Overview

I built a custom desktop PC from the ground up, handling everything from component research and compatibility verification to physical assembly and software configuration. The build was driven by my need for a capable, upgradeable workstation that could handle CAD modeling, 3D printing workflows, and general engineering software without the compromises or cost overhead of a prebuilt system.

Project Objective

My goal was to design and assemble a high-performance personal workstation within a defined budget, optimized for productivity workloads including CAD, simulation, and software development. A key constraint was ensuring component compatibility across the motherboard, CPU, RAM, and storage, while also leaving room for future upgrades to storage and GPU.

What Was Done

• I conducted independent research to identify components that balanced performance, price, and long-term upgradeability, evaluating CPU-motherboard socket compatibility (AMD AM4 platform), RAM specifications and XMP profiles, GPU thermal design power against the case's airflow capacity, and storage configurations for both speed (SSD) and capacity (HDD).

• I sourced all components individually, then assembled the system solo, including CPU seating, RAM installation, cable management within the compact Lian Li O11 Dynamic Mini ITX case, and storage mounting.

• Post-assembly, I configured the operating system, drivers, and BIOS settings.

End Result

I built a fully functional custom workstation capable of handling demanding CAD and engineering software workloads. The system runs stable at 32 GB of DDR4 RAM with the Ryzen 5 3600's 6-core/12-thread architecture, and the GTX 1660 Super provides sufficient GPU compute for 3D rendering and viewport performance. The build came in under the prebuilt equivalent price point while offering greater transparency, repairability, and component-level control.