Need Help for My First PC Build on a Budget

Here’s a simple setup you could go for: 1. Core i5 14400F, 2. Radeon RX 6600, 3. 32GB of DDR5 RAM (any speed), 4. An NVMe SSD, and 5. Use the stock cooler—it should be fine!

Either an RX 6600 or an RTX 3060 would work well for 1080P gaming alongside the right components. I played a ton of Skyrim with an older setup and had performance issues mainly due to limited VRAM. Both those GPUs are much more powerful than what I had! For your CPU, go with a 12th gen or newer i5, or at least a Ryzen 5500. I'd definitely recommend 32GB of RAM, even if it seems more than necessary for now. If your research mostly consists of surfing the web and reading documents, you can definitely build something effective that also handles gaming well.

For your needs, here's a solid parts list: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/zM7wJn. Stick with the cheapest modern GPU for now. If you're saving money, consider buying used parts, but since you're new, it might be safer to avoid that. If you're planning to heavily mod Skyrim, increasing your RAM to 32GB is a smart move, which would add about $20-30 more. When it comes to building your PC, I recommend looking up a YouTube build guide. Channels like LinusTechTips or Jayztwocents have great tutorials, although some can be pretty long. And don’t forget, when you're done, connect your monitor(s) to the GPU, not the motherboard, since the GPU handles the video output!