Gaming PC build recommendations?

Greetings everyone,

I am building a gaming rig—strictly for gaming. I have zero interest in using it for software development, video editing, or anything of that nature.
My budget is capped at $2,000, though if a solid configuration can be assembled for $1,500, I see no reason not to take it.
Regarding components, I already own a Crucial P5 Plus M2 2280; if it can be integrated into the build, that would be ideal, but it isn't strictly necessary.
I am perfectly fine ordering from multiple different retailers, including international vendors, provided it guarantees significant savings.

Thanks

rowdyridge58 said:Hey everyone,

I'm building a gaming rig—strictly for gaming, no software work or video editing or anything like that.
My budget is up to $2,000 max, but if I can put together a solid build for $1,500, why not?
Regarding parts, I already have a Crucial P5 Plus M2 2280, so if I can reuse it, great, but not strictly necessary.
I don't mind ordering from different stores, even if they're in other states, as long as it saves me significant money.

Thanks

Here’s a build idea from a local retailer.



Motherboard/Platform:
- AM5, so you have an upgrade path later.
- The board looks fine for the price; Linus Tech Tips tested it and the VRM temps are solid. Just watch out for a weird setting where it caps the CPU at 75C—you'll need to disable that in the BIOS.

CPU: Solid for gaming, doesn't need massive cooling, and gives you a better upgrade path.

RAM: 6000 CL40 is decent enough for Ryzen.

GPU: In this budget, I think the 4070Ti is the best bet. It's not incredible value, but nothing else fits the budget better while still giving you current-gen graphics without being a power hog.

PC Case: I picked this one because I own it and it's good. Honestly, just a placeholder; pick whatever you actually like.

PSU: Seasonic Gold, 7-year warranty. You don't need anything beefier for this GPU and CPU combo.

SSD: Just a cheap 1TB SSD. That Crucial P5 Plus you already have is higher quality. The motherboard has two M.2 slots, so you could use both, or just ditch this one from the order.

I pulled this together using one shop if you want them to handle the assembly, but you can shop around for individual components, especially for something like a case you prefer.
You can skip the extra SSD entirely if you don't need it. Don't bother with a hard drive for gaming. I run a 1TB SSD and it's plenty for my library; much smoother than an old HDD.

A hard drive is only useful if you're downloading movies.

This is a balanced build without overdoing it. You might be able to squeeze in a 7800X3D when it drops, but that'll bump the price and isn't mandatory right now. Personally, I'd rather wait a few years and upgrade the CPU to something new then.

Maybe I’ve just grown old, but I always say you should set aside an extra 10% specifically for the PSU in high-end builds. In this particular case, you shouldn't skimp on the power supply—you really need to be willing to drop $200. Again, that's just my take and I'm sticking to it! An RM 850x with a 120-month warranty is about $175.

Alexander Moore67 said:Maybe I've just grown too old, but I always say you need to budget an extra 10% specifically for the PSU in high-end builds. In this case, don't skimp on the power supply—drop the $200. That’s just my take, and I’m sticking to it. An RM 850x with a 120-month warranty goes for about $175.

A few years back, it wasn't just the GPU costing nearly a grand; $100 for a decent PSU isn't exactly pocket change either. Power supplies have come a long way, too. For $100 today, you get much better quality than what you could get ten years ago for the same money, regardless of inflation.

This Seasonic is a solid unit, especially at this price point. With a 7-year warranty, you won't need anything beefier for this specific setup. If someone's planning on swapping in a massive, power-hungry card down the road... fine. But then you're talking about "future-proofing" a build, which usually isn't worth the extra cash unless there's a massive jump in power draw.

BTW, the Seasonic I mentioned isn't modular, which is why it's cheaper. Honestly, in modern PC Cases where the PSU sits in its own shroud at the bottom, it doesn't really matter. All the cables stay tucked away out of sight anyway.

Of course, if you view buying a premium PSU as an investment—something that might survive three different PC builds—then sure, go as high-end as possible.

If you're looking at the Intel 13600K, just grab it.

granitegardener said:just grab the Intel 13600K

Gaming performance is basically the same, but you're looking at higher power draw and a crappy upgrade path—plus it costs more than the 7600X I ended up going with (can't tell if it shows up on the screenshot)

Forgot to pick a CPU cooler... need something in the $30-40 range

Seasonic G12 GC-650W
Great???
It's actually manufactured by Helly, making it basically the same thing as the 1st Player Armour AR, which also just popped up in the US market lately. I haven't seen any actual reviews for either one yet, and looking at the component selection, it doesn't seem particularly impressive. It might pass as a decent budget option, but we really need some real-world testing to be sure.
There are plenty of solid PSUs for this price in US, like the ADATA XPG Core Reactor, Bitfenix Formula Gold, Corsair TX-M, MSI MPG A-GF, or the Seasonic Focus. Don't get hung up on the wattage alone; if you're looking at a budget unit like this, a 650W or even a 550W model should suffice. However, if you truly require 750W, my advice is to bump up the budget slightly for a Corsair RM or a be quiet! Straight Power 11.

You've got a point, the manufacturer is Seasonic directly

My point was it's great for the money—you still have the Seasonic name backing it and a 7-year warranty

Here is the test for the 850W version (also Helly OEM)

https://www.nikktech.com/main/articl...review?start=7

Bottom line, it passed all the tests.

Anyway, I picked this one as a best buy—$90 for a Seasonic Gold PSU is a solid deal, though you could always grab something else

Quote : The G12 GC-850 850 w 80 plus Gold Power supply unit currently retails for around USD145 inside The USA and for 104.10 Euros inside The EU a price tag which is indeed balanced for a Seasonic model. Long story short The G12 GC-850 May not be Award winning material but IT does perform well, produces quite a bit of output, has a relatively strong +12 V rail and is 80 plus Gold certified sol so I strongly suggest giving it a chance if you’re out in the market for a power supply unit around its wattage and price range.

P.S.
If you're already looking at a Corsair RM, you might as well get the 650W version for less money:

https://www.amazon.com/corsair-rm-series-psu/b?node=162250211

Greetings, thanks to everyone for the feedback.
We have put this build together, and I am looking for an assessment of the parts list. Furthermore, I need advice on where to purchase these components to get the best balance of pricing and warranty coverage. Does ordering from outside the USA make any sense here?

- BE QUIET PURE BASE 500 ($145.00)
- Corsair RM 650W 80+ gold ($172.00)
- AMD Ryzen 7700X ($470.00)
- AS Rock B650M PG ($248.00)
- Kingston DDR5 32GB 6000MHz Fury Beast ($198.00)
- Gainward GF RTX4070Ti ($1,215.00)
- LC Power Cosmo Cool LL-CC-120 ($38.00)

Regards

rowdyridge58 said:Hey, thanks for all the input.
Here’s the build we put together. I’m looking for some feedback and wondering where the best spot to grab parts would be regarding price and warranty. Does ordering from outside the US make any sense here?

- BE QUIET PURE BASE 500 ($145)
- Corsair RM 650W 80+ gold ($170)
- AMD Ryzen 7700X ($470)
- AS Rock B650M PG ($245)
- Kingston DDR5 32GB 6000MHz Fury Beast ($195)
- Gainward GF RTX4070Ti ($1200)
- LC Power Cosmo Cool LL-CC-120 ($38)

Thanks.

If you know someone over in Germany—check out Mindfactory.de
If you want direct shipping to the States (maybe $15)—try Casekings.de

Honestly, I don't get why you'd drop that much on an RTX 4070 Ti when you could snag an RX 7900 XTX for basically the same money. Even the 7900 XT might be a smarter, more long-term play since it's cheaper and has more VRAM.

Definitely worth watching this video:

It shows how quickly certain GPUs "aged" after just two years.

Understood. I will likely stick with Amazon.com; the price discrepancies are honestly staggering.
Regarding different manufacturers producing the exact same GPU, how much sense does it actually make to pay a premium just for a brand name?
Setting DLSS aside, is the RX 7900 XTX still the superior choice over the 4070 Ti?

rowdyridge58 said:Yeah, I’ll probably just hit up Newegg or something; the price gaps are honestly ridiculous.
When you're looking at the exact same GPU from different brands, how much sense does it actually make to pay extra just for a logo?
And regardless of DLSS, is the 7900 XTX still the better call over the 4070 Ti?

Personally, I think even the 7900 XT is a better move than the 4070 Ti.

don't wanna start a whole new thread here...

what's the bare minimum I can spend these days to grab a decent gaming rig?

looks like prices in most online shops are starting at like $700 or more now...

Around $650 gets you a Ryzen 5500, 16GB of RAM, a 500GB SSD, and an RX 6600. It’s a solid build for that kind of cash, but I wouldn't go any lower than that.