How to build and

upgrade your PC

produced in association with ASUS and CoolerMaster

Building a PC might seem like a
daunting task, but in reality,
it’s simpler than you think.

2 How to build and upgrade your own PC

 Introduction

If you can use a screwdriver, you can build and We’ll also offer advice to follow if the unlikely
upgrade your own PC. With just a single tool and a happens and things go wrong.
little know-how, you can create your own custom- Building a PC is only the beginning, though.
built machine. Do it right and it won’t just look and There’s so much more you can do with it than simply
feel unique, it’ll be more powerful than an off-the- play games or go online. We’ll let you in on some
shelf PC, you’ll save yourself some cash, and will overclocker secrets, so you can get more from your
gain the satisfaction and insight of a PC pro. system by tuning it for maximum efficiency.
To the untrained eye, PCs might look like After reading this guide, you’ll be able to select
a terrifying mess of circuit boards and tiny the very best parts for building the system you
components which only a well-trained engineer want, the way you want it. Or, if you’d like to
could possibly understand, but in reality most of learn how to make your current PC go even faster,
the complex stuff is done for you. The various parts we’ll show you how to upgrade and install new
of a modern PC plug together easily, and it’s very components.
hard to assemble them incorrectly. Whether it’s maximum performance or top value
All you need to do is to work slowly and for money, you’ll be able to put together your own
methodically, and follow a few simple instructions. tailor-made PC or upgrade your existing one exactly
Which is where this guide comes in. We’ll teach you as desired with no hassles!
exactly how to select each vital component of a PC,
and how they all fit together to make a complete
system.

Contents
The PC ABC 04

Types of expansion ports 07

Around the back 08

Cables tidied 09

How to build a PC 10

Get started with overclocking 18

Other things you’ll need 19

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The PC A.B.C...
Your PC is a highly modular machine made up of
several swappable parts. It’s really not all
that complex, though. Here’s a breakdown
of the components to help you make an
informed purchasing decision.

Motherboard form factors:

ATX/micro ATX
There are two popular standards that dictate the dimensions of a desktop PC, ATX and
the smaller micro ATX. Make sure you don’t buy a micro ATX case and an ATX motherboard
– that’ll be like fitting a square peg in a round hole. There is also the mini ITX form factor,
typically used in power-efficient home entertainment PCs, but it’s not as common as ATX or
micro ATX.

Case
Consider what case you’re going to build your PC inside. The main
technical consideration is buying one suitable for your motherboard
(ATX/micro ATX), but there are a lot of other things to take into
account. A large, well-built case means you can use quieter fans in
and keep air flowing around hot components for improved cooling.
Also look for useful features like tool-less fittings, which make
assembling your new PC easier. Most cases are made from either
aluminum or steel, with steel cases usually being much cheaper than
aluminum equivalents. Aluminum is lighter than steel, but doesn’t
compromise on strength. Noise mitigation is also an issue. Cheaper
cases may make your PC noisy due to poor insulation. You may also
want to consider a case that comes ready for cable management,
because a tidy interior means a better performing PC in the long run.

Central processing unit

The CPU is the chip which forms the brains of your PC.
It processes the calculations required for everyday
computing tasks like spreadsheets, rendering web pages,
running game mechanics, executing spell checkers, and
so on. Modern CPUs are defined by both clock speed and
number of cores. A dual-core CPU has two processors
in one package, while a quad-core CPU has four. Most
desktop CPUs have a clock speed of between 2.5GHz and
3GHz, but overclockers have been able to push many
variants to an amazing 8GHz with extreme cooling!

4 How to build and upgrade your own PC

 ASUS P8Z77-V DELUXE
motherboard

Memory -
DDR2/DDR3 RAM
RAM, or random access memory,
comes in two different types, DDR2 and
DDR3. The acronym stands for double data
rate, and the number refers to the fact that these
chips transfer data twice as efficiently as earlier memory
chips. DDR3 is a newer and even faster type of memory, but
many DDR2 motherboards are still available.
Memory is critical to the operation of a PC. It’s where information is stored
for instant access, as opposed to storage, which keeps data long term. Memory
comes in modules that fit into slots on the motherboard. These modules are typically
2GB, 4GB, or 8GB in size. Most modern motherboards can take a maximum of 16GB RAM, though
motherboards like the Z77 Series from ASUS support up to 32GB - we recommend a minimum of 4GB,
with 8GB being an optimal amount of RAM; there’s no such thing as too much RAM in your PC. Memory also
has channels. The more channels, the more data can be read at once. Typically DDR3 uses dual or triple channels. In
addition, memory has its own clock speed, just like a CPU. You may see numbers like 1333MHz or 1666MHz next to the
module name – that’s the memory speed. Many motherboards allow for memory overclocking.

An important point to note is that

you can’t mix memory types. Make
sure all models are the same kind
of memory, and also the same
speed. To be double sure, you can
pick an ASUS motherboard with
the MemOK! feature, which can
help you verify memory modules.

Q How should I choose what CPU to buy?

We recommend you select which core number applies to you, then research which frequency fits your budget.

Think of your processor’s cores as arms: Two(Dual) Core Four(Quad) Core Six Core
with six arms it can handle six things at Normally a dual-core CPU Those who require quad- Six core processors
the same time, providing it is given six is suitable for those who core CPUs will be heavy provide a level of
tasks to do. only require a PC for email, multitaskers, enjoying computing power
internet, light office work, rich and intense gaming, only needed by those
Its frequency tells us how fast all
enjoying video, music and content creation and with the heaviest
the arms are working. Fast arms get photos, and even casual editing for video, music software demands,
any work-load done faster, but they gaming. or photos. and professional or
can still only handle one thing each at scientific applications.
a time.

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Graphics card
The graphics card is the second most important processor
in your system. It’s also known as a GPU, or graphics
processing unit. If you don’t plan on playing games or
watching movies, you could get away with the integrated
graphics on AMD-based motherboards or the built-in GPU
of Intel chipsets such as the Z68 and the newer Z77. If you
do want to use your PC for entertainment, look for one of
the latest DirectX11 graphics processors, like the ASUS GTX
560 DirectCU II or ASUS HD 7950 DirectCU II TOP, which
are powerful enough to play the most demanding games
on a display with a 1920x1080 native resolution and are
great value for money. If you want the very best, take a ASUS ROG MATRIX GTX580 DirectCUII graphics card
look at the ASUS ROG MATRIX 580 graphics card, which is
not only one of the fastest available, but one of the most
flexible with unique tools for overclocking.

Heatsink For the purpose of this introductory guide we

Every modern CPU requires recommend readers opt for the retail boxed CPUs to make
a heatsink and fan to absolutely sure their heatsink will work with their chosen
keep it cool. It will quickly CPU. However, if you are intent on buying an alternative,
overheat and the PC will we recommend contacting the retailer to ask for advice.
shut off without one. Retail
boxed CPUs will come with a Optical drive
pre-certified heatsink and fan You’ll probably also need an optical drive. DVD-RW drives
included in the box, and this is are very cheap, but it won’t cost you much more to
the cheapest way to provide ‘good enough’ invest in Blu-ray. ASUS Blu-ray combo drives utilize silent
cooling for your CPU of choice. CPUs listed as operation that’s perfect if you plan to use your PC to play
‘OEM’ on retail stores will often be cheaper, but will not HD movies. They also employ energy efficient designs
come with a heatsink. that shut down drive operations when in idle mode, and
In both cases, buying a separate heatsink is the improve burning performance through intelligent writing
alternative. These vary greatly in size, cooling capacity, strategies that detect the type of data being recorded
noise and cost: with some specifically designed for expert and the quality of the disc itself to plan the best burn.
users, or others have specially fitted silent fans to keep Optical drives fit into the 5.25” bays in the case.
the PC as inaudible as possible.

Motherboard Even if you’re not planning to overclock your system,

The motherboard is the single largest component inside buying a cheap motherboard can be a false economy –
your PC, and lies flat against the back of the case. All high quality components are less prone to errors and
other parts of the machine plug into the motherboard. causing system crashes, and good cooling is essential
Your choice of CPU directly affects the motherboard to prevent data corruption. Motherboards use a BIOS,
that’s suitable for your system, as you must make which is the basic operating system of the PC.
sure that the two are compatible. There’s These can be difficult to navigate, so you may
much more involved than simply finding want to consider models that support mouse-
one that fits and costs least, though. For controlled BIOS versions, which use icons just
a start, you’ll need to make sure your like a Windows program. The ASUS UEFI BIOS
motherboard is the right size for your case: is one such offering, and it helps you make full
mini ITX, micro ATX, or ATX. Then look at use of other important features, like power
what extra features you’d like. For example, delivery. Since the motherboard supervises all
many ASUS motherboards have one-click the power that goes through your PC, a good
Auto Tuning or the TurboV Processing Unit power circuit design is vital. ASUS Smart DIGI+
(TPU), which instantly optimizes your system for Power Control gives users access to great quality
extra performance, while for cooling, features like Fan components, alongside digital voltage regulation for
Xpert2 ensure improved control over system fans. The more flexible system tuning. On P8Z77 motherboards,
features available on many ASUS motherboards give this design allows for boosting CPU speeds by as much
you complete control over important elements in your as 85%, as well as easier memory and integrated graphics
system. tuning, putting you in truly direct control.

6 How to build and upgrade your own PC

Power supply unit
Often overlooked, the PSU is arguably the most important component in your PC! Many technical problems are
caused by a faulty power supply, and nothing fits the mantra “buy cheap, buy twice” more than shopping for a
PSU. Make sure you get one from a respected brand that has a high enough rating (say 600W or more) to cover all
components in your PC. Look for 80 PLUS certification, which ensures a power supply that’s at least 80% efficient
under load. For instance, if you get a 600W power supply, 80 PLUS means it can provide all 600W to your system
while drawing a maximum 720W from the wall. A 50% power efficient supply would give you these 600W for
900W from the wall, thus increasing your energy bills. New technology can help in conserving power and lowering
your costs. The Smart DIGI+ architecture found on recent Z77 boards from ASUS can intelligently cut CPU power
consumption in half when running low-demand applications.

Storage RPM stands for

The hard drive is where your PC stores programs and revolutions per
files. Slower but cheaper than RAM, the key advantage minute. This
is that data stored on a hard drive doesn’t get deleted shows how fast
when the power is switched off. Music, games, and the platters spin. The faster they
movies take up a lot of space in storage, so the bigger spin, the quicker the data access,
your hard drive, the better. We recommend a minimum but a fast hard drive is also noisier
and consumes more power. Faster
1TB of hard drive space.
mechanical drives may also wear
There are two major types of hard drive currently out sooner due to their more
available. Traditional mechanical hard drives are slower intense operation. Conversely,
but cheaper, and have larger capacities. Solid state slower drives are quieter, more
drives, or SSDs, have no moving parts, are more energy energy efficient, and tend to last
efficient and quiet, and generally faster. However, they longer. They’re also cheaper!
still cost exponentially more at this time. There are so-
called hybrid drives, which use a small SSD to accelerate
a much bigger hard drive by placing frequently-accessed Sound card
programs on the faster SSD. ASUS SSD Caching is one All motherboards come with built-in sound chips, but if
such technology, and it significantly boosts overall you want really high quality you could opt for an add-
system performance. You can find it on the ASUS P8Z77 in soundcard, like one from the ASUS Xonar range, for
Series of motherboards, for example. industry-leading performance. Alternatively, you could
Traditional hard drives fit into 3.5” bays, while newer look for a motherboard like the ASUS ROG Rampage
SSDs are generally 2.5”, the size of most notebook PC IV GENE, which has a dedicated SupremeFX III audio
hard drives. The latter usually come with a bracket to solution on the board for professional-grade audio,
help them fit into a standard 3.5” bay. especially in gaming.

Types of expansion slots PCI Express

Smaller PCI Express slots are for less demanding
The parts that help your PC grow! components like sound cards, which don’t
require as much bandwidth as a graphics card.

PCI Express 3.0 x16 (PCI-E) PCI

The biggest ports or slots on your motherboard are Original PCI connection for older expansion
for PCI Express graphics cards. Like all expansions, boards, which is still included on motherboards
it’s impossible to place these in the wrong socket or for legacy use. These are smaller than the newer
the wrong way round. Your motherboard may have PCI Express x16 slots, and are aligned in the same
more than one of these, for installing up to four way below the processor socket.
graphics processors. ASUS motherboards routinely
support multiple graphics card technologies like
SATA
NVIDIA SLI and AMD CrossFireX. Even the compact
These banks of small data ports are for
ROG Rampage IV GENE has two PCI Express slots.
connecting hard drives and optical drives. Since
Also, new ASUS Z77 motherboards feature PCI
early 2011, ASUS motherboards have supported
Express 3.0, which has double the bandwidth of PCI
SATA 6Gb/s speeds for the fastest hard drive
Express 2.0 at 32GB/s. The x16 denotes the number of
performance currently available.
data lanes available for transmission, with obviously
the more lanes available, the faster the theoretical Consider your motherboard’s available real estate, especially for PCI
performance of the slot and its connected card. Express 2.0/3.0. With many graphics cards requiring three slot-widths
to fit, you should plan ahead. A tall graphics card may block adjacent
slots like PCI Express 1.0 or PCI, denying you access to a sound card. A
long card is very likely to overhang the SATA ports, so do remember to
choose a board with right-angled ones.

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Around the back Networking
The back of your PC explained
The main connector here is the RJ-45 plug, or
Gigabit Ethernet. It connects to the onboard
network controller, which typically supports
USB 10/100/1000Mbps connectivity. ASUS workstation
For your keyboard, mouse,
and server motherboards come with dual
printers, external hard drives,
Intel Ethernet ports, which optimize network
and other peripherals. Look
performance by relieving the CPU of the need
out for the newer ASUS
to control online data while under load. Also,
motherboards supporting USB
ASUS ROG motherboards use technology called
3.0, which is up to ten times
GameFirst, which manages network traffic to
faster than USB 2.0. ASUS
prioritize bandwidth. That way you can keep
has also developed USB 3.0
gaming online even if heavy downloading occurs
Boost technology to further
in the background. Even newer features include
accelerate performance with
Network iControl for further fine-tuning of
new data protocols. USB 3.0
network parameters, found on high-end ASUS
ports are colored blue for easy HDMI Port Z77 motherboards. While most motherboards
identification, and the more The P8Z77 Series comes still lack wireless connectivity capabilities, Z77
the merrier: P8Z77 Series with integrated graphics, products from ASUS include extensive Wi-Fi
models come with at least supporting full HD via networking options. ASUS Wi-Fi GO! enables
four USB 3.0 ports. HDMI. The GPU also streaming of content from your PC to a TV
complies with DirectX in the living room, and even lets you control
11 specifications, so this your desktop from a remote device such as a
ASUS P8Z77-V Deluxe motherboard rear I/O

high-def output is certainly smartphone or tablet.

useful.

Wi-Fi GO! eSATA DisplayPort Audio

Instantly adds convenient A newer type of Thanks to advancements The 5.1-channel or 7.1-channel
wireless to your desktop. connection dedicated in integrated graphics and outputs for your onboard sound
The two connectors to external hard drives. chipset design, the P8Z77 and headphones. You may also
shown here are for Available in powered and Series board shown here can find a digital audio connector for
antennas, or aerials, non-powered varieties. drive multiple monitors, hence connecting an optical link cable
which can also be the DisplayPort output. on some boards.
upgraded later to more
powerful variants.

Input voltage
If you plan to use your PC in different
countries, make sure the power Modular power supplies arrive with
supply supports a wide voltage the cables “on the side”. They give you
range. Most models are now 100- the flexibility of only attaching cables
240V compatible, which makes for components you need, reducing
them safe for use with 110/120 case clutter and helping with cable
volt and 220 volt standards. Such management. But they also require
power supplies have automatic more room in the case, since much of
voltage switching mechanisms. the wiring occurs outside the power
Be advised that cheaper products supply proper. Non-modular supplies
may lack these. If you try to use have all the cables already connected,
a power supply with unsupported so you don’t get to choose which
voltage, chances are the PC simply won’t ones go in your case. These increase
turn on. However, in extreme cases you could face case clutter and call for more cable
catastrophic failure – not pleasant, so be careful! management, but also cost less and
take up less room.

8 How to build and upgrade your own PC

 Tidying up the cables
What connector goes where? Find out with our handy guide

12V auxiliary Four-pin Molex

Designed to provide extra These connectors carry
power to the CPU, this six or power from the PSU to older
eight pin adaptor fits into peripherals and can be hooked
the slot beside the processor up to fans, as well.
socket.

PCI Express power

ATX power Not to be confused with the
The biggest cable connector in your PC, this large similar-looking CPU power cable.
plug fits into a similarly-sized black socket on the While low-power graphics cards
motherboard. Like all power cables, it only fits one way. can get by with no connectors,
getting power directly from
the motherboard, performance
graphics cards need at least
one six-pin connector. The
more performance you want,
the more power you need to
supply, so really high end cards
typically need one six-pin and
one eight-pin connector. Make sure your power supply can
accommodate these.

Fan connectors SATA cables

These slot over various identical These long, flat cables are for
three-pin headers placed around the transferring data between
motherboard, except the four-pin the hard drives and the
connector for the CPU cooler, which motherboard. Try to get a
must go over the pins labelled for motherboard that has right-
the CPU fan. Otherwise, ensure the angled SATA connectors, so
motherboard has at least three more the graphics card doesn’t block
fan headers, as you need these for any of them. All current ASUS
fans to provide adequate cooling to motherboards use this design.
your PC. Achieving good cooling becomes much easier with
features like Fan Xpert 2 on P8Z77 motherboards, which allow
you to directly control case and CPU fan speeds both manually SATA power cable
and through automatic adjustments. A long, thin connector, each
hard drive or optical drive
requires one of these power
Front panel connectors cables plugged in next to the
Assorted wires data cable above.
that lead from
the buttons,
lights, USB, and
audio ports on
the front of your
case, and fit over Many modern cases allow you to run power
the appropriate cables between the motherboard plate and
pins at the the back of the case. Use these clever layouts
bottom of the motherboard. They can be quite fiddly to attach, to keep the inside of your case tidy and to
although ASUS motherboards come with a handy riser box that improve cooling.
makes putting the right wire on the right pin much easier. ASUS
also labels them very clearly for added guidance.

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How to build a PC
Putting together a PC really isn’t as hard as you Never force anything. If you feel a part isn’t going
might think. You don’t need any special tools, just in smoothly, take a close look at it and figure out
a steady hand, an hour or two to spare and some the right way – easy, as there’s only one. Don’t force
patience. It’s easy, and after you’ve done it once, the issue, as it may cause irreparable damage.
you’ll be able to do it much quicker and with greater Don’t overtighten screws, as that may stress
confidence in future. Just follow our simple guide to the board and other components. When you feel
get started. resistance, stop.
Try to avoid static electricity, as it may damage Have a standard-sized Philips screwdriver, as well
components. Before handling parts, touch your as a smaller Philips screwdriver ready. Flat-head
hands to a metallic surface. Refrain from wearing screwdrivers are useful, but not mandatory.
clothes that might generate more static, like
sweaters.

1 Set up your motherboard

Place the motherboard on a flat, non-conductive surface.
3 Insert CPU
Lift the catch on the CPU socket and raise the hinged cover.
It only fits one way round, but may break if you try to force it.
Carefully place it in the socket, taking care not to bend any of
the pins, and then close the cover and catch.

2 Examine the CPU

Your CPU should either have notches cut into either side of the
backing, or a pattern of pins projecting from the bottom with a
triangle missing in one corner. Compare these to the socket on
your motherboard to see which way the CPU fits.
4 Thermal paste
Retail CPUs from both Intel and
AMD arrive with their own heatsinks
and fans, with thermal paste on the
bottom of the heatsink in the area of
contact with the CPU. Thermal paste
is critical to preventing overheating,
as it creates a heat-conductive layer
between the CPU and the heatsink,
plus acts as a filler to make sure the
heatsink touches the CPU with no
gaps. Thermal paste usually comes in
the form of a small adhesive pad on
the underside of your heatsink, or in a
small tube.

10 How to build and upgrade your own PC

5 Squeeze out the paste
If your thermal paste is in a tube, you’ll need to apply a small
7 Install the memory
For best performance, RAM needs to be fitted in two (dual-
pea-sized amount onto the top of the CPU (labelled side) and channel) or three (triple-channel) module sets at a time. The
spread it using something like an old credit card to cover the slots on the motherboard are usually color-coded to show
heatspreader in a thin layer. Make sure the layer is consistent which ones need pairing up. Consult your motherboard manual
and has no gaps in it. Avoid touching thermal paste of any to see which banks to fill first.
variety, as this will create imperfections in the layer.

6 Fit the heatsink

Heatsinks ship with full instructions, but they fall into several
major categories defined by the processor type. If it’s an Intel
CPU, the heatsink will have four legs which push into holes
on the motherboard. If you purchase the cooler separately,
always make sure it fits your CPU and CPU socket. There are
exceptions, though. Recent ASUS ROG boards have been using
X-Socket adapters that let you carry over LGA 1366 coolers to
newer LGA 2011 boards.
For AMD-based machines, you’ll need to hook one side of
the heatsink bracket over a notch on the CPU socket, and then
latch the other end over a matching notch on the other side.
Push down on the clip to lock it into position.

Take your time!

The first time you build a PC it should take you a couple of
hours. If you rush it and get something wrong, it could take a
lot longer to troubleshoot.

Removing thermal paste

Should you need to reapply, dampen cotton pads with
isopropyl alcohol, and rub the surface clean. Do not use any
cloth, newspaper, napkins or other materials that could fray or
fragment, as debris will hamper thermal paste efficiency.

Be careful!
Never force a component into a slot or apply too much pressure
with a screwdriver. If you slip and damage the motherboard, it’s
an expensive mistake to make.

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 8 Inserting the RAM 11 The I/O shield
How to build a PC (...continued)
The lower edges of RAM sticks are covered in gold connectors Find the rectangular padded cover with holes cut to fit the rear
and have a small notch cut out. Line this up with a corresponding port that comes in the box with your motherboard. This is also
ledge inside the memory slot to make sure the RAM module is known as the RF shield, and its job is to protect components
the right way round. from electrical interference. In terms of placement, this shield
goes on the upper left side of the motherboard, when looking
at it from above.

12 Shields up
Make sure the RF shield is the right way up and carefully push it
into the matching rectangular hole in the back of your PC case.
It should click into position so that it’s held firmly in place.

9 Clipping it down
Now open up the clips on either end of the RAM slot. Gently
push each stick of memory down until these clips snap back
into an upright position and hold the module in place.

13 Prepare for the motherboard

The motherboard needs to be lifted off the back plate of the
PC case to avoid shorting out components. You should have a
packet of brass risers in the box which screw into holes in the
back of the case and support the motherboard. However, most
cases these days ship with ready-made risers already built into
the panelling, so these are not a major concern.

10 Open up the case

It’s time to open your PC case. Remove the screws that
hold the left hand panel to the case, and open up the main
compartment. Lay the case on its side on something soft and
move any fan cables or extra fastenings out of the way so you
have a clear area to work in.

12 How to build and upgrade your own PC

14 Where do the risers go?
If you do need to install risers, you’ll see six reinforced holes for
17 Secure it in place
You should have received a box of screws and fittings with
screwing the motherboard down. Lay the motherboard in the your new case. Look for the round-headed screws that fit the
case with the ports showing through the RF shield, and make a dimensions of the brass risers. Be careful not to overtighten
note of hole positions. These holes correspond with markings them, as you may need to remove the motherboard at a later
on the motherboard PCB, typically highlighted with gold date.
etchings to provide easy identification.

Use a magnetized screwdriver

15 Screw in the risers

These help prevent screws from dropping away, saving you
time, frustration, and possible component damage. An errant
Remove the motherboard and look at where the screw holes screw inside a delicate component could cause shorting out or
are. They should line up with six holes in the back of the case. even shredding if it hits moving parts. Magnetized screwdrivers
These are where you should fit the brass risers. are a smart investment, as they can easily pick up fallen screws
even from very tight quarters.

16 Insert the motherboard

Now gently put the motherboard back into the case, so that
Set aside the spares
You’ll have screws and drive bay fittings left over once your PC
is built. Keep hold of these for future use in case you want to
it rests on top of the brass risers and the ports at the back fit
upgrade or replace faulty items.
through the RF shield. Make sure the reinforced screw holes
line up before starting on the next step.
Add a second hard drive
Your motherboard probably has six or more SATA ports – so use
them! Just remember which drive is where, so you can choose
the right one to boot from in your BIOS. If you only have two to
three hard drives, you can leave an empty bay between them
for improved heat dissipation.

Keep it cool
The key to a stable PC is keeping components cool. Make sure
air can flow freely throughout your case and fans are the right
way round. They should draw air in at the front, and blow it out
the back or the top, depending on your case design. Remember,
hot air rises. Ideally, you should have three case fans as a
minimum: one front intake, one rear exhaust, and one side
intake or exhaust. Fans are available in various sizes – we
recommend 120mm or the biggest fan size that your case can
support. Install them correctly by observing the direction
of the arrow pointing on the fan. This indicates the direction of
air flow.

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 18 Opening up the slots 21 Screwing it down
How to build a PC (...continued)
Below the RF shield, you’ll see several metal plates which cover Make sure your graphics card is firmly bolted into place at the
expansion slots for PCI Express parts, like graphics cards. Some back of the case using the screws or clips you removed. If it
cases use screws, others use plastic tool-less fittings to hold comes loose, it will put pressure on the PCI Express port, and
components. You simply unscrew or unclip them from the inside may damage the motherboard.
to remove them.

19 Room for the GPU 22 Fitting the hard drive

All cases are slightly different when it comes to anchoring a hard
Remove the expansion plate on your case, that lines up with drive in a 3.5” drive bay. Either the hard drive slides in and needs
the top PCI Express slot on your motherboard. Many powerful screwing directly onto the case, or there are two runners to
graphics cards now occupy two slots, so you may need to attach to the sides of the drive so that it slips in and out easily.
remove the cover plate next to the slot itself. For example, Using the smallest screws that come with the case, either fit
ASUS DirectCU II cards like the HD 7950 DirectCU II TOP require the runners onto the drive and slide it into place, or screw it
two slots, and massive cards like the ROG Mars II are so tall, directly into position. Try to mount the hard drive below the
they call for three. Also, keep in mind graphics cards are now graphics card if possible, to give yourself room for upgrades.
over 10” long, so prepare adequate space in the case.

20 Inserting the graphics card

Now align the graphics card so the metal backplate fits into the
space you just made at the rear of the PC, and the row of gold
connectors fits into the PCI Express port. Gently push it in until
the retention clip on the right hand side of the port locks into
place.

23 Opening up the optical drive bays

The larger 5.25” drive bays for optical drives are usually found at
the top of the case. In order to preserve aesthetics, the front of
these bays is closed in a new case. You’ll need to open them up
before inserting the optical drive, so that the disc tray can slide
open once the PC is built. This often means twisting off a metal
front plate, but increasingly involves simple snap-in plastic
pieces now.

14 How to build and upgrade your own PC

24 Fitting the optical drive
Just like hard drives, DVD or Blu-ray drives are fitted depending
26 Which SATA port is best?
It doesn’t matter which SATA ports on the motherboard you
on the design of your case. Some simply push through the open use for which drive, whether it’s an optical drive or a hard drive.
hole at the front and are held in place by plastic catches, others It’s good practice to fill the lower numbered SATA ports first.
may need screwing down to the case struts. Many require If you’re setting up a RAID array, you may have to use specific
runners to be bolted on to the drive before it’s pushed into ports.
position.

27 Mount the PSU

Now slide your power supply into position above the
motherboard. There should be a small rail at the top of the
case for it to sit on, which allows it to slide flush to the back of
the case. Use four of the largest screws provided with the case
to secure the PSU from the rear. Some cases have top-loaded
PSUs, while others place them at the bottom. This makes no
difference performance-wise.

25 Attaching data cables

You should find a set of SATA cables in the motherboard box.
28 Attach the ATX power supply
Each component needs a separate cable from the PSU to power
Each of your optical drives (and remember, you can add more it. Follow our guide to cable types to see which cable connects to
than one drive if you want) needs one attached to it and the which input. Each of the pins has specially-shaped mouldings, so
other end plugged into the motherboard. you can’t fit a connector upside down or the wrong way in.

29 Power up the motherboard

First of all, connect the largest 24-pin block of power connectors
to the motherboard. Next, attach the smaller, eight pin one to
the CPU power supply, this should be somewhere near the CPU
socket, usually between the heatsink and RF shield.

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 30 Connect it all up 32 Plug in the peripherals
How to build a PC (...continued)
Attach SATA power cables to the disk drives, and six-pin plugs Once you’re sure everything is connected correctly, close the
to the graphics card. You’ll also need to connect any case fans to case and fasten the side panel with the same screws you took
the motherboard at this stage – including the heatsink fan for out earlier. Now attach the monitor, keyboard and mouse to the
the CPU. Some case fans may need to be plugged directly into a relevant ports around the rear of the PC. Finally, take the three-
four-pin Molex connectors from the PSU. pin power lead that came with you PSU and connect your new
PC to the mains.

33 Keep the cables tidy

One of the biggest problems PCs face is overheating. In order
to keep air flowing freely through the case, it’s a good idea to
tie loose cables neatly out of the way using plastic cable ties or
wire twists, then attach them to the vertical struts that run up
the case - like the one at the edge of the drive bays.

31 Connect the front panel

While everything so far has been very intuitive, it’s time for the
only part that’s still somewhat tricky - hooking the front panel
connectors for the power switch, reset button, power and If you’re still unsure which way the connector
activity lights, front panel audio, front panel USB, and other should plug in, just look for the black wire
connectors that may be available in your case. Make sure to on one end. That black wire is always the ‘+’
follow the motherboard’s hardware installation guide: it has end. So match it with the motherboard ‘+’
illustrations and color-coded graphs showing which connectors label, and the indicators will light up nicelyl
go where. ASUS boards have labels on the board itself to help
with this further.

34 Boot to BIOS
You’re almost ready to go! There’s no operating system on your
hard drive yet, though, so you’ll need to install Windows or
another operating system of your choice. On the first boot,
press F2 (or DEL, consult your motherboard manual) and enter
the BIOS setup screen. Find a field called “boot device priority”,
and set this to the name of your optical drive. Remember, ASUS
boards with the UEFI BIOS include mouse and icon controls
even before you install Windows. This makes creating boot
priorities very easy, as you have nice device icons instead of
random, hard to remember numerical names to guide you.

35 Get ready to boot!

Now insert the operating system install disc into
your optical drive, press F10 to save settings, and reboot. Your
operating system should take you through a short, easy setup
process before reaching the desktop for the first time.

16 How to build and upgrade your own PC

Congratulations,
you’ve just built
your first PC!

How to reset your BIOS?

If you’ve been playing with the timings of your components or your
PC just won’t boot, try resetting your BIOS (Basic Input Output
System) to factory defaults. You can do this by finding the red CLR_
CMOS button on your motherboard. Turn the power off, then press
and hold the CLR_CMOS button while pressing the power button.
Many modern motherboards have a failsafe BIOS, which restores
from a backup in the event of a terminal crash. Consult your manual
if you need to do this. Or get an ASUS board: pretty much all of
them have a convenient reset button right on the board itself.

Troubleshooting
If your PC won’t boot, your motherboard will either emit a series of beeps or display a combination of
letters and numbers on an LCD panel. These should tell you at which point the boot has failed, for example
at the memory or processor test, and will give a clue as to which component might be faulty.
Before you do any troubleshooting, make sure all your cables are properly connected. If there’s still
a problem try unseating and reseating components like the graphics cards and memory. If the problem
seems very serious, unplug everything apart from the processor, memory and graphics card and see if you
can get to the first boot screen – if you can’t, it may be a fault with the motherboard. Try restoring the BIOS
from a backup if possible.

When you reseat components, remember to try different slots, and

then reboot. At times a faulty slot may be the culprit.

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Get started with overclocking
The chances are that your CPU is capable of running at a
much higher clock speeds than the one advertised. ASUS
motherboards with DIGI+ power delivery make tuning
voltages easy, and higher voltages mean faster CPUs and rog.asus.com
memory. Here’s a guide to get you started with overclocking:

1 The BIOS
The most basic way to overclock is from the BIOS setup screen.
You can get here by pressing the DEL key as soon as your PC starts
to boot. Remember, there is a small possibility that you can
damage components by changing BIOS settings. In general, be
mindful of component tolerances when overclocking. Recent ASUS
motherboards make all that much easier, shipping with UEFI BIOS,
which really changes things up. Instead of text-heavy and rather
clunky menus that are hard to get used to, it employs an intuitive
graphical user interface, much like a major operating system,
allowing smooth mouse input. As you can see in these screenshots,
the icons are clear and prominent for quick adjustments to timings,
frequencies, and boot priorities. All can be done with a few simple
clicks, as designers went to considerable lengths to ensure a BIOS
experience as approachable as possible.

2 Resetting to default
If at any point while you try to
3 Taking it further
You can set target speeds for the CPU
4 Getting hands on
There’s only so far a motherboard can go
overclock your PC doesn’t boot, ASUS and memory with ROG Connect features by itself, of course, as it always operates
motherboards can restart the system on ASUS ROG boards or the Turbo within a safe level. You may be able to
at a safe setting for recovery. If you run Processing Unit and Auto Tuning suites get more performance from your parts
into problems, clear the CMOS to default on other ASUS models. Of course, you by manually adjusting settings to even
using the jumper on your motherboard or can later begin experimenting with really higher levels. For an Intel Core i5 or i7
the special button on the board. deep modifications, such as installing board, the first settings you should
liquid cooling systems. For that, ASUS look for are CPU ratio setting and base
has the Subzero Sense feature on ASUS clock frequency. These are made more
ROG boards, which can detect literally flexible thanks to the inclusion of ASUS
cryogenic temperatures. DIGI+ and Extreme Engine Digi+ II power
delivery designs.

5 Balance
The trick to overclocking is to keep things balanced. A CPU takes its clock speed as
6 Increasing the charge
For extreme overclocking, you need
a multiple of the base motherboard speed – Base Clock frequency – which is usually a high spec CPU cooler. You may also
100MHz. Most CPUs have a locked upper limit to this mulipler but Intel’s Core i7 K need to increase the voltage supplied to
Series CPUs are unlocked and will deliver the best overclocking results. Changing the components like the CPU and memory
Base Clock also increases the CPU frequency, but increases the memory speed as well so they have enough power to run as
and could be a cause of system instability – we recommend using a K series chip and fast as you want. Read up on the art of
overclocking using the multiplier instead. overclocking at the Republic of Gamers
website, rog.asus.com, before you try.

18 How to build and upgrade your own PC

Advanced overclocking with ROG Connect
Some ASUS ROG high end motherboards come with a unique
external overclocking feature. Simply plug your notebook PC into
the ROG Connect USB port and you can take control of your PC’s
BIOS in real time while also freeing up valuable CPU resources for
maximum efficiency.

Overclocking graphics?
Got your CPU running at high speed? Why not try overclocking your graphics card for even more
performance? You can increase the clock speeds and voltages of your graphics card using the
NVIDIA or AMD control panels built into the drivers, but ASUS graphics cards often feature
GPU Tweak for complete and user-friendly graphics card tuning. More DIY-minded users
can also consider using the VGA Hotwire feature available on the ROG Rampage IV
Extreme, which allows for direct overvolting of the graphics card for more
hardware-level results. It does call for soldering work, so only more
seasoned users should attempt this. The Rampage IV Extreme also ships
with a bundled peripheral called the OC Key. It lets you tune your PC
by simply connecting it to the DVI port on your graphics card, which
then brings up an on-screen display where you can change performance
values, all in real time. Similar to CPUs, graphics cards can be overclocked ROG OC Key

and overvolted to increase their GPU core clocks and memory clocks.

Other things you’ll need...

Getting the best gear
ROG GX900

Wireless w4000 keyboard

Mouse
Just like the keyboard, if you can try
a mouse before you buy it will save
VG278H LED Display
you pain later. Comfort is subjective
– one person might find a mouse very
Display comfortable, while for someone else it
Size isn’t everything. A high quality 22” can make their arms ache in minutes.
monitor, with high color rendition, sharp Keyboard Large, round mice tend to be better
text, bright backlighting and fast refresh There are lots of different keyboards for people who grip their controller
rate is far better than a 24” panel that available, some with unusual layouts, fully, while low, flat ones are better if
has a blue colorcast and blurs horribly ergonomic designs, extra keys for media you tend to just guide your controller
when something moves too quickly. Look playback, or gaming and USB extensions with your fingertips. Mice designed for
for extra features like ASUS Splendid built-in. The important thing is to notebook PCs are smaller and not really
that improve color balance for gaming, make sure that you have a comfortable well-suited to gaming or professional
movies, photography, or desktop work at keyboard. It might look nice, but if it graphics work. For those applications,
the press of a button. For the ultimate hurts your arms after half an hour, it’s no we recommend the ASUS ROG GX900
gaming experience, ASUS VG Series good. Look for keys which are firm and mouse, with its rather impressive
displays with NVIDIA® 3D Vision 2™ and responsive that will last a long time no 4000dpi resolution, ergonomic grip,
3D LightBoost™ technologies bring matter how much you type or smash at tangle-free wire management, and gold
games to life in clear and smooth 3D. them while playing games. plated connectors.

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