Learn to build

Building a PC is not hard.Nobody shows you, that is all.

Ninety pages, photographed on our own bench rather than lifted from a manufacturer's press kit. It is the guide our apprentices learn from, and it assumes you know nothing at the start and everything you need by the end.

What is in it

Eight chapters, in the order you will actually do them.

  1. 01

    Choosing parts that fit each other

    Sockets, chipsets, clearances and power. The four things that actually stop a build working, and how to check all of them before you spend anything.

  2. 02

    Static, tools and the kitchen table

    What you genuinely need, what the internet has scared you about for no reason, and how to set up so nothing gets dropped.

  3. 03

    Motherboard out of the box

    Processor, cooler and memory fitted outside the case, where you can see what you are doing.

  4. 04

    Into the case

    Standoffs, the rear panel, drive mounting, and getting the fans pointing the right way.

  5. 05

    Power and cable routing

    The part that separates a tidy machine from a bird nest. Photographed cable by cable.

  6. 06

    First boot, and when it does not

    Post codes, beep codes, the reseat checklist, and the five faults that account for nearly every dead first build.

  7. 07

    Windows, drivers and the sensible settings

    Getting it installed, getting the memory profile on, and the settings worth changing once.

  8. 08

    Testing it properly

    The same soak we run on our own machines, using free tools, so you know it is solid before you trust it.

Or build it with uson a Saturday.

Bring your parts to the workshop, take a bench for the morning, and put it together yourself with a builder next to you the whole way. You do every step, we make sure nothing gets damaged and nothing gets missed. Free with any parts bought through us, £45 otherwise.

The guide

£10, printed and posted.

A5, wire bound so it lies flat next to what you are working on, printed on paper you can put a screwdriver down on. UK postage included.

Tell us where to send it and we will confirm payment by email. No account, no card details on this form.

We confirm everything by email before taking any payment.