'Just use the manual': I followed Chat GPT's PC-building instructions, and all I got was a huge headache and a schooling on prompting | Tech Radar

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'Just use the manual': I followed Chat GPT's PC-building instructions, and all I got was a huge headache and a schooling on prompting

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I am a PC builder. There, I said it. I don't feel like one yet — but the facts are undeniable. I built a PC.

Okay, so I had some help along the way, but now that I've crafted my own gaming rig for the latest season of Tech Radar's AI Planned It video series, I can hold my head high among the experienced builders on the team.

And make no mistake, building your first PC can be incredibly overwhelming; for me, a clutzy, anxious, and miserly gamer, the stress of it was tantamount to open-heart surgery.

'Building a PC in 2026 is an absolute treat': I asked Chat GPT and Gemini to pick my perfect gaming rig, and it nearly cost me my sanity

I let Chat GPT and Gemini build my PC — here are the components each AI picked

I use the 'assignment' prompt to skip any Chat GPT confusion

The secret sauce in the equation to help me overcome my fears was Chat GPT, which, alongside Google's Gemini, helped me pick my components — as demonstrated in our previous video.

The more risky (and potentially costly) stage of the experiment, of course, was actually putting the thing together — and that process taught me a lot about both PCs and optimizing LLM usage.

So, here's how I did it, including the specific instructions Chat GPT gave me for my PC build, plus my thoughts on what worked and what did. Hopefully they'll be helpful to others — and please do share your thoughts in the comments below.

I've already shared the prompt I used to train up Gemini and Chat GPT for this project, so be sure to give that a read for some extra context.

As far as the building stage went, my principal concern with using Chat GPT was that it might hallucinate different parts or outdated configurations. My experiences in the first stage of the experiment, in which it shared outdated information on a couple of occasions, did nothing to reassure me.

So, at the very start, I doubled down and reminded it of my configuration via the below prompt:

The prompt: Simply copy and paste the full block of text into Chat GPT or Gemini, replacing my components with yours.

Ok, I've ordered my parts, and they're on their way. To confirm these are the products I purchased:

Can you now provide me with detailed, step-by-step building instructions as well as any tools I will need to do so. Please feel free to ask follow-up questions before providing your final list.

Initially, Chat GPT took the word "detailed" and really rolled with it, presenting me with reams of instructions. In doing so, it made it pretty hard to follow as a first-timer, especially due to its excessive use of (often unnecessary) jargon.

I used Chat GPT to lighten my weekly mental load and it worked surprisingly well

I just used AI to help plan my wedding for the first time

While I had the benefit of building the PC alongside Tech Radar's resident computing expert, Matt Hanson, I wanted as much as possible to emulate what someone trying this at home might experience. So, I reminded Chat GPT I was a beginner and it came back with the below instructions:

[Note: Be warned — these are long, and while there are few total inaccuracies, they can be non-specific in nature. Proceed with caution if you plan to follow these steps!]

Take both side panels off the Fractal North case. Put the case to one side and find the little box or bag of screws that came with it.

Take the motherboard out and place it on top of its cardboard box. That gives you a safe surface to work on.

Find the large square area in the middle of the motherboard. That is where the CPU goes. You will see a small metal arm next to it.

Look for a tiny gold triangle on one corner of the CPU. Look for the matching triangle on the motherboard socket. Line those triangles up, then gently place the CPU into the socket. Do not press down.

If it is lined up properly, it will sit in place on its own.

Then, lower the metal frame and push the arm back down into place. That part can feel a bit stiff. That is normal.

The SSD is the slim storage stick. Find the SSD slot on the motherboard. It is a flat slot, usually with a small screw or cover.

Put the screw back in, or close the latch if your board uses one

If there is a little heat cover with a soft pad underneath it, make sure any plastic film is removed before putting it back.

You have 2 RAM sticks. They go into the long slots next to the CPU.

For your board, use the second and fourth slots from the CPU.

You may need more force than you expect. If it is not fully clicked in, the PC may not start later.

Your cooler is the Thermalright Phantom Spirit. This is the hardest part for most beginners, so take it slowly.

First, look in the cooler box for the AM5 mounting parts. Use the cooler manual beside you while doing this step

Remove the two black plastic brackets already around the CPU area on the motherboard

Keep the metal plate on the back of the motherboard in place

Put a small dot of thermal paste on the middle of the CPU if it is not already on the cooler

Tighten the screws a little at a time, alternating sides

Important: Do not overtighten, the cooler fan should blow air toward the back of the case

Then plug the cooler fan cable into the motherboard header labeled CPU_FAN

Now move the case back onto the table. Check that the little metal screw posts inside the case line up with the holes in the motherboard.

Make sure the back ports fit through the rectangular hole at the back

Put it in with its fan facing toward the vented side of the case.

There are two main power plugs for the motherboard.

First one: The big wide connector on the right side of the motherboard. Plug the 24-pin cable into that.

Second one: Near the top-left of the motherboard. Plug the 8-pin CPU cable into that. Push both in until they click.

This is the fiddly bit. The case has small cables coming from the front of it. These connect the front buttons and ports.

Use the motherboard manual for the exact pin diagram.

For a beginner, the most important one is the power button cable. Without that, pressing the case button won’t do anything.

The tiny front-button cables are the most annoying part of the build. That is normal.

The graphics card is the biggest part after the motherboard.

Remove the metal slot covers at the back of the case where the card will stick out

Push the graphics card straight into that slot until it clicks

Use the correct graphics card power cable from the PSU box and plug it firmly into the graphics card.

Put extra cable length behind the motherboard tray if you can

It does not need to look perfect. It just needs to be safe and not block fans.

Very important: Plug the monitor into the graphics card, not into the motherboard.

Then, turn the switch on at the back of the power supply and press the case power button

The PC may take a little time the first time it starts. That is normal.

Is the graphics card power cable plugged in properly?

When it first starts, tap the Delete key on the keyboard again and again.

This is a simple setting that makes your RAM run at the speed you paid for.

Find the setting called EXPO and turn it on. Then save and restart.

You do not need to understand the deep details. Just know that this is a normal thing to enable for your RAM.

Plug it in, restart the PC, and follow the instructions on screen.

Blimey... so how's your index finger after that scroll-fest?

For the full, unfiltered trauma I experienced when following these instructions, you'll have to watch the full episode on Tech Radar's You Tube channel. The long and short of it, though, is that barring one or two missteps where Chat GPT encouraged us to do a step too early or wasn't clear enough on its instructions, the steps were broadly correct.

That being said, it hit me a few times with a generic "just use the manual" tip. In an ideal world, it would search for those instructions and be a true assistive companion, but ultimately, for a fair chunk of this process, I ended up looking at the respective components' printed/online guidance.

I don't mind that too much, and should have probably guessed that'd be the case — particularly given that I'd asked Chat GPT to return such a long-form result. Setting aside the lofty ease-of-use promises made by AI evangelists in the years since LLM technology began its rapid ascent to mass adoption, Chat GPT itself advised that I should instead "message and I’ll guide you one stage at a time." Granted, that tip was at the end of its building instructions and I was by then elbow-deep in cables, but I do respect that it made the suggestion.

In the end, I did actually take it up on this offer, though not for the main building process; that would have been a nightmare while also trying to film, present and take notes on the day, which was hard enough by itself.

Instead, when I later had major issues troubleshooting a problematic bootable Windows drive, Chat GPT was there to help in real-time, both by message and through photos of the interface to help me navigate jargon-y menus.

Typically, I'm a huge hater when it comes to messaging AI like its your pal. The joys of PC building, however, broke my brain. (Image credit: Future / Open AI)

You'll have to watch the full AI Planned It series to know exactly what went right and wrong in our experiment, but to cut to the chase, yes, the PC works and no fires were started in the process.

That said, I did have the aforementioned computing expert Matt Hanson on hand to fact-check and sanity-test Chat GPT's building instructions, which proved invaluable to stop us from making dumb rookie mistakes that the AI was ignorant of.

My big takeaway? If you try to place all the onus on AI, you're more likely to make a mistake than you are if you instead watch a few videos, read the documentation and learn for yourself.

However, it can be a fantastic companion for troubleshooting, researching and finding information written by experts; just moderate your usage if you care about its environmental impact, how its prosumer rollout leads to job losses, and perhaps most crucially, its impact on critical thinking.

Watch the full episode of Tech Radar's AI Planned It below!

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Josephine Watson is Tech Radar's Managing Editor - Social & Engagement. Josephine is an award-winning (PPA 30 under 30 2024), NCTJ-trained journalist. Having previously written on a variety of topics, from pop culture to gaming and even the energy industry, she joined Tech Radar to support general site management. She is a smart home nerd, champion of Tech Radar's sustainability efforts as well and an advocate for internet safety and education. She has used her position to fight for progressive approaches towards diversity and inclusion, mental health, and neurodiversity in corporate settings. Generally, you'll find her fiddling with her smart home setup, watching Disney movies, playing on her Switch, or rewatching the extended edition of Lord of the Rings... again.

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• 'Just use the manual': I followed Chat GPT's PC-building instructions, and all I got was a huge headache and a schooling on prompting

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