Hi there, I'm starting to look into what PC I could get to (slowly?) migrate over from primarily console-based gaming. I would be buying from Canada fwiw.
Requirements
- 1440p would be the sweet spot most of the time. I have a 240Hz VRR 1440p screen which I would be playing on 80% of the time. I could go up to 4K at times (TV gaming).
- A compact PC would be ideal, I have little space on my desk or behind my TV.
- Primarily using Linux for gaming, but I might periodically use Windows for Game pass stuff.
- It would likely be used as a HTTPC every once in a while.
Budget
I could go up to $2,000 CAD, but wouldn't mind spending less (I'm not really aware of current components prices).
I already have all required peripherals at the ready.
Expectations
Coming from a setup with Xbox Series X, PS5 Pro and Steam Deck OLED, I'm essentially hoping to retire the first two in the process, but would keep the Deck.
Anything around or better than PS5 Pro performance and visuals would be great.
Re specific games, I'd like to play various new and old releases comfortably (BG3, Cyberpunk 2077, KCD2, etc) and would love to be able to emulate most consoles (Xbox 360, PS3?, Switch, etc).
Potential build?
| Type | Item | Price |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 9600X 3.9 GHz 6-Core Processor | $318.98 @ Amazon Canada |
| CPU Cooler | Noctua NH-L12S 55.44 CFM CPU Cooler | $87.90 @ Amazon Canada |
| Motherboard | ASRock A620I LIGHTNING WIFI Mini ITX AM5 Motherboard | $205.70 @ Vuugo |
| Memory | G.Skill Flare X5 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL36 Memory | $119.98 @ Newegg Canada |
| Storage | TEAMGROUP MP44L 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive | $149.99 @ PC-Canada |
| Video Card | Gigabyte GAMING OC Radeon RX 9070 XT 16 GB Video Card | - |
| Case | Fractal Design Ridge PCIe 4.0 Mini ITX Tower Case | $182.60 @ Vuugo |
| Power Supply | Lian Li SP 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular SFX Power Supply | $179.99 @ Newegg Canada |
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts | ||
| Total | $1245.14 | |
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2025-04-04 18:35 EDT-0400 |
No price for the GPU, but I've seen it at around $950 - that would make it all around $2,200 before taxes.
I'm certainly not opposed to buying used, even partially.
Thanks in advance for your help!
I don't know the Canadian market well, so I'll just attempt to guide you, but I'd recommend going for whichever x3d AMD CPU you can find, be it the 5700x3d or 7k series, etc. That'll boost your fps by about 20fps across the board.
Next you might want to look into 6950xt (or 6900xt) or check on your 7900 XT/Xtx the Xtx is 1-3% better then the 9070 XT outside of ray racing, but should be a little cheaper.
My build is a 5800x3d and 6950xt with a 1k watt power supply. This gets me around 100 fps ray tracing off, on c2077, and bg3 ran great, both on high/Max settings at 1440p.
Hope that helps with your build.
One more, the 5000 series would require a different mobo
Thanks for your advice!
I looked a bit more into x3d CPUs and was able to find a 7800x3d for a great price on ebay, I snagged that.
I will be on the lookout for used GPU options.
If you're getting a 7800x3d you can also go for a slightly older mobo, I'd recommend a x670, or b650 rather than an a series Mobo