At the beginning of each month, “Computer of the Month” is published on our website. Within the framework of 12 materials, as well as a series of special issues, we discussed the main events in the computer equipment market, and at the same time selected the best configurations of system units that were relevant in a certain period of time. One of the unshakable rules of the “Computer of the Month” is to purchase hardware exclusively in retail computer stores, with a guarantee. Issues are published every month – despite any troubles and difficulties. This approach allows you, as they say, to experience all the changes in the computer market first-hand.
⇡#Start assembly
In 2024, a unique situation occurred. For the first time, we could choose components among four mass platforms at once, the relevance of which will not decrease in 2025 (in 2026, perhaps, too). We are talking about systems built on the basis of AMD AM4 and AM5 solutions, as well as Intel LGA1700 and LGA1851. All this diversity has formed into a certain structure: the AM4 and LGA1700 platforms have occupied the entry-level and mid-range segments – while, based on certain components, it is quite possible to assemble fast and powerful gaming PCs even in 2025. The AM5 and LGA1851 platforms – taking into account a number of reservations and features – have become the foundation for expensive assemblies. Plus they support DDR5 RAM.
✓ A520;
✓ 16 GB DDR4-3200;
✓ GeForce RTX 3050;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ A520;
✓ 16 GB DDR4-3200;
✓ GeForce RTX 3050;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ A520;
✓ 16 GB DDR4-3200;
✓ GeForce RTX 3050;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ A520;
✓ 16 GB DDR4-3200;
✓ GeForce RTX 3050;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ A520;
✓ 16 GB DDR4-3200;
✓ GeForce RTX 3050;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ A520;
✓ 16 GB DDR4-3200;
✓ Radeon RX 6600;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ A520;
✓ 16 GB DDR4-3200;
✓ Radeon RX 6600;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ A520 or H610;
✓ 16 GB DDR4-3200;
✓ Radeon RX 6600;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ A520 or H610;
✓ 16 GB DDR4-3200;
✓ Radeon RX 6600;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ A520 or H610;
✓ 16 GB DDR4-3200;
✓ Radeon RX 6600;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ A520 or H610;
✓ 16 GB DDR4-3200;
✓ Radeon RX 6600;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
The table above illustrates my words and conclusions well. So, in 2024, the “red” ones are still actively selling Ryzen 3000 chips (introduced in 2019), and the “blue” ones are Core 12 (the younger models in the series appeared on shelves in early 2022). It was the Ryzen 5 3600 and Core i3-12100F that were used in the launch builds of 2024 – going lower and saving even more turns out to be more expensive. At the same time, the performance of a 6- and 4-core engine is still sufficient for modern games, and the build options based on the Ryzen 5 7500F and Ryzen 5 8400F are noticeably more expensive, including due to the need to buy more expensive DDR5 memory.
✓ A520;
✓ 16 GB DDR4-3200;
✓ GeForce RTX 3050;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ H510 Express;
✓ 16 GB DDR4-3200;
✓ GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ A520;
✓ 16 GB DDR4-3200;
✓ GeForce RTX 3050;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ H510 Express;
✓ 16 GB DDR4-3200;
✓ GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ A520;
✓ 16 GB DDR4-3200;
✓ Radeon RX 6600;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ A520;
✓ 16 GB DDR4-3200;
✓ GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ A520 or H610;
✓ 16 GB DDR4-3200;
✓ Radeon RX 6600;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ A520 or H510 Express;
✓ 16 GB DDR4-3200;
✓ GeForce RTX 3050;
✓ SSD, 512 GB;
✓
In general, the starting assembly has become noticeably faster over the year. We got rid of the LGA1200 platform and the well-worn 4-core Core i3-10100F. And models of the GeForce RTX 3050 and GeForce RTX 1660 SUPER level were replaced by a faster (though without RT functions enabled) Radeon RX 6600 – in games the system became 15-18% faster on average. At the same time, the cost of assemblies increased by 6-8% when comparing autumn figures.
⇡#Abroad will not help
It’s unlikely that anyone will be surprised by the fact that for a number of users the starter build is prohibitively expensive. Calls to offer the reader more affordable options are constantly heard in the comments to the “Computer of the Month”. Closer to the summer of last year, a special issue was released on our website, for which we collected gaming PCs cheaper than 15,000 and 30,000 rubles. The task was not easy, but I coped with it.
It was in the spring of last year that the threshold for duty-free import of goods was reduced to 200 euros (20,166 rubles at the April exchange rate). As a result, a number of goods sold on various marketplaces have already become noticeably more expensive. In addition, since April, OZON Global, without any prior warning, has banned the Chinese from selling central processors and other computer equipment on its site. But since about the middle of last year, this marketplace has been the place where it was most profitable to order computer equipment from China. We tried to contact Ozon’s PR service to clarify the situation, but all attempts were in vain.
The AliExpress trading platform has long ceased to be an interesting place for this kind of shopping. Largely due to the overvalued dollar exchange rate. And there are noticeably fewer interesting offers in the Chinese online store. It is more profitable to buy the same video cards from so-called resellers who import hardware from China. They “live” on Avito, as well as in special telegram channels.
How quickly everything changes. Back in 2023, purchasing hardware from OZON Global and AliExpress was the most profitable (and sometimes the only) way. We even launched a series of articles “Chinese Shop”, in which we looked at the range of central processors and RAM, video cards and motherboards.
⇡#I was right
At the end of 2023, we updated the format of the section. Since then, Computer of the Month builds have been divided into categories based on what resolution you plan to play at, while at the same time we have presented options for system units that are ready for timely and gradual replacement of their main components. The story of why this is needed and how everything works is described in detail in the article “Computer of the month, special issue: everything about upgrading gaming PCs and its necessity.”
Let me give you a clear example: in 2017, you could build a system based on the AM4 platform, which included a six-core Ryzen 5 1600, 16 GB of DDR4-3200 RAM, a GeForce GTX 1070 and a 256 GB SSD. If you didn’t skimp on the case, power supply, cooler and motherboard when configuring your configuration, then in 2024 you could easily change the processor to the Ryzen 7 5700X3D, the video card to the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER and buy another 16 GB of RAM – no other components need to be changed . As a result, with a minimum of costs, you will get a modern system that perfectly runs all modern games in Full HD and WQHD resolution.
In 2025, it will not be difficult for you to update the original assembly by installing a 3D accelerator of the GeForce RTX 5070 level (or an analogue from AMD) and the same Ryzen 7 5700X3D (17-19 thousand rubles on Avito).
A similar situation is observed with the LGA1700 platform – especially given the fact that Arrow Lake processors (LGA1851) are slower than 13th and 14th generation Core chips in games. So it turns out that the AM4 and LGA1700 platforms, with timely upgrades, will allow you to have modern and productive systems for a long time. The first – from 2017, the second – from 2021. This means that I was right when for several years I promoted the idea of buying upgrade kits in Computer of the Month.
⇡#Basic assembly
The base build is an example of AMD and Intel configurations that are great for upgrading. In a system based on the AM4 platform, as already mentioned, it is better to install an 8-core Ryzen 7 5700X3D in the near future – you will not find a more interesting gaming chip based on the Zen 3 microarchitecture (Ryzen 7 5800X3D costs much more and does not offer a noticeable increase in FPS in games). The LGA1700 assembly begs for a Core i7-13700F or at least a Core i5-13600KF.
✓ B550 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR4-3600;
✓ GeForce RTX 3060 12 GB;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B550 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR4-3600;
✓ GeForce RTX 4060;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B550 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR4-3600;
✓ GeForce RTX 4060;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B550 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR4-3600;
✓ GeForce RTX 4060;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B550 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR4-3600;
✓ GeForce RTX 4060;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B550 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR4-3600;
✓ GeForce RTX 4060;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B550 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR4-3600;
✓ GeForce RTX 4060;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B550 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR4-3600;
✓ GeForce RTX 4060;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B550 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR4-3600;
✓ GeForce RTX 4060;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B550 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR4-3600;
✓ GeForce RTX 4060;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B550 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR4-3600;
✓ GeForce RTX 4060;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
Let me draw your attention to two things. Firstly, despite the constant increase in foreign exchange rates, the basic assembly became noticeably better in the second half of the year. The truly iconic six-core processors – Ryzen 5 5600 and Core i5-12400F – took their rightful places. The AMD option generally turns out to be cheaper – due to the features of the “red” chips, we can significantly save on the motherboard. And upgrading such a system is cheaper. The Intel assembly costs more, because for a good board that can withstand a 200+ W load, you will have to pay more than 15,000 rubles. However, after upgrading, the basic configuration of the “blues” will offer the user more FPS in processor-dependent games and less time for performing resource-intensive tasks.
Secondly, the basic assembly is a territory in which variants of system units with DDR4 memory still look respectable. Returning to the article “Computer of the month, special issue: everything about upgrading gaming PCs and its necessity,” I did not see a noticeable difference when using different RAM standards in the base Intel assembly – especially with a GeForce RTX 4060 class video card. Therefore, purchasing more expensive DDR5 kits and the motherboard will not give any dividends now – they will appear only after the upgrade. In particular, a system with Core i7-13700KF and DDR5 is on average 6-7% faster than the DDR4 platform in Full HD resolution. However, there are games in which the difference is much more noticeable: in Far Cry 6 it reaches 9%, in Baldur’s Gate III – 24%, in Cyberpunk 2077 – 20%, in The Witcher 3 – 10%.
But the amount of RAM is not discussed here: starting with the base build, I recommend using at least 32 GB of system memory.
✓ B550 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR4-3600;
✓ GeForce RTX 3060 12 GB;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B450 or H610;
✓ 16 GB DDR4-3200;
✓ GeForce RTX 3060 8 GB;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B550 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR4-3600;
✓ GeForce RTX 4060;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ A520 or H610;
✓ 16 GB DDR4-3200;
✓ GeForce RTX 3060 12 GB;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B550 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR4-3600;
✓ GeForce RTX 4060;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B450 or H610;
✓ 16 GB DDR4-3600;
✓ GeForce RTX 3060 12 GB;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B550 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR4-3600;
✓ GeForce RTX 4060;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B550 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR4-3600;
✓ GeForce RTX 3060 12 GB;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
Comparing the basic builds of the last two years is not entirely correct. Options for 2024 cost noticeably more – for example, in spring and summer the difference in the price of configurations reached 35% with a comparable selection of components and similar gaming performance in Full HD resolution (in games without ray tracing and without AI scaling methods). An increase of almost a third is the price for the opportunity to maximize the life of your PC in the near future.
⇡#New video cards
Last year is reasonably considered an off-season: neither NVIDIA, nor AMD, nor Intel presented truly new gaming accelerators that would make our desktops faster. The “greens” have updated the High-end segment by releasing the GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER (good video card), GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER (good video card with 16 GB of RAM and an idiotic name) and GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER (useless video card). As you can see, Mr. Huang’s team is not very interested in the Middle- and Low-end classes. NVIDIA’s new products attracted some attention from users, but they did not create any wow effect.
The capabilities of the GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER in modern AAA games are discussed in the article “Computer of the month, special issue: building a gaming PC for the price of a PlayStation 5 Pro.” In the first block of tests in games, I used the maximum graphics quality, but without RT functions and upscaling. Such settings are tempting to be called clean, because all platforms and video cards are on an equal footing. Plus the original resolution is used. In such conditions, the assembly with the Ryzen 5 7500F, GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER and 32 GB DDR5-6400 produces an average of 60 FPS in 14 games out of 15 in Full HD resolution. Only in the benchmark game Black Myth: Wukong you will have to reduce the graphics quality or use DLSS. In WQHD resolution, the coveted 60+ frames per second were obtained in five out of fifteen games. To be fair, I note that it is comfortable to play everywhere except Alan Wake 2, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 and Black Myth: Wukong. Gaming in native 4K resolution is difficult for modern video cards, even the most powerful ones. Our testing shows that in 11 out of 15 games, the GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER does not provide an average 60+ FPS. Yes, in all cases, except for Black Myth: Wukong, there is a relatively comfortable “console” FPS – but it’s not possible to play with enthusiasm everywhere. However, “getting” the coveted 60 frames per second turns out to be not so difficult – for this you do not have to “slide down” to medium graphics quality settings. Even Alan Wake 2 and Black Myth: Wukong perform decently with the High Quality template.
You can find out what the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is capable of in the article “Computer of the month, special issue: everything about upgrading gaming PCs and its necessity” – it examines in detail the level of gaming performance of a system with a Core i7-13700KF, GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER and 32 GB of DDR5-6400 memory. In Full HD resolution, in applications that use maximum graphics quality, but without ray tracing, it is possible to get a three-digit average FPS in 11 cases out of 12. Black Myth: Wukong, in which the average frame rate was 69 frames per second, stands out from the crowd, as expected . In WQHD resolution, stable averages of 60+ FPS were again obtained everywhere, except for the action role-playing game based on Chinese mythology. In general, using a GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER class video card allows you to constantly, excuse the pun, play with the graphics quality settings. You can easily set up the most successful picture using various ray tracing and AI scaling modes. Previously, I showed that even with a GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER you can comfortably play at 4K resolution. The GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER has an even greater safety margin in this regard.
There’s not much to say about the GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER – depending on the custom model you choose, you’ll get a 1-2% increase in FPS in games compared to the regular GeForce RTX 4080. Our tests show that this model is 9.11 ahead of the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER and 14% in games without ray tracing in Full HD, WQHD and Ultra HD resolutions. Under the same conditions, but with RT functions enabled, the difference is 11, 12 and 14%, respectively. Prices for GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER in December in a partner store started at 92,000 rubles. GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER also cost from 122 thousand – almost a third more expensive.
In turn, perhaps the most useless video card released in 2024 turned out to be the Radeon RX 7600 XT. Here is a complete analogue of the Radeon RX 7600, nevertheless equipped with 16 GB of VRAM. The results of the devices are completely logical: where 8 GB of memory is enough or the engine is well optimized, there is no difference in FPS; where more video memory is required, the XT version takes the lead. However, more often than not there is a lack of VRAM, situations occur in which the GPU of both versions of the Radeon RX 7600 simply “chokes” and cannot cope with the increased load.
Perhaps, Intel performed the most interesting of all last year – however, this happened at the end of the calendar. In particular, the Arc B570 and Arc B580 models were presented, costing $220 and $250, respectively. Intel’s new graphics cards are based on the same Xe2 Battlemage architecture as the integrated graphics of Lunar Lake chips, but have a much higher number of cores. And the older and younger models received 12 and 10 GB of video memory. The first reviews of the video card showed that the Arc B580 in the reference version was 42% faster than its predecessor and 5% faster than the GeForce RTX 4060. It is obvious that over time the difference between Intel and NVIDIA adapters will only grow – of course, due to the difference VRAM volume.
⇡#Optimal build
In my opinion, the optimal assembly fully lives up to its name. It has everything you need to comfortably play in both Full HD and WQHD resolution.
✓ B550 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR4-3600;
✓ Radeon RX 6700 XT;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B550 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR4-3600;
✓ Radeon RX 7700 XT;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B550 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR4-3600;
✓ Radeon RX 7700 XT;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B550 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR4-3600;
✓ Radeon RX 7700 XT;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B550 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR4-3600;
✓ Radeon RX 7700 XT;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B550 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR4-3600;
✓ Radeon RX 7700 XT;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B550 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR4-3600;
✓ Radeon RX 7700 XT;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ A620/B650 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400 or DDR4-3600;
✓ Radeon RX 7700 XT;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ A620/B650 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400 or DDR4-3600;
✓ Radeon RX 7700 XT;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ A620/B650 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400 or DDR4-3600;
✓ Radeon RX 7700 XT;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ A620/B650 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400 or DDR4-3600;
✓ Radeon RX 7700 XT;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
As you can see, last year the bet was made on the Radeon RX 7700 XT – this video card is really well suited for WQHD monitors. The only drawback, perhaps, is the far from the highest level of performance in games with RT functions enabled. In some cases, comfortable FPS will be achievable only with the activation of FSR scaling technology. According to the editors, DLSS from NVIDIA and XeSS from Intel work better so far.
I’m sure you noticed that the AM5 platform was installed in the optimal assembly only in the second half of the year – that’s when the purchase of a processor, motherboard and DDR5 memory became justified. Let me remind you that in the fall of 2024 the AM5 platform will be two years old. It can be seen that the August assembly of AMD increased in price by only 9% compared to the July one. We know that the Ryzen 5 7500F, together with DDR5-6000 memory, outperforms the Ryzen 5 5600 (with DDR4-3600) in games by an average of 27% – almost a third! True, platforms and processors were compared with a GeForce RTX 4090-class video card. In addition, the optimal assembly is recommended for WQHD resolution – this format is less processor-dependent in games.
✓ B550 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR4-3600;
✓ Radeon RX 6700 XT;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B550 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR4-3600;
✓ Radeon RX 6700;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B550 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR4-3600;
✓ Radeon RX 7700 XT;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B550 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR4-3600;
✓ Radeon RX 6700 XT;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B550 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR4-3600;
✓ Radeon RX 7700 XT;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B550 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR4-3600;
✓ Radeon RX 6700 XT;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ A620/B650 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400 or DDR4-3600;
✓ Radeon RX 7700 XT;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B550 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR4-3600;
✓ Radeon RX 6700 XT;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
Over two years, the optimal build has become noticeably faster, as the Radeon RX 7700 XT is ahead of the Radeon RX 6700 XT in focal resolution by an average of 20%. True, the price has increased noticeably – by 27%, if we compare the autumn configuration options based on AMD chips. Intel assembly prices have risen slightly (by 6% in the same period), but there are minimal changes here. The Radeon RX 6700 XT can still be purchased from resellers – at half the price of what they ask for the Radeon RX 7700 XT.
⇡#Changing positions
I’ll be honest: both AMD and Intel, when it comes to new processors and platforms, have frankly disappointed in 2024. Let’s restore the chronology of events.
As you know, you can make history, or you can get into trouble. In the spring, a huge scandal erupted around Intel processors (mainly the Core i9 series). It turned out that certain Core i9-13900K and Core i9-14900K models are unstable. Some motherboard manufacturers allowed Raptor Lake chips to operate outside the specifications announced by Intel. In our review, the Core i9-14900K consumed over 250 W even in games. And just 253 W is the limit set by Intel. This is what some motherboards ignored. Even the power consumption of the Core i7-14700K with the limits disabled exceeds 300 W – not every maintenance-free cooling system can cope with such a load. What can we say about Core i9? The energy consumption of the same Core i7-13700K under similar conditions falls within the 240-W range.
Intel knew about the problem, but the company refused to recall its products. During the second half of the year, the chipmaker released a microcode update that solved problems with unstable processor operation associated with overvoltage. However, this update did not cure the degraded crystals, which were already unstable. At the same time, Intel extended the warranty for Core 13 and Core 14 chips by two years – we are talking about both “boxed” versions of the chips and OEM processors.
Next, AMD distinguished itself. In the fall, long-awaited reviews of the Ryzen 7 9700X and Ryzen 9 9950X, “bright” representatives of the latest Zen 5 microarchitecture, were published on our website. On paper, the improvements in the newest “red” crystals look impressive. However, in reality everything turned out to be not so rosy – many expected a completely different result from the first-born Zen 5. In resource-intensive applications, the Ryzen 7 9700X outperformed the Ryzen 7 7700X by only 6-8% – largely thanks to the results of testing in Topaz Video AI, a unique AI application that actively uses the instructions of the AVX-512 set. The consumption limits removed in PBO 2 mode increased this difference by another 9%. In games, we did not get such interesting results. Thus, in Full HD resolution, when using the GeForce RTX 4090 video card in the stand, the 8-core Zen 5 was ahead of the Ryzen 7 7700X by 5% – and by 8% in PBO 2 mode (albeit at the cost of increasing power consumption from 88 to 140 W). The Ryzen 9 9950X showed similar results: it is 8% faster than its predecessor in work applications and 4% faster in games.
But once upon a time it was Intel who was criticized for releasing processors with a 5% increase in performance… At the same time, at the start of sales in the country’s chain stores, the 6-core Ryzen 5 9600X was asked for from 33,000 rubles, for the 8-core Ryzen 7 9700X – from 46 thousand, for the 12-core Ryzen 9 9900X – from 63 thousand, and for the 16-core Ryzen 9 9950X – from 86 thousand. Perhaps these chips can be found cheaper somewhere in Moscow, but in general it’s clear that AMD’s new products cost an inappropriate amount last fall. Against their background, Ryzen 5 7500F and Ryzen 5 7600X could be bought for 16 and 21 thousand rubles, Ryzen 7 7700 and Ryzen 7 7700X – for 25 and 33 thousand, Ryzen 9 7900X and Ryzen 9 7950X – for 42 and 58 thousand, respectively.
Yes, then the Reds released the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, the best gaming processor of our time. His review was published on our website. The material is noteworthy in that it compares AMD’s new product with the Ryzen 7 9700X, Ryzen 7 7800X3D, Core i9-14900K, and even with the Core Ultra 9 285K. In Full HD resolution (using the GeForce RTX 4090 in the stand), the new gaming king turned out to be on average faster than its analogues and competitors by 21, 10, 7 and 16%, respectively. On the one hand, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D will retain the title of the best gaming processor for a long time. We see that Intel, after transferring Core Ultra 200 processors to chiplet architecture, was faced with a regression in gaming performance, which it is not yet ready to deal with. Most likely, AMD has already introduced the Ryzen 9 9900X3D and Ryzen 9 9950X3D processors, but they are unlikely to beat the Ryzen 7 9800X3D in games due to their more complex structure and relatively low clock speeds.
On the other hand, the “red” quietly cut off supplies of the Ryzen 7 7800X3D – due to the shortage, the price of the chip rose to an average of 65,000 rubles. At the same time, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D is also expensive – now chain stores sell it at a price of 95,000 rubles. And who needs it at that price?
Now let’s remember 2017 and the start of sales of the AM4 platform. Then the Ryzen 7 1800X imposed competition on Intel processors in work applications – the chip performed no worse than the Core i7-6900K with more than a twofold difference in price. At the same time, in games, the eight-core AMD, as expected, was devastatingly inferior to the 4-core Core i7-7700K. It was then that reservations appeared in the style of “AM4 builds are for those who work more than play.” With the release of the LGA1851 mass platform, the situation has changed. Now the new Intel platform can be positioned for those who create more content than consume it. And AM5 and chips with additional cache are an excellent solution primarily for games.
Whether the LGA1851 platform failed or not, I personally don’t understand yet. However, it is clear that the start of sales was not as bright as Intel would have liked. Pat Gelsinger won’t let you lie.
⇡#Advanced build
We have already touched on the topic of performance of the advanced assembly (based on the GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER). As with the basic configuration, the system units are selected in such a way that you can easily modify them over time. What kind of iron will it be? Yes, at least Ryzen 9 9950X3D and GeForce RTX 5090, if you chose the AM5 platform.
✓ B650 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4070;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
✓ B650 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B650 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B650 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B650 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B650 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B650 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B650 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
✓ B650 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
✓ B650 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
✓ B650 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
It’s clear that the advanced and maximum assemblies of the category – the stories are never about saving.
✓ B650 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4070;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
✓ B550 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR4-3600;
✓ GeForce RTX 3070;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B650 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B550 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR4-3600;
✓ GeForce RTX 3080 10 GB;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B650 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B650 or Z790;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6000;
✓ GeForce RTX 4070;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
✓ B650 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
✓ B650 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4070;
✓ SSD, 1 TB;
✓
And yet it’s funny to see how systems have changed in the price range of “150,000–175,000 rubles.” In two years, we used three mainstream platforms and eight different processors. The only pity is that in 2024, advanced systems have not become particularly faster in games – these are the features of the off-season, alas.
⇡#When you don’t need a gaming PC
Often in the comments to the “Computer of the Month” readers ask for a selection of simpler systems – for those who are not particularly interested in games or working with resource-intensive software. Well, in 2024 I finally realized that in such a situation it is easier (and often cheaper) to take a mini-PC. All the pros and cons of such ready-made assemblies are discussed in detail in our special issue.
⇡#Maximum build
I don’t know how successful the experiment was, but for more than a year in “Computer of the Month” we offered two maximum assemblies at once – simpler, if we use this term for system units costing 180-200 thousand rubles, and, as food bloggers say, more generous.
✓ B650 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX4070Ti;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
✓ B650 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
✓ B650 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
✓ B650 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
✓ B650 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
✓ B650 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
✓ B650 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
✓ B650 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
✓ B650 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
✓ B650 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
✓ B650 or B660/B760;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
✓ B650/X670 or Z690/Z790;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4080;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
✓ B650/X670 or Z690/Z790;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
✓ B650/X670 or Z690/Z790;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4080;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
✓ B650/X670 or Z690/Z790;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4080;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
✓ B650/X670 or Z690/Z790;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4080;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
✓ B650/X670 or Z690/Z790;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
✓ B650/X670 or Z690/Z790;
✓ 48 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
✓ B650/X670 or Z690/Z790;
✓ 48 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
✓ B650/X670 or Z690/Z790;
✓ 48 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
✓ B650/X670 or Z690/Z790;
✓ 48 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
✓ B650/X670 or Z690/Z790;
✓ 48 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
Both systems are designed for gaming in Ultra HD resolution. In the first case, you will often have to use AI scaling – especially if you want to turn the graphics quality settings to the limit, including ray tracing. In the second option you have a little more freedom of action. Both options are suitable for upgrade.
✓ B650/X670 or Z690/Z790;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4080;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
✓ B650 or Z690;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6000;
✓ GeForce RTX 4080;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
✓ B650/X670 or Z690/Z790;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4080;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
✓ B650 or Z690;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6000;
✓ GeForce RTX 4090;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
✓ B650/X670 or Z690/Z790;
✓ 48 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
✓ B650 or Z790;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6000;
✓ GeForce RTX 4090;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
✓ B650/X670 or Z690/Z790;
✓ 48 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
✓ B650 or Z790;
✓ 32 GB DDR5-6400;
✓ GeForce RTX 4090;
✓ SSD, 2 TB;
✓
The table attached to the top turned out to be the most offensive, or something. In the spring of 2023, for 290,000 rubles, we could assemble a system with a GeForce RTX 4090. Now, with such a budget, we will be able to plug in, at best, a GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER. However, it’s too late to grieve: with a high degree of probability you are reading this text after the announcement of the GeForce RTX 50 gaming accelerators.
⇡#New format
In December, “Computer of the Month” was released in a new format. Now three assemblies are being presented to readers, but with different options for their customization. This year promises to be very interesting:
- We are waiting for new video cards of the GeForce RTX 50 and Radeon RX 9000 series to be available for sale;
- We look forward to more from the next new products for the mass platforms of AMD and Intel;
- We monitor all important market changes;
- We are preparing new special issues.
New issues of “Computer of the Month” will be very interesting!