Define What You Want Your PC to Do
Define What You Want Your PC to Do
Define What You Want Your PC to Do
Before you even start picking parts, you need to know what you’re building your PC for.
Are you gaming? Streaming? Editing videos? Writing novels, keeping up on your favorite shows, and occasionally modding Skyrim until it crashes?
Your answer shapes everything from which components you prioritize, to how much you’ll want to spend.
Are you gaming? Streaming? Editing videos? Writing novels, keeping up on your favorite shows, or share your PC with the family?
Your answer shapes everything from which components you prioritize, to how much you’ll want to spend.
What Kind of PC Do You Need?
Below are a few common use cases. You might fit one. You might overlap a few. That’s totally okay. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer.
Gaming PC
Prioritize: Graphic Card (GPU) and CPU
Good airflow and a monitor that matches your resolution goals (1080p, 1440p, 4k)
If you're gaming at 1080p, a mid-tier GPU will go a long way.
Higher refresh rate monitors (like 144Hz) benefit from stronger GPUs and CPUs that can keep up.
Some games are more CPU-heavy (e.g., simulation games like Cities: Skylines), while others rely more on your GPU (Cyberpunk 2077).
Don’t forget to factor in peripherals like gaming mice, keyboards, Wi-Fi, and audio gear for a complete setup.
Streaming + Gaming PC
Prioritize: Graphic Card (GPU), CPU, and RAM
Your PC needs to handle multitasking and video encoding smoothly
A multi-core CPU (at least 6 cores, ideally more) helps stream and game at once without frame drops.
16GB RAM is the minimum; 32GB is ideal if you’re streaming while editing content.
SSDs are key for fast read/write speeds if you’re saving large media files.
Dedicated capture cards can offload the streaming workload, especially for dual-PC setups or console streaming.
Creative Workstation
Prioritize: CPU, RAM, and Fast Storage (SSD/NVMe)
GPU still matters for some tools, depending on your workflow
Adobe Creative Suite benefits from a strong CPU, but tools like Premiere Pro and After Effects also use GPU acceleration.
For 3D rendering (Blender, Unreal, etc.), a high-end GPU can significantly speed things up.
NVMe SSDs cut down project load times and reduce bottlenecks.
Consider silent or low-noise cooling options if you’re recording audio.
Everyday / Hybrid
Balanced Build
Start with a budget. You can always upgrade later.
APUs (CPUs with built-in graphics like AMD Ryzen G-series) are a good starting point for budget builds.
Quiet cases, small form factor builds, and customizable RGB lighting can make your setup more “you.”
Consider ergonomics: a good monitor and keyboard setup matters just as much as specs.
Great for shared household builds or multipurpose work/play PCs.
Gaming PC
Prioritize: Graphic Card (GPU) and CPU
Good airflow and a monitor that matches your resolution goals (1080p, 1440p, 4k)
If you're gaming at 1080p, a mid-tier GPU will go a long way.
Higher refresh rate monitors (like 144Hz) benefit from stronger GPUs and CPUs that can keep up.
Some games are more CPU-heavy (e.g., simulation games like Cities: Skylines), while others rely more on your GPU (Cyberpunk 2077).
Don’t forget to factor in peripherals like gaming mice, keyboards, Wi-Fi, and audio gear for a complete setup.
Streaming + Gaming PC
Prioritize: Graphic Card (GPU), CPU, and RAM
Your PC needs to handle multitasking and video encoding smoothly
A multi-core CPU (at least 6 cores, ideally more) helps stream and game at once without frame drops.
16GB RAM is the minimum; 32GB is ideal if you’re streaming while editing content.
SSDs are key for fast read/write speeds if you’re saving large media files.
Dedicated capture cards can offload the streaming workload, especially for dual-PC setups or console streaming.
Creative Workstation
Prioritize: CPU, RAM, and Fast Storage (SSD/NVMe)
GPU still matters for some tools, depending on your workflow
Adobe Creative Suite benefits from a strong CPU, but tools like Premiere Pro and After Effects also use GPU acceleration.
For 3D rendering (Blender, Unreal, etc.), a high-end GPU can significantly speed things up.
NVMe SSDs cut down project load times and reduce bottlenecks.
Consider silent or low-noise cooling options if you’re recording audio.
Everyday / Hybrid
Balanced Build
Start with a budget. You can always upgrade later.
APUs (CPUs with built-in graphics like AMD Ryzen G-series) are a good starting point for budget builds.
Quiet cases, small form factor builds, and customizable RGB lighting can make your setup more “you.”
Consider ergonomics: a good monitor and keyboard setup matters just as much as specs.
Great for shared household builds or multipurpose work/play PCs.
Gaming PC
Prioritize: Graphic Card (GPU) and CPU
Good airflow and a monitor that matches your resolution goals (1080p, 1440p, 4k)
If you're gaming at 1080p, a mid-tier GPU will go a long way.
Higher refresh rate monitors (like 144Hz) benefit from stronger GPUs and CPUs that can keep up.
Some games are more CPU-heavy (e.g., simulation games like Cities: Skylines), while others rely more on your GPU (Cyberpunk 2077).
Don’t forget to factor in peripherals like gaming mice, keyboards, Wi-Fi, and audio gear for a complete setup.
Streaming + Gaming PC
Prioritize: Graphic Card (GPU), CPU, and RAM
Your PC needs to handle multitasking and video encoding smoothly
A multi-core CPU (at least 6 cores, ideally more) helps stream and game at once without frame drops.
16GB RAM is the minimum; 32GB is ideal if you’re streaming while editing content.
SSDs are key for fast read/write speeds if you’re saving large media files.
Dedicated capture cards can offload the streaming workload, especially for dual-PC setups or console streaming.
Creative Workstation
Prioritize: CPU, RAM, and Fast Storage (SSD/NVMe)
GPU still matters for some tools, depending on your workflow
Adobe Creative Suite benefits from a strong CPU, but tools like Premiere Pro and After Effects also use GPU acceleration.
For 3D rendering (Blender, Unreal, etc.), a high-end GPU can significantly speed things up.
NVMe SSDs cut down project load times and reduce bottlenecks.
Consider silent or low-noise cooling options if you’re recording audio.
Everyday / Hybrid
Balanced Build
Start with a budget. You can always upgrade later.
APUs (CPUs with built-in graphics like AMD Ryzen G-series) are a good starting point for budget builds.
Quiet cases, small form factor builds, and customizable RGB lighting can make your setup more “you.”
Consider ergonomics: a good monitor and keyboard setup matters just as much as specs.
Great for shared household builds or multipurpose work/play PCs.
Not Sure Yet?
If you’re not sure where you land, that’s completely fine. The next set of questions will still help you define the focus of your build.
Your main goal is to assess how much computing power you need from your PC.
Questions to Ask Yourself
What do I actually want to use my PC for on a weekly basis?
What games or programs do I want to run?
Do I care more about looks, performance, or budget?
Am I trying to future-proof, or build something small and modular?
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