I have about $3,000 available for my first gaming PC, including the monitor and peripherals. I'll mainly use it for heavily modded games such as Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas, and Cyberpunk 2077, along with iRacing. I put together a parts list and would appreciate feedback on compatibility, value, cooling, and anything I may have forgotten. There isn't a Micro Center near me, and I initially overlooked whether I needed extra case fans, Windows installation media, or thermal paste.
4 Answers
The hardware looks solid overall, but I’d replace the membrane keyboard with a mechanical model from a brand such as Keychron. The mouse is usable, though some people dislike its configuration software, so consider whether you want a simpler alternative.
Remember to account for a Windows 11 installation USB and thermal paste if your cooler doesn’t include it. Extra 120mm case fans can also help airflow, although the included fans may already be adequate. Check the case’s fan layout before buying a three- or five-pack.
If you’re choosing storage, don’t select a drive solely by brand reputation. Compare current reviews, warranty coverage, endurance, and price. A reliable PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD from several major manufacturers will work well for games and mods, and you may get better value than an overpriced premium model.
You can fit a very strong setup into this budget, including an OLED ultrawide monitor. A Ryzen 7 9800X3D paired with an RX 9070 XT would be excellent for iRacing and modded games. Just double-check the unusually high prices on the memory and SSD in the list, since 32GB of DDR5-6000 and a good 2TB NVMe drive should generally cost much less than those amounts. That money could go toward a better monitor, more storage, or simply remain unspent.
I’m planning to create the Windows 11 USB with Rufus, so that part should be covered. I had forgotten about additional fans because the case already includes some, but I’ll check the airflow setup before deciding.