How long did it take you all to build your PC?

[ThePUNisher96]

Not really sure where this question goes, so sorry if I posted this in the wrong place. 

 

I'm a noob, as in I've never built a PC before, but I have watched plenty of videos on how to do it so I think I have the basic idea down, but the main question I have now that I've bought all my parts and I'm waiting to get them all, is that how long should I expect the assembly/operating system install process to take? Are there any general tips people here have for me to look out for when building the PC the first time?

 

[RadiatingLight]

Depends.

Personally, I put lots of love into my PC builds (cable management, treating everything like it's made of gold, etc.) not because the PC needs it, but because it's fun to do and I want to take care of my parts. If you build like that (which as a first time builder, I'm pretty sure you will), then expect the build to take several hours. If you just want to get something up-and-running, only 30-60mins if you know what you're doing.

 

Watch tutorials first, don't force anything (except for PSU connectors, which do actually need some force sometimes especially for the 24-pin), and ask questions if you're unsure about something.

[ThePUNisher96]

1 minute ago, RadiatingLight said:

Depends.

Personally, I put lots of love into my PC builds (cable management, treating everything like it's made of gold, etc.) not because the PC needs it, but because it's fun to do and I want to take care of my parts. If you build like that (which as a first time builder, I'm pretty sure you will), then expect the build to take several hours. If you just want to get something up-and-running, only 30-60mins if you know what you're doing.

 

Watch tutorials first, don't force anything (except for PSU connectors, which do actually need some force sometimes especially for the 24-pin), and ask questions if you're unsure about something.

Do all the PSU cables need to be forced into places (gosh that phrasing is so bad) or are there certain ones I should be aware of?

[RadiatingLight]

Just now, ThePUNisher96 said:

Do all the PSU cables need to be forced into places (gosh that phrasing is so bad) or are there certain ones I should be aware of?

Nothing should take huge amounts of force, 24-pin takes some pushing becuase there's lots of friction.

Make sure not to confuse the motherboard 8-pin with the GPU 8-pin, becasue those won't fit together.

 

It's mostly pretty intuitive -- try it first and ask if unsure.

[Arika]

when i bought my new case i pulled everything apart and started from scratch (new thermal paste, better cable management, more drives). took like 4 hours

[Eschew]

Hey there. My first build was kind of a niche/edge case? I split the build into three stages, mostly because I made the last thing I bought the computer case.

Spoiler

Stage 1 - Barebones: 1 Hour*

*Add 4 - 5 unnecessary hours because I was cleaning up, inspecting, and writing off my roommate's case as a lost cause.

Spoiler

What I started with:

 

What I ended with:

 

Stage 2 - Trolley Build: 1 Hour.

Spent most of the time adjusting the height of my components, I didn't want to strain the PSU cables. Installing Windows, drivers, and other essentials took another hour or so.

Spoiler

 

Stage 3 - Case Build: 6 Hours.

Dismantling and moving the components from Trolley-PC to the case was the easy part. Figuring out how to remove the back side panel was the stupid-hard part.  Also, pre-installed standoffs tripped me up.

Spoiler

 

 

General Tips:

• A magnetic tray or an organized work space is useful for keeping track of all your case screws.
• Don't forget the motherboard I/O shield.
• Check if your case comes with pre-installed standoffs, make sure you install the ones you need for your MOBO form factor.
• Depending on how much room your case has, it might be a good idea to connect the power cables to your components first, before you connect the cables to the PSU.

[Guest]

It should take as long as it takes. Evey pc build is different. Just take your time. Remember this isn't a race.

[kingmustard]

57 minutes ago, lee32uk said:

It should take as long as it takes. Evey pc build is different. Just take your time. Remember this isn't a race.

It's a master race.

[gloop]

Took me about 2 hours for the build and another hour for drivers, etc. As lee32uk said, don't rush and enjoy building it.