I'm a college student majoring in commercial music and I'm looking to build a powerful computer that can handle heavy workloads, especially running programs like Pro Tools while also managing a ton of files and multiple Chrome tabs without any lag. On top of that, I enjoy gaming occasionally, aiming to play games like Battlefield 6 or Valheim at a minimum of 1440p at 144 fps, ideally pushing for 240hz if the budget allows. My budget is $1,600.
Currently, I'm considering a build with an MSI B650 motherboard, a Ryzen 9 7900x processor, 32GB of DDR5 Crucial Pro RAM for about $274, and a 5070 GPU that I found for $490 at Walmart. Additionally, I'd include an 850w Corsair PSU, a budget Lian Li case, and an affordable CPU cooler, bringing my total to around $1,550.
I'm open to advice on optimizing this setup or alternatives that might work better. I'm planning to buy parts gradually. Also, I prefer Nvidia over AMD due to compatibility concerns and previous crashes. While I've considered the 9070xt, I've decided to pass on that for now. I'm also curious about high-end laptops in a similar price range if anyone has suggestions. My current setup is an outdated Asus laptop with a 3050 and 16GB of DDR4 RAM.
3 Answers
Hey! I play similar games and my current setup runs at 1440p with high settings, hitting around 140-200 fps. I would recommend considering a Ryzen 7 5700x3d paired with an RX 9070 XT. It fits within your budget and offers excellent performance. I wouldn't go for the 5070; instead, save up a bit more for the 5070ti if you're set on Nvidia. You’ll get better performance for just a little more cash.
If you're looking for a laptop alternative, you might want to try checking out brands like Razer or ASUS ROG. They occasionally have high-performance laptops on sale that might fit your budget and specs. Just make sure to check reviews to gauge their reliability for music production.
Just a heads up, where I’m located in the UK, the RX 9070xt was about £559, while the cheapest 5070ti was over £700. In my opinion, the price difference isn't justified for the performance gain. Just keep in mind that everyone's usage is different, so consider what you really need it for.
I agree! A 9070xt seems like a great match for what you're looking to do. It's powerful enough for gaming and should handle your music production tasks without issue.