Hey everyone! I'm new to building PCs and I'm excited to try a full AMD setup. I plan to use this build primarily for work tasks like Altium Designer and firmware programming, but I also enjoy gaming occasionally. I'm aiming for a long-term setup that won't need upgrades for at least five years. Here's my part list: [PCPartPicker](https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/list/wmmrnp).
A few things I've thought about:
- I'm not too familiar with CPU performance, so I'd like opinions on whether I should go for the Zen 4 for a lower price point.
- For Altium, I know high core counts aren't necessary, so I'm avoiding Ryzen 9.
- I definitely need at least 64GB of RAM since Altium uses a lot.
- I'll require 2TB of storage.
- I prefer gaming at 1440p and I'm okay with moderate FPS (60-120), but I'd like to be somewhat future-proof. Is the 7800XT a solid choice, or could I stick with the 7700XT for the next five years?
- Any thoughts on a better PSU? I was considering the RM750x as it seems well-balanced.
- I'm open to suggestions for a different micro-ATX case too.
Most importantly, this build works within my budget, but I can stretch it by about CA$200-300. Thanks for the help!
2 Answers
Prices look all over the place! In China, a Ryzen 7 9700X is around $280, and the 7700 is about $200. If you're not in a rush, you might want to consider getting a middleman service to buy in China; shipping is relatively cheap. You might be able to snag a 9070 for around $750 instead of that price tag for the GPU over there!
Looks like you've got a solid build on your hands! I can't find any real flaws in your choices. One minor tweak I'd suggest is swapping your cooler for the Thermalright Peerless Assassin; it offers better performance for about the same price.
I appreciate the suggestion! I was thinking about the Phantom Spirit as it’s a newer version of that cooler, but I'm not sure if a dual-tower setup would fit nicely in a microATX case. I’ll also check the price difference with the Arctic Freezer 36.
Thanks for the info! I’m aware that Canadian prices are quite high compared to USD, but I’m willing to wait for GPU prices to drop a bit. Hopefully, they won't take a hit due to tariffs.