I'm putting together my first PC and I've created a parts list on PCPartPicker. I'm not very experienced and I'm looking for advice on whether I should change any components to save money or improve performance. Here's the link to my list: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/Vgb9xg. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
5 Answers
You might want to consider adding more RAM to your build. It would definitely improve your performance, especially if you plan to use demanding applications.
I made some tweaks to your list that still keep the Alder Lake platform but save you some cash. If you're sticking with Intel, there's a lot of potential to optimize your build without increasing costs too much. I didn't include everything I would recommend, but just some ideas to think about.
Your build looks good overall, but I noticed your memory is a Gen 3 M.2. You should definitely opt for a Gen 4 to get better speeds. Also, since you're going for DDR5 RAM, I'd recommend considering an AMD CPU; a lot of people are leaning towards Intel just because it pairs well with cheaper DDR4 memory.
I'd suggest looking for cheaper alternatives for the fans and power supply. Thermalright makes some great fans that are more affordable, and the PSU you picked is a bit pricey for what you need.
You actually don't need to buy thermal paste because the cooler comes with NT-H1 paste. The cooler might be a bit overkill for your first build, but it's a solid choice. As for motherboards, if you don't need all those M.2 slots, you can save about $50 by choosing a more basic model. Generally, I prefer a board with at least 2 M.2 slots and some decent USB ports.
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