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8 PC building mistakes that can ruin your gaming experience
Thanks to countless available resources, PC building concerns like buying compatible parts or safely assembling them aren't huge issues anymore, at least for most of us. But there are still some crucial areas prone to mistakes that could diminish your gaming performance and your overall experience. These areas are easy to overlook, as they're not make-or-break for your gaming PC, but they can still affect your build/
If you're planning a new build and are relatively new to PC building, knowing and avoiding these mistakes will be key to a successful experience. You can then spread the word to your friends and family.
Running out of motherboard headers
The realization often comes too late
Let's say you've bought a motherboard with the right chipset for your CPU, the desired support for RAM speed, a PCIe 5.0 slot for your latest Gen5 SSD, and Wi-Fi & Bluetooth as well. But a few hours into the building process, you realize you don't have enough fan headers or RGB headers to power all your fans and ARGB devices. PC builders often overlook this aspect. I've been guilty of this myself, finding myself searching for an ARGB fan hub at the last moment.
If you're building a PC with just 3 or 4 case fans, this might not be an issue, especially if the fans can be daisy-chained. However, many modern builds need to accommodate 3-6 intake fans, 2-3 radiator fans, an exhaust fan, and sometimes more. Plus, if you plan to outfit your build with ARGB fans and cable extensions, a budget motherboard will often be unsuitable, as you'll quickly run out of ARGB headers.
: 10 Tips to Make Your Computer Faster (For Free) (Binge Bytes)
The mistake here is to assume that your motherboard will be able to accommodate any number of devices you want to plug into it.
The mistake here is not in buying a budget motherboard but in assuming it will be able to accommodate any number of devices you want to plug into it. As long as you're aware of the number of motherboard headers available, you can always plan ahead and get an ARGB fan hub or buy case fans that can be daisy-chained together. Some high-end fans can physically connect to each other without any cables, such as the Lian Li UNI Fan SL120 V2.
Lian Li UNI Fan SL120 V2
The Lian Li UNI Fan SL120 V2 are excellent RGB case fans that can be linked together physically, eliminating cable clutter and reducing the fan headers you require.
Buying the wrong SSD
"Gen3" doesn't always mean Gen3
Another potential blunder that less-informed PC builders can commit involves buying a slower SSD than they intend to. When searching for the best SSDs on a budget, you'll see many Gen3 NVMe SSDs with substantially lower read/write speeds than you'd expect — if you look at the specs closely, that is. For instance, the Seagate BarraCuda Q5 is rated for only 1,600/2,200 MB/s read/write speed, which is only half that of other Gen3 SSDs like the Crucial P3.
For those poring over SSD benchmarks, this might seem like a non-issue. But for consumers who think they're buying a "Gen3" SSD and end up getting a sub-par product, this can severely affect performance as well as general satisfaction with their finished builds. This mistake is less punishing in the case of Gen4 drives, which will most often range from 5,000 to 7,000 MB/s, a difference that won't be as noticeable.
Buying an underpowered gaming monitor
It's like shooting yourself in the knee
Another tendency often seen with new PC builders is putting together the most specced-out gaming PC and then buying a 1080p 60Hz monitor, completely destroying their gaming experience. The 1080p 60Hz monitors of yore were the first monitors for many of us (mine was 1024x768, which I guess that means I'm old). But sticking with that same resolution when you're building a modern gaming PC is plain heresy.
Do yourself a favor and pick a 1440p high-refresh monitor to actually feel all of that performance.
There's no reason not to go for at least a 1080p 144Hz gaming monitor when the prices are quite affordable. In fact, the best budget gaming monitors are often the 1440p 144Hz models, such as the Gigabyte M27Q, as prices have fallen dramatically over the years. If your shiny new GPU can deliver 80-100 FPS in most games, do yourself a favor and pick a 1440p high-refresh monitor to actually feel all of that performance.
GIGABYTE M27Q 27
The Gigabyte M27Q 27 is a very affordable QHD gaming monitor for what it offers. A 170Hz refresh rate, 27-inch IPS panel, 0.5ms response time, adjustable stand, and a Type-C port all for under $300.
Ignoring the QoL features of the case
Avoid the worst-case scenario
Choosing a PC case often comes down to looks, clearance, and form factor. But many quality-of-life features can elevate your case from just an ordinary one to something that's a joy to build in. These include features like tool-less side panels, plenty of scope for cable management, built-in case fans, a PSU shroud, ample storage installation slots, and reversible designs (in high-end cases like the Lian Li O11 Dynamic EVO).
The best PC cases will excel in providing these extra features that enhance your build experience while not costing a lot more. A side panel that swings on a hinge to open, a front panel that comes off without a minor wrestling match, or a top panel with a magnetically attached mesh can be small but meaningful additions to your PC experience, considering you'll occasionally have to work with the case even after the first build.
'Sticking' with the stock thermal paste
I've seen things that'll surprise you
The conventional wisdom holds that the stock thermal paste that comes pre-applied to your cooler heatsink is just fine. However, in my experience, changing the stock thermal paste for something even slightly better can yield significantly better thermal performance. I've built PCs where switching to the Arctic MX-4 was the only thing that kept the PC from thermal throttling. In other, less extreme scenarios, changing the stock thermal paste may reduce load temperatures by up to 10 Celsius.
The investment in an aftermarket thermal paste isn't a huge cost.
The best thermal paste not only allows your CPU to run cooler but also lasts for much longer than factory-applied thermal paste. Besides, the investment in an aftermarket thermal paste isn't huge either — the Arctic MX-4, for example, costs only $7-$8 for a 4g tube. As a beginner, you might be hesitant to switch the thermal paste yourself, but if you do it during the build process itself, it's a quick and easy job.
Arctic MX-4 GPU Thermal Paste
The Arctic MX-4 has been many users' go-to thermal paste for ages, providing great thermal performance at an affordable price. It's easy to apply and lasts for years, making it a great choice for beginners.
Forgetting about XMP & EXPO
Yes, it happens!
When shopping for the best RAM for gaming, you might be excited to see the high-speed transfer rates of your new DDR5 kit. But if you don't manually enable that speed in the BIOS — in the form of XMP or EXPO settings — your RAM will often run at a lower speed by default. And unless you check your RAM specs to monitor the actual speed, you'll not even know that something is wrong. But you'll be leaving some performance on the table.
New builders might not know about the Intel XMP or AMD EXPO settings in the BIOS and simply assume their RAM will run at the advertised speed by default. The option of heading into the BIOS right after a new build isn't something a new builder would normally consider. This prevents you from realizing the fullest potential of your hardware. Therefore, make sure your RAM is set to run at the right speed in the BIOS when you build a new PC.
Not optimizing fan curves
It takes time but it's necessary
While it isn't a rule, most gaming PCs will not run super-silently from the get go. You might assume the noise levels are simply what a gaming PC normally sounds like, but that's not the case. Almost every new build has scope for fan curve optimization. As a new builder, you might not even know that setting fan curves correctly is a thing. But by using Fan Control or an alternative tool, you can dial in the exact fan behavior you want to attain optimal performance and noise levels.
Not optimizing your fan curves will most likely leave you with a needlessly noisy PC that keeps ramping up the fans to full blast the moment you launch a game. This not only creates a sub-par experience but stresses your hardware unnecessarily. Both your CPU and GPU fan curves should be optimized so that your fans run only as fast as needed to cool down your hardware adequately. Even your case fans can be set to run based on the CPU or GPU temperature.
Being lazy about RGB customization
You lose out on something much more than FPS
RGB will probably not give you more frames per second (FPS), but failing to invest time in customizing your PC's RGB theme makes you lose out on something deeper — the satisfaction of a perfect-looking PC. If you've already spent the time and money to buy RGB components for your build, it's only natural to make the most out of them. Sticking to the default RGB lighting and effects of your components can leave your PC looking like a clueless light show.
It's not a complicated process, either. You can use applications like SignalRGB to sync all your RGB components from a single location instead of using multiple programs from different manufacturers. Dynamic Lighting on Windows 11 can also do the same thing but with a limited number of devices. There are open-source options as well, such as OpenRGB. Setting an RGB theme that speaks to you and enhances the look of your new PC will enhance your experience manifold.
Don't handicap your PC performance
These mistakes can unintentionally hamper your PC performance and overall experience. And, in many cases, you might not even be aware of it. Therefore, it's smart to stay connected to the community through Reddit or YouTube so that you're aware of things that you might otherwise overlook. A lot of these mistakes happen long after you buy the parts and build the PC. You can maximize your experience in this post-build phase by using the best PC user practices I've learned along the way.
