Techfluencer Robeytech is jumping into the Newegg Community for a special Q&A session, and this time, he’ll be answering your PC building questions directly by text. If you’ve ever wanted advice from a seasoned builder on parts, performance, upgrades, troubleshooting, or first-time builds, this is your chance to ask him personally!
From February 23rd through March 1st, we’ll be gathering your questions right here on this post. Drop your best PC building questions in the comments, whether you’re planning your first rig, upgrading your GPU, optimizing airflow, or trying to squeeze more performance out of your setup. Robeytech will review submissions and personally respond to selected questions.
We’ll send him the top questions after March 1st, and his answers will be posted by March 7th, so be sure to check back to see if your question was chosen. Not every question will be answered, so make sure you submit yours early for the best chance to be featured.
Who: Techfluencer Robeytech 
When: Feb 23 – Mar 1 
Where: Right here on this post 
What: Robeytech answering PC building questions directly from the Newegg Community! Answers will be posted here! 
Robeytech’s Socials:
https://www.youtube.com/Robeytech
https://www.youtube.com/@RobeytechLive/videos
https://www.instagram.com/Robeytech
https://www.facebook.com/Robeytech/
https://www.twitch.tv/robeytech
https://www.tiktok.com/@robeytech?lang=en
https://discord.com/invite/gRKWpWNd?utm_source=Discord%20Widget&utm_medium=Connect
ANSWERS POSTED BELOW!
Dilantro asks…
Hey there Robeytech!
I’ve been really inspired by gaming streamers lately and I’d love to start streaming, myself. Since you’re doing this Q&A, I wanted to ask:
What do you believe are the most important computer components a beginner streamer should invest in? I’m trying to figure out which components matter the most based off your experience in the industry. Also, any streamer accessories that you recommend?
I’d really appreciate any advice you have for me!
Thank you!!
ANSWER:
I’m going to give you a lasagna of an answer. It might get a bit cheesy at times, but there are some nuggets mixed between the layers, too.
If we’re talking purely about PC components, I would say that the most important component you can have in your PC is stable network hardware. You can have all of the best hardware in the world, but if your connection to the internet is rough, you’re going to have a rough time building an audience.
That said, making sure you have a GPU with a dedicated video encode is right up there, too. NVEC is nice on Nvidia cards and works so well.
As for accessories, I would get a decent mic. No need to go crazy with a Shure SM7b or anything. Actually, Elgato has been doing some cool stuff with their Wave platform. It might be worth checking out the Wave 3 Mk. 2.
Backing this train up though, before you send a single dollar on gear, I think the most important thing you can invest in is yourself.
Streaming requires a lot of hours of consistency, organization, and communication skills to really be successful, but there are also factors like your personality, skills, and the vibes you bring to the table to connect with an audience.
One of the things I had to ask very early on was this: as fun as it looks, am I willing to show up on the regular and do I have fun when I’m doing it? Honestly, the only way to figure that out is by turning the camera on and hitting “Go Live.”
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SaintTyr asks…
Hey Robeytech!
How do I tell if any of my PC parts start to degrade? I’d like to know early BEFORE performance dips so I can start looking for a good deal on parts.
ANSWER:
I’m going to answer your question in a roundabout way, but I hope it lands in a place that’s helpful to you.
You could run daily performance tests like PCMark and Cinebence looking for patterns of incremental performance loss or problems with HWInfo… but I’ll be honest: I really don’t think you should.
Not only can repeated stress tests cause degradation over time… I just think that kind of obsession isn’t your best use of time. I actually think there is another factor to look at instead… and it’s more of a carbon-based metric.
I say this a lot (and people are probably sick of hearing me say this), but it’s so important to make sure you stay grounded:
As long as your PC is doing the things you want it to do – whether that’s running games, compiling code, or making clip compilations of your sick underwater basket weaving tricks – you do not need to upgrade until either you are ready to or until something stops working.
In other words, your threshold is actually going to look different than someone else’s… and you are that threshold.
Listen, I get it: I have “shiny object syndrome.” I want all the cool, new shiny things I see, but sometimes I wonder if I have a tendency to create solutions for problems that don’t exist yet… which is actually exhausting to chase a dragon you will never catch.
So, Dad Talk aside here: the best thing you can do is pay attention to your rig’s performance as you’re using it. Remember: the average PC lasts a user 5- 7 years, so use that as a gauge and when your PC starts to show signs of aging, then I would start looking at upgrades.
Otherwise, enjoy your PC.
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Pointer asks…
Hi Robeytech!
What is your take on AIOs? If there is an additional $50 in the build budget is it worth spending on an aio if the cpu is a entry to midrange?
ANSWER:
You know Pointer, I love AiOs and I’ve seen a TON of them.
Actually, my team and I tested and built PCs with over 30 different AiOs last year. We even have a video coming out soon that highlights our favorites from 2025. If you like AiOs – you should definitely keep an eye out for it.
Shameless self-promotion aside, this is such a great question, and I’m really glad you asked it!
When you are doing budget builds (and I feel like this more keenly felt within the current climate of PC DIY), fine-tuning every dollar spent to maximize the user experience is vital. In some cases, that $50 can be the difference between CPU or GPU tiers. So, squeezing pennies is always smart here.
That said, whether or not an AiO is “worth it” depends on a few factors.
The first consideration is looking at what kind of airflow your PC case has. If you have direct front air intake, an air cooler is setup for success.
If, however, your PC parts live in a fishbowl with either side intake fans or no side- or front fans (think Lian Li O11 Vision or Phanteks Evolv X2), an AiO would be more worth considering.
Now, to be clear: you can use an air cooler in cases like these, but understand you will see higher CPU temps. You’re always going to be more successful with an air cooler when you can directly feed it cool air.
The second consideration is looking at what kind of cooling your CPU actually needs.
For the chips you’re talking about, an AiO would likely be overkill. It is still worth looking at how much wattage your CPU is rated for, and cross referencing that with the cooling you’re looking at.
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Bastin asks…
What’s Poppin Robeytech!
ANSWER:
My back? My collar? My sick dance moves…
You know, I love this question, because I actually do have a lot of exciting things going on right now.
First off, I’m doing stuff like this (which I love, by the way) - answering tech questions from people like you.
Whether it’s answering direct questions on social media, making video reviews and buyers guides on YouTube, or streaming PC builds, it all bleeds out of the same place: I want to be a positive force in this space, creating cool stuff that helps people learn, grow, and get excited about PC DIY, tech, and gaming.
The way I see it, if I can educate people, entertain them with dad jokes along the way, and make someone’s day a little brighter, I’d say that’s what’s poppin’!
I’ve also started getting back into World of Warcraft for the new Midnight expansion – which has been pretty rad so far. What makes it even better is that we have people from the Robeytech team and community that are playing together.
So, now, I’ll turn the question around: what’s poppin’ with you, Bastin?
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RX6800319371488 asks…
Hi Robeytech, I have a ASROCK b660m pro RS motherboard with a rx9070 non XT GPU, my motherboard has weak/or a broken basic VRM design, my current cpu is the I5-12400F, I play games on 1440p. I’m thinking about upgrading my cpu to another LGA1700 CPU, but I’m not sure what cpu to upgrade too? I only game on my PC.
ANSWER:
There are two things that immediately pop into my mind after reading your question.
The first is that, yes, I do have recommendations for a CPU upgrade on LGA 1700. The second is a recommendation on your motherboard. One actually impacts the other, so go with me for a minute.
For your CPU, if you’re using your PC purely for gaming, I would recommend either the Core i5 13600 or 14600. Both are great for gaming and pretty close to each other in price, so really it comes down to you deciding what makes the most sense for your budget and your needs. You’re not leaving a whole lot on the table if you choose to go with the 13600
If you wanted to game and stream or do anything with content creation though, I would recommend bumping up to at least a 14700.
As for your motherboard, your B660 is great and given most people don’t OC and you’re just using it for gaming you don’t need the extra heat, and it still allows you to use XMP for your memory. I like the non K skus for their simplicity and just how easy they are to manage.
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Yolk asks…
Hi Robeytech, I have a prebuilt that came with liquid cooling which I haven’t had before. I’ve heard of some stories where they can leak or burst and ruin the system. What are some best practices to keep it from acting up? and should I expect to change it every 5 or so years?
ANSWER:
That does sound pretty nightmarish, but don’t panic! As violent as those failures sound, I’m pretty sure they’re the exception, not the rule when it comes to liquid cooling.
That said, since there are a couple different methods of “liquid cooling,” we should clarify which one is in your system – custom loop or an all-in-one closed loop cooler.
I assume you have what called an AiO but just in case let’s start with the crazy one.
If you have a custom cooling loop with tubes, pumps, distribution plates, and fancy colored non-conductive fluids, I recommend flushing your loop every six months to a year. Drain out the fluids, flush it with distilled water, and check all the fittings as you go. This is a slow process, but your patience will be rewarded and your cooling will last a long time
An all-in-one closed loop CPU cooler (or “AiO” for short) is meant to have no- to low maintenance. Basically, if you keep things like the fan and radiators clean and clear dus from time to time these have VERY little overhead.
That said, regardless of which setup, your greatest tools are situational awareness and regular maintenance. When you’re doing annually or semi-annually cleaning dust out your PC, look at all the places that leaks could happen on a custom loop for an AIO just see if any liquid has seeped out, I would be surprised if it had.
As for the timeframe you should swap coolers, 5 to 7 years is pretty standard, but it can vary with use. However, if you start hearing any whining coming from your pumps or you hear air churning through your system on the regular, it might be time for a replacement.
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UwUk-Hai asks…
Hey Robeytech!
What’s the minimum specs you can recommend for taking care of basic internet tasks? Should I judge by geekbench6 scores? I don’t know what CPU to get from either AMD or Intel that would last me about 5-6 years while going for a super budget build.
ANSWER:
First off, UwUk –Hai – your name is hilarious.
So, to your question – let’s start with the question about Geekbench.
With synthetic benchmarks like this, it’s always good to know what you’re actually looking at. In the case of Geekbench, scores are charted numbers relative to a specific baseline data… and that baseline is the Intel Core i3-8100.
Not throwing shade at Geekbench here, I just think trying to divine numbers will end up giving you analysis paralysis instead of being helpful. If you do want to go down a more helpful rabbit hole, I would check out Tom’s Hardware’s CPU Benchmarks and Hierarchy 2026: CPU Ranking article instead.
As for what CPUs are better for what you’re looking for, AMD and Intel both make solid low power, budget-friendly CPUs that would fit the uses you’re talking about. I think a good fit for something like this would be either an Intel Core Ultra 5 or AMD Ryzen AI 5 inside a NUC-style mini-PC.
A few solid examples to look at are the ASRock Industrial 4x4 Mini PC kit or the ASUS NUC 15 Pro Plus. Both have a small footprint and enough power to do what you need to do today and keep up with increasing power needs tomorrow.
One thing to point out with these is that sometimes mini-PCs come as barebones kits, and you might need to bring some RAM, storage, and an OS brought to the party. So, just be on the lookout.
All in all, though, I think this is the type of power profile you’re looking for… unless you want to go down a more polarizing road.
If the goal is to have a dedicated system for basic internet tasks that you want to last for a while, it’s hard to argue with the staying power of a Mac.
Listen – I get it: not everyone is a fan of MacOS, but love them or hate them, the combination of hardware design and their closed ecosystem, Macs just tend to hang around for a bit longer than your average PC.
As for the average lifespan of a PC versus a Mac, most people tend to replace their PCs in 5 – 7 years. Macs, on the other hand, tend to outlast their counterparts by 2 – 3 years or more. I actually have a guy on my team who has a well-traveled 2015 MacBook Pro that’s still alive and kicking.
So, this is where it comes back to you and what is most important to you.
With a mini PC, you might need to do a little DIY, and it might start feeling a bit tired by the time those 5 – 6 years are up, but it might be more familiar. On the flip side, going with a Mac could mean learning a new OS and sacrificing some compatibility, but for a longer lasting system.
If I was looking purely at the goals of being minimum spec for simple task and a long life, I would say look at a MacMini.
And even me wild than Mr. PC DIY Dad here recommending a Mac is that you can actually pick one up for $600.
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Gundam_knight asks…
Yo yo yo
I want to hear it directly from you, what kind of people hit 32GB usage of RAM vs 24GB usage of ram?
I feel like people would hit 16GB usage w/ heavy chrome, gaming, and discord usage all at once. Thanks for answering my question
Answer:
The short answer is most users probably don’t need a full 32GB of RAM, but 16 cuts it a little close when you’re multitasking. If you’re like the person you described, you probably already know just how quickly system processes can add up and eat up your RAM!
As I’m responding to your question right now, Windows Task Manager is telling me that I have around 17GB of RAM committed. Granted, I have ten Chrome tabs open for all the plates I have spinning right now, I’m running Teams to keep up with meetings, Slack to communicate with the Robeytech team, and Discord for the homies. There’s also control software, drivers, or OS services lumped in there, too… and all those things need a nibble of RAM to keep this engine running.
Again, that’s 17GB of my RAM spoken for before any game gets launched. If I decided to treat myself to a brain break with some questing in World of Warcraft, that number would jump into the low 30s – with everything I already listed open.
So, to go back to your 24GB versus 32GB question, if you’re a chronic multitasking, racer or flight sim player like me, I wouldn’t go below 32GB. But, if you’re a bit more disciplined and you actually close applications you’re not using, you can get away with less.
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Maelle asks…
Hi Robeytech, thanks for your handheld gaming video you posted 2 weeks ago. I got the Ally from that video. I had a question, will sustained heat usage damage the Ally? I want to use it in turbo mode or push past 30-Watt usage, but I’m afraid to damage the Ally after prolonged use.
Answer:
You are quite welcome for the Handheld Buyer’s Guide, Maelle! I hope you’re loving your experiences with your Ally as much as I have with mine.
To your question: will sustained heat damage your Ally?
So, there is a bit of “yes and no” here. Yes, heat is the enemy, but you’re obviously not asking if it’ll be fine in a kiln…
The heat your system produces is a byproduct of components pumping out those sweet gaming experiences. You almost have to think about the thermal design of the Ally like a laptop; the cooling and power profiles were designed to balance each other out. That said, the Ally can get warm.
Personally, I haven’t had an issue with my Xbox Ally X feeling too hot. But, like a laptop, I would make sure the vents have access to plenty of air and that you’re not smothering it with a blanket or pillows when you’re using it.
As for pushing it beyond 30-Watts… I think I would stick to the built-in power profiles and you should be fine. Pushing it beyond is always where you can get into the world of unknowns, and I wouldn’t recommend it.
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JeffNumberThree asks…
Hi Robeytech, most laptops I use slow down after 4 years and die after 6 years. How do I prevent this from happening?
Answer:
For starters, don’t play hours of World of Warcraft with your laptop sitting on top of a fuzzy pillow. This isn’t great for your laptop’s lifespan, but it is a great way to discover the melting point of silicon.
Don’t ask me how I know that…
Jokes aside, there are a lot of reasons why laptops tend to give out over time – and they’re worth thinking about.
With a laptop you have a bunch of heat-sensitive (and heat generating) components inside a small chassis with mechanical parts. That device is being opened, closed, thrown around in backpacks, and carted from coffee shops to cubicles – with a whole mix of dirt, dust, and dander in the air!
And let’s not forget about the opportunities for gravity to come into play…
That was one massive rabbit trail around the question, but honestly, the best thing you can do is take care of your laptop.
Make sure you clean out your fans on a regular basis and make sure it has plenty of ventilation when you’re using it.
If you want to extend battery life, keep your battery between 20% - 80% but don’t leave it plugged in all the time.
And, finally, be gentle with it.
Those things should keep it ticking for a while… also, if you are going to game with it on your lap… invest in an active cooling pad. Your laptop (and legs) will thank you.
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PitStop25 asks…
Hi Robeytech, thanks for doing this Q&A. What kind of long-term PC care should I do for my computers? I’ve never thought about taking care of my computer and I hope there’s nothing I’m really missing except maybe dusting the computer from time to time. How often do I need to care for my computers?
Answer:
Great question, PitStop! A little TLC goes a long way in making sure your rig keeps you doing what you love to do with it.
So, a couple things you can do to keep your system running for the long haul:
Thing #1: Give is a good deep clean every six months.
Take your PC to a well-ventilated area and give it a good dusting.
If you don’t have one already, I highly recommend picking up a USB-rechargeable air duster; a can of electronic-safe compressed air will due, but these things are amazing for the job. Basically, you’re going to want to remove any glass, panels, and filters, then blow out the dust from fans, fins, and any other place dust likes to collect.
(Side note: When you blow into the fans, make sure you hold the fan in place as you can actually cause an electrical charge when they spin!)
If it’s a nice day outside, doing this outdoors is ideal. Remember, the goal is getting dust OUT of your room, not just spreading it around!
I would also wipe down your panels with a dust cloth to get any surface level dust off.
Oh, and make sure you check all your cable connections before powering on just to make sure nothing came loose from your desktop to the outdoors!
Thing #2: Replace your thermal paste.
Depending on who you ask, they’ll say every 3 – 5 years, but I like doing this maybe once every year or two just to keep things fresh. Then again, I test a ton of coolers and CPUs, so I might be a little aggressive in my timetable!
And Thing #3: Make sure your PC lives someplace where it has PLENTY of ventilation.
If heat is the enemy of your components, solid airflow is its best defense. So, as cool as it sounds to set your PC in a cabinet or on a fluffy carpet, make sure it has a lot of room to breathe!
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