How to Build a PC – Free Course

Last Updated: March 22, 2024

Do you need a computer? Is your existing computer too slow? Have you looked through computer websites trying to pick a new PC and found you don’t understand the specifications you’re looking at? Or do you need an upgrade, but don’t know what you need to upgrade?

Did you know building computers isn’t actually very difficult? The best description I’ve heard is that it’s like LEGO for grownups. No, it really is. Putting them together isn’t very difficult. The thing you need is a little knowledge about what to actually purchase in the first place! If you have a little time you can save yourself a chunk of money by building or upgrading yourself.

This course spans everything from designing a new build and picking individual components, through to practical hands on videos on how to actually put them together and test them to make sure they work.

We’ve broken everything down into small easily digestible chunks that anyone can work through at their own pace, step by step.

What will I learn?

By the end of this course, you will:

  • Understand the major components that make up a computer system, their markets, brand names and model ranges
  • Understand what the specifications of computer components mean, and which matter, and why they might matter to you
  • Be able to pick components that will work well together for different purposes, such as gaming, working from home or casual use
  • Have no fears that everything you purchase will be compatible
  • Understand all the steps required to physically assemble your components
  • Have a basic understanding of how to set up a new computer system and test it to make sure it is reliable

When you’re done, if you build it, it WILL run!

Who am I?

I’m a tech enthusiast who’s been building personal computers (PCs) since the early days of the Intel Pentium processor (back in the late 90s). Back then, you’d regularly find me at computer fairs looking for parts to upgrade my system.

Professionally I’ve been a programmer for over 25 years and I know my way around computer software and how it works at a low level from my Honors Degree in Microelectronics.

But don’t let that intimidate you. Building computers just takes a little understanding and you can do it all with a single cross head screwdriver (preferably a magnetic one!).

Who is this course for?

Whether you’re a:

  • a gamer after the perfect rig
  • a parent who wants to impress their kids by building a computer for them
  • a graphic designer who needs a high end workstation
  • a home office worker who needs a budget desktop for office work
  • a tech enthusiast looking at a new build who wants to update their knowledge
  • or just someone who’s curious about what makes a computer tick

There is something in this course for you!

The benefits of building your own computer

You can buy a pre-configured computer ‘off the shelf’, and you can easily customize your own build from many online computer shops these days, so why would you build your own?

First, you’ll save money by being able to search through a range of online retailers, allowing you to take advantage of price drops and special offers. You’ll also be able to save money by re-use anything you might already have at hand and even take advantage of the huge second hand market to combine new and used components.

Secondly, you’ll get to build exactly what you want. A full choice of cases, components and styles is at your fingertips. This isn’t something you’ll find at any pre-built or online ecom store.

For the long term, you’ll learn how to maintain your computer, allowing you to upgrade it when the time comes.

Who knows… proof of your knowledge and interest in these things could even help you gain employment in the tech world.

Course Outline

Click on the menu button (it is floating at the bottom of your browser window) to open the course navigation window and quickly skip to any section you like.

Here’s an outline of the course and it’s contents:

The Design and Planning Phase

The most important part of building a computer is planning what you want to build. What you want it for, how much you need to budget and which components you should allocate that budget to!

  • Understanding Components
  • What will you use it for?
  • Choosing a Build aesthetic
  • Budget considerations

Choosing Components

Picking your components is where you’ll probably spend as much (if not more) time that you’ll ever spend actually assembling them. Choosing a CPU isn’t simple, AMD or Intel? Which generation? Which model suffix means what? Are you trying to save power or do you want it for gaming?

We answer all these questions for each component in the build list and give you a great idea of how much of your budget you should be allocating to them depending on your use case.

The Build Phase

Here we’ll cover how to actually assemble the components you’ve chosen. With step-by-step instructions, and close-up videos you’ll have everything you need to piece things together with confidence.

Setup and Burn-In Testing

Once the system is built, you’ll need to install an operating system and put it through it’s paces to make sure everything works, and still works when you put it under load.