Learn How to Build a Computer
- 5 hours on-demand video
- 8 articles
- 10 downloadable resources
- Full lifetime access
- Access on mobile and TV
- Certificate of Completion
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Try Udemy for Business- Determine which parts you need to buy
- Compare features and benefits of different makes and models of parts
- Buy your computer parts from the most reliable sources
- Put together all of the parts that make up your PC
- Install a Windows operating system
- Install anti-virus software
- Test your built computer is running at optimal temperatures
- Troubleshoot your build in case something didn't go right on the first try
- None
- No previous computer building/repair experience
Building a computer is fun, affordable, and empowering. It's fun being able to choose all of the parts that will go into your machine, it's cheaper than buying a PC from a manufacturer like Dell or HP, and it's just so darn cool to DIY!
This course is for anyone that has ever wanted to build their own computer.
For this course, I purchased all the parts I needed for a new computer. I show you each part, tell you about the features I thought were important, describe other features you may want to look for, demonstrate how to build the entire computer, and then install the necessary operating system and software.
You will go from having no idea what's inside a computer to having a full working computer after this course.
You will be able to do the following:- Figure out your computer's main purpose
- Determine which parts you need to buy
- Compare features and benefits of different makes and models of parts
- Buy your computer parts from the most reliable sources
- Put together all of the parts that make up your PC
- Install a Windows operating system
- Install anti-virus software
- Test your built computer is running at optimal temperatures
- Troubleshoot your build in case something didn't go right on the first try
What operating system do you demonstrate how to install?
Windows 7. I am adding a video on how to install Windows 8 and Linux as well.
How much do the parts cost?
It depends on what you want to do with your new PC. You can spend anywhere from $300 to $3000 on your build. The first thing to do is to identify the purpose of your computer. Are you going to use it for gaming or video editing, or just basic website browsing and media playback? The more performance your machine is, the more it will cost. We've listed out the following sample configurations in the course:
- Basic PC ($300)
- Basic PC ($400)
- Gaming PC ($464)
- Gaming PC ($800)
- Gaming PC ($1500
- Video Editing PC ($1500)
- Home Theater PC ($500)
How long will I have access to the videos?
Forever :) Your access won't expire</strong>
Do you offer a money-back guarantee?
Yes, we have a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you're unhappy for any reason we'll refund 100% of your investment. Of course, if there is anything we can do to help you, we'd love the opportunity to do so first.</strong>
Can I install Mac OS on a computer I build?
Yes, the method of actually putting together the computer hardware is independent of which operating system you're installing. However, Mac OS will only work with a very limited set of hardware, so building a "Hackintosh" is outside the scope of this course.
- Anyone who wants to build a computer
- Anyone who wants to save money on the cost of a new computer
- Anyone who wants to develop a new skill
- No previous experience, knowledge, or training needed
- Basic: Email, Facebook, Music, Photos, Video
- Gaming: Playing games like Battlefield 3, Crysis 3, Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, etc.
- Video Editing: Editing video projects and movies
- Home Theater: Using a PC to stream, download, and playback media to a TV or projector
Most of these parts could be swapped out with a similar model from another manufacturer and still be a good computer. This is an example of what you can put together for very little money.
Here is an overview of the parts you'll need to buy to build a complete computer. I briefly explain a little about each of the parts I've purchased for my new computer build and why.
Even though technology rapidly advances, the main components and how you put them together hasn't really changed all that much. The process of building a PC is hardly different than it was 10 years ago, and most likely 5-10 years from today.
For instance, modern hard drives have SATA connections. Years ago they had IDE connections. Even though the modern SATA connector looks different and operates at a higher speed, the hard drive still needs to plug into the motherboard via power and data cables.
You can be confident that what you learn here today will remain very relevant in the near future.
A computer case houses all of the computer's parts. Its quality and features have a direct impact on the longevity and convenience of the PC.
A case with a good number of fans (or places to put fans) and cable management features will aid airflow and allow you to properly cool the inside of the case and its components.
Convenience features like front-panel USB or headphone ports, or a tray to set your iPod/smartphone on top of the case, make using your computer a more enjoyable experience.
Things to consider when buying a computer case:
- Size
- Expansion Bays
- Ease of Installation
- Cooling & Airflow
- Front Panel Connections
- Form Factor
- Upgrade-ability
- Corsair (www.corsair.com)
- Antec (www.antec.com)
- Cooler Master (www.coolermaster.com)
- NZXT (www.nzxt.com)
- Fractal Design (www.fractal-design.com)
View top 100
Like the name suggests, a power supply plugs into your home's outlet and supplies the power to your motherboard, CPU, and other components.
Things to consider when buying a power supply:
- Make sure it has enough Watts to run all of the components
- Higher efficiency ratings mean lower energy costs
- A modular interface allows you to only use the power cables you need
- You can compare power supplies based on how loud their fans get
Popular Power Supply Manufacturers:
- Corsair (www.corsair.com)
- Antec (www.antec.com)
- Seasonic (www.seasonic.com)
- Cooler Master (www.coolermaster.com)
- Thermaltake (www.thermaltake.com)
Top Rated Power Supplies on Amazon.com: View Top 100
The motherboard has a "socket", which is what the CPU (processor) plugs into. Your motherboard and CPU need to have the same socket type, i.e. LGA 1155, LGA 2011, LGA 1150
Things to consider when buying a motherboard:
- Socket
- Chipset
- PCI Express and PCI Slots
- Number of USB Ports and Speed
- SATA and IDE Support
- Onboard Audio
- Number of memroy slots and the maximum amount of memory allowed
Popular Motherboard Manufacturers:
- Asus (www.asus.com)
- MSI (www.msi.com)
- Gigabyte (www.gigabyte.com)
- AS Rock (www.asrock.com)
Top Rated Motherboards on Amazon.com: View Top 100
Best Selling Motherboards on Amazon.com: View Best Sellers
Newly Released Motherboards on Amazon.com: View New Releases
A CPU's socket must match the motherboard's socket.
Things to consider when buying a CPU:
- Socket
- Clock speed
- Number of cores
- Cache
- Cooling
Two CPU Manufacturers to Choose From:
- Intel (www.intel.com)
- AMD (www.amd.com)
Top Rated CPU's on Amazon: View Top 100
Newly Released CPU's on Amazon: View New Releases
With everything else held constant, a computer with more memory, i.e 8GB vs 4GB, tends to feel a little more responsive.
Check out the "Choosing Parts for Your Computer" PDF below for more info and tips
Popular Memory Manufacturers:
- Corsair (www.corsair.com)
- Crucial (www.crucial.com)
- Kingston (www.kingston.com)
- G. Skill (www.gskill.com)
Top Rated Memory on Amazon.com: View Top 100
Most computers use mechanical hard drives made up of physical parts. It's becoming increasingly popular, especially in laptops and high-end PCs, to use solid state drives due to their data transfer rates, physical size, weight, and reliability.
Check out the "Choosing Parts for Your Computer" PDF below for more info and tips
Popular Mechanical Hard Drive Manufacturers:
- Western Digital (www.wd.com)
- Seagate (www.seagate.com)
- Toshiba (www.toshiba.com)
- Hitachi (www.hitachi.com)
- Samsung (www.samsung.com)
2012 Hard Drive Performance Chart: View Chart
Popular Solid State Hard Drive Manufacturers:
- Samsung (www.samsung.com)
- Crucial (www.crucial.com)
- OCZ (www.ocz.com)
- SanDisk (www.sandisk.com)
2012 Solid State Drive Performance Chart: View Chart
Top Rated Mechanical Hard Drives on Amazon.com: View Top 100 Hard Drives
Top Rated Solid State Drives on Amazon.com: View Top 100 SSDs
Not every computer requires a dedicated graphics card. Some CPU's and motherboards have built in graphics. If you're building a PC for every day use like email, Facebook, YouTube, and Microsoft Office then you'll do just fine with the integrated graphics found in a CPU and/or motherboard.
If you plan on doing gaming, video editing, CAD work, or anything else that is graphics-intensive, then a separate, dedicated video card is recommended.
While AMD and NVIDIA are really the only companies that make the chipsets for consumer video cards, many other companies use their technology and sell cards.
Two Main Video Card Chipset Manufacturers:
- AMD - formerly ATI (www.amd.com)
- NVIDIA (www.nvidia.com)
- Sapphire (www.sapphiretech.com)
- Gigabyte (www.gigabyte.com)
- MSI (www.msi.com)
- ASUS (www.asus.com)
- EVGA (www.evga.com)
- Gigabyte (www.gigabyte.com )
- MSI (www.msi.com )
If you ever plan on playing a CD, watching a DVD/Blu-ray, installing software from a CD/DVD, want to create audio or video discs, then you'll want some kind of optical drive.
Check out the "Choosing Parts for Your Computer" PDF below for more tips and information
Popular Blu-ray / DVD / CD Drive Manufacturers are:
- LG (www.lg.com )
- Lite-On (us.liteonit.com/us/)
- Asus (www.asus.com)
- Samsung (www.samsung.com)
- Pioneer (www.pioneerelectronics.com )
Top Rated DVD Drives on Amazon.com: View DVD Drives
I would recommend staying away from the traditional consumer Windows software discs that you normally see in stores and purchase a "System Builder" version. The System Builder is made for people that are building a computer. The great thing is it is a lot cheaper. The caveats are it can only be installed once and can never be uninstalled and placed on another computer, and you have to choose the correct version for your system: 32-bit or 64-bit.
Windows System Builder Discs on Amazon.com: View System Builders
Test your knowledge of computer components and their features in this short quiz. While it is optional, these questions touch on important items you should know when finding and comparing parts for your new computer. These questions are based on the videos and written lectures in the Choosing Parts section.