Creating a new gaming PC, budgeting between 800 to 1050 USD (excluding monitor)
Creating a new gaming PC, budgeting between 800 to 1050 USD (excluding monitor)
Hey there, looking to assemble a new gaming PC and need some recommendations on components (I’m open to a few different configurations within the price range).
Approximate purchase date: This weekend or at most by Monday, aiming to take advantage of Box Week.
Budget range: 800-1050 USD not counting shipping.
Usage priority from highest to lowest: Gaming, using software like ArcGIS Pro, watching movies, browsing the web.
Monitor: Yes, but that’s not included in the build cost. I’m planning to spend around 200 extra on top of my budget.
Parts to upgrade: Nearly everything, though I have a Deep Cool fan and would like to reuse it if possible. I also own a NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower case from 2016, and reusing that would be ideal. All other components will need to be purchased.
OS: Yes
Best parts websites: Anywhere offering the best prices
Location: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Preferred part sources: Reliable vendors with top ratings
Gaming preference: Likely AMD, but let me know if I’m wrong. For other parts, I trust expert advice.
Overclocking: Yes /Maybe
SLI or Crossfire: Unlikely
Monitor resolution: Minimum 1680x1050, with room for higher settings
Extra note: A quieter build would be appreciated.
Most importantly, why are you upgrading?
My system is outdated, built in 2016, and struggles with newer games and software like ArcGIS Pro.
Thanks!
Anyhow, something like this would be a good place to start. I don't know how seriously you use ArcGIS Pro, but if you use it even halfway seriously, it REALLY likes to see 32GB of RAM and a GPU that offers the ability to use CUDA 6.1 or higher. This obviously can be tweaked based on whether you already have storage devices, if you don't actually need a new Windows license. Etc. Being in Canada makes it a bit tougher since of course everything is a bit more expensive.
PCPartPicker Part List
CPU:
AMD Ryzen 5 5500 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor
($119.00 @ Newegg Canada)
Motherboard:
ASRock B550 Pro4 ATX AM4 Motherboard
($119.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Memory:
G.Skill Ripjaws V 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3600 CL18 Memory
($89.97 @ Newegg Canada)
Storage:
TEAMGROUP MP33 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive
($62.97 @ Amazon Canada)
Video Card:
PNY VERTO GeForce RTX 4060 8 GB Video Card
($389.99 @ Best Buy Canada)
Power Supply:
Corsair RM650 (2023) 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply
($124.99 @ Corsair)
Operating System:
Microsoft Windows 11 Home Retail - USB 64-bit
($139.00 @ Amazon Canada)
Total:
$1045.91
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by
PCPartPicker
2023-12-29 23:15 EST-0500
Hi Darkbreeze,
Thank you for your reply. I have Windows 10 Pro installed. The components that might be worth noting are:
SeaSonic 520W 80+ Bronze Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply
G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory
The components that are outdated include:
MSI Z170-A PRO (MS-7971)
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960
Intel® Core™ i5-6500 CPU @ 3.20GHz (3.19 GHz)
Other parts are even more obsolete, but I’d prefer a new power supply since this one is nearly eight years old. However, if you’re comfortable with it, I could reuse it.
I’m planning to use ArcGIS Pro quite frequently, so that seems reasonable.
Could you suggest an alternative build that aligns more closely with my high-end budget of around 1300-1400 CAD? Would it be worthwhile to invest a bit more in this case?
Best,
Andy
Intel alternative option available.
Reuse your existing case and fans:
PCPartPicker Part List
CPU: Intel Core i5-12600K 3.7 GHz 10-Core Processor
($209.99 @ Amazon Canada)
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Peerless Assassin 66.17 CFM
($45.90 @ Amazon Canada)
Motherboard: ASRock Z690 Pro RS ATX LGA1700
($159.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Memory: TEAMGROUP T-Create Expert 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16
($73.98 @ Amazon Canada)
Storage: Western Digital Black SN850X 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME
($159.97 @ Newegg Canada)
Video Card: Asus DUAL OC GeForce RTX 4060 8 GB Video Card
($389.00 @ Canada Computers)
Power Supply: FSP Group Hydro PTM X PRO,Gen5 850 W
(80+ Platinum Certified, Fully Modular ATX)
($116.99 @ PC-Canada)
Total: $1155.82
Includes shipping, taxes, and applicable discounts
Generated by PCPartPicker
2023-12-30 15:12 EST-0500
Monitor suggestion: https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product...4-...bg402enxgo
For a higher-end choice: https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product...60...71513600kf
I think your case is fine so long as YOU are fine WITH it. No reason you can't use it. There is nothing wrong with it other than it might lack some minimal additional features found on some of the newer cases but overall there is no reason to HAVE to replace it.
Yes, your PSU needs to be replaced. Your S12 or M12-II 520w is very old, lacks some modern protections and is a group regulated design which won't work all that well with modern hardware due to some of the low power state behaviors. Besides which you never want to use a power supply that is past it's warranty period when building a new system with all new, generally speaking, expensive, hardware. Spending 800+ dollars on something and leaving it's fate to chance over a 100-150 dollar power supply would be, and when people do it, is, simply stupidity.
As far as storage devices, so you are saying ALL of your storage devices are very old as well? None of them are actually trustworthy due to age? Not that I disagree, I just don't know what you have in your current system as far as storage devices are concerned nor obviously how old they are.
I've only included a drive for the primary use of the OS and installed applications. If you want an additional drive for storing game files, backup data and potentially also the applications themselves in order to keep the primary drive as clean as possible which helps keep it operating as speedily as possible, you'll probably have to expand the budget somewhat as a lot of hardware is just expensive right now. And I wouldn't plan to add storage devices later. If you're going to do it, do it now, because storage devices are expected to increase in price by as much as 50% over the next 12 months.
Also, do you have an aftermarket cooler with your current system or are you using the stock cooler?
So, yes, it would be worth it to spend a little more now. The drives included here are both TLC NAND which means they have a much longer life expectancy (TBW and warranty) than most other budget drives which use QLC NAND. They lack a DRAM cache but still have much better performance than any SATA SSD so they are plenty fast, have good expected longevity and I've included a 512GB drive for the OS and smaller applications (Or whatever applications you want to live on that drive) and a 2TB drive for game files and whatever applications, backups or personal files you want to live on that drive.
I've increased the graphics card from an RTX 4060 to an RTX 4060 ti. The difference isn't terrific but 15% better performance, better potentially with a small overclock, is a real "nice to have" when it comes to gaming or productivity performance. If you aren't willing to pay the premium between the price of this card and the regular 4060, then swap it back for the 4060. It's your system, you can do whatever you want to.
I've changed the power supply from the Corsair RM to the RMx, which is a moderately better model. I could get into why, but suffice to say it is more than worth the price difference.
I've changed you from the budget AMD CPU to an Intel i5 with 10 cores and 16 threads (Versus the 6 cores and 12 threads of the Ryzen 5 5500) which nets you around 29% better single core performance and around 42% better multithreaded performance.
Also, this includes a B760 board that supports DDR5 instead of DDR4, which affords you the ability to reuse this memory again if you make a CPU or platform upgrade in the next few years since nothing else you buy from this point forward unless it's an older platform, is going to support DDR4. DDR4 configurations are fine still if you are looking to save money, but if you are forward looking at all then it's a good idea if you don't want to have to buy new memory if you should decide to upgrade again in the next five years or so. While it's true that we will likely start seeing DDR6 sometime in 2025 it will likely take a while for that to mature just as it has DDR5 and all other DDR generations that have come before, so the reality is anybody upgrading in the next few years is most probably still going to be moving to a DDR5 platform if they aren't already on it unless they simply must have whatever is the latest thing at that time. Getting two generations at least out of any memory purchase seems acceptable to me.
I've also included a very good CPU cooler, so that the up and down and just generally annoying behavior and noise level of the stock cooler won't be a distraction or drive you up the wall. It will also keep your hardware significantly cooler.
PCPartPicker Part List
CPU:
Intel Core i5-12600K 3.7 GHz 10-Core Processor
($209.99 @ Amazon Canada)
CPU Cooler:
Thermalright Peerless Assassin 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler
($45.90 @ Amazon Canada)
Motherboard:
Gigabyte B760 AORUS ELITE AX ATX LGA1700 Motherboard
($227.50 @ Vuugo)
Memory:
G.Skill Ripjaws S5 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL36 Memory
($114.99 @ Memory Express)
Storage:
TEAMGROUP MP33 512 GB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive
($39.99 @ Amazon Canada)
Storage:
TEAMGROUP MP33 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive
($114.97 @ Amazon Canada)
Video Card:
PNY VERTO GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 8 GB Video Card
($499.99 @ Best Buy Canada)
Power Supply:
Corsair RM650x (2021) 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply
($134.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Total:
$1388.32
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by
PCPartPicker
2023-12-30 15:45 EST-0500
@Lucky_SLS, sorry man, I realize it might seem like I’m always having to distinguish your builds, and of course you’re always welcome to do the same with mine since everyone has an equal chance to share their thoughts and suggestions here. But unfortunately, I feel compelled in some way. And part of it is just my personal view—though it may not be something that’s clearly wrong with what you’ve presented.
The power supply remains an uncertain element. We do know that FSP is an OEM for power supplies, but we’re also aware they’ve released some really poor models under their own branding over the past decade. That alone wouldn’t automatically rule them out, but there’s also no professional review available that I’ve seen. FSP, similar to Seasonic and CWT, tends to use different platforms for their 750 and 850w models compared to their higher-tier units. These are usually significantly inferior platforms at best. So, I can’t fully trust this unit unless I see a credible review confirming it’s not an issue.
Additionally, there are other models in the same price range that we’re certain are reliable and built with high-quality components.
The Pro RS board doesn’t have Type C USB on the rear panel, which would be a major issue for me now. With so many devices shifting to USB C, it’s becoming a dealbreaker regardless of the USB type. More importantly, many USB hubs now focus on USB C ports because they can deliver higher throughput and simultaneous signals more efficiently than other types. Type A is still functional if the underlying USB version matches, but manufacturers are phasing out Type A devices. Having a Type C port is a nice bonus.
I’m not a big supporter of DDR4 parts at this stage, though I’m not completely opposed to it either—especially since I’ve seen solid results on a similar budget build I built earlier. Still, that was a budget project, so I can’t say for sure.
I won’t compromise on adding extra storage if we’re raising the build cost significantly. But I can still accept it, so I’m not complaining too much about that either. Still, it’s not an option.
I also dislike including an ASUS product, as they’ve consistently been the worst company I’ve worked with regarding product quality and warranty support over the past eight years. They used to be great, but they’re not anymore. I could probably gather many testimonials from users confirming this, along with my own experiences. Their customer service for warranty issues is simply unacceptable. You’ll rarely see me recommend any ASUS part in my builds. The price would have to be extremely high. I’d rather spend an extra 40 dollars for peace of mind, knowing I can get assistance or a replacement if needed. That’s something many people have experienced on this forum, and it’s happened to some of my own hardware too. They’ve really lost their way.
I appreciate the SN850X, but in this situation, I think the extra drive adds more value than any marginal theoretical speed gain most users won’t notice—especially if they don’t have multiple NVME devices to transfer files between.
I understand your point. I plan to address a few of your queries. I wasn’t able to locate an atx 3.0 transient load test review, but I did come across this one: https://www.anandtech.com/show/18752/the...psu-review. I also want to highlight that FSP as an OEM really excelled in atx 3.0 testing. You can observe FSP’s own platform leading in performance during atx 3.0 evaluations here: Best PSU Picks 2026 - Hardware Busters, Hardware Busters - Best PSU Picks 2026 - Best Picks from hwbusters.com.
A note on the 1000w and 1250w models: the information provided is not complete, as both use the same platform. Therefore, the recommendations apply to both.
My decision to pick the ptm X pro came from my perspective—it’s a solid value for the cost.
The PSU Tier List version 17.0g from Cultists Network can assist in selecting the optimal PSU among numerous options available.
For those comparing DDR4 and DDR5, I opted for DDR4 due to cost considerations, as the performance improvement from DDR5 isn’t significant.
The sn850x was mentioned with a small price gap, so I considered one of the top PCIe 4.0 drives instead.
If the original poster is a power enthusiast—such as someone using video editing or daily backup drives—I’d recommend a TLC drive. However, for regular tasks, the sn850x works well.
I won’t discuss ASUS or personal tastes. My past experience with them includes my current laptop and a previous RX 480 dual OC from an old rig, which I no longer use. No issues there.
Mobo.io is still up to your choice, provided it isn’t a basic 8-phase 50A VRM design. It’s up to you to evaluate the features and decide. My chosen motherboard has a 13-phase VRM design, though I’m unsure about the capacitor current rating. It’s a good value for its price.
The review doesn't mention any overlap in platforms between the 850w and 1000w models. It seems there might be another source that confirms this, but if so, it would likely discuss both units together. The author notes that FSP hasn't confirmed a shared platform, and suggests that if someone inspected these units closely, they would probably review both. They also emphasize that performance and quality depend on more than just the platform, citing examples like EVGA and Seasonic to illustrate that brand reputation doesn't guarantee good results. The author stresses the importance of not making assumptions and encourages considering actual reviews before forming opinions.
Concerning SSDs, I was a bit puzzled about MLC like the 980 Pro. I thought all high-end PCIe 4.0 cards were MLC. That surprised me. But in this situation, it’s even better! The SN850X is a solid option.
About FSP's platform, they develop their own system. Each model maintains consistent efficiency ratings. They don<|pad|>'s choose different platforms for the same model series, especially in recent releases and the news I've been tracking.
Brands such as Corsair and EVGA utilize separate platforms for higher power models within the same price range to manage costs.
I have my own take on FSP's premium product lineup, and I think they’re strong. Although I haven<|pad|>'s don’t have a full ATX 3.0 review for the PTM X Pro, they’ve been reliable ODMs for EVGA G-series for a long time. Their latest reviews for those models are solid, just like Seasonic. The non-ATX 3.0 reviews for the PTM X Pro have always been excellent. I’d agree to differ until we get a definitive ATX 3.0 review that settles this once and for all.