Part 2: Choosing a processor (CPU) and motherboard

In this series of articles, I will be giving my opinions on the best ways to get started in building your own computer. I’m going to go into detail about how you can select the right components for you.

We’ve already looked at why you might build your own computer and what all the parts actually do. Now let’s begin the actual process of choosing the parts.

1. Introduction to PC building
2. Choosing a processor (CPU) and motherboard
3. Choosing a case, memory (RAM) and cooler
4. Choosing a graphics card (GPU)
5. Choosing storage and operating system
6. Choosing a power supply (PSU) and case cooling
7. Tips for actually assembling your computer
8. Example build – The “cheapest (good)” build your own PC in Spring 2022
9. Example build – The “making your money go furthest” build your own PC in Spring 2022
10. Example build – The best “high-end enthusiast” build your own PC in Spring 2022

Choose your CPU.

As you have not selected any other components yet, you can choose any CPU. I would recommend checking what the latest Intel and AMD processors are. You should also check what processors are upcoming – you might find that if a company has a new line of processors coming out very soon, you might want to wait to either get the newer version or see if the current version gets discounted.

As a rule of thumb, i3 (Intel) and Ryzen 3 (AMD) are solid entry level processors, i5 and Ryzen 5 are excellent all round good value processors and i7 and Ryzen 7 processors are enthusiast class, with i9 and Ryzen 9 being top of the line processors.

Ensure you check the model number of the processor too – a Ryzen 7 1800x is much older and less powerful than a Ryzen 7 5800x. Generally speaking, the first one or two digits of the model number show what generation of processor you are choosing. So in the previous example, the Ryzen 7 1800x is an enthusiast-class processor from the first Ryzen generation whereas the Ryzen 7 5800x is from the 5-series generation of CPUs, released three and a half years later.

I have put together three example builds – a cheap but good, a good long-term value and a high end build. If you’re not sure what CPU to choose, take a look at these for inspiration.

Now choose a motherboard to go with the CPU.

First, find out what socket the CPU you have chosen uses. That means, what shape hole on the motherboard does it plug into? Go to the motherboard page of your chosen online store. You will usually be given an option to filter the results by socket type – do this. As long as you have the matching socket type as your CPU, you know the processor will physically fit on your motherboard.

However, you must also choose the right motherboard chipset. A chipset is like a little controller that allows the CPU to talk to all the other components you have plugged in to the motherboard. If you choose a chipset that is not compatible with your CPU, your motherboard and all the parts connected to it cannot talk with your CPU. Usually, if you go to the motherboard manufacturer’s product page, they will have a list of the CPUs that are compatible. A more expensive chipset might have more features, such as a faster connection to your storage.

Finally, you need to choose the right size of motherboard for your computer, sometimes called the form-factor. The standard size is known as ATX. This will allow lots of components to be connected. A smaller size is MicroATX (mATX), which will allow you to build a smaller computer at the expense of fewer component connection ports. An even smaller size is Mini-ITX (or sometimes just ITX). This enables you to build a really small computer but has a much smaller array of ports and connections. It is also worth saying that, as another rule of thumb, the smaller the motherboard, the more fiddly it will be to work with. However, smaller motherboards are often a little cheaper.

If you have a particular case for your computer in mind, this will affect your choice of motherboard form-factor. For example, if you are keen to build a really small computer, you will have to choose a small form-factor motherboard as a larger one might not fit into the case you choose.

Let’s continue – 3: Choosing a case, memory (RAM) and cooler