PC Builder: Parts Picker with Compatibility Checks

What this PC part compatibility checker checks

Pick a CPU and the motherboard list narrows to boards with the same socket. Pick a board and the RAM list narrows to its DDR type. With parts chosen, the checker flags six conflicts: a CPU and board on different sockets, a board chipset the CPU does not support, RAM of the wrong DDR type, a PSU below the calculated threshold, a motherboard form factor the case does not list, and a graphics card longer than the case allows.

It does not check cooler fit, RAM QVL or rated speed, DIMM and PCIe slot allocation, a free M.2 or SATA slot for the drive, PSU connectors, or the board’s BIOS version; those live in the component manuals. Before ordering, I’d read the case manual for cooler height and radiator room.

The parts come from an open dataset of 126 editor-picked entries, all in the dropdowns above and downloadable as /data/pc-builder-parts.json.

How to check a PC parts list before ordering

Work from the parts that constrain everything else. Choose the CPU and motherboard first, then confirm the socket and chipset. Match the board’s DDR generation when you choose memory. After that, fit the motherboard and graphics card to the case, and compare the selected power supply with both this tool’s calculated threshold and the graphics-card maker’s requirement.

The green result covers only those implemented checks. Open the exact motherboard support page and manual before checkout to confirm the CPU is on its support list, the BIOS requirement, the memory configuration, available M.2 and SATA connections, and any shared PCIe lanes.

For example, MSI’s official specification for the B650 Tomahawk used in the worked example lists its AM5 CPU families, DDR5 memory, three M.2 sockets and the lane-sharing condition on its third M.2 slot. Then use the case manual for cooler height, radiator placement and cable room, and the power-supply page for the connectors in the box.

This is also the boundary on an upgrade check. You can select a replacement CPU, motherboard, memory kit, graphics card, case or power supply and test it against the other selections. The picker works only from selections you enter; it has no way to inspect the PC on your desk, identify its motherboard, rate performance, compare benchmark scores, track used prices or quote a live build total. Use the published build guides as complete starting lists; use this page to catch the supported fit conflicts in a list you have chosen.

Which motherboard goes with an RTX 5070 or 5070 Ti?

The graphics card does not choose the motherboard. Start with the CPU. Its socket and supported chipsets decide which boards belong on the list. Then choose the board size and memory generation. Check the graphics card against the case, power supply and the board manual’s slot layout. In this picker, an RTX 5070 or 5070 Ti therefore belongs beside a CPU-and-board pair you already validated rather than in a search for a special “5070 motherboard.”

For a board already inside a Windows PC, open PowerShell and run:

Get-CimInstance Win32_BaseBoard | Select-Object Manufacturer, Product, Version

Microsoft’s Win32_BaseBoard reference defines those fields as the motherboard maker and product, plus its version. Use the returned model to find the manufacturer’s support page and manual, then enter the closest exact parts here. A generic desktop or laptop model name is not a substitute for the board model.

Use the right page for a PC-part comparison

This builder compares fit, a conservative power estimate and broad performance tiers. It does not compare frame rates or application benchmarks.

For GPU performance, use a matched comparison such as RTX 5070 versus RTX 5070 Ti or RTX 5070 Ti versus RX 9070 XT. To inventory the processor and graphics card before comparing upgrades, start with the PC bottleneck calculator’s inventory steps; it also identifies the installed memory and motherboard.

Is this a PCPartPicker alternative?

Yes, for a narrower job. PCPartPicker’s company profile says its service provides part-selection and compatibility guidance, compares prices across merchants, and creates shareable parts lists. It does check compatibility. Its catalog, merchant comparison and sharing model cover more than this page’s deliberately small, editor-picked dataset.

Use this picker when you want six named fit checks, an openly published CC BY dataset, and equal Amazon and Newegg handoffs without a stored price claim. Use PCPartPicker when you want its broader catalog and merchant comparison. A green result is still a screening step. Neither tool replaces the manuals. Check the exact component support pages before ordering.

Start with a published parts list

The linked $1,500 and $2,500 guides open their authored parts lists here. Every item stays in the list, including cooling and other parts outside the picker. Only exact matches load automatically; a similar model, memory timing, capacity or case variant is not substituted. The $2,500 link opens the guide’s As tested (my rig) column, not its build-fresh alternatives.

The coverage line separates the authored list from the selected parts the tool can check. Selecting all seven picker categories is a count, not a compatibility verdict. When you change a selection, the original authored item and your substitution stay distinguishable. Copying the parts list includes both, and the share URL preserves your selections and removals. The guides’ dated prices are not a live total.

How much SSD space to reserve for Windows 11

Microsoft’s current Windows 11 requirement is 64GB or greater available disk space, and it warns that updates and individual features can need more. That is an installation minimum. It does not promise that every finished Windows 11 setup occupies one universal amount. Plan the SSD around Windows and update headroom, then allow for applications, games and your own files; do not treat 64GB as a practical whole-build allocation. The storage selection here checks neither free space nor an installed Windows footprint.

Worked examples

These examples use part IDs that remain in the current dataset and the same compatibility and power formulas the tool runs in your browser. Dollar totals are intentionally omitted because the v2.1 dataset has stored no retailer prices since 2026-08-01.

Mainstream 1440p AM5 build that passes the implemented checks (the most common path through the tool)

• Inputs: CPU cpu-r5-9600x (Ryzen 5 9600X, tdp_w 65, AM5, tier mid) · Motherboard mb-b650-tomahawk (MSI B650 Tomahawk WiFi, AM5/B650, DDR5) · RAM ram-ddr5-32gb-6000 (G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo 32GB DDR5-6000 CL30) · GPU gpu-rx-9060-xt-16gb (RX 9060 XT 16GB, tgp_w 150, length 270mm, tier mid) · Storage ssd-sn850x-2tb · PSU psu-750w-gold · Case case-meshify-2 (341mm GPU clearance)
• Result: Retailer checks “14 current retailer links” (Amazon first, with Newegg beside it) · Calculated power estimate 365 W (CPU + GPU + 150W system) · Calculated PSU estimate 450W (20% margin, rounded up to the next 50W) · Performance tier “Mid — 1440p” · Green banner: “No conflicts in the implemented checks. Calculated power estimate 365W, PSU rated 750W. Meet your GPU manufacturer’s power requirement too.” Selecting the seven parts creates fourteen current retailer links.

RTX 5080 example: 800W calculated estimate, 850W manufacturer reference requirement

• Inputs: CPU cpu-r7-9800x3d (Ryzen 7 9800X3D, tdp_w 120) · Motherboard mb-b850-edge · RAM ram-ddr5-32gb-6000 · GPU gpu-rtx-5080-fe (RTX 5080 Founders Edition, tgp_w 360, length 304mm) · Storage ssd-sn850x-2tb · PSU psu-750w-gold (750W) · Case case-h7-flow (410mm GPU clearance)
• Result: Retailer checks “14 current retailer links” (Amazon first, with Newegg beside it) · Calculated power estimate 630 W (CPU + GPU + 150W system) · Calculated PSU estimate 800W (20% margin, rounded up to the next 50W) · Performance tier “Flagship — 4K + path tracing” · Red error: “PSU below the calculated threshold: 630W + 20% margin = 756W, but RM750x (2024) 750W 80+ Gold is 750W. Calculated PSU estimate: 800W. Meet your GPU manufacturer’s power requirement too.” Swapping to the RM850x (850W) clears the compatibility warning.

The arithmetic is (120 + 360 + 150) × 1.2 = 756W, rounded up to 800W, and it is a calculation, not a measurement. NVIDIA’s RTX 5080 specifications list 850W required system power and base that minimum on a PC configured with a Ryzen 9 9950X; NVIDIA says requirements differ by configuration. For a partner card, use that maker’s specifications, and buy for the higher figure.

What this is

A real PC build picker. Choose a CPU and the motherboard dropdown only shows boards that fit the socket. Pick a board and the RAM dropdown filters kits by DDR memory type. The summary panel calculates power from rated CPU and GPU watts plus a 150W system allowance, calculates a PSU estimate with a 20% margin, and sets the performance tier from the lower of the CPU and GPU tiers. For a selected part with a canonical product match and current retailer verification, it shows the dated exact-product identity and link. When that check expires, or when a part has no registered exact offer, it uses the authored Amazon and Newegg searches instead. The tool stores no retailer price or stock claim.

Compatibility warnings cover CPU socket and chipset, DDR memory type, the calculated PSU threshold, motherboard form factor and GPU length. The case check compares the selected GPU length with the case’s listed allowance. Check cooler mounting and radiator clearance separately. Use the motherboard manual for DIMM population and PCIe slot allocation, and its QVL for the exact RAM kit and configuration. Share a build by copying the URL bar.

Why this exists

Most PC-builder sites are either link-out farms or PCPartPicker reskins. This one is opinionated about the parts list: each entry is editor-picked, and the notes explain why it is in the dataset. It does not quote a live build total, check coolers or allocate expansion slots. Check current stock at the retailer. It can prevent the common hard failures — a 358mm GPU in a 341mm case, DDR4 in a DDR5 board, or a PSU below the calculated margin — and link to current retailer pages or searches for your selected parts.

The underlying parts dataset is published openly under CC BY 4.0 at /data/pc-builder-parts.json — you can fork it, remix it, or build your own picker on top of it. Required attribution: TechFuelHQ PC Builder Parts Dataset, CC BY 4.0. The same applies to every TechFuelHQ open dataset.

Assumptions and sources

• Component power, socket, RAM-type, and clearance figures are the entries in the published /data/pc-builder-parts.json dataset, transcribed from manufacturer product pages. The dataset stores no retailer prices or stock status by design (since 2026-08-01). Exact retailer links carry their own visible link-check date and automatically return to an authored search after that check expires; unregistered parts use searches from the start.
• MSI’s MAG B650 Tomahawk WiFi specification, read October 11, 2026, is the primary source for the example board’s AM5 CPU families, DDR5 memory, storage sockets and lane-sharing note. The board’s current support page and manual remain the checkout authority.
• PCPartPicker’s company profile, read October 11, 2026, describes its part-selection and compatibility guidance, merchant price comparison and shareable parts lists. PCPartPicker’s own site blocked automated retrieval during this check, so this comparison does not infer its detailed compatibility rules.
• Microsoft’s Win32_BaseBoard reference, read October 11, 2026, defines the motherboard class and its manufacturer, product and version fields.
• Microsoft’s Windows 11 requirements, read October 11, 2026, gives 64GB or greater available disk space as the minimum and notes that updates and features can require more storage.
• The estimated draw adds a flat 150W system allowance for the board, drives, fans, and lighting on top of CPU and GPU rated power - a TechFuelHQ working assumption, deliberately conservative for a single-GPU build.
• The calculated PSU estimate applies a 20% margin over the calculated draw and rounds up to the next 50W - a TechFuelHQ sizing rule, the same margin the PSU calculator uses as its floor. Neither figure models transient power spikes or checks connectors; the GPU manufacturer’s requirement comes first.