Lesson 1Sourcing realistic parts: verifying product listings, reading spec sheets, and cross-checking pricesBuild skills to check if online parts listings are correct and reliable. You will cross-check specs, model numbers, and reviews across sellers and makers while watching for tricky photos, bundles, and prices.
Confirming model numbers and revisionsComparing specs with vendor PDFsSpotting misleading photos and bundlesUsing reviews to confirm real behaviorFlagging gray‑market or fake listingsLesson 2Interpreting current component availability and pricing from major retailers and tech sitesLearn to read real-time prices and stock from big shops and tracking sites. You will spot trends, seasonal deals, and area differences so you can time buys and adjust builds to stay within budget.
Using price history and tracking toolsComparing major retailers and regionsSpotting sales cycles and promo patternsReacting to stock shortages and delaysAdjusting builds to stay within budgetLesson 3Cooling options: stock coolers, air coolers, AIO liquid coolers, and thermal performance trade-offsCompare stock coolers, tower air coolers, and AIO liquid units. You will weigh noise, space fit, reliability, and cooling power so you can choose cooling that suits your case, CPU strength, and style goals.
Stock coolers: pros, cons, and limitsTower air coolers and heatpipe designAIO liquid coolers and radiator sizingClearance with RAM, GPU, and side panelsNoise, fan curves, and maintenance needsLesson 4Storage types: SATA SSD, NVMe PCIe (Gen3/Gen4/Gen5) and sizing strategiesLearn how SATA SSDs and NVMe drives differ in speed, wait time, lifespan, and cost. Understand PCIe generations, space planning, and job needs so you can size storage right without wasting money or slowing things down.
SATA SSD vs NVMe: latency and throughputPCIe Gen3, Gen4, Gen5 lanes and limitsRandom vs sequential workloads and QD impactEndurance ratings, TBW, and warranty termsCapacity planning for OS, apps, and dataLesson 5Case form factors, airflow, GPU clearance, drive mounting, and cable management considerationsCheck how case size and layout affect fit, air flow, and noise. You will measure GPU and cooler space, drive spots, and cable paths so your builds stay cool, neat, and easy to put together or fix later.
ATX, mATX, ITX case and board fitmentFront, top, and rear airflow planningGPU and CPU cooler height clearancesDrive cages, brackets, and SSD mountsCable routing channels and tie‑down pointsLesson 6RAM types, capacities, speeds, timings, and dual/quad channel implicationsUnderstand how RAM type, size, and speed affect work. You will compare DDR types, timings, and ranks, and learn dual or quad channel effects for games, content making, and heavy memory jobs.
DDR generations and voltage differencesCapacity planning for common workloadsFrequency, timings, and real latencySingle vs dual rank DIMM behaviorDual and quad channel performanceLesson 7Power supply fundamentals: wattage estimation, 80+ efficiency ratings, modularity, protectionsUnderstand how to size and pick a solid power supply. You will estimate system power use, read 80 Plus ratings, compare modular types, and check protections and rails to avoid shakes, noise, and future upgrade problems.
Estimating peak and sustained wattage80 Plus efficiency levels and impactModular vs non‑modular cabling choicesProtections: OCP, OVP, SCP, OTP, OPPSelecting reputable PSU brands and linesLesson 8Motherboard chipsets, sockets, and feature sets: matching to CPU use casesLearn how to match motherboards to CPUs and jobs. You will compare sockets, chipsets, power delivery, and connections, then balance expansion, links, and budget for gaming, work, or office builds.
CPU socket and chipset compatibilityVRM design and power delivery qualityPCIe slots, M.2 slots, and lane sharingUSB, networking, and audio featuresBIOS quality, updates, and supportLesson 9How to read and compare CPU specifications: cores, threads, clocks, IPC, and TDPGain confidence reading CPU spec sheets and pages. You will read cores, threads, clock speeds, IPC, cache, and TDP, then link them to gaming, content making, and office jobs to pick the right processor level.
Physical cores vs logical threadsBase, boost clocks, and turbo behaviorIPC, cache sizes, and single‑thread strengthTDP, power limits, and cooling needsMatching CPU tiers to target workloadsLesson 10Building a parts list quickly: templates, compatibility checks, and saved search techniquesLearn to put together a full, matching parts list fast. You will use templates, filters, and check tools, then save searches and alerts so you can move quick on stock changes and short deals.
Starting from proven build templatesUsing online compatibility checkersFiltering by budget and performanceSaving searches and price alertsVersioning and cloning parts listsLesson 11Documenting choices: writing concise justifications and noting purchase URLs and price snapshots for manager reviewBuild a repeatable way to record part picks, prices, and sources. You will practice writing short, clear reasons and saving links, times, and options so bosses can quickly check and okay your builds.
Writing one‑sentence part justificationsRecording URLs, SKUs, and seller detailsCapturing dated price and promo evidenceTracking alternative parts and trade‑offsOrganizing build notes for manager reviewLesson 12GPU tiers and market positioning: integrated vs discrete GPUs and how to pick by workloadLearn how GPU levels fit gaming, creative, and office tasks. You will compare built-in and separate GPUs, memory sizes, power needs, and features so you can pick a card for screen size, frame speed, and budget.
Integrated graphics vs discrete GPUsEntry, midrange, and high‑end GPU tiersVRAM capacity, bus width, and bandwidthPower draw, connectors, and PSU impactMatching GPU to resolution and refresh
