I'm putting together a PC for my 9-year-old son using some old parts I have. Here's what I'm working with:
- Lian Li 011 VISION COMPACT ATX Mid Tower (just purchased)
- Intel Core i9-10900K
- Asus ROG STRIX Z490-E GAMING ATX LGA 1200 Motherboard
- Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 32 GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-3600
- Corsair RM850 Power Supply
He'll mainly be using it for Roblox Studio and other low-end games, but I'd love to future-proof it a bit in case he wants to play higher-end games later on. It's been a while since I built a PC, and I'm feeling a bit lost! Can anyone recommend a graphics card, SSD, and CPU cooler to complete the build? My budget for these three components is around $300-500 total. Thanks in advance!
5 Answers
For a cooler, a budget option like a 360mm AIO might work well. Make sure to check that brands like Thermalright have something compatible for your socket. For the SSD, a 1TB NVMe SSD, even a Gen 3 one, is solid. Go for TLC NAND instead of QLC if possible. For graphics cards, consider the Arc B580, RTX 5060, or RX 9060 XT 8GB—whichever fits your budget best. I've seen the RX 9060 XT and RTX 5060 trade places in price, so pick the cheaper one!
I found a Cooler Master 360mm AIO that might fit your needs. Check it out here: https://www.microcenter.com/product/676665/cooler-master-masterliquid-360l-core-rgb-360mm-all-in-one-liquid-cpu-cooling-kit-black.
Are you looking at new or used parts? Prices for GPUs and SSDs have skyrocketed lately, so keep that in mind. The cooler could be the least expensive component here.
I'm okay with either new or used—the price is what matters most!
That's a powerhouse build for a kid! He'll be set for 1080p gaming without any problems. Just remember, it's not about having the flashiest setup but creating something he'll enjoy using.
Don't forget some case fans and thermal paste! Also, be sure you have peripherals like a monitor, mouse, and keyboard. For cooling, consider the Phantom Spirit cooler, and for graphics, aim for something like the B580, the RX 9060 XT 8GB, or the RTX 5060 8GB. All of them should serve well for his gaming needs, plus the 12GB of VRAM on the B580 could prove handy down the line. Get a decent SSD too—at least 512GB. You'll want that extra space so he doesn't run out.
Check out Zotac's refurb store; they've got some solid deals. You can snag a refurbished 3070 Ti for around $260! As for the SSD, it won't be easy; expect to pay about $150-200 per TB for a good NVMe drive. You might find a used one cheaper if you look around.
Thanks for the heads up! I'm definitely checking that out.
Will the current generation RTX 5060 work with that motherboard? I was thinking of getting one but wasn't sure since the motherboard is quite old.