# Building a PC from scratch



## Erik Couttolenc (Mar 16, 2020)

I own a MacBook Pro that I use for both composing in cubase and other things that you normally use a computer for, but I want to build a PC from scratch to use it specifically and only for composing. Any advice on where and what to start looking for? which parts are fundamental, how much space I might need, and all that? I want to do this because it is a cheaper option, and I want to understand the whole process of creating a computer, and how everything works and functions for the purpose of MIDI composing.


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## Jeremy Gillam (Mar 16, 2020)

I suggest searching this forum for helpful threads that will likely answer many of your questions. YouTube is also a good resource, I'd go there to familiarize yourself with the basics. PC Partpicker is a website that will tell you if your components are compatible. Computer building isn't that hard, and is also fun! I successfully built my first computer a few years ago and am using it to make a living (ASUS motherboard, Intel i9 9900k CPU, 64GB of RAM). Keep in mind that resale of a home-built system may be trickier than with say, a Mac, which will likely hold its value pretty well. But upfront cost is obviously less too.


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## dzilizzi (Mar 16, 2020)

+ PCpartpicker.com

Best place to determine what parts you need. And great suggestions for the cheapest place to get each part.


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## RonOrchComp (Mar 16, 2020)

Jeremy Gillam said:


> I suggest searching this forum for helpful threads that will likely answer many of your questions



Yes - a good amount of threads around here. There is also this:









The "today we build our studio pc" thread - Gearspace.com


Originally Posted by Analogue Mastering The pump makes a lot of noise, partly passive system with 1 or 2 Noctua fans is so much more silent. My pump ha



www.gearslutz.com





An absolute TON of info, and at 348 pages and counting, it's no quick read. But it was started in '10, so much of the info and suggestions are no longer relevant. Maybe go back a few pages?


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## robgb (Mar 16, 2020)

If you're used to using a Mac, I'd suggest you consider building a Hackintosh. A lot of people have had great success with these. And if it doesn't work out, you can always load Windows.


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## SchnookyPants (Mar 17, 2020)

I'm reconsidering 'rolling my own' 'PC. Two basic questions; Once you've chosen all components and have your 'pile of parts' in front of you:

A.) On average, how many man-hours to complete a build?

B.) What is the most difficult aspect?

Thanks.


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## Technostica (Mar 17, 2020)

A) The physical build won't take long at all but if it's your first time you will want to take it slow to make sure you don't make a mistake or damage something.
B) Some CPU heatsinks can be a bit tricky. It might be nerve wracking installing the CPU for the first time but it's not complicated. Although I hear that Threadripper CPUs might be awkward. 

Installing Windows 10 is very quick these days. 
Stick it on a 8GB USB stick in a bootable format. Download the ISO or use the MS tool.
It will even download updates during installation if you allow it to.
Install any drivers for the motherboard from the Vendor's website.
I tend to run MemTest on a new build prior to installing all my apps/data in case there are issues or even before installing Windows. 
You can run that from a bootable USB stick.
It's good to make sure you have a solid installation before taking the time to install all the software.


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## Mihkel Zilmer (Mar 17, 2020)

SchnookyPants said:


> I'm reconsidering 'rolling my own' 'PC. Two basic questions; Once you've chosen all components and have your 'pile of parts' in front of you:
> 
> A.) On average, how many man-hours to complete a build?
> 
> ...



Both of these depend on the complexity of the build, and how well the case is designed (some are a breeze to build in, others are a bit more of a pain), and how good you are with tech or DIY in general.

I think the first machine I ever built back in 2010 or so took me about 4 or 5 hours, because I was constantly referring to the user manuals to make sure I wasn't doing something wrong. These days I can build one in less than an hour.

There really is no particularly difficult aspect if you follow a manual or a video on YT. But, again, some parts are less well designed than others - for example I once struggled to install a CPU cooler that had a particularly silly design. Some people are also a bit nervous about applying thermal paste to their CPU (some coolers come with it pre-applied). Just do a bit of research on this ahead of time and you will be fine.


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## d.healey (Mar 17, 2020)

Go to YouTube, search "Linus tech tips", watch everything.


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## robgb (Mar 17, 2020)

Of the ten or so I've built over the years, I'd say the longest build maybe took two hours. Hard to say, though, because it was so much fun I usually lost track of time.


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## SchnookyPants (Mar 17, 2020)

Enlightening and encouraging. Thanks guys.


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## dzilizzi (Mar 17, 2020)

Takes way more time to load the software. 

I just followed a YouTube video and it was really quick. The hardest part was dealing with the cords. Where my SATA plugs were on the motherboard versus the case design, made it awkward to plug in.


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## vitocorleone123 (Mar 17, 2020)

Plan for the whole thing to take a day, assuming you take your time, take breaks, etc. A good chunk of that time would be OS updates and software installs. 

Building a PC, with some How-to education up front, is pretty quick and easy. Unless something goes sideways. Then it can be a bitch, especially if you don’t know what you’re doing. If that happens, and it probably won’t, use your Mac to get help online.

As for $$... a really good PC plus Windows will cost around $2k, plus or minus $500 depending on your choices. Of course you can spend more or less than even that.


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## youngpokie (Mar 17, 2020)

I have only built 3 over the last 10 years or so, and so for me the biggest challenge was figuring out the specs. As @dzilizzi, I also used PCpartpicker.com to verify compatibility. The most time consuming process for me was finding the components that were better for audio (things like bus speed on the motherboard, memory speed specs and read speed for SSDs/m.2). But the actual assembly was easy, perhaps half a day. I did spent time on cable management because my last case didn't have a lot of room.


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## Erik Couttolenc (Mar 17, 2020)

Awesome! Thanks for all the info!


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## dzilizzi (Mar 17, 2020)

And the Gearslutz link above is really great if you have problems. There are 2 or 3 users who are professional computer builders that regularly help out there. Really great guys. Start at the last page and read a few back to get ideas of builds, problems people are having, and solutions to the problems.

If you want to do a Hackintosh, check out this thread - https://vi-control.net/community/threads/hackintosh-build-advice.90354/page-3#post-4516473

There are a lot of good suggestions


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