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PC Building Advice

Real-world tips from years of building. Got a specific question? Send it over — every message goes straight to the Krypton team.

Top tips

Match CPU to your resolution

Bottlenecks are resolution-dependent. A Ryzen 5 9600X paired with an RTX 5080 is fine at 1440p/4K — the GPU is the limiter there. At 1080p competitive (360Hz+), step up to a Ryzen 7 9800X3D for max frametimes. Balance by target FPS and resolution, not just price.

DDR5 — aim for 5200–6000 MT/s right now

Because of the current RAM crisis, prices on faster DDR5 have jumped. A good spot to be in is 5200–6000 MT/s on AM5 / LGA1700. You still get 1:1 FCLK on Ryzen at 6000, but 5200 kits are far better value while the market is squeezed. 32GB (2x16GB) is the modern sweet capacity.

PSU sizing & efficiency

Calculate total system draw + 30% headroom. RTX 5070 build ≈ 550W PSU; RTX 5080 ≈ 750W; RTX 5090 ≈ 1000W (Nvidia spec). Aim for 80+ Gold for sub-£100 efficiency gains; Bronze is fine on budget rigs. Use ATX 3.1 with native 12V-2x6 for 5070+.

You don't need a monster cooler anymore

Modern Ryzen and Intel chips are far more efficient than the previous generations, so you no longer need a high-end air tower or big AIO to keep them in check. A budget air cooler like the Thermalright Assassin X120 E handles most mid-range CPUs fine. Pair that with decent airflow (mesh front, 3 intake / 2 exhaust) and you're sorted.

FAQ

What budget should I start with?

£500–£700 = 1080p 60–144fps in modern AAA (Ryzen 5 5500 + Arc B580 / RX 7600). £900–£1,100 = 1440p high-refresh (Ryzen 5 7600 + RTX 5060 Ti). £1,400+ = 1440p 144Hz / entry 4K (Ryzen 7 7700 + RTX 5070 Ti). £2,000+ = 4K max settings (9800X3D + RTX 5080/5090).

AMD or Intel for gaming in 2026?

AMD X3D chips (7800X3D, 9800X3D) lead in 1% lows and pure gaming FPS — 9800X3D averages ~12–18% over Intel's 14700K at 1080p. Intel Core Ultra 7 265K is competitive for mixed workloads (productivity + gaming) and runs cooler. AM5 has a guaranteed socket lifespan through 2027+.

Do I need liquid cooling?

Honestly, not for most builds. AMD and Intel have made their newer CPUs much more efficient, so an entry air cooler like the Thermalright Assassin X120 E will keep a 9600X / 7600 / non-K Intel chip cool and quiet. Only step up to a 280–360mm AIO if you're running a top-tier 170W+ chip (9900X/9950X, Core i7/i9 K, Core Ultra 9) at sustained load.

How much RAM do I actually need?

16GB still works for pure 1080p gaming. 32GB is the 2026 sweet spot — modern AAA titles (Hogwarts, Cyberpunk RT, Black Myth: Wukong) now use 14–18GB. 64GB only matters for Blender, Davinci Resolve 4K timelines, large VMs or local LLM work.

Will a Ryzen 5 9600X bottleneck an RTX 5080?

At 1440p and 4K — no, the GPU is the limit and you'll see ~95% of a 9800X3D's performance. At 1080p competitive (240Hz+ esports), yes — you lose 10–20% in 1% lows. Pair high-end GPUs with X3D chips only if you game at 1080p high-refresh.

Is PCIe Gen5 SSD worth it?

Not for gaming — Gen4 (e.g. WD SN770, Samsung 990 Pro) loads games within 1–2 seconds of Gen5. Gen5 (Crucial T705, Samsung 9100 Pro) only matters for 4K video scrubbing, large dataset I/O, or DirectStorage-heavy future titles.

— Recommended Parts

Krypton's go-to components

Hand-picked parts I actually use in builds. Prices are UK guides (£) and fluctuate — click through to check live stock.

Note: links open Amazon UK / Scan UK search pages — affiliate-free. Always confirm compatibility before buying, or let Krypton source the lot for you.

Need anything else sourced or want to figure something out together? Contact us — we'll talk through your next gaming setup.

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