I remember my first PC build. My excitement grew with every "Add to cart" I clicked, and the anticipation came to a head with my finger hovering over the power button. Having followed a build guide, screwing where they told me to screw and installing where they told me to install, I had an air of confidence about me.
"All I have to do is push this button to see my latest creation spring to life!" Or so I thought. Down went the power button, and my confidence along with it. The fans weren't spinning, the beautiful (in theory) RGB lights didn't shine, and no image appeared on my fresh-out-of-the-box monitor.
It definitely wasn't getting 120+ FPS in Rocket League in this state. Hours of frustrated troubleshooting and research later, I realized I had made a few fatal PC-building mistakes. And when I finally did get my machine up and running, it was slower than I thought a brand-new build ought to be.
This is exactly why I want to help you recognize these common PC building pitfalls and nip them in the bud for a clean, effective build or upgrade experience. From compatibility issues to keeping the headaches at bay, here's what you should look out for during your first PC build. 1.
Not checking if your parts are compatible This one may seem like a no-brainer, but it's killed more PC builds than you might think. Is your motherboard compatible with the case you like? Can it accommodate your GPU? How about your RAM? These questions are vitally important to sort out before you go makin.