I'm putting together my second PC build, this time for my brother. He's an autistic adult who mainly plays games and occasionally works on hobby projects such as video editing and music production. He doesn't need top-end graphics or extreme refresh rates, and he currently uses a laptop with Intel UHD 630 graphics, an i7-9850, and 16GB of RAM, so this will already be a major upgrade.
The planned build is:
- Motherboard: ASUS TUF Gaming B550-PLUS WIFI II
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5700X, tray version, 8 cores and 16 threads
- RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws V 16GB, 2x8GB DDR4-3600 CL18
- GPU: ASUS RX 9060 XT Dual 16GB
- SSD: Kingston NV3 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe
- PSU: Corsair RM650e 650W Gold
- CPU cooler: be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3 LX RGB
- Case: NZXT H5 Flow 2024 with two additional stock fans
- Extra fans: Three plus one be quiet! Light Wings LX 120mm RGB fans
He currently has a 24-inch 60Hz monitor. He may eventually use my Gigabyte M32U 4K 144Hz monitor, but the practical target is around 1080p at 120Hz or 1440p at 60Hz. I know the RGB adds some unnecessary cost, but he'll enjoy it, and I'd appreciate feedback on component choices, upgrade potential, and anything that looks unbalanced. The build is already around €1,400, so keeping costs under control matters. I'm especially unsure whether 16GB of RAM is reasonable for now or if 32GB is worth prioritizing.
3 Answers
There’s no need to spend extra on an X3D processor for this use case. A 5700X is already a capable gaming and productivity CPU, and the selected cooler is more than adequate. If the budget has room for upgrades, I’d put the money into 32GB of RAM or a larger and potentially faster SSD before changing the processor. Storage and memory are also easy to expand later, so keeping 16GB temporarily is defensible if the system needs to stay near budget.
The AM4 platform makes sense for a budget-conscious build, especially since the goal isn’t maximum performance. You might find a cheaper used system or prebuilt with similar specifications, but buying new and assembling it together gives you better control and makes the build more meaningful. The 650W power supply should be fine for this hardware, though a 750W unit would provide more headroom for a future graphics-card upgrade.
I did compare similar prebuilt systems, but none offered a particularly good deal. We also want to assemble this one together, and I’d prefer that he starts with brand-new parts.
Overall, this is a very solid upgrade from his current laptop, and it should handle 1080p gaming and occasional editing comfortably. The main thing I’d prioritize is 32GB of RAM if the budget can stretch that far. Modern games, browsers, and creative applications can use 16GB surprisingly quickly, although starting with 16GB and adding another matching kit later is a reasonable way to control the initial cost.
That was my thinking as well. 16GB is currently about half the price of 32GB here, so I’d rather leave room to upgrade the memory and storage later if he actually needs it.