I'm planning a new PC for book design and gaming. My current desktop is very old, and my laptop isn't suitable for design work, so I'd like a system that can also replace my PS5 and remain capable throughout the next console generation.
The build I'm considering is:
- AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D — £380
- Gigabyte GeForce RTX 5080 — £1,260
- MSI MAG B850 Tomahawk WiFi — £190
- KLEVV FIT V EXPO 32GB (2×16GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 — £400
- KIOXIA EXCERIA 7300 2TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD — £230
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 — £80
- Corsair RM1000x 1000W ATX 3.1 PSU — £130
- Montech Air 903 Max — £70
The total is about £2,750. Some of the GPU, memory, and SSD prices are discounted. I currently use a 50-inch 4K 60Hz TV, so I'd initially target a locked 60 fps at high settings. I may upgrade to a 120Hz or 144Hz VRR display in the next couple of years.
I'm new to building a PC myself, although I helped assemble my previous system more than ten years ago. Does this configuration make sense, or would I be better off spending less on the graphics card and upgrading later? I'm hoping the system will remain useful for roughly six to eight years.
3 Answers
The parts look broadly compatible, but a 50-inch TV and a computer monitor aren’t quite interchangeable. For design work, a proper monitor would usually offer better text clarity, ergonomics, and response. That said, if your current living situation doesn’t allow a desk setup, the TV is perfectly workable as a temporary display and can serve as a second screen alongside your tablet.
An RTX 5080 should handle 4K at a locked 60 fps in most games, but it won’t guarantee a stable 120 or 144 fps at 4K, especially in demanding titles with heavy ray tracing or path tracing. A cheaper card such as an RTX 5070 Ti or Radeon RX 9070 XT would be plenty for a 4K 60Hz TV and could make more financial sense if the display upgrade is still several years away.
For especially demanding games, I’m comfortable lowering settings in favor of performance. I’m mainly considering the 5080 because I want the machine to remain capable for the next console generation rather than buying a cheaper card and replacing it sooner. I’m also concerned that current component prices may rise further instead of falling.
The 5080 is definitely more GPU than you need for a 4K 60Hz TV right now. A 9070 XT-class card would comfortably meet that target and leave you with more money for storage, peripherals, or a future display. The 5080 becomes easier to justify once you actually move to a high-refresh 4K screen, although even then you’ll often rely on upscaling or frame generation to reach very high frame rates.
I agree it’s overkill for my current screen, but I expect to upgrade the TV in the next couple of years. My thinking is to spend more now and avoid another major upgrade for as long as possible, ideally getting six to eight years from the system.
That’s fair. I’m renting a room and don’t currently have space for a monitor, so the TV will have to do for now. I’ll use the PC with a tablet for book design and eventually move to a proper 120Hz or 144Hz display.