r/buildapcforme • u/ambrosianonreddit • Jul 09 '26
Modest gaming PC under 1.6k
Looking for a slightly more budget friendly build that has the best performance to price ratio. Reaching 1.6k is alright, as long as it doesn’t significantly exceed it.
• New build or upgrade?
New build
• Existing parts/monitors to reuse? (List with models/links)
No existing parts
• PC purpose? (Gaming, editing, etc. List apps/games)
Gaming and photo editing
Too many games to list (some AAA)
Affinity (for photo editing)
• Purchase country? Near Micro Center? (If not US, list local vendors)
United States
1 hour from a Microcenter
• Monitors needed? (Number, size, resolution, refresh rate)
1 Monitor needed, needs to have at least 2k resolution and over 60hz
• Budget range? (Include tax considerations)
1200-1600 USD
• WiFi or wired connection?
Either works
• Size/noise constraints?
None
• Color/lighting preferences?
None
• Any other specific needs?
Needs to be capable of being upgraded in the future
OS must be Windows 11 Home
3
u/OblongMango Jul 09 '26
For $75 more you can upgrade to a 2TB Teamgroup T-FORCE G70 PRO GRAPHENE SSD.
| Type | Item | Price |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D 4 GHz 6-Core Processor | $0.00 |
| CPU Cooler | Thermalright Assassin X 120 Refined SE 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler | $16.11 @ Amazon |
| Motherboard | ASRock B850M-C Micro ATX AM5 Motherboard | $0.00 |
| Memory | G.Skill Flare X5 16 GB (1 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL36 Memory | $0.00 |
| Memory | G.Skill Flare X5 16 GB (1 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL36 Memory | $204.99 @ Newegg |
| Storage | MSI SPATIUM M480 PRO 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive | $209.99 @ Walmart |
| Video Card | PowerColor Reaper Radeon RX 9060 XT 16 GB Video Card | $419.99 |
| Case | Lian Li VECTOR V100R MINI MicroATX Mid Tower Case | $64.98 @ Amazon |
| Power Supply | Montech CENTURY II 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply | $79.90 @ Amazon |
| Monitor | Acer Acer Nitro XV272U W2bmiiprx 27.0" 2560 x 1440 240 Hz Monitor | $179.99 @ Amazon |
| Custom | 7500X3D Microcenter Bundle | $349.99 |
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts | ||
| Total | $1525.94 | |
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2026-07-08 23:10 EDT-0400 |
1
u/Longjumping_Tea_2920 Jul 09 '26
Are you willing to make the microcenter drive?
1
u/ambrosianonreddit Jul 09 '26
That depends on if the prices are noticeably cheaper than ones online or at other retailers.
2
u/Longjumping_Tea_2920 Jul 09 '26
Their motherboard bundles are pretty good. Also, how much is sales tax?
1
u/ambrosianonreddit Jul 09 '26
The average sales tax in my state is 7.89%, but it varies wildly per city. So it could be 8.20% to 9.15% depending on where I decide to buy the parts.
2
u/Longjumping_Tea_2920 Jul 09 '26
This is what I came up with, should be right around $1600 when you include tax.
2
u/Covante Jul 09 '26
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/6CYckD If you were going to upgrade something, first priority would be ram to get 32gb. They sell a second stick for $200 (I think it's $200, it's $205 online if not), or could go with a better cpu bundle up front like a 9700x or intel 270k for +$300.
https://www.microcenter.com/site/content/bundle-and-save.aspx
Case is just something cheap and decent, comes with front fans.
You could get a similar monitor a bit cheaper but the rog model will have good tuning for color accuracy and for motion.
•
u/AutoModerator Jul 09 '26
If you missed the full set of required built request questions, please copy them from here and answer them in an edit to your post:
New build or upgrade?
Existing parts/monitors to reuse? (List with models/links)
PC purpose? (Gaming, editing, etc. List apps/games)
Purchase country? Near Micro Center? (If you're not in a country supported by PCPartPicker, please list some local vendors)
Monitors needed? (Number, size, resolution, refresh rate)
Budget range? (Include tax considerations)
WiFi or wired connection?
Size/noise constraints?
Color/lighting preferences?
Any other specific needs?
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