PC Builds
PC builds and components
Building a PC or buying one ready to go? See how I'd put together a custom gaming PC, what an RTX 5080 build needs, and which CPU pairs well with your card. On a budget? The budget gaming PC guide has you covered.
12 articles
Pick the graphics card first, since it decides your frames, then choose a CPU that keeps up with it.
How to pick a gaming PC or part
1
Name the GPU first
Your frames come from the graphics card, so pick it first. If a prebuilt listing won’t tell you exactly which GPU is inside, skip it.
2
CPU after the card
X3D chips help when the GPU is waiting on the CPU in CPU-heavy games. The CPU guide explains when an X3D chip is worth it. Do not buy a new CPU to fix a card that is already the limit.
3
Cooling and case: airflow first
Air vs liquid is about the cooler you can fit and the noise you will live with. A mesh case helps if the GPU still has room. Mini boxes and laptops have less air to work with.
4
Prebuilt vs DIY is a time-and-upgrade choice
A named prebuilt can be the right buy when you do not want to assemble. DIY wins when you care about the exact card and the upgrade path. Confirm the PSU wattage either way.
PC guides by topic
Best place to start
Parts and cooling
Tools and related pages
- PSU wattage calculator — Estimate from named parts. Not a kill-a-watt reading.
- Bottleneck estimator — A coarse CPU/GPU balance check, not a bench.
- Frame-time calculator
- How to increase FPS
- GPU driver update
- Monitors
Common questions
Should I build a gaming PC or buy a prebuilt?
Build if you want full control over parts and upgrades. Buy a prebuilt if you don't want to assemble it, as long as the listing names the exact GPU. Skip any prebuilt that hides its graphics card.
What PC does Yuval use?
A desktop with an RTX 5080 and a Ryzen 9 9950X3D2, playing on a 1080p 240 Hz and a 1440p 155 Hz monitor. The RTX 5080 page and custom-build guide go deeper into that kind of setup.
How big of a power supply do I need?
Use the PSU wattage calculator with your parts to get an estimate. Add some headroom, and check the RTX 5080 page if that's your card.
Will a new CPU fix my low FPS?
Only if your CPU is the bottleneck. Use the bottleneck estimator to check. If your GPU is already maxed out, a faster CPU won't add frames.
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