In 2022, the PC video game market generated around US$49.1 billion. There are so many titles to choose from that you might get lost when choosing! However, to make the most of them, assembling a good gaming PC is essential.

Choosing the right parts and assembling them correctly will ensure you have years of screen time fun. But where exactly do you start?

Through this article, you will learn everything you need to build your gaming PC and play all the styles you like most.

Is assembling a gaming PC expensive?

It really depends on what you intend to play. For simpler games, such as MOBAs and popular shooters, simpler machines are usually able to run them without any problems; on the other hand, if you want to run the most modern and current titles perfectly… That’s a different story.

Building the ideal gaming PC is a relatively easy choice, but the budget may not always fit your budget. In these cases, it is important to explore all the possibilities and try to save on one side to invest more on the other!

Time to get your hands dirty!

Are you ready to get started? Time to follow the steps, one by one: 

Set your budget

How much can you afford to invest in total? The answer to this question will dictate the components you can purchase. Obviously, the more money you have available, the more (and probably better) options you will have; otherwise, the research work may be a bit more difficult.

A good way to determine a realistic budget is to check the prices of components, such as processors, graphics cards, motherboards, SSDs, cases, and power supplies, on platforms like Newegg and Amazon, for example.

They usually feature the items most sought after by consumers, and with that, you can create a budget that fits your budget. You can even get great discounts!

Make a list of everything you need to buy

Don't know what components are needed to build your gaming PC? Don't worry! Just follow the list below and budget for each part:

• Processor
• Video Card (GPU)
• Motherboard
• RAM Memory
• Storage
• Power Supply Unit (PSU)
• Cabinet
• Coolers (to keep parts cool)
• SSD (it is no longer recommended to use HDDs to build a gaming PC)
• Peripherals (mouse, keyboard and monitor)
• Operating system (there is nothing worse than using pirated Windows!)

Got it all written down? Perfect: time to move on to the next step!

Check the compatibility of all components

For your gaming PC to work properly, you need to be very careful with certain issues:

• Motherboard socket: Buy a motherboard that is compatible with all the other components you want to buy. For example, AMD Rysen processors use the AM4 socket by default, while Intel processors require specific sockets for each model. The same goes for RAM frequency;
• RAM slots: Does the motherboard you want to buy have all the necessary slots to install the desired amount of RAM? By default, all of them come with two – and that is usually enough. It is essential to have two identical memories installed to create Dual Channel: this technology guarantees much better performance for games;
• Expansion slots: Check if the motherboard supports the video cards, sound cards and other components you want to install;
• Power supply: This is one of the most important components to avoid future problems. Buy a good quality power supply that provides the necessary power for all the parts. Check the power specifications of each component and always buy a power supply that provides more than what is needed – just in case;
• Right-sized cabinet: There's no point in choosing compact cases if your goal is to put a video card bigger than a ruler, right? In addition, larger cases tend to be better cooled. Take this into consideration when making your purchase.

Buy parts at the best price

Before clicking on the shopping cart and closing the deal, remember that there are many apps to compare prices and choose the best options for your gaming PC! Don't rush, because rushing is the enemy of perfection.

It might also be a good idea to wait a little longer and take advantage of certain seasonal promotions, such as Black Friday. During this period, device prices tend to be much lower and there are better payment terms.

Build your gaming PC!

This is one of the most critical and delicate steps of the entire process. Linus Tech Tips, one of the most popular technology channels in the world, created a very simple and intuitive tutorial – recorded in first person! This way, you won’t miss any details during the editing process.

Follow the presenter's steps and assemble everything without rushing: otherwise, you could make mistakes and even damage components unintentionally!

Install the operating system

Is your gaming PC turning on normally? Great – now it’s time to install the operating system. Gaming computers have no other option: purchase a Windows license.

This great tutorial from PC Centric explains the step by step: Check it out now!

Install the drivers

Drivers are programs that make all your components communicate correctly with the operating system. Open your internet browser, play a video and see if the audio is working correctly: if there is no sound, check the motherboard manual and see how to activate it.

Download the most up-to-date drivers for your graphics card: without this, your games will simply run poorly (IF they run at all, of course). Visit your GPU manufacturer's website to download them. If other parts require drivers to function properly, repeat the procedure.

Download your favorite games and have fun!

Phew! You've just finished the definitive guide to building your gaming PC. Yes, there are a lot of steps, but believe me: learning how to assemble and install everything yourself is very useful!

You know where each component is and, if you need to replace them, whether due to a defect or just to update them, you won't have to spend a lot of money on it.