What Internal Cables are Required to Build a Computer?

Thinking about building a computer? This can be an incredibly rewarding and enjoyable activity and something that any tech-lover will get a real kick out of. It is, obviously, a highly complex process and it is important that you have the right cables for the job.

These are the main cables that will be required:

Internal Electrical Cables

These will be used to provide electrical power to any piece of hardware inside the computer whether this comes from a power supply unit or directly from the motherboard.  Places like RS Components carry high-quality PCB connectors which will help you to build your computer.

Internal Data Cables

Following this, every piece of hardware inside the computer will also require a data connection to the motherboard. External devices can be connected by a port on the outside but internal hardware, such as a hard drive, will more often than not use SATA data cables which connect to the SATA slots on the motherboard.

Fan Cables

As the name suggests, fan cables are used to connect the case fan with the internal power supply and come in either a 3 or 4pin design with a Molex connector – the 4pin variant allows for a function that enables the adjustment of the fan speed.

SAS Cables

Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) cables are the successor to the parallel SCSI interface and provide transmission speeds of 3Gb/s and 6Gb/s. They are almost identically constructed and backwards compatible with SATA.

Internal USB Cables

Everyone knows about external USB cables but you will also find these on the inside of the computer. Internal USB cables carry the USB signal of the jacks on the front to the terminals within the case and will differ depending on the required length and the supported standard (much like external USBs).

With USB the standard connector in computers today, it’s practical to install as many USB ports in your device. In the alternative, you can use a multiport USB hub to expand the number of ports. Quality also matters as USB ports can offer fast data-transfer speed or power delivery, as applicable. Check this comprehensive guide on USB specifications and connectors to help you decide which internal USB cables go to your supercomputer.

Power Supply Cables

Of course, you will also need power supply cables to build a working computer and the architecture of the internal power supply will depend on the limited connections on the power supply. Variants include the 8-pin EPS connector, the 6-pin PCI Express connector and the SATA Y connection.

These are the main types of cable that you will need to build a computer. Armed with these, the right equipment and a detailed guide, you should be able to build your own computer which can be incredibly rewarding and give you a newfound appreciation for these machines that have changed so much of modern life.