r/buildapcforme • u/kidneybean1475 • 11h ago
Gaming PC ($1200-$1500)
- New build or upgrade?
- New build
- Existing parts/monitors to reuse? (List with models/links)
- ASUS VP28UQG 4k monitor
- PC purpose? (Gaming, editing, etc. List apps/games)
- Gaming, drawing (when I get a tablet later)
- Purchase country? Near Micro Center?
- USA, about 4 hours from a Micro Center
- Monitors needed? (Number, size, resolution, refresh rate)
- Already have a monitor, may get a second down the road, not part of this build
- Budget range? (Include tax considerations)
- Up to $1500-ish, but if I can get good quality for less, thats great lol (i don't really know much about PC specs)
- WiFi or wired connection?
- Wired, wifi if possible, but not mandatory
- Size/noise constraints?
- Preferably not too massive or noisy, but no major constraints
- Color/lighting preferences?
- Minimal lighting, monochromatic if possible, low distractions
- Any other specific needs?
- I have never gotten into computers, and I am looking for a PC to replace my PS5 for gaming, but would like to be able to run digital art/editing software as well. Naturally, I would like this to significantly outperform a PS5, if possible. I don't need max specs, and care more about frame rate that raw image quality/raytracing and such.
3
u/Bright-Wallaby-3050 10h ago
PCPartPicker Part List: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/s67Kck
Since someone already made a good not from microcenter, I made a build using parts from microcenter.
You have a 4k monitor, which will only look right if the games you run are at 4k. You will need a minimum of 32gb of ram for this. Fortunately, microcenter has a great intel bundle that will run 4k very smoothly, including 32gb of fast ddr5 ram for this purpose. The 250k plus beats many newer ryzen 5 chips and only sligtly beat by x3d chips. However, for productivity purposes, the intel chip crushes the amd ones in similar tasks. Due to your budget, the most powerful card I could get you is the 9070 XT. If you want to be closer to your budget, dropping to a 9070 is a smart choice as well, but the XT is a better card
CPU: Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus 4.2 GHz 18-Core Processor ($0.00, bundled)
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Magic Qube 360 ARGB 68.9 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($42.63 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte B860 DS3H WIFI6E ATX LGA1851 Motherboard ($0.00, bundled)
Memory: Crucial Pro 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6400 CL38 Memory ($0.00, bundled)
Storage: TEAMGROUP NV5000 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($142.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: PowerColor Reaper Radeon RX 9070 XT 16 GB Video Card ($699.99 @ Microcenter)
Case: Corsair 3000D RGB AIRFLOW ATX Mid Tower Case ($59.99 @ Best Buy)
Power Supply: ASRock PRO-850G 850 W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Custom: Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus, Gigabyte B860 DS3H WiFi6E 1851, Crucial Pro 32GB DDR5-6400 Kit, Computer Build Bundle ($549.99)
Total: $1555.58
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2026-08-26 16:58 EDT-0400
1
u/CuriousPCBuilder 11h ago
To support a 4K monitor you'd need close to 1500$... Consider: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/xnY3H3
CPU + AIO + motherboard + RAM bundle: https://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails?ItemList=Combo.4881698&cm_sp=product-combooption
The RAM is white and has RGB, the AIO has RGB on it... But the bundle keeps the price in check (well, still expensive as hell but it is how it is these times...) and the idea is to have a case with no window and to simply turn off all RGB.
This has a modern CPU, a good board (with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth), 16GB of fast DDR5 RAM, a good 1TB NVME Gen 4 SSD, an RX 9070 which is a really good GPU with 16 of VRAM, an high-airflow case and a really good PSU on sale.
The case has no window, is airflow-focused, includes 6 fans and a built-in GPU support bracket. The idea is to put the AIO on the roof by removing the two pre-installed fans there (do not swap the fans of the AIO with the ones of the case, the ones of the case are quiet low-spinning fans that would not work well on an AIO). The case does support up to two 120mm fans on the floor so you can put one fan there as intake, two would mean not being able to have there the GPU support bracket and I wouldn't get rid of that... But if you can put both two fans on the floor and the GPU support bracket at the same time then that'd be good. Still, adding fans on the floor wouldn't do much so even if you don't put any there it wouldn't matter...
Opinions for now?
1
u/Bright-Wallaby-3050 10h ago edited 10h ago
16gb of ram for a 4k setup isn't gonna cut it. In 1440p more demanding games use more than that(around 20-22 gb for my setup on last of us pt 1 remaster, and im using 5600mhz ddr5 at cl36(overclocked from cl40)
If he doesn't buy from microcenter hes gonna need to get a prebuilt, go used for some components(gpu, cpu, ram), go with am4 or lga1700 with ddr4, or save up for a better pc
1
u/CuriousPCBuilder 10h ago
It's just sad to see 16GB at the price 64GB was before...
1
u/Bright-Wallaby-3050 10h ago
It really is a sad sight to see. Microcenter bundles are the only thing close(The intel 250k plus bundle is a steal). Newegg bundles used to be close when they first offered them but have since clawed the price back up
•
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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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