THIS GUIDE IS OUT OF DATE, PLEASE VISIT THE MOST UP TO DATE ONE ON THE FRONT PAGE!
As it's been asked a lot over DM's: If you want to buy me a coffee, you're more than welcome to. These guides will ALWAYS stay free for everyone, and I will never directly ask for any payment. PayPal or BuyMeACoffee are both possible.
Hi everyone, it's been a while! Welcome to the Summer 2025 PC best buy guide!
I've been out of the running due to injury on my arm, but the fast few months also haven't been great for those wanting to buy a PC - or a GPU in particular. As prices have been slowly going and stock going up, I'm hesitantly optimistic on making a new guide. Although it's far from where prices were, and with tarriffs going left and right, there's no telling where things will go, the Winter 2025 guide is now so out of date it warrants replacement.
Before commenting, please read the following:
I have been getting a lot of comments of people being confused what the lists are actually for, and how the parametric selections work on PCPartpicker.com . Please use this flowchart to guide you through the website before commenting some frequently ask questions
I want to reiterate that these lists are here to give you an indication on what you can expect for a certain budget; what kind of value you can get for your money with that budget. That does not only mean pure performance, but also features, expandability, and future upgradability. Some of these are hard to quantify in words, but I have tried my best through my own judgment to make some weighted decisions on each list.
To give you an example, in the $1100 list I might recommend a Ryzen 7600(X) with an RTX 5060 Ti, 32GB RAM, paired with a 1TB SSD, and a relatively value-oriented case, cooler & motherboard. This is my vision of the best 'value' PC you can get, but if you have a different PC with a high end case with RGB, expensive cooler, and 2TB SSD, that is 100%, utterly and completely, fine! I just want you to have a reference point.
Gaming PCs
| Budget | Note / compared to previous budget | Possible upgrades with leftover budget (in order of priority) |
|---|---|---|
| ~ $400 | This is the cheapest gaming PC I can somewhat recommend. Do note that this PC does NOT have WiFi, and if you do need WiFi you need to either buy a WiFi enabled motherboard or add a (preferably PCIe x1) WiFI module. This PC uses the Arc A380 which is a pretty basic GPU. | A faster - but second hand - GPU like a used RTX 2070 (Super) or RX 5700XT. WiFi / Bluetooth capabilities on the motherboard, 1TB SSD, extra RAM (2x16GB) |
| ~ $500 (iGPU) | If you're planning on buying a GPU later on, or are only a very light gamer, this might be interesting for you. You're getting an AM5 CPU with 32GB of DDR5 RAM which means great upgradability in the future. This list also ensures a fast Wi-Fi connection (as opposed to just wired Ethernet) | Ryzen 8700G (which has 8 cores and a faster iGPU). 1TB SSD. |
| ~ $650 | With $250 extra to spend compared to the $400 list, you're getting a huge upgrade, mainly in the form of the AMD Radeon RX 7600. As the stock and availability of the Radeon RX 6600, 6600XT, and 6650XT withers over time, the 7600 comes the more logical choice, even though it's quite expensive. You're also getting 32GB RAM which is really nice to have in 2025. | My first priority would be getting a 1TB SSD. We have a motherboard that supports as least 2 M.2 SSDs, so you can also add another SSD later on. If you have the i5 12400F selected, you could get a DDR5 motherboard and DDR5 RAM for better longevity as DDR5 is continuously getting faster than DDR4 in games. |
| ~ $850 | We're making a few nice to have upgrades here. The Intel Arc B580 is a fantastic value GPU, though it's still too expensive to be added in more budgets. If you can find a good deal on an RX 6750XT, 7600XT4060 Ti (16GB), or 7700XT, I'd pick that instead. We're also guaranteeing a 1TB SSD (finally), a much quieter cooler, 32GB RAM, a roomier case and a better quality power supply. The con of using the B580 with this specific build would be that the B580 really likes having more CPU overhead. | As mentioned, I'd prefer a 7700XT here if possible. A DDR5 motherboard + RAM is also a nice upgrade to make here. A better case would also be nice. |
| ~ $1000 | The main jump we're making here is in terms of CPU gaming performance, future upgradability, and DDR5 RAM. The Ryzen 7600(X) / 9600(X) are still the best overall value CPUs out there. They have fantastic gaming performance, a great upgrade path (to the 9800X3D or future AM5 socket generations), and are great to use. The starting price is a lot higher though, and we don't have a ton of GPU overhead anymore. I would love to add the 7600/9600 to lower lists, but that's hard to justify with current GPU prices. | You could 'future proof' the PSU to an 850W model. |
| ~ $1100 | Although the $1000 is a nicely rounded budget, I think that this $1100 list is a noticeably better PC due to the 16GB RTX 5060 Ti. Even though there's been a lot of drama on the 5060 Ti due to the 8GB variant, objectively speaking the 16GB version is one of the best Nvidia cards you can currently get in terms of value. With current prices that's not saying much, but it's something. All in all you're getting a nicely rounded PC | 2TB SSD, dual tower cooler (like a Thermalright Phantom Spirit) |
| ~ $1300 | The AMD RX 9070 would be a nice upgrade over the RTX 5060 Ti 16GB. It's currently still a bit too overpriced, but would be a nice middle-of-the-road upgrade nonetheless. | Check the price on the AMD Ryzen 5 9600(X). If it's within $25 of the 7600(X), I'd upgrade tot that if you have the slack. 2TB SSD, dual tower cooler (like a Thermalright Phantom Spirit), higher end case. |
| ~ $1500 | Upgraded to the RTX 5070 Ti. If the 9070 XT is much cheaper, I'd grab that instead. | Check the price on the AMD Ryzen 5 9600(X). If it's within $25 of the 7600(X), I'd upgrade tot that if you have the slack. 2TB SSD, dual tower cooler (like a Thermalright Phantom Spirit), higher end case. |
| ~ $1800 | Upgraded to the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D for much faster CPU gaming performance, with the added bonus of a much beefier cooler. Also upgraded the motherboard to an ATX model with at least 3 M.2 slots and Wi-Fi 6E, and a 2TB SSD. | For $100 extra you could consider the 9800X3D. Also look into a higher end case. |
| ~ $2000 | Upgraded to the 9800X3D and an extra 2TB SSD. Also clamped down the PSU to a more limited selection of premium brands | Higher end case, liquid cooling. |
| ~ $2250 | Upgraded to the RTX 5080. | |
| ~ $3000 | High end liquid cooling, a higher end motherboard, double the RAM, a larger single SSD, a higher end power supply and a higher end case. | |
| ~ $5000 | RTX 5090, an extra (PCIe gen 5) 2TB SSD, an even higher end motherboard, and top of the line power supply. | Anything you want! |
Workstations
| Budget | Note / compared to previous budget | Possible upgrades with leftover budget (in order of priority) |
|---|---|---|
| ~ $850 | Very fast and high quality Workstation without 3D acceleration. Although the new Intel Core Ultra CPUs aren't that interesting for gaming, with the reduced prices they're quite appealing for workstations. | If you want a 3D accelerated machine, you can add any GPU you like. For a high end (70-class and higher) you might want to consider a higher capacity PSU. If 2D is all you need but have budget left over, the Core Ultra 9 285K is a good upgrade too. |
| ~ $1700 | Upraded to the Core Ultra 9 285K added the 16GB RTX 5060 Ti. This gives you a relatively large VRAM buffer that's nice to have for 3D workstation applications. | Extra RAM, more storage, higher end case. |
| ~ $3000 | Upgraded to a 360mm radiator for CPU cooling, extra 2TB storage, an RTX 5080, a crap-load more RAM, and a much higher end case. If you don't need such a high amount of RAM, you can remove a set, or even go for a faster set of 2x32GB if that's enough for you. | RTX 5090 if you can stomach it. Spend more budget on storage if you don't need the RAM. |
| ~ $5500 | Changed to the Noctua NH-D15 G2 for ultimate air-cooling. Motherboard with Wi-Fi 7 and faster networking. Set of 4x48GB to guarantee stability over 2 sets of 2 x 48GB. More RAM. RTX 5090. More storage. Titanium rated power supply. | Anything you want! |
THIS GUIDE IS OUT OF DATE, PLEASE GO TO THE FRONT PAGE OF R/BUILDAPCFORME FOR THE MOST UP TO DATE GUIDE
Please note that due to the dwindling supplies of RTX 4000 cards, you're now almost always better off getting the AMD equivalent instead!
RTX 3060/3050 = RX 6600(XT) / RX 6650XT
RTX 4060 = RX 7600XT
RTX 4060 Ti = RX 7700 XT
RTX 4070 Super = RX 7800XT
RTX 4070 Ti Super = RX 7900XT
RTX 4080 Super = RX 7900XTX
RTX 4090/5080/5090 = You're out of luck, come back in a few months.
As it's been asked a lot over DM's: If you want to buy me a coffee, you're more than welcome to. These guides will ALWAYS stay free for everyone, and I will never directly ask for any payment. PayPal or BuyMeACoffee are both possible.
Hi everyone, and welcome to the completely revisioned PC Parts Lists guide for the end of 2024 and early 2025!
All lists have been remade from the ground up, as the market has been shifting and seeing new releases. I want to preface by saying that I will update the lists retroactively when new hardware will be released, such as the upcoming Intel Arc B580 GPU, the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D when it gets better stocked/priced, and of course the upcoming Nvidia RTX 5080/5090 when they get announced early January. I say "I", but I would like to announce that I've been getting help from frequent contributor of the subreddit: u/justaboss101.
Before proceeding/commenting, please read the following:
I have been getting a lot of comments of people being confused what the lists are actually for, and how the parametric selections work on PCPartpicker.com . Please use the flowchart below to guide you through the website before commenting some frequently ask questions
I want to reiterate that these lists are here to give you an indication on what you can expect for a certain budget; what kind of value you can get for your money with that budget. That does not only mean pure performance, but also features, expandability, and future upgradability. Some of these are hard to quantify in words, but I have tried my best through my own judgment to make some weighted decisions on each list.
To give you an example, in the $1200 list I might recommend a Ryzen 7600(X) with an RTX 4070 Super, 32GB RAM, paired with a 1TB SSD, and a relatively value-oriented case, cooler & motherboard. This is my vision of the best 'value' PC you can get, but if you have a different PC with a high end case with RGB, expensive cooler, and 2TB SSD, that is 100%, utterly and completely, fine! I just want you to have a reference point.
Here are some of the major changes in this iteration of the PC Best Buy Guide compared to the previous version.
I have removed having multiple lists for a single pricepoint. This caused more confusion than clarity.
Reduced the budget threshold to where WiFi/Bluetooth connectivity is a requisite.
More AMD RX 6000 GPUs have been replaced by RX 7000 successors.
Started preferring Nvidia at the high end. With current pricing I think the 4070 Ti Super and 4080 Super offer a better package than the 7900XT and 7900XTX in my opinion. That being said, the 7900XT(X) are still great GPUs. AMD still offers the best value with the 7600, 7600XT, 7700XT, 7800XT, and 7900 GRE.
Due to the volatility of the Ryzen 7800X3D and 9800X3D CPU pricing, the 7700X and 9700X will often be used as substitutes in gaming PCs.
Due to the RTX 4090 now being almost completely out of stock or ridiculously expensive at $2300+ I've opted to leave out the mega expensive PC parts lists until the RTX 5080/5090 have released, and the 9800X3D has gone down in price.
Removed the NZXT themed build and many part selections due to ongoing consumer unfriendly practices.
The Lists: Gaming PCs
| Budget | Note / compared to previous budget | Possible upgrades with leftover budget (in order of priority) |
|---|---|---|
| ~ $400 | Uses the iGPU from the Ryzen 8600G. Has limited gaming performance, but is cheap, has a fast CPU, and is a great setup for a future GPU insert. | 1TB SSD, higher end motherboard with wifi (from $900 list), better case |
| ~ $500 | The i3 12100F/13100F is outstanding value for around $75. Its performance is great, and paired with a value GPU like the Intel Arc A750 or AMD RX 6600(XT) this is a fantastic starting point to start getting into PCs. Besides the CPU and GPU, the PC is pretty barebones though. | Better motherboard with wifi, 1TB SSD, better case, upgrade GPU to 6600XT/6650XT |
| ~ $600 | With 20% or $100 more we can flesh out the build quite nicely. We upgrade to an i5, the RX 6600XT/6650XT/7600, a much better motherboard and a 1TB SSD. | 32GB RAM, Wi-FI enabled motherbaord, Ryzen 7 5700X / i5 12600K, better case. |
| ~ $700 | Here I am including 32GB RAM, which is quite early into the lists. 16GB is getting tighter and tighter as we get newer games, and DDR4 RAM won't stay cheap forever. We also upgrade the GPU again to the 7600XT or Intel Arc B580 when it releases (or 6700XT / 6750XT). | Better power supply (from $900 list for example), wi-fi enabled motherboard |
| ~ $800 | Here we upgrade the CPU to something a bit more capable with the i5 12600K paired with 32GB of DDR5 RAM and a much quieter cooler compared to the included ones from before. | If you can find it, the Ryzen 5 7500F would be a great substitute. You also need a compatible AM5 motherboard. |
| ~ $900 | From this point onward, AMD AM5 is almost always the way to go, as Intel simply doesn't have great competition against AMD currently besides the lower end. We're also greatly increasing the quality of the power supply. | Upgrade the GPU to the RX 7700XT, 2TB SSD, wi-fi enabled motherboard. |
| ~ $1000 | Here I'm starting to be a bit more restrictive and specific on the motherboard. Besides that we're now always getting a PCIe Gen 4 SSD, faster RAM, and the Radeon RX 7700XT GPU. Due to the upgraded GPU we're upping our power supply capacity. | 2TB SSD, dual tower CPU cooler (like from the $1400 list), higher end case |
| ~ $1100 | Upgraded the GPU to the AMD RX 7800XT. | 2TB SSD, dual tower CPU cooler (like from the $1400 list), higher end case |
| ~ $1200 | Upgraded GPU to the Nvidia RTX 4070 Super. | 2TB SSD, dual tower CPU cooler (like from the $1400 list), higher end case |
| ~ $1400 | The jump to the next tier GPU is significant, so I decided to upgrade the rest of the PC. From a Ryzen 7, to a dual tower cooler, Wi-Fi enabled motherboard, 2TB SSD, and 850W PSU, we're really fleshing out our build here. | Higher end case, liquid cooling, AMD RX 7900XT GPU |
| ~ $1600 | Upgraded GPU to the Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti Super | Higher end case, liquid cooling, AMD RX 7900XTX GPU |
| ~ $1800 | Upgraded GPU to the Nvidia RTX 4080 Super. | AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D, Extra 2TB SSD, higher end case. |
| ~ $2000 | Upgraded to the 7800X3D or 9800X3D when you can find one within a reasonable price. Upgraded the motherboard. | Extra 2TB SSD, higher end case, liquid cooling |
| ~ $2250 | Upgraded motherboard, extra (higher end) 2TB SSD, higher end case, upgraded power supply. | Whatever you want! |
| ~ $2500 | Liquid CPU cooling, upgraded motherboard, doubled the RAM, upgraded power supply to platinum. | Whatever you want! |
| ~ $2750 | Selected the 9800X3D. Only take this if you're sure you want to spend the ludicrous upcharge. | Whatever you want! |
| ~ $2750 Lian Li Themed | For those who really want the Lian Li O11 and infinity fans themed build, this is probably what you're looking for! | |
| ~ $3300 Asus ProArt Themed | The Asus ProArt line has been well-received, and has been expanding over time to include more and more components. The aesthetics look great, though you will be paying a premium. |
Workstation PCs
| Budget | Note / compared to previous budget | Possible upgrades with leftover budget (in order of priority) |
|---|---|---|
| ~ $550 2D Workstation | With a workstation build I'm putting more emphasis on quality. With the "2D" workstation we're not using a GPU, and is great for applications like photo editing, 2D CAD, office tasks, animation, light video editing, multitasking, | Upgrade CPU to i5 13600K/14600K or i7 12700(K) |
| ~ $1000 2D Workstation | With double the budget, but still without a GPU, we can get a much faster CPU. Though the new Intel Core Ultra CPUs haven't been received great, they're still really fast for workstation PCs. Paired 64GB RAM this is a really decked out CPU-oriented workstation. | Replace the intel CPU with a Ryzen 9 7950X or 9950X and an AM5 motherboard. |
| ~ $1500 3D Workstation | The nice thing about PCs is the flexibility. This 3D workstation is a carbon copy of the $1000 2D workstation with a 4060 Ti 16GB added. For a lot of 3D applications in workstations, you want CUDA support (Nvidia) and VRAM. The 4060 Ti is a nice middleground between features, speed, VRAM, and price. | Upgrade GPU to the RTX 4070 Ti Super or RTX 4080 Super. |
| ~ $2500 3D Workstation | If you want a super high end workstation without burning away your money, $2500 is a nice spot to be. Here you can get the Ryzen 9 9950X. It's the best balance between single and multicore performance and has great upgradability in the future. |
Videos
I’ve looked up and watched many videos, but notice too much bias/hidden sponsored ads.
Notes:
Plan to use for gaming (don’t care for ultra/high settings, medium/performance preference)
Streaming, Content, Editing
Micro-center nearby
Ready for new near-future games (GTA 6, next Halo)
I do not care about looks (RGB, etc). If it fits in the budget that’s a bonus to me, but prefer performance overall/value for budget.
If a part drastically improves overall performance and slightly goes above budget, please mention. Would appreciate any and all help here ❤️
As it's been asked a lot over DM's: If you want to buy me a coffee, you're more than welcome to. These guides will ALWAYS stay free for everyone, and I will never directly ask for any payment. PayPal or BuyMeACoffee are both possible. If you want some in depth 1-on-1 guidance, shoot me a DM.
$500 - $5000 Automatically updated PCPartPicker.com lists!
Hi everyone, it's time for the Autumn version of the PC Best Buy Guide! Just to let you know: I'm expecting my first child in the next few weeks, so replies might be a bit slow the coming time!
If this is your first time here, here's how this guide works:
Select a list that fits your budget, and this will take your to PCPartpicker.com.
At the top right of the screen select your country that you'll be buying from. U.S. will de be default. Changing countries will automatically change the part selection to reflect availability and prices in your country and currency.
Instead of having manually selected parts, the site will always select the cheapest option that satisfies the parametric selection or filter, while also maintaining intercompatibility between all parts.
For example, if the list has a parametric filter for RAM that says "2x16GB, 5600-6000 MT/s, 6-10ns", it will choose the cheapest set of RAM that fits this description, considering current availability, country, currency, etcetera.
These lists are likely not 'perfect'. For example, there might be good deal on a certain product, but it might still be $1 more expensive than the cheapest option, thus it still won't show up in the list. You're always free to ask in the comments or a separate thread if a list can be optimized for your specific needs.
Changed trends:
Almost all GPUs are now at MSRP (except the 5090), which makes for better overall value PCs, especially in the lower tiers. AMD wins in the lower brackets of GPUs, while Nvidia edges it out in the higher tiers with their 5070 and 5070 ti. The 5080 is in a weird spot, being 40% more expensive than the 5070 ti, but only 10-15% faster. This makes it hard to recommend, as it also doesn't give you any more features.
With older CPUs like the Ryzen 5600 going up in price, makes it hard to recommend a DDR4 based system currently. DDR5 continues to drop in price, while the slowest DDR5 is faster than the fastest DDR4 RAM. The Ryzen 5500 is currently the only super-budget CPU I would recommend at just $70. Beyond that, up until the Ryzen 5 7600, the i5 12400(F) at $110 is the only CPU for a gaming PC that makes sense.
With the 5070 ti at MSRP, it doesn't make a TON of sense to get the 9070XT, though they're both great. Nvidia still offers the best overall features, so AMD still needs more raw performance to make up for that.
The 9060 XT is close to or at MSRP which makes it a fantastic mid-range GPU, greatly helping out with sub-$1000 builds! *600-series of AM5 boards are starting to phase out and being replaced by B850. There's not a a big difference and you're fine with either.
Gaming PCs:
| Budget | Note / compared to previous budget | Upgrades if the list is under your budget (in order of priority): | Downgrades if the list is over budget (in order of priorty): |
|---|---|---|---|
| $500 | The most entry level (new) gaming PC I can somewhat recommend. | Change SATA SSD to NVMe SSD, 1TB optional; upgrade upgrade to RTX 5050 or B580. | 2nd hand GPU; 2nd hand CPU+Motherboard+RAM combo |
| $750 | Some significant upgrades here. A faster CPU, 3rd party cooler, 32GB DDR5 RAM, stronger power supply, and a 1TB SSD. | Nvidia RTX 5060; i5 14600K(F) if you can get it under $150; a case you like. | Drop the 3rd party cooler (and use the included stock cooler), swap the GPU with the Intel B580. |
| $850 | There are 2 options here: going for a Ryzen 7600 or upgrading the GPU to the 16GB variant. I chose the latter, as 8GB VRAM is becoming more problematic the coming years. | If you could spend around $900 total, getting the Ryzen 7600(X)/9600(X) is the only logical choice. Look at the $1000 list which motherboard/RAM to get. | Drop the 3rd party cooler (and use the included stock cooler) |
| $1000 | Upgraded to the 16GB RTX 5060 ti for better performance and better feature support. We also guarantee support for WiFi and Bluetooth. | 2TB SSD; better case; dual tower cooler (from higher end lists below); | Drop back to the 9060 XT 16GB. |
| $1200 | Upgraded to a 2TB SSD and the RTX 5070 GPU, paired with an 850W ATX 3.0+ PSU | Upgrade the GPU to the RX 9070 XT | Drop back to a 1TB SSD. |
| $1400 | Upgraded to the RTX 5070 ti. Alternatively, the RX 9070 XT is an excellent substitute. | Higher end cooler, higher end case. | Drop back to a 1TB SSD. |
| $1600 | Upgraded the CPU to the 7800X3D as long as the price is decent. We also needed to improve cooling performance with a better cooler. Motherboard chipset is upgraded. | Upgrade directly to the Ryzen 7 9800X3D. Upgrade to liquid cooling. Higher end case. Higher end motherboard. | Drop back to a 1TB SSD. |
| $1800 | Upgraded to the 9800X3D. Better quality SSD. Bigger case. | Additional storage. Liquid cooling. Higher end case. | |
| $2000 | Here we're flushing out the build. The RTX 5080 is in a very tough spot as it's just around 10-15% faster than the 5070 ti, while costing $250 more. We get a high end motherboard, 4TB of SSDs, a high end case & power supply. | Upgrade to the RTX 5080; you can also drop some of the storage for this upgrade, even though it's not great value. | Drop any of the multiple upgrades mentioned. |
| $2500 | If you do really want to spend more, you can max out your parts without overspending way too much. The RTX 5080 is your only option here, as the RTX 5090 is still way outside of reach. We're upgrading to liquid cooling, more storage, a higher end case with WiFi 7, and a platinum rated high end power supply. | You can pick any high end case you like. | |
| $4000 | If you really want an RTX 5090, you'll have to pay up. AMD has no competitor here, so Nvidia can set the price wherever they like. | Anything you like! | Air cooling, less storage, lower end motherboard. |
| $4000 (Themed) | An example of a themed build you can do. The ASUS ProArt line looks great, and has good quality. Do be wary of customer support issues that ASUS is experiencing currently. |
Workstation PCs:
| Budget | Note / compared to previous budget | Upgrades if the list is under your budget (in order of priority): | Downgrades if the list is over budget (in order of priorty): |
|---|---|---|---|
| $700 2D Workstation | A basic, but fast & high quality 2D workstation. 2D, as we don't have a powerful 3D accelerator in the form of a dedicated graphics card. Even with just $750 we're getting a very strong 20-core CPU and 32GB RAM. | More storage, more RAM (2x24GB, 2x32GB), high end power supply. | Core Ultra 5 245K. |
| $1150 3D Workstation | We upgrade the 2D workstation to a 3D one by adding a strong GPU like the RTX 5060 ti. This model with 16GB VRAM should give you a lot of room for many workstation tasks. | More storage, more RAM (2x24GB, 2x32GB), high end power supply. | |
| $1500 3D Workstation | We basically upgrade everything aside from the CPU and GPU themselves. We drastically increase the quality of things like the cooler, case, power supply, storage (+capacity), and more. | Alternatively, you can drop some of these upgrades and change the CPU instead to the Core Ultra 9 285K. | |
| $1750 3D Workstation | Upgraded tot he Core Cultra 9 285K, and a higher end power supply. | ||
| $2000 3D Workstation | Upgraded the GPU to the RTX 5070 ti for more raw GPU processing power. | ||
| $5000 Ultimate Workstation | This is a showcase on how a basically maxed out workstation can currently look like. With this list, you can reduce the upgrade to any point you like, as stuff such as the large RAM capacity may be very overkill for your needs. | Whatever you like. | Whatever you like. |
new build or upgrade?
Building a setup in my new apartment - I've got the desk and the peripherals, but I don't have the actual hardware yet (and I’m not knowledgeable at all lol).
I want something balanced and future-proof, mainly for gaming + productivity. I also stream from time to time (on my laptop which is pretty trash). Budget’s around $2000 total.
I'm mostly torn between Intel vs AMD. I’ve been eyeing stuff like the CyberPower i9-14900KF + RTX 5070 variant, some iBUYPOWER models, but I'm honestly lost
If you had $2K for a prebuilt gaming PC, what would you pick and why?
Any regrets or “I wish I…” stories are super welcome :)
Edit:
I made a list for future readers of some good deals on Amazon right now:
Budget tier
CyberPowerPC Gamer (i5-13400F + RTX 5060) - $987 - Entry-level gaming PC. Good for 1080p at medium to high settings. Not ideal for consistent high-FPS 1440p.
Mid tier
CyberPowerPC Gamer (i7-14700F + RTX 5060 Ti) - $1,359 - Noticeable step up from the RTX 5060. Strong 1080p performance and acceptable 1440p gaming.
CyberPowerPC Gamer (i9-14900KF + RTX 5070) - $1,979 - Very strong CPU paired with a capable GPU. Smooth 1440p at high settings, 4K possible with compromises.
iBUYPOWER Slate (i7-14700F + RTX 5070) - $1,789 - Similar gaming performance to the i9/5070 system but cheaper. Solid all-around 1440p machine.
High tier
iBUYPOWER Y40 PRO (Ryzen 9 7900X + RTX 5070 Ti) -$2,269 - Strong jump in GPU power. Excellent 1440p high-refresh and capable 4K gaming.
Alienware Aurora (Ultra 9 285 + RTX 5080) - $2,799 - Top-end option here. Best choice for high-refresh 1440p and consistent 4K gaming, but priced accordingly.
I don't have a limit on my budget. I want to build the best pc possible for me without adding unnecessary things like too much space (TB) or something extra that I won't use. Please help me guys, I don't know anything about computers, but I have a lot of money to spend, just don't add things that would be considered overkill and not necessary. I spend the whole day on the computer working on digital marketing, and reading graphs for stock market. I always have 10+ tabs opened on my pc and right now it lags so much. I also love playing video games, I have the money to spend, so go ahead guys, tell me the best!!!
This Year's Resolution: a "new build" for 2025
Hi everyone,
After two years abroad with a laptop with only integrated graphics, I'll be back home within the next 6 months, and ready to level up with a solid gaming PC build around €2000. No prior experience, but I want to build it myself and save a few bucks.
It'll be for gaming for the years to come. I play a bit of everything: World of Tanks, Apex Legends, Cyberpunk 2077, Battle Brothers, Elden Ring, City Skylines, etc.
Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D (€570) — but I’m considering the Ryzen 7700X (€380) to save a bit and reinvest elsewhere.
Graphics Card: NVIDIA RTX 4070 Super 12 GB (€800).
Motherboard: ASUS TUF GAMING B650 Plus WiFi (€205).
Storage: Samsung 990 Pro 2 TB NVMe PCIe 4.0 (€200).
RAM: CORSAIR Vengeance DDR5 32 GB 6000 MHz CL30 (€140).
Cooling: Corsair A115 (€115).
PSU: Corsair RM750e 80 PLUS Gold (€150).
After a lot of thought and research, here’s the build I’ve come up with. I’m still unsure about a few components, so your advice on budget optimization or avoiding "overkill" parts would be greatly appreciated. What would you change, recommend ?
For reference, I listed prices from LDLC, which is a dominant retailer in France but notoriously overpriced. After a quick look online, I estimate that with minimal effort, I could shave around €200 off the total build cost without much trouble. If you know good retailers in Europe, let me know :)
Plus, if you have suggestions for a monitor, I’ve seen the PG27AQDM come up a lot in benchmarks. I would like to test OLED, 27", 1440p with 240 hz around €800.
Thanks for your feedback.
New build or upgrade?
Existing parts/monitors to reuse? (Already have keyboard, LCD screen, mouse, headset)
PC purpose? (Gaming)
Purchase country? (France)
Monitors needed? (1)
Budget range? (€2000)
WiFi or wired connection? (Wire but I want eh wifi/bluetooth in case)
Size/noise constraints? (No size constraint, less noise is better)
Color/lighting preferences? (I'm not into that yet)
Any other specific needs? (Nope)
new build
Hello everyone,
PC Build: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/bMQmC8
Im building a low budget gaming pc, i put together what it think could be the best options for me.
I also would like to future proof it as much as possible to avoid wasting money later on.
I will be using the pc for mostly games, these are the games i usually play(Halo infinite, COD, The finals, modded minecraft and GTA) i don't need these games to run on max settings, medium to low settings is more than enough for me.
For this build i am also trying to learn as much as i can about all the parts that go into a computer and why they are better or worse than other parts. Computer building is something i always wanted to learn become familiar so im looking forward to this build!
I think the list is missing a lot of games that definitely should be there but at least they are clear it's just a combination of their favourite games so i don't hate it.
Hoping for budget of around 1250$ or less but might go a bit over, and be able to run 1440p at 100+ fps. I dont care about aesthetic or rgb lights and all that either, just performance. Open to prebuilt recommendations or set ups.
• New build or upgrade?: New build • Existing parts/monitors to reuse?: keeping my 3080ti FE and 1440p Samsung Curved monitor • PC purpose?: Hard Gaming • Purchase country?: USA • Monitors needed?: none • Budget range?: limitless • WiFi or wired connection?: WiFi and wired • Size/noise constraints?: none • Color/lighting preferences?: white and RGB • Any other specific needs?: futureproof and beasty af
So, I am getting ready to build a new gaming PC and I’d like some advice on what to go with. I am providing potential build lists below. My goal is to stay around $1,200, however I am willing to pay slightly more to future proof my build, but no more than $1,400. (I’m currently at around $1,300.) Currently, I have two 1080p monitors but plan to upgrade to 1440p later this year. My goal is for this PC to last at least 5-6 years. I am going for the best price-to-performance ratio to try to keep the cost as low as possible. I also do occasional video and image editing on the side. I’m also a novice when it comes to what each letter or number means in the title of a part. I understand some basic things but not everything, so forgive me if the questions I ask are stupid.
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/GQZnh7
https://www.microcenter.com/site/content/custom-pc-builder-amd.aspx?load=394252af-29f2-4118-85c2-c667fe49ce8f (very similar build as above for $100 cheaper)
I should note that I’m willing to drive 2 hours to the nearest Micro Center to pick up the parts vs. ordering them and letting them sit on a hot truck or warehouse or on my hot porch for hours.
My main questions are: 1.) Is there a benefit (for future proofing) to upgrade from the Gigabyte B650 GAMING X AX V2 ATX AM5 Motherboard to the ASUS B850-PLUS TUF Gaming WiFi AM5 ATX Motherboard? Micro Center has it bundled with the same CPU and RAM in my list for $50 more. I’ve also heard that Gigabyte’s B650 boards have RAM stability issues. What would be the benefits of upgrading? If I did go with the B850, should I also upgrade my SSDs to Gen 5 as supported by the B850’s 5.0 PCIe ports (assuming I understand the board’s specs correctly)? 2.) I’ve heard that the Ryzen 7 9600X gives better frames than the Ryzen 7 7700X as listed in my list. How much better is it for titles like COD Warzone, War Thunder, Fortnite, Apex Legends, Overwatch, Splitgate 2, Planetside 2? Is it worth upgrading to a Micro Center bundle with that CPU? Is it a good combo with the 9060 XT 16GB GPU? Would it be worth considering over the 7700X? 3.) What is the difference between the Gigabyte GAMING OC Radeon RX 9060 XT 16 GB GPU listed in my PC Part Picker list and the AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT Hellhound Overclocked Triple Fan 16GB GDDR6 PCIe 5.0 GPU listed for $10 on Micro Center’s site? (The one in my Micro Center list is the only type of 9060 CT 16GB available at that store’s location.) 4.) Is a 750W PSU overkill or would it be good for future proofing the build?
Thanks for the help!
Hey everyone, I’ve been a console gamer for most of my life but have gamed on a few desktops and MacBooks here and there.
I’m looking to make the switch to a gaming PC, and I’m wondering:
• How much should I expect to spend on a top-tier gaming PC in 2025? • What are some reliable websites for prebuilt systems, or what are the best parts to consider if I want to build one myself? • Which option is better—prebuilt or building?
I don’t have any DIY experience, so if I decide to build, I’d probably pay someone to assemble it for me. Any advice is appreciated!
My budget will be 3-5K and I’ll purchase about a year or two from now. Most likely around GTA6 pc announcement
Very new to this whole pc gaming thing and no nothing so what would be good parts to play most games in 1080p on low/medium or maybe even high if I’m lucky. Definitely willing to go above the 1000 dollars budget a little bit if needed due to fact that im not doing this year but sometime next year so what are y’all’s suggestions?
I need help in choosing a PC for gaming currently, since i've been running into some problems with my old computer. I chose 5 out of many other PC's that I could probably get.
(I don't know about the Ryzen CPU, I always got intel core's, never tried AMD) (The graphics card type is just NVIDIA RTX of course, idk why i didn't include it there) (Could be my second favourite from this list) (5K PC, I just want it not exactly cheap, but nothing too much) (I don't understand the "GDDR6" part, im dumb lol.)(Might be my first favourite)I'd be greatful if you guys were to share opinions on these list of computers, and to recommend me which one I should be getting (ranging from 1 to 5, which 4 being unlikely). Any questions, just ask.
NOTE: Some things were translated (but most of all should be fine.) ; Looking to play games at 1440p, and with some decent fps (165+ ; 240+ FPS).
Can you build me a the best $1000 PC? Since we know the prices of RTX50 GPUs, I don't think we can afford that for a $1000 build so we'll have to stick with AMD GPUs or RTX40 GPUs. Or maybe B580? I'd appreciate the help.
Liked this one:
https://gametechforge.com/1000-gaming-pc-build-in-2024/
I have looked into several prebuilds, such as the Legion Tower 7i Gen 10 (Intel) with RTX™ 5080 (which is on sale right now) but I know that building a desktop tends to be the better decision. I currently have an Alienware Aurora Ryzen Edition with an AMD Ryzen 5 5600X CPU and a NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti GPU. I am looking for a major upgrade. I want new, modern parts and a desktop that will be reliable for gaming in all aspects. Like I said, budget is $2000. Thanks for the help!
Hey everyone, I'm trying to find the best laptop in 2025 to buy and I'm overwhelmed by all the options out there. It seems like every company from Apple to Dell is releasing a bunch of new stuff, and honestly, I could really use some help from people who actually own a newer laptop.
I've been looking at the new MacBook Air with the M4 chip, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7, and some of the new Dell XPS and Lenovo ThinkPads. Any thoughts on those or other laptops you love would be a huge help.
As always thanks in advance!