I'm building my first PC and trying to keep costs manageable while aiming for decent performance, especially for 1440p gaming. I found a bundle on Newegg but then came across a deal at Microcenter. The Newegg combo includes free 32GB Corsair RAM, and I've also seen a Microcenter bundle that looks promising. I plan to pair either bundle with an RTX 5070 since it's one of the few cards I can find close to MSRP. I'm looking to keep my budget around $1200, and since it's my first build, I want to ensure I choose something that provides good value and longevity. Any advice or thoughts on which bundle might be the better choice? Thanks in advance for your help!
2 Answers
Definitely consider the 9700X bundle! The performance gap between the 9700X and 7800X3D isn't massive when using a 5070—it's often under 10%. Spending $150 more for the 7800X3D may not be worth it for that small a difference.
I'd recommend going with the Microcenter bundle. It's more affordable and should perform similarly when matched with the RTX 5070. Plus, the full-sized ATX motherboard gives you a bit more room for upgrades in the future!
I didn't know motherboards came in different sizes! Will having a full-sized one really make a difference for future upgrades?
That's a good point, but what about the extras? The Newegg bundle gives a whole case and RAM as well. Does that make it a better deal overall?