Gaming Build (1st) (Ryzen)
Gaming Build (1st) (Ryzen)
Hi! I hope this isn’t in the wrong spot, but I didn’t see a build section. I’m a first-time builder with no prior experience. I own a 12-year-old Gateway and am trying to construct something suitable for moderate gaming within a budget, with room to upgrade. Since I have no experience and am working entirely on my own, the project feels a bit daunting. Even with a limited budget, I don’t want to waste around 500 dollars and end up with a piece of junk that’s hard to assemble.
That said, I’ve chosen a specific motherboard and CPU combination that really caught my attention after some research and reviews. This will be a Ryzen build using the Ryzen 5600x. Please note that this build lacks a GPU because I already have one—though it’s outdated. It’s a GTX 1050 Ti. I’m aware it might cause bottlenecks and isn’t very powerful compared to the CPU, but I have it and plan to upgrade later. I’m aware of the community’s support and value the feedback I receive.
I’ll share a link to the PCPartPicker list so you can review what I’ve selected:
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/6HhZdH
I didn’t choose a cooler because I read that the one that comes with the 5600x is sufficient. Is that incorrect?
The PSU I selected appears on the tier list and is marked as C Tier, which I also learned should be acceptable for most low to mid-range rigs.
Through the forum, it seems I’ll need a flash drive for the 5600x, which should be manageable given its compatibility with this motherboard.
I don’t have any other major concerns about this build. I did some light research and reading while assembling it. I’m comfortable with computers but haven’t built anything before—mostly I buy prebuilt units. Prebuilds are often costly and very limited in customization. Thank you again for your advice, and please let me know if I should post this somewhere else.
What specifically caught your attention in that case?
You might wonder about the power supply.
Have you reviewed the motherboard specifications carefully to confirm it meets your current and future needs?
Your parts list adds up to $506 for those six components. When would you consider it too expensive—say 507, 550, or 600? There are many alternatives, but they wouldn’t matter if you’re already spending the most.
The Wraith cooler isn’t a major concern right now. Build with it. If you’re dissatisfied with its performance (especially temperature issues), you can upgrade it later when you have more budget available.
The cost plus reviews seem to cover a wide range of initial build requirements I’ve seen from others. The price felt reasonable for me, and I appreciated the overall appearance. This project falls within a 500-530 dollar budget, so I’m not aiming for something extravagant. Previously, I planned a slightly larger build with a 1-2K dollar allocation, but life circumstances have made that difficult (though I hope to revisit it someday). My goal is now for a dependable system with decent performance that meets my gaming expectations—moderate enough without being overkill.
Regarding the motherboard, I’ve had some experience with it. Overall, I’m quite impressed and it has a solid reputation as a reliable board. While reviews can be inconsistent across different platforms and forums, there are definitely cases where hardware receives high praise until it fails in practice.
I really enjoy the motherboard, CPU, and case design. If necessary, other components can be swapped out, which makes this choice feel more thoughtful. I’m not strictly limited to 500 dollars but am open to going up to 530-540 if absolutely necessary. However, there’s a strong need for it.
As for the cooler, that’s what others have mentioned as well.
Also, start here: *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.
I would think about these options if you intend to maintain this gaming PC for several years ahead. A 32 GB RAM setup will significantly extend its lifespan, and the Corsair RM 750e includes a 12-pin graphics card power connector, allowing for future upgrades with higher-performance cards and increased power delivery.
PCPartPicker Part List
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X 3.7 GHz 6-Core Processor – $144.00 (Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte B550 AORUS ELITE AX V2 ATX AM4 – $129.99 (Amazon)
Memory: TEAMGROUP T-Force Vulcan Z 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 – $55.99 (Amazon)
Storage: Solidigm P41 Plus 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME SSD – $61.99 (Newegg)
Case: GAMDIAS AURA GC1 ATX Mid Tower – $55.43 (Amazon)
Power Supply: Corsair RM750e (2023) 750 W, 80+ Gold Certified, Fully Modular ATX – $89.99 (Best Buy)
Total: $537.39
Shipping, taxes, and available discounts are included
Generated by PCPartPicker
2024-03-22 11:49 EDT-0400
The only suggestion I have is to upgrade the RAM to a solid 32GB unit, which should suffice. A reliable 750W or higher power adapter is also a viable choice, though it hinges on whether you plan to invest in something beyond a 7800xt or RX 4070 later. A built-in high-power connector is convenient, but I wouldn’t rush into it for another couple of years.
I wouldn't create a brand new machine with just six cores right now. A 5700x offers little advantage over a 5600x. It's clear you need a higher quality PSU. SSDs tend to be slower, without DRAM support, and use QLC storage. Currently, 32GB of RAM is a solid standard.
PCPartPicker Part List
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5700X 3.4 GHz 8-Core Processor – $167.00 (Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte B550 AORUS ELITE AX V2 ATX AM4 – $129.99 (Amazon)
Memory: TEAMGROUP T-Force Vulcan Z 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 – $55.99 (Amazon)
Storage: TEAMGROUP MP44 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME SSD – $74.98 (Amazon)
Case: GAMDIAS AURA GC1 ATX Mid Tower – $55.43 (Amazon)
Power Supply: Corsair CX650M (2021) 650 W, Bronze Certified – $64.99 (Best Buy)
Total: $548.38 (shipping, taxes, discounts applied)
Generated by PCPartPicker
2024-03-22 12:25 EDT-0400
Alternatively, you might want to think about a system with the latest generation instead.
PCPartPicker Part List
CPU: Intel Core i5-12600K 3.7 GHz 10-Core Processor – $169.99 (Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Z690 Extreme ATX LGA1700 – $130.98 (Newegg)
Memory: TEAMGROUP T-Force Vulcan Z 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 – $55.99 (Amazon)
Storage: TEAMGROUP MP44 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME SSD – $74.98 (Amazon)
Case: GAMDIAS AURA GC1 ATX Mid Tower – $55.43 (Amazon)
Power Supply: Corsair CX650M (2021) 650 W, Bronze Certified – $64.99 (Best Buy)
Total: $552.36 (shipping, taxes, discounts included)
Generated by PCPartPicker
2024-03-22 12:27 EDT-0400
When looking at Intel builds, I believe this option offers better value for money compared to the stock cooler. A superior cooler exists under $33 that fits well within the budget, even though it means sacrificing an iGPU. The same applies to the SSD and motherboard choices. The Asrock Riptide motherboard provides a more affordable alternative with most of the same features as the Extreme model.
PCPartPicker Part List
CPU:
*
Intel Core i5-12400F 2.5 GHz 6-Core Processor
($135.56 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler:
*
Thermalright Assassin X Refined SE ARGB V2 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler
($19.89 @ Amazon)
Motherboard:
*
ASRock Z690 Pro RS ATX LGA1700 Motherboard
($122.98 @ Newegg)
Memory:
*
TEAMGROUP T-Force Vulcan Z 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory
($55.99 @ Amazon)
Storage:
*
ADATA Legend 800 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME SSD
($63.99 @ Amazon)
Case:
GAMDIAS AURA GC1 ATX Mid Tower Case
($55.43 @ Amazon)
Power Supply:
Corsair CX650M (2021) 650 W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-modular ATX Power Supply
($64.99 @ Best Buy)
Total: $518.83
Costs encompass shipping, taxes, and applicable discounts
*Selected lowest-priced items based on criteria*
Created by PCPartPicker
2024-03-22 14:42 EDT-0400
Thank you all for your comments! I’d like to clarify a few points to provide a clearer understanding.
Regarding CPUs, I’m planning to assemble an AMD system. This is partly because it offers good value, though opinions may vary, and partly because it’s a different kind of project compared to what I’ve worked on before.
For future considerations, I don’t plan to stay in this area for more than the next 3-4 years, or possibly even less. It’s possible I’ll shift my focus later, so I’m not overly concerned about long-term commitments right now.
Originally, I had a $1500 budget several years ago when I started planning this build, but life has made that difficult. Right now, I’m using a stock Gateway with an old i3 processor, no working graphics card, and 8 GB of RAM (the DX4870 is my current setup). My goal is simply to enjoy gaming within my budget.
As for the power supply, I think it can be upgraded later with relative ease, especially if I upgrade the card as well. Is that why you feel I should reconsider my choices? My intention was to get a reliable PSU that won’t damage my hardware and can be upgraded later, along with a better graphics card.
I’m also curious about the maximum configuration for a 5600X with Nvidia or AMD. I’d like to pick a card, but cards are currently quite expensive, so I’m thinking about it in the future. The main concern is whether downgrading the CPU would be problematic given my older graphics card.
Logan, could you clarify what you meant by the SSD drive? I didn’t really follow that part.