re: Build the Best Gaming PC Your Money Can Buy: A Detailed Guide (Updated Sep 2014)

I agree with you. The ideal way is to learn about all of the individual parts you need, why, and what's compatible with what. I've built several PC's for myself and others and I don't even know all of the details of your guide. It's pretty exhaustive and very informative. (I've probably read about half of it.) And if a person wants to learn about this hobby, it's a great place to start since the author is here and clearly willing to answer questions. That's more than you'll get from an article on a random tech site.

However, if someone just wants to build a system real quick and needs a list of parts that will work together, you can do much worse than Reddit. The community there is pretty helpful.

Personally, if I were building a PC for the first time, I'd probably read through your guide, do some of my own comparisons and research, and then set up some deal alerts on a site like Slick Deals for the components I need. Then, I'd accumulate them over a few months to get the most bang for my buck.

I'm not sure if you care, but I think removing the parts list is a good idea. If someone really just wants a list of components, there seems to be several here who will offer up to date suggestions.