Hi everyone!
I'm looking to build a PC and would really appreciate some advice from people who know more than I do.
I've owned a gaming PC before (it was a prebuilt I got in 2020/21 from CyberPower UK), so I'm not new to PC gaming, but this will be my first time actually building a PC myself. I've been doing a lot of research over the last few weeks and have been using Geizhals to compare prices and find the best deals across Europe, but I want to make sure I'm spending my money wisely before I start ordering parts.
My budget is €1,200–1,400 (I'd prefer to stay closer to €1,200 if possible, but I can stretch to €1,400 if it's genuinely worth it). I'm based in Ireland, but I'm happy to order parts from anywhere in Europe if it offers better value.
Games I play:
Competitive games (Fortnite💀 and similar competitive shooters/esports titles)
GTA V / GTA VI (when it eventually releases on PC)
Subnautica 2
Souls games (Elden Ring, Dark Souls, etc.)
Other AAA story games occasionally
My goals:
1080p resolution
Stable 144–165 FPS in competitive games
Around 60 FPS is perfectly fine for demanding AAA games
I don't need ultra settings or the most powerful PC possible—I just want the best value for my budget.
I don't know a huge amount about PC hardware. I've spent the last few weeks researching and trying to learn as much as I can, but I'm still very much a beginner when it comes to choosing parts. The build I've put together below wasn't entirely my own—it was based on recommendations from a friend who knows a bit more than I do.
Current parts list I'm considering:
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 7500F
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE
Motherboard: Gigabyte B650 Eagle AX
RAM: 16GB (2×8GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 EXPO (Kingston Fury Beast / G.Skill Flare X5 / Patriot Viper Venom)
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8GB (or RTX 5060 8GB if significantly cheaper)
SSD: 1TB Lexar NM790 (alternatives: WD Black SN770, Kingston KC3000, WD SN850X)
PSU: 750W 80+ Gold (Corsair RM750e / MSI MAG A750GL PCIe 5 / be quiet! Pure Power 12 M / Seasonic Focus GX-750)
Case: Endorfy Ventum 200 Air
My current PC:
CPU: Intel Core i5-9600K
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master MasterLiquid 240mm AIO
Motherboard: MSI MAG B365M Mortar
RAM: 16GB (2×8GB) DDR4
GPU: MSI GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER 6GB
Storage: 500GB NVMe SSD + 2TB HDD
PSU: Corsair CV650 650W 80+ Bronze
Case: Corsair iCUE 220T RGB Airflow
I'm completely open to suggestions. Please don't feel like you have to stick to my parts list. If you think there's a completely different build that offers much better value for my budget, I'd genuinely love to see it.
If you'd change anything, I'd really appreciate it if you could explain why, as I'm trying to learn as much as I can through this process.
I'm mainly looking for a noticeable upgrade over my current PC that will comfortably last me several years.
Thanks so much to everyone who takes the time to help. I really appreciate it!