Build a PC / heavy gaming

$1,500 4K gaming PC, part by part

An AMD Ryzen 5 5500 with the Radeon RX 9070, and the 6 parts around them that fit it: $1,493 all in.

One of the three heavy targets at a time, and the result says which: 4K high settings by default, with ray tracing or 240 Hz at 1440p as the alternatives the same class of card serves. Every part here was checked against every other for fit, and picked for the strongest graphics card the budget allows. Typical US prices read on 2026-09-09, not a live checkout total: no operating system, shipping, tax, screen, keyboard or mouse.

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 and the Radeon RX 9070 are well matched at 4K.

Change the budget or the job

Fit for the job

Capable

$1,493 of $1,500

The ASRock B550M Pro4 goes onto the Montech XR's tray: MATX, B550, nine standoffs.

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 drops into the AM4 socket, lever down: 6 cores, up to 4.2 GHz.

The Thermalright Assassin X 120 Refined SE clamps onto the chip: a tower rated 180 W against the 88 W the chip can pull.

Two sticks of Corsair Vengeance LPX 64GB (2x32GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 White click into the second and fourth slots: 64 GB at 3200 MT/s.

The Lexar NM790 2TB screws into the first M.2 slot under the card.

The Radeon RX 9070 slides into the x16 slot and latches: 290 mm in a case that takes 400 mm, 16 GB of memory.

The Corsair CX750 goes into the basement, 750 W for a build that draws about 500 W flat out.

Side panel on, three case fans spinning. Fit for the job: 54 of 100.

Build order

Eight steps, the way a builder works through the case. $1,493 all in.

ASRock B550M Pro4 on the tray
Ryzen 5 5500 in the socket
Thermalright Assassin X 120 Refined SE on top
2 sticks of memory
Lexar NM790 2TB on the board
RX 9070 in the x16 slot
750 W supply in the basement
Panel on, power on

PartScore for the jobTypical price

ProcessorAMD Ryzen 5 5500

Highest heavy gaming score the budget allows next to this card: 6 cores, boosts to 4.2 GHz.

1 swap that still fit

AMD Ryzen 5 4500-$2, -7 ptsBuy on Amazon

47

$82

MotherboardASRock B550M Pro4

B550 board for the AM4 socket, DDR4, 2 M.2 slots.

42

$90

MemoryCorsair Vengeance LPX 64GB (2x32GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 White

64 GB DDR4 at 3200 MT/s CL16; 32 GB or more is the floor for heavy gaming.

55

$175

Graphics cardRadeon RX 9070

16 GB of video memory, index 52 at 4K; tuned for the strongest graphics card the budget allows.

52

$700

CPU coolerThermalright Assassin X 120 Refined SE

Rated 180 W for a chip that turbos to 88 W.

62

$16

Power supplyCorsair CX750

750 W, 80 Plus bronze; this build draws about 500 W at full tilt.

1 swap that still fit

MSI MAG A650BNsame price, -8 ptsBuy on Amazon

58

$60

3 fans in the box, 3 is the least 308 W of parts needs behind a mesh front. Takes ATX/MATX/ITX boards and cards up to 400 mm.

1 swap that still fit

Montech XR Whitesame price, same scoreBuy on Amazon

72

$70

StorageLexar NM790 2TB

2 TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe, 7,400 MB/s reads.

76

$300

Total, typical prices8 parts$1,493

The same list, more or less money

$2,000 4K gaming PCWhat $500 more buys, and where it goes.

$1,500 spent on a different job

The same money buys a different machine when the work changes.