I'm planning to build a PC in France with a budget of about €1,500. My main uses will be 1440p gaming, including both indie and AAA games as well as Counter-Strike 2. I'd also like to use Blender, Godot, and possibly FL Studio. A white build would be nice, but performance and upgradeability matter much more than appearance. I'm open to any case size or platform, as long as the parts provide a sensible upgrade path.
4 Answers
I would avoid building a new system around AM4. It can still perform well today, but its upgrade path is essentially finished. A Ryzen 5 9600X-class processor on AM5 is a better starting point, even if you have to begin with 16 GB of DDR5 and upgrade to 32 GB later. Another option is buying a good used system, since second-hand machines can sometimes offer a stronger GPU and CPU for this budget. Just check the power supply, temperatures, and component condition carefully.
A Radeon RX 9070 or RX 9060 XT 16 GB paired with a reasonably priced AM5 processor would make more sense than spending heavily on aesthetics. Aim for 32 GB of DDR5-6000 memory if possible, along with a 1 TB NVMe SSD and a well-reviewed airflow-focused case. If the RX 9070 makes the total too expensive, stepping down to the RX 9060 XT is more realistic than sacrificing the motherboard, power supply, or storage.
Your acceptable performance level matters more than the label “future-proof.” A €1,500 PC should deliver several good years at 1440p, but no system can guarantee ultra settings and high frame rates forever. Prioritize smooth gameplay and the visual quality you actually want, then choose the most upgradeable platform that fits the budget rather than overspending on premium parts.
“Future-proof” is difficult to guarantee, so I’d focus on making the system future-resistant and upgradeable. An AM5 build with DDR5, a decent B650 motherboard, two open memory slots, and a quality 750–850 W power supply would leave room for a newer processor or graphics card later. At 1440p, put most of the budget into the GPU, since it will usually have the biggest impact on gaming performance.
The total budget is €1,500, not $1,500, so the graphics card still has to leave enough money for the CPU, motherboard, storage, case, and power supply.