I'm getting back into PC gaming after selling my previous computer for a handheld and want a more powerful system for playing at home. I'm building on the AM4 platform because it's affordable and I'm buying most parts used in the Toronto area.
Current parts:
- ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming ITX motherboard
- 32GB Corsair Vengeance DDR4-3600 memory
- Samsung 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD
- NZXT H1 V1 case with the power-supply fire-risk issue fixed, including its power supply and cooler
I've spent about $630 CAD so far and would like to finish the build for roughly $1,000–$1,200 CAD, although I can stretch the budget somewhat. I'm targeting 1440p gaming at high settings and want at least 60 FPS in demanding AAA single-player games. I'll mainly use a 1440p monitor, but I'd also like to connect the PC to a 4K living-room TV for controller-based couch gaming.
What CPU and GPU combination would make the most sense for this budget?
3 Answers
The main choices are either a Ryzen 7 5800X3D with an RX 9060 XT, or spending more on the graphics card and pairing it with a less expensive AM4 CPU. For 1440p, I’d prioritize the GPU, then look for a used Ryzen 5 5600X, Ryzen 7 5700X, or Ryzen 7 5800X depending on local prices. A 5800X3D is excellent, but it may not provide the best overall balance if it forces you into a much weaker graphics card.
For an AM4 system, a Ryzen 7 5800X3D paired with a 16GB Radeon RX 9060 XT would be a strong 1440p combination. The 9060 XT has plenty of VRAM, while the 5800X3D is one of the best gaming CPUs available for this platform. The downside is that this pairing could use nearly the entire $1,200 CAD budget.
You have roughly $600 CAD left, so current-generation 1440p cards will make the CPU choice difficult. An RX 9060 XT 16GB would be slower but easier to fit into the budget, while an RX 9070 GRE would offer considerably more performance with 12GB of VRAM if you can find a good price. Since Canadian pricing is much higher, a used GPU may be the better route. That could leave enough for a Ryzen 5 5600X or Ryzen 7 5800X. Any Ryzen 5 5600X or faster should still perform very well for this build.
Canadian pricing is rough here. The newer cards I’m finding are around $800 CAD new, and the best used price I’ve seen is about $600, which leaves almost nothing for the CPU.
That combination does look like one of the best options, but the GPU alone would leave very little room for a 5800X3D within my budget.