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Planning your first build? Work through these six steps in order. Already building? Jump to the step you’re on.
14 guides6 steps
Step 1 of 6 · Budget Builds
Set a budget
Decide whether to build at all, and what your budget can realistically cover in 2026.
All Budget Builds →- Can you build a gaming PC for $500 in 2026?Not with all-new parts at September 2026 memory and graphics card prices. What $500 can still get you: upgrading a PC you have, used and refurbished parts, reusing DDR4, or a prebuilt deal, with a checklist for each.3 min read
- Should you build or buy a gaming PC in 2026?Building used to be the clear money-saver. In 2026, memory and storage prices have narrowed or reversed that, especially at lower budgets. How to compare fairly, the hidden costs on both sides, and what to check in a prebuilt.3 min read
- Building a $1,500 gaming PC in 2026How to split a $1,500 budget for 1440p gaming at 2026 prices, an example parts list with the reasons for each choice, how the parts fit together, a power estimate, and the assembly steps.4 min read
Step 2 of 6 · GPU Guides
Pick the GPU
Choose the right graphics card for your resolution, refresh rate and budget.
All GPU Guides →- Choosing a graphics card for 1440p in 2026Which current cards suit 1440p, how much VRAM to get, how NVIDIA, AMD and Intel differ, how to read benchmarks, buying used, and what to check before the card goes in your case.3 min read
- Which graphics card should you buy in 2026?The current NVIDIA, AMD and Intel cards by resolution, with their VRAM, board power and launch prices, what upscaling and frame generation actually do, and what to avoid.3 min read
- What is a bottleneck, and how do you find one?At any moment a game is limited by either the CPU or the graphics card. How to tell which one is holding your frame rate back, how to read frame times, and what actually fixes each case.4 min read
- PCIe 5.0: do you need it for a graphics card or an SSD?PCIe 5.0 doubles the bandwidth of PCIe 4.0. What that means for graphics cards and SSDs in real use, how lanes are shared on a motherboard, which platforms have it, and where PCIe 6.0 and 7.0 stand.4 min read
Step 3 of 6 · CPU Guides
Pick the CPU
Matching a CPU to your graphics card, and a platform with the right memory and PCIe support.
All CPU Guides →- DDR4 vs DDR5: which memory does your build need?Current AMD and Intel desktop platforms take DDR5 only. Where DDR4 still fits, how DDR5 differs inside, what the speed and timing numbers mean, which speed to buy, and why memory costs so much in 2026.4 min read
- What is a bottleneck, and how do you find one?At any moment a game is limited by either the CPU or the graphics card. How to tell which one is holding your frame rate back, how to read frame times, and what actually fixes each case.4 min read
Step 4 of 6 · Storage & RAM
Memory & storage
How much memory, which DDR5 speed, and whether a PCIe 5.0 SSD is worth it.
All Storage & RAM →- DDR4 vs DDR5: which memory does your build need?Current AMD and Intel desktop platforms take DDR5 only. Where DDR4 still fits, how DDR5 differs inside, what the speed and timing numbers mean, which speed to buy, and why memory costs so much in 2026.4 min read
- How much RAM do you need for gaming in 2026?16 GB still runs most games; 32 GB leaves room for demanding games with apps open in the background. How to decide while memory is this expensive, which speed to buy, and how to install it properly.4 min read
- PCIe 5.0: do you need it for a graphics card or an SSD?PCIe 5.0 doubles the bandwidth of PCIe 4.0. What that means for graphics cards and SSDs in real use, how lanes are shared on a motherboard, which platforms have it, and where PCIe 6.0 and 7.0 stand.4 min read
Step 5 of 6 · Cooling & Airflow
Cooling
Air cooler or all-in-one, case clearance, and tidy cable routing.
All Cooling & Airflow →- Cable management: a routing order that keeps a build tidy and serviceableEvery cable in a gaming PC and where it goes, the order to route them in, graphics card power connectors, fan and lighting headers, and the front panel. A practical approach for a tidy build you can work on later.3 min read
- Do you need liquid cooling for a gaming PC?Most gaming CPUs run fine on a good air cooler. How much heat CPUs really produce, what temperatures are normal, when an all-in-one liquid cooler is worth it, and the case measurements to check before buying either.4 min read
Step 6 of 6 · Troubleshooting
Fix problems
No POST, no display, RAM training errors and BIOS recovery, step by step.
All Troubleshooting →- BIOS setup for a new build: what to check and what to changeWhat to look at on the first boot, when and how to update the BIOS, turning on XMP or EXPO, Resizable BAR, fan curves and the Windows 11 settings, and how to recover when a setting stops the PC booting.4 min read
- New PC won’t boot? Fixes for common first-build problemsWhat to check when a new build won't turn on, turns on with no picture, doesn't see its memory, or boots but crashes, in the order that finds the fault fastest.4 min read
- What is a bottleneck, and how do you find one?At any moment a game is limited by either the CPU or the graphics card. How to tell which one is holding your frame rate back, how to read frame times, and what actually fixes each case.4 min read
Put it together
- Custom Part PickerPick every part and check socket, memory, board size and power as you go, or start from a random budget, mid-range or high-end build.Tool
- The 2026 Gaming PC Build RoadmapA step-by-step checklist for building a gaming PC in 2026, from setting a budget to the first boot, with a guide for every step.1 min read