Building custom gaming PCs is one of the only parts of my job that crosses over into my hobbies as something I genuinely enjoy doing. Sure, it has its highs and lows, and there have been occasions when a computer refuses to boot for some inexplicable reason. Still, these are usually countered by the thrill of fine-tweaking every little BIOS section until everything runs just right and, inevitably, never playing games on it anyway.
However, one thing is constant: I will forget something every time I build a PC. Every single time, I realize something is amiss, and all of my cable management has about gone to waste because I need to disassemble it. Well, at least I have my trusty box of bits, pieces, and accessories that make it move a little smoother, and all of them are once again on sale during Amazon Prime Day (and a few even cheaper during Newegg’s Fantastech sale.)
Here’s what I’m buying. It’s everything you should grab if you’re also about to build a custom rig.
Thermal paste
✅Perfect for: Avoiding the stress of perfectly mounting a CPU cooler, take as many tries as you need.
❌Not great for: Cleanliness. Arctic Silver sticks to skin and should be washed off immediately.
Cable zip ties
✅Perfect for: Tidy cables inside your PC case, free of obstructions.
❌Not great for: Disassembly. Be kind to yourself and leave enough space to cut them off.
Anti-static wristband
✅Perfect for: Protecting your components from static electricity by grounding your body.
❌Not great for: Walking away mid-build and giving yourself a wicked bruise from the whiplash.
Plastic organizer baggies
✅Perfect for: Organizing the endless spare parts for old and new components because you don’t need to keep all those boxes.
❌Not great for: Looking suspicious when ordering hundreds of little plastic baggies online. It’s fine; they’re for screws and things.
GPU brace / sag protector
✅Perfect for: Supporting heavy graphics cards and protecting your PCIe slot against damage caused by sagging.
❌Not great for: Accidentally magnetizing them to the back of a PC case and losing them forever.
Isopropyl alcohol wipes
✅Perfect for: Cleaning old thermal compound from a CPU, and wiping any residue from your skin.
❌Not great for: Getting into that cut on your hand from the motherboard’s I/O shield.
🔥 The hottest Prime Day 2024 deals 🔥
Organization is how we beat frustration
Building your own computer is more rewarding than you might think. It’s almost brutally frustrating when things go wrong (and they will go wrong), but the payoff is a fully functioning Windows desktop you make by hand.
Most of what’s on this list comes from our larger guide to the best PC build tools and accessories, but everything here regularly goes missing in my home office. I blame the imaginary PC gremlins because I otherwise don’t understand how I’m always misplacing magnetic GPU braces, but it happens.
The zip ties, in particular, are useful for practically anything else, which is usually why I get through a full pack in a year (or often less). A 600-pack of isopropyl alcohol wipes is definitely excessive, but again, they can prove useful around the house.
Honestly, even if you weren’t planning to build a PC in the next few weeks, it doesn’t hurt to have any of these in your workspace. Thermal paste is good for years if sealed, and the anti-static wristband will always be there when you need it.. mine are around here somewhere, I swear.
What does Prime Day end?
Amazon’s two-day Prime Day 2024 sale event is live for its second day. It started on the morning of July 16 and runs through the end of today, July 17, 2024, at 11:59 PM PT (that’s 3 AM ET on July 18.) It always causes competitive pricing among its rivals, including Newegg, selling PC parts and tools alongside Amazon. While there are plenty of lowest-ever prices offered up with exclusive deals, the deal-matching (or even busting) habits at Newegg’s ‘Fantastech’ deals page only lead to benefits for shoppers.
If you’re already an Amazon Prime member, it can be easier to take advantage of next-day shipping on most products. A free 30-day trial is also open to those who have never signed up before, but Newegg offers free delivery without extra fees and free 30-day returns if you’re on the fence.
Do I need a Prime membership for Prime Day?
Yes, a paid membership or 30-day free trial is required to access the full range of Prime Day benefits during this event. If you haven’t signed up in the past, you’ll be eligible for the free trial and can cancel afterward if you want to.
