I ignored these PC components for years — and it cost me way more than I thought

At a glance:

• Undervaluing CPU coolers leads to thermal throttling, noise issues, and reduced component lifespan
• Cheap power supplies risk system stability and can cause widespread hardware damage despite adequate wattage
• Entry-level motherboards with poor VRMs limit CPU performance and upgrade potential, while low-quality monitors undermine even high-end GPUs

The hidden costs of cutting corners

For most of my PC building career, I rarely had the luxury of choosing components that I truly wanted. Limited by strict budgets, I had to make some tough choices, some of which came back to bite me hard. I had a mental checklist of the PC parts I could cheap out on, based on my limited knowledge and sweeping assumptions. This led to many a build with serious compromises in the cooling, power delivery, and display departments, not that I knew it at the time. I went about my way without realizing the extent to which I had been limiting my builds for years. Entry-level components aren't necessarily bad for your PC, but when they actively hamper performance and risk the stability and safety of your rig, that's when you need to take a step back and rethink your choices.

Every component of your PC matters, even if you don't think so. As PC builders, we tend to assign different priorities to each component of the build. The CPU, GPU, RAM, and SSD are usually at the top, followed by the motherboard and PSU, and the cooler and case come in last. However, ignoring any of the components can come back to bite you. Even your monitor is a crucial part of your setup, since you experience your games through it. Cheaping out on any of the parts can harm your PC's performance, longevity, safety, and immersion.

CPU cooler: More than just temperature control

In my FX-6300 and Ryzen 5 1600 days, I never thought much about which CPU cooler to use. The cooler was something that always came with the CPU, and it was a no-brainer to use it. As long as the PC wasn't shutting down due to thermal throttling, everything was fine. At least that's what I used to think. I used stock coolers and entry-level aftermarket models for around 15 years, never worrying much about CPU temperature, noise levels, or CPU lifespan. The realization that the CPU cooler isn't just for taming the CPU temperature, but also contributes to a silent and long-lasting system came way too late. I don't even know how many of the "unexplained" issues I faced over the years were because of a cooler that was pushed way beyond its limits.

I may have been "enjoying" throttled performance without having a clue about it. As for noise levels, I simply considered the cooler noise par for the course. The esthetics of the cooler barely entered my consciousness for many years. If it had, I would have considered replacing the stock cooler with a dual-tower air cooler or an AIO for some more visual flair. Today, I'm using a 240mm AIO cooler on my Ryzen 7 5700X, which does an okay job of keeping the temps and noise levels down. It also looks better than the AMD stock cooler I used in the Ryzen 5 1600 days, thanks to the white colorway that matches the case.

• Thermaltake TH360 V2 ARGB Sync
  • $91 (was $130, save $39)
  • The Thermaltake TH360 V2 ARGB Sync AIO liquid cooler is one of the most value-packed cooling systems you can buy. It is not only more than enough for any 6-core CPU but will keep pace with any future CPU upgrades you make. The ARGB fans and pump can be customized to sync with the overall RGB theme of your build.

Power Supply Unit: Quality is more than just wattage

The PSU used to be at the bottom of my priority list in my first few builds, to the point that I've even used a no-name unit for years. Even when it should have been discarded after running into a burnt power cable, I got it repaired and put it right back in my PC. Needless to say, I should have been way more careful when picking the power supply, considering the potential damage a bad unit can cause to the entire machine. I didn't lose any component to a cheap PSU, but it wasn't for lack of trying. My modest hardware at the time was probably the reason my terrible PSU survived for years.

The PSU is one of the most critical components of any PC, ensuring sufficient and clean power for the entire machine. Having enough wattage to power your hardware isn't enough; you also need the power supply to be efficient and capable of handling excursions, especially for high-end components. If you plan to overclock your PC, you can't cut it close when choosing the capacity and quality of your PSU. As a rule of thumb, a Gold-rated 750W–850W power supply is ideal for most modern gaming builds. If you have a high-end graphics card, plan to overclock your CPU, and have a high-end motherboard, a 1000–1200W PSU should be the choice. Bronze-rated PSUs aren't necessarily bad; you just need to choose a reliable model from a reputable brand.

• MSI MAG A850GL
  • $118 (was $130, save $12)
  • The MSI MAG A850GL is one of the latest ATX 3.0 power supplies with 850W of 80+ Gold power efficiency, perfect for future-proofing your gaming PC.

Motherboard: A silent guardian, a watchful protector

Whether it was my first-ever custom PC with an Intel Core 2 Duo chip or my FX-6300 build, I didn't really put much thought into the motherboard. As I said before, budgets were tight, so the cheapest entry-level motherboard was usually my go-to option. These boards were usually sufficient for a budget gaming build, but expecting anything serious from them was a fool's errand. The cheapest motherboards I've used probably had terrible VRMs and only the most basic I/O you could think of. A lot of the problems on my earlier builds that I couldn't fix were probably linked to the subpar construction of the boards I was using at the time.

Of course, if I'm shopping for a motherboard today, I know I need to buy something that helps me get the most out of my hardware. I don't need overkill VRMs for a gaming PC, but I still can't pick an entry-level board. The quality of the VRMs determines the peak performance of my CPU and memory, without which I'll struggle to reach the CPU boost clocks and stable RAM settings at the highest frequencies. Even the motherboard's power limits decide how far you can push your CPU. Then, you also need to keep the expansion capabilities and I/O stack in mind when choosing your motherboard. If you need three or four M.2 slots, plenty of high-speed USB ports, advanced Ethernet, modern Wi-Fi standards, quality-of-life (QoL) features, and fast boot times, then it'll take some research to pick the ideal motherboard. You'll probably have to spend at least $200, but that'll get you a long-lasting motherboard that doesn't hamper the upgradability and peak performance of your system.

• GIGABYTE B850 AORUS Elite
  • $210 (was $255, save $45)
  • Memory Slots: 4
  • Memory Type: DDR5
  • Form Factor: ATX
  • Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 7
  • Socket: AM5

Gaming monitor: It can matter more than the GPU

Your monitor isn't a core component of your PC, but it disproportionately impacts your gaming experience. A powerful CPU and GPU combined with tons of RAM and fast storage won't do anything to salvage a subpar display. For years, I used 22" 1080p 60Hz/75Hz monitors, even when I had upgraded to a graphics card that could easily handle 1440p gaming. Those years were some of the most carefree years of my life, but I wasted them on an inferior display. When I eventually jumped to a 27" 1440p 144Hz monitor in 2021, I realized what I was missing. The jump in the screen size, image clarity, and motion responsiveness transformed my gaming experience, opening my eyes to what was possible on the same hardware. The impact on the immersion was immediate and lasting.

That's why I felt justified in spending over $600 on an ultrawide OLED monitor last year. This time, I knew what I was getting into. The upgrade from a flat IPS panel to a curved ultrawide QD-OLED panel was clear even before the monitor arrived at my home. Despite my previous monitor being pretty great even in 2025, I knew that switching to an OLED display would elevate my gaming experience to another level — and that's exactly what happened. Even playing the same games on the OLED display that I had already experienced on my IPS monitor felt remarkably different. I'm pretty confident that upgrading the graphics card instead of the monitor would have felt far less impactful.

• Alienware QD-OLED AW3423DWF
  • This gaming monitor uses QD-OLED technology to reach a brightness up to 1,000 nits while having a smooth 165Hz refresh rate and ultra-fast response times of 0.1ms.