In-Depth PC Hardware Guides

Data reviewed October 27, 2026 · Methodology

The reasoning behind your build: calculator assumptions, upgrade decisions and troubleshooting steps.

Quick Summary · TL;DR

33 guides for understanding your build: eight explain calculator assumptions and 25 work through hardware-upgrade decisions. Follow the arithmetic, identify the exact parts and check the linked manufacturer documents.

Upgrading or troubleshooting?

Start with the decision you need to make. These guides separate confirmed specifications from checks that still need your exact hardware.

Case & cooling

Fractal North GPU clearance: 300 mm or 325 mm with a front radiator?

Compare the front-fan limit, front-radiator reference and thickness-based estimate without subtracting the radiator twice.

Case & mounting

Will a Fractal Flex 2 vertical mount fit your GPU?

Check whether a card that fits horizontally still has enough length after installing the Flex 2 bracket.

Case layout decisions

Lian Li A3: can you keep your ATX PSU with a long GPU and 360 AIO?

Check front F2.5, an existing ATX PSU and a top 360 AIO before paying for an SFX conversion.

Cooling and memory fit

Tall RAM, raised cooler fan: will the side panel still close?

Calculate fan lift and case-height margin, then compare a supported smaller fan or front-fan removal.

Upgrade troubleshooting

GPU blocking your Wi-Fi card? Check these options before replacing the motherboard

A new GPU covered the Wi-Fi slot? Separate physical access, active lanes and the Bluetooth USB path.

PSU installation fit

Will an RMx SHIFT PSU fit your case? Measure the side connectors first

Wattage is not the issue: measure side-connector access before buying a SHIFT supply or a replacement case.

Case and cooler compatibility

Does the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III 360 fit the Lian Li B4-mATX?

The B4-mATX supports the 360 mm class with SFX, but its 52 mm stack limit excludes the stock 63 mm Liquid Freezer III 360 assembly.

Build compatibility

Intel AX210 vs AX211: which Wi-Fi 6E card fits your PC?

AX210 and AX211 look similar but use different host interfaces. Check CNVio2, PCIe/USB, Key E and exact OEM support before buying.

Storage compatibility

MSI X870 Tomahawk M.2 slots: USB4 and PCIe sharing explained

Map all four MSI X870 Tomahawk M.2 sockets before an SSD disables USB4, reduces PCI_E3 or meets a CPU-specific limit.

BIOS compatibility

ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi and 9800X3D BIOS Flashback guide

Pair a Ryzen 7 9800X3D with the exact ASRock BIOS floor and the board-specific two-file Flashback procedure.

Build compatibility

Wi-Fi works but Bluetooth is missing after a PCIe card install

Wi-Fi works but Bluetooth is missing after a PCIe adapter install? Check the card’s separate USB path before replacing the radio.

Power supplies

Can a PSU 12V-2x6 port power a dual 8-pin GPU?

Use a PSU native 12V-2x6 socket with a dual 8-pin GPU only through an exact manufacturer-approved directional cable.

Build compatibility

GPU running at x8 after adding an M.2 SSD?

Read the exact motherboard sharing rule, distinguish x8 from Gen 4, and avoid a needless upgrade.

GPU upgrades

RX 9070 XT power connectors: 2×8-pin, 3×8-pin or 12V-2x6?

Compare verified 2×8-pin, 3×8-pin and 12V-2x6 cards before choosing a PSU or cable arrangement.

Build compatibility

Ryzen 5 8500G PCIe Lanes: Can You Use Two M.2 SSDs?

Find out whether a Ryzen 5 8500G board disables, reduces or reroutes its second M.2 connection before buying an SSD.

Storage troubleshooting

ASUS Hyper M.2 only detects one SSD: check bifurcation, slot lanes and drive placement

Only one SSD appears on an ASUS Hyper M.2 card? Check the exact slot, lane split and drive positions before changing RAID or formatting disks.

Small-form-factor builds

Fractal Terra: match CPU cooler height to your GPU

Choose one spine setting that works for both the GPU and CPU cooler, using the two GPU height bands.

Small-form-factor builds

A4-H2O and Liquid Freezer III 240: check both clearances

A 240 mm radiator is only the first check. Compare the complete fan stack and pump assembly.

Power supplies

Corsair SF750 2024: why are there only two PCIe cables?

Compare exact SF750 generations and plan a three-input GPU connection before ordering extra cables.

Memory upgrades

Four DDR5 sticks on AM5: can you keep DDR5-6000?

Separate capacity, CPU support and EXPO targets before combining two memory kits.

Storage troubleshooting

M.2 SSD fits but is not detected: check SATA and NVMe first

Match the SSD interface to the exact socket, then distinguish firmware detection from a missing Windows volume.

Local AI memory

ComfyUI RAM vs VRAM: what to check before upgrading

Identify system-RAM pressure, GPU-memory limits and workflow errors before buying an upgrade.

Power supplies

Can you reuse modular PSU cables?

Changing your PSU? Check cable families and model revisions before leaving old wiring in place.

GPU upgrades

Do RTX 5070 and 5070 Ti need an ATX 3.1 PSU?

Keep the existing supply or buy a new one? Separate wattage, cable approval and the ATX standard.

Small form factor

GPU black screen with a PCIe riser: what to check

Direct slot works, riser does not? Follow a comparison that keeps hardware and settings traceable.

The guides

PSU headroom, worked throughThree builds costed watt by watt, and the three cases where the 25% rule wastes money.The bottleneck percentage mythThe weights our estimator uses, published in full, and a five-minute test that beats any calculator.GPU clearance in compact casesWhy two versions of the same card differ by 52mm, and why slot count is not a thickness.LLM VRAM, calculated by handWeights, KV cache and overhead — and why context length is what breaks the fit.RAM latency in nanosecondsThe one-line conversion, and why the conclusion most guides draw from it is wrong.Frame time and diminishing returnsWhy 60 to 120 FPS is transformative and 240 to 360 is nearly invisible.Mouse yaw and cm/360Why matching sensitivity numbers matches nothing, and what to match instead.GPU power connectorsWhich cable your card needs, and why a native connector beats an adapter.

Why these exist

Most of this site is calculators. A calculator gives you an answer but hides the reasoning, and hidden reasoning is impossible to argue with. These guides open the tools up: the weights our bottleneck estimator applies, the three terms in a VRAM estimate, the millimetre figures behind a fitment verdict. If you disagree with a number, you can now see exactly which number to disagree with.

They also exist because some questions do not reduce to a form field. Whether to spend on a 240Hz monitor, whether a 25% power-supply buffer is worth the money in your case, whether DDR4 is still fine — those need an argument, not a result.

How to use them alongside the tools

Start with the tool if you want a number for your parts: the PSU calculator, bottleneck estimator or clearance checker.
Read the matching guide when the answer surprises you, or before you spend money on the basis of it.
For component-by-component buying advice, the parts buying guides and the balanced build guide cover the whole build rather than one calculation.

Every guide carries a review date and lists what its figures are based on. Where a number is our own editorial judgement rather than a manufacturer specification, it says so.