Gadgetory

this video is brought to you by Squarespace the quick and easy way to build a kick-ass website what's up gasps so you've probably heard someone say this before or even said it yourself at some point that all you really need to build a PC is a screwdriver and yeah that's true a typical PC build only requires some simple screwing and plugging things in with the OL mellon grabbers but I prefer to call them hands however after building dozens of pcs over the years I've added several items to my arsenal to make the assembly process that much more fluid and enjoyable no sponsored products in this video guys these are all things I've either found or been recommended by others and I use them personally on a regular basis on that note whether you're a veteran system builder or taking the steps to building your first rig may you find some of today's suggestions helpful as you embark on your quest for a richer desktop experience also if anything piques your interest today please consider using the affiliate links in the description below as a way to help support the channel on that note in no particular order here is my top list of must-have items when building a PC now it seems silly to even include a number two phillips head screwdriver on this list since it's so obvious to most folks but i think it deserves a mention as it is the only tool that's required for the task at hand also not all screwdrivers are created equal and using the one that you've got at the dollar store will give you more problems than it's worth which is only a dollar but still now believe it or not the screwdriver I've been using for nearly a year now was actually an included accessory for a thermal write CPU cooler and while this is just an OEM item that thermal writes slapped their name on it still turns me on for several reasons for starters the magnetic tip is strong as hell so you'll never fumble another screw into the dark abyss of your chassis the 6-inch shaft is the perfect length in my opinion for general PC building giving you enough reach when installing your motherboard and CPU cooler for instance and it has a sturdy hexagonal grip for greater torque and comfort since I couldn't find this exact unit on Amazon I've linked a similar client screwdriver that's an inch longer and looks to have a slightly nicer grip and it's a client screwdriver so it's just nicer in every way possible additionally I also use this om pocket screwdriver that came included with the HyperX SSD and I promise there are some things on this list that I did buy intentionally the unit features interchangeable magnetic bits and as you might have guessed is great for installing SSDs and other small now instead of having two separate screwdrivers some folks might prefer a single multi bit option but that leaves you without a short screwdriver for hard-to-reach areas and I personally find long screwdrivers to be a pain when installing SSDs another item that's proven incredibly useful over the years is my mod right mainboard mod mat which is one of those things I never knew I needed until I had one the mod net provides a 23 by 23 inch anti static assembly surface for all of your components just one zap away from never working again just ask the HDMI port on my GTX 1084 the win Edition oh wait you can't because it's dead the matte features a grounding wire clip and an anti-static wristband but my favorite thing about this product is that it's also an anti scratch surface so I never have to worry about a chassis getting scuffed up on my craptastic building table even side panel windows are safe as long as the mat is clean and this goes both ways if you have a nice table to build on the mod mat also protects your desktop from getting wrecked by your Hardware screen directly onto the mat is a motherboard form factor table and rulers which are great when plopping down your long rod for a good measuring it works great for hard line tubing as well to top it all off it's made of an insanely rugged rubber material that's held up beautifully over the years with not a single rip tear or puncture hole for those who need it the mod mat also comes in an oversized version with twice the real estate till this day I haven't found an easier and more effective way to upgrade my workspace now if there's one caveat to the mod mat though it's that it's black which makes it difficult to see most screws you might place on it's rubbery surface and that leads us to the next item on our list which is the magnetic screw tray not only does it help to have a designated area for all your loose screws but the powerful magnet keeps them in glorious screw captivity until they're reunited with their beloved screw hole no conjugal visits here these affordable trays are simple and effective for what they do and can be easily stored on any magnetic surface when not in use what they lack however is organization so I recently picked up this Dell cast Mt 0 2 magnetic project mat measuring eleven point seven five inches by nine inches the mat is divided up into squares and features a dry erase surface for labeling your screws during the disassembly process now unless you're new to PC building you can probably figure out which screws go where without the help of this item but if you're relatively new to custom water-cooling like myself this mat can be a godsend for organizing and labeling all the little screws for your GPU coolers and water blocks on the downside the MT 0-2 is intended for smart phone and laptop disassembly so the magnetic surface isn't quite strong enough to hold larger thumb screws for instance but the thick non-slip foam backing aids in the prevention of loss groups this along with the standard screw tray make a great combo for keeping all your little things in order now every now and then when building a PC I'll have to reseat my CPU cooler for some unexpected reason leaving the base plate and my CPU a sticky goopy mess but until some genius invents edible thermal paste that I can just lick off of my Hardware sounds suggestive I'll continue using this thermal compound remover kit from Arctic silver the Arctic lean kit uses a two-step process including a remover and purifier solution apply a couple drops of the remover to any greasy surface and magically wipe the goop away with ease then rub in a drop or two of the purifier to prep the surface for a fresh application of thermal compound this helps to prevent flash corrosion on copper heat sinks while removing any residue left by the remover and thanks to its refreshing citrus scent this arctic link it also gets my award for the best smelling object in a PC geeks room though nominations were slim these bottles have kept all my thermal mating surfaces in pristine condition for years and they work great on hardware too another problem I've had with PC building in the past is unboxing a brand new chassis only to deface it seconds later with my oily fingerprints for years I'd been using a pair of these fabric gloves which were working out fine until they zapped that HDMI port on my GTX 1080 after receiving several recommendations for nitrile gloves I finally bought my first box which has already been a worthwhile investment the gloves are non conductive so no more fried electronics and they have a nice grip to them so I can handle cases inside panel windows without leaving behind a crime scene of fingerprints unfortunately the gloves are just a preventative measure and since it's just not practical to wear them throughout the entire build process this four pack of extra-large microfiber cleaning cloths from magic fiber is a great solution for wiping off any eye sores on your chassis if you're still using the tiny cloth that came with your eyeglasses to clean your case window these 16 by 16 inch squares are calling your name they're so big I even used them for my 32 inch monitor and my 55 inch TV best of all they're extremely gentle leaving zero scratches or streaks on even the cheapest case windows I have come across and trust me I've seen some pretty bad ones winding down our list of helpful building appliances are a few things to aid in the ever so crucial task of cable management an assortment of zip ties in various sizes and the pack of reusable velcro straps can go a long way most PC cases these days come included with a number of these restraints but they're usually not the size I need or they're simply not enough of them so having my own supply ensures that no cable goes untidy zip ties are great for binding cables as tightly as possible to maximize space conservation while velcro straps allow for flexibility when adding or removing cables to the bunch yes I just explained to you what zip ties work as a final pro tip for cable management I'd also recommend a small pair of wire cutters to snip off any excess a zip tie clutter so there you have it guys those are pretty much all the tools and trinkets I like to use when building my pcs but if there's anything you'd like to add to this list be sure to share it in the comments below speaking of things that make your life easier though Squarespace helps you make quality websites like a freaking boss I think my grandma knows more about the Facebook than I do about web design but creating a site with Squarespace is so intuitive that it almost looks like I know what the hell I'm doing if you guys want to start building your dream site without any of the hassle head to the affiliate link that you see on the screen here and use the offer code bit whit for a discount off of your subscription it is totally worth it but that is going to do it for now guys before you go don't forget to toss me a look on this video if you enjoyed it subscribe to the channel if you haven't already and I will see you all in the next one