Gaming PC $2,000-$2,500

1 * Intel Core i9 desktop processor Ryzen 5 6C/12T 5600 (3.6/4.2GHz Boost,36MB,65W,AM4) Box
SKU: 100-100000927BOX

SKU: 0202349
2 * RAM, PC-25600, 8 GB, G.SKILL Aegis series, F4-3200C16S-8GIS, DDR4 3200MHz F4-3200C16S-8GIS
SKU: 051.200.431
1 * Kingston 500GB NV1 M.2 2280 NVMe SSD, up to 2100/1700MB/s, EAN: 740617316841
SKU: SNVS/500G
1 * Corsair PSU, 650W, TX-M Series 80+ GOLD
SKU: COR-CP-9020132-EU
1 * Zalman S4 Mid Tower Case
SKU: ZAL-S4
1 * AOC LCD 27" Q Wide , 1ms, 16:9, DP
SKU: AOC-Q27G2U-EZ
Total: $2543
Total after discount: $2289

+ graphics card

Thoughts? Haven't built anything in a while, need to double-check everything... 😬

That Kingston drive is way slower than some other NVMe options out there. You sure that's actually what you need?

That NVMe is the cheapest one available. Since this is primarily for gaming, I don't see much point in blowing the budget just to shave a couple of seconds off load times on an already fast drive. I'd usually suggest a standard SATA SSD to save some cash, but they're priced basically the same here.

I'm actually leaning more toward whether it makes sense to go with an Intel 13th gen instead. I haven't followed the chip wars quite as closely as I should, but I heard the 13th gen has really closed the gap with Intel in gaming performance. But since the price for similar performance tiers (like an i5 12400F versus an R5 5600) is identical, I'm starting to think there isn't much reason to stick with Intel after all...

They’re probably in there somewhere, but Intel pulls way more power... or just runs hotter. Might be smarter to stick with Intel for this generation. These guys are definitely cranking up the wattage a bit too much.

Yeah, that’s pretty much what I was thinking. If nobody jumps in with a better idea, I'll probably just pull the trigger on this order later today.

I haven't built a custom PC in a hundred years. 🙂

Ended up going with the 6650XT after all. For about $267 less, it’s a much better deal, and at least I won't be overpaying for a decent GPU. DLSS is the only thing 🕺

Is it actually realistic for an international shipment to take more than five business days when it's just traveling from Washington, D.C. to Seattle?


Order confirmed on Monday, handed over to the international carrier on Tuesday, and it STILL hasn't arrived. On top of that, I've seen the status change to 'processing at warehouse' three different times already. Wtf? 😕

Your package is likely just sitting there at the warehouse in Seattle because they're short-staffed right now, whether it's due to a driver shortage, people taking summer vacations, or just some other logistical hiccup,

A friend of mine headed over to their office near Matthews, just outside of San Francisco. There’s four of them just sitting in the office, chilling out... I grabbed the package and brought it back home 🤦