Hey everyone! I'm planning to upgrade my 2014 PC build soon, and I'd love to get your thoughts on my ideas. I've been an Intel guy since the '90s, so I'm a bit lost on the current CPU, motherboard, and chipset options, especially with AMD taking the lead these days. I've also noticed a lot of changes in CPU cooling technology, particularly with AIO water cooling becoming more common, but I'm not sure if that's worth the investment for my situation.
I'm not a fan of RGB lighting in cases, but I want to avoid that 'fishbowl' look that so many cases have now. Another concern is dust—living in São Paulo means I deal with a lot of dust, so I want a case that manages that well and operates quietly.
I'm budgeting around 12,000 BRL (roughly 2,000 USD) but can stretch that a bit as I plan to get most parts over the next 6 months, possibly leveraging friends traveling to the US for better prices. I mostly use my PC for day-to-day tasks but also want to play games like Cyberpunk and Baldur's Gate 3 on high settings, ideally making it 'next-gen ready' for a future GPU upgrade.
Here's what I'm considering for my build:
1. **PSU**: Corsair RM850x (new standard for ATX 3.1)
2. **Case**: Lian Li Lancool 217 or Fractal Design North XL (preferably a black, non-mesh version)
3. **Case Fans**: 3x Arctic fans, though I could switch to AIO cooling here for more investment.
4. **CPU**: Ryzen 7 9800X3D
5. **CPU Cooler**: Unsure—be quiet air cooler or an AIO?
6. **MOBO**: Gigabyte X670 AORUS ELITE AX ATX AM5 (considering alternatives due to my history with ASUS)
7. **RAM**: 2x 16GB DDR5 6000MHZ from a reputable brand
8. **GPU**: RTX 4060 Ti 12GB—open to alternatives for DLSS and ray tracing
9. **Storage**: 500GB M2 NVMe for OS, 1TB gaming drive, plus older SSD/HDD for files
10. **Monitor**: 24-27 inch Full HD, saving around BRL 1,000 from the budget for this.
I'd really appreciate any feedback or recommendations you have!
3 Answers
Your specs look solid! For your game drive, definitely go for an SSD over a traditional hard drive. They're about the same price now and you'll notice a big boost in load times with new games.
You might not need the 9800X3D with a 4060 Ti. A Ryzen 7 9700X could save you some cash, which you could use to upgrade to a 5070 later on—just a thought!
AIO coolers are more accessible and can look sleek, but for the 9800X3D, an air cooler like the Thermalright Peerless Assassin would be more than enough. Plus, it’ll be quieter and easier to manage.
As for your motherboard choice, if you're not planning to use features like USB4, the B650 or B850 boards are a great pick. Also, make sure to get a decent NVMe SSD for your OS and games, combining them into one high-quality drive would save you both money and space.
Thanks for the suggestions! I’ll look into that air cooler and maybe consider simplifying my storage.