I'm building my first gaming PC and would appreciate some advice on the parts. My target budget is around $2,500, although this configuration currently totals about $2,886. I mainly play Overwatch, Marvel Rivals, Valorant, and horror-story games. Are these parts well balanced, and where could I save money without noticeably hurting performance? I'm also wondering whether increasing the budget is worthwhile. The build includes a Ryzen 7 7800X3D, RX 9070 XT, 32GB DDR5-6000 CL30 memory, a 1TB NVMe SSD, a 1440p 180Hz monitor, and white RGB components.
4 Answers
The performance-focused parts are strong, but the white color scheme and RGB components are adding a lot to the price. You could likely save several hundred dollars by choosing standard black parts, a less expensive case, and a more reasonably priced power supply without changing gaming performance.
You could also consider a regular RX 9070 if it’s substantially cheaper. The 9070 XT is faster, but for Overwatch, Valorant, and Marvel Rivals at 1440p, the less expensive model may still provide an excellent experience. I’d prioritize keeping the 7800X3D only if you care about very high frame rates.
Double-check the memory price because $559 for a 32GB DDR5 kit looks wildly inflated. For these games, 16GB can work, especially if you’re trying to stay near $2,500, but 32GB is the better long-term choice if you can find it at a normal price. A 2x16GB DDR5-6000 CL30 kit is preferable to one 16GB stick for dual-channel performance.
The parts are generally compatible and capable, so take your time during assembly and don’t panic if something goes wrong. First builds often involve small mistakes. Just be especially careful with the motherboard slots, CPU installation, cooler mounting, and front-panel connectors. A simpler air cooler would also be perfectly adequate and may be easier to install than a 360mm liquid cooler.
I changed the memory and got the total down to about $2,399. I’d definitely prefer to stay close to the original $2,500 budget.