders that newbies make. Knowing how to avoid these blunders will help you be better prepared to deal with any complications that may emerge during your forthcoming construction project.
There’s a lot to consider if you’re planning to build your first gaming computer. There is a lot of work to be done, from selecting components to building your new computer to installing (and uninstalling) apps and software once it is up and running. And, while there are lots of tutorials on how to construct your own computer, there isn’t much information on what not to do when you’re starting out.
The truth is that there is so much going on and so many factors to consider when building your first computer that rookie blunders are very usual. The majority of the time, these blunders aren’t fatal. However, if you’re not careful, you could end up causing major damage to your computer.
In this post, I’ve prepared a list of 31 frequent mistakes that first-time PC builders make so that you can avoid them during your forthcoming build. Learning the most common errors and issues with a task can be just as useful as knowing the correct processes. So, I’ve put together this tutorial to assist you understand some of the potential difficulties you can encounter during your construction, as well as how to avoid them.
11 Common Mistakes Made When Choosing Components
Purchasing a Low-Quality Power Supply
If you’re new to computer building, one of the most common pieces of advice you’ll hear is “Don’t buy a cheap power supply!” This is, for the most part, excellent advice.
It should be emphasised, however, that there are practical and economical power supply on the market. However, whether or not they will work for you will be determined by your budget and the components you use.
If you’re on a tight budget and can only use components that aren’t as power hungry, you can save money on your power supply.
In fact, there are power supplies available for less than $40 that can power systems with low-cost graphics cards.
So, before you go out and spend a lot of money on a power supply, make sure it’ll work with the components you’ve picked.
Affordable power supplies are OK, but low-quality options should be avoided at all costs.
Now that we’ve cleared things up and established that using an inexpensive power supply in your build is acceptable, it’s time to talk about how not all power supplies are made equal.
There are a few power supply manufacturers that are generally reliable. Seasonic, Corsair, EVGA, and other manufacturers’ products are generally reliable.
There are other PSUs manufactured by businesses that should be avoided at all costs. PSUs from companies like Kentek, Raidmax, Diablotek, and others are generally bad choices that shouldn’t be seen inside your computer case.
The worst thing about these companies is that not only are their power supply subpar, but they also mislead first-time builders into believing that their items are of greater quality than they are.
Most first-time builders won’t take the time to understand more about how power supplies are rated, instead relying solely on the power supply’s quoted wattage. So, rather than selecting a high-quality 550W power supply, they may pass it up when an 850W power supply is available for half the price.
The issue is that the 850W power supply is a low-quality item with a genuine wattage rating that is likely far lower than what is quoted. However, because most beginners are unaware that they are being deceived, they will believe it is a greater unit.
The final line is that you shouldn’t trust a power supply only on the basis of its wattage rating. There are far more effective methods for selecting a high-quality power supply.
A Few Better Approaches to Choosing A Power Supply
First and foremost, the power supply you select must be capable of supporting all of the components in your design. So, when you go shopping for a new power supply, figure out how much power your components will require.
One way to achieve this is to utilise a PSU calculator, such as the one provided by OuterVision. It allows you to enter all of the components you’ll be receiving into its calculator, which will then tell you what the minimum wattage rating for your PSU should be.
And, probably more crucially, it will inform you what the +12v railing rated amperage of your power supply should be.
The +12v rating is critical because your most power-hungry component, your video card, will receive power from this line.
You may start looking for a robust power supply to suit your components after you know the minimum wattage and +12v rating you require.
I’d also suggest reading up on some of the main PSU review sites after that.
They conduct extensive testing on the majority of popular units on the market, so if you’re wondering whether the PSU you’re considering purchasing is of excellent quality, check those sites to see whether they’ve done a review on it.
You can also use our Power Supply Buyer’s Guide to narrow down the best options for the PSU size you require.
