Check PC component compatibility

1. Start with a complete parts list

Record the exact motherboard model and revision, processor, memory kit, graphics card, power supply, case, cooler and drives. For an upgrade, include the parts you are keeping. Find the support page and manual for each model; a product family page alone may leave out essential details.

For a pre-built desktop, use the system manufacturer’s service documentation as well. Do not assume its motherboard, power connections or case follow the same layout as separately sold parts. If a model number or connection is unclear, resolve that before ordering.

2. Match the processor to the motherboard and BIOS

Use the motherboard manufacturer’s CPU support list for the exact board. Confirm that the processor is listed and note any minimum BIOS version or board revision requirement. A shared socket name is not a complete compatibility check. ASUS’s CPU troubleshooting guidance shows how to check CPU support against the required BIOS version.

ASUS provides a guide to finding a board’s CPU and memory support lists. For other brands, find the corresponding support page rather than relying on an ASUS list.

If an update is required, establish which BIOS version the board has and how that model can be updated. Read its update instructions and check whether the process needs an already supported processor. Do not assume every board can update without one. Ask the seller or manufacturer if you cannot establish the starting version or update path.

3. Check the memory generation and kit

Match the motherboard’s supported memory generation and module type. DDR4 and DDR5 are not interchangeable; changing generations requires compatible platform hardware. Kingston documents DDR4 and DDR5 compatibility differences.

Look up the complete memory kit part number in the board’s qualified vendor list (QVL), where available, and check the listed processor family, capacity and supported module configuration. A QVL entry concerns a particular tested configuration; it does not establish that every kit with a similar name has been validated. If your kit is absent, seek confirmation rather than treating absence as proof either way.

Check the manual’s recommended slots, total supported capacity and speed conditions for the number of modules you intend to use. Do not assume a kit’s advertised profile speed is guaranteed in every configuration. ASUS’s memory QVL instructions show the model-specific information to look for.

4. Check the case, graphics card and cooler together

Compare the case’s supported motherboard formats with your board. Then compare the exact graphics card’s length, height and slot thickness with the available space in the intended case configuration. Include room for its power connection and follow the card or cable manufacturer’s clearance instructions.

Case limits can change when you fit other parts. As a documented example, Fractal Design specifies up to 355 mm of graphics card length in the original North with front fans, or up to 300 mm with a 360 mm front radiator. Those figures apply to that model and layout, not every case. See the Fractal Design North specifications and linked manual.

For a CPU cooler, confirm socket mounting support, whether the required mounting kit is included, and the case’s cooler-height limit. With liquid cooling, check radiator position, thickness and fan clearance in the case manual. Check for conflicts with memory, motherboard heatsinks and drive cages rather than assuming each separately supported part fits at the same time.

5. Verify the storage interface and slot restrictions

M.2 describes a physical format; it does not by itself confirm whether the slot supports a SATA or NVMe drive. Check the drive’s interface, length and keying against the motherboard’s storage specification. Kingston’s M.2 guide explains the interface distinction.

Read the slot-specific footnotes. Some connections depend on the installed processor or share resources with other ports. For example, the ASUS PRIME B560M-A manual states that using its M.2_2 slot in SATA mode disables SATA6G_2. That is a rule for that board, not a universal M.2 limitation. See the PRIME B560M-A manual (PDF), “Connectors with shared bandwidth” and section 1.2.

Write down which slot you will use and which other drives or expansion cards will be connected. Check any heatsink and mounting requirements, too. A physically fitting drive is not enough to establish that the intended connection will work.

6. Check power requirements and the actual cables

Use the graphics card and processor manufacturers’ requirements alongside the power supply’s own specification for your complete system. Check the required connector types and counts, the PSU’s physical format and length, and clearance for the cables. A wattage number alone does not answer those questions.

Do not reuse modular PSU cables just because their plugs fit. Compatibility is specific to the power supply and cable type, including within a single brand. Use the cables supplied for the PSU or replacements explicitly confirmed as compatible by its manufacturer. Corsair explains why modular PSU cables are not universal.

Follow the exact product’s installation instructions for power connectors and any included adapter. If the documentation does not confirm a proposed cable or adapter combination, obtain manufacturer confirmation before using it.

7. Check connections, then review the whole build

Compare the case’s front USB and audio connectors with the motherboard headers and the manual’s connection diagrams. Check that you have the fan and pump connections your cooling arrangement requires. For displays and peripherals, compare the actual ports and the capabilities stated in each device’s documentation.

• CPU: supported on the exact board, with a confirmed BIOS path.
• Memory: correct generation, type, capacity and intended slot configuration.
• Fit: case, GPU, cooler and PSU checked in the same physical layout.
• Storage: supported interface and slot, with sharing restrictions understood.
• Power: suitable PSU and manufacturer-confirmed cables and connectors.
• Unresolved details: written down and confirmed before purchase.

This checklist helps you research a build; it does not certify it or replace the installation instructions supplied with your hardware.