Hey everyone! I'm finally taking the plunge into building my first Gaming PC after using an ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 laptop since 2020. I've spent about 2-3 weeks researching and have put together a parts list. Since this is my first build, I'd love to get a 'sanity check' on its compatibility and whether I'm overspending on parts I might not need. My budget is $3500 (not including the monitor, as I already have the peripherals). I'm aiming for 1440p gaming with high frame rates.
I'll mainly be playing racing and flight sims, first and third-person shooters, and I'm really into VR as well. Here's a quick list of some VR games and flat-screen games I play: VTOL VR, Onward, Assetto Corsa (heavily modded), DCS (also modded), and endless others. My goal is to maximize performance within my budget, but I'd be grateful for any advice on cost-cutting if I'm overdoing it somewhere. Thanks for your help!
3 Answers
Your build looks solid overall! I suggest reducing your RAM from 64GB to 32GB since most games won’t utilize all that memory, freeing up about $400. You could even consider upgrading to a 5080 GPU for just a bit more! I haven't used AMD cards for VR much myself, but I've heard mixed reviews on their performance compared to Nvidia.
Here are a few tweaks you could make to save around $160 while slightly improving performance:
- **CPU Cooler**: Consider a cheaper 360mm AIO with RGB; still overkill for the 9800X3D but $50 cheaper.
- **Motherboard**: Swap for a less expensive X870 motherboard with better Wi-Fi and ethernet.
- **Memory**: Look into cheaper 64GB RAM options where higher latency won’t impact gaming much.
- **Storage**: A more affordable 2TB PCIe 4 NVME would perform well without needing the pricey 990 Evo Plus.
- **Video Card**: Switch to a 5070 Ti; it gives a slight bump in performance (about 6% better at 1440p).
- **Case**: A less costly case with good airflow and fans could save some cash.
- **Power Supply**: Go with a reliable, cheaper 1000W PSU.
Check out my adjusted list for more details: [PCPartPicker Link](https://pcpartpicker.com/list/FntFTm)
Thanks for the suggestions! I’m definitely looking to drop to 32GB RAM! Could you help find a cost-effective 32GB option that fits?
It seems like you've linked the wrong PCPartPicker URL. You might want to use an anonymous permalink instead. Just click on 'Edit this Part List' to generate it. Alternatively, you could create a table for clarity. Check out these guides for help on making tables: [New Reddit Table Guide](https://imgur.com/a/1vo0GHH) or [Old Reddit Table Guide](https://imgur.com/C86vdxB). Just some friendly advice from your resident bot here!
I opted for 64GB mainly because I've heard DCS can demand a lot of RAM, especially in multiplayer modes. I’m okay switching to 32GB if that’s really fine for everything else.