Hi everyone! I've almost finalized my PC build and I'm feeling good about the costs involved. I've decided to go with a DDR4/AM4 setup since DDR5 is just too pricey for my budget, and I believe it will serve my needs well. Here's what I'll be using the PC for:
- "Light" gaming: I mostly use my Xbox for gaming, but I want to enhance my physical media collection. I play some lighter games like Power Wash Simulator, Balatro (modded), retro titles, and Disco Elysium.
- Streaming: I need a capable machine to handle gaming and streaming at the same time. I plan to use an HDMI USB capture device for my Switch and Xbox consoles.
- Hobbyist photo editing: I'll mainly be doing photo editing as a hobby, not for professional work.
I'm contemplating whether to install Windows on my build. After checking ProtonDB, I'm confident that some of the games I have in my Steam library will run decently on Linux, and I know KDENLIVE works well for video editing. Would it be smart to run Linux for now while keeping a partition ready for a future Windows install, or should I just stick with Linux since I no longer use Game Pass?
I'm also curious if this build is overkill for my needs. I've come across some bundle deals that help bring costs down, but I want to be prudent and avoid overspending. I understand that "futureproofing" isn't a reliable plan, but I feel this PC could last me a while with room for upgrades later on. Here's my part list from PCPartPicker:
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5700X 3.4 GHz 8-Core Processor
- CPU Cooler: Thermalright Assassin X 120 Refined SE
- Motherboard: Gigabyte B550M K Micro ATX AM4
- Memory: Kingston FURY Beast 16 GB DDR4
- Storage: TEAMGROUP MP44L 500 GB M.2 NVMe SSD
- Video Card: MAXSUN Milestone Arc B580 12 GB
- Case: Thermaltake View 170 ARGB MicroATX Mini Tower
- Power Supply: Thermaltake Smart BX1 550 W
- Total: $1357.00
Thanks in advance for any tips or suggestions!
2 Answers
A 500GB SSD can fill up quickly, especially with games and video editing. You might want to consider adding more storage later on. Thankfully, you mentioned an external drive, so that’ll help with your space issues for now!
I feel you on the RAM prices! It’s a bummer that DDR4 is the way to go now, but at least you’ll be saving a ton. Plus, you’ll still be able to game just fine with that setup!

Yeah, I definitely plan to use my 4TB external hard drive until I decide to upgrade.