Does this arrangement suit your friend?
Does this arrangement suit your friend?
Hello all! A close friend of mine is gearing up to dive into PC building. He had a budget-friendly, underpowered pre-built system and is eager to assemble a fresh one from the ground up. I offered my advice on improvements, hoping to help him achieve the best possible setup.
Estimated purchase time: shortly
Budget estimate: around $2200
Primary uses: daily tasks, gaming, schoolwork
Would you be buying a monitor? Yes
Location: Henderson, Nevada
Preferred parts: keyboard style should be Creamy or Thocky; focus on value but with some style touches.
Monitor specs: 1440p OLED
Any suggestions or feedback would mean a lot! Here’s the list I’ve compiled so far:
PCPartPicker Parts List
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 9600X 3.9 GHz 6-Core Processor – $197.00 (Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE 66.17 CFM – $34.90 (Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI PRO B650-S WIFI ATX AM5 – $129.99 (Amazon)
Memory: V-Color Manta XSky RGB 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 – $219.99 (Newegg)
Storage: Crucial T500 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME SSD – $159.99 (Amazon)
Video Card: ASRock Challenger Radeon RX 9070 XT 16 GB – $599.99 (Newegg)
Case: Montech AIR 903 MAX ATX Mid Tower – $89.99 (Amazon)
Power Supply: Montech CENTURY II 850 W 80+ Gold Certified – $82.90 (Amazon)
Monitor: MSI MAG 271QP QD-OLED X24 26.5" 2560 x 1440 240 Hz – $389.99 (Newegg)
Custom additions:
- Japanese Sea Wave Large Mouse Pad, Anime Black Gaming Mouse Pad Extended Kanagawa Mouse Mat Desk Pad, 3mm Thick Non-Slip Rubber Base – $10.97 (Amazon)
- YUNZII AL75 PRO Wireless Mechanical Keyboard, Full Aluminum CNC, BT/2.4G/Wired, PBT Keycaps, Gasket Mounted Hot Swap, RGB Backlight, programmable for Mac/Win (Black, Cocoa Cream) – $83.59 (Amazon)
- HyperX Cloud III S Wireless Gaming Headset – 2.4GHz, Bluetooth, up to 120h battery, 53mm angled drivers, detachable mic, Black – $119.99 (Amazon)
- ATK VXE Dragonfly R1 Wireless Mouse – Lightweight, adjustable DPI, ultra-low latency, programmable macro keys, ergonomic design, PC/Mac compatible (Black, Cocoa Cream) – $59.99 (Amazon)
Total cost: approximately $2179.28
Includes shipping, taxes, and any available discounts
Generated by
PCPartPicker
2025-11-21 14:52 EST-0500
Thank you! ✌️
The build appears to be in good shape, as expected. If possible, consider adding a compact SSD for the operating system, applications, and launchers; the larger drive present in the listing can serve as the game library storage.
Here’s a version with similar structure but rephrased:
A refined version of the build is feasible. Including a smaller capacity SSD for the OS, apps, and launchers would be beneficial. The bigger drive available in the listing could be utilized for the game library.
One option exceeds your budget slightly but offers a more compact design;
PCPartPicker Part List
CPU:
AMD Ryzen 5 9600X 3.9 GHz 6-Core Processor
($197.00 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler:
Thermalright Assassin King SE 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler
($18.29 @ Amazon)
Motherboard:
MSI MAG B850M MORTAR WIFI Micro ATX AM5 Motherboard
($219.99 @ MSI)
Memory:
Kingston FURY Beast 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory
($313.65 @ MemoryC)
Storage:
Klevv CRAS C910 500 GB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME SSD
($53.99 @ Amazon)
Storage:
Crucial T500 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME SSD
($159.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card:
ASRock Challenger Radeon RX 9070 XT 16 GB Video Card
($599.99 @ Newegg)
Case:
Lian Li LANCOOL 205M MESH MicroATX Mini Tower Case
($99.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply:
Montech CENTURY II 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply
($82.90 @ Amazon)
Monitor:
MSI MAG 271QP QD-OLED X24 26.5" 2560 x 1440 240 Hz Monitor
($389.99 @ Newegg)
Custom:
Japanese Sea Wave Large Mouse Pad, Anime Black Gaming Mouse Pad Extended Kanagawa Mouse Mat Desk Pad, 3mm Thick Long Non-Slip Rubber Base Mice Pad, 31.5 X 11.8 Inch
($10.97 @ Amazon)
Custom:
YUNZII AL75 PRO 75% Wireless Mechanical Gaming Keyboard, Full Aluminum CNC, BT/2.4G/Wired, PBT Keycaps, Gasket Mounted Hot Swap, Custom RGB Backlight, Programmable for Mac/Win (Black, Cocoa Cream)
($83.59 @ Amazon)
Custom:
HyperX Cloud III S – Wireless Gaming Headset for Multi-Platform, 2.4GHz, Bluetooth, Battery Life up to 120 Hours 2.4GHz / 200 Hours Bluetooth, 53mm Angled Drivers, Detachable Mic – Black
($119.99 @ Amazon)
Custom:
ATK VXE Dragonfly R1 Wireless Gaming Mouse, Lightweight for gaming, Adjustable DPI, 1ms Ultra Low Latency, Programmable Macro Keys, Ergonomic Design, PC/Mac Mouse
($59.99 @ Amazon)
Overall Cost: $2410.32
Costs encompass shipping, taxes, and any applicable discounts
Generated by
PCPartPicker
2025-11-21 15:03 EST-0500
My personal view is that I’ve experimented with bigger screens and consistently returned to a 27-inch size.
If you decide to go with a Peerless Assassin, ensure you obtain the V3 model as it matches the price and offers superior fans:
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/vZ...ss...pa120se-v3
A slightly better motherboard could also be beneficial:
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/9x...fi...g-x-wifi6e
A more suitable motherboard would be a better investment for long-term projects, especially if upgrades are a factor.
The ASRock board mentioned in the original post isn't ideal for motherboards because of its inadequate VRM and average cooling performance:
https://www.techspot.com/review/2861-amd...ds-part-3/