I want to build a gaming PC that can run modern games at 1080p on high settings, with especially good performance for Minecraft using very high shaders. My total budget is €500, and I would prefer an NVIDIA RTX graphics card. I'm planning to use 16GB of DDR4 memory. Would a used RTX 2070 Super paired with a Ryzen 5 3600, Ryzen 5 5600, or a similar CPU be a good choice?
5 Answers
Minecraft shader performance depends heavily on the shader pack, render distance, mods, and optimization settings. Sodium or similar performance mods can help a lot. The RTX 2070 Super is still a capable 1080p card, but make sure the CPU, power supply, and cooling are suitable instead of spending the entire budget on the GPU alone.
The budget makes a new RTX-based build difficult. Look for a complete used AM4 system with a Ryzen 5 3600, Ryzen 5 5600, or possibly a six- or eight-core Ryzen 3000/5000 chip. Try to get 32GB of RAM if the price is right, although 16GB can work for now. For the GPU, prioritize at least 8GB of VRAM and compare actual performance rather than relying only on the model name.
A €500 new PC with an RTX card and consistently high settings isn’t realistic. The used market is the practical route, and you may need to accept compromises on storage, case, RAM, or the power supply. Also, only choose NVIDIA if you specifically need features such as CUDA, DLSS, or certain ray-tracing performance; AMD cards may offer better raw performance per euro.
A Ryzen 5 5600 with an RTX 2070 Super or RTX 3060 Ti would be a good 1080p combination. It should handle many games at high settings, but ‘everything on high’ won’t guarantee high frame rates in every modern title. Very demanding shader packs and heavily modded Minecraft can still drop below 60 FPS, even on much more expensive hardware.
For €500, you’ll probably need to buy used. A Ryzen 5 3600 or 5600 paired with an RTX 2070 Super, RTX 3060 Ti, or similar would be a reasonable target. A 2070 Super for around €205 is a solid deal if it’s in good condition, though you’ll need to budget for the rest of the system as well. Check its temperatures, fan noise, power connectors, and whether it passes a stress test before buying.
I found an RTX 2070 Super for €205. I’ve also seen benchmarks where the GTX 1080 Ti performs well with Minecraft shaders, but I’m worried it may be getting too old.