I'm putting together a powerful but living-room-friendly gaming PC, essentially a modern Steam Machine. The case is intentionally styled more like a stereo component because I don't want a traditional computer tower in the living room. I may use a Micro Center bundle that saves roughly $210, and I already own the 970 Evo Plus SSD listed in the build. Does the parts list look balanced, and are there any sensible ways to reduce the cost without hurting performance? I'm also wondering whether switching to a Ryzen 7 7800X3D, an mATX motherboard, and a smaller NCASE M2-style case would create cooling or future-upgrade problems. My main concern with using the 7800X3D is whether it could bottleneck a future GPU upgrade or a demanding game.
2 Answers
The build looks fairly expensive, especially since the SSD isn’t adding to the current cost. For comparison, I’d try to get the total below $2,000 with a 1TB SSD included. Since you already own the drive and have access to a bundle discount, your actual price may be closer to that target than the list suggests.
For a living-room system, I’d seriously consider the Ryzen 7 7800X3D. It uses substantially less power than some higher-end CPU options, which makes it easier to cool in a cabinet or other space with limited airflow. An mATX motherboard should also save money without giving up much functionality, especially since the current board only has two M.2 slots and you probably won’t need extra PCIe expansion slots. The 970 Evo Plus is still usable, but it’s an older model, so don’t buy another one unless it’s unusually cheap. Also, that case should not require an SFX power supply. If you do choose an mATX board and SFX PSU, a compact case such as the NCASE M2 could provide similar cost and much less size.
The case choice is mainly for appearance, since it should blend in with the other living-room electronics. The motherboard would come with the bundle, though changing to the 7800X3D would likely change that deal. I’m also concerned about whether the 7800X3D could limit a future GPU upgrade or a CPU-heavy game. Since I already own the SSD, my remaining question is whether moving to an mATX board and a smaller case would cause a heat problem.
The SSD is one I already own, and the Micro Center bundle should reduce the cost by about $210. I’m still interested in finding other places to save without compromising the build.