Hey everyone! I'm gearing up to build a brand new PC primarily for gaming with a budget around €2500. My goal is to achieve roughly 80% of the performance of current high-end setups—something powerful and future-proof but still great value. For the CPU, I'm leaning towards the Ryzen 7 9800X3D since it's known for strong gaming performance and efficiency.
Here's what I'm looking at:
- **Primary Use**: Gaming (both single-player and competitive)
- **Budget**: Around €2679 (updated)
- **Performance Target**: 80% of high-end for great 1440p performance, maybe some light 4K.
- **Monitors**: I'll keep using my current Asus MG248Q (1080p 144Hz) as a secondary display, but I'm also hunting for a new primary monitor with at least 1440p resolution (or potentially 4K) and high refresh rates. Down the line, I'd like to support a third monitor.
Here's where I need your help:
- **CPU**: Is Ryzen 7 9800X3D a solid choice for gaming?
- **GPU**: Debating between the RTX 5070 and 5080 based on performance and price, but I'm open to other suggestions.
- **Monitor**: Looking for recommendations on top gaming monitors, as I know they can be pricey.
- **Motherboard**: I'm pretty clueless—any thoughts?
- **RAM**: Considering DDR5, should I go with 16GB or is 32GB necessary for gaming in 2025?
- **Storage**: 2TB+ NVMe—Is PCIe 4.0 still the best value, or is Gen 5 worth the upgrade?
- **PSU**: Need a reliable, modular unit that fits my build—any suggestions?
- **Case**: I want something with good airflow, compact, with a clean design and low noise/dust levels—what do you recommend? Or should I just use my old one?
- **Cooling**: Open to suggestions for air or liquid cooling depending on performance and noise.
Thanks in advance for any guidance!
2 Answers
Where are you located? In Denmark? I think you're spot on considering a full rebuild; reusing components won't yield much. Your ask for 80% of high-end might be challenging as prices for upper-end builds in EU can be pretty steep. Maybe saving on the case could help?
Make sure to double-check any benchmark results—UserBenchmark can be hit or miss. I’d recommend going for reputable sources like Gamers Nexus for solid advice. And with your current setup, it seems like a fresh build is really the way to go!
Yep, Denmark! Adjusted my budget a bit more thoughtfully, so hopefully, that will help.