I'm looking to put together my first gaming PC and my budget is around $800. I have a friend with a solid setup that costs about $1,100, but I want to keep it more affordable. After pricing everything out, I found that going with the parts he suggested was coming to about $1,300 just because of high RAM prices. I need some advice on how to trim costs without sacrificing too much performance. I'm aiming to run demanding games, especially with mods, like Minecraft, modded GTA, and Fortnite—though I'm not too worried about competitive play since I usually game on my PS5. I might also want to do some emulation and music production, but I can manage that on my Mac for now. I'll list my friend's specs for comparison:
- Acclamator DDR5 2x16 GB RAM
- 1TB SSD (brand not specified)
- EVGA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
- Intel i9 12900K
- Z790 WiFi motherboard (I need WiFi since I can't use LAN)
- Thermaltake 850W power supply
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 double fan
I know I'll have to make some sacrifices, but I'm hoping to still get a solid gaming experience on a budget. Any advice on which components I could cut back on would be greatly appreciated!
1 Answer
You might want to consider going with an AMD CPU instead of Intel. A Ryzen 5800X can give you great performance while being around $120 cheaper. Plus, you’d have the option to buy more affordable DDR4 RAM instead of the more expensive DDR5. Check out B550 motherboards too; there are likely cheaper options compared to the Z790 you were looking at. That way, you could save some cash while still getting a solid build!
Totally agree! The 5800X is a great choice for gaming, and it'll handle everything you throw at it without breaking the bank. Plus, you'll have room to upgrade later!