When buying a computer there are two possibilities: buying the PC already assembled or buying separately the various pieces to be assembled together. In the second case, when choosing which type of PC to buy, we must carefully observe the characteristics of the chosen components, to avoid creating a PC that is already slow or with obsolete components (i.e. they will be overcome by new technologies within 2 years). Since the expense for a new computer can be substantial, it is better to immediately choose the best components available at the moment, so as to have an adequate PC even after 2 years.
In this guide we will therefore show you the best components that we can buy in order to assemble an ideal and high-level PC, spending the right amount and using only modern components.
READ ALSO: What appears to get a good 300 Euro desktop PC
Currently the best processors we can use for a home PC are listed below.
Intel
AMD
Among the various processors (in order of price), not only the clock frequency changes, but also the number of cores, the possibility of performing an automatic or manual overclocking and other optimizations to obtain greater performance.
Depending on the manufacturer chosen we will have to choose a different motherboard, since Intel and AMD are incompatible with each other.
To learn more about the differences between the two manufacturers, please read our guide to the Differences between AMD and Intel processors and between i5 and i7 CPUs ; if instead we wanted to know other useful elements to choose the right processor, we can find them in our guide to How to buy the processor or CPU of the computer; what you need to know .
Depending on the processor chosen, we will have to choose a motherboard compatible with the Intel and AMD processors chosen above.
Intel motherboards
AMD motherboards
Whichever motherboard we choose, it will be perfectly compatible with the chosen CPUs (I recommend, Intel with Intel and AMD with AMD!) And with the components that we will show you below.
READ ALSO: How to choose Computer Motherboard and CPU
Only advice: we always choose at least two banks of RAM, so as to take advantage of the Dual-Channel to increase performance; therefore we avoid using a single bank of RAM, even if it is of the recommended capacity (2x8GB are fine, while a single 16GB module is to be avoided).
READ ALSO: How much RAM is needed for Windows 10 and the use of the PC
Currently all desktop RAM modules are in DDR4 format, like the ones recommended below.
If we need to check the compatibility of RAM modules with CPU and motherboard, we recommend you read our article on the Compatibility Check between CPU, RAM and motherboard, if they work together in a PC .
Currently the fastest drives are solid state or SSD drives that have no moving mechanical parts: they are therefore more resistant and significantly faster. In addition to the SSDs, the M.2 SSD modules are also available, very fast memory cards that can be connected directly to the motherboard without any SATA cable. In any case, we recommend that you focus on the 1 TB capacity, which has reached a reasonable price and allows you to save data, programs and operating system on a single disk.
Ignoring the mechanical disks (now really too slow for modern programs and operating systems), below we show you the best classic SSDs and M.2 SSDs that we can use on the motherboards that we reported to you a little while ago.
SSD
READ ALSO: Best SSD disks to buy to make your PC go as fast as a tablet
SSD M.2
In another guide we showed you the differences between the various components of the PC; help is available here Compare processors, video cards, and SSDs .
The power supply supplies electricity to all the components seen so far, therefore it plays a very important role in choosing the components with which to assemble a new PC. We will have to choose one powerful enough to power the CPU, motherboard, RAM and SSD plus the other components and peripherals that we will connect in the future (without forgetting the video card, which in case we play will have to be installed and will consume a good portion of the electricity supplied by the power supply).
We choose if possible 500W or more power supplies with semi-modular cables (i.e. with some cables removable if not in use), so as to have a neat case and with good air circulation.
The power supplies that we recommend using are as follows:
READ ALSO: Which power supply to choose for the PC and how many Watts are required
Monitor, Keyboard, Printer, Mouse are all essential components to be able to use the new computer.
For the keyboard and mouse we can choose one of the kits (wired and wireless) available below:
READ ALSO: Best PC keyboard to buy: wifi, ergonomic and backlit
As for monitors, we can read the purchase guide for an LCD monitor .
If instead we are undecided on which printer to buy, we can read our guide to buy a new printer considering that, if you do not print photos, it is convenient to spend more on a laser printer than on an economic inkjet (inkjet) that requires changing cartridges very often.
If instead we want to play with the newly assembled PC, we recommend adding one of the recommended video cards in our guide to the best PC video cards
The guides that we recommend to read in order to deepen the topic on the PC components and how they compare with the already assembled PCs are: How to choose the parts of the new computer to be assembled, Better a custom pc or a pre-assembled computer (OEM) ? and finally Things to know before buying a new computer .
In another article we can see some proposals to buy online the pieces of a complete computer on Amazon .
In this guide we will therefore show you the best components that we can buy in order to assemble an ideal and high-level PC, spending the right amount and using only modern components.
READ ALSO: What appears to get a good 300 Euro desktop PC
How to buy the components of a PC
Processor
The quality of a processor or CPU is measured in time in GHz, i.e. the clock frequency (how many calculations it can do in a second). Of course, the faster a CPU is, the faster the calculations and the faster the system. However, in recent years, CPU performance is not only determined by the number of calculations it can do in a given period of time: today it is better to focus on the number of cores : the more cores there are (also virtual), the faster the CPU will be in processing the data.Currently the best processors we can use for a home PC are listed below.
Intel
- Intel Core i5-9400F (€ 164)
- Intel Core i5-9600K (€ 256)
- Intel Core i7-9700K (€ 396)
AMD
- AMD Ryzen 3 2200G (€ 88)
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X (€ 188)
- AMD Ryzen 7 2700 (220 €)
Among the various processors (in order of price), not only the clock frequency changes, but also the number of cores, the possibility of performing an automatic or manual overclocking and other optimizations to obtain greater performance.
Depending on the manufacturer chosen we will have to choose a different motherboard, since Intel and AMD are incompatible with each other.
To learn more about the differences between the two manufacturers, please read our guide to the Differences between AMD and Intel processors and between i5 and i7 CPUs ; if instead we wanted to know other useful elements to choose the right processor, we can find them in our guide to How to buy the processor or CPU of the computer; what you need to know .
Motherboard
The motherboard unites the various components together, circulating data between the CPU, RAM, disk and other connected peripherals. Without them it makes no sense to buy the other components for the PC!Depending on the processor chosen, we will have to choose a motherboard compatible with the Intel and AMD processors chosen above.
Intel motherboards
- Asus PRIME Z370-P II (122 €)
- MSI MPG Z390 GAMING PLUS (144 €)
- Asus ROG STRIX Z390-F (€ 209)
AMD motherboards
- ASUS PRIME B350-PLUS (90 €)
- Gigabyte AB350-GAMING 3 (€ 91)
- Asus ROG STRIX X470-F (202 €)
Whichever motherboard we choose, it will be perfectly compatible with the chosen CPUs (I recommend, Intel with Intel and AMD with AMD!) And with the components that we will show you below.
READ ALSO: How to choose Computer Motherboard and CPU
RAM
As for RAM, we will have to install enough to open all applications and the operating system without slowing down, but we will also have to pay attention to the type of memory and clock speed, so that we can always have fast RAM memories in any situation. For a good desktop PC we recommend adopting at least 16 GB of RAM, so that you don't have to change it after a few years (8GB is now the minimum standard, better to invest some more money and have a larger amount of memory).Only advice: we always choose at least two banks of RAM, so as to take advantage of the Dual-Channel to increase performance; therefore we avoid using a single bank of RAM, even if it is of the recommended capacity (2x8GB are fine, while a single 16GB module is to be avoided).
READ ALSO: How much RAM is needed for Windows 10 and the use of the PC
Currently all desktop RAM modules are in DDR4 format, like the ones recommended below.
- HyperX DDR4 16 GB 2400 MHz Kit 2 x 8 GB (€ 82)
- Corsair Vengeance LPX Memories XMP 2.0 16 GB (2 X 8 GB), DDR4, 3000 MHz (88 €)
- G.Skill Trident Z RGB 16GB DDR4 16GB DDR4 3200MHz (€ 119)
If we need to check the compatibility of RAM modules with CPU and motherboard, we recommend you read our article on the Compatibility Check between CPU, RAM and motherboard, if they work together in a PC .
Internal disk
Currently the fastest drives are solid state or SSD drives that have no moving mechanical parts: they are therefore more resistant and significantly faster. In addition to the SSDs, the M.2 SSD modules are also available, very fast memory cards that can be connected directly to the motherboard without any SATA cable. In any case, we recommend that you focus on the 1 TB capacity, which has reached a reasonable price and allows you to save data, programs and operating system on a single disk.
Ignoring the mechanical disks (now really too slow for modern programs and operating systems), below we show you the best classic SSDs and M.2 SSDs that we can use on the motherboards that we reported to you a little while ago.
SSD
- Samsung Internal SSD 860 QVO, 1 TB (109 €)
- SanDisk 1TB Ultra 3D SSD, SSD Unit (114 €)
- Crucial MX500 Internal SSD, 1 TB (123 €)
READ ALSO: Best SSD disks to buy to make your PC go as fast as a tablet
SSD M.2
- Crucial MX500 Internal SSD, 1 TB, 3D NAND, SATA, M.2 (€ 128)
- Samsung MZ-N6E1T0BW SSD 860 EVO M.2, 1TB (€ 153)
- Samsung MZ-V7E1T0BW SSD 970 EVO, 1 TB, M.2 (€ 223)
In another guide we showed you the differences between the various components of the PC; help is available here Compare processors, video cards, and SSDs .
power supply
The power supply supplies electricity to all the components seen so far, therefore it plays a very important role in choosing the components with which to assemble a new PC. We will have to choose one powerful enough to power the CPU, motherboard, RAM and SSD plus the other components and peripherals that we will connect in the future (without forgetting the video card, which in case we play will have to be installed and will consume a good portion of the electricity supplied by the power supply).
We choose if possible 500W or more power supplies with semi-modular cables (i.e. with some cables removable if not in use), so as to have a neat case and with good air circulation.
The power supplies that we recommend using are as follows:
- Thermaltake ALIM. Smart SE 530W (53 €)
- Cooler Master MasterWatt 550 EU (€ 59)
- Corsair CX550M PC Power Supply, Semi Modular (76 €)
READ ALSO: Which power supply to choose for the PC and how many Watts are required
Homes
The house of all the components chosen is obviously the case, the metal and plastic box in which we build the real PC. The choice of the case can be dictated by personal tastes, the important thing is that it is compatible with the shape of the motherboard (that is, it must support ATX form factor motherboards, the largest currently available). Below we have collected some beautiful and functional houses that we can use for our computer.- Noua Noob X7 White ATX Case for PC (€ 39)
- Cooler Master MasterBox Lite 5 Case for PC (48 €)
- Corsair Carbide 270R Gaming Case (€ 67)
- Cooler Master MasterBox 5 MSI Gaming Edition Case for PC (€ 72)
Fundamental peripherals
Monitor, Keyboard, Printer, Mouse are all essential components to be able to use the new computer.
For the keyboard and mouse we can choose one of the kits (wired and wireless) available below:
- Ewent Keyboard and Mouse Kit EW3123, Italian Layout, QWERTY (16 €)
- TOPELEK Italian Wireless Keyboard and Mouse, Wireless Mouse Keyboard Kit (23 €)
- Logitech MK270 Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Kit, USB receiver (24 €)
- HAVIT Gaming Keyboard and Mouse Gaming Wire Keyboard and Mouse (34 €)
READ ALSO: Best PC keyboard to buy: wifi, ergonomic and backlit
As for monitors, we can read the purchase guide for an LCD monitor .
If instead we are undecided on which printer to buy, we can read our guide to buy a new printer considering that, if you do not print photos, it is convenient to spend more on a laser printer than on an economic inkjet (inkjet) that requires changing cartridges very often.
Other peripherals
Although not strictly necessary to start the computer and for the first uses, we can buy these devices if we need to chat, to connect the computer away from the modem and if we have to play:- Logitech C920 HD Pro Webcam (69 €)
- TP-Link Archer T2U Wireless USB Adapter (18 €)
- Logitech Z200 speakers (27 €)
- Maxtor Seagate 2TB USB external hard drive (62 €)
- Powerline TP-Link TL-PA4010 AV600 (34 €)
If instead we want to play with the newly assembled PC, we recommend adding one of the recommended video cards in our guide to the best PC video cards
Conclusions
By following the instructions in this guide, without too much effort and without being IT or electronics experts you can always find the best purchase without being influenced by advertising, labels and cunning sellers. If we want to find other components for our PC, we suggest visiting the PCPartkeeper site, where you can choose the components of the computer one by one, choosing the price range that we are willing to spend on our computer.The guides that we recommend to read in order to deepen the topic on the PC components and how they compare with the already assembled PCs are: How to choose the parts of the new computer to be assembled, Better a custom pc or a pre-assembled computer (OEM) ? and finally Things to know before buying a new computer .
In another article we can see some proposals to buy online the pieces of a complete computer on Amazon .
