There are so many different PC components and brands these days that it can be hard to keep track of it all if you’re not knowledgeable or interested in PC building and components.
Many users wonder if it is possible to build a PC mixing any parts they want, and that’s a valid question. Can you mix and match PC parts?
PC parts are not universally compatible. Whether or not PC parts are compatible depends on multiple factors, such as the size and type of PC case and motherboard. However, most PC parts are interchangeable if they use the same connectors and standards. It’s very important that your PC parts are compatible with your build, because if they aren’t your PC simply won’t work.
There’s a lot more to this, and it’s hard to sum up in just a few words. Some PC parts are interchangeable, and others, like CPUs, have to fit the motherboard socket to function at all.
Read more to find out all you need to know about mixing and matching PC components. After you’ve read this article, you’ve hopefully gained some insight into what PC parts you can swap out and what PC parts you have to be more careful with.
Can You Mix and Match PC Parts?
Mostly, PC parts can be swapped interchangeably. For example, if you have an mATX motherboard, you’ll be able to fit a mATX motherboard in there, connect a GPU to its PCIe x16 slot and be good to go.
Modern GPUs are almost always connected through this slot on a motherboard, and if there are no physical restrictions, you can upgrade and swap GPUs without issue.
Just make sure that the case is large enough for the GPU to fit. GPUs need room to breathe as well, so there needs to be ample space for it in there.
However, there are some parts that can’t be swapped out without some consideration. If you mix parts without checking if you should first, you risk wasting money on parts you can’t use in your computer.
For example, some slots change more than others over time. RAM slots have changed quite a lot over the years, and they’re not generationally compatible. This means that you can not use a DDR3 RAM stick in a motherboard with DDR4 slots.
The slot and RAM sticks would be physically unable to fit. The same goes with CPUs, as we will get into later. CPUs have socket pins that need to be fitted to a motherboard’s CPU socket.
If you try to connect a CPU to a motherboard that isn’t compatible, it won’t work, but the worst-case scenario is that you break some of the pins which will stop the CPU from working at all.
Are All PC Parts Compatible With Each Other?
So, we can safely conclude that all PC parts are not compatible with one another and that you should do your research, even if you’re fairly sure about what you’re looking for.
Here are some of the most important things to take note of when building a PC or swapping out parts.
- Make sure that your CPU fits your motherboard CPU socket
- Control the size dimensions of case before buying a motherboard, GPU, or any other component that has physical demands
- Before buying RAM, see what DDR version your motherboard has and what sort of RAM speed and type your CPU works best with
- Make sure the power supply is capable of providing sufficient voltage
Do You Have to Match Brands When Building a PC?
When building a PC, you do not have to match the brands of the components. PCs are built with standards that every PC manufacturing company uses when manufacturing their components.
When you think about it, it wouldn’t really be possible. Far from every component manufacturer makes every part of a PC. For example, Nvidia does not make CPUs, and Intel doesn’t make motherboards.
If you’re very aesthetically minded and want things to look cool in your PC, it can be a good idea to match as many brands as possible I suppose.
Keep in mind, however, that picking a component just because it matches brands with another one of your components can lock you out of better options. To be clear, matching brands doesn’t provide you with any advantages when it comes to performance.
While it’s not necessary to match brands, there are certain things you should avoid. For example, Intel and AMD have different chipsets for their CPUs. Intel has pins on its chipsets, while AMD processors need the pins on the motherboard CPU socket to connect.
Can Any CPU Fit in Any Computer?
We have discussed this previously, but the answer is no. It’s vital that you check before you buy a CPU or build a new computer what socket your motherboard has.
This should be fairly easy to do. If you already have a motherboard at home, check the motherboard manufacturer’s website for information about what type of CPUs it supports.
You can also check the motherboard user manual and check there if you can’t find information online. Look for a list of compatible CPUs. After you’ve done this, check what kind of socket the CPU has.
The standards are usually just combined letters and numbers, such as the LGA 1151 standard for Intel processors (more specifically, Skylake, Kaby Lake, and Coffee Lake processors).
Can Any GPU Fit in Any Computer?
Pretty much every modern GPU is compatible with most motherboards since almost all semi-modern motherboards and newer ones have PCIe Express 3.0. Old standards like AGP and ISA are long forgotten, and pretty much every motherboard and GPU from 2004 and onward use PCIe.
While compatibility is seldom an issue when installing a new GPU, space can certainly be. If the GPU is too big for the case you have, then there’s not much you can do except for buying a new and bigger case.
Not only does the GPU have to fit in the case, but optimally, it should have room around it to prevent heat issues.
Another thing you’ll be facing when buying a new GPU is power demands. GPUs require a lot of power compared to other components, and it’s important that you have proper PEG connectors going from your PSU to your GPU.
You will be needing either an 8-pin connector or a 6-pin connector, depending on the needs of your GPU. Below, you can find some basic information on wattage estimates for different GPUs / PEG connectors.
| PEG Connector | Min. PSU | Recommended PSU | GPUs (examples) |
| Single 6-pin PEG | 350W | 400W | GTX 1660, GTX 1650 |
| Dual 6-pin PEG | 450W | 550W | GTX 980, GTX 970 |
| Single 8-pin PEG | 450W | 550W | RTX 2060, RX 5600 XT |
| 8-pin + 6-pin PEG | 500W | 650W | RTX 2070, RX 5700 XT |
| Dual 8-pin PEG | 550W | 750W+ | RTX 2080 Super, RTX 2080 Ti |
Can Any RAM Stick Fit in Any Computer?
No. RAM compatibility is largely dictated by their DDR generation, and the DDR generation of the RAM stick needs to match the DDR version of the motherboard.
Different DDR versions are not compatible, and you shouldn’t try to fit a RAM that doesn’t fit. It should be fairly obvious if a RAM stick fits in your motherboard or not because the sticks are physically different.
If you try to force insert a RAM stick in a motherboard that doesn’t support it, things can start to break, and that’s not what you want.
If you’re unsure of what type of RAM fits in your motherboard, I recommend using Crucial’s system scanner. It’s a small tool that you can use for scanning system specifications.