I'm 14 and planning to build my first gaming PC in the UK. I want to keep the cost reasonable while getting strong performance now and a platform I can upgrade later, so I chose AM5. My current parts list is: Ryzen 5 7600X (£127.30), MSI B650M Gaming Plus WiFi (£137.53), 32GB Crucial Pro DDR5-6000 CL36 (£329.99), ASUS Dual RX 9060 XT 16GB (£408.32), Crucial 1TB NVMe SSD (£103.66), Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE (£27.90), MSI MAG A850GLS 850W Gold PSU (£79.99), and a Montech AIR 903 MAX case (£69.99). The total is £1,284.68 before Windows 11. Does this look balanced, and are there any parts I should replace or ways to save money without hurting future upgrade options?
5 Answers
You could save some money with a less expensive B650 board, as long as it has the features you need, such as Wi-Fi, enough M.2 slots, and decent power delivery. The Ryzen 5 7500F is another option if you do not need integrated graphics. The 7600X is still a good choice at that price, though.
The build is generally well balanced, and the 7600X with an AM5 motherboard gives you a good upgrade path. It may be worth checking several UK retailers for daily deals, especially on the case and motherboard. Refurbished parts from a reputable seller could also reduce the total cost, but make sure they include a warranty.
Before buying, compare the RAM price with other reputable DDR5-6000 kits. £329.99 for 32GB is unusually high, so it may be worth considering another reliable brand or buying 16GB now and adding another matching kit later. Ideally, look for a 2x16GB kit with an EXPO profile, since that should be straightforward to configure on AM5.
The 850W PSU is more capacity than this build strictly needs, but it gives you plenty of room for future upgrades. Just verify that the exact model is well reviewed and has the connectors required by any graphics card you may buy later. Your air cooler is already a strong value, so an expensive liquid cooler is unnecessary unless you mainly want the appearance.
The RX 9060 XT 16GB is a sensible new-card choice for this system, and I would definitely avoid dropping to the 8GB version if you want the PC to last. If you are comfortable buying used, cards such as the RX 7800 XT, RX 6950 XT, or RTX 3080 may offer more performance for similar money. Check the condition, power requirements, and seller warranty carefully.
I agree that the Peerless Assassin should be more than enough for the 7600X. Spending the difference on a better monitor or additional storage would probably make a bigger practical difference.