I'm looking to build a budget-friendly PC for my father-in-law, who probably won't game much, if at all. I'm debating between two options: I could go for a Ryzen 5 5600 and pair it with a dedicated GPU like the RX 7600 (costing around 200-245€), or I could choose the 5600G with integrated graphics for about 140€. I'll also need a B450 or B550 motherboard, which is typically priced between 60-100€. For power, a PSU in the range of 500-600W and 16 GB of DDR4 RAM should suffice (maybe a bit faster RAM for the 5600G, which costs an extra 10€). I'm unsure about the performance drop from choosing the 5600G if I plan to install a GPU later on. Is it worth spending the extra money now, considering he might not even game on it? What do you all think?
6 Answers
The 5600G's integrated graphics are on par with older cards like the 1050ti. If you can, use that budget to find a second-hand 1660s or 5700XT instead—it’ll perform much better than the 5600G would.
For basic tasks, I got my dad a used Lenovo mini-PC for just around $110. I upgraded the RAM and added an SSD for extra storage. It’s perfect for what he does—just playing old games and browsing! If he shows interest in gaming down the line, the 5600G could be a good backup plan.
I'd steer clear of the 5600G. If you can, check out the 8600G (AM5). If he really isn't into gaming, you might not even need a dedicated GPU.
But AM5 components tend to be pricier. If you stick with AM4, maybe look at the 5700G instead.
Honestly, if he’s not into gaming, just buy a cheap Dell pre-built. Why go through the hassle of building when he won't use it for gaming?
That’s true, but those pre-builts can be pretty subpar in my area, and they’re often overpriced.
Exactly, good pre-builts run about 360-540€ here, which isn’t bad if you get quality parts.
What does he actually need the PC for? If it’s just for browsing and watching videos, maybe grab a used GPU like the 1660 or even a Ryzen 5 3600 for cheaper. If he’s mostly viewing documents or casual content, you don't need a high-end build.
Consider checking out Amazon’s refurbished section. They often have powerful corporate desktops at less than what you’d spend building a new one.
I get that he wants something new, but sourcing older parts can be a nightmare and expensive. Maybe just go for a solid, new build that will last a few years.