I wanted to do build my own PC since I was a kid. My dad was working with computers and he built the only PC we had at home. After that, I moved on to using laptops, but I was super jealous of anyone who built their own PC. I was just postponing the moment to build my own.

 

Why

When I started streaming for a long time I was streaming from the same computer I was working on (2015 MacBook Pro, 2018 Mac Mini, and 2019 MacBook Pro 16"). All of them are powerful computers, but streaming takes a lot of resources and puts a lot of strain on the device. When OBS was running, my code editor and Sizzy were becoming super sluggish, and as a result, I was slower at everything I was doing.

 

Let's build a PC

So I decided to build a separate PC for streaming... Alright, I'm gonna lie to you if I tell you that was the only reason. I wanted to build a beast of a machine that can handle streaming but also any game that you throw at it.

 

PC Config
Intel Core i9-9900K 3.6 GHz 8-Core Processor
Corsair H115i RGB PLATINUM 97 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler
Gigabyte Z390 AORUS PRO WIFI ATX LGA1151 Motherboard
 Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory
 Samsung 860 Evo 2 TB 2.5" Solid State Drive
MSI GeForce RTX 2080 Ti 11 GB GAMING X TRIO Video Card
 Phanteks Evolv X ATX Mid Tower Case
Corsair RMx (2018) 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply

Building the PC

Of course, when the parts arrived I wasn't prepared at all, so I called my dad on FaceTime, and he guided me through the entire process. He's a perfectionist, so when we were almost done with the build he decided to undo everything just because the motherboard seemed off by a few millimeters 🤦‍♂️ The entire process took us 12 hours and I made a video of it here:

 

If you are also on the verge of building your own PC but you're not really sure about it: If I could do it, you can do it, seriously.

 

I can't believe that I combined a bunch of parts and in the end, this frickin' magical thing turned ON! And it works. WHAT!?

 

I am mostly used to Apple computers and I'm so tired of their shit. The second this puppy turned on I was like "screw Apple this is the BEST!" If I want to upgrade a part I can just pop the case open and change whatever I need, that's amazing!

 

Using the PC

I was planning to play all sorts of games on this machine, but unfortunately, an old habit kicked in and I got stuck playing just one game. I made a video about it a few months ago:

 

Nowadays I'm using it every day for running my streams, for gaming and racing and for gaming in VR using Oculus Link.

 

Racing Setup
Playseat® Challenge
Deprecated
Logitech G29 Driving Force Racing Wheel
Logitech K400
Handy wireless keyboard with trackpad
 
Logitech Driving Force Shifter

Virtual Reality Setup
KIWIdesign Knuckle Strap
Deprecated
This little accessory made my entire VR experience way more enjoyable because I can just pick up the controllers and play, instead of messing with the default straps.
 
KIWIDesign VR Headset Cable Managment
Deprecated
VR is way less immersive when you have a dangling cable around you. This accessory helps a little bit, but it's still a pain in the ass and I prefer to play wirelessly on the Oculus Quest.
 
Oculus Quest Travel Case
Deprecated
I got the Quest so early that this was the only available case. The case is great and it fits really well, but nowadays there are super cheap alternatives on Amazon so I'm not sure why would you get the official one.
 
VR Cover
Deprecated
Facial Interface & Foam Replacement Basic Set for Oculus Quest
 
Snakebyte Headset Stand
Deprecated
OK, this was a dumb idea tbh.
 
Oculus Quest 2
Deprecated
The best standalone VR headset
 
Elite Strap for Quest 2
Deprecated
Comfort strap for Quest 2
 
USB-C 3.1 Cable
It's 3 meters long and it's compatible with Oculus Quest for playing PC games via Oculus Link
 
Spectrashell OQ9
The built-in speakers of the Quest are okay-ish, but using earbud (especially with Beat Saber) takes everything to a new level.
 
Varta LCD plug charger
Oculus decided to go with AA batteries for the Quest controllers, so I use this charger with a set of 4 rechargeable batteries. It charges Mignon (AA), Micro (AAA) and 9V rechargeable Ni-MH batteries and a USB device at the same time
 
Meta Quest 3
Huge upgrade over the Quest 2.
 
Soundcore VR P10
Low latency earbuds for VR.