Lesson 1Sourcing realistic parts: verifying product listings, reading spec sheets, and cross-checking pricesBuild skills to check if online part ads are true and can be trusted. You check details, part numbers, and what people say across different shops and makers. Watch out for wrong pictures, grouped sales, and high 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 understand live prices and if parts are in stock from big shops and price trackers. You spot patterns, special sales times, and price changes by place. This helps you buy at good times and change plans to fit your money.
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-offsLook at basic coolers, big air coolers, and water cooling units. You think about noise, space fit, how long they last, and cooling power. Pick one that fits your box, processor heat, and what it looks like.
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 strategiesSee how SATA fast drives and NVMe drives differ in quickness, wait time, how long they last, and cost. Know PCIe types, how much space to get, and job needs. This way you pick right size without wasting money or slowing things.
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 considerationsFind out how box size and inside setup change if parts fit, air flow, and sound. Check space for graphics card and cooler, where to put drives, and wire paths. This keeps builds cool, neat, and simple 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 implicationsKnow how memory type, amount, and speed change work speed. Compare DDR types, timings, and layers. Learn two or four channel effects for games, making videos, and big 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, protectionsKnow how to pick and size a power unit that works well. Guess whole system power use, read 80 Plus good marks, compare wire types, and check safety parts. Avoid shakes, noise, and problems when adding new parts later.
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 to match main boards to processors and jobs. Compare fit spots, chip types, power strength, and plug options. Balance extra slots, links, and money for games, work, or office machines.
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 TDPFeel sure reading processor details and pages. Understand cores, threads, speed ticks, work per tick, store, and heat limit. Link them to games, video work, and office jobs to pick 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 make full parts list that fits together fast. Use ready forms, filters, and check tools. Save looks and warnings to act 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 reviewMake a way you can repeat to note part picks, prices, and where from. Write short clear reasons and save links, times, and other choices. Bosses can check and say yes quick to your build plans.
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 workloadSee how graphics levels fit games, art, and office work. Compare built-in and separate cards, memory size, power need, and extras. Pick one for screen size, smooth speed, and money goal.
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
