Upgrade what matters: find your competitive edge during the DRAM shortage without replacing your entire PC

One of the big draws of building your own desktop PC is the upgrade potential. When it comes time to kick up performance, add more storage space, or bolster its capabilities, you have options that don’t require a fresh start. This allows you to maximize the impact of every dollar that you spend on upgrades. The upgrade potential of desktop PCs is especially valuable during the current DRAM shortage in 2026, as it gives you opportunities to beef up your system without overspending on one component.

It does a bit of know-how to make a targeted upgrade that won’t be limited or bottlenecked by other elements of your system. To help you boost your desktop PC in 2026 with a core upgrade, not a complete reconstruction, we’ve put together this PC upgrade guide that explores each component type and identifies situations when an upgrade makes sense. At the end, we’ll outline several full systems for anyone who does need to start a PC from scratch.

A CPU could elevate your entire PC experience, but keep your options open

As the brains of your PC’s operation, a CPU is a natural starting point for anyone hunting for a performance boost. Depending on your starting point, a new CPU could provide a welcome boost to multitasking, making sure that you don’t have to close a bunch of browser windows to get the performance that you’re looking for. Giving your content creation apps access to more cores and threads could allow your system to really hit the gas during vital workflows. And cutting-edge graphics technologies like ray tracing do require CPU muscle, making your processor choice important for gaming, as well.

Some circumstances where you might want to swap out your CPU:

• Your current system pairs a new, powerful graphics card with an older CPU that’s bottlenecking graphics performance.
• Your PC use cases are branching out into content creation workflows that lean more heavily on CPU performance.
• Your current CPU and motherboard are from an older generation, and the platform isn’t giving you all the features that you need.

If you’re a gamer first and foremost, you’ll likely be well-served with an AMD Ryzen 5 or Intel Core Ultra 5 processor. If your system has a top-shelf graphics card such as an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 or RTX 5080, you should get an even more powerful CPU such as the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D so that you don’t limit the performance of your GPU. Professional creators and coders typically seek out options with very high core counts, like the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D or the Intel Core Ultra Processor 285K.

A motherboard upgrade can enhance your PC’s connectivity, support a higher-end CPU, and give you more performance-tweaking tools

Motherboards establish the foundation for your build, dictating how much memory you can have, how many USB devices you can plug in, and how fast your data moves via PCIe lanes. They also house the VRMs (Voltage Regulator Modules), which take the raw power from your power supply and “clean” it into the precise, stable voltages your sensitive processor requires. In short, it’s the platform that defines your PC’s current capabilities and its potential for future upgrades.

Let’s say, for example, that you have a system with a modern graphics card and a fast SSD as your primary drive, but you’re looking to expand your storage library by installing another drive. A motherboard upgrade might make sure that you can add another high-performance SSD to the mix without compromising PCIe bandwidth. Thanks to their optimized PCIe lane layout, the latest ASUS AM5 motherboards can allocate the maximum number of CPU-direct PCIe lanes for your primary graphics card (x16) and two M.2 SSDs (x4 each).

It might be time to upgrade your motherboard (and perhaps your CPU, as well) if:

• You need to increase connectivity options, whether that’s for more SSDs, more (or higher bandwidth) USB ports, beefed-up networking, or getting the most out of a PCIe 5.0 graphics card or SSD.
• You’re upgrading your CPU to a top-tier option that will draw much more power under load, and you’d prefer a more robust power solution.
• You’re looking to enhance the overclocking capabilities of your system, whether that’s for your CPU, memory, or both.

You have lots of options for picking a motherboard. If you’re using (or intending to purchase) a current-gen AMD processor, check out our latest ASUS AM5 motherboard options. For owners of an overclockable Intel CPU, head over to our Z890 motherboard guide. Intel B860 motherboards stand ready for owners of mainstream Intel processors.

No matter which model you pick, you’ll get our latest refinements to the PC building process. Our new AM5 motherboards, in particular, make it easier than ever to build your own PC. The PCIe Slot Q-Release Switch on the ROG Crosshair X870E Glacial, for example, give you a convenient physical mechanism for releasing the PCIe slot latch of either the primary or secondary slot. Other motherboard options in the series use an easy-to-reach PCIe Slot Q-Release button to release the latch. Tool-free M.2 Q-Release lets you remove and re-attach the M.2 heatsink with a simple press. We’re even working to simplify installation and cable management for AIO CPU liquid coolers. Grab a motherboard with ASUS AIO Q-Connector and a compatible ROG Strix LC IV series AIO CPU liquid cooler, and you won’t need to connect a single cable to the pump, simplifying installation and cleaning up your build.

For more FPS, faster AI workflows, and more powerful content creation, a new graphics card is the way to go

A graphics card takes center stage when it comes to kicking up your frames per second (FPS), so if you’re looking to boost your FPS with one upgrade, this is it. Modernizing your graphics card also makes sure that you have access to the latest graphics-boosting features like NVIDIA DLSS and AMD FSR. For content creators in 2026, graphics cards are crucial, as many professional apps are optimized to take advantage of GPU horsepower and memory. While the 2026 memory shortage has created some shifts in the GPU market, we are actively managing our inventory to ensure that an upgrade is available for you.

Consider an upgrade to your graphics card if:

• You’re a content creator, and your primary workflow relies heavily on GPU performance.
• Your current card can’t provide playable FPS in a game that you’ve been looking forward to, even with performance tuning and adjustments to in-game graphics settings.
• Your current card is several generations old, and you don’t have access to the latest performance-boosting features like NVIDIA DLSS and AMD FSR.
• You’re looking to upgrade your gaming monitor to a higher resolution 4K or 1440p monitor, and you need a stronger GPU.

Some thoughts for anyone looking to keep costs low while building an entry-level gaming PC: an 8GB graphics card could be just what you need to get your system up and running, especially if you’re building a system to play competitive online games with your friends. Most of today’s most popular online games are pretty friendly when it comes to VRAM usage.

It’s primarily with the latest AAA games that you’ll see the benefit of more VRAM. In such games, it’s fairly easy to run into the limitations of an 8GB card by kicking up the resolution, playing at Ultra settings, and/or enabling ray tracing. But it’s also pretty easy to avoid those concerns. Play at 1920×1080, drop graphics settings down to a medium preset, and take advantage of DLSS or FSR when available, and you’ll be able to play just about any game out there.

Need help sorting through your 2026 graphics cards options? Click here for an in-depth look at our full NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50 Series graphics card lineup. We have plenty of AMD Radeon GPU options, as well, including a special TUF Gaming x Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 collaboration.

Secure peace of mind with a power supply upgrade

We get it. A power supply probably isn’t a bragging-rights worthy upgrade in the same way as a new graphics card or monitor. Many PC builders only upgrade their PSU when a new CPU or GPU forces them to bump up a wattage tier, choosing to repurpose their PSU for as long as possible. There’s nothing wrong with that approach, to be clear. As the ten-year warranty included with most ASUS power supplies indicates, we build these components to deliver years of faithful service.

But if your current PSU already has provided years of service, it might be time to look for its successor. You might consider a PSU upgrade if:

• Your PSU’s fan makes a distracting amount of noise under load.
• Your PSU only provides just enough wattage for your build.
• Your current PSU does not natively support 12V-2×6 cables, requiring you to use an adapter to power your graphics card.

You’ve recently upgraded to a modern, powerful graphics card, and you want to go above and beyond to protect your investment.

Some thoughts here. First, it’s worth investing in efficiency when it comes to power supplies. Efficient power supplies are not only better for your power bill, but they also produce less waste heat, increasing the expected lifetime of all parts inside. Partly, that means looking for an excellent 80 PLUS rating — in 2026, we think that most users will be best served by seeking out a PSU with an 80 PLUS Gold certification. But it also means selecting a PSU with a bit of wattage headroom. Power supplies are most efficient when they’re operating at about 50% of their capacity. Don’t go overboard, because efficiency drops at either end of the load spectrum. Our free online PSU wattage calculator makes it easy to find the right wattage for your system.

Second, there are significant advantages to powering a cutting-edge CPU and GPU with a modern power supply. ATX 3.1 ushers in a tighter voltage and current regulation standard for next-gen hardware. A fresh PSU should also include a 16-pin PCIe cable ready to pipe power to PCIe Gen 5.1 graphics cards. Depending on the PSU you pick, you might also get GPU-FIRST voltage sensing, too. This innovative feature enhances voltage stability by up to 45%, even during demanding gaming sessions and overclocking scenarios.

Thoughts for equipping your PC with memory during the DRAM shortage

In ordinary circumstances, a memory upgrade would be at the top of this list. Historically, a memory upgrade has been an easy, high-impact way to boost your PC’s capabilities, especially when it comes to multitasking and content creation.

But these aren’t ordinary circumstances. Given the high price of DDR5 right now, we only recommend a memory upgrade in a limited set of circumstances:

• Your system has insufficient memory for a game that you want to play or an application that you need to use, and you have no reasonable solutions for reducing memory usage on the software side.
• Your system slows down intolerably when you start to multitask.
• You make money with your PC by using it for professional tasks, and you need more or faster memory for a specific workflow.
• You’re building a PC for the first time, and you need a memory kit to get started.

Let’s say that you fall into one of these categories. Right now, we think the smart move is to buy just enough memory for your needs today, leaving the door open for a memory upgrade down the road. Don’t worry too much about speed: just focus on capacity.

So much how much is enough? Before the DRAM shortage, we recommended 32GB of RAM for Windows 11 PC gaming systems, but that recommendation included a healthy amount of headroom for multitasking. Today, we think it’s reasonable for mainstream gamers to set their sights on a 16GB kit. You’ll run into some limitations if you’re the type of PC user who never closes a browser tab, who prefers to play at very high resolutions, or who doesn’t want to budge on playing at Ultra in-game graphics presets. But if your primary concern is just getting into the game, 16GB will get you there.

It’s even worth talking about 8GB of DDR5 — at least, for an entry-level gaming rig. If you’re primarily concerned about playing older competitive esports games like League of Legends or Valorant, a single 8GB stick of DDR5 is sufficient for getting in the game.

You might also save some cash by opting for a single DIMM rather than a dual-channel kit. Ordinarily, we wouldn’t steer you this route, as dual-channel outperforms single-channel in nearly all instances, but these aren’t ordinary times. Besides, our testing shows that the performance delta isn’t as big as you might think. DDR5 on its own can keep up pretty well even in a single-channel configuration, and processors with AMD 3D V-Cache Technology aren’t as sensitive to memory configurations as other processors due to their extra-large L3 cache. For instance, in a system running the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D, there’s less than a 2% difference in average FPS between playing Cyberpunk 2077 with a single 16GB stick of DDR5 versus a 2x8GB memory kit.

Some final thoughts about memory in 2026. You might find yourself in a spot this year where you need to squeeze more performance or more stability out of a memory kit. Whether you’re working to get extra life out of an existing kit from a prior build or bumping up a new kit to the next level, you’ll appreciate having a motherboard equipped with the right tools for the job. The latest ASUS AM5 motherboards contribute to DRAM performance and stability, first with hardware-level optimizations like and second with a rich suite of BIOS features.

Here are some of the memory-related benefits you can unlock with an ASUS motherboard:

• NitroPath DRAM Technology. This retooled DRAM slot design can increase DRAM overclocking performance by up to 400 MT/s.
• AEMP. ASUS Enhanced Memory Profiles (AMD systems) optimize memory frequency, timing and voltage profiles to boost memory frequency up to 25%, making it possible to overclock a baseline DDR5-4800 kit to DDR5-6000.*
• AEMP III. ASUS Enhanced Memory Profiles (Intel systems) adjust memory frequency automatically based on CPU and memory capabilities, allowing up to 25% higher memory frequency. Boosting a baseline DDR5-6400 to DDR5-8000 is possible.*
• DIMM Fit / DIMM Fit Pro. Through automated and advanced tuning, these BIOS tools optimize memory overclocking stability and potentially higher DRAM performance. DIMM Fit Pro provides granular control over the process, allowing you to tune up to 20 different overclocking parameters with control over the testing range for each parameter, the testing, order, and the number of testing iterations.
• EXPO Tweaked and XMP Tweaked. EXPO Tweaked and XMP Tweaked memory profiles go beyond the standard options to offer you up to 10% higher memory bandwidth and reduced latency. EXPO Tweaked can reduce latency by up to 5%; XMP Tweaked can reduce latency by up to 13%.

*Validated with Hynix-based DDR5 modules. Actual performance may vary by memory configuration.

Give your computer some TLC with a cooling upgrade

At a certain point, heat becomes a thief of performance. When a CPU or GPU exceeds a certain temperature, it throttles clock speeds to protect your hardware from damage. If that’s happening in your system, it’s time to give your PC a thorough cleaning, check for dried-out thermal paste, and assess the airflow pathway in your case.

But that’s the extreme scenario. It’s more common for heat to become a thief of immersion. Your PC might control it well enough to keep your hardware operating within spec, but it might do so at a volume that’s hard to ignore. Once again, that might be a sign that it’s time to give your PC a spring cleaning, but it also suggests that your current cooling hardware is working overtime.

You should consider upgrading the cooling hardware of your PC if:

• Fan noise gets distractingly loud when your PC is under load
• Your CPU, RAM, or GPU run hotter than you’d like
• You recently upgraded your PC with a much-more powerful CPU or GPU
• Your PC is experiencing thermal throttling

Overall, you have three primary ways of beefing up your PC’s cooling. The most affordable move is to install more fans. Every unused fan mounting point in your PC case is a potential opportunity to increase the airflow moving through your chassis while reducing the workload shouldered by each individual fan. If you’ve run out of headers on your motherboard to connect more fans, don’t fret — a fan hub is an easy and affordable upgrade to your rig.

Another thought about case fans. By default, the fans that you connect to your motherboard will ramp up and down in response to CPU temperatures. But it’s possible that the hardest-working component in your PC is your graphics card, not your CPU. If your graphics card is running warm, an ROG graphics card with ROG FanConnect II headers might be the answer. These cards have one or more PWM fan headers on the side. Any case fans that you connect to these headers will ramp up alongside GPU temperatures. GPU Tweak III gives you granular control of fans connected to these headers.

A second way of improving the cooling efficiency of your PC is to upgrade your CPU cooling hardware. A modern AIO CPU liquid cooler with a large radiator — we typically recommend 360mm radiators for today’s high-performance hardware — is a powerful tool for taming CPU temperatures at quiet noise levels. Whether you establish it as an intake or as an exhaust, its radiator and fans will boost your PC’s entire airflow pathway. And with a large volume of coolant moving constantly through a big radiator, you’ll spread out the work of dissipating the heat produced by your CPU, typically leading to quieter overall system noise.

One final thought about bolstering your PC’s cooling. Your existing PC case might not be up to the challenge, especially if it’s an older case that you’ve repurposed from a previous build. Even if it was a perfectly capable chassis for your older hardware, it might be struggling with your upgraded components. Consider replacing it with a modern unit built from the ground up for cooling. You could potentially give yourself more mounting points for fans, compatibility with larger liquid cooling radiators, or an alternate airflow pathway that’s better suited for exhausting heat at lower noise levels. Beyond cooling, a chassis upgrade could be a major quality-of-life upgrade for you, as well. With a modern front-panel USB selection, you can put more, faster, and more versatile USB ports at your fingertips.

Upgrade your PC’s touchpoints

So far, we’ve been looking at different PC building components to consider where a targeted upgrade would have the most impact. But it’s also worth your time to think outside the box — quite literally, in this instance.

For a high-impact upgrade, it’s hard to do better than to update the elements of your setup that are most immediately connected to your senses. We’re talking here about the hardware that’s underneath your fingertips, that fills your vision, that creates soundscapes. It’s the hardware that’s closest to you when you’re gaming, creating, surfing, and communicating. And it’s also, by and large, hardware that’s completely unaffected by the 2026 DRAM shortage.

Here are some very accessible upgrades to consider.

A new monitor

Somehow, it’s flying under the radar that 2026 is an incredible time to upgrade your monitor. Whether you’re chasing cutting-edge technology or looking for a budget-friendly boost to your PC, you’ll find an incredible range of excellent options for gaming, content creation, and everyday use. Even if there wasn’t a DRAM shortage right now, a new monitor would be at the top of many people’s PC shopping lists.

Starting with gamers, there’s a wealth of gaming monitor options to consider. As the world’s #1 OLED monitor brand, ROG offers a wide range of models. You could go the premium route with our fastest OLED monitor, the ROG Swift OLED PG27AQWP-W, or immerse yourself in 32-inches of QD-OLED glory with the ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM Gen 3. Mainstream gamers can get in on the OLED action, too, with the value-packed ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG Gen 2, ROG Strix OLED XG27ACDMS, or ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMES. No matter which monitor you pick, you’ll get astonishing color performance, inky blacks, incredibly fast response times, comprehensive OLED Care Pro protection, a Neo Proximity Sensor, and more.

And that’s just in the OLED monitor aisle. We offer supremely accurate and feature-rich monitors for creators through our ProArt lineup. You can boost your on-the-go PC setup with a portable ZenScreen monitor. And if you need an LCD gaming monitor that offers all the essentials for a great price, check out our TUF Gaming monitor family.

A new mouse and keyboard

Incredible things are happening in the peripherals space, too. Magnetic switches are creating new possibilities for keyboards. Ultra-light gaming mice are offering cutting-edge performance, exceptional versatility, and effortless battery life. With the right peripherals upgrade, your PC will feel more responsive, more comfortable, and more premium.

The ROG Harpe II Ace is a drop-in upgrade for many PC battle stations. This featherweight 48-gram gaming mouse was designed with input from pro esports players to give you competitive precision and long-lasting comfort. Armed with pro-approved tech including a 42,000-dpi ROG AimPoint Pro optical sensor, ROG Optical Micro Switches, and industry-leading 8,000Hz polling wireless performance with SpeedNova 8K wireless technology, the ROG Harpe II Ace offers next-level control.

2026 could be the year that you level up your keyboard game, too. If you’re looking to elevate the responsiveness and versatility of your loadout while expanding the space available for your mousing hand, look at the ROG Falchion Ace 75 HE. It packs a lot of tech into its space-conscious 75% form factor, including ROG HFX V2 & V2X Magnetic Switches, Speed Tap and Rapid Trigger modes, an 8000Hz polling rate, and easy customization through Gear Link.

Maybe a numpad is vital for your setup? The ROG Azoth 96 HE is your premium pick for a new gaming keyboard. Boasting the same ROG HFX V2 magnetic switches and ROG Hall Sensor as the Falchion Ace 75 HE, but in a 96% layout that includes delivers a complete function key row, numpad, and OLED touchscreen in a compact profile, this keyboard games, works hard, and looks good in the process.

A new headset

You don’t need to be an audiophile to know that not all headsets are made equal. A bottom-shelf set of cans makes digital worlds feel flat and distant. A premium pair creates lavish soundscapes that you feel like you could live in. With one purchase, you can dial up your gaming immersion, make your favorite music feel fresh and new, and make your voice sound its best in conference calls and Friday night game sessions alike.

The ROG Kithara is your one-stop shop for superior, game-friendly sound. This open-back planar magnetic gaming headset delivers incredible sound with planar magnetic drivers designed in partnership with HIFIMAN, giving you authentic audio with minimal distortion. The open-back design helps sound spread, so you get dimensionality in your gaming soundscapes as well as distinct bass, treble, and mids. The ROG Kithara spares no expense, packing plenty of plugs and adapters as well as a detachable full-band MEMS boom microphone.

Earbud lovers can look forward to the ROG Cetra Open Wireless Gaming earbuds. With their ergonomic ear hooks, these lightweight, open-ear buds deliver a comfortable all-day listening experience, without completely isolating you from the world around you. Use these buds with Bluetooth or an ultra-low-latency ROG SpeedNova 2.4GHz connection — the 2.4GHz receiver supports one-way USB-C passthrough charging for peak convenience. 14.2 mm DLC drivers deliver crisp, rich audio that reveals every detail in your games’ soundscapes. And a quad-mic AI Noise Cancelation system keeps your voice clear in comms with the squad.

A monitor light bar

A full day in front of a bright monitor can be tough on your eyes. Some bias lighting and direct illumination on your desktop can make a big difference in how your eyes feel at the end of the day. A monitor light bar can add both to your setup, all without clouding up your experience with distracting reflections.

A new wireless router

Shoddy networking creates all manner of problems. It might be the biggest obstacle between you and victory in online gaming. It might be dampening your enjoyment of online streams, or creating a negative first impression at work when you teleconference with clients and coworkers. It could even be limiting your ability to use your portable tech across the full range of your home. During the DRAM shortage, the best gift that you could give yourself might be the gift of great internet.

Thanks to WiFi 7, 2026 could be the year that you finally move on from the necessity of running Ethernet cords everywhere — even if you’re a gamer. Compared to WiFi 6/6E, WiFi 7 offers up to 2x more capacity and up to 20% faster data transmission rates, making a router like the ROG Strix GS-BE18000 for competitive gamers ready to cut the cord without compromise. Perhaps you live in a larger home, or a building with dense construction materials? A mesh router like the ZenWiFi BT10 gives you a convenient, extendable way to establish secure, wall-to-wall coverage for every floor in your home. Or maybe it’s been a bit too long since you last upgraded your wireless router, and you need an affordable way to protect your data and devices with the latest network security. The value-centric ASUS RT-BE58U will get you there, and as a dual-band WiFi 7 router, it’s poised to give many homes a speed upgrade, too.

All told, you have lots of options for upgrading your PC experience. Even without a new memory kit, you likely have possibilities for boosting your PC’s performance and versatility. And when you consider your entire PC setup — your monitor, peripherals, networking hardware, and more — you have even more upgrade pathways to consider.

Suggested build for an everyday PC

Thus far, we’ve offered some general advice for what components you might want to upgrade and when. But perhaps you’re looking for more specific advice on what components work well together, either to find a targeted upgrade for your own system or as a blueprint for starting fresh.

This first build is an all-purpose everyday PC with today’s users in mind. ASUS Prime motherboards provide a modern platform rich with connectivity that’s ready to go, whether you prefer Intel or AMD processors. If you’ll be using this PC for occasional gaming, AI workflows, light content creation tasks like photo editing, a graphics card will provide a big boost to your experience.

Our list includes a pair of affordable yet speedy monitors. The TUF Gaming VG259QL5A pairs a 1080p resolution with a fluid 200Hz refresh rate along with FreeSync Premium and G-Sync Compatible, making it well-suited for fast-paced gaming in a compact form factor that’ll fit easily on a smaller desk.

Suggested builds for gamers

Let’s pivot to some suggested builds for gaming rigs. We’ll suggest three configurations, starting with an entry-level PC and ranging up to a premium 4K PC.

We’ll start with a very solid entry-level gaming PC build. Here, we’re aiming for a rig that’ll get you gaming in today’s most popular esports games. The combination of either an AMD Ryzen 5 or Intel Core Ultra 5 processor along with a value-centric B-series motherboard will get you up and running. If your budget is tight, start with an 8GB stick of DDR5, but 16GB will give you more headroom for multitasking and help you meet the recommended requirements for more visually demanding games.

For your graphics card, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8G will serve up excellent 1080p gaming while providing access to NVIDIA RTX features like DLSS 4.5. If you’d prefer a little more VRAM, consider an AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 16G. These cards don’t demand a lot of power, but it’s still best to feed them power with an efficient PSU. The TUF Gaming 650W Gold EVO is a solid choice here, armed with military-grade capacitors, dual-ball fan bearings, a protective PCB coating, and ATX 3.1 / PCIe 5.1 compatibility.

This next configuration is designed to take you into 1440p, which many gamers consider to be the “sweet spot” for PC gaming. It’s relatively easy to find a graphics card that’ll serve up excellent frame rates at this resolution, it allows you to bump up to 27-inch displays while maintaining good pixel density, and it offers a big boost in detail over 1080p displays.

Overall, this rig is designed to give you a great experience in just about any game out there at 1440p. The combination of an ROG Strix B-series motherboard and AMD Ryzen 7 or Intel Core Ultra 7 will lay a firm foundation for your build with PCIe 5.0 support, plentiful USB ports, robust power solutions, and a gamer-first style that you’ll want to show off. Kicking up your graphics card to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 or AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT / 9070 will take your 1440p gaming over the top with high FPS, so don’t be shy about pairing this PC with a speedy ROG OLED monitor like the 280Hz ROG Strix OLED XG27AQWMG.

Since we’ve kicked up the power levels with this build, you’ll want a PSU and cooling solution that are ready to meet the moment. The new ROG Strix LC IV 360 ARGB series AIO CPU liquid coolers deliver high-end cooling and bold style with a large 5.08-inch IPS display on the pump housing. For your PSU, an ROG Strix 1000W Platinum is available in black or white, and it offers excellent efficiency and quiet operation alike.

This next build is designed to take you without limitations in premium 4K gaming. It’s a perfect fit for big, immersive 32-inch OLED gaming. We’ve linked a few display options, but make sure to check out the ROG Strix OLED XG32UCWMG, a 4K 240Hz monitor that pairs a WOLED panel with a TrueBlack™ Glossy coating for inky blacks and bright highlights. It’s a dual-mode monitor, too, allowing you to flip to a FHD 480Hz mode whenever you want to prioritize ultra-fluid refresh rates.

Playing games at that resolution needs a healthy dose of VRAM, so we’re recommending the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080. Its 16GB of GDDR7 makes it a great fit for gaming at 4K. You won’t want to bottleneck this potent graphics card, so we’re recommending an AMD Ryzen CPU with AMD 3D V-Cache Technology or a premium Intel Core Ultra 9 processor. High-end motherboard options from the ROG Crosshair and ROG Maximus families will give you a full set of tools for squeezing every last drop of performance out of these beastly CPUs, and you should look for potent cooling, too. The ROG Ryuo IV 360 ARGB fits that bill nicely, and it’s topped with an eye-catching curved 6.67-inch AMOLED screen, too.

Suggested builds for creators

Let’s flip gears to the needs of creators. A tough truth is that content creation workloads often have hard requirements for memory, and that’s true for both system memory and VRAM. Working with higher-resolution assets and complex projects drives up the need for plentiful memory very quickly, so if you’re building a PC for creative pursuits, you’ll need to research the memory needs of your primary application and build accordingly.

Lighter content creation tasks like photo editing can get away from 16GB of RAM, but that’s probably on the lighter side for any creator who tends to multitask. This configuration will get you up and running, but it might be wise to have an upgrade plan in place. The ProArt B850-Creator WiFi Neo will give you plenty of room to grow, though, considering that its two PCIe 5.0 x16 slots are ready to run in an x8/x8 configuration that can support two graphics cards. We like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB for this system as it’s one of the most cost-effective 16GB graphics cards available.

Finally, let’s talk about a system designed for professional creatives who need advanced processing power for work with 8K assets, high-bitrate 4K editing, gam development, or 3D rendering. These lines of work can take advantage of all the power that you’re able to provide, so we’re aiming high here with the combination of an AMD Ryzen 9 or Intel Core Ultra 9 processor and a premium NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card. Even during the memory shortage, you’ll need to invest in RAM to keep your projects rolling; a 2x32GB DDR5 kit is your starting point, and you may well need more.

The ProArt X870E-Creator WiFi (for AMD builds) and the ProArt Z890-Creator WiFi (Intel builds) were precision-built for just this scenario. Blurring the lines between consumer-grade and workstation-grade hardware, these motherboards give you the premium connectivity, networking, and power delivery that you need for a high-end system. A large AIO CPU liquid cooler will go a long way to support extended work sessions, so you might consider grabbing a ProArt LC 420 and a chassis that’s big enough to fit it.

On the display side, we have a number of professional-grade ProArt Displays that should catch your eye for these lines of work. The ProArt Display 8K PA32KCX, for example, will let you work with 8K assets at native resolution. If a speedy refresh rate is vital, consider the ProArt Display OLED PA32UCDM. It offers a 240Hz refresh rate to go along with its 4K resolution, and it’s one of the best HDR monitors we offer thanks to its 1000 nits peak brightness, VESA DisplayHDR True Black 400 certification, and support for multiple HDR formats.

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Frequently asked questions

1. How long will the current memory shortage last?

It’s hard to say when the memory shortage will end. The current shortage is affected by many factors, including market conditions, available supply, demand from growing market sectors, and the significant time and expense it would require for memory manufacturers to significantly boost production.

2. If I can’t afford a RAM upgrade, what’s the next best hardware boost?

The best hardware upgrade for your system depends on your goals. If you’re looking to significantly increase game performance, a new graphics card is your best bet, even considering the fact that VRAM is also affected by the memory shortage. Upgrades to your cooling hardware, power supply, and motherboard could provide valuable boosts to your PC experience.

3. What is the minimum amount of memory that I need for building a PC in 2026?

Windows 11 lists 4GB as a minimum requirement, but that’s on the low side for most PC users. Entry-level PCs can get away with 8GB for everyday tasks and light gaming, but 16GB is a better all-around choice.

4. Should I wait for the shortage to end before building a new PC?

Some seasoned watchers of the tech scene think that memory supply constraints will persist well into 2026, but any answer to this question will be speculative to some degree. If you need a machine now, you do have a variety of options. You might consider a “pragmatic build”: invest in a high-quality motherboard and CPU today, but start with a modest RAM kit that you can upgrade later once prices stabilize.

6. Does my choice of cooling affect memory performance?

Indirectly, yes. As memory prices rise, many users are overclocking their existing kits to squeeze out more performance. High-performance memory runs hotter, so ensuring your case airflow is optimized or using a CPU cooler that doesn’t “blanket” your RAM slots can help maintain stability at higher frequencies.

7. Is it worth upgrading from DDR4 to a DDR5 platform right now?

If you are already on a DDR4 platform, the “jump” requires a new motherboard and CPU. Given current costs, you might be better off considering upgrades for parts of your PC, such as your graphics card, monitor, or peripherals. However, for a new build, DDR5 is still the superior option for building a long-lasting system.

8. Are there any software tricks to “save” RAM?

While you can’t “download more RAM,” you can optimize what you have. Ensure Resizable BAR is enabled in your BIOS to improve how your CPU and GPU communicate. If you haven’t already, activate the XMP, EXPO, or AEMP profile for your memory kit to optimize its performance. Limiting how many programs are running, both actively and in the system tray, can help make sure that heavy workloads have access to the memory they need.