Building Your Own PC (AMD)

Building a PC is at its best when you don’t rush it. Take your time, take breaks, enjoy the process, and learn something along the way. If you give the build the time it deserves and do things carefully, you’ll end up with an excellent machine. And there’s a nice bonus: every time you turn it on, you get to think: I built this thing myself.

This guide is written specifically for an AMD build, so some details - especially BIOS settings and drivers - may be different on Intel.

So, what parts should you choose? This is a surprisingly difficult question, but some hints are here: https://tapiokuosma.blogspot.com/p/how-to-choose-parts-components-for-your.html

What you’ll need

You don’t need a professional workshop. You just need a decent amount of space, good lighting and a few basic tools.

* A large, clean table with good lighting
* A flashlight or another light source. A small work light with a magnetic attachment is great.
* Cotton swabs and isopropyl alcohol for cleaning thermal paste. Not strictly necessary, but very useful.
* Plus one eyeglasses, if you have any trouble seeing extremely small things (I have!)
* Small containers for screws and other small parts. Magnetic trays are particularly convenient.
* A large and a small Phillips screwdriver. Magnetic tips are highly recommended. You can also get a magnetizer.
* Nitrile gloves, especially when handling thermal paste
* Small black & white cable ties. The case and PSU usually come with some.
* A plastic tool for releasing the PCIe slot latch when removing the graphics card. Not essential, but very useful.
* Small, sharp side cutters for trimming cable ties
* A USB flash drive of at least 16 GB
* Another computer, preferably a Windows PC, with administrator access. This is useful for downloading BIOS updates, drivers and troubleshooting tools before the new PC has Internet access.

One important rule: Don’t cover your entire workbench with every component you bought. Keep only the things you need for the current step on the table. It makes the whole process much less confusing. Some people like to unbox everything before starting the work.

1. Start with the motherboard

Take the motherboard and everything from its box out. Keep the empty motherboard box. It makes an excellent temporary work surface because it protects the motherboard (and your table) while you’re working on it. I strongly recommend doing the initial testing outside the case. It’s much easier to troubleshoot a PC when the motherboard isn’t buried inside a case and you can easily access every component.

Install the CPU

Install the CPU into the motherboard following the manufacturer’s instructions. Watch this: ⁠https://youtu.be/n2dJvqU2_x4?si=ccotSmDdAUTWv8ZY&t=443

(there’s some other useful information in the video as well)

Try to hold the CPU by its edges and avoid touching the smooth top surface. It’s not particularly fragile; it’s just that oils from your skin can affect how well the thermal paste conducts heat. If you do touch it, don’t worry, just clean the surface with a cotton swab lightly dipped in isopropyl alcohol after installing it.

Don’t install the thermal paste or CPU cooler yet.

2. Install the RAM and operating-system SSD

Install the memory modules according to the motherboard manual. Watch this: https://youtu.be/n2dJvqU2_x4?si=SE-W2c0-iuClisQE&t=840

The correct slots matter. On a typical four-slot motherboard, two DIMMs normally go into the recommended A2 and B2 slots, but check the manual rather than guessing.

Next, install the SSD that will contain Windows. Your computer might only have this one SSD as well. Use the motherboard’s fastest M.2 slot for the operating-system drive. On many motherboards, the CPU-connected M.2 slot is the obvious choice. Don’t touch the gold contacts on the SSD. Fingerprints aren’t normally going to destroy an SSD, but there’s no reason to cover the contacts in skin oil - and static electricity is something you should avoid around PC components anyway. If you want to play it safe, you can wear nitrile gloves while working on the components.

When securing an M.2 SSD, don’t over tighten the screw. It only needs to hold the drive down securely.

I recommend installing only the primary SSD at this point. Adding a possible second drive later makes the Windows installation and disk setup much easier to understand.

3. Apply the thermal paste

If your CPU cooler already has thermal paste pre-applied, don’t add more. If it doesn’t, apply a small amount of thermal paste to the CPU.

You don’t need much. Something around a small pea-sized amount is plenty, and depending on the cooler and application method, even less may be sufficient. Put on a nitrile glove and spread the paste into a thin, even layer with your finger. There are plenty of other perfectly valid methods.

Thermal paste goes surprisingly far. If you get paste somewhere it shouldn’t be, use a cotton swab lightly moistened with isopropyl alcohol to clean it up. Don’t obsess over making the surface perfectly smooth. The important thing is to have a thin, reasonably even layer covering the CPU heat spreader.

4. Install the CPU cooler

Install the CPU cooler according to its instructions. When tightening the cooler, follow the manufacturer’s instructions. If the screws have reached their intended stop, don’t keep tightening them just because you can.

Connect the CPU fan cable to the appropriate CPU_FAN header on the motherboard. Tidy the fan cable with a cable tie. At this point, leave the motherboard sitting on top of its box.

5. Install the graphics card

This is important for most AMD-based computers: The CPU typically does not have integrated graphics, so the discrete graphics card must be installed before the first power-on.

Install the graphics card in the primary PCIe x16 slot.

Connect all required GPU power cables. Make sure the card is fully seated in the PCIe slot (don’t use force) and that the slot’s locking mechanism has engaged. Connect the monitor directly to the graphics card. Don’t connect the monitor to the motherboard’s video outputs.

6. First power-on test - before installing the motherboard into the case

Now we’re going to test the system while the motherboard is still sitting safely on its box.

Connect:

* The 24-pin ATX motherboard power connector
* The CPU EPS power connector
* Monitor
* Keyboard
* Mouse

One properly connected CPU power cable is sufficient. If the motherboard has an additional CPU power connector, you don’t normally need to populate it unless the motherboard or CPU documentation specifically says otherwise.

Make sure the power connectors are fully seated and that their locking tabs are properly engaged.

Do not connect the network yet.

Turn on the Power Supply. Because the motherboard isn’t inside the case yet, you can start the PC by briefly touching the two power-switch pins on the motherboard with the tip of a screwdriver. Check the motherboard manual to identify the correct pins. They are usually located together in the front-panel connector area. Do it like this: https://youtu.be/TQFICS2-5Lo?si=MDRRxFEzn-vOmBBk&t=1880

Alternatively, you can buy a cheap external PC power button and connect that instead. They’re only a few euros and are surprisingly handy when building PCs.

The first boot can take a while, particularly on an AM5 system. Don’t panic if nothing happens immediately. Memory training can make the first boot considerably longer than subsequent boots. Wait at least 2 minutes if nothing happens.

If the PC doesn’t boot, this is exactly why we’re doing the test outside the case. Don’t panic, it’s usually something simple. It’s much easier to troubleshoot when you can easily remove RAM, reseat cables, check diagnostic LEDs and generally see everything.

7. Check the BIOS

If everything works, the machine should enter the BIOS/UEFI.

Check:

* The CPU is detected correctly
* The RAM capacity is correct
* The SSD is detected
* The CPU temperature looks reasonable
* The BIOS version

At this stage, don’t start changing random BIOS settings. First update the BIOS to the latest stable release if one is available. Do not install beta BIOS versions unless there is a specific reason to do so. After the BIOS update, leave the other settings alone for now.

The motherboard’s support page and manual are the best sources for the current BIOS and installation procedure.

8. Install Windows - still offline

Now install Windows. I have instructions for my recommended method: https://tapiokuosma.blogspot.com/p/installing-windows-best-way-to-do-it.html

Keep the machine offline.

That means:

* No Ethernet cable
* Don’t connect to Wi-Fi
* Don’t let Windows immediately start downloading a pile of drivers and updates

The exact Windows setup experience changes between releases, so don’t blindly follow an old YouTube tutorial just because it worked two years ago. Once Windows is installed, don’t immediately start running Windows Update. We’re going to establish a known-good driver baseline first.

9. Install the AMD chipset drivers

Before doing anything else, install the current AMD chipset drivers for the motherboard. For an AMD system, I prefer getting these directly from AMD or from the motherboard manufacturer’s support page. Restart the computer when prompted. The chipset driver is important because it provides Windows with the proper platform-level drivers and power-management support for the AMD system.

10. Install the other hardware drivers

Now install the important hardware drivers manually while the machine is still offline.

Check Device Manager.

If anything important is missing, download the appropriate driver on the other computer and transfer it using the USB stick.

For this build, the main drivers you’ll want are:

* AMD chipset
* Graphics driver
* Wi-Fi/Bluetooth driver, if using a wireless adapter
* Any other genuinely necessary motherboard drivers

Don’t install every piece of software that happens to be offered on the motherboard manufacturer’s website. Motherboard support pages are notorious for containing a mixture of useful drivers, optional utilities, RGB software, network-management applications, audio “enhancements” and other stuff you don’t need.

Drivers: yes. Random motherboard software: no.

11. Install the second SSD if you have one

Shut down the computer. Turn off the PSU and disconnect the power. Install the second SSD. Boot back into Windows and open Disk Management. Initialize the drive as GPT if Windows asks, then create a single partition using the entire drive. You can simply accept the default settings: next, next, next. I like giving drives sensible names such as OSDisk and Storage. It makes life easier later when you’re looking at file paths and storage settings.

12. Enable EXPO

Now it’s time to make the RAM run at its advertised speed. Enter the BIOS and enable the appropriate memory profile. On an AMD system this will usually be AMD EXPO. Some memory kits may use XMP instead. For these motherboards, Profile 1 is usually the obvious starting point.

Save the settings - F10 normally does this - and let the machine reboot. Check that Windows starts normally. If the system suddenly becomes unstable after enabling EXPO, don’t assume the RAM is defective. Memory overclocking is technically outside the CPU’s base JEDEC specification, and stability depends on the specific CPU, motherboard and memory kit. Consult your manuals.

13. Check Device Manager

Open Device Manager again and look for missing drivers. If there are devices with yellow warning symbols, identify them and install the appropriate drivers. You can do this completely offline using the USB stick. If you’re still missing drivers, you can use Snappy Driver Installer Origin to find and install them:
https://www.snappy-driver-installer.org

14. Install Wi-Fi if you have an external adapter

Shut down the computer and turn off the PSU. Install the Wi-Fi adapter and its antenna cables. Don’t use force when connecting the tiny antenna connectors. They are small and don’t appreciate being attacked with enthusiasm. Boot Windows and install the latest driver from the adapter manufacturer. Don’t connect to Wi-Fi just yet. After installing the driver, simply check that Windows can see nearby networks.

15. Connect to the Internet

At this point, the important hardware should be installed and the main drivers should be in place. Now connect the PC to the Internet. Run Windows Update. Install all available updates, restart the computer when required, and check Windows Update again afterwards. Do the same with Microsoft Store. There may be several Store applications that need updating independently of Windows Update.

At this point, the machine should have:

* Current BIOS
* Current chipset drivers
* Current GPU driver
* Working Wi-Fi/networking
* Correct RAM configuration
* Windows fully updated

Now you have a proper baseline.

16. Optional: Windows cleanup and setup

If you want to use the Chris Titus Tech Windows utility, this is a reasonable point to do it. It can be useful for removing some unwanted Windows components and changing various settings. But don’t go crazy.

Use the recommended options and understand what you’re changing.

The Internet is full of “ULTIMATE WINDOWS 11 GAMING OPTIMIZATION +700 FPS!!!” videos. Most of them are either unnecessary, outdated, or actively making Windows less reliable. If your PC is fast and everything works, there is no prize for making Windows look like it was assembled in a Soviet submarine in 1987.

17. Finish the physical assembly

Once you’ve confirmed that everything works, shut the PC down. Disconnect power and remove the graphics card. A useful tool for releasing the PCIe slot latch while the graphics card is still installed is a plastic trim-removal tool, or something similar. For example: https://www.motonet.fi/tuote/mtx-automotive-verhoilun-ja-listakiinnikkeiden-irrotustyokalusarja-5-osaa?product=76-5134

One useful trick

If the CPU power connector is difficult to reach once the motherboard is inside the case, connect it before installing the motherboard. The same applies to the main ATX power connector if the case makes it difficult to reach later. Exactly what makes sense here depends on the case, so use your judgement. It’s perfectly fine to try a few times. You can take the motherboard back out of the case, try again, change your approach, and put it all back together. Don’t be afraid to do that, and take your time. There’s no rush!

18. Install the motherboard into the case

Install the motherboard according to the case and motherboard instructions. Watch this: https://youtu.be/n2dJvqU2_x4?si=EV8WTUq9lD_VqNCX&t=953

Before putting it in, check the motherboard standoffs. There should only be standoffs where the motherboard actually has mounting holes. An extra standoff underneath the motherboard can cause a short. Don’t overtighten the motherboard screws. They need to be secure, not welded to the chassis. The threads in PC cases are surprisingly easy to strip if you decide to demonstrate your full upper-body strength on a tiny M3 screw.

19. Connect everything

Connect the remaining cables:

* Front-panel connectors
* USB
* Front audio
* Case fans
* SATA cables if required
* ATX power
* CPU power
* GPU power
* Storage
* Any other required connections

Reinstall the graphics card. Do another test boot. If everything works, it’s time for cable management.

20. Cable management

Cable management is one of those things where the first attempt is almost never the final attempt. Route as much as possible behind the motherboard tray. The idea is to hide all cables. Use the included cable ties or Velcro straps where appropriate. Don’t make the cables excessively tight. Leave enough slack that you can still remove components later. And don’t spend three hours trying to make the back of the PC look like a NASA spacecraft. Nobody will see it. Well, except you, every time you upgrade something.

A good cable-management guide is worth watching before you start. This is a decent one: https://youtu.be/SmjzdmMfaGk?si=RDWKat7HiwSMOz3-

Maybe it’ll look something like this:
https://youtu.be/mBGqjY3STT8?si=NDbBoQd-r7hZGnSP&t=50

21. Stress-test the system

Now you can start testing the finished machine. For monitoring temperatures and other hardware information, HWMonitor is a convenient option. The portable/ZIP version is useful because you don’t have to install anything.

For CPU testing, Cinebench R23 is a good starting point. Prime95 is another option. It’s an intentionally brutal CPU stress test and can generate loads that are considerably heavier than most real-world gaming workloads.

Run a test for roughly 10–15 minutes initially and monitor temperatures. Don’t use an arbitrary temperature number as the only definition of “safe”. Modern CPUs are designed to protect themselves and operate at relatively high temperatures under heavy workloads. What matters is that the cooler is installed correctly, the system remains stable, clocks behave normally and temperatures stay within the processor’s specifications.

For normal gaming workloads, temperatures will usually be considerably lower than during an extreme all-core stress test.

22. Curve Optimizer / PBO

Once everything is working correctly at stock settings, you can experiment with AMD Precision Boost Overdrive and Curve Optimizer.

This is optional.

The idea behind Curve Optimizer is that a negative curve can allow the CPU to achieve a given frequency at a lower voltage. This can reduce power consumption and temperatures and, depending on the workload, can sometimes improve performance.

On ASRock boards, the exact menu names and locations can vary between BIOS versions.

A sensible starting point is something like:

Curve Optimizer → All Cores → Negative → 10

Then boot Windows and test the system again with something like Cinebench R23 or Prime95.

If the system is completely stable, you can experiment with a larger negative value, such as 15 or 20.

But don’t assume that a larger number is automatically better.

Every CPU is different.

A setting that works perfectly on one CPU may crash another one.

Watch for:

* BSODs
* Application crashes
* Random reboots
* Failed boots

If any of these appear, back off the Curve Optimizer setting. The goal isn’t to win an imaginary undervolting competition. The goal is a cool, quiet and stable PC.

23. Stress-test the GPU

Once the CPU is behaving properly, test the graphics card. Unigine Superposition is a good GPU benchmark for this.

Monitor:

* GPU temperature
* GPU hotspot temperature
* Fan speed
* Clock speed
* Stability

You can also experiment with a light GPU overclock using MSI Afterburner, but I wouldn’t bother initially.

Modern graphics cards are already very good at managing their power consumption, clocks and cooling.

If the card performs properly at stock settings, that’s perfectly fine.

24. Install a game and actually use the thing

This is the important bit. Install a game. Play it. Monitor temperatures. Check that everything behaves normally. A PC isn’t built to win benchmarks. It’s built to do useful things - and, in this case, presumably to run games very, very well.

Software I recommend

You don’t need a hundred applications running in the background. In fact, one of my strongest recommendations is: Install as little as possible.

A sensible basic software setup would be:

Fan Control

Useful for controlling case fans and creating sensible fan curves. Makes the computer typically much quieter. The motherboard BIOS controls the fans until Fan Control starts, so configure it to start automatically with Windows if you want it to manage the fans continuously. https://youtu.be/uDPKVKBMQU8?si=A7g0pGQK7sXnCMkX

OpenRGB

Useful for controlling RGB lighting without installing five different manufacturer’s RGB applications. If your case has a physical RGB button, that may also control some of the lighting. Avoid installing multiple RGB applications. They tend to conflict with each other, consume resources and generally make life miserable. If OpenRGB can’t control everything, installing the one that your motherboard manufacturer offers, is fine. 

https://youtu.be/xyPY9_h4vZs?si=YM1F0QIO_ZXM1kfo&t=1095

Brave

A good general-purpose browser with strong built-in privacy and ad-blocking features. You don’t need a special “gaming browser”. Chrome is perfectly usable, and Edge is an excellent backup browser, but I personally prefer Brave for a gaming PC because of its built-in blocking and privacy features.

7-Zip

Because sooner or later someone will send you a ZIP, 7z or RAR file.

Bitwarden

A password manager is one of the best security improvements you can make. Use a unique password for every important service and enable two-factor authentication on your Bitwarden account.

Patch My PC Home Updater

A convenient way of keeping many third-party applications updated.

Cleaning the PC

Clean the inside of the PC at least once a year. If you have pets, smoke, lots of dust or a particularly dusty environment, do it more often. A thick layer of dust can restrict airflow and make fans work harder and louder. It can also cause higher component temperatures and, in extreme cases, thermal throttling.

The easiest parts to forget are the removable dust filters in the case. Clean those regularly.

What should you use?

This is one area where PC-building advice gets surprisingly religious. DO NOT use a normal household vacuum cleaner! The main concern isn’t that a vacuum cleaner will magically destroy your PC every time you use it. The bigger practical problem is that it’s easy to bump components with the nozzle, and static discharge is another reason to avoid dragging a vacuum nozzle around inside the machine. It’s also very, very ineffective. It needs to blow, not suck. A controlled electric blower is much better for this job.

I use a decent cordless blower, and the actual cleaning takes less than a minute.

A purpose-built computer duster with a brush attachment can also work well, although many of the tiny USB-powered dusters are rather underpowered. A workshop compressor can work too, provided that the air is clean and dry and the pressure is kept under control. Don’t blast components with a narrow, extremely high-pressure jet, and make sure the compressor isn’t spraying moisture. When using compressed air or a blower, prevent fans from spinning excessively fast. Hold the fan blades in place if necessary. And don’t put the blower nozzle directly against delicate components. The goal is to move the dust out of the PC - not to sandblast the motherboard.

Drivers: update them when there is a reason

You don’t need to update every driver every Tuesday just because a newer version exists. If something works, leave it alone unless there’s a reason to change it.

Graphics drivers are the main exception for a gaming PC.

GPU driver updates can contain:

* Game-specific optimizations
* Bug fixes
* Security fixes
* Compatibility improvements
* Performance improvements

So keeping the graphics driver reasonably current makes sense.

For everything else, update when necessary or when a new version fixes something you actually care about.

Please don’t install random “gaming” software

This is worth its own section. If someone comes over and says: “You should install this, this and this, and then change these 27 Windows settings. It gives you more FPS.”

The correct response is: No. Well, not always. But usually. 😀

Don’t install software just because somebody on Discord told you to. Don’t change Windows settings just because a YouTuber called the video:
10 WINDOWS SETTINGS YOU MUST CHANGE FOR MAXIMUM FPS!!!

If the PC works, leave it alone. Install something because you have a reason to install it. Change something because you understand what the change does and have a reason to make it. That simple rule will save you an astonishing amount of troubleshooting later!

Antivirus and security

You don’t need to buy a third-party antivirus suite for a normal home gaming PC.

Windows 11 already includes Microsoft Defender Antivirus and the Windows Security stack, which provide solid built-in protection. I also wouldn’t install random free antivirus products.

Many of them add unnecessary background services, advertisements, browser extensions and other junk without providing a meaningful benefit for a typical home user.

If you specifically want an additional malware scanner, Malwarebytes can be useful as a supplementary tool. But don’t fall into the trap of thinking that more security software automatically means more security.

A much more important security setup is:

* Use backups
* Keep Windows updated
* Keep your browser & all other software updated
* Use a password manager & unique passwords
* Enable MFA/2FA
* Don’t run unknown programs as administrator
* Don’t click random links
* Don’t install software you don’t need

I’ve also written a longer article about home PC security if you want to go deeper into the subject: https://tapiokuosma.blogspot.com/p/home-computer-security-in-2026-what.html

Don’t disable Windows Update

Let Windows update itself. Don’t permanently disable Windows Update because some random gaming guide claims it gives you more FPS. Windows updates contain security fixes and bug fixes, and they are an important part of keeping the machine healthy. If you want more control over how Windows behaves, use sensible configuration tools rather than disabling the update mechanism altogether.

Keeping your software updated

For many applications, Windows Package Manager (winget) is a convenient way of checking for updates.

Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal as Administrator and run:
winget upgrade --all

Note the two hyphens before all. Running this roughly once a month is a reasonable habit.

Alternatively, you can use the Chris Titus Tech tool to update supported applications, or use Patch My PC Home Updater. Not every application is available through winget, so occasionally you’ll still have to update something manually.

And don’t forget the Microsoft Store. Open the Store’s Library page from time to time and check for application updates as well. Once a month is a perfectly reasonable routine for a normal home PC.

And finally: enjoy the machine

The whole point of building your own PC isn’t to spend six weeks staring at motherboard manuals and arguing with strangers on Reddit about whether your thermal paste pattern is optimal.

The point is to build something that works well, understand what you’ve built, and enjoy using it.

Take your time.

If something doesn’t work, don’t panic. Everything can be fixed. Everything.

Go back one step. Check the cables. Check the manual. Check the BIOS. Check Device Manager. Search for the exact error message. Send me that message.

And if you need to take the whole thing apart and try again, that’s not failure. That’s PC building.

The best part is that once you’ve built one PC yourself, the next one is dramatically less intimidating.

And eventually you reach the point where someone says, “I need a new computer,” and you start mentally designing their motherboard/CPU/GPU combination before they’ve even finished the sentence.

That’s when you know you’re in trouble like I am. 😄