MHATRE

An aesthetic 1440p monster around $1500 (tower only) where the money goes to FPS first, and the rest supports it without gamer tax. One heads-up: RAM + SSD prices have been spiking lately, so I’ll show current prices + the smarter “stay-on-budget” options

GPU RTX 4070 SUPER (12GB) ~$650–$813

New pricing is bouncing: I’m seeing ~$649.99 for some models on trackers, but also ~$813 on Amazon at times.\

Why it’s good (your “main character” part):

Perfect for 1440p high/ultra

DLSS 3 + Frame Gen makes heavy games feel smooth without dropping settings

Great for streaming/recording too

Pros

• Strong ray tracing + DLSS ecosystem
• Efficient → easier to cool, quieter, cleaner case airflow

Cons

•  12GB VRAM isn’t “future-proof forever” if you love max textures in every AAA title  Price swings are real

Same-budget options

AMD RX 7900 GRE (16GB): more VRAM + often better raw FPS/$ (usually weaker RT)

 AMD RX 7800 XT (16GB): cheaper 1440p powerhouse (slightly less performance)

 Want “wow, ray tracing actually works” → 4070 SUPER

 Want “value + VRAM insurance” → 7900 GRE / 7800 XT

CPU Ryzen 5 7600 ~$185–$206

Recent pricing has shown around $184.99–$205.99 depending on retailer swings.

Pros

• Great gaming chip for the money
• AM5 platform = easy future upgrade later

Cons

•  If you’re chasing max esports FPS, an X3D chip can be faster (but costs more)

Same-budget options

 Ryzen 5 7600X (if same price): tiny boost, usually runs hotter

 Ryzen 7 7700 (if deal): 8 cores = smoother multitasking/streaming

Motherboard MSI PRO B650-S WiFi — $163.99

Pros

•  B650 is the sweet spot chipset: modern features without overpaying
•  Built-in Wi-Fi/BT = cleaner setup

Cons

• Not the most luxury I/O/ports compared to pricier boards
•  Like any board, BIOS updates can be a thing when new CPUs drop

Same-budget options

MSI B650-P PRO WiFi around $174.99

 Gigabyte / ASRock B650 Wi-Fi boards in the ~$160–$220 band (pick based on ports + aesthetics)

CPU Cooler — Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE ARGB — $49.99

Pros

• Unreal cooling per dollar
•  ARGB gives you aesthetic glow without paying AIO money

Cons

•  It’s chunky (can cover some RAM visually)
•  Not as “glass-case flex” as liquid cooling

Same-budget options

Any similar dual-tower Thermalright (often same performance, different looks)

 240mm AIO if you want that clean “aquarium build” vibe (usually costs more)

RAM — 32GB DDR5-6000 (EXPO) — realistic price right now: ~$400–$500+

Yeah… DDR5 has been wild recently, with retailers showing high prices on common EXPO kits. Example listings show DDR5-6000 EXPO 32GB kits around $399.99–$494.99 depending on model

Pros

• 32GB = no “Chrome + Discord + game” stutters
•  6000 EXPO is a proven Ryzen sweet spot

Cons

•  Pricing right now can destroy the whole $1500 plan

Same-budget / smarter option (how you stay at $1500)

Buy RAM as a bundle: Newegg has been doing motherboard + DDR5 bundle deals that bring 32GB kits way down (even reported as low as ~$150 in bundle contexts).

SSD — 2TB NVMe Gen4 (WD SN850X as premium pick) — often showing $445–$499.99

Pros

• Fast loads, fast installs, great reputation
•  2TB = you stop playing delete simulator

Cons

• SSD pricing has been spiking too (AI-driven memory/storage demand is part of it)

Same-budget options

Any solid 2TB Gen4 TLC drive that’s cheaper at the moment (you won’t feel a difference in gaming vs premium)

 Or do 1TB now + add 1TB later

Case — pick your aesthetic

Option A: NZXT H6 Flow (clean aquarium look) — $109.99

• looks expensive, super “showcase” friendly

Cons

• you’ll want consistent fans for the cleanest look

PSU — Corsair RM750e (ATX 3.1, modular) — $114.99

Corsair also highlights ATX 3.1 / PCIe 5.1 compliance + modern GPU cable support on the product line

Pros

• Fully modular = clean cable aesthetic
•  ATX 3.1 style support = modern GPU cabling friendliness

Cons

•  Not the place to “save $30” with a sketchy unit

Reality check: keeping it at ~$1500

With today’s inflated RAM + SSD prices, a “premium SSD + 32GB DDR5” build can blow past $1500.

The 3 clean ways to stay on budget

Get RAM via a bundle deal (best option)

Switch SSD from “premium” to “good value Gen4” (gaming feel stays basically the same)

Start with 1TB SSD, add another later