I bought my current setup secondhand for about $200, and I'm planning a major upgrade over the next two months with a hard budget limit of $1,150. My current system has a GTX 1080 8GB, a Ryzen 9 6900HX laptop CPU, 32GB of DDR5 memory, a 1TB NVMe SSD, a 550W power supply, a Noctua Redux cooler, and an unusual motherboard. My proposed final build is a Ryzen 5 9600X, RTX 4070 12GB, Gigabyte B650 Gaming X AX V2 motherboard, 32GB of DDR5 reused from the current system, a 1TB WD Black NVMe SSD, MSI MAG A750GL PCIe 5 750W power supply, Fractal North Momentum Edition case, ID-COOLING SE-214-XT cooler, and three existing exhaust fans. I want to use it for competitive gaming, GTA 5 Online, realistic truck and car simulators, DaVinci Resolve video editing, and possibly streaming. I'd also like it to handle GTA 6 reasonably well when released. Are these parts compatible and well-balanced, and are there better ways to spend the budget?
1 Answer
The biggest issue is confirming what type of DDR5 memory you currently have. A Ryzen 9 6900HX is a laptop processor and is normally soldered to a mobile motherboard, so its memory is very likely laptop SO-DIMM rather than desktop UDIMM. SO-DIMM sticks will not fit the Gigabyte B650 board, meaning you may need to budget for a new desktop DDR5 kit. Check the physical memory module: laptop SO-DIMMs are shorter and usually have 262 pins, while standard desktop DDR5 DIMMs are longer and have 288 pins. The printed part number PNY MD16GSD54800-BLK strongly suggests it is a laptop SO-DIMM, despite the label mentioning DIMM. The 1TB NVMe drive may be reusable if it is a standard M.2 2280 drive. The 750W MSI power supply should be enough for a Ryzen 5 9600X and RTX 4070, and the B650 motherboard is appropriate for the CPU. The ID-COOLING cooler should also work if it includes AM5 mounting hardware, but check that before buying. If the budget gets tight, the decorative case would be the easiest part to downgrade so you can purchase compatible desktop RAM.
Yes, the “SD” in that model number and the 16GB DDR5-4800 laptop-style specification are strong indicators that it is SO-DIMM. I would not count those modules toward the new build unless you confirm their physical size and pin layout. Plan on buying a desktop DDR5 kit, ideally 32GB as a matched 2x16GB set.
Thanks, that helps. The memory label says PNY MD16GSD54800-BLK, 16GB DDR5-4800 CL40 at 1.1V. Does that identify it as SO-DIMM?