I'm putting together a starter gaming PC for a friend in the United States. The target budget is about $1,400, with an absolute maximum of $1,500, and the system will mainly be used for 1440p gaming. I'd appreciate feedback on whether the current parts list is balanced and whether there are better components available for roughly the same price. We're also several hours away from the nearest Micro Center, so local bundle deals probably aren't practical.
2 Answers
The biggest place to save is the $90 360mm liquid cooler. A Ryzen 5 9600X doesn’t need that much cooling, so a basic single-tower air cooler should be plenty. A dual-tower cooler would also be more than sufficient, while even a 240mm AIO would be overkill unless you specifically want liquid cooling for appearance or a future high-end CPU upgrade.
The build seems generally reasonable, but it’s worth checking every component for better value before buying. Since the goal is 1440p gaming under $1,500, any money saved on unnecessary cooling could be redirected toward the graphics card, a larger SSD, or other parts that will have a more noticeable effect in games. Also compare current retailer pricing, since the best-value option can change frequently.
I was considering the 360mm cooler mainly to leave room for a future CPU upgrade, but I’ll probably look at a cheaper air cooler instead. Thanks for the suggestion!