I'm building my first PC from scratch and currently don't have any components. I'm considering using the FLP02 case because I like its older-looking design and don't care for RGB lighting. Should I choose the cheaper AM4 platform or spend more on AM5? I'm working with a budget, but I'm also not in a rush, so I'd like to know whether AM4 is still a worthwhile investment or if AM5 makes more sense for long-term upgrades.
4 Answers
The right choice mainly depends on your total budget and what you’ll use the PC for. AM4 can still make sense for an affordable build, while AM5 is the better choice if you can comfortably spend more and want a newer upgrade path.
AM4 is still perfectly usable and can save quite a bit of money, especially if you’re trying to keep the build affordable. Since you aren’t in a hurry, compare complete platform costs—CPU, motherboard, and memory—rather than looking only at the socket.
If that case is around $250 and you’re planning a higher-end build overall, AM5 is probably the more sensible platform. It gives you a newer CPU lineup and better upgrade options later, so the extra motherboard and memory cost may be worthwhile.
For a truly low-cost build I’d still consider AM4, but with a premium case and several thousand dollars going into the rest of the system, choosing AM5 would be easier to justify.
I went with an AM5 system using a Ryzen 7 9800X3D and a GeForce RTX 5070 Ti because I wasn’t especially limited by budget. AM4 boards are still common and use standard connections, so compatibility with the case shouldn’t be a major concern. Even if a board lacks a few of the case’s USB connections, that usually isn’t a deal-breaker.
I’m definitely trying to stay within a budget, but I’m not rushing the build. I mainly chose the case because I like its old-school appearance and really don’t want RGB everywhere.