I'm a first-time PC buyer and I'm planning to build my own computer at Micro Center. I want to get some advice on my planned build and whether I'm making the right choices. Here's what I have in mind:
- **CPU**: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D – $247.61
- **Motherboard**: Gigabyte B850 Gaming X WiFi6E AMD AM5 – $150.63
- **RAM**: Corsair VENGEANCE RGB 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR5-6000 – $282.15
- **GPU**: Gigabyte AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT GAMING – $459.99
- **SSD**: Crucial P310 1TB SSD – $179.99
- **Case**: Montech XR Wood ATX Mid-Tower – $46.07
- **PSU**: MSI MPG A1000G 1000 Watt 80 Plus Gold – $149.99
- **CPU Cooler**: Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE – $49.99
- **Thermal Paste**: Noctua NT-H1 – $11.99
- **OS**: Windows 11 – $139.99
- **Keyboard**: Logitech G G915 X Wireless – $229.99
- **Monitor**: Samsung Odyssey G5 G53F 27" 2K QHD – $159.99
The total before tax comes to $2,799.15. I'm also considering transferring an extra SSD from my gaming laptop for storage. Do I really need the 1TB SSD just for the OS, or can I get away with a 500GB? Also, should I opt for a 2-year warranty for $249.99, or would that just be wasting money? And what do you think about having the store build it for another $249.99?
5 Answers
You might want to consider the prebuilt options as well; you can get powerful setups that might fit your needs for less than piecing everything together. A prebuilt with a similar GPU and CPU could save you a lot of hassle.
That GPU choice is a little surprising given your budget. If you're dropping almost $3000, consider putting more into a better GPU like the RX 9070 XT or RTX 5070 Ti instead of the 9060 XT. Your framerates could really improve that way!
Yeah, I totally get that! Just worried about messing up building it myself. But I might check out better GPUs!
I think your PSU is a bit overkill. An 850w would suffice and it could free up money for a better GPU. Check out tier lists for power supplies to help make a better choice!
Yeah, I just got the 1000w for future upgrades, but I’m worried that won't happen anytime soon with how the market is right now.
Micro Center's prices aren't always the best. You might find better deals for some parts online. For the SSD, consider a TLC model instead of QLC for better performance, and skipping the warranty might be smart since the parts generally come with their own warranties.
I’ll look into that! Thanks for the tip on the SSD. Honestly, searching online for pricing feels like a chore.
Honestly, if you're up for it, consider building the PC yourself! It's not as hard as you think and there are tons of great tutorials on YouTube. You'll save $250, and it can be a fun project! Also, remember that CPU coolers usually come with thermal paste, so you might not need to buy that separately.
That's good to know! I had no idea the coolers came with paste. I might just stick with the 1TB SSD since I don't want to run out of space.
Definitely keep that extra space! Games can eat up storage really quickly.
That's interesting! I didn’t think about that. I’ll check out some prebuilts to see if they fit my needs.