“I want to build a gaming PC, but I don’t know how to choose parts”
In 2026, the trends in PC parts have changed significantly.
The common sense from a few years ago (Core i7 is the strongest, 16GB of memory is enough, etc.) is no longer valid.
We will explain the “New Standard of 2026” that people who are building a PC or buying a BTO computer should aim for.
If you maintain this configuration, you will be able to comfortably play the latest games for the next three years.
CPU: Ryzen 5 9600X or Core Ultra 5
In the past, people used to say “Core i7” for games, but now the performance of mid-range “Ryzen 5” and “Core Ultra 5 (equivalent to the old i5)” has skyrocketed.
These have performance that surpasses high-end CPUs from several years ago.
Single-core performance is important in gaming, so there is no need to force yourself to buy an expensive Core i9 or Ryzen 9.
It would be a wise choice to use the difference for a graphics board.
Memory: Without hesitation, “32GB (16GB x 2)”
This is the biggest pitfall.
“16GB is enough” is a story until 2023.
The current Windows 11 (or 12) uses several GB just for the OS, and if you open Chrome or Discord behind the scenes, the memory available for games will be reduced.
If you run out of memory, the game will stutter no matter how good your graphics card is.
DDR5 memory is also getting cheaper, so be sure to load up on 32GB.
Storage: M.2 SSD (Gen4) 2TB
The capacity of modern games is huge.
One game of “GTA6” or “Monster Hunter Wilds” takes up 150GB to 200GB.
A 500GB or 1TB SSD will fill up quickly after installing an OS and a few games.
It would be troublesome to add more later, so choose 2TB from the beginning.
The current standard is “NVMe M.2 (Gen4),” which is directly inserted into the motherboard instead of a SATA connection (cable connection).
Summary: Balance is the key
PCs that have only the most powerful CPU or only the most powerful graphics card are hampered by low-performance parts (bottlenecks) and cannot demonstrate their true potential.
Following the golden ratio of “mid-range CPU + 32GB memory + 2TB SSD” mentioned above is the shortcut to the best cost performance.
