Building Computers: Is It Harder to Build a Gamer?

If youve priced a custom built gamer, the quote you received may have left your eyes rolling. To get exactly the machine you want will probably require big bucks, unless you build it yourself.

You can save the thirty percent or more that custom shops charge for labor by building your own gaming rig. It can easily mean $300 that stays in your pocket to be used later for games, a better monitor, or whatever you want.

Is it hard to build a gamer?

The answer is no. Often, Ive told people There are only eleven major parts in a computer. Most of them snap together, or plug in. If you can connect just eleven items, then you can build a computer.

Of course, a gamer does have differences from a general purpose computer. Thats what makes it a gamer. But does that make it harder to build?

Lets say you want to build a Crossfire system with two graphics cards. It isnt any harder to plug two graphics cards into their slots than to install one. Nor is it more difficult to install a dual core CPU. The chip drops into a zero insertion force slot. Push the lever down and its clamped into place. Thats it. A dual core system goes together just like a single core.

How about a big, fast hard drive? Again, theres nothing different about how it goes in. Four screws hold it to the chassis. Theres a ribbon cable that connects it to the motherboard, and a line running to the power supply. Four screws, two plugs, and the installation is done.

Does all the cabling worry you? Almost all of the cables and wires youll hook up have plugs that are keyed, meaning they can only be inserted one way. To put it bluntly, theyre idiot proof. You cant turn a power plug upside down so that electricity goes to the wrong post. It wont fit that way.

Give yourself some planning time with a good manual. Buy your parts, then set aside a day off to build it in. Take your time, and follow what the manual says. Youll wind up with the computer of your dreams, for hundreds of dollars less.

Michael Quarles is the author of "Building a PC for Beginners". His website is http://www.monkeyseemonkeydobooks.com .