How to Build a Computer Under 200 Dollars

Building your own computer will give you a sense of accomplishment.

Building a computer can seem like a complicated task, especially when you have a budget of $200 or less. Fortunately, thanks to the Internet and competition, the task can still be completed and you can build a computer within your budget. This computer will be capable of getting on the Internet, working with office software, photo manipulation and playing some games. Buying components that are grouped together is the key to saving money when building your new computer.

Things You'll Need

• Computer with Internet access
• Blank CD or DVD
• Screwdrivers
• Motherboard
• CPU
• Video Card
• Sound Card
• Memory (RAM)
• Hard Disk Drive
• Optical Drive
• Mouse
• Keyboard
• Speakers
• Monitor

Instructions

1. Price compare your components. Use websites such as Pricewatch, eBay, and Amazon.com to find the best deals. Many motherboards come with sound and video cards built in. Finding a motherboard that includes the CPU will save money on the project as well. Look for a case that has an included power supply to keep costs down. Don't buy all of your components from the same store unless they absolutely have the best deal on everything.

2. Download a version of Linux from a computer and burn it to a CD or DVD. Many versions of Linux are free. Microsoft Windows will cost over $100 for a full version regardless of which version you use. In order to keep your budget below $200, use Linux.

3. Touch a bare area of the case so you are electrically grounded, and mount the motherboard to the case using the provided screws. Add the CPU if it didn't already come attached to the motherboard, then memory, video card and sound card.

4. Mount the hard disk drive and optical drive that you chose for the computer. Mount the power supply if it is not already mounted, then plug power into the motherboard, hard disk drive and optical drive. Close the case.

5. Plug in the monitor, speakers, mouse, keyboard and network before plugging the computer into a power source. Power up the computer and insert the Linux disk into the optical drive. Follow the onscreen instructions for installing the operating system to your computer.

Tips & Warnings

• Many Linux distributions will also include a burn-in utility. Running this utility will test your hardware by stressing it out. If anything fails, this will give you the opportunity to replace it during the return period.

References

• Build Your Own Cheap Computer.com
• Computer Shopper.com: Build a Budget PC--$250, $500 or $750

Resources

• Pricewatch
• eBay: Computer Components
• Amazon.com: Computer Components