I've used a gaming laptop for years, but it's aging and struggling with newer games. I'd like to move to a desktop for better performance, upgradeability, more ports, and improved airflow. My maximum budget is $1,800.
Most of what I play is relatively lightweight, such as Minecraft, Overwatch, and Deadlock, although I'd like enough headroom for more demanding games later. I also work on game-programming projects, so I need to keep an IDE and the game open simultaneously and compile builds regularly.
This is my first PC build. I put together the parts below and would appreciate feedback on compatibility, poor-value choices, and ways to reduce the cost without sacrificing meaningful performance. I'm especially unsure about using a single 16 GB memory module and whether the CPU, graphics card, cooler, or storage are sensible choices.
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7700X
CPU cooler: Thermalright Aqua Elite V3 liquid cooler
Motherboard: MSI MAG B650 Tomahawk WiFi
Memory: Patriot Viper Elite 5 16 GB (1 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30
Storage: Crucial P310 2 TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD
Graphics card: ASRock Challenger Radeon RX 9070 16 GB
Case: SAMA SV01 ATX mid tower
Power supply: MSI MAG A750GL PCIe 5 750 W 80+ Gold
The listed total is about $1,713, leaving very little room under my $1,800 limit.
3 Answers
You can also look for discounted CPU and graphics-card deals from reputable retailers, but be careful with marketplace listings and warranty coverage. An 8-core Ryzen processor is reasonable for keeping an IDE, game, and build tools open, but you don’t need an expensive liquid cooler for it. A good tower air cooler is simpler, cheaper, and less likely to create maintenance problems. Prioritize two 16 GB DDR5-6000 modules, then adjust the SSD, case, or motherboard before sacrificing memory.
The main problem is the single 16 GB memory module. For gaming and development, 32 GB should be the minimum, and two matched sticks will run in dual-channel mode. Spending that much on a build while limiting it to 16 GB is a poor tradeoff.
The Ryzen 7 7700X also isn’t especially good value at this price. You could choose a better-value CPU, use an inexpensive air cooler, and put the savings toward 32 GB of DDR5 and possibly a faster graphics card. The SSD you selected is more performance than most gaming and programming workloads need, so a less expensive 2 TB NVMe drive would probably feel identical. A cheaper case and motherboard could also help fit everything into the budget.
At roughly $1,700, I’d try to build around a Radeon RX 9070 XT and 32 GB of RAM if pricing allows. The regular 9070 is capable, but the XT would provide more long-term headroom for demanding games. Don’t cut memory to make that happen, though—32 GB is much more important than a small SSD speed difference for your use case.
I considered the XT, but it was about $150 more when I made the list. I chose the regular 9070 to stay under budget, and DDR5 pricing made 32 GB look surprisingly expensive.