I'm putting together my second PC and would like some advice before buying the parts. I'm in Sweden, so prices are in SEK; 1 kr is roughly 0.10 USD or EUR. My current parts list is a Ryzen 5 7600, a B650 motherboard, 32 GB of DDR5-6000 memory, an RX 9060 XT 16 GB for around 5,000–5,500 kr, a 1 TB NVMe SSD, a 650 W Gold-rated power supply, a case, and a CPU cooler. The estimated total is about 12,400–12,900 kr. My overall budget is approximately 15,000 kr, with some flexibility and the possibility of waiting for sales.
The main question is whether I should stay with the RX 9060 XT 16 GB or spend more on an RX 9070 16 GB for better 1440p gaming performance. I'm also unsure whether buying a 2 TB SSD is worthwhile since I don't currently have many games installed, although I'd like the PC to remain useful for several years. Recommendations for a case and cooler would also be welcome. Gaming performance and value are my priorities; I don't need the system for productivity, streaming, or AI workloads. I'm open to changing any component if there are better-value alternatives, and I would prefer to stay on the AM5 platform.
2 Answers
If you can fit both upgrades into the budget, a stronger GPU and a 2 TB SSD would make the build more comfortable long term. Modern games can take up a surprising amount of space, and the extra graphics performance is especially useful at 1440p. That said, the 1 TB drive is perfectly workable if upgrading the GPU would otherwise push you too far over budget.
Sticking with AM5 makes sense here. The Ryzen 5 7600, B650 board, and DDR5-6000 memory are a solid foundation for a gaming system and leave you with future CPU upgrade options. For the cooler, a basic tower air cooler should be enough for the 7600, so there’s no need to spend heavily. Just make sure the case has good airflow and supports the GPU’s length. A 650 W Gold PSU should be adequate for the lower-power card, but check the recommended power supply before choosing the RX 9070; a quality 750 W unit may be the safer option for that upgrade.
Yes, I definitely want to stay on AM5. The build is intended to use the AM5 platform from the start.
I’m seeing the RX 9070 GRE priced fairly close to the XT, but the XT seems noticeably faster. Is there a particular reason to choose the GRE instead?