14 guides · 6 topics

Build guides

Part lists and plain-English explainers for planning, buying and building a gaming PC.

Featured build Building a $1,500 gaming PC in 2026 How 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 · Updated 23 Sep 2026

Inside

How to split the budget
An example build
How the parts fit together
A power estimate
Assembly guide

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GPU Guides · Storage & RAM 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,… 4 min read
Budget Builds 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,… 3 min read
CPU Guides · GPU Guides · Troubleshooting 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,… 4 min read
Storage & RAM 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… 4 min read
CPU Guides · 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… 4 min read
Cooling & Airflow 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… 4 min read
GPU Guides 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… 3 min read
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… 3 min read
Troubleshooting New PC won’t boot? Fixes for common first-build problems What 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… 4 min read
Troubleshooting BIOS setup for a new build: what to check and what to change What 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… 4 min read
Cooling & Airflow Cable management: a routing order that keeps a build tidy and serviceable Every 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… 3 min read
GPU Guides Choosing a graphics card for 1440p in 2026 Which 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… 3 min read
Guides The 2026 Gaming PC Build Roadmap A 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