I'm new to building PCs and looking for some guidance. I've got some tech skills but honestly, I'm a bit lost on specific parts. I'm putting together a computer for my home office that also needs to handle light gaming. My budget is around $1500 just for the PC itself, as I already have everything else I need. I've made a rough list of components I'm considering: CPU: Ryzen 7 7700, GPU: still deciding (want to keep it budget-friendly for now), PSU: Lian Li EG1000G, SSD: either Samsung 870 Evo or 990 Pro, RAM: I'll need DDR5 so I'd appreciate recommendations, and Motherboard: MSI B850-P WiFi. For cooling, I'm looking at a Fractal case with good airflow and I know the Ryzen 7 comes with a decent stock cooler. I'm not sure if I need any additional components or if there are better options out there. Any feedback or suggestions would be super helpful! Thanks!
2 Answers
Just a heads up, the Ryzen 7 7700 will only work with DDR5 RAM. So, make sure you budget for that since it's a bit pricey right now. Check out some DDR5 options within your budget!
It’s true that AM5 doesn't support DDR4, which might catch you off guard. I recommend sticking with DDR5, but yeah, it can get expensive. If you want to go for a motherboard that supports DDR4, you'd have to switch to a different CPU model. Just keep compatibility in mind!
So do I need to change my motherboard too? Is there a significant difference between DDR4 and DDR5?