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Assemble the system unit according to the components yourself. How to build a gaming computer from scratch. Additional bonuses for clients

Let us first determine the amount of the budget of the PC being assembled, and also clarify that this budget applies to what will be placed in the system unit - this amount does not take into account the monitor, keyboard and mouse, since these components are the subject of a separate discussion.

And in this article, speaking of an inexpensive computer, we will mean the budget for assembling a PC from scratch no higher than 30,000 rubles. For assembly, we need the following components:

  • CPU;
  • Motherboard;
  • HDD;
  • System case with power supply;
  • Video card;
  • Optical drive for CD/DVDs.

Microprocessor selection

The computer processor is the main center of the computer's computing capabilities, and recently the graphics core has also been transferred to its substrate, so the assembly can exist without an external video card. However, in our case we are talking about a powerful PC, so we need an external video card.

The choice of processor will determine the base platform of our PC. To date, the most popular platforms are Intel and AMD. The assembly will be based on the Intel platform, since the processors of the computer giant Intel are considered more efficient and economical, although they are inferior in graphics capabilities to their counterparts from AMD.

It is not worth saving on a microprocessor, since we want a powerful computer. Also, we will provide for the purchase of a boxed version of the microprocessor, which is supplied with the heat sink assembly. Our choice will be on a microprocessor with an LGA 1150 socket which is by far the most common. The cost of this component should not exceed $ 100, and therefore a good solution in this case it will be Pentium G3220 or G3240. Its cost will not even exceed 90 dollars.

Motherboard

What we should save on is when choosing a motherboard, but even here the savings should be within reasonable limits. By choosing a microprocessor, we noticeably narrowed down the options for choosing a motherboard, since now we only need to choose from those that provide an LGA 1150 socket.

Savings in choosing a motherboard relates to its wiring. We don't need to buy a motherboard with connectors that will never be used - that's the case with RAID arrays, for example. And the more connectors and "wider" wiring, the more expensive the motherboard. For our needs, it is enough that the motherboard has USB, SATA and one PCI-Express connectors for connecting a video card. In addition, almost all modern solutions have a built-in LAN port and VGA connector. In our budget case, you should not choose from full-sized ATX, but mATX is fine. Let's opt for the motherboard from GigaByte - this is the GA-B85M-D2V board. Its cost is about 80 dollars, and therefore we have already spent 170 dollars. Its connectors and ports are enough not only to connect the internal components of a PC, but also to connect all the necessary computer peripherals.

The motherboard we have chosen has two slots for DDR3 memory DIMMs. At the same time, the supported frequency is 1333-1600 MHz, and the memory capacity is up to 16 GB. In our case, at first, 4 GB will be enough - we will fill only one slot. It is necessary, however, to understand that in 32-bit Windows, a little less than 4 "gig" will be available to the user. A smaller amount of memory cannot put a modern PC in the category of powerful ones, since the same Windows 8 operating environment (64-bit version) already requires 2 GB of memory, and modern applications are also very demanding in this matter. Therefore, our choice will be on Kingston DDR3 4Gb 1600 MHz memory. Its cost is about $50, and therefore the total amount of our purchase has already reached $220.

video card

This is the component that is also not worth saving, since it is the video card that is responsible for the formation and output of computer graphics. The higher the memory capacity of the graphics card, the higher the resolution of the monitor your PC can support, and the higher its bit depth, the faster graphics can be generated and displayed. In our case, we need a budget option with a 64-bit bus width and 2 GB GDDR3 memory. Let's opt for a video card from the company Sapphire worth 80 dollars. In the future, it can be easily replaced by a more powerful one. Thus, the total amount of our purchase grows to $ 300, and we still have to choose a system unit, an optical drive and a hard drive.

HDD

Now we do not need to purchase external hard drives in bulk, we need an internal HDD - let's stop our choice on a classic hard drive and will not consider solid state drives. The most common average hard drive today is 500 GB, but some "terabytes" are only $ 10 more expensive. If an IDE interface comes across, then we skip such an HDD, and pay attention to the SATA interface. In our case, perfect, for example, hard from Western Digital WD10EZEX. The volume of this HDD is 1 TB, and the spindle speed is 7200 rpm. Also, it has 64MB cache and SATA 3 interface, which is supported by our motherboard. The price of the hard one we chose is about $85, so our total purchase amounts to $385.

System unit

To combine all the purchased components, we need an inexpensive system unit with a 400 W power supply - this power is enough to service the purchased components. Since we chose a micro-ATX form factor motherboard, it is enough for us that this case supports motherboards of this particular form factor. But in the future, a computer user may wish to upgrade it, and therefore we will choose a case that also supports motherboards of the full-size ATX form factor. In this case, a case, for example, from Logicpower with a built-in power supply for $ 30, is perfect. Thus, our amount has grown to 415 dollars.

optical drive

For full-fledged work, we also need an inexpensive optical drive that can play the contents of CDs and DVDs. We will need a drive with a SATA interface costing no more than $25.

Our purchase did not exceed $500, but we assembled a fairly powerful computer with good technical performance and with the possibility of further upgrading. The motherboard, for example, allows you to add another memory bar and a number of expansion cards. The video card can be replaced with a more powerful one, and the case supports the ability to replace the motherboard itself with its full-size ATX version. In addition, it will be possible to improve the cooling system in the case by installing an additional case cooler. At the same time, we invested in an amount of less than 450-500 dollars. It should also be taken into account that you will have to spend money on two data cables for a hard drive and an optical drive, but their cost is incomparably less than the amount spent on assembly.

How to assemble a gaming computer? A similar question has been very relevant lately: ready-made assemblies presented in stores usually use equipment 1-2 generations older than the current one and are unreasonably overpriced. In such a situation, there is only one way out - self-assembly of the computer to suit your needs. This option is several times more profitable than buying a finished machine: you choose the components yourself, and the price does not include the assembly of a PC by a store. The result is a much more powerful and personalized machine at a lower price.

Unfortunately, now not everyone is able to do such work on their own - the reason for this is the diversity on the component market and the high complexity of the project. Our article will help you figure out the issue and assemble your own without any extra effort.

The best place to start is with configuration analysis and prioritization. To put it simply, you need to decide: what do you want to get as an output and which components should be given special emphasis, and which ones can be bought in the basic version. Read the information below, we will help you make a choice.

  • CPU . Something that you definitely shouldn't skimp on. In fact, it sets the speed for the entire computer, and it is unlikely that a gaming PC with a weak processor will be able to pull out modern games even if there are maximum versions of other components;

  • video card. For a gaming computer, it is just as important as the processor. However, there is relative freedom of choice here: if you want to play games from about two years ago, then you can stop at the most wholesale solutions. If games require the most modern - then, definitely, the maximum configuration;

  • RAM. Not only the amount of memory is important, but also its type and speed. Games released a couple of years ago do not have high memory requirements, but we would recommend not to save anyway: the more memory, the more operations your computer will be able to perform simultaneously without accessing the hard drive;

  • drives. The comfortable speed of the system depends on their speed, and the amount of installed software and stored information depends on the volume. This item allows you to combine the selected components, but if you do not care about the speed of the system and you are ready to put up with the relative slowness of loading and rendering the interface, you can save money. It will hardly affect the games;

  • motherboard. Many people think that the motherboard is just a mounting socket for the rest of the components, and you can ignore it and take the cheapest option. Such people are only partly right: the cheapest option levels the power of other parts, but the most expensive solutions are not entirely justified. This is the case when our choice is the golden mean;

  • cooling. If you are not going to get carried away with overclocking, take a simple cooling suitable for your processor and you will be happy, but if you are going to squeeze the maximum out of your computer, it is better to take an expensive option - there is less risk of burning the processor;

  • power unit. Treat it in exactly the same way as a motherboard: too little - it won't last and will lead to reboots, too much - an unjustified waste of money. However, there are also certain subtleties here;

  • frame. If you are not a fan of neon lights and a dozen additional screens of dubious functionality, then get by with an inexpensive but spacious case with good air circulation. More is not needed.

So, you have decided on the approximate configuration of the project. Now let's move on to the next point - the specific choice of components.

Dealing with accessories

Now we have the most difficult part - to decide on specific models of components. Here we will give recommendations for three options - budget, medium and maximum. You should have decided on the option in the last paragraph.

Note! When choosing and buying parts, use sites like Yandex.Market - they will help you choose a store with the best price, and you can also read reviews on this particular hardware model.

A couple of years ago, we would have made a reservation in this part of our instructions: we choose Intel and only Intel. AMD used to specialize mainly in solutions for the office segment, but with the release of modern processors based on the Ryzen architecture, this company is also joining our race. So what are we paying attention to? We are interested in frequency, architecture, number of cores and cache memory.

There is a widespread opinion: there is complete stagnation in the processor camp, the architecture, for example, Sandy Brigde does not differ at all from Kaby Lake, it is better to take a processor with the highest frequency and number of cores. This is not true.

Information for thought. Let's make a small remark about the device of the central processor. So beloved by many, the "multi-core" of modern processors is very often confused with simple multithreading - and there is a significant difference in these two concepts. There are two types of cores - physical and logical. This is especially true for Intel chips with their proprietary Hyper-Threading technology. The bottom line is that with the actual four cores, the processor performs calculations in eight threads - as it would be with eight cores.

The trouble with this solution is that there are still four cores, and the difference in performance between a system with eight physical cores and a “4 + 4” system is not the 5-10 percent that marketers love to tell us about, but quite tangible 20 percent . This is especially noticeable in "processor-dependent" games, like GTA 5 - such games use all available processor cores.

The next characteristic is frequency. If earlier, when the processors were only a few tens of megahertz, each new ten gave a huge increase in performance, but now, when the industry has reached its maximum and the average value for all companies has hung somewhere at the level of 3 GHz, the extra 100-200 MHz is not will make you weather. Let's remember and save as a constant: The minimum bar is 2.5 GHz, and everything above 3.5 GHz is already an overclocking area and is only optional.

We go further - cache memory. The essence of its work lies in the fact that it is a volatile memory placed on the same substrate as the processor, which has a speed 2-3 times higher than RAM. These chips are used by the processor for internal calculations, and the higher this value, the more calculations the processor can perform without accessing external devices and without writing its data to RAM. For us, all this means only an increase in productivity - by the way, a rather significant increase.

Architecture completes our parade - that "delta" that the industry shifts every year. The architecture of processors is updated annually, and the difference in performance averages 10-15 percent. This parameter is important only for “processor-dependent” games, but nevertheless, architectures older than 2015 are completely unsuitable in the modern world. What's newer - yes, here you can already choose.

So, having a little understanding of the principles of the processor, we can draw certain conclusions.


Note! Specific processor models are given here only as an example - we advise you to study the entire range on the market, and comparing the materials of this article and reviews on specific models, choose your ideal option.

In this article, we will put aside disputes about the benefits or harms of dual-channel or single-channel memory modes, and agree that our version is only single-channel. That is, under any conditions, the memory strips must be identical and their number must be even. Or the bar can be one - then there are no questions. It is this configuration that allows you to achieve maximum performance in games.

What can be said about memory? We are interested in its volume and speed, which is determined by the frequency (and, therefore, the type).

Information for thought. Yes, the type of memory basically determines all its characteristics, except for the volume itself. Type - these are the very letters SDRAM, DDR, DDR3 or DDR4. But it is not these letters that are important to us, but the memory frequency. The frequency is determined by the type - for example, DDR3 will not be able to cross the threshold of 1866 MHz, the next generation of memory is required higher.

Note! It would seem that everything is simple - you need to take the maximum possible solution, but you definitely need to make a reservation - the maximum possible solution that is compatible with your processor.

In the last paragraph, you chose a processor, so do not be lazy and go to the website of its manufacturer - usually the descriptions and technical documentation of the processor say everything about the supported memory.

We figured out the frequency and type, but what about the volume? The debate on this point will probably never die down, but it's worth remembering: the minimum threshold is 4 GB. This is the minimum at which a comfortable existence is still possible today.


It's time to compile the two previous points. The choice of motherboard is determined primarily by the processor and memory. Yes, the chronology is exactly like that, and the motherboard should be chosen based on their processor and memory, and not at all vice versa. So, look again at the page with their characteristics - we are interested in the type of processor socket, often referred to as a "socket" and the type of RAM, the same DDR and DDR4.

Having decided on these main characteristics, you can move on. You should pay attention to the form factor of the board (if you miscalculate and take more than you need, the board will not fit into the case), the number of expansion slots and especially PCI-E x16, as well as the ability to connect drives. When choosing, it will also not be superfluous to go to the website of the board manufacturer and clarify the compatibility of the candidate with the details selected earlier. It will be a shame if you find incompatibility already in the build process.

Motherboards come in a variety of form factors, but the three most common are ATX, microATX, and miniITX. The most common and most convenient is the first one: you can install up to 6 expansion cards in it, and there will most likely be more slots for RAM. MicroATX has only four expansion slots and two for memory, and miniITX has even fewer - one slot of each type. You should pay attention to the number of PCI-E x16 slots only if you are going to install several video cards on your computer - if not, then one slot is enough. As for drives, it should be remembered that there are several standards for their connection - IDE, SATA. SATA 2 and SATA 3. The first two types are not used today, but the latter are most often found together and combined. They differ in bandwidth and, as a result, in speed.

So what can we say about options?


So we got to the main point of the gaming computer - to the video card. These devices have the most myths and prejudices among assemblers, but they are relatively simple - even a little easier than with processors. In fact, there are only three important characteristics that you should pay attention to - this is the frequency of the video core, the amount of video memory and bandwidth. Accordingly, the larger each of these parameters, the higher the settings in your games you will receive.

Information for thought. Video cards are sometimes referred to as a computer within a computer. These boards have their own video core (processor) and video memory (RAM) chips. The selection rules here are exactly the same as in processors and memory - the higher the frequency, the better, the more video memory, the better. But there is one parameter that is much more important here. This is architecture. You will literally notice the difference between modern Maxell or Pascal and last year's Kepler. In addition, video cards are the section where AMD stops catching up and turns into a real competitor for NVidia.

Choosing a card now should be based on the resolution of your monitor and the expected graphics settings for games.


Drives

What systems and games are installed on, the place where all your data is stored. There are two types of hard drives: conventional HDD hard drives and high-speed solid-state SSDs based on flash memory technology. The characteristics of both types are similar: form factor, connection bus, and exclusive to HDD - spindle speed. The difficulty is that in addition to the characteristics, there are several more use cases. They depend on your needs and your budget. Regarding the connection type, these are the same SATA 2 and SATA 3 that we talked about in motherboards.

There are also two forms of factors:

  1. Regular 3.5 inch and compact.
  2. "Notebook" 2.5 inches.

Hard drives come in two formats, and the performance is higher with the "big" brother, but SSDs are only small. Needless to say, SSDs are not only several times faster than HDDs, but also much more expensive.

Note! In all cases, you should choose hard drives with a maximum spindle speed (7200 rpm). If you choose a slow hard drive, even if the system is not installed on it, it can still become the very “bottleneck” that will negate all the power of your computer in games.

The last detail, the choice of which requires serious analysis. You can choose the rest of the details like the drive and the case, referring solely to your taste. So what do we have here? The power supply is a rather important part of your computer, it depends on it how stable it can work. In addition, if the power of the power supply is not enough, then this can lead to constant reboots, which cannot but affect the health of the system and the user's nerves.

You should choose a power supply based on two important parameters - the approximate amount of other equipment, as well as the type of power supply of the motherboard and video card. We also agree that in our time the lower power supply threshold is 650 watts. So what about the types of food? To do this, you will have to visit the websites of the manufacturers of the motherboard and video card again - there you will find the necessary information.

Now there are mainly two types of motherboard power supply - 24 + 4 and 24 + 8. This means that there are 24 pins to power the board itself, and there are separate 4 or 8 pins to power the processor part. As for the video card, they usually require additional power through a standard six-pin connector, and it's all about their number - some video cards do not have these connectors at all, and some can have up to three of them.

The division into options in this case is solely by power.


Computer assembly

The hardest part is over. The most interesting thing remains - assembling our computer.

Hull preparation

After you have taken your case out of the box, remove the side cover from it by unscrewing the two screws on the back panel and remove all the hardware supplied by the manufacturer from it. You can find inside bags with the necessary screws, various extension wires and stickers. Set these things aside for later.

Installing the motherboard


Important! Make sure that the screwdriver does not touch the surface of the board and, moreover, does not damage it. Be extremely careful.

Processor installation


Cooling plant


Installing RAM

Make sure the latches near the RAM slots are out of the way. Remove the RAM from the package and install it on the motherboard, observing the position of the key - the cutout on the bar must match the protrusion in the slot. After correctly placing the bar in the slot, lightly press on its upper edge until it clicks: the latches should themselves come into a vertical position, securely fixing our bars in their slots.

Installing Drives


Note! Some case models have their own drive mounting system. There, special rocker arms and sleds can be used, which are included in the package of delivery of the case. Read the instructions for it to learn the process of installing your drives in such a case.

Installing a graphics card


Installing the power supply


Front panel connection

It remains to connect the front panel controls to the motherboard so that you can turn on and restart the computer and use the USB ports. There are two generally accepted front panel connection standards. The connectors coming from the front panel are usually signed, and the motherboard has markings that match the signatures, but it can be small and unreadable, so we will give a visual diagram of each of the standards.

As for the USB and audio ports, it's even easier with them - just plug their connectors into the USB and HD_Audio (or just Audio) connectors, respectively. The main thing is to observe the keys (see illustration).

Summing up

If after all the manipulations you turned on the computer and it started working - congratulations, you just assembled a gaming computer with your own hands!

Yes, the described process looks rather complicated, but you just have to try it and you will understand that the complexity is only apparent. We hope this article will help you in your business. Good luck!

Video - How to build a gaming computer

Computer ... Now we can't go anywhere without it. And so, when it comes to buying a new device, you should think and ask yourself: “Which would be more profitable, to assemble or buy a computer?” And it is best to choose the second option. And why so, now you will find out.

Features of self-assembly of a computer

Building a computer from scratch has a number of distinctive features.

First about the pros:

  • The cost of buying components separately will be less than the cost of a finished computer.
  • Such a computer will be selected as precisely as possible in connection with your preferences.

Now for the cons:

  • Assembling a computer and selecting components takes additional time.
  • It is necessary to deal with the installation of components, the operating system and the necessary programs.

As you can see, although there are few pluses, they are much more significant than the minuses, since often even the most expensive ready-made computer will have an unbalanced configuration and cost insanely expensive.

Assembly preparation

Before you start assembling, you need to make sure that all the elements of the “constructor” are in your collection. Here's what you should have:

  • CPU.
  • Motherboard.
  • Video card (optional).
  • RAM.
  • Power Supply.
  • Frame.
  • CPU cooling.
  • HDD.
  • Monitor.
  • Mouse with keyboard.


When you are convinced that your computer is complete, you can begin the assembly. Complete instructions for assembling the computer will be given below.

Processor installation

You need to start by installing the processor into the motherboard, not by installing the motherboard into the case. This will simply make it more convenient. On the motherboard we find a square metal cap and open it. Before us is a place for the processor.

There are notches on the processor for the correct location, and bulges on the motherboard. But keep in mind that the motherboard must be compatible with the brand and line of your processor.

That is, motherboards for some processors are not suitable for others. It is better to ask consultants about compatibility when buying a mat. board or processor. Now take the processor and carefully insert it into the socket. Now you need to close the processor with a lid.

CPU cooling unit

After installing the stone, you need to put cooling for it. But before installation, you need to apply thermal paste to the processor. True, now almost all coolers already have thermal paste applied. If there is none, then carefully apply it on the processor with a thin layer (this can be done using a plastic card).

Now let's install the cooler. Mounts are different, just follow the instructions. After installation, move the cooling a little, it should sit very firmly on the motherboard.

RAM

It's time to install the RAM, and there is nothing complicated. The connector for it is usually located on the side of the processor and there are at least two of them. Just move the latches and insert it into the slot so that the latches close.

Installing the power supply

The power supply must be placed in the case in front of the motherboard in most cases. In modern cases, the place for it is at the bottom, but it can also be at the top. But one way or another, the principle of its installation does not change.

Bolts should come with the block, if there are none, then they come with the body. Simply insert the power supply into place and tighten the bolts.

Installing a hard drive

The place for the hard drive in the case is reserved closer to its front part. We insert it into the connector and fix it with bolts from the body.

Installing the motherboard

For the motherboard in the case there are special protrusions, the so-called "stumps". And on the motherboard there are holes for these stumps.

We put the motherboard on them and fasten it with the bolts that come with the case. It should be mentioned that not all stumps you will use. Everything, the motherboard is installed.

Installing a graphics card

The video card is placed in a long slot under the processor, just like RAM. We move the clamp and insert the video card. Additionally, you need to fix the video card with a screw.

Connection of all components

It remains only to connect the wires to all the components of the system unit.


The motherboard is powered through the largest connector on it on the right. Just connect it to the power supply.

We also find a wire with the name “CPU” in it and stick it into the connector with the same name on the motherboard from above. This is the processor power.

Cooling is connected to the connector called “CPU Fan”.

If your video card has a connector for additional power, then we look for the “PCI express” wire on the power supply and connect it.

To connect a hard drive, you need to take the “SATA” connector that comes with the case and connect it to the motherboard and to the hard drive. You also need to connect the “SATA” wire from the power supply to it.

Now connect the front panel of the case to the motherboard. These are the wires coming from the case. They should be connected to the bottom of the mat. fees. All connectors, as well as wires, are signed. Therefore, if you are careful, then placing everything correctly will not be difficult.

Now close the side cover of the case and connect the monitor, mouse and keyboard to it. Everything is ready, you can start installing the operating system.

This concludes our step-by-step assembly of the computer.

Hello friends! Many of us in childhood loved to collect the designer, right? Those who are younger still remember how many wonderful things can be created with even a small Lego set.

The older generation remembers with nostalgia the time when Lego was an overseas curiosity, but in toy stores you could sometimes get the products of their competitors - the PB company from the GDR. These kits were ingenuously dubbed the "German Constructor".

The assembly of the ATX system unit and other form factors differs little from these fun: from interchangeable unified parts according to a similar principle, with the right approach, you can “blind” a PC with your own hands, which will even work.

This publication about the order of assembly of the computer is an introductory to the next cycle of instructions. In it, I will try to convey the main points as concisely as possible, but these tips will already help you assemble the computer yourself. We will analyze each stage point by point in the following guides.

The main rule when assembling

It is quite simple and in a perverted form says "You can not shove what is not shove." I explain. Parts of the same type, but different generations (as in the case of RAM) or different modifications (as in the case of processors) have different slots for installation.

Even if they are similar in appearance, the locks and lockers present will not allow the component to be mounted correctly. If you make an effort, expensive components can simply be broken.

Therefore, even if you are 95% sure that you ordered the correct parts, double-check before assembly that they really match.

And if it suddenly turns out that you forgot something or bought the wrong thing, you will find everything you need in this popular online store.

Assembly diagram by points

The position of each of the stages is not a dogma at all and they can be interchanged. However, according to the list that I bring to your attention, it is most convenient to assemble a computer. So, in order:


Ready! It remains to install the operating system and all the necessary drivers - and you can hack into Dota 2.

As you can see, everything is very simple, and the assembly will take you no more time than I wrote and checked this publication for errors. Going from top to bottom, according to this algorithm, you can assemble a computer of any configuration.

And in conclusion, I want to add one small clarification. When assembling a computer, it is important to distinguish between similar concepts. To install means to mount a part on its seat. To connect means to connect all the necessary cables to the appropriate slots.

It is worth noting the following point. Budget motherboards are equipped with a 4-pin CPU power connector. So with our hands we divide the existing 8-pin cable into two 4-pin ones and connect to the board. Expensive motherboards, on the contrary, in addition to the 8-pin connector, are equipped with an additional connector. The trick is that in this case everything will work from one 8-pin wire. An additional port is needed if, for example, you will seriously overclock the central processor. But then you will also need an accompanying power supply, or an adapter.

Step #5: Install Drives and Optical Drive

For a desktop PC, there are two most common drive form factors: 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch. Plus, M.2 SSDs are gaining popularity. As for the latter, everything is simple with this form factor: the device is installed directly into the port soldered on the motherboard. But 2.5- and 3.5-inch drives must first be fixed in the case.

In 99% of cases, the case is equipped with a special basket with skids. The manufacturer also indicates in the characteristics the number of slots for 2.5- and 3.5-inch drives, as well as 5.25-inch devices. In the case of the Fractal Design Define R5, two metal baskets are used. The first (top) can accommodate five 3.5-inch or as many 2.5-inch drives. The second (lower) - three. In some cases, these baskets may be removable. Plus, this case specifically has two seats for 2.5-inch drives behind the chassis.

Not all computer cases support the installation of 2.5-inch drives as an option. True, many SSD manufacturers complete their products with special adapters for 3.5-inch sleds. Usually they are packed in cardboard boxes, but not sealed in a blister.