I'm putting together my first proper PC build in Ireland and would appreciate some feedback before ordering anything. The tower budget is roughly €1700, and I'll mainly be playing games at 1080p with a 200Hz monitor, but I also want to use the system for local AI work, coding, game development, Blender, and similar tasks.
My current parts list is:
- Ryzen 5 7600X — €157.78
- Thermalright Frozen Notte 360mm — €57.73
- MSI B850 Gaming Plus WiFi 6E — €140.25
- 32GB Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5-6000 CL36 — currently €452.33, so I'll replace it
- Acer Predator GM7 1TB — €167.13
- ASUS Prime Radeon RX 9070 16GB — €653.66
- MSI MAG A650GLS 650W Gold — €70.12
- NZXT H5 Flow 2024 — €58.43
The parts currently total around €1757 before any additional exchange-rate, shipping, or import adjustments. I'm also considering an MSI MAG 244F 1080p 200Hz monitor for about €89 delivered.
I'm aware that €452 for 32GB of memory is absurd—the price increased after I made the list—so I'll definitely find a different 32GB DDR5-6000 kit before buying. I also know a 360mm liquid cooler is unnecessary for the 7600X, but I like the appearance and it's only a little more expensive than the air coolers I was considering.
What would you change for better value or balance? Irish and European prices are unusually high, so I'm mainly looking for alternatives that cost roughly the same.
5 Answers
The motherboard looks fine, but you may be paying for features you won’t use. Since the board already costs around €140, compare it with cheaper AM5 models that still include Wi-Fi, enough M.2 slots, and the rear I/O you need. The savings could go toward a larger SSD or a stronger CPU without affecting gaming performance much.
The liquid cooler will work, but an air cooler would be simpler and have fewer long-term failure points because there’s no pump to worry about. That said, if you like the look and the price difference is only around €20, keeping the AIO is a reasonable aesthetic choice for a first build—as long as the case supports the radiator properly.
That’s fair. I know an air cooler would be easier to maintain, but I really like the appearance of the AIO and it’s about €60 delivered, so I’m probably going to accept the extra complexity.
The 7600X and RX 9070 are a strong gaming combination, and the graphics card should handle 1080p high-refresh gaming easily. However, the GPU is powerful enough that a 1440p 165Hz or 180Hz monitor may make more sense than 1080p 200Hz unless competitive shooters and maximum frame rates are your main priority. For creative work, the extra resolution would also be useful.
The 650W power supply is the part I’d investigate most carefully. Check the graphics card’s recommended wattage and transient requirements, and consider a reputable 750W unit if the price difference is reasonable. That gives the system more headroom for demanding workloads and future upgrades.
That makes sense. I’m mostly interested in raw FPS and already have a preference for high-refresh competitive gaming, but I’ll compare 1440p options before deciding. I’ll also check whether a 750W PSU would be a safer match.
I’d reconsider the SSD rather than automatically spending extra on a PCIe 5.0 model. A reliable PCIe 4.0 drive from a well-reviewed manufacturer is already extremely fast for gaming, coding, Blender, and normal desktop use. Prioritize a good controller, sustained performance, warranty, and enough capacity. If the Lexar NM1090 Pro is only about €37 more than the original drive and has a good warranty locally, it’s a reasonable upgrade, but PCIe 5.0 speed alone won’t transform game loading times.
I looked into the alternatives and found the Lexar NM1090 Pro 1TB for €215.99 in Ireland. It’s only around €37 more than the original drive delivered, so I’ve swapped it into the build.
Definitely replace the memory kit. That price is wildly inflated, and you should be able to find a 32GB DDR5-6000 kit for a fraction of it. If the price difference is small, look for a low-latency CL30 or CL32 kit rather than CL36, but capacity and a reasonable price matter more than tiny timing differences.
I checked the cart again and the price really had jumped to €452.33 since I made the list. I’ll remove it and look for another 32GB 6000MT/s kit before ordering.
I mainly chose it because it already includes Wi-Fi and is around €140, but I’ll check whether a cheaper board offers everything I actually need.