I'm planning a PC build and currently have an ASRock B550M Steel Legend motherboard, an AMD Ryzen 7 5700X, and 16GB of Silicon Power DDR4-3200 CL16 memory. Will these parts work well together? My main games are standard Minecraft on a friend's server and Genshin Impact, though I may upgrade the system within the next two years. I originally considered spending around $2,000, but prices feel high right now, so I'm thinking about buying parts gradually or finding used components through local marketplaces. What other parts will I need, and what should I watch out for when buying secondhand so I don't get scammed?
4 Answers
The motherboard may need a BIOS version that supports the 5700X, depending on when it was manufactured. Check the board’s BIOS support page or ask the seller which version is installed. Also, 16GB of RAM is enough for these games, but 32GB would give you more breathing room for multitasking and future upgrades.
I usually avoid secondhand GPUs because they can be difficult to test and may have been heavily used. Buying new gives you a warranty and lets you file an RMA if the card fails. RMA means returning a defective product to the manufacturer or retailer for repair, replacement, or sometimes a refund.
Buying over time can work, but avoid purchasing parts too far in advance if possible. Return periods and warranties may expire before you actually test everything, and prices or newer hardware could change. Build around a complete, testable system when you can. For used parts, ask to see the item working, check the exact model and serial information, avoid suspiciously cheap listings, and use a payment method with buyer protection. I’d be especially cautious with used power supplies and graphics cards.
Those three parts are compatible. Just remember that the Ryzen 7 5700X does not have integrated graphics, so you’ll need a dedicated graphics card for either game. You’ll also need storage, a power supply, a case, and a CPU cooler. Minecraft and Genshin aren’t especially demanding, so you don’t need an extremely powerful system unless you plan to play more demanding games later. A decent midrange GPU should be plenty.
Thanks, I wasn’t familiar with the term RMA. That makes sense, especially for a graphics card.