How to Choose the Right Computer Components on a Budget
Make a list of the components you need., Figure out how powerful you want your components to be., Decide which CPU brand you want., Decide which GPU brand you want., Look up the newest technologies., Decide how much you want to spend on the...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Make a list of the components you need.
If you're building an entire computer from scratch, you'll need the following parts if you don't already have any of them:
Motherboard Ram CPU Graphics card(optional if your motherboard has integrated graphics) Power supply Hard drive Solid state drive(optional) Optical drive(optional) Case. -
Step 2: Figure out how powerful you want your components to be.
If you don't know exactly how much computing power you'll need, you can check the "recommended system requirements" on the software you plan on using for a rough idea.
However, keep in mind that you'll probably want to make your machine last well for a long time, so that you'll still be able to run the newer software that will be released in the future.
If your budget is tight, higher quality may not be an option, in which case, you'll need to get the best you can actually afford. , There are two dominant brands of CPU manufacturers, those being AMD and Intel.
Generally speaking, Intel chipsets tend to be more expensive than their AMD counterparts, but they have the benefit of usually performing better and arguably they provide better architecture. , Similar to above, the modern-day GPU industry is dominated by two giant rivals: nVidia and AMD.
However nVidia cards tend to be more expensive; once again, they tend to outperform their AMD counterparts. , Also see if new parts or brands are about to be released.
New technologies are often better; generally, more efficient versions of components are released every few months, but the consumer price seems to stay more or less the same, so it's very important that you get the newest technologies available, and if you find that something useful, it's generally worth it to wait a short while to get hold of those newer technologies. , Setting in place a sensible budget with upper limits will help you to stay within your means and not purchase things you cannot really afford right now.
This will involve knowing current prices for both used and new parts and doing some comparisons between sellers and stores. , As you research, use the internet, as this will make this easier for you.
However, it can be a good idea also to call around or drop into stores and ask questions directly.
Research the quality, performance feedback on forums, price (see next) and other relevant features.
Keep a notebook or spreadsheet of information found, so that you can compare with ease when you have finished checking everything out. , Find a few models that you think could work and then find some benchmarks comparing the performance of both.
Typically the only things you really need to compare with benchmarks are CPUs and GPUs, and if you decide to purchase a solid state drive, those can also vary a lot in terms of speed.
Shop around so that you can find the best price.
Compare prices on websites which are known to have the best prices.
Go into stores as well and ask them what their best deal is.
Beware of deals that sound too good to be true.
They may be fraudulent deals or stolen goods. , Make sure that all the parts you wish to get are compatible with each other and will work properly once assembled.
Picking incompatible parts may lead to system instability or outright failure to function.
Make sure the case you buy will fit your motherboard.
An ATX motherboard (and the rest of the components) probably won't fit into a micro-ATX case.
Be sure to buy the appropriate size.
Buy your motherboard and CPU in a bundle if you can.
Usually a bundle will work out to be cheaper and you'll know for sure they're compatible.
If you don't buy them as a bundle, you absolutely have to make sure that they are both compatible or your CPU simply won't work.
Make sure that you have the right type of RAM.
DDR4 RAM won't work in a motherboard that uses DDR3 RAM and vice versa, so be sure to get the appropriate kind. , If you're using two big video cards, the chances are that a medium 550 watt will be too little.
Do a little research and see what would be appropriate for your build. -
Step 3: Decide which CPU brand you want.
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Step 4: Decide which GPU brand you want.
-
Step 5: Look up the newest technologies.
-
Step 6: Decide how much you want to spend on the particular computer part.
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Step 7: Do some individual research on the parts before settling the budget.
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Step 8: Compare prices.
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Step 9: Check for compatibility of parts before purchase.
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Step 10: Purchase an appropriately plentiful power supply.
Detailed Guide
If you're building an entire computer from scratch, you'll need the following parts if you don't already have any of them:
Motherboard Ram CPU Graphics card(optional if your motherboard has integrated graphics) Power supply Hard drive Solid state drive(optional) Optical drive(optional) Case.
If you don't know exactly how much computing power you'll need, you can check the "recommended system requirements" on the software you plan on using for a rough idea.
However, keep in mind that you'll probably want to make your machine last well for a long time, so that you'll still be able to run the newer software that will be released in the future.
If your budget is tight, higher quality may not be an option, in which case, you'll need to get the best you can actually afford. , There are two dominant brands of CPU manufacturers, those being AMD and Intel.
Generally speaking, Intel chipsets tend to be more expensive than their AMD counterparts, but they have the benefit of usually performing better and arguably they provide better architecture. , Similar to above, the modern-day GPU industry is dominated by two giant rivals: nVidia and AMD.
However nVidia cards tend to be more expensive; once again, they tend to outperform their AMD counterparts. , Also see if new parts or brands are about to be released.
New technologies are often better; generally, more efficient versions of components are released every few months, but the consumer price seems to stay more or less the same, so it's very important that you get the newest technologies available, and if you find that something useful, it's generally worth it to wait a short while to get hold of those newer technologies. , Setting in place a sensible budget with upper limits will help you to stay within your means and not purchase things you cannot really afford right now.
This will involve knowing current prices for both used and new parts and doing some comparisons between sellers and stores. , As you research, use the internet, as this will make this easier for you.
However, it can be a good idea also to call around or drop into stores and ask questions directly.
Research the quality, performance feedback on forums, price (see next) and other relevant features.
Keep a notebook or spreadsheet of information found, so that you can compare with ease when you have finished checking everything out. , Find a few models that you think could work and then find some benchmarks comparing the performance of both.
Typically the only things you really need to compare with benchmarks are CPUs and GPUs, and if you decide to purchase a solid state drive, those can also vary a lot in terms of speed.
Shop around so that you can find the best price.
Compare prices on websites which are known to have the best prices.
Go into stores as well and ask them what their best deal is.
Beware of deals that sound too good to be true.
They may be fraudulent deals or stolen goods. , Make sure that all the parts you wish to get are compatible with each other and will work properly once assembled.
Picking incompatible parts may lead to system instability or outright failure to function.
Make sure the case you buy will fit your motherboard.
An ATX motherboard (and the rest of the components) probably won't fit into a micro-ATX case.
Be sure to buy the appropriate size.
Buy your motherboard and CPU in a bundle if you can.
Usually a bundle will work out to be cheaper and you'll know for sure they're compatible.
If you don't buy them as a bundle, you absolutely have to make sure that they are both compatible or your CPU simply won't work.
Make sure that you have the right type of RAM.
DDR4 RAM won't work in a motherboard that uses DDR3 RAM and vice versa, so be sure to get the appropriate kind. , If you're using two big video cards, the chances are that a medium 550 watt will be too little.
Do a little research and see what would be appropriate for your build.
About the Author
Robert Kelly
A passionate writer with expertise in hobbies topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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