LENGTH OF TIME: 1-2 HOURS
LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: EASY
BUILD IT!
Step-by-step guide to assembling this PC
1 THE STRUCTURE
TO MAKE our build run smoothly, it’s better to take things apart right from the start rather than some time further down the line. This way, we can plan cable routes and it makes it easier to install and change components around as we build. NZXT cases are easy to dismantle and this one, in particular, doesn’t even feature any thumbscrews to release the front, back, side, and top panels—they simply pop off with a tiny amount of force. That’s pretty welcome in this case, as the last thing you want is a smashed glass panel (believe us, we’ve done it). When you pop the panel, gradually lift it out and up to remove it. We also removed the filters to gain access to the fan mounts.
2 INSERT THE BRAIN IN THE MAINFRAME
A PC WITHOUT a CPU is like a car without an engine, so to kick things off, we’ll be adding the i5-13600K onto the motherboard. Before grabbing the CPU, we need to prepare the mobo by opening up the CPU bracket. Unhook the retention bar by pushing down on it and slowly guiding it sideways to release it. Then lift this to open up the socket.
After that, we need to make sure we align the arrow on the corner of the CPU with the arrow on the motherboard and slowly place it on the socket, making sure not to bend any of the pins. It’s always recommended to hold the CPU by the sides rather than the bottom. Lastly, rest the CPU bracket back down and tuck the retention bar under the hook to secure it into position.
3a THE TOP SLOT
any PCIe interface, always try to use the uppermost available slot on the motherboard—that’s what we have done here for our SN850 SSD.
