$850 Pure Performance Build Cheat Sheet
This guide was written on 2/3/2025. Over time, this may become out of date and we make no guarantees to keep it updated. This is meant to be used as a tool to go along with the YouTube video, not to be a relevant reference material for years to come.
Parts List
Type | Part Model | Price Paid | Condition | Source | Link | |
Part Notes and Alternatives
Please reference the YouTube video for my main thoughts about the part selections. These are additional notes to go along with that.
CPU:
To save the most amount of money (and get the highest FPS Per Dollar value) then I’d recommend purchasing from Ali Express. Make sure to only buy from a trusted seller with a lot of 5 star reviews, and a seller that has sold at least 50 (ideally 100+) of the CPU you’re looking for. Ali Express usually takes 2-3 weeks for shipping to the United States, but it’s free. CPUs from Ali Express will usually not come with a CPU cooler
If you rather purchase on Newegg or Amazon, that’s completely fine. You’ll just need to add an additional $20-$40 into your budget
The Ryzen 5 7600 has a ton of future proofing potential. By itself it can scale comfortably with GPUs around the RTX 4070Ti Super or RX 7900 XT range, meaning you can upgrade to those GPUs without having to upgrade your CPU. But with it also being on the AM5 platform, with the right motherboard you can easily swap the CPU for a 7800X3D/ 9800X3D in the future.
For alternatives, if you’re a content creator/streamer or want to use the PC for work/productivity I’d consider the Ryzen 7 7700X or 9700X. They have 2 more cores and 4 more threads which come in handy for the CPU demanding tasks. For gaming, I’d also consider the Ryzen 5 7600X if it’s around the same price, since it’s a little bit better.
As of early 2025, I am not considering any Intel alternatives at this time. AMD’s Ryzen CPUs offer better value, have better future proofing options, and AMD has a better track record than Intel lately.
CPU Cooler:
If you buy the CPU from Ali Express, then you’ll most likely need a separate cooler because they usually don’t come with one. If you buy the Ryzen 5 7600 from Amazon or Newegg, then you can definitely consider just using the stock cooler that it comes with. If you buy the 7600X, I’d still recommend a separate cooler though, because that CPU can take advantage of a better cooling solution.
The Thermalright Assassin Spirit 120 is very tough to beat in terms of value. For less than $25 it’s all black, performs great, and looks super clean. My other favorite with a similar description is the ID Cooling FROZN A410, but sometimes it’s not available.
Other alternatives that would work are the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Black, ID Cooling SE 214 XTS, and the Vetroo V5 if you rather have an RGB option.
Motherboard:
This motherboard has consistently been one of the least expensive B650 ATX sized boards, which is why I picked it. Usually there are Gigabyte motherboards available like the Gigabyte B650 Eagle AX, but we’ve been having bad luck with Gigabyte boards lately so I’ve been staying clear. I believe there’s a BIOS issue going on right now, but I’m not 100% sure about that.
Important features of this motherboard:
- Built-in Wi-Fi 6E
- 2.5G Ethernet
- Lightning Gen 4 PCIe Slot (For GPU)
- 2x PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe Slots (For SSDs)
For alternatives, I’d consider the MSI Pro B650-S WiFi which usually sits at a great price, and also the MSI MAG B650 Tomahawk WiFi if you want a slightly better option. The ASUS Prime B650-Plus WiFi also usually sits at a very affordable price, but personally I really don’t like the silver/white look inside a build like this. If that doesn’t matter to you, then go for it.
RAM:
This Silicon Power kit has consistently been one of the cheapest DDR5 2x16GB 6000MHz CL30 kits available for several months now. That should be your search filter, and almost any brand/kit will work
The only other cheaper kits are usually the Silicon Power Value Gaming and the Teamgroup T-Create Expert kits. I would not recommend those for a gaming PC
For alternatives, I’d also consider the Klevv Bolt V kit, G.Skill Flare X5, and the G.Skill Ripjaws S5. All 3 of those are great options and if they have the same specs, I’d personally just get whichever one has the lowest price.
GPU:
Using the Intel Arc B580 was the main inspiration for this build since it’s a new option, but it doesn’t have to be the star of the show with your own ~$850 Pure Performance build.
For gamers that don’t want to test out the Intel GPU architecture, or don’t have the patience to track them down, feel free to use an alternative. Although just be aware that on paper, the B580 has the best FPS Per Dollar value right now.
For alternatives, I’d consider any RTX 4060 at or below $300. There are a lot of options available, and there typically isn’t a huge difference in cooling or performance so I’d get whichever one is on the best deal. Personally I like the MSI Ventus 2X Black OC model, as well as the ASUS Dual OC V2 and the PNY Verto.
As an alternative you can also go with an RX 7600 XT. These perform just a bit better than the RTX 4060 in a lot of games, and if you pay less than $330 it’s pretty good value. There usually aren’t that many models available though.
SSD:
The Silicon Power UD85 is a great budget option, and for a Pure Performance style of gaming PC we don’t want to spend any more money here than we have to. A better and faster SSD can be beneficial, but it doesn’t move the needle in terms of FPS numbers which is what the priority was for this build. I would recommend searching for the cheapest 1TB NVMe Gen 4 drive, and consult the SSD Tier List for all of the information you need.
Aside from the UD85, for alternatives I’d also consider the Klevv CRAS C910, Teamgroup MP44AQ, Teamgroup MP44L, and the Silicon Power UD90.
PSU:
The power supply section for this video was probably my least “Pure Performance” move that I made. I could have easily gone with a cheaper Tier C model, but since I already had the MSI MAG A650GL (Tier B) in the studio I decided to use that. Make no mistake it’s a great PSU for the money, especially being Tier B and fully modular, but if you want to squeeze out the highest FPS Per Dollar value then you don’t need to spend $70 on a PSU.
For alternatives, always consult the PSU Tier list and I’d recommend getting a 650W+ Tier C, B, or A model. For less than $1000 builds I’m personally comfortable buying a Tier C, but that choice is yours. Other than the A650GL, I’d also consider the ADATA XPG Pylon (Tier C), MSI MAG A650BN (Tier C), MSI MAG A650 BE (Tier C) or the ADATA XPG Core Reactor II (Tier B).
For builds like this, the 80+ efficiency rating doesn’t matter much and neither does the modularity. A fully modular design will make the cable management a bit easier, but the case that I selected has a big PSU basement so it’s not difficult to stuff the excess cables down there.
Case:
The case is always the most subjective option in a gaming PC, and you absolutely do not need to go with the one I used in the video. If you choose an alternative, you may need to make some tweaks to the cooling solution, as well as the motherboard size.
The case I used for the video was the Okinos Oak Cypress 5 Air. It’s an ATX sized case, and also comes with 4 preinstalled fans. This means that if you go with something else, I’d recommend choosing an ATX sized alternative, and preferably one that includes 3 or 4 fans. Otherwise you’ll have to add extra fans to your shopping list.
If you aren’t aware, Okinos is a newer brand but they’ve had an explosive start. They have several other options available on Amazon, and every model that I’ve tried has been great for the money so far. These cheaper cases aren’t using the highest quality material and they don’t come with all the bells and whistles, but they pack a punch in terms of budget value.
For other affordable ATX sized alternatives that include fans, I also like the Okinos Aqua 7, Fractal Design Pop Air, Sama Neview 4361, and my favorite is probably the Montech XR.
List of Alternative Parts
Please read the notes above about using alternative parts. Some of them require an explanation before considering.
How to Assemble
You can watch my full step-by-step PC building video below. This was extracted from the Twitch livestream when I built this PC to only include the relevant PC building steps.
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If that video doesn’t provide enough support for building a PC, then I would recommend watching this “How to Build a PC, the last guide you’ll ever need! (2024 Update)” video from Linus Tech Tips. This is a generic build guide tutorial that will help no matter which parts you choose to go with.
Cable Management Guide
The starting point of cable management in the Okinos Cypress 5 Air was better than I initially expected. Although there’s not a ton of depth directly behind the motherboard, there’s a very solid cable channel on the left side. There’s 3 included Velcro straps which are much appreciated, and that’s plenty of room to stuff a bunch of cables.
After the motherboard was installed, cable management remained to be pretty simple. I utilized the zip tie tiedown points that are available, which are circled in red. Most of these aren’t 100% necessary, it’s mostly for aesthetics to make the cable routes clean and straight. The bottom cable bundle contains the motherboard cables such as HD Audio, PWR, Reset, etc. The top bundle is just the rear exhaust fan that’s preinstalled in the case.
Additionally for aesthetics, the blue square is a bundle of cables that are mostly the front 3 preinstalled intake fans. They are daisy chained together, and you can either bundle this up and hide it in the cable channel like I did, or tuck it away in the PSU basement.
And finally after the power supply and GPU were installed, the main thing to concentrate on is keeping the 24 pin, 4+4 pin, and GPU cable tight in the back with straight lines. The 4+4 CPU power cable can easily run down on the right hand side with a couple of zip ties. The 24 pin can route back traditionally in the middle with the zip ties. Although I could have opted to move this cable in the cable channel on the left side.
Most of the excess cables are stored in the PSU basement which is the blue square.
One additional note is that I routed the USB C cable on the left hand side which is highlighted in green. This probably would have looked better if I bundled it with the 24 pin power connector. However it’s a very fragile cable, so I thought it was best to keep it a bit loose in the cable channel where there’s more room.
BIOS Setting Adjustments
BIOS updated to the latest version - 7E26v1H (12/23/2024)
UEFI Mode
Secure Boot Enabled
AMD fTPM Switch Enabled
MSI Utility Driver Disabled (This disables the annoying MSI center popups)
EXPO 1 - 6000MHz (RAM)
Monitor Recommendations
For an $850 Pure Performance build, I think a 1080p 165Hz+ display is what you should shoot for. In terms of performance this build can sneak its way into some 1440p gaming, but it’s not completely designed to do that. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to buy the 1440p monitor now, that way you don’t have to upgrade it in the future though.
Here are some of my favorite options depending on which route you take:
1080p Monitors
Koorui 24E3 - 24” 1080p 165Hz 1ms IPS
AOC 24G4E - 24” 1080p 180Hz 1ms IPS
1440p Monitors
Koorui 27E3Q - 27” 1440p 170Hz 1ms IPS
Gigabyte M27Q - 27” 1440p 165Hz 0.5ms IPS
Windows Installation Guide
Standard Installation
Windows installation is the same process from PC to PC. There isn’t anything specific about this PC
Creating the USB Drive
I always recommend setting up a Windows 11 USB thumb drive, but you’ll need to utilize a working computer.
Here is a video explaining how to set up the USB thumb drive.
Installing Windows 11
Here is a video explaining how to install Windows 11 after the thumb drive is set up.
Additionally, here is another tutorial from the YouTube channel Crater.
Post-Installation Steps
Once Windows is installed, I recommend:
- Removing bloatware
- Updating GPU drivers manually
- Fully updating Windows
Performance Metrics
For detailed benchmarking results, including gameplay footage from various games, please see the full benchmarking video linked in the description of the main YouTube video. The synthetic/canned benchmarking scores below provide additional information:
- 3DMark Time Spy: 13,570
- 3DMark Steel Nomad: 3,037
- Superposition (DirectX, 1080p High): 16,469
- Cinebench 2024 CPU Multi: 792
- Cinebench 2024 GPU: (Intel ARC GPUs are not supported at this time)
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