I'm building my first PC and would appreciate feedback before buying. The system is mainly for 1440p gaming and light photo editing, with games such as Minecraft with shaders and Fortnite in mind. My current parts list is:
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7700X
- Cooler: Thermalright Assassin X 120 R Digital ARGB
- Motherboard: Gigabyte B650 Eagle AX
- Memory: 32GB (2x16GB) DDR5-6000 CL30
- Storage: Corsair MP600 Pro LPX 2TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD
- Graphics card: XFX Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB
- Case: Thermaltake View 270 Plus TG ARGB
- Power supply: NZXT C850 (2024) 850W Gold, fully modular
The total is about $2,568 AUD, and I'd prefer to stay below $2,600, although getting the price down would be even better. I already own a 1440p monitor and my peripherals, and I'm in Australia. The white parts are only included when they cost the same as the equivalent black versions; I mainly want to keep the chosen case.
Are any components overkill, poorly matched, or incompatible? In particular, should I use a cheaper CPU or cooler, and would spending more on the graphics card be worthwhile? I'm upgrading from a Nintendo Switch, so even this system should be a huge improvement, but I'm unsure how much difference a higher-end GPU would make.
2 Answers
The RX 9070 XT would be a much stronger choice for 1440p gaming, particularly if you want high settings, shaders, or better longevity. However, paying around $380 AUD more is not automatically worthwhile for everyone. The RX 9060 XT should already run Fortnite and Minecraft very well at 1440p, and coming from a Switch, it will feel like an enormous jump in image quality and performance.
I’d only stretch for the 9070 XT if you want to target high refresh rates, use demanding Minecraft shader packs, or keep the GPU for many years. Otherwise, keeping the 9060 XT and reducing the CPU to a Ryzen 5 would probably produce a better-balanced system without exceeding your budget.
The Ryzen 7 7700X is a reasonable CPU, but it doesn’t make much sense at that price for a gaming-focused build. A Ryzen 5 7600, 7600X, or possibly a 9600X should deliver very similar gaming performance, especially at 1440p where the GPU will usually be the limiting factor. You could save money with one of those and put the difference toward the graphics card instead.
If you keep an X-series CPU, I’d also use a dual-tower air cooler rather than the smaller single-tower model, since those processors can run hot. The memory choice is excellent: 32GB of DDR5-6000 CL30 is a good match for AM5. The SSD, motherboard, and power supply are also sensible choices, although an Asus TUF Gaming B650-E WiFi could be worth considering if it’s only slightly more expensive and available locally.
Thanks for the detailed advice! I’m still trying to understand the GPU difference. Would the RX 9070 XT really be worth paying about $380 AUD more than the RX 9060 XT? I’m coming from a Switch, where Minecraft and Fortnite are barely playable, so either card would be a massive upgrade for me.
Minecraft and photo editing can benefit from a capable CPU, but the 7700X still seems hard to justify at that price when a cheaper Ryzen 5 would perform similarly in most games. The money is likely more useful on the GPU if you decide you need extra 1440p performance.