Mid-range gaming build

Hey everyone,

I'm looking to put together a gaming rig that runs quietly and efficiently.
I mostly stick to indie titles, though I might jump into some Minecraft or Assassin's Creed occasionally—so I'd like a decent GPU, even if nothing extreme.

Here’s my initial list:
CPU - AMD Ryzen 5 5600 box (4.4GHz, 19MB, 65W, LGA 1700)
Motherboard - ASUS ROG Strix B550-F gaming, Intel B560, LGA 1700
GPU - ASRock RX 6650 XT Phantom Gaming D, 8GB GDDR6
RAM - DDR4 16GB (2x8) Patriot 4400MHz Viper Steel
PSU - EVGA 600W Hydro K Pro, 80 PLUS Bronze OR EVGA 600W Hydro M Pro, 80 PLUS Bronze
Case - Corsair Midi Tower Cylon RGB ATX

My drives are old but reliable, so I'll hold onto them for now:
OCZ Vector 150 SSD
Western Digital Blue 1.5 TB HDD

It seems to me that the motherboard and CPU are fine.
But as for the GPU, I'm stuck on which manufacturer to trust...
For the RAM—should I grab this faster kit or go for more capacity with slower speeds?
Regarding the power supply, browsing through various threads suggests EVGA is still a solid choice, but what's actually the difference between the K Pro and M Pro models? Or should I look elsewhere entirely?
The case is giving me the most trouble; I need good airflow to keep the noise down without breaking the bank.

Thanks in advance for the help. 🙂

AMD Ryzen 5 5600 box instead of the 5600G.
The motherboard seems overpriced to me; you could easily grab something cheaper like the B550M Steel Legend, which offers much better value.
That RAM is definitely overkill—you really don't need 4400 MHz. A solid 3600MHz kit that's more than half the price will work perfectly fine.
EVGA is okay, but honestly, a Seasonic unit is likely a better way to future-proof your build for just a little extra cash.
I'd swap out the SSD too; that OCZ drive is ancient and tiny. Once you install Windows, you'll barely have room for one or two games, so I'd toss in a modern NVMe terabyte drive. Just hang the HDD on the wall 😬
. As for GPU brands, it doesn't matter all that much. Just pick the cheapest model that has at least dual fans. I'm not sure what your budget looks like, but once you factor in these changes, see if you can still fit a 6700XT, 6750XT, or a 3060Ti into the plan.
The case looks alright, just add another fan inside because it looks like it only comes with one pre-installed.

Ever since I picked up that EVGA 600W Hydro K Pro, I can honestly say it was one of my best decisions; my PC stopped crashing entirely, and even now, running an RX 6700 at a full overclock under heavy load, everything stays perfectly stable... just a little observation from my side. It really goes to show that you won't be making a mistake if you decide to shell out that extra $30 for a Seasonic unit instead.

Thanks for the advice!

Here’s the updated list:
ASRock RX 6650 XT
B550M Steel Legend - microATX - I don't mind the microATX size, right? It should fit any standard ATX case without issues?
AMD Ryzen 5 5600 box - lost some points here 😁 Is this stock cooler actually decent? Or should I just buy an aftermarket one?
DDR4 16GB (1x16) Kingston Fury Renegade C16 - Should I jump straight to 32GB, or is that total overkill?
EVGA 600W Hydro K Pro
Phanteks Midi Tower Eclipse P400 - Spotted this on another thread and people on the internet seem to love it. Looks spacious enough, and the price gap is negligible.

Total cost: $1,125

For now, I'll stick with my current drives. I'll put Windows on the SSD, and since loading times are barely noticeable for indie titles, they can stay on the HDD for the time being. 🙂

Does this look better?

It’s definitely not a mistake, but this specific Seasonic series is just a tier above when it comes to build quality and efficiency.

ironhound95 said:Thanks for the advice!

Here is how it looks now:
ASRock RX 6650 XT
B550M Steel Legend - microATX - I don't mind the microATX size, and it should fit fine in any ATX case, right?
AMD Ryzen 5 5600 box - lost the G😁 Is this stock cooler alright? Or should I grab a separate one?
DDR4 16GB (1x16) Kingston Fury Renegade C16 - I'm wondering if I should jump straight to 32GB or if that's overkill for me?
EVGA 600W Hydro K Pro
Phanteks Midi Tower Eclipse P400 - I stumbled upon this in another thread, and people on the internet seem to love it. It looks spacious, and the price difference is minimal.

Total cost - $1,125

For now, I'll stick with my current drives—installing Windows on the SSD, and keeping indie games on the HDD since the loading times aren't really an issue there. 🙂

Does this look better?

For just two bucks more, you get a stronger GPU, the RX 6700 Epic find 🙂
The cooler will be fine, and the motherboard is good too. If the cooler ends up being a bit noisy for your liking, you can always add something like an LC CC 120 later on.
I'd say 32GB is still overkill for gaming, even though I've seen a title or two listing it under recommended specs already.🙂

32GB isn't really necessary here, especially since he already specified what games he's playing, and besides, there's always the option to add more later if he decides to upgrade his gaming setup

Thanks again!
I'm pulling the trigger on this order right now. 🙂

An RX 6700 is a better card for just two bucks more.

RX 6700 Epic find! Thanks!

ironhound95 said:Thanks again!
I'm actually placing my order right now. 🙂

Epic find! Thanks!

🙂