When you’re building a PC, one of the best parts (no pun intended) is how much control you have over your Components. If you know what you want from your PC build, you can tailor the part list you choose to avoid fancy components you won’t use and Splurge on what actually matters to you. 

Sounds like a pretty good deal to us — but it does require some know-how about which parts do what. Let’s learn a little bit about how to trim the fat from your PC build so you can dig in on the good stuff! 

1. Motherboard

• What It Does: Your PC’s Motherboard is the home of its BIOS, the basic system that allows your components to talk to each other. It’s where you’ll attach your CPU, graphics card, RAM, storage drives, and basically everything else.
• Save or Splurge: Choosing the right motherboard is more about getting the features you want than buying the latest high-performance monster. Mostly, you want to find a motherboard that’s compatible with the socket and chipset of the CPU you want to use (which is why CPU and motherboard combos are popular). You’ll also want to check things like the number and types of ports, SSD slots, and whether it uses DDR4 or DDR5 RAM. These factors can raise or lower the price, but they’re unlikely to be make-or-break for your overall budget.

2. Central Processing Unit (CPU)

• What It Does: Executes the instructions for nearly every function of your computer — from accessing files to playing games to editing audio and video. The CPU is the “command center” that coordinates all of the other components and crunches all the numbers in its processing cores. 
• Save or Splurge: Considering the CPU’s critical role, you’ll probably want to splurge at least a little here if you have the resources. Four cores is the base starting point for most modern PC builds. Mid-range CPUs with six to eight cores are a good bet for gamers, while high-end models with 10 or more may be necessary for heavy-duty creative applications and machine learning. Tons of other factors also play into your choice of CPU, but how they affect performance can be tough to pin down, so we recommend looking up some benchmarks and/or watching YouTube reviews for specific models.

3. Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)

• What It Does: Handles the processing of everything that appears on your display — from your desktop interface to PC games. GPUs come in two types: the cost-effective but less powerful integrated GPUs (which are built into your CPU) and the more powerful, more expensive discrete GPUs (also called graphics cards, and which are standalone parts that you’ll need to install).
• Save or Splurge: Discrete GPUs are really only necessary if you’ll be using your PC for graphics-intensive tasks like gaming, video editing, or animation. An integrated GPU will be fine for most other users. However, if you do need a graphics card, this might well be the biggest splurge of your entire build, especially if you’re gunning for a high-end card that can handle modern AAA gaming. (Remember that there’s a thriving market for used GPUs, so it’s often worth checking secondhand sites and open-box deals.) 

4. RAM

• What It Does: Random access memory (RAM) serves as your PC’s go-to short-term memory, which it uses for quick access to applications and files it’s currently using. 
• Save or Splurge: For most PC builders, 16GB RAM will be plenty for the foreseeable future. However, splurging on 32GB is a good idea if you do heavy-duty video editing or AAA gaming on high settings, or if you’re simply investing in a little bit of future-proofing. DDR4 RAM is still a perfectly viable choice for most gamers and is significantly more affordable, although DDR5 is (again) a good buy for the future if you’re OK with dropping a little more cash.

5. SSD

• What It Does: Your solid state drive will serve as the primary storage volume that holds your operating system, applications, and all kinds of personal files. 
• Save or Splurge: A 500GB to 1TB drive is plenty for the vast majority of users, although builders of lightweight and budget PCs might go as low as 250GB. (You can always swap in a bigger drive later if you need one, or use cloud storage.) If you’re building a high-performance PC, you’ll probably want to spring for the newer, faster NVMe SSD drives. Just make sure your motherboard includes NVMe slots.

6. CPU Cooler 

• What It Does: The CPU cooler absorbs and redirects the heat that your CPU generates. CPU coolers may use either air or water as their cooling medium, and each has its own advantages and drawbacks. 
• Save or Splurge: Many CPUs come with a built-in cooler that’s perfectly adequate for everyday use. However, if you plan to push your CPU hard, you’ll probably want to invest in an aftermarket cooler. (In fact, many high-end CPUs don’t come with one because they assume you’ll want to choose your own.) Air cooling is a great budget option, although all-in-one water cooling tends to be the most common choice for performance PCs. 

7. Monitor

• What It Does: Displays your PC’s graphic interface, including your operating system, applications, games, and just about everything else. 
• Save or Splurge: Just about every modern monitor offers 1080p Full HD resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate, so you can go fairly cheap and still get a good-looking basic monitor. If you’re OK with splurging a little (or a lot), there are some seriously awesome gaming monitors out there, including ultrawides and even 4K monitors. Competitive gamers should seek out refresh rates of 120Hz and up to ensure they can get the blazing-fast frame rates they need.

The crazy range of options for building a PC can be pretty intimidating, especially if it’s your first time doing it! If you haven’t done so already, try using a PC builder to organize your components, swap out different options, and tinker with specs. This will help you ensure all of your components are compatible together — and, of course, that the total cost of your build comes in within your budget.

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