I'm planning a new gaming PC in Australia with a budget of roughly $2,000. It's been more than ten years since I built a system, and the prebuilts I've found don't seem to offer particularly good value compared with choosing the parts myself.
I'd like to use the current AM5 and DDR5 platform so the system has a worthwhile upgrade path as I get more time and money for future improvements. I considered Intel, but my research suggests the current mid-range options don't offer as much room for upgrading.
The PC will run some AAA games, but I'm mainly interested in finding a new MMORPG. I had been looking forward to Ashes of Creation, but I'm now also considering games such as Guild Wars 3 and Enshrouded. I currently have an AOC AGON AG322FCX 1080p monitor, but I'd like to move to a 1440p primary display and add a couple of practical monitors for work.
My current parts list is:
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 7600X — $248.01
CPU cooler: Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE ARGB — $75.36
Motherboard: Gigabyte B650M Gaming Plus WiFi — $169.00
Memory: TeamGroup T-Force Delta RGB 16GB (2x8GB) DDR5-6000 CL38 — listed at $399.00
Storage: Kingston NV3 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD — listed at $249.00
Graphics card: Sapphire Pulse Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB — $699.00
Case: Okinos Cypress 3 Wood MicroATX Mini Tower — $59.00
Power supply: MSI MAG A750GL PCIe 5 750W Gold — $119.00
The listed total is about $2,017. I'd appreciate suggestions for better-value or more balanced parts, especially anything that would improve 1440p gaming performance and future upgradeability. I'm also wondering whether Australians commonly buy each part from different retailers, or whether it's worth asking one store for a package price or price matching the complete build.
3 Answers
Make sure you’re getting the 16GB version of the graphics card rather than the 8GB model. The extra VRAM is much more sensible for newer games and should help the card age better at 1440p.
It’s also worth checking local second-hand listings. There can be good deals on complete systems or individual parts, although many used machines are older AM4 builds that would need several upgrades. Newer AM5 systems can be poorly documented, so compare the exact components and warranty carefully before buying.
I’ve been watching second-hand listings closely. Most of the AM4 systems need enough upgrades that building new still looks better, while the newer AM5 machines often leave out important part details. I did find one excellent Intel build, but it was above my budget and didn’t have the upgrade path I want.
It may be worth comparing the Ryzen 7 7700 as well. It can sometimes be found for around the same price through international marketplaces, and the extra two cores are useful if you want the system to last several years. The MSI A750GL is capable, but its fan can run continuously and be fairly noticeable. A quieter higher-tier unit, such as the MSI MPG A850GS when discounted, may be worth considering if noise matters.
How reliable have you found CPUs bought through international marketplaces? I’ve always been a little hesitant about warranty and authenticity, but the extra cores are tempting. Thanks for the power-supply noise warning as well.
Good catch—I thought I had selected the 16GB version, but I’ve checked the list and corrected it.