GUIDE

Component compatibility

9 min read

The most common mistake when building a PC for the first time is buying parts that don't fit together. The good news: the compatibility rules are few and logical. These are exactly the same ones our configurator checks in real time, so after reading this you'll understand why it warns you about what it warns you about.

1. The socket: processor ↔ motherboard

The socket is the physical connector where the processor plugs into the motherboard. It's rule number one: the processor's socket and the motherboard's socket have to be the same, or the processor literally won't fit.

For example, current AMD Ryzen processors use socket AM5, so they need an AM5 motherboard (like a B650 or X870). Intel Core Ultra chips use socket LGA1851 and need motherboards from that family (like a Z890). A Ryzen won't fit in an Intel board, and vice versa. Always check that they match.

2. RAM type: memory ↔ motherboard

RAM comes in generations, and the current one is DDR5. The motherboard is designed for a specific type: a DDR5 board only accepts DDR5 RAM. They're not interchangeable — they don't even physically fit in the wrong slot. Since almost everything current is DDR5, this rarely causes issues today, but it's good to know if you're comparing parts from different eras.

3. Size: motherboard ↔ case

Motherboards come in standard sizes (the "form factor"): ATX (large), Micro-ATX (medium), and Mini-ITX (compact). The case specifies which sizes it supports. The rule is simple: the motherboard needs to fit in the case.

A large case (mid-tower or full-tower) usually supports all three sizes. A compact one only supports small boards. If you choose an ATX board, you need a case that supports it.

4. Physical space: graphics card ↔ case

Modern graphics cards are large, and high-end ones can be huge. Every case has a maximum GPU length it supports (in millimeters). If the card is longer than that maximum, the side panel won't close — or it simply won't fit.

It's a detail a lot of people overlook and find out about too late. That's why the configurator compares the GPU's length against the case's clearance and warns you before it becomes a problem.

5. Power: power supply ↔ the whole system

The power supply needs to deliver enough watts to power every part, with margin to spare. The biggest power draws come from the processor and, especially, the graphics card.

The simple way to calculate it: add up the processor's and GPU's power draw, add about 100W for the rest of the system, and choose a PSU that comfortably exceeds that number (ideally 40% more, so it doesn't run at its limit). A PSU running at its limit gets stressed, gets noisy, and wears out faster. The configurator does this math for you and recommends a minimum wattage.

6. Cooling: cooler ↔ processor ↔ case

The cooler has to satisfy three things at once:

• Be compatible with the processor's socket (most support several, but it's worth confirming).
• Be able to dissipate the heat that processor generates (a powerful CPU needs cooling that can keep up).
• If it's an air cooler, fit within the height of the case (large heatsinks don't fit in compact cases).

The bigger picture: avoiding bottlenecks

Beyond parts physically "fitting," there's a subtler kind of compatibility: being balanced with each other. Pairing a very expensive graphics card with a very weak processor keeps the GPU from performing at its best, because the processor can't keep up. That's called a bottleneck. It doesn't break anything, but it's wasted money. The goal is to keep no single part far below the rest.