I'm building my first gaming PC in Australia and want to keep the tower close to A$3,000, with the monitor bought separately. I've only used consoles before, so I'd appreciate a reality check before ordering parts.
My main games are CPU-heavy simulation and management titles such as Cities: Skylines II, Planet Zoo, Planet Coaster 2, The Sims and Farming Simulator. I'd also like strong 1440p performance in games such as Battlefield 6 and Diablo IV. I'm aiming for a quiet, reliable system with a clean black-and-walnut appearance and minimal RGB.
The current parts list is:
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D
- Cooler: DeepCool AK500 Digital
- Motherboard: MSI B650 Gaming Plus WiFi
- Memory: TEAMGROUP T-Create Expert 32GB (2x16GB) DDR5-6000 CL30
- Storage: Lexar NM790 2TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe
- Graphics card: Gigabyte Radeon RX 9070 XT Gaming OC 16GB
- Case: Fractal Design North XL
- Power supply: Corsair RM850e 850W
- Case fans: the three fans included with the case to start
- Monitor: 27-inch 1440p high-refresh OLED, purchased separately
I'm especially unsure whether the AK500 Digital can cool the 9800X3D quietly during gaming, whether the B650 Gaming Plus WiFi is a suitable board if its BIOS is updated, and whether 850W is enough for this CPU and graphics card. I'm also wondering if the North XL is unnecessarily large compared with the regular North.
Would you change the graphics card model or any other part based on Australian pricing? Are there any clearance, power-connector, memory-profile or airflow issues I've overlooked? I'm prioritising smooth performance in large cities, zoos, parks and heavily populated saves rather than maximum ray tracing. Please be brutally honest about what should change before I buy.
5 Answers
The RM850e should be sufficient on paper for this combination, but if the RM850x is only about A$20 more, I’d choose the x model. It’s a worthwhile upgrade for a system at this price. Still verify the exact Australian model and independent reviews before ordering, since PSU quality matters more than simply choosing a high wattage.
The AK500 Digital may be adequate for gaming with the 9800X3D, but a larger dual-tower cooler such as a Phantom Spirit-style model gives you more thermal and acoustic headroom. The smaller cooler isn’t automatically unsafe, but it may need higher fan speeds during long, demanding simulation sessions. Since you prefer air cooling, moving to a stronger dual-tower cooler is the safer choice if it fits your aesthetic and case plans.
I prefer the AK500’s smaller appearance and display, so I’ll keep it only if testing and reviews show it can handle gaming temperatures without being loud. Otherwise I’ll prioritise the larger cooler.
The 9800X3D and RX 9070 XT are both excellent parts, but they may be more performance than you strictly need for 1440p right now. The regular RX 9070 could be a better value if the XT costs substantially more in Australia, while the XT makes sense if the price gap is modest and you want extra longevity. The CPU is also an investment for simulation games, where large cities and heavily populated saves can benefit from extra processor performance, so keeping it is defensible.
That’s the balance I’m trying to find. I’m happy to pay for useful long-term headroom, but I’ll compare the Australian prices carefully rather than automatically choosing the XT.
The full-size B650 Gaming Plus WiFi should be a reasonable match for the 9800X3D, assuming the board arrives with a compatible BIOS or you update it first. The concern about weaker power delivery mainly applies to the smaller B650M version, which is a different board. You don’t necessarily need a more expensive motherboard unless you want additional ports, expansion options or features.
That clears up the motherboard concern. I was comparing the full-size board with comments about the B650M version, so I’ll keep checking the exact model rather than assuming they perform the same.
The North XL will fit everything easily, but it is probably larger than necessary for this build. The regular North should also be a comfortable fit and will take up less space, while still matching the look you want. Before changing cases, check the exact graphics-card length, cooler height and front-fan or radiator layout. With an air cooler and the included fans, you shouldn’t need an oversized case solely for airflow.
I’ll probably take the RM850x if the price difference stays that small, while checking the specific model and reviews first.