How to choose the right custom gaming PC

For most games, the graphics card. It draws every frame, so it has the biggest direct effect on frame rate and visual quality.

But it only performs as well as the system around it. A processor that can't keep up, too little memory or a weak power supply can all hold an expensive GPU back. The right answer is a balanced PC, with the GPU taking the largest share of the budget.

Work back from your monitor and your games rather than picking a number first. A 1080p screen for competitive games needs far less graphics performance than high refresh 4K in the latest AAA releases.

Tell us roughly what you want to spend, what you play and what you play it on, and we'll put the budget where you'll actually see it. If a smaller spend gets you everything you need, we'll tell you.

16GB is enough for a focused gaming PC, particularly where keeping more of the budget for the graphics card matters most.

32GB is where we'd aim for most new custom gaming PCs when the budget allows. It gives the game, Discord, a browser and streaming room to breathe, with more headroom for the future.

64GB makes sense when the PC also has another job: content creation, large simulations, heavily modded games, development or local AI. More memory won't add frame rate on its own.

None is simply better. They're different targets.

1080p suits competitive players chasing very high frame rates and keeps hardware costs down. 1440p is the modern sweet spot for most people: noticeably sharper without the graphics demands of 4K. 4K gives the most detail, but high refresh 4K needs some of the fastest graphics hardware available.

The best choice is the one your PC can drive properly.

Both make excellent gaming processors, and the lead changes between generations.

Recently, AMD's X3D processors, with their extra on-chip cache, have been particularly strong in many games. Intel remains a strong option, especially where gaming shares the PC with creative or productivity work.

Rather than committing to a brand, we recommend whichever platform gives the best performance and value for your games and workflow when you order.

Both make very capable graphics cards.

NVIDIA GeForce RTX cards are generally stronger at ray tracing, and DLSS upscaling is widely supported. They're also the usual choice if the PC is used for creative applications or local AI, where many tools are built around NVIDIA's CUDA platform.

AMD Radeon cards often offer strong value in traditional rendering and generous video memory for the money.

We'll recommend based on your games, your monitor and anything else the PC needs to do.

No. A good air cooler is simple, reliable and more than capable for many gaming builds.

AIO liquid cooling makes sense for some higher performance processors, compact cases, or where you prefer the look. Custom water cooling is a specialist choice for machines like Renegade, as much about design as temperature.

We match the cooling to the hardware so you don't have to.

Sometimes the parts cost a little less. But building your own also means choosing compatible components, assembling them, testing, updating firmware and drivers, and troubleshooting anything that goes wrong. Warranties are usually split across every individual part.

A Utopia PC is designed, built and tested in Kilmarnock and comes with a 10 year labour warranty and lifetime technical support. If you enjoy building, it's a great hobby. If you'd rather just play, that's our job.

A well balanced gaming PC should stay useful for years. How long it keeps up with new releases depends on your settings, your resolution and your expectations.

A quality power supply, sensible cooling and a platform with room to grow mean a graphics card or storage upgrade can extend its life, rather than needing a whole new machine.

Yes, where it's practical. Storage and memory are usually straightforward to add, and the graphics card is the most common upgrade for gamers.

We choose power supplies and cases with sensible headroom, and we're happy to advise on the upgrade that will make the most difference when the time comes. Get in touch with your system details and we'll help.

It depends on your monitor and the settings you want as much as on the game itself.

Fortnite and Minecraft can run on modest hardware, but high frame rates, maximum settings, shaders and big mod packs change that quickly. Recent Call of Duty releases are considerably more demanding, particularly at 1440p or 4K.

Our PCs by Game pages are a good starting point, or tell us what you play and we'll recommend the right build.

Core PCs are pre-configured. We've already made the component decisions, so you choose from a focused range built around sensible specifications and value.

Our custom gaming PCs start with one of five Utopia platforms (Helix, Pandora, Rebel, Ballista or Renegade) and let you configure the performance and appearance around you.