I'm building my first PC after my previous system was damaged during shipping, and I'd appreciate feedback on the parts. My current plan is a Ryzen 5 7600X, Gigabyte B650 Gaming X AX V2 ATX motherboard, 16GB of DDR5 initially, an RX 7700 XT or possibly an RX 7600 XT, a 1TB NVMe SSD, a 650W-or-higher power supply, an airflow-focused case, and an affordable 24–28-inch 144Hz monitor. My budget is around $1,600 CAD.
I'm choosing AM5 and a motherboard with four memory slots for easier upgrades later. I mainly play Overwatch, Minecraft, The Sims 4, and Roblox, and I also use the computer for schoolwork and research. I'm not planning to spend heavily on the graphics card or memory right now, since I could upgrade those in a few years. Are the CPU, motherboard, and graphics card appropriate for my use? Should I choose the RX 7600 XT instead of the RX 7700 XT, and do you have recommendations for an affordable white case?
4 Answers
The RX 7700 XT is more graphics power than you need for those games at 1080p, especially at a 144Hz target. An RX 7600 XT should be plenty and would leave more room in the budget for memory and storage. The B650 board and AM5 platform are sensible choices for future upgrades.
Avoid planning around four DDR5 sticks. On AM5, filling all four slots often forces much lower memory speeds and can cause instability. It would be better to buy 2x8GB now and replace it with 2x16GB later, or start with 1x16GB and add a matching stick when you can. Two sticks are generally the better configuration.
A 650W supply should be adequate for this system, but choose a reliable Gold-rated model from a reputable manufacturer rather than cutting costs on the power supply. For the monitor, a 24-inch 1080p display around 144–165Hz is usually the best value. A 27-inch 1080p monitor can look noticeably soft, so 24 inches may be the sharper choice.
You could also look at reputable used graphics cards if you find a good local deal, such as an RTX 3070 or 3080. Check the card’s condition, temperatures, and testing history carefully, and avoid buying anything with an uncertain background. For your games, though, a newer midrange card may be simpler and more efficient.
That’s really helpful, thank you! You may have just saved me a good amount of money.