I'm buying my first custom PC in the UK and would appreciate advice on reliable places to buy parts and a complete build list. I mainly want to play The Sims 4, Minecraft, Overwatch, Valorant, Roblox, and other typical games smoothly at high or maximum settings. Ideally, I'd like a 1440p setup with dual monitors if possible.
My original budget was around £900 for the PC, but I could spend up to roughly £1,400 if that makes a significant difference. I already have an Ajazz AK820 keyboard, but I still need recommendations for a monitor and mouse. I've heard that Ryzen 5 and Ryzen 7 processors are good choices, but I'm unsure which CPU, graphics card, motherboard, RAM, storage, power supply, and case work well together.
A friend suggested a Ryzen 5 7600X, Peerless Assassin 120 SE cooler, ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi motherboard, 32GB of DDR5-6000 memory, a 1TB NVMe SSD, an RTX 4060, a Montech XR case, and an MSI 650W power supply. Is that a sensible build for my needs, especially at 1440p?
3 Answers
The first thing to clarify is whether you mean maximum settings only in the games you listed or demanding new AAA games as well. Your listed games are relatively easy to run, so a sensible midrange graphics card should handle them comfortably at 1440p. A £900 budget is possible, but including a monitor, mouse, and two displays will make it tight. Around £1,200–£1,400 gives you much more flexibility and avoids having to cut corners on the power supply or graphics card.
Your friend’s list is broadly compatible, but the RTX 4060 is not a great match for a new 1440p-focused build because its 8GB of VRAM and performance are more suited to 1080p. I’d rather use a Ryzen 5 7600 or 7600X with a stronger 1440p graphics card, even if that means choosing a less expensive case or cooler. Also confirm the exact motherboard model and BIOS support before ordering, and avoid budget power supplies with poor reviews.
For a monitor, look for a 27-inch 1440p IPS model with at least 144Hz or 165Hz. One good main monitor is more useful than buying two low-quality displays immediately; you can add a matching second screen later. Your games should run very well at 1440p, with competitive titles reaching high frame rates.
That makes sense. I’ll focus the budget on the graphics card and start with one good 1440p monitor, then add a second one later if there’s enough money.
Use a UK price-comparison tool such as PCPartPicker to check compatibility and watch for sales. For this budget, prioritise the graphics card over moving from a Ryzen 5 to a Ryzen 7. A current six-core Ryzen 5 with 32GB of RAM, a 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD, and a good 650W power supply would be a strong foundation. Buy the motherboard, case, and PSU new; used parts can save money for the CPU, RAM, SSD, or GPU, but check condition and warranty carefully.
I mainly mean maximum settings for the games listed, with the highest practical resolution for my budget. I’d like a full PC list plus one monitor and a mouse recommendation, and I may add a second monitor later.