I'm looking to build beginner gaming PCs for my 11-year-old and 9-year-old. My goal is to find a cost-effective setup that can run Fortnite and Minecraft now, and have the potential to handle games like Call of Duty and Battlefield down the line. I want to avoid overspending, but I've come up with a proposed setup that totals $3,089.79 for two PCs, which is beyond my budget. Here's what I'm currently considering for each PC:
- Motherboard: MSI MAG B650 Tomahawk WiFi
- RAM: G.Skill Flare X5 Series DDR5 – 16 GB
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- Storage: Patriot Memory P400 Lite 1TB SSD
- PSU: MSI MPG A850GS
- Case: Thermaltake View 380 TG ARGB
- CPU Cooler: Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 EVO
- GPU: GIGABYTE Radeon RX 9060 XT
- Monitor: ASUS TUF Gaming 27" 144Hz HDR
This current setup feels like I might be overshooting my needs by about $1,000. I'm seeking advice on more affordable components that still offer good performance while being upgradable for the future, especially keeping the motherboard as a robust foundation. I'd like to place orders soon, so any help would be greatly appreciated!
3 Answers
You might want to reconsider your RAM setup. The 16GB kit can be pricey! If you're planning to split it, that's a great way to save money. Just one 16GB stick in each kids' PC would suffice for their needs now. Later on, when prices drop, you can buy additional RAM to maximize performance, saving you some cash for now.
AMD parts are great, but if you're focused on cutting costs, consider Intel for a cheaper route. The graphics card will be your most important component. I did some calculations for you: if you spend $1,000 less, that gives you $2,089.77 total for both PCs. Splitting it down means you can aim for around $1,044 each. The 16GB Radeon RX 9060 XT is a solid choice, but you won't notice much difference with higher-end CPUs or RAM unless you're spending big bucks.
Thanks for the insight! I'm leaning towards AMD for long-term value. Do you think I can still save money while keeping the B650 motherboard and the AMD AM5 architecture?
If saving money is key, you might want to skip some high-end parts, especially since kids can be rough on their gear. Both Fortnite and Minecraft aren't super demanding, so you could explore used systems. Lots of folks will be selling their older gear ahead of the holidays. I recommend sticking with at least an Intel 10th gen or Ryzen 3000, and for graphics, go for no older than Nvidia 20 series or Radeon 5000 series.
Totally agree! My nephew's been using a GTX 1080 and it runs games like Fortnite just fine. Ray tracing is cool, but it isn't needed for most current titles.
That sounds like a plan! I’ll just stick with one 16GB kit for now.