It can be very disappointing when some new  PC components get damaged even before they have been fitted into the PC unit. To prevent this from happening here are some precautions you should take.

Electrostatic discharge

Our bodies carry some little amount of electric charge as we touch things. This electric charge can be discharged into our PC hardware when we touch them and is capable of causing damage to the PC components. To prevent this from occurring, you can wear a grounded wrist strap, or you can first of all touch a metal surface to discuss the current from your body true that surface to the ground before you touch the PC components. However most PC components come with protective measures to guard against this occurrence.

Electric shock

Always make sure that the PC you are working on is not connected to the mains as it could cause an electric shock. 

Connections

 PC  building mainly consists of connecting PC hardware  components to the motherboard. You must endeavour to read the instruction manual that comes with each PC hardware component. In the instruction manual you will be told how to safely and securely connect the PC  hardware component to the motherboard. If you are trying to fit in a PC component that wouldn’t go in, don’t force it in as you may damage its collection pins, try to find out if there’s any obstruction read the instruction manual again carefully.

Dropped components

Be careful when handling components, as letting them drop to the ground can damage connecting parts or even the whole hardware.

Cleaning components

Don’t use liquid cleaning components to clean components of your PC instead you can use a dry cloth or air duster to remove dust from around the PC components.

Every CPU comes equipped with its own cooling system. The CPU comes  with a fan and heatsink to cool it down. However this fan and heatsink may not be enough to cool down the CPU during high

demanding tasks. CPUs also have their optimum working temperatures making them also come equipped with a cooling controller. The fan speeds are controlled as needed. 

When the temperature of a CPU is very high it can lead to an irrepairable damage. Also the CPU will begin to malfunction or run slowly at very high temperatures. Most computers come equipped with sensors that detect a very high temperature CPU and shut off the computer abruptly to protect the CPU from damage.

The more demanding tasks the CPU is made to analyse, the more temperature it will have. In high demanding games and video editing work you will most likely need an extra CPU cooling system, otherwise at very high temperatures, the CPU may malfunction and the computer will shut off abruptly which can cause damage to hardware and software components.

The two types of extra CPU cooling system you might need are the air-cooled cooling system and the water cooled system.

The air CPU cooler is just an advanced fan and heatsink that you can attach to your CPU for better cooling efficiency.

The water CPU cooler is the better way of cooling your CPU, it consists of a fan and radiator that you can attach to your PC. Because it uses water as the coolant it is far more efficient than an air cooled CPU. However it comes at the higher cost. But if you are using a very powerful CPU and usually play a demanding games or edit high definition videos or run high demanding 3D applications, a computer to function optimally and last longer, consider getting water cooled CPU

Expansion cards are printed circuit boards that add functionality to your PC. Basically your PC doesn’t need these cards to function, but as you continue using your PC, in the long run you will need them. 

 Your PC usually  comes installed with a basic graphics card for doing things like typing,  watching movies,  playing some low CPU demanding games. However if you discover in the course of doing certain tasks that your PC is slow, such as when video editing or playing certain video games, then you may need to install an additional graphics card. 

Types of expansion cards that you may need.

Graphics accelerator card

One of the most sought-after expansion cards in the market is the graphics accelerator card. High-end video editing 3D application software and video games are very CPU demanding. These applications can overwhelm even the most advanced CPU in the market, this is why they must be used with an additional capable graphics card installed. Graphics cards are available in the market in various grades and capabilities

Sound cards

If you want more quality sound from your PC or if you are a sound producer editor then a better sound card may be required. 

Network cards

Network cards enable you to connect your PC to another PC and also to the internet, enabling you to transfer or download data at high speeds

If the network ports that came with your PC don’t produce the speed that you need then a more advanced Network card can be the answer.

Storage card reader

There are many types of memory card storage around. So having an expansion card that can read all of them makes a lot of sense.

Do you need an optical drive for your PC or laptop? Few years ago, it was necessary but nowadays it is optional. There are many options of storing data which is the reason why optical drives are becoming obsolete. Large files  are stored in the cloud  or USB flash drives these days. The speed of the internet is much faster now so downloading very large files in a few minutes is possible these days.

 If you will install an optical drive for your PC then go for the DVD or Blu-ray optical writer drives. DVDs and Blu-ray discs can store very large files making it sometimes economical to use them. Don’t even think of installing an optical ordinary CD drive, it’s pointless.

Go for an optical drive in which its front cover blends with your PC case.

If you don’t want to install an optical DVD or Blu-ray writer drive, you can get a portable, external optical drive instead. Its portability enables you to easily carry it around, plug into your PC or laptop or even your TV.

As said earlier it’s very possible to build a PC or have a laptop without an optical drive. However, make sure your internet speed is fast so that you can download large files in a few minutes. Have a 16 GB or 32 GB flash drive so that you can easily transfer, copy and  install softwares. Your PC or laptop usually comes equipped with an external memory card reader or slot. Memory cards  now have capacities of up to 256 GB or even more.