If you are thinking about building a PC, you probably wonder how much time it takes. In our short guide, we include all the stages of building a PC, not just building itself. And the most important: is it worth it? Or maybe better pick a ready device according to your needs — gaming, studying, or business.
Let’s get started!
How long does it take to build a PC?
Step 1 – Research How to Build PC
Approximate time: up to several days
Before buying hardware, you should understand how powerful a computer you need, what is your estimated budget, what components you should buy, and if you a new builder — how to assemble a computer (by watching videos and reading the manuals).
The key point before picking hardware is to come up with a list of tech specs for the future device. There are a few must steps:
- Choosing between Intel and AMD processor;
- Picking video card according to the purpose of future computer (obviously, gaming PC will require more powerful video card);
- Picking the processor that won’t bottleneck the video card;
- Get to know what motherboard you need (it should have appropriate sockets and ports, so all the other hardware suit);
- Estimate how much memory you need (RAM and storage);
- Pick a suitable power supply unit;
- Finding a case that will be durable and be able to suit all the hardware.
Step 2 – Picking Hardware
Approximate time: 3-4 hours
Once you are aware of the components and their specs, you can start looking for the necessary hardware. In this stage, the most time-consuming moment is surfing the web, online shops picking up the best deals.
Step 3 – Building PC
Approximate time: 3-4 hours
The most interesting part. If it is not your first time building a PC, you will be able to handle everything even in under 1 hour. But if you are a new builder, you will need constantly to take a look at other sources (like videos or articles). The first building is pretty confusing.
Step 4 – Cable management and problems fixing
Approximate time: 1+ hour
After building a PC, you need to think of cable management to keep them clean and organized. Strategic cable management will also provide better airflow for the system, decreasing overheating.
It may happen that after building, your computer doesn’t switch on. You could have made a mistake, so the point now is to fix it. In most cases, some cables are not connected properly, pins can be mismatched, etc.
Step 5 – Installing Software
Approximate time: from 30 minutes to 3+ hours
Before starting work on the computer you will need to install at least an operating system. The time you spend on installing the software will depend on how much software besides the operating system you need.
Is it worth building a PC?
If you are a new-builder and don’t plan to build computers in feature – probably no. First of all, it is a very time-consuming process (finding what you need, picking parts, building, and fixing issues).
Moreover, beware that there are a lot of “clones” among hardware, and the lowest price may indicate that the hardware was used, fake, or of low-quality. Always buy in reliable stores.
We recommend taking a ready laptop, they can be for any purpose: gaming, studying, or business. You won’t need to deal with difficult parts, pick their specs, etc. Everything is included in one ready-to-use device!
Summary
Building a PC is pretty time-consuming if you do it for the first time. The full process includes research, looking for the best deals for the parts, building itself, cable management and problems fixing, downloading all the software. Often, all these affords are not worth the result, as there are a lot of ready laptops that will be suitable for any purpose.
FAQs
🕒 How long does it take a beginner to build a PC?
If you build a PC for the first time, it can take you up to a week. As you need to get to know what specs you need, choose the parts, build the computer, manage cables, fix any problems and download the software.
💰 Is it cheaper to build your own computer?
The final price is approximately the same. The advantage of building a PC is that you can choose the best-suited according to your needs. The disadvantage is that it takes a lot of time and affords.
🤔 Is it hard to build a PC?
For beginners, it may seem hard, you will need to look at a lot of videos and read articles to have the full picture. With the second PC, it will seem much easier. In our article, we describe the process of building a PC from scratch, so you will fully understand what it takes.
