PC building guides.
Choose your parts, check how they fit, build your PC and solve problems along the way.
34 guides to help with your build
Start here
Your first parts list, build notes and the decisions to make before ordering.
How to Share a PC Parts List for Build Advice
Prepare a clear PC parts list with your workload, budget, country and open questions so other builders can give useful feedback.
3 min readRead guideBefore you buildFirst PC Build Checklist: Parts, Tools and Preparation
A first PC build needs more than a CPU and a graphics card. This checklist helps you separate the parts required for your actual setup from optional extras, then catch missing cables, mounting hardware and installation media before assembly begins.
4 min readRead guideBudget & comparisons
Set a realistic budget and compare platforms, graphics brands and ready-built systems.
How to Budget for a PC Build: Parts, Tax and Shipping
Plan a PC build budget that includes the parts, delivery and complete setup, and compare equivalent retailer listings.
3 min readRead guideBUDGET PLANNINGPlanning a $500, $1,000, $1,500 or $2,000 PC Build
Turn a dollar budget into a complete shopping plan, decide what to prioritize and compare starter configurations without mistaking targets for prices.
4 min readRead guideBUY OR BUILDPrebuilt vs Building Your Own PC: How to Compare
Compare a prebuilt PC, a custom assembly service and DIY using the complete specification, support arrangements and delivered cost.
3 min readRead guidePLATFORM COMPARISONAMD vs Intel for a PC Build: Compare the Whole Platform
Choose between AMD and Intel using your games, applications, motherboard features and full platform cost rather than the brand name alone.
3 min readRead guideGRAPHICS COMPARISONNVIDIA vs AMD vs Intel GPUs: What to Compare
Compare graphics cards by exact model, game settings, application support, memory, display connections and total installation cost.
3 min readRead guideChoose components
Processors, graphics, memory, storage, cooling, power supplies and monitors.
How to Estimate PC Power Use and Choose a PSU
Understand CPU and GPU power ratings, check PSU capacity and cables, and use a PC power estimate without treating it as a measurement.
3 min readRead guideCPU BUYING GUIDEHow to Choose a CPU for Gaming and Productivity
Choose a processor around the work you want to finish and the display you want to drive. Core count, a gaming badge and a high clock speed are useful specifications, but none answers whether a CPU is the right purchase for your complete PC.
4 min readRead guideGRAPHICS CARD BUYING GUIDEHow to Choose a Graphics Card for 1080p, 1440p and 4K
The right graphics card depends on what you play or create, your desired settings and the rest of the system. A resolution label is a useful starting point, but it cannot select a GPU or a fixed amount of VRAM on its own.
4 min readRead guideMOTHERBOARD BUYING GUIDEHow to Choose a Motherboard: Socket, BIOS, Slots and Headers
A motherboard should support your exact processor and connect the devices you actually plan to use. Work through the support list, memory generation and physical layout before comparing decorative features or paying for expansion you cannot use.
4 min readRead guideMEMORY BUYING GUIDEHow Much RAM Do I Need? Choosing 16GB, 32GB or 64GB
Choose RAM capacity for the applications and projects you keep open together. Memory speed and capacity solve different problems, and a larger kit is worthwhile when your workload can use the space or needs room to grow.
4 min readRead guideSTORAGE BUYING GUIDEHow to Choose an SSD for Gaming and Work: Capacity, NVMe and SATA
An SSD must fit the right slot, hold your real files and suit the transfers your work creates. Choose those fundamentals before paying for the largest sequential-speed number on the box.
4 min readRead guideCOOLING BUYING GUIDEAir Cooler vs AIO Liquid Cooling: Which Fits Your PC?
Both air coolers and all-in-one liquid coolers can be appropriate choices. Select a specific cooler for your CPU workload, enclosure, noise preferences and maintenance expectations, rather than assuming that one cooling category always wins.
4 min readRead guideDISPLAY CHOICESChoosing a Gaming Monitor: Resolution, Refresh Rate and Connections
Match your display to the PC you are building, compare 1080p, 1440p and 4K, and check the connection needed for the mode you want.
3 min readRead guideCheck compatibility
Socket and BIOS support, memory profiles, physical clearances and connections.
How to Check PC Part Compatibility Before You Buy
Check CPU support, BIOS, DDR4 or DDR5 memory, case clearances and power connections before ordering your PC parts.
3 min readRead guideCPU and motherboardCPU and Motherboard Compatibility: How to Check BIOS Support
A matching CPU socket is the first check, but it does not tell you whether a particular motherboard can start with your processor. Use the exact CPU support entry, the installed BIOS version and an available update method before buying or replacing a CPU.
4 min readRead guideMemoryDDR4 vs DDR5 Compatibility: Which RAM Fits Your Motherboard?
DDR4 and DDR5 describe different memory generations. They are not interchangeable upgrades for the same memory slot. The practical choice begins with your motherboard and processor, then moves to module type, capacity and the configuration you intend to install.
4 min readRead guideMemoryXMP and EXPO: RAM Speed, Compatibility and Stability Checks
Your new memory can start at a lower rate than the number printed on its box. XMP and EXPO provide stored overclocking profiles, but the result depends on the processor, motherboard, firmware and installed modules. Use a stable default setup as your starting point.
4 min readRead guideGraphics and caseWill My GPU Fit My Case? Length, Thickness and Cable Clearance
A graphics card can be shorter than a case's advertised GPU limit and still fail to fit. Check the complete card dimensions, installed cooling hardware, expansion-slot space and the power-cable route before choosing a particular manufacturer version of a GPU.
4 min readRead guideCooling and caseCPU Cooler and RAM Clearance: Check the Fan, Memory and Case Together
A tower cooler may support your CPU socket yet collide with tall memory or prevent the case panel from closing. Check the heatsink, front fan and installed RAM as one assembly rather than approving each advertised dimension separately.
4 min readRead guideCooling and caseAIO Radiator Compatibility: Will a 240, 280 or 360 mm Cooler Fit?
A case's radiator-size list is a starting point, not a complete fit guarantee. An AIO also has end tanks, fans, hoses and a CPU block. Check the intended mounting position and the neighboring parts before selecting the radiator size.
4 min readRead guideMotherboard connectionsCase USB-C and Motherboard Headers: Will the Front Port Work?
A motherboard can have a USB-C port on its rear panel without the internal connector needed for your case's front USB-C port. Check front-panel support, connector type and rated speed separately so a convenient case port does not remain disconnected.
4 min readRead guideStorageM.2, NVMe and SATA SSD Compatibility: Slots, Sizes and Shared Lanes
M.2 describes a physical format, while SATA and PCIe/NVMe describe storage connections and protocols. A drive that resembles the slot can still use the wrong interface. Check size, protocol, slot behavior and any shared resources before installing an SSD.
4 min readRead guideBuild & set up
Assembly, airflow, first boot, operating system setup and stability checks.
How to Build a PC Step by Step: Assembly and Connection Checks
This sequence covers a conventional desktop with a standard motherboard and air cooler or sealed all-in-one cooler. Your case, socket and mounting hardware determine the exact procedure. Keep their manuals open and adjust the order when a compact case makes a connector inaccessible.
4 min readRead guideFirst bootWhat to Do After Building a PC: BIOS, Windows and Drivers
Reaching the BIOS is the beginning of setup. Confirm that the hardware is recognised and cooling works, install a supported operating system, then establish a stable baseline before enabling optional performance settings.
4 min readRead guideCooling and airflowPC Case Airflow and Fan Placement: Intake, Exhaust and Practical Checks
Good fan placement gives cool air a useful route through the parts that need it. The best arrangement depends on the case openings, cooler layout and graphics card, so start with the case's intended airflow and compare changes on your own build.
4 min readRead guideFix a problem
Work through no power, no display, overheating and excessive fan noise.
PC Turns On but No Display: A New-Build Troubleshooting Guide
Spinning fans do not tell you whether a PC has completed startup. Separate the monitor connection, initial memory training and a failed hardware check before replacing parts.
4 min readRead guideBoot troubleshootingNew PC Won't Turn On: Power and Front-Panel Checks
When a new PC does nothing after you press the case button, work from the external power source toward the internal connections. The aim is to identify the next useful check without live probing, improvised jumpers or opening the power supply.
4 min readRead guideCooling troubleshootingPC Overheating and Noisy Fans: Find the Cause Before Buying a Cooler
A loud fan can be responding correctly to a heavy workload, or it can expose a cooling, control or mounting problem. Compare the same workload and settings before deciding that a temperature reading requires a new cooler.
4 min readRead guideTesting and validationHow to Test a New PC for Stability: A Staged Checklist
A successful boot or a high benchmark score does not test every part of a new computer. Start with a documented standard configuration, then exercise memory, processing, graphics and everyday functions separately so a failure produces useful evidence.
4 min readRead guideUpgrade & reuse
Find the limiting component and decide which existing parts you can keep.
Can I Reuse My Old Power Supply in a New PC?
You may be able to reuse a suitable PSU, but its wattage and age alone cannot make that decision. Identify the exact unit, its condition, the correct cables and the demands of the proposed system before counting it as a reusable part.
4 min readRead guidePC UPGRADE PLANNINGWhat PC Parts Should I Upgrade First, and What Can I Reuse?
Upgrade the part that limits a task you care about, after checking whether the problem can be fixed without buying hardware. A symptom, a repeatable test and a complete compatibility check are more useful than a generic bottleneck percentage.
4 min readRead guideDIAGNOSE BEFORE UPGRADINGCPU or GPU Bottleneck? How to Check Before Upgrading
Use a repeatable workload, frame times and one-at-a-time changes to decide whether your CPU, GPU or another part is limiting performance.
3 min readRead guide