PC building guides
The things that leave people with parts that do not go together, explained one at a time, with example builds checked by the same engine the build page uses.
Building a PC for the first time: what do you need to buy?
The eight categories that actually matter, which are compulsory, which depend on the CPU you chose, and the order of choosing that saves you going back.
3 min read · updated 2026-09-11
What is a socket, and why must the CPU and motherboard match?
A socket is the pin layout a CPU drops into. Mismatch it and the chip will not go in at all. How AM5 and LGA1700 differ, and how to check.
3 min read · updated 2026-09-11
How to choose a motherboard: chipset and board size explained
What B650 and B760 actually mean, how to choose between ATX, mATX and ITX, and which figures on the spec page really matter before you order a board.
3 min read · updated 2026-09-11
DDR4 vs DDR5: what is the difference, and which do you need?
DDR4 and DDR5 are not interchangeable, and the choice is not yours — it is the motherboard’s. What decides it, and how to check before you order.
2 min read · updated 2026-09-11
What size case? How ATX, mATX and ITX differ
Cases differ in five figures that set the ceiling for the rest of the machine. Choosing one early makes every other choice easier.
3 min read · updated 2026-09-11
Will the graphics card fit the case? How to check before you buy
How to compare card length against the case and cooler height against the side panel — the two figures that leave a build unable to close.
2 min read · updated 2026-09-11
How many watts does the power supply need?
How to work out the wattage you need, the formula this site uses, why it allows 20% headroom, and why the graphics card maker’s own figure always wins.
3 min read · updated 2026-09-11
M.2 NVMe vs SATA SSD: what is the difference, and which should you buy?
NVMe is ten times faster than SATA on paper. How much you feel, what M.2, SATA and NVMe each mean, and picking a drive your board takes.
3 min read · updated 2026-09-11
Which CPUs come with a cooler in the box?
Some CPUs include a cooler, some do not, and some depend on which package the shop is selling — how to check before you buy.
2 min read · updated 2026-09-11
Air cooler or liquid cooler: which should you pick?
What actually differs between an air heatsink and an AIO liquid cooler, why each one is checked against a different figure, and which suits which case.
3 min read · updated 2026-09-11
How much can you trust the example builds?
Every example build here is checked against the same compatibility rules as the build page, and a test fails the build if any article recommends a machine that will not go together, or names a part no longer in the catalogue — so an article cannot fall behind the catalogue.