To build a gaming PC is not like putting Lego blocks together and then if you realize you did something wrong you can just topple it down and build anew. I have had my share of mistakes in creating a gaming rig so I'll write some tips here in case you got lost in the internet looking for PC gaming advice and ended up here. Welcome, by the way.
Building a gaming PC is fun and is expensive at the same time. This is why some people stick to consoles to play games because it's just plug and play, worry-free. Except when PSN or Xbox Live goes down, but that's another story. Let's tackle the list of don'ts so you can build a good rig without the extra costs caused by 'oops'.
Do not get carried away by PC casing looks
When building a gaming rig, you need to encase it somewhere, right? There are lots of options out there and lots of useless features too. Do not be attracted to cool designs; your PC casing should be your last item on your list. You need to determine first your motherboard, processor, cooling systems, and what not. After that, measure their required casing dimensions. From there, you can start choosing which practical case to purchase. Remember, the only thing you need to look into a PC case is the real estate and its airflow. Remember, cool air goes down, hot air goes up, use that concept into your system.
Do not forget that games nowadays have huge file size
Today, the average file size of triple-A games can surpass around 30GB. Putting that in mind, your 1TB hard drive won't simply do. It's okay to start with a single 1TB drive and add another one on top later on. This is what I usually do since bigger drives are expensive. Since its 2016 turning 2017, you might want to grab a board that understands SATA III, it's better to have your drives already updated in terms of transfer rate. Another option would be to go with SSD's (Solid State Drives) but this is expensive. I personally use a 128GB SSD for my OS and a game or two in there for very fast loading.
Do not think that your GPU will last forever
With NVidia and AMD ramming each other's heads on who's the best GPU provider, the technology for graphics has grown exponentially. If you are going to buy a budget card, prepare for another upgrade within 2 years. If you plan to buy the big guns, say today's 1080, you will have a longer time enjoying it, at a cost, but less frequent upgrades needed. Either way, you will need to upgrade that graphics card sooner or later.
Do not underestimate your power supply needs
Most PC builder's mistake is overlooking the power needs. Doing this might end you up with an under-powered PC. Personally, it's always better to have an extra 100W in the setup. Say if you build a rig that needs 500W when summed up, get a power supply that produces 600W. For my setup, I went ahead with the 750W for future upgrades.
Do not forget about the heat
Be aware about each of your component's temperature. Installing a temperature monitoring software helps in identifying which areas need more cooling. As an AMD user, I put closed loop water cooling for my FX 9000 series, they tend to heat up so as precaution, I installed a cooling system for it. Same goes to your other components.
Do not think that you are better than console gamers
It has been an ongoing debate. Who is better: PC gamers or console gamers? If you ask me, it doesn't matter. Just because you have built a gaming rig, it doesn't make you any better than any type of gamer. Why not be friends with everyone and share what you have learned. That way we can build a better gaming community.
Do not forget to have fun
There are several people I know that forget why they built a gaming PC in the first place - to play games on it and have fun. This is a warning, if you get to indulged in building gaming rigs, you forget about its purpose and just focus on your rig's welfare. You get more concerned in its upgrades and capabilities that you no longer have time to play it. This is the most important tip, don't forget to use your rig, not just upgrade and look at it.
