Here at PCMag, we dedicate a large percentage of our time and resources to (surprise) reviewing PCs: the ones that companies build and sell. But now and again, we love to get our hands on some killer components and put together our own machines—just the way we want them.

Hardware Analyst Matt Buzzi and Executive Editor John Burek are perhaps the most skilled among us at this kind of endeavor. The pair has live-streamed computer builds of various kinds numerous times. For our September issue, we challenged them to build a gaming PC without spending more than $1,000.

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In our cover story, you can follow the process they went through in deciding on just the right parts for this machine and doing the build itself (yes, it was also live-streamed—you can view the video in our archives on PCMag's Facebook page), as well as how this kick-ass budget gaming PC actually turned out. (Spoiler alert: It's very colorful.)

If you're inspired to try a DIY computer project yourself, check out PCMag.com for component reviews and various tips and how-to stories. And if you're already an experienced builder, we'd love to hear about your projects: What have you created? Which are your go-to cases, chips, and other parts? And what kinds of challenges have you encountered and (hopefully) triumphed over?

Speaking of do-it-yourself, September is the month that Maker Faire comes to New York City (9/22 and 9/23). To anyone who loves building computers (or really, building just about anything): This is your tribe. You'll find nearly everything you can imagine that's DIY-related, from the deeply functional to the insanely creative. If you're in the NYC area, don't miss it! And if not, there are regional Maker Faires all over the country (and the world). Check at Maker Faire's website to find the closest one to you.

The September issue of the curated, ad-free PC Magazine Digital Edition is available now.