Building your own Computer

So you want to be a techie?

Building your own system is like a rite of passage. It's not too difficult, but it'll give you a sense of accomplishment. You will become a "hardware expert" in the eyes of technophobes everywhere. Your proud mother will offer your computer expertise to friends, family, and complete strangers.

Building a computer is actually an easy task now. You can buy everything you need online or from a local shop, and look on the Internet for instructions on how to build a computer. Well kids, there's something terribly wrong in Internet-land. No, it's not the blatant exploitation of a mouse by a gaming and hardware website. It's the fact that there are very few up-to-date system-building guides out there. Sure, you can find tons of reviews and recommendations, but with all the information the Internet has to offer, it still lacks a library of comprehensive system building resources.

Finding a resource

Here at FiringSquad we've been receiving a steady stream of emails asking for a guide on how to build your own system. Building a system can't be that hard, right? How hard would it be to put together a guide? It's pretty tough. Computer upgrading experience is very valuable in the building process. There are a lot of small details in putting together a system where experience helps.

If you've never opened up a computer case, we don't recommend trying to build your own system just yet. Start small. First try upgrading a few components. Install a new sound or video card, maybe a memory upgrade. Try some minor overclocking; it'll familiarize you with motherboards and configuring jumpers. We hope this guide will tell you everything you need to know when you're finally ready to build your system, but it still doesn't beat having an experienced friend watching over your shoulder.