PC Hardware Handbook Second Edition

Build, Upgrade, and Understand Your Gaming PC 💻

PC Hardware Handbook Second Edition is a practical, 132-page guide from Future Publishing, created for PC Gamer readers who want clear answers about the parts inside their machine. Published in 2019, it combines beginner-friendly explanations with detailed hardware reviews, step-by-step build advice, and a close look at the components that shape gaming performance.

What the Handbook Covers ⚙️

The opening sections break down the jargon that can make PC building feel like a private language. From there, the handbook walks through a full PC build, offers a budget-friendly step-by-step build guide, and asks how close a $999 gaming PC can get to a high-end experience. Later chapters explain graphics options, show how to protect your tech, and help readers make sense of the settings and upgrades that matter most.

Hardware Reviews and Head-to-Heads

A large part of the book is devoted to hands-on hardware coverage. You will find sections on gaming motherboards, processors, graphics cards, monitors, solid-state drives, gaming headsets, keyboards, mice, and PC fans. The head-to-head format is useful for comparing models across price ranges, whether you are hunting for a first build or planning an upgrade to an existing rig.

Who This Guide Suits 🧠

New builders can use the jargon buster and build walkthroughs to get comfortable before spending money. More experienced readers can go straight to the reviews and comparisons for a snapshot of the hardware market as it stood in 2019. Because the book reflects that moment in PC hardware, it works best as a learning resource and a period reference rather than a guide to current-generation parts.

A 2019 Snapshot of PC Building

The recommendations and prices inside are tied to the late 2010s. That makes the handbook interesting for anyone who wants to understand how PC building advice was framed during that era, or for readers who enjoy seeing how far components, graphics options, and budget builds have moved since. The core lessons about compatibility, cooling, storage, and choosing the right part for the job still give useful context.

Why Keep It on Your Digital Shelf

If you like practical hardware writing that explains the why as well as the what, this second edition offers a focused collection of guides and reviews in one place. It is a digital bookazine from the PC Gamer team, and it remains a readable, well-organised companion for anyone who enjoys the nuts and bolts of PC gaming hardware.