I'm diving into building my first two PCs, one for me and one for my wife, and I'm feeling a bit anxious about how they'll turn out. I've got a budget of around 2k EUR, and we're in a bit of a rush to get these built. I've been using PCPartPicker, but the prices in Finland can be quirky compared to other regions, so that might skew things a bit. I'd really like some feedback on the components I've chosen to make sure they'll work well together and last us a few years.
**For my wife's PC:** It's built around an existing GTX 1080. She's going to use it mostly for digital drawing (75%) and light gaming/web surfing (25%). She'll need a lot of RAM for her art software, which is why I went with 32GB. The rest of the build needs to accommodate her requests for RGB lights (the flashier, the better) and decent performance in Kingdom Come Deliverance at medium settings.
You can check it out here: [Wife's PC Build](https://fi.pcpartpicker.com/list/PkGLTM).
**For my PC:** I've chosen components I hope will last 7-8 years with minimal upgrades. It'll be used approximately 50% for coding, 40% for gaming, and 10% for office work. I'm starting with 32GB of RAM, but I might upgrade it to 64GB or more later. The goal is for decent 1440p gaming at around 60 fps on medium settings, so I went with the RTX 5060 Ti. I'm experimenting with liquid cooling since neither of us have had it before. You can see my build here: [My PC Build](https://fi.pcpartpicker.com/list/xTQ6zP).
Any constructive criticism or advice before I spend the money?
3 Answers
For your wife's build, I really think going for 32GB of RAM is a smart move, especially for the art software that needs it. But keep an eye on that GPU; you'll want it to handle the graphics just right during her digital drawing sessions. Everything else looks pretty solid!
Just a quick note: if you're open to swapping some parts, you could get a better GPU for your second build. I'd suggest the RTX 5070 over the 5060 Ti if you're aiming for decent performance at 1440p. Plus, I'm more keen on Intel's 12th gen CPUs compared to the 13th, so the 12600KF could be a solid pick here. Also, you could consider an air cooler instead of liquid cooling – though if you really want an AIO, check out the Thermalright option!
If you're considering any CPU upgrades in the future, you might want to look into the AM5 platform, which will support new CPUs until 2027. Intel's LGA1700 is pretty much done after this generation, so that could limit you down the line. Also, just a heads-up about your Chieftec case; check if it has a solid front panel because that can really affect airflow. You might want to go for a different case if it's not ventilated well. And hey, thermalright fans are usually affordable too, if you're interested in RGB options!
Good point about the AM5. I didn’t realize the Long-term upgrade potential was that different. And yes, I’ll definitely look into the airflow in the case; that’s super important!