I'm building my first PC tomorrow and would appreciate a final check before opening the boxes. My main goal is high-refresh-rate 1440p gaming, with reasonably good 4K performance when I want it. I'd also like it to handle moderate photo and video editing. I specifically chose new, sealed parts with warranties, so the prices reflect retail purchases. Everything is still unopened, and I could return or exchange parts if there's a clearly better option for the money.
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D — $300.56
Motherboard: Gigabyte B850 Gaming X WF6E — $149.96
Memory: Corsair Vengeance RGB 32GB (2×16GB) DDR5-6000 CL36 — $429.47 as part of a bundle
GPU: PowerColor Reaper Radeon RX 9070 XT — $689.99
SSD: Samsung 990 Pro 1TB — $239.99
CPU cooler: Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 EVO — $42.41
Power supply: Corsair RM850x ATX 3.1 — $139.99
Case: Montech Air 903 Max — $79.97
The CPU, motherboard, and memory were purchased together. I originally wanted DDR5-6000 CL30 or CL32 memory, but the bundle did not allow me to swap it. The total came to $2,108.33. Is there anything worth returning or changing before I build it?
4 Answers
You don’t need a 240mm or 360mm liquid cooler for this build. The Phantom Spirit is an excellent air cooler, and an AIO would add cost, pump noise, and another possible failure point without providing a meaningful benefit for gaming. Your 850W Corsair power supply is also a sensible match for the system.
Honestly, the parts are already well matched. The CL36 memory is fine, especially since it came with the bundle, and the Phantom Spirit is more than capable for the 9800X3D. Could you have saved a little with more aggressive shopping? Probably, but there’s nothing here that should noticeably hurt your experience. I’d build it and enjoy it rather than second-guess every part.
The graphics card price looks competitive at $689.99. A cheaper model would only be worth considering if you find one that is actually less expensive; the alternative mentioned in the discussion was priced higher, so it wouldn’t be an upgrade in value. If the build isn’t urgent, seasonal sales later in the year might improve storage or accessory pricing, but there’s no urgent reason to delay the build.
The biggest weakness is the 1TB SSD at that price. A reputable 2TB PCIe 4.0 drive would give you twice the capacity for around the same money, which is useful for modern games and editing projects. If you can still return it, that’s the change I’d prioritize. One commenter also suggested looking at a less expensive power supply and putting the savings toward a 2TB drive.
Thanks—I already ordered a different 2TB SSD based on that suggestion.
That was my thought too—the other card mentioned was more expensive than the one I bought, so I’ll probably keep this GPU.