Choosing Parts
Best PC Case for Gaming in 2026: Top Picks by Budget, Size, and Cooling
The best PC case for gaming in 2026, picked by real cooling, noise, and clearance data. Mesh mid-towers from $68, budget shells from $40, plus Mini-ITX options.
Best GPU Under $400 in 2026: RTX 5060 Ti 8GB Is the Clear Pick
The best GPU under $400 in 2026 is the RTX 5060 Ti 8GB at ~$375. It's 23% faster at 1440p than the RTX 5060 and the only sub-$400 card worth buying at 1440p.
What PC Do You Need for Minecraft? (2026 Guide)
Minecraft PC requirements for 2026: official specs from Mojang plus real build budgets for vanilla play, modpacks, and shader packs at every price point.
What PC Do You Need for Fortnite? (2026 Guide)
Fortnite PC requirements for 2026: official minimum and recommended specs from Epic, plus real build budgets for 60fps, 144fps, and 240fps competitive play.
Best CPU Cooler in 2026: Air Coolers and AIOs Ranked
Best CPU coolers in 2026, ranked by thermal benchmark data from our component database. Dual-tower air picks from $34, single-tower budget options from $25, and the best AIO liquid coolers for high-TDP builds.
Best SSD for Gaming in 2026: NVMe and SATA Picks by Budget
Best SSD for gaming 2026: Kingston NV3 1TB ($155) leads budget builds, Crucial P310 1TB ($175) hits the gaming speed ceiling. 2TB, Gen5, and SATA picks covered.
Best Motherboard for Gaming in 2026: AMD and Intel Picks by Budget
Best motherboard for gaming 2026: MSI MAG B850 Tomahawk MAX (~$200) for AMD, MSI MAG Z890 Tomahawk WiFi (~$230) for Intel. All budgets covered.
Best Airflow PC Case in 2026: Ranked by Thermal Benchmark Data
Best airflow ATX cases in 2026 ranked by CPU and GPU temperature benchmarks from the MaxMyBuild database. Budget picks from $68, real thermal data across 85 cases.
Best Case Fans in 2026: 120mm and 140mm Picks Ranked
Best case fans for gaming PCs in 2026. Budget picks start at $4.63/fan. Ranked by airflow, noise, and price using live data from 309 in-stock fans in the MaxMyBuild database.
Best RAM for Gaming in 2026: DDR5 Kits Ranked
DDR5 prices have risen sharply. Budget 32GB DDR5-6000 kits now run $150-181; AMD EXPO picks reach $280. Best gaming RAM picks at every capacity based on current June 2026 prices.
PSU Tier List 2026: Best Gaming Power Supplies by Wattage
PSU tier list 2026: best gaming power supplies ranked by value and build quality. 80+ Gold minimum, $65–$100 picks from 650W to 1000W — and which brands and models to avoid for RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 builds.
Best GPU Under $200 in 2026 — New vs Used Compared
Best graphics card under $200 in 2026: the Intel Arc A380 new, or a used RX 6600. What's worth buying, what to stretch for, and what to skip.
Best GPU Under $300 in 2026 — What You Can Actually Buy
The best GPUs to buy near $300 in 2026. The RTX 5060 and RX 9060 XT have $299 MSRPs but retail at $340–430+. Here's what's actually worth buying and why.
How Much RAM Do You Need for Gaming? (2026 Guide)
16GB is the minimum for gaming in 2026 — 32GB is the smarter buy. Here's what each tier gets you, plus DDR4 vs DDR5 and speed questions answered.
Budget Gaming PC Build 2026: Best Parts List for $650–750
Budget gaming PC build for 2026: a GPU-first parts list for $650–750 with benchmark-backed picks and a full cost breakdown — best value, all new parts.
New vs Used PC Parts: What's Safe to Buy Second-Hand?
New vs used PC parts — most components are safe second-hand, but GPU and PSU carry real risk. Here's what to buy used, what to avoid, and how much you'll save.
How Much VRAM Do You Need for Gaming? 2026 Guide
Exactly how much VRAM you need in 2026: 8GB for 1080p, 12GB for 1440p, 16GB minimum for 4K. Real GPU picks at each tier — including why 12GB now beats competing 8GB cards on price.
How to Choose a CPU for Gaming — Cores, Speed, and Budget Guide
How to choose a CPU for gaming. Match your processor to your GPU and budget — with real CPU picks and benchmark scores at every price point.
How to Choose a GPU for Gaming — Budget & Resolution Guide
How to choose a GPU for gaming. Match your graphics card to your resolution — 1080p, 1440p, or 4K — with real GPU picks and prices for every budget.