See how your PC connects.
Eight interactive diagrams for the decisions behind a build.
Original educational illustrations. Not measured simulations, wiring instructions or a fit guarantee.
See where the air goes
Change the fan directions and follow the arrows.
Front: intake. Rear: exhaust. The arrows show one possible path through the case. Fan count alone does not establish case pressure or temperatures.
Scope and source documents
A directional sketch, not an airflow or temperature simulation. Filters, restrictions, fan curves and the enclosure affect the result. Use the fan’s markings and its instructions; reverse-blade models can look different.
Choose the memory slots
Explore a documented four-slot example before opening your own manual.
ASUS four-slot example: populate A2 and B2. Confirm the exact board’s recommended layout, memory generation, kit support and CPU limits. This does not establish BIOS support or a stable memory speed.
Scope and source documents
ASUS’s linked installation guide uses A2 for one module and A2/B2 for two. Slot names and placement can differ on another board. Power off and disconnect the power cord before installing or removing memory. The lines show connections conceptually, not a motherboard trace map.
Watch a shared connection change
A model-specific example: MSI MAG B650 TOMAHAWK WIFI.
MSI MAG B650 TOMAHAWK WIFI: M2_3 uses up to PCIe 4.0 ×4; PCI_E2 is empty. Other slots and CPU-dependent restrictions must still be checked. Lane count is not a measured transfer rate or an FPS prediction.
Scope and source documents
This rule applies to the named board and the specified slots. It does not transfer to similarly named revisions. MSI also lists CPU-dependent restrictions elsewhere: for example, M2_2 is unavailable with the Ryzen 8500/8300 series. Inspect the current specifications and manual for the exact CPU and board.
Separate PWM from voltage control
A control command and a measured fan speed are different things.
50% illustrative PWM command on the fourth wire. This is a control duty, not an RPM percentage; response and stop behavior depend on the fan.
Scope and source documents
The waveform is an explanatory drawing, not a scope trace. Check the fan’s rated voltage, header current limit and supported modes. This page does not calculate RPM, sound or cooling, and a zero command does not guarantee that a particular fan stops.
Measure more than GPU length
Try a length worksheet, then check the other dimensions.
340 − 300 − 20 = 20 mm length remainder. A positive remainder addresses only this one axis. Check width/height, slot thickness, power-cable routing, supports and installed radiator placement separately. Do not subtract an obstruction twice if the case figure already includes it.
Scope and source documents
The starting values are editable examples, not specifications for an actual card or case. The drawing is schematic. Use figures for the exact partner model and installed configuration; leave manufacturer-specified space for connectors, bends and supporting hardware. A length subtraction cannot certify fit.
Recognize the power lead
Similar contact counts do not make two cables interchangeable.
4+4-pin EPS/CPU: CPU power near the processor. This is not the same cable as a 6+2-pin PCIe lead. The drawing is not a pinout or wiring guide. Modular PSU-side connectors are not universally interchangeable; use only cables explicitly approved for the exact PSU.
Scope and source documents
Original simplified contact-count artwork: shapes, keying and polarity are deliberately not represented. It is not an assembly reference. Never open the PSU or experiment with cable wiring. Verify exact cable compatibility, labeling and manufacturer installation instructions with the system powered off.
Separate SSD shape from interface
Compare M.2 lengths on one scale, then choose the connection protocol.
M.2 2280 is 22 mm wide and 80 mm long. A PCIe/NVMe drive needs a socket that supports PCIe/NVMe. The outline and mounting position do not establish protocol, keying or thickness compatibility. Check the motherboard manual before ordering; power off before installing or removing an M.2 drive.
Scope and source documents
All four outlines use the same drawing scale. Mounting lengths, module thickness, supported interface and any shared-slot restrictions need separate confirmation. A drive fitting the outline of a socket does not prove that the system supports its protocol.
Look at cooler placement
Switch between a tower and three radiator locations.
CPU-block-pump example: a top radiator places the radiator above the pump. Verify the exact cooler instructions, roof thickness clearance, motherboard/RAM space and tube reach. This illustration does not estimate temperature, noise or cooling capacity.
Scope and source documents
The liquid-cooling examples assume the pump is in the CPU block. Follow the exact cooler’s manual when its pump is in the radiator or tubing. Case mounting support, radiator/fan thickness, tube length and nearby hardware still need checking. The drawing does not show coolant flow direction.