I've only used laptops before, but my Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 recently stopped working. I'm considering building a desktop myself, although I have no experience with PC parts or assembly. I'm a student in the U.S. with a budget of about $1,200, give or take a few hundred dollars, and that budget may also need to cover a monitor, keyboard, and mouse. I'd like at least 16GB of RAM with room to upgrade and at least 512GB of storage. I was initially thinking about a Ryzen 7 processor and an RTX 4050-class graphics card, but I'm not sure what hardware is actually appropriate. I mainly play Overwatch and don't need a system for demanding AAA games or heavy professional software. What would be a sensible parts list, and are there any beginner mistakes I should avoid when building it?
4 Answers
If you’re near a Micro Center, check their CPU, motherboard, and memory bundles. Those can make a new AM5 build much cheaper and leave room for a solid 1080p graphics card. A Ryzen 5 7500X3D or 7600X-class processor with 16GB of DDR5 and a suitable midrange GPU would be more than enough for Overwatch, and you can add another matching memory kit later if needed.
That budget is very workable for Overwatch. A current Ryzen 5 platform, 16GB of DDR5 memory, a midrange graphics card, a 750W power supply, and an inexpensive case should give you plenty of performance. You don’t need a Ryzen 7 or an RTX 4050 specifically, especially for 1080p esports games. Try to leave enough money for a decent 144Hz monitor and peripherals rather than spending the entire budget on the tower.
You could save money with an older AM4 build using something like a Ryzen 5 5600X, 16GB of DDR4, and a budget or secondhand graphics card. That would still handle Overwatch well, but AM4 has less upgrade potential than AM5. If you buy used, inspect the seller carefully and test the graphics card if possible; I’d be more comfortable buying the power supply and motherboard new.
Make sure the parts list includes more than just the processor and graphics card: a compatible motherboard, two sticks of RAM, an SSD, a reliable power supply, a case with decent airflow, and a CPU cooler if one isn’t included. For your use, a 1TB SSD is preferable to 512GB if the price difference is small. Building is mostly careful assembly, so follow the motherboard and case manuals and double-check every cable before powering on.
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