Advice on placing orders for components within a week
Advice on placing orders for components within a week
Approximate Purchase Date:
Coming Soon
Budget Range:
1200-1300 USD (excluding shipping and rebates)
System Usage from Most to Least Important:
Gaming, Watching movies, Handling large amounts of pdfs/ebooks and taking notes
Are you purchasing a monitor:
Yes
Parts to Upgrade:
New
Do you need an operating system:
Yes, I plan to dual boot Windows and Linux, focusing mainly on Linux.
Preferred Website(s) for Parts:
Cheapest options with fast delivery. Newegg, Amazon, etc.
Location:
Evanston (Chicagoland area)
Parts Preferences:
Prioritizing value for money and timely delivery. Currently using an AMD build.
Overclocking:
Uncertain, not a must
Multiple GPUs:
No
Monitor Resolution:
Planning to buy a new monitor. Desired resolution is 1440p at 144hz.
Additional Comments:
Prefer a compact PC build. At least 2TB storage would be ideal. A case opening would be nice but not crucial if it reduces costs significantly. I aim for flexibility in upgrades over the next ten years.
Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading:
Switching from a gaming laptop I've used for four years to a dedicated PC build now.
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/KXc4b2
Any final tips on improving the price-performance balance or alternative parts? If you think a better graphics card or processor is possible within a 1200$ budget, please share.
Welcome to the forums, newcomer! Users are advised to stylize their threads with info asked of in this thread; *How to Ask for New Build or Upgrade Advice* How to Ask for New Build or Upgrade Advice First off, respect where respect is due - this is an adaptation of the Animal's *How To Ask For New Build Advice* Sticky. I created this because there's a lot of posts nowadays asking for upgrade advice both on here and on the CPU forums, and I feel... forums. which in turn helps lend context to your predicament and the community will chime in with worthwhile suggestions. If you're not located in USA, you might want to include links to sites local to you so we understand what you have access to.
The new PSU is essential. The SAMA GT-series offers low-quality power, rated at Tier C. For a gaming rig, a Tier A unit is ideal. Examples include Seasonic Focus/Vertex/PRIME, Corsair RMx/RMi/HXi/AXi, and Super Flower Leadex Gold/Platinum/Titanium.
PSU tier recommendations:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...JW...1973454078
Tier A is suitable, while Tier A+ is preferred.
(All my three PCs run on Tier A PSUs. Specifically, I use Seasonic PRIME 650 Titanium (Tier A+), Seasonic PRIME Ultra 650 Titanium (Tier A+), and Seasonic Focus PX-550 (Tier A). Detailed specs and images are in my profile.)
MoBo is on the lower end. It has a 6+1+1 VRM rating at 60A with Dr.MOS. However, the heatsinks don’t fully cover all VRM parts, and only partially do.
Specifications:
https://www.asrock.com/MB/AMD/B850M-X WiFi R2.0/index.asp
For Ryzen 3 / Core i3 – main phase VRM is adequate. Possibly even 6 or 4 main phase VRM would suffice.
For Ryzen 5 / Core i5 – main phase VRM is recommended for stable CPU power.
For Ryzen 7 / Core i7 – 16 main phase VRM would be ideal, though more is better.
For Ryzen 9 / Core i9 – minimum 20 main phase VRM, ideally 24 or 26 for optimal cooling.
If you need reliable CPU power without overheating VRMs, consider a higher-end MoBo.
Here are some MoBo suggestions:
B650 chipset (Ryzen 9000-series works with the latest BIOS),
link: https://www.techspot.com/review/2699-amd...herboards/
B850 chipset:
https://www.techspot.com/review/3027-amd...herboards/
X870/E chipset:
https://www.techspot.com/review/2907-amd...herboards/
Seek a MoBo with "vcore VRM" of at least 12, preferably more.
Kingspec XF-series SSD is DRAM-free and not recommended.
Why? Watch this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybIXsrLCgdM
If you’re budget-conscious – expect trouble.
KingSpec isn't a worthwhile investment, especially considering its low quality even in China. I'm being direct—your money is going to waste on the entire setup you've chosen, focusing mainly on the Phanteks case, Ryzen 5 9600x and 9060XT, which makes the rest seem unnecessary. You should either increase your budget or be ready to rebuild your system, which would cost around $2,600. Your current funds aren't sufficient for that either.
PCPartPicker List of Components CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 9600X 3.9 GHz 6-Core Processor ($197.00 @ Amazon) CPU Cooler: * ID-COOLING FROZN A620 PRO SE 58 CFM CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Amazon) Motherboard: * Gigabyte B850M EAGLE WIFI6E Micro ATX AM5 Motherboard ($149.99 @ Best Buy) Memory: * Silicon Power Value Gaming 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory ($84.97 @ Newegg Sellers) Storage: KingSpec XF 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME SSD ($90.99 @ Newegg Sellers) Video Card: * Sapphire PULSE Radeon RX 9060 XT 16 GB Video Card ($379.99 @ Amazon) Case: Phanteks XT M3 MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($69.98 @ Newegg) Power Supply: * Montech CENTURY II 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($89.90 @ Newegg) Monitor: * Acer VG271U M3bmiipx 27.0" 2560 x 1440 180 Hz Monitor ($159.00 @ Walmart) Overall Total: $1251.81 Costs encompass shipping, taxes, and applicable discounts *Selected parts based on predefined parameters* Created by PCPartPicker 2025-09-01 17:46 EDT-0400
PCPartPicker List of Components
CPU:
AMD Ryzen 5 9600X 3.9 GHz 6-Core Processor
($197.00 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler:
Thermalright Burst Assassin 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler
($18.89 @ Amazon)
Motherboard:
Gigabyte B850M EAGLE WIFI6E Micro ATX AM5 Motherboard
($149.99 @ Best Buy)
Memory:
Crucial Pro 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6400 CL38 Memory
($89.00 @ Amazon)
Storage:
Crucial P3 Plus 500 GB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME SSD
($54.44 @ Amazon)
Storage:
Crucial P3 Plus 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME SSD
($119.95 @ Amazon)
Video Card:
XFX Swift OC Radeon RX 9060 XT 16 GB Video Card
($379.99 @ Amazon)
Case:
Montech X5M MicroATX Mini Tower Case
($54.90 @ Newegg)
Power Supply:
Montech CENTURY II 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply
($89.90 @ Newegg)
Operating System:
Microsoft Windows 11 Home Retail - Download 64-bit
($129.99 @ B&H)
Monitor:
Sceptre E275B-QPT168 27.0" 2560 x 1440 165 Hz Monitor
($149.97 @ Amazon)
Total:
$1434.02
Costs encompass shipping, taxes, and any applicable discounts
Created by
PCPartPicker
2025-09-01 13:24 EDT-0400
Your request for a 1440p 144Hz setup may encounter issues since the XFX Swift OC RX 9060 XT typically runs at medium settings in most games. For enhanced graphics, consider a 9070XT or comparable card.
PCPartPicker List of Components
CPU:
AMD Ryzen 5 9600X 3.9 GHz 6-Core Processor
($197.00 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler:
ID-COOLING FROZN A620 PRO SE 58 CFM CPU Cooler
($29.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard:
ASRock B650 PRO RS ATX AM5 Motherboard
($109.99 @ Amazon)
Memory:
TEAMGROUP T-Force Vulcan 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory
($94.99 @ Amazon)
Storage:
SK Hynix Platinum P41 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME SSD
($124.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card:
XFX Swift OC Radeon RX 9060 XT 16 GB Video Card
($379.99 @ Amazon)
Case:
Aerocool Prism V2 RGB ATX Mid Tower Case
($59.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply:
Montech CENTURY II 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply
($89.90 @ Newegg)
Monitor:
Acer VG271U M3bmiipx 27.0" 2560 x 1440 180 Hz Monitor
($159.00 @ Walmart)
Overall Cost:
$1245.84
Includes shipping, taxes, and applicable discounts
Created by
PCPartPicker
2025-09-01 13:28 EDT-0400
Discover suitable bundles and offers at your nearby Micro Center:
https://www.microcenter.com/?storeid=151
Hi, thank you for your feedback. I’m open to playing in 1080p, but I’d prefer the 1440p option for better video quality overall, not just for games.
Thanks for your thorough review of my list. I realize I might have overlooked some aspects, but I can’t afford a more expensive build. Should I consider downgrading my graphics card and CPU?
I’m also hoping to find a more affordable Windows key. Is there any way to stay within this budget? Builds in the 1000-1300 dollar range are pretty typical, and many people don’t have the funds for something very costly.