Creating a new mid-range PC?
Creating a new mid-range PC?
Hello everyone,
I’m finally thinking about putting together a new PC after nearly a decade. My gaming sessions are less frequent now, but when I do play, I need everything to run smoothly at 1080p at 60Hz—my current display (DELL U2311H) supports that, and I haven’t planned to upgrade it just yet. Apart from that, the only heavy consumer of power is my Lightroom application. In the future, I’ll upgrade to 1440p at 120Hz once my screen reaches its limits, but right now it’s not a priority.
I have two possible setups in mind. My first question is whether the additional EUR 250 is justified for the second configuration:
1)
Gigabyte A520M S2H
AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
G.Skill Aegis 16 GB 3000MHz DDR4
512GB ADATA m.2 SSD
Chieftec Smart GPS 700W
MSI GeForce RTX 4060 Ventus Black 8GB OC
Zalman N5 case
(Do I really need a CPU cooler, or will the built-in one suffice?)
2)
Gigabyte B450 AORUS Elite V2
AMD Ryzen 7 5700X or 5800X
Be quiet! Pure Rock 2 cooler
Corsair Vengeance 2x16GB 3000MHz DDR4
MSI GeForce RTX 4060 Ventus Black 8GB OC
1TB WD Blue m.2
Seasonic Focus GX 750W
AeroCool Aero One Eclipse case
In short, I’m targeting a mid-range AMD AM4 platform. I’m out of the loop regarding the latest hardware, so I’d appreciate some guidance.
What motherboard should I pick? I don’t need anything fancy—probably the one in configuration 2 seems excessive, not even Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. I require 4 to 6 USB ports and m.2 support. I prefer Gigabyte since I’ve had no issues with them so far.
GPU: I was thinking about the RTX 3060 for its 192-bit bus and 12GB VRAM, but after researching the alternatives, it seems the 4060 actually performs slightly better despite having only 8GB VRAM. Plus, it includes DLSS 3 and frame generation. Both cards are pretty similar in price, so why not upgrade to newer models?
Power supply: I’m looking for something dependable and quiet. Around 650 Watts should suffice, correct? Any brand suggestions would be great? Also, a modular build would be nice if it doesn’t make the setup too expensive compared to a standard setup.
The rigs listed here are pre-built, but any part can be swapped out for different configurations. I’m not overly concerned with brands, just want reliable options under about 1000 EUR.
Key points: keep the system cool and quiet—this is why I’m leaning toward the AeroCool case.
Any advice would be appreciated. Cheers!
They shouldn't choose those motherboards with the GPU because they only support PCIe 3.0, while the GPU needs PCIe 4.0. Also, the important detail is that the board has reduced lanes, so upgrading becomes more relevant. For AM5 systems, a B550-based board would be ideal.
For Zen 3 CPUs, using 3600 memory is necessary to get the best performance, and the slight cost increase is justified.
When it comes to GPUs, picking the 3060 over the 4060 makes sense only if your workload required extra VRAM, which isn't the main reason.
If you're thinking about long-term use, investing in an AM5 setup with a solid board is probably a smarter move than sticking with AM4. You'll get more upgrade flexibility and better overall support later on.
It's tough to give precise advice without knowing where you shop, as regional pricing varies a lot.
Thanks for your response. I’m based in HU and will be acquiring the hardware from here. Don’t stress over regional prices, just share your suggestions and I’ll handle the rest.
😀
If you or others could suggest 2–3 mobos and PSUs, I should be able to locate and purchase at least one of them.
I wasn’t really considering AM5 since the information I received about it (about two years ago) suggested it’s not cost-effective compared to AM4, which was apparently more affordable.
Now that I’ve checked the available AM5 options, the only models I see are the A and B 620/650 series. The CPUs in these are significantly pricier than those from AM4.
For DDR4 RAM, I recently discovered 3600MHz units like the Kingston FURY Beast 32GB. But based on the CPU specs, they only accept RAM up to 3200MHz...
I know, but since I'm not a regular gamer anymore, it doesn't make sense to invest in a high-end system now. Current hardware prices mean upgrading from AM4 to AM5 would add at least EUR 300. The RAM and CPU would cost twice as much as their AM4 versions. I'm not ready to spend that much.
Essentially, the main idea I wanted to convey is clear. Adding EUR 300 would certainly be worthwhile for me in terms of upgrades and hardware support later on... but everyone's situation is different.
Windows 7 isn't suitable for even AM4 devices. If you're not ready to upgrade to versions 10/11 or switch to Linux, don't attempt a new build. Consider existing systems that could handle it better. The latest Intel models stopped fully supporting 7 around the 6th generation.
If you're prepared to face the challenges of an outdated OS, here are some configurations I've assembled using PCPartPicker:
AM5:
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 7600 3.8 GHz 6-Core (80490.00Ft @ Alza)
- Cooler: ARCTIC Freezer 36 (12690.00Ft @ Alza)
- Board: ASRock B650M-HDV/M.2 Micro ATX AM5 (51690.00Ft @ Alza)
- RAM: G.Skill Flare X5 32 GB (47590.00Ft @ Alza)
- Storage: Crucial P3 Plus 500 GB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME (16390.00Ft @ Alza)
- GPU: Gainward Python II GeForce RTX 4060 8 GB (119490.00Ft @ Alza)
- Case: Montech AIR 1000 LITE ATX Mid Tower (23090.00Ft @ Alza)
- PSU: Cooler Master MWE GOLD 750 V2 FULL MODULAR 750 W (42690.00Ft @ Alza)
Total cost: 394120.00Ft
Prices cover shipping, taxes, and available discounts.
AM4:
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5800X 3.8 GHz 8-Core (64090.00Ft @ Alza)
- Cooler: ARCTIC Freezer 36 (12690.00Ft @ Alza)
- Board: Gigabyte B550M DS3H Micro ATX AM4 (35990.00Ft @ Alza)
- RAM: G.Skill Ripjaws V 32 GB (37590.00Ft @ Alza)
- Storage: Crucial P3 Plus 500 GB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME (16390.00Ft @ Alza)
- GPU: Gainward Python II GeForce RTX 4060 8 GB (119490.00Ft @ Alza)
- Case: Montech AIR 1000 LITE ATX Mid Tower (23090.00Ft @ Alza)
- PSU: Cooler Master MWE GOLD 750 V2 FULL MODULAR 750 W (42690.00Ft @ Alza)
Total cost: 352020.00Ft
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts.
I've tailored these selections to balance affordability and performance, keeping quality in mind. For the AM5 configuration, the 7600 should outperform the 5800X in most scenarios, except when thread utilization is at its peak. Even then, the difference will remain minimal.