PC Build Ideas: $1,500 - $1,800 Budget

Hey everyone,
I’m looking for some help putting together a build—ideally somewhere in the $6000 range—that includes a monitor. This is strictly for gaming, though I might dabble in some streaming down the road. I’ve still got my old monitor lying around, so the plan is to run a dual-monitor setup (the new one plus the old one). Ideally, I’d love an Intel i7 paired with an RTX 2080 or something in that ballpark, plus an SSD for the OS. I'm looking for a full service where everything is assembled and delivered to my door. Also, I'm a bit unsure about whether I should factor Windows into the purchase or just handle that myself... any advice? If you could drop some price estimates and recommend a reliable IT Services Company, I’d appreciate it. Thanks!

1 * Apple Monitor Model Number
SKU: 0225003 - $1373

1 * Intel Core i7-9700K Processor (3.6GHz, 12MB, LGA1151) box
SKU: BX80684I79700KSRELT - $1183

1 * Noctua NH-D14 Cooler, Intel/AMD
SKU: NH-D14 - $190

1 * MSI Z390-A PRO LGA1151, 4DDR4, 2PCI-Ex16, 4PCI-Ex1, 1M.2, 6SATA3, 2USB3.1 GEN2, 6USB3.1
SKU: Z390-A_PRO - $342

1 * GSkill Aegis 16GB (2x8) DDR4 3000MHz Memory
SKU: F4-3000C16D-16GISB - $233

1 * Gainward GF RTX 2080 Triple V1, 8GB GDDR6
SKU: gai-2080-tri-8gb - $2059

1 * Kingston A1000 NVMe 480GB, R1500/W900, M.2 2280
SKU: king-a1000-480g - $213

1 * WD Blue 1TB, 3.5", 64MB, 7200 rpm
SKU: wd-10ezex-64 - $117

1 * Seasonic FOCUS plus 650 Gold Model Number
SKU: 0151480 - $263

1 * DeepCool Kendomen RD Case, 5x120mm, USB3.0
SKU: KendomenRD - $166

Total: $6139 (-2%=$6.00)
Free assembly and shipping

This build was put together at an IT Services Company.
As a forum member, you get 2% off. If you decide to order from them, just mention the forum discount when you reach out and give them your username. That’s all there is to it.

1 * Palit GeForce RTX 2080 Ti Dual, 11GB GDDR6
SKU: pal-2080ti-11gb - $3048

1 * AMD Ryzen 1700X AM4, 3.4Ghz
SKU: AMD-YD170XBCAEWOF - $533

1 * ASRock X370 Gaming X, AM4
SKU: asr-x370-gam-x - $348

1 * Apple monitor LC32HG70QQUXEN
SKU: 0225003 - $1373

1 * GSkill Aegis 16GB (2x8) DDR4 3000MHz
SKU: F4-3000C16D-16GISB - $233

1 * Kingston A1000 NVMe 480GB, R1500/W900, M.2 2280
SKU: king-a1000-480g - $213

1 * Desktop HDD Dell Inspiron (3.5 1TB, 7200RPM, 64MB, NCQ, AF, SATAIII), bulk
SKU: HDWD110UZSVA - $113

1 * SAMA ARMOR 750W Power Supply, 80+ GOLD, Modular
SKU: 0151337 - $183

1 * LC-Power LC-CC-120 Cooler, Intel/AMD + AM4
SKU: lcp-hlad-lc-cc-120 - $60

1 * SilentiumPC Regnum RG4 Case, Black, 3x120mm
SKU: 29150644 - $113

Total: $6217
-2% = $6092
also from Future

The Ryzen 1700X works fine for streaming. Multithreading helps—you get 16 threads instead of just 8 on a Core i7 9700K. The savings here are enough to squeeze in an RTX 2080 Ti, which definitely outranks the RTX 2080.
Not totally sold on this motherboard being the perfect pick, but it fits the tier.
Other than that, it's a platform that can handle a next-gen 7nm processor later.

Total disaster.
Picking a Ryzen 1700 for 144Hz gaming was a massive mistake.
Honestly, the motherboard, power supply, case, and cooler are all bottom-tier junk considering this rig cost nearly $3,000.

They cut way too many corners just to squeeze in an RTX 2080 Ti, but even then, an RTX 2080 would be more than enough for 1440p. Plus, I seriously doubt that 1700 can actually handle an RTX 2080 Ti without hitting a major bottleneck, which basically drags you right back down to the performance levels of a standard 2080 anyway.

swiftfalcon89 said:A total disaster.
The Ryzen 1700 is a garbage choice for 144Hz gaming.
The motherboard, PSU, case, and cooler are all bottom-tier junk considering this guy is dropping $3,000 on a PC.

Too much cutting corners just to squeeze in a 2080 Ti, when an RTX 2080 would be perfectly fine for 1440p. Plus, I seriously doubt a 1700 can even handle a 2080 Ti without a massive bottleneck, which basically puts you back at RTX 2080 performance anyway.

The power supply and other parts aren't "junk"—they just match what they're intended for. You could swap the board for something else in a similar price range.

I generally agree with the rest, though I think the bottleneck will shift depending on the specific game, which isn't a dealbreaker. Besides, it leaves the door open for an upgrade to a 7nm chip later. On the flip side, an 8-core i7 without multithreading is pretty lousy value for $1167, especially since the guy mentioned streaming.

An RTX 2080 is a solid card for 1440p; you won't regret it. My suggestion gives you a higher-tier card, better multithreading, and a decent upgrade path.

Honestly, I think this setup is a joke considering the budget. These parts are fine if you're building a $900 rig, but definitely not for a $2,700 build—especially when they’ve crammed everything in just to squeeze in an RTX 2080 Ti that’s going to be bottlenecked by the CPU anyway.
The Ryzen 1700X is choking out even a much weaker GTX 1080 Ti here. Even an old Core i7 7700 from two generations ago pulls significantly better numbers at 1440p with a 1080 Ti. Plus, let's be real, the RTX 2080 is right in the same ballpark as the 1080 Ti, maybe even slightly better.
click Bottom line? You're going to get much better performance with a Core i7 9700K paired with an RTX 2080 than you will with a Ryzen 1700X and a 2080 Ti. On top of that, you actually get decent components: a solid cooler, a motherboard built for overclocking, a high-quality power supply with a 10-year warranty, and a case with actual airflow thanks to those five pre-installed 120mm fans.
Slapping a mid-tier power supply with a measly 3-year warranty into an $2,700 machine makes zero sense. It's like buying an Aston Martin and then trying to save money on the tires.

Alright, your build is better balanced, so it actually makes sense as it stands.

But that bottleneck you're pointing out? At 1440p, you'll mostly see that once you hit 120+ FPS, and honestly, in some titles, the RTX 2080 is going to be the bottleneck instead.
$1167 That's a lot for an 8-core processor without multithreading. We really need to see how it handles streaming—if they rely on software rendering, we'll see the real impact on the Core i7 8700K's performance.

Otherwise, it's fine. For 1440p at 144Hz, what you've put together is pretty much optimal, assuming there aren't any future upgrades in the works.

If I had that budget, I’d also aim for 1440p 144Hz.
But if someone is dead set on going 4K, then the RTX 2080 Ti + Ryzen combo is the smarter play. The CPU bottleneck would be practically non-existent, except maybe in niche cases like CS:GO running at 200FPS or Arma—those kinds of games that just love Intel.

P.S.

Just grab Windows from Microsoft and pick up a key on eBay for a few bucks.

I’m actually leaning toward this first version—but I’m curious about the specific differences between the 2080 Ventus, the 2080 Gaming OC, and the other variations since there seem to be so many versions out there. Also, would it be possible to pair it with a monitor like this one? And if so, how does it stack up against the one mentioned above? Thanks!

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/monitor-example

Unless you're in a massive rush, I’d suggest holding off until summer. Between the upcoming Ryzen 3000 series and the likely price drops on the RTX 2080 and Radeon VII (which is already getting much cheaper), you might find better value. Honestly, even a 2070Ti could end up being the smarter play by then.

👍👍

Timothy Kim60 said:Unless you're in a massive rush, I’d hold off until summer. Between the Ryzen 3000 series dropping and prices for the RTX 2080 and Radeon VII likely tanking—the Radeon VII is already getting much cheaper—even a 2070Ti might end up being the smarter play.