**The Fiddly Part of Building a Gaming PC: Front Panel Connectors**

When it comes to building a gaming PC, there are several components that require careful attention and planning. One of the most fiddly parts is the front panel connectors. These aren't just limited to your power button and reset switch, but also include USB ports, audio ports for headphones and microphones, and even combo jacks. Getting these right can be a huge letdown when you finally build your PC. That's why it's essential to take your time and understand what each connector is used for.

The front panel connectors are not just about aesthetics; they're also about functionality. A well-placed power button can make all the difference, but if it's in the wrong place, it can be frustrating to use. Similarly, audio ports and USB ports need to be properly connected to ensure that your PC recognizes them correctly. In this section, we'll take a closer look at the front panel connectors and provide tips on how to get them right.

**Understanding Front Panel Connectors**

Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of installing front panel connectors, it's essential to understand what each connector does. The power button is usually connected to the motherboard's power circuitry, while the reset switch is connected to the motherboard's reset circuitry. USB ports, on the other hand, provide connectivity for peripherals like keyboards and mice. Audio ports are used for connecting headphones or speakers, and combo jacks allow you to connect both audio and microphone inputs.

To install front panel connectors correctly, it's crucial to consult your motherboard manual. The manual will provide detailed instructions on how to connect each connector to the corresponding pins on the motherboard. It's also essential to understand the wiring diagram for your specific motherboard, as this can vary depending on the manufacturer and model.

**Avoiding Common Mistakes with Front Panel Connectors**

One of the most common mistakes people make when installing front panel connectors is placing the power button in the wrong position. This can lead to issues with the power circuitry or even cause the PC to malfunction entirely. Similarly, connecting audio ports or USB ports incorrectly can also cause problems.

To avoid these mistakes, take your time and consult your motherboard manual carefully. Double-check that you're connecting each connector to the correct pins on the motherboard. If you're still unsure, consider consulting with a more experienced builder or seeking online tutorials for specific instructions.

**The Importance of Thermal Paste**

Another crucial step in building a gaming PC is applying thermal paste between the CPU and the contact plate of your cooler. Thermal paste is a liquid substance that helps to improve heat transfer between these two components. Without it, you may experience high CPU temperatures or instability issues.

When applying thermal paste, make sure to follow these guidelines:

* Apply a small amount of thermal paste to the contact plate of the cooler.

* Make sure the CPU and the contact plate are clean and free of debris.

* Avoid mixing thermal paste with other substances, as this can compromise its effectiveness.

* Follow the instructions on the packaging for specific application instructions.

**Bios Version and Incompatibility**

Another common mistake people make when building a gaming PC is choosing a motherboard that's not compatible with their CPU. This can lead to issues with booting or stability.

To avoid this, research your CPU and motherboard compatibility before making a purchase. If you're unsure, consult the manufacturer's documentation or seek advice from a more experienced builder.

Additionally, be aware of bios version compatibility. Some motherboards may require specific bios versions to support newer CPUs. By updating your bios regularly, you can ensure that your PC stays compatible with the latest CPU models.

**Memory Channels**

When it comes to installing RAM in a motherboard, understanding memory channels is essential. Memory channels refer to the physical locations on the motherboard where RAM modules are installed. There are two types of RAM: SODIMM and SO-DIMM. The first type is used for smaller devices like netbooks, while the second type is designed for laptops.

To install RAM correctly, follow these guidelines:

* If you have a dual-channel system, use both RAM slots to improve performance.

* If your motherboard has four RAM slots, install one module in each slot to maximize performance.

* Consult your motherboard manual for specific instructions on installing RAM modules.

By following these tips and understanding memory channels, you can ensure that your PC runs smoothly and efficiently.

**The Final Tips**

In conclusion, building a gaming PC requires attention to detail and careful planning. By avoiding common mistakes like front panel connector issues, thermal paste application problems, bios version incompatibility, and memory channel mismanagement, you can build a PC that's stable, efficient, and meets your performance needs.

Some final tips for building a gaming PC include:

* Always consult the motherboard manual before installing any component.

* Take your time when connecting front panel connectors to ensure correct wiring.

* Apply thermal paste correctly between the CPU and cooler contact plate.

* Research your CPU and motherboard compatibility before making a purchase.

* Understand memory channels and install RAM modules correctly.

By following these guidelines, you'll be well on your way to building a gaming PC that meets your performance needs and provides hours of fun and entertainment.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enwhat is up guys welcome back to another geeker what video and in this video we're going to be covering the top five mistakes to avoid when you build your next or your first gaming pc build i'm going to cover off what the mistakes are how to resolve them and most importantly how to avoid them to make your next gaming pc as painless as possible so without any further ado let's dive into it now the first mistake to avoid actually comes before you even start putting the system together and that's in the parts that you choose now there's lots that can go wrong with your part choices but there's a few key things that you guys should really try and avoid the first is obviously making sure all the parts are compatible the key points here is making sure the motherboard supports the processor out of the box with no kind of buy also compatibility issues the second is making sure your cpu caller fits in the case it might sound obvious but some cpu callers are simply too tall for the case or your case doesn't have enough radiator support for the all-in-one liquid cooler you want to pick and those kind of issues really similarly along those lines you've also got graphics card clearance issues there's two things to look out for with your gpu the graphics card's width so how many of the rear pcie slots it takes up and whether it overlaps out of its kind of advertised form factor but more importantly the length of the graphics card on any case specification page you'll have a maximum gpu length metric this is normally in millimeters around the 300 millimeter mark typically so be careful and make sure you don't go for a massive gpu like an ace of strix or an msi gamingx trio card in a case that's super duper compact the final thing to note in terms of components is making sure you don't try too hard to future-proof your system now this might sound silly but if you spend all this money on a you know a really powerful power supply so you can upgrade the graphics card later or with the idea that you can eventually upgrade and get some better parts you're actually selling yourself short and giving yourself much worse performance in the short term future proofing upgradability is all good but make sure you get the power that you want from day one even if it means waiting a few more weeks and saving up a few more coins for your next gaming pc that brings me on to the next mistake to avoid which is firmly within the build process and that comes with your front panel connectors the front panel connectors aren't just your power button and your reset switch but also usb ports whether it be usbc usb 3 usb 2 you've also got your audio ports for your headphone and mic or combo jacks these are the fiddliest part of any gaming pc and getting these right while it's important to make sure the pc functions isn't actually gonna set your pc on fire or cause anything overly dramatic but it can be a huge letdown when you build your pc you put your front panel cables in you switch the power button on and all that happens is you've got the power switch in the wrong place i'll pop on the jfp1 diagram and examples of how to install these on your screen now don't rush it if you have to consort your motherboard's manual don't be afraid to do so especially for this fiddly little step the next big tip for your build process comes with your cpu caller and thermal paste the first is to make sure you have indeed applied thermal paste if required thermal paste is a liquid substance that sits between your physical processor that looks a little something like this and the contact plate of your coolant thermal paste is all about making a seal between the two and allowing heat to efficiently transfer from one through to the other without this paste in the middle you tend to get a bit of a gap between the two or they won't quite sit evenly on one another and that really affects heat transfer that can cause high cpu temperatures or instability issues so make sure you remember to do this step on that note as well if your cpu cooler has a plastic film on the actual contact heat plate that goes on top of the processor make sure you've removed this otherwise you're trying to conduct heat through a piece of plastic which um never really ends well does it yeah don't do that mistake number four is all to do with your bios there are lots of potential hiccups you can have with your bios but all of them are pretty simple to avoid and resolve the first is bios version and incompatibility on certain motherboards like z590 or b550 or b450 you may need to update the bios to actually get support for newer cpus b450 for example supports ryzen 3000 out the box but may not support ryzen 5000 b550 is a little bit better but there's one way to kind of insure you against this and that's to buy from a reputable retailer who shifts lots of units check the motherboard manufacturer's website or alternatively buy a motherboard that allows you to update the bios without a cpu installed this will often be called kind of bios flashback or something along those lines and make sure you're good to go the other thing to mention with the bios is your memory speed and hardware compatibility ryzen cpus once again particularly like that fast ram speed so make sure you go into your bios enable xmp and crank the memory speed up similarly your bios will also tell you as confusing as it can be for a first time builder all the hardware you've installed if your bios doesn't recognize a drive in a sata port or doesn't think your m.2 drives in it's probably not installed correctly and if your bios isn't recognizing something then windows definitely won't which brings me nicely on to point number five and that's your memory channels now james memory channels what are they basically memory channels are determined by just how you plug your ram in on a two dimm slot motherboard with two randoms you haven't got anything to worry about fill both the dim slots and you're off to the races but if you've got four ram dim slots on your motherboard and only two dimms of ram which is completely fine you want to install these in certain slots to give you a bit of a performance boost this is all to do with sharing bandwidth and allowing the two randoms to work together in harmony isn't it beautiful often times this will be the second and fourth ram dim slots located here on this msi b550 tomahawk board but be careful when you read the manual because often ram dim slots start at zero and end up three aka the first dim is actually slot zero so when they say for dual channel performance use dim slot one and dim slot three they confusingly often mean the second and fourth physical slots on the motherboard and with that i think that pretty much wraps it up for our five mistakes to avoid uh probably more like seven or eight in this video but nevertheless i hope it was insightful and makes your next or even your first gaming pc build that little bit easier thanks for tuning in and hopefully we'll see you in the next one adioswhat is up guys welcome back to another geeker what video and in this video we're going to be covering the top five mistakes to avoid when you build your next or your first gaming pc build i'm going to cover off what the mistakes are how to resolve them and most importantly how to avoid them to make your next gaming pc as painless as possible so without any further ado let's dive into it now the first mistake to avoid actually comes before you even start putting the system together and that's in the parts that you choose now there's lots that can go wrong with your part choices but there's a few key things that you guys should really try and avoid the first is obviously making sure all the parts are compatible the key points here is making sure the motherboard supports the processor out of the box with no kind of buy also compatibility issues the second is making sure your cpu caller fits in the case it might sound obvious but some cpu callers are simply too tall for the case or your case doesn't have enough radiator support for the all-in-one liquid cooler you want to pick and those kind of issues really similarly along those lines you've also got graphics card clearance issues there's two things to look out for with your gpu the graphics card's width so how many of the rear pcie slots it takes up and whether it overlaps out of its kind of advertised form factor but more importantly the length of the graphics card on any case specification page you'll have a maximum gpu length metric this is normally in millimeters around the 300 millimeter mark typically so be careful and make sure you don't go for a massive gpu like an ace of strix or an msi gamingx trio card in a case that's super duper compact the final thing to note in terms of components is making sure you don't try too hard to future-proof your system now this might sound silly but if you spend all this money on a you know a really powerful power supply so you can upgrade the graphics card later or with the idea that you can eventually upgrade and get some better parts you're actually selling yourself short and giving yourself much worse performance in the short term future proofing upgradability is all good but make sure you get the power that you want from day one even if it means waiting a few more weeks and saving up a few more coins for your next gaming pc that brings me on to the next mistake to avoid which is firmly within the build process and that comes with your front panel connectors the front panel connectors aren't just your power button and your reset switch but also usb ports whether it be usbc usb 3 usb 2 you've also got your audio ports for your headphone and mic or combo jacks these are the fiddliest part of any gaming pc and getting these right while it's important to make sure the pc functions isn't actually gonna set your pc on fire or cause anything overly dramatic but it can be a huge letdown when you build your pc you put your front panel cables in you switch the power button on and all that happens is you've got the power switch in the wrong place i'll pop on the jfp1 diagram and examples of how to install these on your screen now don't rush it if you have to consort your motherboard's manual don't be afraid to do so especially for this fiddly little step the next big tip for your build process comes with your cpu caller and thermal paste the first is to make sure you have indeed applied thermal paste if required thermal paste is a liquid substance that sits between your physical processor that looks a little something like this and the contact plate of your coolant thermal paste is all about making a seal between the two and allowing heat to efficiently transfer from one through to the other without this paste in the middle you tend to get a bit of a gap between the two or they won't quite sit evenly on one another and that really affects heat transfer that can cause high cpu temperatures or instability issues so make sure you remember to do this step on that note as well if your cpu cooler has a plastic film on the actual contact heat plate that goes on top of the processor make sure you've removed this otherwise you're trying to conduct heat through a piece of plastic which um never really ends well does it yeah don't do that mistake number four is all to do with your bios there are lots of potential hiccups you can have with your bios but all of them are pretty simple to avoid and resolve the first is bios version and incompatibility on certain motherboards like z590 or b550 or b450 you may need to update the bios to actually get support for newer cpus b450 for example supports ryzen 3000 out the box but may not support ryzen 5000 b550 is a little bit better but there's one way to kind of insure you against this and that's to buy from a reputable retailer who shifts lots of units check the motherboard manufacturer's website or alternatively buy a motherboard that allows you to update the bios without a cpu installed this will often be called kind of bios flashback or something along those lines and make sure you're good to go the other thing to mention with the bios is your memory speed and hardware compatibility ryzen cpus once again particularly like that fast ram speed so make sure you go into your bios enable xmp and crank the memory speed up similarly your bios will also tell you as confusing as it can be for a first time builder all the hardware you've installed if your bios doesn't recognize a drive in a sata port or doesn't think your m.2 drives in it's probably not installed correctly and if your bios isn't recognizing something then windows definitely won't which brings me nicely on to point number five and that's your memory channels now james memory channels what are they basically memory channels are determined by just how you plug your ram in on a two dimm slot motherboard with two randoms you haven't got anything to worry about fill both the dim slots and you're off to the races but if you've got four ram dim slots on your motherboard and only two dimms of ram which is completely fine you want to install these in certain slots to give you a bit of a performance boost this is all to do with sharing bandwidth and allowing the two randoms to work together in harmony isn't it beautiful often times this will be the second and fourth ram dim slots located here on this msi b550 tomahawk board but be careful when you read the manual because often ram dim slots start at zero and end up three aka the first dim is actually slot zero so when they say for dual channel performance use dim slot one and dim slot three they confusingly often mean the second and fourth physical slots on the motherboard and with that i think that pretty much wraps it up for our five mistakes to avoid uh probably more like seven or eight in this video but nevertheless i hope it was insightful and makes your next or even your first gaming pc build that little bit easier thanks for tuning in and hopefully we'll see you in the next one adios\n"