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Learning how to build a PC is easier than it looks — if you pick compatible parts, take your time, and follow the steps in order, you can build a fast, reliable computer in an afternoon, and you will know exactly what is inside it. You do not need experience; you need patience and a screwdriver.
Step 1: pick compatible parts
Start with the parts list. The CPU and the motherboard must match — an AM5 chip needs an AM5 board, and an LGA1700 chip needs an LGA1700 board — and the RAM must match the board too. Our how to check CPU compatibility guide shows you how to verify every part before you buy, and our best CPU and motherboard combos guide lists pairs that are known to work together. Pick the CPU first — see our how to choose the right CPU guide — then build the rest of the list around it, including the power supply, which should have headroom for the graphics card.
Step 2: install the CPU and the cooler
Build on the motherboard box first, outside the case. Open the CPU socket, line up the triangle on the chip with the triangle on the socket, and lower the chip in gently — it should drop in with no force. Close the socket, apply the thermal paste, and mount the cooler. Our how to apply thermal paste correctly guide shows the pea-sized dot method, and our CPU cooling basics guide explains the cooler choice. If you are using a Ryzen 5 9600X or a Core i5-14600K, a good air cooler is enough — see our how to choose the right CPU cooler guide.
Step 3: install the RAM and the storage
Install the RAM in the slots the motherboard manual recommends — usually the second and fourth slots for two sticks — and push until the clips click. Then install the storage: an M.2 SSD goes into the M.2 slot under the heatsink, and a SATA drive goes into a drive bay with a data and a power cable. Do not force anything; if a part does not fit, it is probably in the wrong slot or the wrong way round.
Step 4: mount the motherboard and connect the power
Install the I/O shield in the case, then mount the motherboard on the standoffs and screw it in. Connect the power: the big 24-pin cable to the board, the 8-pin cable to the CPU power at the top, and the power cables to the graphics card later. Connect the front-panel cables — power button, reset, USB and audio — using the motherboard manual, because the tiny pins are easy to get wrong. Keep the cables tidy, because good airflow matters — see our how to improve PC airflow guide.
Step 5: install the graphics card
Remove the slot covers from the case, line up the graphics card with the top PCIe slot, and push it in until it clicks. Screw it into the case, connect the power cables, and check that it is seated properly. If the card is heavy, support it — a sagging card can damage the slot over time. Our CPU bottleneck guide explains how to match the CPU and the graphics card so neither one holds the other back.
Step 6: first boot and what to check
Plug in the monitor, the keyboard and the power, and press the power button. If the fans spin and the BIOS appears, you have built a PC. Install the operating system, then the drivers, then check the temperature — our how to monitor CPU temperature guide shows you how — and run a benchmark to make sure everything works, using our how to benchmark your CPU guide and our best CPU benchmark software guide.
The bottom line
Building a PC is six steps: pick compatible parts, install the CPU and cooler, add the RAM and storage, mount the board and connect the power, install the graphics card, and boot it up. Take your time, follow the manuals, and do not force anything. See our best desktop CPU for a first PC build guide for the best chip to start with, and browse our PC build guides for the next steps.
