Hey everyone! I'm looking to upgrade from my Asus ROG Strix G513IC gaming laptop, which is slowing down with today's games and my photo/video editing tasks. I generally work with up to 4K60 footage and play titles like the new Battlefield. I'm using an LG Ultrawide monitor at a resolution of 2560x1080 (essentially 1440p). I'm considering a used rig with the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X, a be quiet! Dark Rock 4 cooler, an ASUS TUF Gaming X570-Plus WiFi motherboard, and 16GB of Corsair DDR4 RAM for under $300. The only missing parts are storage, a PSU, and a GPU, for which I'm thinking about an RTX 3060 12GB. I'm also planning on using two 2TB Seagate Barracuda drives and a Corsair/Thermaltake/Cooler Master PSU in the 600-800W range. Do you think this build is a good choice?
2 Answers
For $300, that's actually not a great deal. The Ryzen 7 3700X is starting to show its age, especially for demanding games like the one you're interested in. You could likely put together a significantly better build for around the same price if you look at alternatives. I put together a sample build with an Intel Core i5-14400F, a decent cooler, and DDR5 memory that totals just over $358, which would perform way better. Or you could even consider an AM5 setup for not much more if you're okay with spending a bit extra.
This build isn't too bad for what you need, but keep an eye on the prices for a 4060 or 5060 GPUs, as they might offer better value depending on the market. Just a heads up: when it comes to power supplies, skip worrying too much about brand loyalty. Focus on models with good reviews instead; for example, the MSI MAG A650BN is often a solid choice and tends to be cheaper.
I’m cautious about going for a 4060 since it doesn't have a 12 or 16GB variant. I'm leaning towards the 5060Tis, but it's a bit more expensive than the 3060. Just trying to balance performance and cost!
I checked out that first build you suggested, but it's a little pricier for me—about $470. That's a stretch, so I'll have to pass on that.