Need Help Deciding on My First PC Build
Asked by
TechWizard87
I'm trying to put together my very first desktop PC, and I'm feeling a bit lost. My budget is between $3,000 to $3,500, but it seems like I might have overspent a little. I'll primarily use it for gaming, focusing on titles like Cyberpunk, Hogwarts Legacy, Fallout, Days Gone, and The Witcher. Right now, I'm working with a laptop that plays these games on very low graphics settings. Here's what I have currently: an 11th Gen Intel Core i7-11370H processor at 3.30GHz, 16GB of RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Laptop GPU. I'm also weighing whether to go for a Ryzen or stick to Intel, so I've got builds for both options: [Ryzen Build](https://nz.pcpartpicker.com/list/3bxV6B) and [Intel Build](https://nz.pcpartpicker.com/list/4RRq4g).
Answers
I took a look and made some tweaks to get the cost down to $3,100, while still maintaining or even improving performance. Check out my revised build here: [Revised Build](https://nz.pcpartpicker.com/list/jgNBbp).
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Have you checked out pre-builts? They can sometimes be cheaper, especially with RAM prices being so high right now. At least in the UK, they were a better deal because suppliers had stocked up before the price hikes.
CuriousJorge: I did some digging after your suggestion and found that some pre-builts seem like the only reasonable option right now.
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You might want to consider this build: [Better CPU Build](https://nz.pcpartpicker.com/list/hjKNQy). It includes a better CPU, a solid cooler at a lower price, quicker RAM, and a much faster GPU—AMD is really the way to go right now with Nvidia's pricing being so high. Just a heads up, you can install Windows on a cheap USB stick without too much trouble.
GratefulGamer: Thanks for the tip! That setup looks really solid!
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If you look at Newegg, there's a Ryzen 7 7700 pre-built going for around $2,000, which is a steal compared to your budget.
ValueSeeker: That's crazy! I see one for $1,000 under budget here: [Check it out!](https://www.newegg.com/andromeda-insights-elite-gaming-desktop-pcs-amd-radeon-rx-9070-xt-amd-ryzen-7-9800x3d-32gb-ddr5-2tb-nvme-ssd-v3-50-black/p/3D5-006J-000B9).
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NewbieBuilder23: Wow, thanks! I'm still new to this whole process and piecing everything together with bits of info from various places, so this really helps!