My son, who's in 9th grade, has been asking to build a gaming PC for the last two years. I held off because his 2012 iMac and Dell Latitude laptop were working just fine. However, he's now looking to build a powerful system to run ANSYS Fluent CFD simulations for his science fair project, as his laptop crashes during calculations. We live near a Micro Center, and he mentioned this build is just a reference for when we visit. Here's the link to his parts list: [https://pcpartpicker.com/list/](https://pcpartpicker.com/list/). I'm wondering if this setup is overkill given the cost, and if I should consider downgrading to a more budget-friendly option, planning to upgrade in 3-4 years instead. What do you guys think?
3 Answers
I'd be careful with the storage. The UD90 uses QLC flash, which can be less durable and tends to slow down over time. Maybe go for a TLC flash drive like the Kioxia Exceria Plus or something similar for better longevity.
Your build looks great to me! All the components seem compatible, and there shouldn't be any bottlenecks. However, I noticed that the price for the 7800x3d mentioned in the list seems off, which is a plus. Just a pro tip: Micro Center has some fantastic CPU-motherboard bundles, but they may not have the best deals on other parts, so keep an eye out for that!
Looks like a solid build with no money wasted! That set up should definitely last you 6-7 years without needing upgrades. But I'd suggest budgeting for about 4-5 years for the best longevity. If your son goes to university, he’ll likely need a laptop too. If you want to save some cash, consider swapping the processor for a Ryzen 7700X and the GPU to an RTX 5070; they'll still perform well for gaming and CFD! Also, don't forget about the monitor—spend around $250 for a decent 1440p 180Hz display. Trust me, playing Valorant on anything less than 144Hz isn't fun!
Thanks for the tips! I hadn’t thought about the monitor. I’ll definitely check those out.
Also, don’t forget to check prices across various retailers. Sometimes it’s better to shop around.