The Budget-Friendly AMD RX 9070 Build Guide
To celebrate the launch of AMD’s next generation of GPUs on March 6th, we designed a gaming build that won’t break the bank.PC Build Guides
AMD is kicking off its next generation of graphics cards with both the AMD RX 9070 and RT 9070 XT launching later this week, March 6th. This new generation of cards promises AI improvements, improved streaming options (including AV1 encoding), and, of course, a healthy boost to gaming performance over the last generation.
To celebrate the launch of these budget friendly cards - AMD says they’ll start at just $549 for the RX 9070 and $599 for the 9070 XT - we put together a build designed to make the most of the RX 9070 without breaking the bank.
The Build:
Video Card: AMD RX 9070 XT
The core of our build, the brand-new AMD RX 9070 XT promises to be a killer card for anyone looking for a high-end GPU on a budget. Featuring 16GB of GDDR6 RAM with speeds of up to 20 Gbps, a gaming clock frequency of 2400MHz, and up to 1557 TOPs, the AMD RX 9070 is set to become a top performer of this GPU generation.
Motherboard: ASUS B650-E TUF Gaming WiFi AMD AM5 ATX Motherboard
We’ll be using one of the Micro Center bundles for this build, featuring the Ryzen 7 7800X3D, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and, of course, an ASUS B650-E TUF Motherboard. The ASUS B650-E is a stellar, budget-friendly motherboard that still sports all the mainstays of high-end mobos, including built-in WiFi 6e, PCIe 5.0, and easy-use-BIOS settings to help anchor your dream system.
Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D Raphael AM5 4.2GHz 8-Core Boxed Processor
AMD’s X3D processors are considered some of the best gaming CPUs of all time and the Ryzen 7 7800X3D is no exception. This 8-core, 16-thread processor features over 100MB of cache thanks to AMD’s V-Cache technology, enabling quicker processing for more frames.
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master MasterLiquid 360L Core RGB 360mm All in One Liquid CPU Cooling Kit - Black
With a processor as powerful as the 7800X3D, keeping it cool needs to be a top priority. The Cooler Master MasterLiquid 360L is a three-fan AIO that will provide more than enough cooling to keep your games running smoothly and prevent high temperatures from damaging your most important components.
RAM: G.Skill Flare X5 Series 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR5-6000 PC5-48000 CL36 Dual Channel Desktop Memory Kit
Games and programs are demanding ever more RAM, and 32GB is now the recommended minimum amount for a new build. That should give you enough overhead to keep any PC ahead of the curve for at least a few years. And, if you’re doing intense video or photo editing and need a bit more, you can easily slot in a second set and double your RAM to 64GB.
Storage: 990 EVO Plus 2TB Samsung V NAND TLC NAND PCIe Gen 4 x4 and PCIe Gen 5 x2 NVMe M.2 Internal SSD
More games are requiring SSDs, like the recently released Monster Hunter Wilds, so if you’re still using HDDs, consider this your sign to switch. While HDDs are great for secondary storage, an M.2 like this 2TB SSD from Samsung will offer more than enough blazing-fast storage for an OS and plenty of games.
PSU: MSI MAG A850GL PCIE5 850 Watt 80 Plus Gold ATX Fully Modular Power Supply
A power supply may be the most important part of your computer, as it provides the juice to run every other piece. If it's not powerful enough, you may not even be able to turn your new build on. If you have an older PSU, be sure to check your power supply before planning any big upgrades. And if you need a new power supply, the MSI MAG A850GL is a powerful, fully-modular 850W PSU that has more than enough oomph for this build.
Case: Lian Li O11D EVO RGB Tempered Glass ATX Mid-Tower Computer Case - Black
Lian Li’s 011D EVO are gorgeous, full-size computer cases with tempered glass wrapped all around the front and side, allowing you to easily show off a fantastic build, just like this one. They also feature a thin line of RGB lights at the top and bottom of the case, just enough to add a splash of color without overwhelming the internals with RGB.
Watch Our YouTube Team Design Their Own:
The Full Build:
Read more: PC laptop and desktop resources
- AMD RX 9070 and 9070 XT are Coming Soon: Here's What You Need to Know
- See top new laptops at Micro Center
- See top new desktops at Micro Center
- See top new GPUs at Micro Center
- See top new CPUs at Micro Center
Sean Mekinda is Micro Center's Community and Content Specialist, with three years of experience on The Micro Center Community and writing credits across the internet, including Polygon, 25YL, and 614 Magazine. He's been writing about and reviewing tech for over five years.
Sean has a specialty in gaming, peripherals, and creative projects designed to make your life easier, especially when it comes to tabletop gaming.
Contact Sean at SMekinda@microcenter.com
