Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gaming
  3. Computing
  4. News

Test your PC building skills with the new PC Building Simulator

Add as a preferred source on Google

Building a PC is something that becomes far easier with practice, but if you make mistakes they can be expensive ones. That’s why something like PC Building Simulator could be great for those who want to try their hand at it, or for old pros who want to test their skills without breaking open their prized PC.

Currently under development by independent programmer “Claudiu,” PC Building Simulator is undergoing pre-alpha testing, which is why he’s released a build of the game to the public. He hopes that the game will be useful for people wanting to learn about putting together a gaming PC, or those who simply want to try out different hardware configurations in a 3D, digital setting.

Recommended Videos

As it stands the game is in a pretty bare-bones state, with very limited components to choose from, a single, rather drab environment to do it in, and no advanced cooling options like water or phase change. However, the basics are there and for anyone who hasn’t built a PC before, seeing that everything slots in easily can go a long way to assuaging any concerns you may have.

It’s nice to see cabling included, too. One of the most daunting aspects for new PC builders can be installing power cables, due to the fear that should you use the wrong one, you could blow something up. While that isn’t as big of a scare as people might expect, the tutorial in PC Building Simulator shows a list of all of the most important cables and makes you pick the correct one before allowing you to continue.

In the future, Claudiu plans to add a career mode, which will let people pick their own hardware and let them practice budgeting for specific goals and try out lighting and cooling configurations. There’s even the potential for puzzle-like gameplay in the form of damaged components and PC repair (thanks RPS).

One important step that isn’t taken in this demo though is for users to ground themselves. While not strictly necessary, making sure that any static you have built up in your own body doesn’t short out components is an important step for new PC builders to take. If you’re planning on building a PC yourself, make sure to check out our handy guide, no experience required.

And if you’d like to try your hand at building a virtual gaming system, you can download PC Building Simulator using various links found on the official blog.

Jon Martindale
Jon Martindale covers how to guides, best-of lists, and explainers to help everyone understand the hottest new hardware and…
Phantom Blade Zero hands-on: An extraordinary game with unbelievable combat that I can’t get enough of
Every fight feels like a beautifully choreographed martial arts movie, except I'm the one controlling every move.
Phantom Blade Zero poster

We have had a considerable number of high-profile game releases this year, but none so far have had as much hype behind them as Phantom Blade Zero. The source of all that hype was a 2023 trailer highlighting its fluid kung-fu-derived sword combat. Considering that, at the time of writing this piece, there are over 700,000 concurrent players on Steam alone, on a weekday no less, I think it's safe to say that the hype has converted into gamers actually showing up for the game. I have sunk around 10 hours into this game today, and so far, it has been nothing short of an absolute masterclass in action combat.

A world that pulls you in from the start

Read more
Claude helped bring a PS2 emulator to the browser, and it can run GTA San Andreas
TabStationToo adapts PCSX2 for browser play, with the developers reporting near-full-speed performance in some games
TabStationToo on laptop

Two friends have used Claude to help bring the open-source PS2 emulator PCSX2 to a browser. Their project, TabStationToo, has been tested with games including GTA San Andreas and Final Fantasy XII.

The developers say Claude did most of the programming while they directed the work and tested the results. It’s still experimental, but games run locally without installing a desktop emulator.

Read more
Phantom Blade Zero joins GeForce NOW, and your old PC can join the party
No gaming PC? Nvidia has a way to play Phantom Blade Zero anyway
Phantom Blade Zero Featured Image

Phantom Blade Zero is finally here, bringing its slick martial arts combat and striking kungfupunk world to PC. If you're worried that your PC can't run it, Nvidia has a cloud solution. The game is joining GeForce NOW at launch, allowing players to experience S-GAME's ambitious action RPG without investing in expensive new hardware.

The announcement is part of Nvidia's latest GFN Thursday update, which brings nine games to its cloud gaming service this week, alongside modding support for two popular RPGs and new subscription options for players in India.

Read more