How to choose a gaming computer: a step-by-step guide
Choose a gaming computer from the end: first decide which monitor and which games you will play on, choose the graphics card accordingly, then the processor to match it, and only then the other parts. For Full HD today, a card in the RTX 5060 or Radeon RX 9060 XT class is enough; for 1440p, go for an RX 9070 or RTX 5070. Give it 16 GB of memory for esports and 32 GB for demanding games, and always put the system and games on an NVMe SSD.
Summary
- The performance of a gaming PC is determined mainly by the graphics card. The processor must not hold it back, but there is no point in overpaying for it.
- The monitor and the card must match: a 144 Hz monitor needs a card that can really render 144 FPS.
- In 2026, RAM is significantly more expensive because of demand from AI servers. Buy as much as you need, and always two modules.
- Do not save on the power supply and cooling – a cheap power supply is the most common cause of instability and can damage other parts.
Step 1: What will the computer be used for
Before you start comparing components, answer three questions:
- What games do you play? Esports titles (CS2, Valorant, League of Legends, Dota 2) are undemanding on graphics and want high FPS. New open-world games with ray tracing want a powerful graphics card.
- What else do you do on the PC? Streaming, video editing or 3D graphics need more cores and more memory.
- What is your budget? Set it in advance, including the monitor, keyboard, mouse and Windows licence, so that it does not take you by surprise.
Step 2: The monitor determines how powerful a PC you need
| Monitor | Who it is for | Graphics card (class as of 10/2026) |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p, 144 Hz | esports, smaller budget | RTX 5050, RTX 5060, RX 9060 XT |
| 1440p, 144–165 Hz | best ratio of price to experience | RX 9060 XT 16 GB, RX 9070, RTX 5070 |
| 1440p, 240 Hz | competitive players | RX 9070 XT, RTX 5070 Ti + fast processor |
| 4K, 120–144 Hz | demanding games at maximum | RTX 5080, RTX 5090 |
The rule works both ways. A powerful card on a 60 Hz monitor is a wasted investment because you will not see FPS above 60. And a 240 Hz monitor with a weak card will never reach its full potential.
Step 3: Graphics card
The graphics card is the most expensive and most important part. As of 10/2026 there are three ranges on the market: GeForce RTX 50 (NVIDIA), Radeon RX 9000 (AMD) and Arc (Intel). NVIDIA cards have the advantage in ray tracing and DLSS, while Radeons often offer more video memory for a similar price.
How much video memory? According to PC Gamer’s tests, 8 GB is fine for most games, but for a longer service life they recommend versions with 16 GB. A card with 12 GB (for example the RTX 5070) can be a limit in demanding ray tracing or in native 4K. If you are buying for several years, 16 GB pays off.
You will find the ranking of cards by performance in our list of graphics cards.
Step 4: Processor
Choose the processor so that it does not hold the card back. In games, single-core performance and cache size matter more than the number of cores. Six to eight cores are enough for all games today; you will use more cores mainly when working with video.
| Class | Processors as of 10/2026 | Where they fit |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | Ryzen 5 7600X, Ryzen 5 5600 (DDR4 platform) | 1080p, card up to the RTX 5060 class |
| Mid-range | Core Ultra 5 250K Plus, Ryzen 5 7600X3D, Ryzen 7 9700X | 1440p, RX 9070 / RTX 5070 card |
| High-end | Ryzen 7 9800X3D, Ryzen 7 9850X3D | 240 Hz monitors, RTX 5070 Ti cards and above |
According to Tom's Hardware, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D is the best gaming processor as of 10/2026. The newer 9850X3D is only about 3% faster and costs more. Intel is preparing the new Nova Lake platform for the end of 2026 or the beginning of 2027, and AMD is preparing the Zen 6 architecture – if you are not in a hurry, it is worth watching for their launch.
Step 5: RAM and SSD
Memory prices rose sharply in 2026. According to a TrendForce estimate cited by MSI, PC memory was expected to roughly double in price in Q1 2026 compared with the previous quarter. Therefore:
- 16 GB (2 × 8 GB) is enough for esports and gaming in Full HD.
- 32 GB (2 × 16 GB) is today’s standard for demanding games, streaming and 1440p.
- Always buy two modules so that the memory runs in dual-channel mode. A single module means worse minimum FPS.
- A platform with DDR4 (AMD AM4, older Intel) can be cheaper. However, you lose the upgrade path to newer processors.
The system and games belong on an NVMe SSD. New games often take up over 100 GB, and some (GTA 5 Enhanced, Fortnite) directly require an SSD. A sensible minimum is 1 TB, ideally 2 TB.
Step 6: Power supply, case and cooling
- Buy the power supply from an established brand, with 80 PLUS Gold efficiency certification and a headroom of about 30% above the estimated draw. Powerful cards have short power spikes that cheap power supplies cannot handle.
- The case must accommodate the length of the graphics card and allow free airflow: intake at the front, exhaust at the rear and top. Route the cables behind the motherboard tray so they do not obstruct the airflow.
- For processor cooling, air cooling is enough for most builds. Liquid cooling (AIO) makes sense for the most powerful processors or if you want quiet operation.
How to split the budget
We do not give specific prices – because of expensive memory and graphics cards they change very quickly in 2026. What holds true, however, is that the graphics card makes up the largest part of a gaming PC budget and the rest of the build is chosen to match it.
| Build class | What you get | Where to put the most money |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level | 1080p, esports and older games on high settings | graphics card in the RTX 5050 / RX 9060 XT class, quality power supply, 2 RAM modules |
| Mid-range | 1440p on high settings, 144 Hz monitor | graphics card with 16 GB, 32 GB RAM, 1–2 TB SSD |
| High-end | 1440p at 240 Hz, 4K, ray tracing at maximum | top-class graphics, X3D series processor, power supply with plenty of headroom |
If your budget is lower, have a look at the article The cheapest gaming PC, where we discuss where you can save.
For esports, a smaller, well-tuned computer is enough
In 2021, when graphics cards were scarce and components were expensive, we at PC Praha assembled small MOBA PCs for League of Legends, Dota, Valorant and CS:GO. Each unit went through tuning of the BIOS, drivers and the configuration files of individual games. The experience from that time still applies today: in esports games, the right system and game settings often bring more than a more expensive component.
If you mainly play esports, do not buy oversized graphics. Put the money into a fast processor, a high-refresh-rate monitor and a quality mouse.
A ready-made computer or your own build?
Your own build gives you freedom in choosing parts, but assembly, BIOS settings and resolving any incompatibility are up to you. A ready-made computer is tested, and you claim it as a whole with one seller. We describe what to look for when buying in the article Where to buy a computer in Prague. If you also need to play away from home, consider a laptop – we explain the differences in our guide How to choose a gaming laptop.
What next
- Gaming PCs from PC Praha – we are preparing our own range of gaming computers. Keep an eye on the Gaming PC collection.
- Want to improve your current computer? At PC Praha’s PC service we will advise whether an upgrade or a new build makes more sense.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
What matters most in a gaming PC?
Is Intel or AMD better?
Is 16 GB of RAM enough for gaming?
Is it worth waiting for new processors?
Does a gaming PC need water cooling?
This text was prepared with the help of AI. Facts, figures and procedures were checked by Yegor.