Build a PC / gaming & streaming
$3,000 streaming PC, part by part
An Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus with the GeForce RTX 5080, and the 6 parts around them that fit it: $2,954 all in.
1440p gameplay with a live encode running beside it. Every part here was checked against every other for fit, and picked for frame rates with headroom for the encoder and the chat. Typical US prices read on 2026-09-09, not a live checkout total: no operating system, shipping, tax, screen, keyboard or mouse.
The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and the GeForce RTX 5080 are well matched at 1440p.
Enthusiast
$2,954 of $3,000
Build order
Eight steps, the way a builder works through the case. $2,954 all in.
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-A Gaming WiFi on the tray
- Core Ultra 7 270K Plus in the socket
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 on top
- 2 sticks of memory
- Crucial T705 1TB on the board
- RTX 5080 in the x16 slot
- 1000 W supply in the basement
- Panel on, power on
Highest gaming & streaming score the budget allows next to this card: 24 cores, boosts to 5.5 GHz.
3 swaps that still fit
- Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus-$104, -13 ptsBuy on Amazon
- Intel Core Ultra 7 265KF-$31, -8 ptsBuy on Amazon
- Intel Core Ultra 7 265K+$34, -8 ptsBuy on Amazon
Z890 board for the LGA1851 socket, DDR5, 5 M.2 slots, Wi-Fi.
2 swaps that still fit
- ASUS TUF Gaming B860-Plus WiFi-$70, -20 ptsBuy on Amazon
- MSI MAG Z890 Tomahawk WiFi-$46, -6 ptsBuy on Amazon
48 GB DDR5 at 6000 MT/s CL30; 32 GB or more is the floor for gaming & streaming.
16 GB of video memory, index 77 at 1440p; tuned for frame rates with headroom for the encoder and the chat.
2 swaps that still fit
- ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 5070 Ti 16GB White OC-$380, -7 ptsBuy on Amazon
- Radeon RX 7900 XTX-$1, -8 ptsBuy on Amazon
Rated 330 W for a chip that turbos to 250 W.
3 swaps that still fit
- Thermalright Frozen Notte 360 White-$15, -18 ptsBuy on Amazon
- Thermalright Frozen Notte 360-$15, -18 ptsBuy on Amazon
- be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 5+$22, -4 ptsBuy on Amazon
1000 W, 80 Plus gold; this build draws about 800 W at full tilt, native 12V-2x6 cable.
4 swaps that still fit
- Corsair RM1000e Whitesame price, -6 ptsBuy on Amazon
- Corsair RM1000esame price, -6 ptsBuy on Amazon
- Lian Li Edge 1000W+$8, -2 ptsBuy on Amazon
- Lian Li Edge 1000W White+$8, -2 ptsBuy on Amazon
4 fans in the box, 2 of them lit, 4 is the least 610 W of parts needs behind a mesh front. Takes ATX/MATX/ITX boards and cards up to 395 mm.
4 swaps that still fit
- Montech Air 903 Max-$51, -6 ptsBuy on Amazon
- Lian Li Lancool 207 Whitesame price, same scoreBuy on Amazon
- Montech King 95 Pro+$8, same scoreBuy on Amazon
- Montech King 95 Pro White+$8, same scoreBuy on Amazon
1 TB PCIe 5.0 NVMe, 13,600 MB/s reads, with cache.
2 swaps that still fit
- Samsung 990 EVO Plus 1TB-$10, -16 ptsBuy on Amazon
- Samsung 990 Pro 1TB-$10, -6 ptsBuy on Amazon
The same list, more or less money
$3,000 spent on a different job
The same money buys a different machine when the work changes.