My son is excited to build his first PC, and he has a budget of around $1000 for the project. He's been inspired by friends who have already built theirs and plans to work on it with his dad. He wants to ensure that the system he builds can be upgraded in the future. My son has prepared two different parts lists on PCPartPicker that I'd like to get some feedback on before we make any purchases. The games he is interested in playing include Repo, Minecraft, Forza, and possibly Gran Turismo if he saves enough to buy a racing wheel.
3 Answers
Here’s a suggested build that’s $150 over your budget, but if you can make it to a Micro Center, you might score some good deals. Look out for open box items online as well. I'd go with the RX 9060 XT 16GB; it's a better long-term investment compared to cheaper alternatives. Check out this parts list for a solid setup! [PCPartPicker Link](https://pcpartpicker.com/list/xscPn2)
If you're looking at the second build, I'd recommend swapping the RTX 3050 for an RX 6600 instead. It's generally priced similarly but offers much better performance. For the first build, unless you plan on heavy overclocking, you could skip the liquid cooler—it tends to be pricier and requires more upkeep than a standard air cooler. Also, the Arc A380 isn't a great choice; stick with the second build and try to find a used RX 6600—it's significantly faster for about the same money.
I think you might want to consider an option like this one instead. You can get Windows for significantly less if you buy it after the initial setup. Also, increasing your storage to a 1TB SSD would be a good upgrade. I’m also suggesting a B580 video card as a solid upgrade choice. Here’s another parts list for you to check out! [PCPartPicker Link](https://pcpartpicker.com/list/w8VgJw)
Could you clarify what you mean by getting Windows after installation? He'll also need this computer for schoolwork, so access to Google Suite is pretty important.