I'm building my first PC and would appreciate advice on compatibility, value, and gaming performance. I'd like to keep the total cost as low as possible while still getting good-quality parts, ideally under about $1,750. A white aesthetic is important to me.
My current parts are a white Hyte Y70 case, Ryzen 5 7600 processor, white Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE ARGB cooler, a B650 or B650E motherboard, 32GB of DDR5-6000 memory, a used Radeon RX 7600 8GB graphics card, a 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD, and a used white Corsair RM750e 750W power supply. I'm also considering a Ryzen 5 7600X bundle with an AM5 motherboard and 16GB of DDR5-6000 memory.
For the display, I'm choosing between a 34-inch 3440x1440 165Hz ultrawide monitor and a 24-inch 1080p 200Hz monitor. I'm new to PC building, so I'd like to know whether these parts make sense together, what should be changed for gaming, and where I may be overspending.
3 Answers
The biggest issue is that the parts don’t match the monitor choices very well. An RX 7600 is a reasonable 1080p card, but it will struggle to drive modern games at 3440x1440, especially at high settings. If you want the 34-inch ultrawide, put much more of the budget toward the graphics card. If you keep the RX 7600, the 24-inch 1080p monitor is the more sensible pairing.
The Hyte case is attractive, but it uses a large portion of the budget without improving gaming performance. A less expensive white airflow case could free up money for a stronger GPU. Also, the memory listing is drastically overpriced; 32GB of DDR5-6000 CL30 or CL32 with AMD EXPO should usually cost far less. The Ryzen 5 7600 already includes a basic cooler, though the Peerless Assassin is a good upgrade if you want lower temperatures and quieter operation.
Decide on the target resolution before buying anything else. The 24-inch 1080p display will give the RX 7600 a much better chance of reaching high frame rates, while the ultrawide is more immersive but needs a significantly faster GPU. For a first build focused on value, I’d use a cheaper white case, 32GB DDR5-6000 EXPO memory, a reliable 1TB SSD, a new 650W–750W power supply, and spend the savings on the strongest GPU that fits the budget. You can always add cosmetic upgrades later.
At the current prices, this is closer to an $800–$1,000 level gaming build than a $1,750 build, mainly because the RX 7600 is an entry-level 1080p card while the case and some other parts are premium-priced. Keep the Ryzen 5 7600 and AM5 platform, but shop around for a reasonably priced B650 motherboard and 32GB DDR5-6000 EXPO kit. Avoid paying hundreds for that RAM kit.
A new power supply is preferable to a used one, even if the model itself is reputable. A quality 650W or 750W unit should be enough for this system and gives you better confidence about reliability. Also, choose a known-brand SSD rather than a vague drive advertised mainly by sequential speed; gaming load times usually won’t benefit much from extreme headline speeds.
The bundle could be worthwhile if it is substantially cheaper than buying the processor, motherboard, and memory separately, but check the exact motherboard and whether the included 16GB is one stick or two. For a new gaming build, 32GB as a 2x16GB kit is the safer choice.
That makes sense. I like the case, but I didn’t realize it was taking so much money away from the graphics card. Would you prioritize changing the case or upgrading the GPU first?