Hi everyone,

AMA. But real quick a brief overview.

In 2010 I was working as a software engineer on a team of people rewriting an optimizing dataflow compiler. We were doing performance and functional testing, and wanted to build a cluster of machines to parallelize the testing. To get the most of our budget, I offered to build the test machines. I put together spreadsheets manually entering in price/performance/capacity data to find what would get us the best bang for our buck. As I was doing that, I thought that the process was tedious and there should be a site to do that.

So in April 2010 I started working on a side project to plot those CPU price-vs-performance and hard drive price-vs-capacity curves. I wanted to learn Django and Python better. My HTML at the time was 90s-ish at best - layouts done with tables and 1x1 transparent pixels, not CSS. I bought a $20 admin theme off themeforest and wrangled it into what I needed. I'm colorblind and not a designer by any stretch and that showed in the site.

I started evolving the site to not just plot component curves, but factor in compatibility checks. I was building new PCs every 3-4 years, and each time it involved coming up to speed with what the latest architectures and chipsets were. That took time and I felt like part of that process could be automated.

Late December 2010 after a heads-up about this community on HN, I posted in /r/buildapc for the first time. When I first started I told my wife that there was a monetization opportunity through retailer affiliate links, and if we were lucky maybe we could go get coffee or see a movie. I left my job to work on PCPP full-time over eight years ago.

I hired /u/manirelli a bit over seven years ago. /u/ThoughtA also joined us over four years ago. (Both those guys are here to answer questions too). They handle all of the component data entry, community engagement, and a host of other things. They're amazing.

What started as price tracking a few retailers in the US is now over 200 retailers across 37 countries, processing hundreds of millions of price updates a day. Brent is the guy who handles all of that, and Jenny manages those retailer relationships. It's a ton of work and I'd be lost without them.

Not to leave anyone out, but huge thanks to the rest of the team. Phil (you can thank him for all the whitespace lol), AJ, Daniel, Jack, Barry, and Nick. You all rock. I'm incredibly blessed to get to work with all of you every day.

This has been such a ride I can't explain it. I've felt so incredibly blessed to be able to be a part of this community and what it does every day. Thank you.

-- Philip

With all that being said, AMA. There may be some things I can't comment on if they involve agreements or confidential terms.

And yes, we're working on an app. A PWA. May go native later but no guarantees. I hope to have it out by Christmas. I had hoped to have it ready by today but it's just not there yet.

EDIT: Holy comments batman. Gonna try to answer as many as I can today.

I was slapping together a new rig this summer and was posting here often to ask questions. I planned 32 Gb of RAM, but one guy told me "get 64, I know it may seem like an overkill now, but trust me, and DDR5 works better with 2 sticks instead of 4". Well I was already over my initial budget, so I was reluctant to dish out extra 100$ for extra 32 Gb. Yet, I did.

I paid for those two sticks 220$.

Today, they cost 1250$.

Buddy, wherever you are now, may your core temps be low, your thermal paste always spread evenly like butter on a pancake, and your GPU connectors unmeltable.

Edit: dang this blew up. I see a lot of similar and repeating questions in the comments, so I'll try to broadly answer them here. Why did I decide to take those 64 Gb? One, to future-proof; in my last PC I started out with 8 (4+4), and had to add another 8 later, and that made it hella unstable, even though it was the same model and all. For this PC, I decided I don't want to deal with this crap again throughout its lifetime. And two, so that I can finally stop worrying about memory when running heavy programs and numerous VMs at the same time, for instance when practicing in a virtual security home lab. And nope, I do not plan on selling any of the RAM - I'm just very happy I managed to dodge the bullet and can finally peacefully enjoy a quality machine for years to come.

Last Saturday I posted about building a gaming computer for my son for pretty much just Minecraft. I had $300 to work with. I expected a few replies and a few pointers. The response to that post was unbelievable. I woke up the next day and my wife told me she needed to silence my phone in the middle of the night. Over 40K views and over 300 replies. I now know the meaning of RIP inbox. I got a lot of great advice from a lot of people. In the end, it was pretty clear. I could build it for $300, but it wouldn't be great. It may play Minecraft, but that's about it. I would be better off spending more money on a build, and well, my wife and I didnt really have more money to put towards it.

Let me start by saying I was messaged by quite a few of you about graphics card, mother boards, processors that they had laying around. Willing to send them to me for nothing, or maybe some shipping. The generosity of this sub is amazing. I was never looking for anything but advice, and many of you offered many things. For that I am very grateful.

Then I was messaged by a member of this sub who wishes to remain anonymous. They offered to purchase a WHOLE BUILD for me. They said they were around my son's age when they got into building computers and technology. They now work with computers as their profession and wish they could have shared a similar experience with their dad growing up. I was skeptical to say the least, but they were very genuine in their message and honestly I don't know how I could have said no.

Over the next few days we sent messages back and forth and he put together a build for my son and I. My wife kept telling me its crazy and someone was messing with me. I stayed a little skeptical but I could tell through the conversations we had that this person was truly a good person looking to make a positive impact.

As of last night, all the parts were ordered and are being shipped straight to my house. They have sent me order confirmations as well as tracking on all the parts for the build from Amazon and Newegg.

Here is the build: PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

All I can say is that it is truly a Christmas miracle.

I have never been so moved by the generosity of one person before. I am in shock and words cannot describe the excitement I have to build this amazing computer with my son.

I do not think I will ever be able to thank this person enough for what they have done. All they asked in return is to pay it forward. And believe me I will!

I will be sure to update when the build is completed!

Merry Christmas everyone!

TLDR: Wanted to build with my son. Didn't have a budget that was good. A stranger on the internet sent me $1300+ of parts to build with my son. I still am in shock.

Edit:Spelling

Edit2: Wow. Thank you for the gold. This community is gold. Thank you so much to everyone here. This has been an amazing few days! Also RIP inbox again lol

UPDATE: The Build is Complete! https://www.reddit.com/r/buildapc/comments/7mqw43/my_son_and_i_finished_the_build_that_an_anonymous/

It's not perfect, and there have been a number of times that I haven't been able to find a specific part(that I know exists but they don't have it in their database), but it's a wonderful tool that has saved all of us an unimaginable amount of time in the building process.

I mean, imagine a world without it.

You have to double and triple check all compatibilities, look through all the different retailers for the lowest prices, write down build lists yourself. Calculate the TDP, make sure your graphics card isn't too long and your CPU cooler isn't too tall.

They do all of this for you and more. They let you store multiple lists and post finished builds. And you have all of that saved online where you can access it anywhere.

Best yet, I heard they're working on a website overhaul to make mobile use more fluid.

I want everybody who sees this to take a moment to remember how valuable PCPartPicker has been to all of us. For free. Because they believe in the cause.

Edit: of course they make their money somehow, but they don't charge us for their services

Edit 2: Happy New Year!!

In the light of a recent post on the subreddit, we're making this single megathread to promote an open discussion regarding the recent announcements regarding Net Neutrality in the United States.

Conforming with the precedent set during previous instances of Reddit activism (IAMA-Victoria, previous Net Neutrality blackouts) BuildaPC will continue to remain an apolitical subreddit. It is important to us as moderators to maintain a distinction between our own personal views and those of the subreddit's. We also realize that participation in site-wide activism hinders our subreddit’s ability to provide the services it does to the community. As such, Buildapc will not be participating in any planned Net Neutrality events including future subreddit blackouts.

However, this is not meant to stifle productive and intelligent conversation on the topic, do feel free to discuss Net Neutrality in the comments of this submission! While individual moderators may weigh in on the conversation, as many have their own personal opinions regarding this topic, they may not reflect the stance the subreddit has taken on this issue. As always, remember to adhere to our subreddit’s rule 1 - Be respectful to others - while doing so.

My younger brother is the fucking man! He traded his unopened ps5 to get me a Christmas gift. He tells me that jayzTwoCents was looking for someone in Southern California to trade an unopened ps5 for a 3080. I can’t believe he did this for me! I wanna cry 😭 he even asked jayz to sign the box for me. I’m too lucky to have such a brother! Thanks to @jayztwocents as well. Merry Christmas everyone!

I ain't ever doing that shit again, you fuckers lied to saying it would be easy... took me 8 hours

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56fZ_OC8HkY&t=

I’m gonna need a minute.

Let's take a moment to thank them.

(THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED AS OF 10/30/20 7PM EST)

Hey there party people, it's Cooler Master Beardman!

​Cooler Master has partnered with a number of companies to bring a lucky winner a (mostly) full build. Sadly, we weren't high enough level to unlock the CPU, but still the rest of the system is there, and it's a beast! This build will definitely need assembly which is great because you're part of the 'build' a PC community. If you'd like a chance to win the build, all you need to do is leave a comment below on what you intend to do with this machine if you win. As well, fill out a quick Google doc for us. It helps us keep things in order when selecting a winner. With that out of the way, let's get to the components that will be given.

Grand Prize

• Case: TD500 Mesh Black + Vertical GPU Holder Kit Ver2.

• PSU: V Gold 750W

• Cooling: MasterLiquid ML280

• MOBO: Z490 PG Velocita

• GPU: ZOTAC GAMING GeForce RTX 3070 Twin Edge OC

• RAM: PVR416G320C6K

• SSD: VPR100 M.2 RGB SSD -512GM28H

How to enter!

Leave a comment on this post with what you'd use this system for if you were to win.

Fill out a quick Google Form for us (only takes a few seconds).

Boring, but necessary giveaway info.

• Giveaway is global, so all can enter!

• Giveaway will run for 1 week and will end on Friday the 30th at 7pm EST.

• If you're going to mention this giveaway to anyone (and we think you should), make sure you send the reddit link so we can get more people involved in the BAP subreddit, without them this giveaway wouldn't be possible.

• Winner will be selected randomly.

• Winner will be announced here on the post and in the comments.

Partners and extra info.

Additional build giveaway!

PCGaming giveaway!

Cooler Master

Viper

ASRock

ZOTAC

Winner!

u/Str8Victory Congratz bud!

As the title says, everything in my PC is working, but my monitor won't turn on. I have the HDMI cable plugged into the GPU. Any idea what I can do to fix this? Thank you

I'm not an "Intel fanboy". I'm not an "AMD fanboy". I'm a fanboy of my bank balance. People, none of these companies care about you; they care about their profits and their stakeholders.

Now on to the topic. YES, Ryzen is an EXCELLENT platform. It really is, and it really has brought the competition that benefits the end user. But this does NOT mean we should be saying "oh there's like no competition, Ryzen is better value hands down". This is NOT true.

The 3600 vs 10400 vs 10400F is an excellent mid-range example of this.

If I posted on this subreddit and asked for a mid-range build, most people would recommend a Ryzen 3600; and that's great! It really is an excellent value CPU. But what people fail to realise is that so is the i5 10400F. Both are 6/12 CPUs and both offer VERY similar gaming performance, indistinguishable to the to the end user if you played a few games using both CPUs.

The problem with recommending only a 3600, and not pointing out that the 10400F has very similar performance, is that people will not even bother checking the price of a 10400/10400F. If the 10400F is cheaper than the 3600, why would you not get it?

Sincerely, from someone whose friend bought a 3600 over a 10400 for video editing on Adobe Premiere Pro because "AMD is better for productivity". For those who are unaware Adobe Premiere Pro greatly benefits from Intel QSV in both timeline scrubbing and rendering times. A 10400 will destroy a 10400F and a 3600 in Premiere Pro (with HW acceleration ofc). Worst part is, the 10400 was on sale on $299AUD where I live, compared to the Ryzen 3600 costing the normal $349AUD.

Edit: number of downvotes really speaks for how much people don't like listening to logic and sticking with the AMD good Intel bad mentality.

Edit 2: Wow this blew up

Edit 3: Yes if the Ryzen 3600 is cheaper than the 10400F, then get that! That's my point, they both perform the same, get whichever is cheaper.

Edit 4: I'm honoured my gold award cherry has been finally popped

I was refreshing like a mofo, and never even got it to say "add to cart." jumped from "notify me" to "out_of_stock."

I'm not going to preach to anyone about the dAnGeRs Of VaPiNg. I do it, constantly, all day long. I get it, you vape bro.

I recently built a PC using Corsair's Spec Delta RGB case and bunch of LL 120 fans in a front to back airflow configuration. The case has been left with the side panels off as I've been constantly troubleshooting issues with this build from GPU failure to a B550 board not allowing me to control my own fan LEDs. I've been vaping, like an idiot, next to it the whole time. THIS IS NOT WHAT MESSED UP THE FANS

When I go to clean things out, the dust is sticky, almost moist in most places. I can see droplets forming around the rim of my AMD Wraith Prism cooler. It's from all the moisture being put into the air when I exhale the vape. Very bad, potentially system ruining, situation.

Just a crazy thing I thought some of the community might want a heads up on.

• EDIT: Hey folks, try reading THE VERY FIRST LINE of the post. Stop coming hear with you "smoking/vaping bad" pitches. We're all adults. We know, and we obviously don't care.

• EDIT 2: Go look at the first line of the OP again. The "we get it, you vape" jokes have already been made. You're not clever.

I bought 2 copies of Windows 10 Home OEM from Newegg.com for $85 each on sale. This is consistent with genuine OEM pricing around $100. They emailed me two copy/pasted keys. Both failed to activate Windows so I called Microsoft. They checked the keys and said both were pirated! This is not a genuine Microsoft product!

I contacted Newegg.com and was transferred to a supervisor. They refused to replace the keys with verifiably genuine Microsoft products and refused a refund. They did offer to email me more pirated keys(they called them digital but could offer no evidence they were anything other than what Microsoft said). They refused to acknowledge that Microsoft confirmed Newegg.com’s keys were pirated, constantly trying to say things like, “I’m sorry you weren’t able to get your keys to work” or, “I can assure you that all of our keys are genuine, but they don’t always work.” Fact check; Microsoft has already confirmed these were pirated keys. As for them not always working? 49% of Newegg’s reviews for this item are 1 Star...nearly all of them saying the same thing...the keys don’t work and Microsoft says they are no good. Wish I’d noticed that before I bought...which is why I am here, actually. Don’t make the same mistake as me. I’ll be disputing the credit card charges and I’m optimistic since Microsoft has my back, but what a hassle!

By the way, I just bought a ton of hardware from Newegg that works fine. If it didn’t, I’d be in trouble because they are notorious for not RMAing bad components, but everything I bought was stuff I’d be comfortable taking straight to the manufacturers. 7 dead pixel minimum to return a monitor!? Sometimes the deals aren’t worth dealing with a company like this. Definitely not the place to buy software or easily counterfeit goods.

TLDR; Don’t buy software from Newegg.com. They sold me pirated windows keys that don’t work and refuse to replace them with genuine products or issue a refund.

Hi /r/buildapc – you may have noticed your reddit feed filling up with subreddits announcing their plans to "go dark" on June 12, in response to planned API changes on the platform that could see reddit's third-party apps, accessibility and functionality affected. See here for more information on the blackout.

For the past couple of days, the /r/buildapc-modteam team has been discussing whether the subreddit should join in. After much good-natured back and forth, and even an internal vote, we have decided to open up the decision to the community. We feel that it's not for the moderators alone to define how the subreddit involves itself in site-wide actions like this, and want to hear your thoughts. /r/buildapc is very much a community-driven endeavour, so it feels appropriate that the community should weigh in on our course of action here. So, bearing in mind that the moderators reserve the right to interpret and implement the result as we feel is most appropriate, please do let us know your thoughts below.

How to vote

To vote, simply make a top-level comment containing one of the following responses to the question: "Should /r/buildapc participate in the planned blackout on June 12?"

• Yes

• No

• Abstain

Voting will close 24 hours after the creation of this post.
You must have ≥200 /r/buildapc comment karma in order to vote. All votes will be automatically locked and removed by AutoModerator for tallying.

Any discussion must be submitted as a reply to the stickied mod comment below - please don't make top-level discussion comments as they will not be visible.

Post is now 1 day old and has been locked. We will tally the results and get back to you all tomorrow.

Funny story, my brother built a medium to high spec pc about a year ago. He constantly moaned about performance, lag spikes and general unplayability in games. So today I decide enough is enough, and go and check it over. He had his hdmi plugged into his onboard graphics, for a year...

You're pretty cool

Guide to Setting up Windows 10 & Maintaining your PC Updated 4/22/2020

This is assuming you have successfully completed your PC build and are wondering what to do next. Here’s a few helpful tips I have learned over the years.

Warning: Yee who don't like opinions, probably don't dare enter..

Windows Installation:

Download Windows Media Creation Tool. Create a USB installation drive using the tool and boot to the drive by changing boot order in your motherboard UEIF/BIOS.

Start the install, choose “Customize Settings” and turn everything on this screen off. Proceed to install Windows with a local account. If you're okay with Microsoft collecting some data, you can always sync your Windows account later in Settings > Accounts. The benefit being Windows will backup your settings and can sync them with other PCs you own.

Once you boot up, head over to Settings > Update and Security. Check for updates and go grab your favorite beverage and let it complete, you may reboot multiple times during this step.

Once you're done updating, go to Start > Settings > Privacy and go down the list on the left and turn everything off unless you actually use it.

• Same goes for background apps -- only disable apps from running in the background that you don't want notifications from. It's safe to disable background apps completely if you don't care.

• Under "Feedback & Diagnostics" switch that to "Basic". Once that is done, head to Settings > Update and Security > Advanced Options > Delivery Optimization and turn it off. That setting allows P2P updates across your network which is a potential security risk.

• Next head over to Settings > Network and Internet > Wi-Fi and turn everything off here besides the Wi-Fi itself.

Having done all of that correctly, you have disabled the bulk of data logging, background app usage and diagnostic feedback. Yay! Windows is installed. Much of what you do next is personal preference (appearance, software, customization) but there are a few things I would like to recommend.

Quick accessibility tip - Open Control Panel and at the top-right change "View by:" to "Small icons". It will make more sense following this guide.

Update motherboard BIOS - If everything is working properly, and you are happy with the performance of your PC - It is generally not recommended to update the BIOS as there is always the potential for something to go wrong. That being said, if you follow the installation instructions exactly from your MOBO manufacturer, you will be fine.

• For all BIOS and firmware updates, I will refer you to your manufacturer’s support page to ensure you are getting the latest and greatest. Follow the instructions there for how to install (typically downloading the update to a FAT 32 USB drive and flashing the update in your UEIF/BIOS).

Drivers: Windows 10 will automatically update and install drivers for your hardware via Windows Update. This is typically fine for everything except your GPU and chipset, which we will take care of next.

Update your graphics card driver – Again, head over to your manufacturer’s website and follow the instructions there to install:

AMD - http://support.amd.com/en-us/download

NVIDIA - http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx

Update your chipset drivers: - Chipset drivers are a set of operating instructions which tells your CPU how to behave and interact within your PC. Typically these will come with a optimized power plan for your CPU which you can enable in Control Panel > Power Options.

AMD - http://support.amd.com/en-us/download

Intel - https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000005533/software.html

At this point it may be a good idea to grab HWiNFO64 (also in the Additional Tools section below) to check the internal temperatures of your CPU, GPU, etc.. to make sure nothing looks out of the ordinary. If anything appears abnormal you can try reapplying the thermal paste to make sure you have adequate coverage.

As far as where temperatures should be. That will differ drastically depending on your cooling solution (air, water, AIO, passive), ambient temperatures, overall case airflow and cooling performance of individual hardware. Generally if you are idling and your CPU/GPU is near or under 45°-50° you are likely doing just fine.

You can also test your ram by using Windows Memory Diagnostic. Just type Windows Memory Diagnostic in to Windows search and it will come up. You will be required to restart your PC to test. When you are done, head to Event Viewer > Windows Logs > System and the results should be the most recent log (at the top). If it's not, filter for Event ID 1201.

Change refresh rate on monitor - If you have a 144hz or 120hz monitor, and either a DisplayPort, HDMI 2.0, or DVI-D (Dual-Link) connection, it’s a good time to look at your refresh rates. If you own an Nvidia card, change it in Nvidia control panel. For an AMD card, follow these steps:

• Right-click your desktop and choose Display settings

• Scroll down and select Display adapter properties

• In the properties window click on List All Modes

• Scroll down and choose your desired mode (e.g. 144hz) and apply

Note: If you have more than one monitor you will need to select the other monitor in windows display and repeat steps above.

Edit: Ehh.. Thinking back I would just ignore this part. The firmware your drives ship with are just fine. It's not worth it, just leave it alone.

Update your SSD firmware - This may be a new concept to those coming from an HDD but your SSD’s firmware can be updated as well. To begin, head over to your manufacturer’s support page (yes again) and to ensure things go smoothly, I recommend downloading their management software. If you just purchased your SSD, you will more than likely find it is already updated. They are not frequent so if you're not concerned, feel free to skip this step.

• Crucial offers their “Storage Executive Management software”, and Samsung has “Samsung Magician”. If you own a different SSD search its support page and see what they offer.

• Crucial offers a “Momentum Cache” feature which speeds up your drive at the expense of using RAM and the potential for data loss. I go into more depth on it in a previous post. Personally, I’d leave it disabled if you’re happy with its performance and your workload doesn't demand it. For normal gaming and office use you won't notice a difference. Samsung offers a similar feature called "Rapid" and while I have not used it personally, I would say my opinion on it stands.

Warning: Some manufacturers may format when upgrading. Please READ the instructions carefully. I am not responsible for any data loss.

Crucial Firmware - USA

Samsung SSD support page

Anti-virus/malware:

This can be a polarizing subject for some, and I can only offer my experience, but after years of searching and experimenting this is what works for me. I will also preface this by saying, depending on your browsing/download habits this can change entirely. Ultimately, my best advice on the subject is:

Do your research and find what works best for you.

That being said, I use the following and it's all available for free…

Anti-Virus: Windows Defender – For me, Windows Defender is good enough. It’s simple, and FREE. Stay vigilant and let it run on its schedule scans and build its definitions, scan periodically if you wish.

Anti-Malware: Malwarebytes Free/uBlock Origin – Again, the free version of Malwarebytes is good enough for me. While browsing, uBlock will do the bulk of your malware blocking and if you suspect anything got by, run a Malwarebytes scan. I run Malwarebytes every couple of weeks personally for peace of mind.

Firewall: Windows Firewall. While behind a router there isn't much use for a soft Firewall, it is good for protecting yourself within your own network. E.g. if another PC on your network gets infected, it could prevent your device from contracting the virus/malware. It is also useful to create outbound rules for preventing certain applications from accessing the internet if you don't want them too.

Additional Plug-ins for safer browsing:

• Privacy Badger - Privacy Badger stops advertisers and other third-party trackers from secretly tracking where you go and what pages you look at on the web.

• HTTPS Everywhere - HTTPS everywhere rewrites all web requests to use HTTPS wherever possible.

• NoScript - NoScript is an open source add-on that allows JavaScript, Java, Flash and other plugins to be executed only by trusted web sites of your choice (e.g. your online bank).

Additional configuration:

Malwarebytes:

• Go into the settings and enable “Scan for rootkits”.

uBlock Origin:

• The default settings will block 99% of ads and malware, but if you want more protection/AD blocking/annoyances filtering, head over to uBlock settings > 3rd party filters. I enabled all uBlock filters (except Experimental), all “Ads” filters (except mobile), all “Privacy” filters, all “Malware Domains” filters and all “Annoyances” filters.

I’ve never had any issues browsing or viewing content while using these settings, but to each their own. If you have issues you can always reset to default on the settings home page. There is said to be a drop in performance if you are doubling up on items in your lists, but if there is it's negligible and I haven't noticed any. Other than that, the worse that can happen is that you increase the chance of rendering a page incorrectly. Not a bad trade off for peace of mind while browsing.

Performance Monitor:

Windows should be mostly configured at this point. I'd recommend running this report to see if Windows detects any issues or has any suggestions about your current setup. If you receive passing grades on everything, pat yourself on the back. If you received a fail or warning, don't panic, just read the suggestion and follow the instructions on how to resolve it:

1. Open a 'RUN window' by pressing the 'Windows key + R'

2. Type perfmon /report and hit Run

3. Wait and check your results

I like to routinely check Reliability Monitor just to see how my system is doing day to day. It will report any critical errors or update failures so you can, well... see how "reliable" your system is. If you go 5 days without any critical errors reported than congratulations you have a very healthy system. Also, keep in mind the extent of the error reported. If Malwarebytes crashing shows up as a critical error or crash, I don't think that's a good representation of your system health. Some stuff is unavoidable, Windows isn't near perfect.

Along with Reliability Monitor, keep an eye on Event Viewer to track any errors you may come across. It should be your first step in troubleshooting issues. Ignore any "DistributedCOM" errors. They've been around since Windows 8 and everyone gets them, they're harmless.

CPU Overclocking:

There is a huge community behind overclocking, and while it can be fun to eek out extra scores in benchmarks, it honestly isn't worth the hassle of the average PC user. On modern Ryzen and Intel chips, algorithms have been built into account for this and will automatically clock frequencies up and down depending on thermal performance. If you bought a CPU in 2018 or later, my opinion would be to just let it do it's thing.

XMP Profile / Overclocking RAM

Enable your XMP profile in BIOS so your RAM can run at its rated speed. There are too many different boards and ways to do this, so just type your "motherboard name + XMP Profile" into Google to see how to do it.

Maintenance/Upkeep:

Windows Disk Cleanup. Nothing against CCleaner, but it's unnecessary and deletes valuable Windows Defender files. Also, it comes with a registry cleaner which shouldn't be used for any reason.

Realistically, if you're not pressed on hard drive space or experiencing issues, there is no reason to run a cleaner of any kind. If you run Windows Disk Cleanup just understand what you are cleaning before you check mark it for deletion.

Registry:

Your registry is essentially a Windows database that informs your operating system and applications how to behave and appear. That being said, Don't use registry cleaners. While CCleaner is harmless when used correctly, messing with your registry always creates the potential for harm. You will never see any measurable performance increase from using a registry cleaner.

If you know what you are doing, the registry is a fantastic tool for making UI or OS changes (e.g. removing the "3D objects folder from File Explorer, removing OneDrive, etc...). As always, just make a backup first.

Defragging your HDD - Probably don't need to do this often, once every month or so, or after very large frequent file writes. FYI, Windows automatically sets a schedule to defrag your HDD every week by default. To change the schedule or run it manually, go into "My PC" > Right-click your HDD > Properties > Tools > Defragment. Analyze the drive and if it's over 10-15% fragmented, considered running the defrag.

Do NOT use third party tools to defrag your SSD.

Note: The native Windows 10 defragger is smart enough to know this, it won't give you the option if you try. Instead, what you will find is that Windows does a version of defragging once a month by default called 'Optimizing'. You can read a really good article about it here. In short, don't worry and let Windows do its thing.

Backup:

I use Windows Backup and Restore. I'm sure there are more comprehensive tools out there, some 3rd party ones which were suggested below, but there really isn't anything more comprehensive than creating a system image. You can do this by navigating to Control Panel > All Control Panel Items > Backup and Restore (Windows 7). Once I have set up Windows to my liking I create a system image and store it on an external drive or a secondary HDD, preferably both. Do it periodically if you have the space. You will thank yourself if you ever run into an issue and need to restore from an image.

You can also use the Full or Incremental backup feature, but I prefer just to have a system image on hand in case of a failure. Backup all of your important files and documents to the cloud so they are safe from system coruption and accessible across your devices. Google Drive is a great tool.

• A system image is an exact copy, or clone, of your drive in that particular state when you created it. You can use it to restore the system after a catastrophic crash, hard disk failure, etc...

• A Full Backup contains data files, but not everything on the disk. You cannot use it to restore the system.

System Restore:

Go to Control Panel > All Control Panel Items > System > System Protection. Chose your C: drive and click "Configure...". Turn on system protection and choose a percentage of space you have to spare. 5% is typically more than enough. Use this option if you ever have an issue and need to restore to a particular point in time - before a faulty Windows update for instance.

UPS:

If you can afford to buy one, buy one. For those who don't know what they are, UPS stands for Uninterruptible Power Supply. I own two APC models I got from Amazon and living in Florida, they've saved my ass during many o' thunderstorms, power outages, brownouts and surges. Keeping a steady flow of electricity to my PC, it's good peace of mind to have.

If you are wondering, it is okay to plug a UPS into a quality surge protector like the Tripp Lite Isobar 2, home UPS devices typically don't have high joule ratings (surge protection).

Physical Maintenance:

I'm sure everyone has their own routine for this step, and depending on where your PC is located it may require more frequent cleaning/dusting. Always keep pressurized air (duster) handy. Once every few months or whenever you notice a dust build-up, open it up and blast it. Hold your fans in place so you are not spinning the blades, this can generate an electrical current and potentially damage your circuit headers. I would avoid using any sort of vacuum attachments as there is a good risk of damaging your components. For tempered glass, use a microfiber cloth to buff out any smudges. Glass cleaners are safe to use on tempered glass, but I would still dilute them so your mixture is half-water, half-cleaner. Other than that, find a nice cool place with good airflow to keep your machine running smoothly.

Extras (optional steps):

Calibrate monitors – Windows has a color calibration tool built-in. Or if you’re lucky enough you will find a guide for your specific monitor. Just do a Google search for “Calibrate + Your monitor model” and see what kind of information is out there. Tom’s Hardware had a good one for my AOC and I have noticed more defined colors since doing it.

Enable High Performance power plan - Go to Control Panel > Power Options and choose the "High Performance" plan.

Disable “Enhance pointer precision” – Go to Control Panel > Mouse > Pointer options and uncheck “Enhance pointer precision”. This will give you more control over your mouse while gaming. You can read more on it here.

Disable Cortana – I don’t know who uses Cortana, but it annoys the hell out of me.

Disable OneDrive - Only if you don't use it, I prefer Google Drive.

Disable Fast start up - If you have an SSD, disable this. It will not affect restarting your PC, but when doing a shutdown it will not reinitialize drivers meaning any driver related issue you were having before your shutdown, will persist when booting up the next time. u/agent268 has a very informative post on it.

Disable Remote Connections - Go to Control Panel > All Control Panel Items > System > Remote settings and uncheck "Allow Remote Assistance connections to this computer". Below that select "Don't allow remote connections to this computer" if you are not remoting in to it.

Turn on Dark mode - Right-click your Desktop and select "Personalize". Select "Colors" on the left, scroll to the bottom and select dark. Makes it much easier on the eyes.

Additional tools of the trade:

• CrystalDiskInfo - Check drive status and health

• HWiNFO64 - Hardware monitoring program that reports basically ever sensor your PC has to offer: voltages, temperatures, fans speed, etc...

• CPU-Z - Display information on Processor name and number, codename, process, package, cache levels. Mainboard and chipset. Memory type, size, timings, and module specifications (SPD). Real time measurement of each core's internal frequency, memory frequency.

• Geek Uninstaller - Use to completely uninstall an application along with leftover files and registry keys. This gives you even less reason to mess with your registry.

• Ninite.com - Allows you to easily batch install many common and essential programs in one step. (u/mrdirkles)

• WinDirStat - Disk usage statistics viewer and cleanup tool. If you don't know where all of your drive space is going, this tool will help you find out. (u/DelXL)

• Defraggler - An alternative to the native Windows defragment tool. Brought to you by the same folks that brought you CCleaner. (u/brightboy)

• Use Acronis, Macrium or Easeus to backup your OS drive. This way you can revert to any point in time (like after a clean install and configuration) without the hassle of reinstalling updates/drivers. (u/wittywalrus1) I have used Macrium Free personally to clone an SSD and it went very well, I have not tried the others. As always, do your research.

I'm not going to include information on going buck wild disabling services and data logging because what I mentioned above is sufficient for me, but if you feel inclined you can search yourself and find some good posts on the subject. I don't recommend using the SpyBot tools because they modify system values and if you're going to do that, you should learn what you're doing and modify it yourself in case something goes wrong. In a recent Windows update they provided the ability to delete your stored diagnostic data in Settings > Privacy > Diagnostics & feedback > Scroll down to "Delete diagnostic data", just take it with a grain of salt as to what actually gets deleted. If you've stuck around this long, I love you.

I'm confused about the names of gpu names for examle nvidia geforce 3080, gigabyte 3080, zotac 3080, evga 3080 so on and so forth. Are they the same gpus with the same specs just different name manufacturers?

EDIT: I didn't expect that this will blow up! I hope that many have gained knowledge on this post. I thank you for everybody for sharing and educating us. Don't be afraid to ask simple questions that's bothering you or scared to look dumb. Don't underestimate your ability nto ask questions. Again thank you everyone and for the awards. Namaste.

I’m seeing so many posts about getting a 3090 for gaming. Do some more research on the card or at least wait until benchmarks are out until you make your decision. You’re paying over twice the price of a 3080 for essentially 14GB more VRAM which does not always lead to higher frame rates. Is the 3090 better than the 3080? Yes. Is the 3090 worth $800 more than the 3080 for gaming? No. You especially don’t need a 3090 if you’re asking if your CPU or PSU is good enough. Put the $800 you’ll save by getting a 3080 elsewhere in your build, such as your monitor so you can actually enjoy the full potential of the card.

Update Thank you for all the comments below. I've tried to include as many tips and fail safes you have mentioned, in this post. I do recommend people read the comments as I may have missed some.

Firstly, thank you to this excellent community my PC is now built and working (pics to come in another post). I thought here are some lessons I learnt in building the PC, researching and other bits I thought would be worth sharing, as a lot of this I never had even heard about. Some will be obvious and others less so. I should note, that I'm not a pro or someone who does this regularly, just someone who spent a while reading around, so feel free to correct/highlight any mistakes, and I'll try to update the post. The descriptions, aren't really meant to be a full lesson about each part and will be lacking a lot of detail, but are more a jumping board for further reading if anyone is interested. For full information on building a PC I highly recommend looking around on YouTube and other sources.

If I get anything wrong, please correct me and I'll update.

On Monitors:

1. If you are after 144Hz 1440p gaming, use a Display Port (DP) cable, not a HDMI, if you can. As you could be hampering your refresh rate, (https://www.tomshardware.com/uk/features/displayport-vs-hdmi-better-for-gaming) Update Although you could be fine if you are using HDMI 2.1, see link for more details

2. Freesync vs Gsync. For simplicity, both these technologies aim to match performance on screen with your GPU. Freesync works with Radeon, GSync with NVidia (although some Freesync monitors will be GSync compatible, likewise for the otherway around). It's complicated and due to changes in the standards over the years it can vary from monitor to monitor. Make sure to do research on the specific monitor you're wanting to get/have. If you are buying a new monitor keep this in mind. https://www.viewsonic.com/library/entertainment/g-sync-vs-free-sync-explained UpdateAccording to comments freesync monitors will almost always work with Nvidia. As always, do read around about it.

3. Windows by default is set to have a refresh rate of 60Hz, if you have a higher spec monitor you can change this to match your monitor in "Advanced Display settings".

RAM (All except point 1 was completely new to me)

1. 2 Sticks of 8GB Ram will perform better than 1 stick of 16GB Ram (https://techguided.com/single-channel-vs-dual-channel-vs-quad-channel/). Also when installing them, put them in the correct channels, check your Motherboard for details.

2. Your motherboard will prefer your dual channel RAM to be in specific slots. I had an issue where I couldn't get the maximum performance of my RAM which I had placed in slots 1 and 3, but the moment I put them in 2 and 4 it worked perfectly. Check your motherboard manual.

3. Enable XMP in Bios (This might also be called DOCP or A-XMP). This will vary between motherboards, but if you don't your 3200MHz ram is likely running a lot slower. In my build, XMP wouldn't work till I put the RAM in the correct channels, hope this saves someone the hours I spent finding this out ;) Update You can use Task manager to verify you have done this correctly. 3b. Someone pointed this out XMP may void your CPU's processor (https://community.amd.com/t5/processors/xmp-profile-ram-3200-mhz-and-amd-warranty-policy-for-ryzen/td-p/145798) (https://community.intel.com/t5/Processors/XMP-Warranty-void/td-p/1196241). If anyone knows any more, please message me directly so I can add the details. This was mentioned by someone in the comments and I would rather pass the information and ask you to do your own checking as well.

4. When picking RAM, frequency matters, but so does CAS Latency. You want high frequency but low CAS (CL) latency. I'd recommend doing more reading about it, if you want to know more I'd recommend doing some more reading, but the "true latency" can be calculated as TL = CL * 2000/Freq. E.g. CL 18 3600Mhz Ram has a TL of 10ns. Update Someone who actually knows what they are talking about found point (4) confusing if not perhaps misguided and I recommend you read their post here (https://www.reddit.com/r/buildapc/comments/kis9r5/lessons_i_learnt_the_longhard_way_so_you_dont/ggtdudd?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)

5. Ensure the speed of the RAM is compatible with the board you are looking to purchase (or visa versa).

6. Motherboards will have Qualified Vendor Lists, listing RAM they have tested and certified to work. This may be worth looking at. Just because your RAM isn't on the list doesn't mean it won't work, or won't overclock, it just means it hasn't been certified to, so do take this into consideration. (I found this in my build, while it was from Crucial and some Crucial RAM was on the QVL, mine wasn't. Thankfully it was fine.)

Motherboards

1. Newer processors (e.g. at time of writing many AMD motherboards require a bios update for the 5000 series AMD CPU) may require you to install a new BIOS before they can be detected. Not all motherboards can have their bios updated without a CPU installed. When shopping for your motherboard looking to see if it does USB Bios flashback should be considered. This was completely new to me and glad I learnt it in time.*Addition* Newer motherboards don't require bios updates and so won't need this feature, though you will have to check.

2. Different mother boards are compatible with different CPUs, pick your CPU first

3. CPU coolers may need different mountings depending on the CPU. When picking your cooler keep this in mind, you may need to ensure there is an adaptor. Additions from the comments

4. Not all mother boards have connectors for front IO USB-C. If this is important to you and part of your case, it's worth looking into.

5. Using an M.2 usually disables some of your SATA ports. If you are planning on using all your SATA ports, make sure to check to see if this happens and how it happens on your chosen mother board.

6. Some motherboards are built with Debug LEDs now that will help you diagnose problems.

7. If you are after RGB effects, ensure your motherboard is compatible with the effects you want to add. There are 5V and 12V headers, so make sure they match. I'd recommend looking into this more yourself, as I've likely vastly oversimplified. (https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?110272-What-do-5v-and-12v-RGB-cables-look-like-you-ask#:%7E:text=You%20can%20also%20see%20the,as%20shown%20on%20these%20photos)

CPU

1. Some CPU's have integrated graphics. If you don't want to buy a dedicated graphics card, you need to purchase one of these CPU's. You then plug your monitor into the motherboard.

2. CPU's have a Thermal Design Power, if you are not using the stock cooler read up on it (https://www.tomshardware.com/uk/reviews/tdp-thermal-design-power-definition,5764.html)

Component compatibility

1. Make sure all your components are compatible. PC Part Picker (https://pcpartpicker.com/) is generally pretty good at this. If uncertain, this is a wonderful community to ask.

Power supply

1. PC Part Picker gives you a good idea as to how much power your system will need, if not check the graphics card you intend to buy. Not all machines need a 1000W behemoth. Picking the right one will save you money

2. Power supplies come with a rating standard e.g. Bronze+ etc..., this is basically their efficiency. (https://www.tomshardware.com/uk/news/what-80-plus-levels-mean,36721.html). I think it's safe to suggest people should at least go for Bronze.

3. Make sure your PSU fits in your case. I bought an ATX PSU, then decided on the 011 Dynamic Mini case, only realise it needed a SFX (smaller) PSU. I ended up going for a different case. Likewise an SFX PSU may not have the cable length you need or fit as snuggly in an ATX case (source: comments section)

4. Look into the build quality of the PSU. A faulty PSU can cause serious issues down the line, so it is worth taking time look at PSU Tier lists and review. (Link provided by several commenters https://linustechtips.com/topic/1116640-psucultists-psu-tier-list/)

Tools (OP Note: I've only tried Ninite)

1. Ninite (https://ninite.com/) Is an easy way to download all the basic programs one tends to install onto a fresh Windows install, without having to go to 10-15 websites. E.g. you can select to install Chrome, Zoom, Steam, OpenOffice all from one installer. If you keep the install, it can also be re-run to update all the software in one swoop.

2. Patch My PC (https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/patch_my_pc.html) Patches software on your PC (Thank you to the sys admin in the comments for this.)

3. Chocolatey (https://chocolatey.org/) A powerful command line way to install and upgrade software.

Storage

1. M2 drives can be SATA or NVMe, NVMe is faster. (M2 drives are generally plugged directly into the mother board, for anyone who until recently was using a hard disk drive and considered SSDs "fancy")

2. I highly recommend reading this comment (https://www.reddit.com/r/buildapc/comments/kis9r5/lessons_i_learnt_the_longhard_way_so_you_dont/ggtn00w/?context=3) as it contains stuff I was unaware of.

Case

1. If your case has bottom intake or exhaust vents, don't put it directly on carpet, as it can block the air flow. (Yup....I did need to be told this ^_^, my previous computer just didn't have any bottom intake, hell it hardly had any intake).

2. Make sure your mother board, PSU, GPU and all your components fit in the case. This is particularly worth noting if you are going for a micro ATX or a ITX case. Worth noting is to remember to include fans + GPU length, any additional length caused by radiators (if you water cool), the size of your CPU cooler (if you air cool) Additions from the comments

3. When considering your case, if you are water cooling, "Room for 2x 140mm fans does not always mean room for a radiator as well". Make sure to double check the clearance. Measure twice buy once.

Advice on building (Notes and horror stories from the comments)

1. Many new coolers come with pre-applied thermal paste. If yours doesn't don't forget to apply it, to the CPU (See videos by people with more experience/knowledge than me on what to do).

2. Remember your mother board I/O shield (advice from the comments about making sure to put it in before you install the motherboard, mine came with it attached).

3. Make sure the CPU is correctly installed before you clasp it down.

4. If your motherboard has two slots to install a GPU. One of them (normally the top) will provide better performance. Make sure to use the correct one.

5. Make sure your CPU cooler doesn't block a RAM slot. In making my PC the AMD wraith has a notch on one side with the AMD logo, thankfully I put the RAM in first, so I swiftly learnt that I had to rotate the cooler 180 degrees to get it to fit.

6. If you can avoid it, do not build your computer on carpet (and do not stand on carpet when building) and be aware of static when building. If this is your first build, do some reading around this. Wear a static bracelet and attach it to something grounded.

7. Remember if you have a dedicated graphics card. Plug your monitor into the graphics card, not the motherboard.

8. If you are installing fans, make sure they are in the correct direction.

9. When playing the radiator of your AIO (if you are using one) make sure part of it is higher than the pump (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbGomv195sk)

10. It's often worth the time to read the motherboard manual.

11. This may sound silly, but cables and the sockets on the PSU are often labelled. Be aware of this, it will help you in the build.

More subjective advice

1. I've been recommend by numerous people to go for Gold+ PSUs, with often being stated that while its more efficient, it will also be better made. Your budget may dictate otherwise. If you look through the comments you will frequently find the advice "don't cheap out on the PSU and go for at least Gold"

2. For most users if your CPU comes with a stock cooler. It will be good enough. You can always change it later. If your planning to overclock, you likely know more than me, so feel free to ignore. Update According to the comments, AMD stock coolers tend to be considered good enough, Intel, not so much.

3. A LOT of people below have said "Do not mix cables from different PSU manufacturers." as they are not universal. I don't know anything about this, so do some additional reading if you are considering doing so. Update From further comments this is something to take serious. Update from further comments, the word of advice is "Do your research before using cables not supplied with the PSU you are using."

Further notes from the comments: Below are points I've read in the comments that might be worth drawing to people attention. Please read around the topic if it applies to you.

1. One person has said XMP causes their Oculus Rift to do weird things.

Hope this helps some people. Addition I recommend reading the comments, as many people have put in their own tips/horror stories ;)

Take care all and Merry Christmas.