I'm putting together a PC mainly for modded Minecraft, some AAA games, watching movies, and general reading. I'd also like advice on whether the component choices are balanced and where I could save money or improve performance. The revised build is based around an AM5 Ryzen processor, 32GB of DDR5 memory, a 1TB NVMe SSD, a Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB, and a 1440p high-refresh-rate monitor. Is this a sensible setup for my use, and are there any parts I should replace?
3 Answers
For roughly the same budget, I’d lean toward an AM5 build so you have a better upgrade path. A Ryzen 5 7600 would be a stronger choice if you can move some budget from the cooler and storage. A Phantom Spirit 120 SE is usually plenty for the CPU, and a less expensive 2TB NVMe drive such as the WD Blue SN5000 could free up money for the processor or graphics card. Also compare cheaper 1440p monitors before spending heavily there. A quality 750W supply such as the Corsair RM750x would be a solid option.
A revised AM5 version would be a much more balanced direction: a Ryzen 5 7500X3D, an inexpensive tower cooler, an ASRock B850M-X WiFi R2.0, 32GB of DDR5-6000, a 1TB NVMe drive, and an RX 9060 XT 16GB. The Antec NX200M keeps the case cost low, while a 650W supply should be adequate for this graphics card if it’s a decent-quality model. The 1440p 240Hz monitor is nice, but it’s a major part of the budget, so a cheaper 1440p display could allow an even stronger GPU.
This revised list looks good, thanks for putting it together.
If you want to keep the cost down, a Ryzen 5 5600X could be worth considering, although it uses the older AM4 platform. You could pair it with a cheaper cooler and potentially reduce the SSD to 1TB, then put the savings toward the graphics card. The GPU will matter most for AAA gaming, so compare benchmarks and current prices for cards such as the RX 6700 XT, RX 7800 XT, or RX 9060 XT. A cheaper airflow-focused case could also save money without hurting temperatures.
That makes sense. Do you have any suggestions for an affordable case with good airflow?

Thanks! I’m considering that approach. Are there any particular B850M boards you’d recommend?