Looking to build a new PC? Want to build one that will play nicely with Windows or Linux or could even be a Hackintosh? Making sure you choose the right combination of components is important and a pain to research. If you’re feeling lazy, here’s my shopping list for the machine I built that I’m using right now.

By the way, it’s faaaaaast 😉

CPU – Intel Ivy Bridge (i5-3570K) – £169
SSD – SanDisk 120GB (SDSSDX) – £73
HDD – Seagate 1TB (ST31000524AS) – £59
RAM – Corsair 4x4GB (CMZ16GX3M4A1600C9B) – £67
DVD – Sony (AD-7280S-0B) – £17
PSU – Corsair (CX430V2) – £34
Case – Corsair (Carbide 400R) – £79
Motherboard – Gigabyte (Z77-DS3H) – £68

Total price – £566

I’ve been using this machine for a couple of months now and it is a pleasure to use. Here are some notes:

• It boots into Ubuntu in about 10 seconds.
• I’ve not overclocked my build, because it’s already faster than me anyway.
• Don’t skip the SSD, it’s essential for a fast machine!
• It supports mSATA, but don’t be tempted, just stick with a separate SSD. Keep your OS and apps on the SSD, and your files on the HDD.
• I’m using the stock CPU fan and it works well and is quiet.
• The case is pretty big. I prefer that but a much smaller one would be fine.
• I don’t play games so this build doesn’t have a graphics card. The onboard graphics are more than good enough for me (no problems with HD video etc.). No doubt I’ll buy one in a year or two when I need to drive a 50" retina display 😉
• View all the parts in this Amazon wish list.
• You don’t need any special brackets for the SSD, this case already has mounting screws for it.
• You don’t need any thermal paste, it all just clicks together.

Got any improvements or updates? Post in the comments below.