If maximum performance matters more to you than colorful lighting effects, this computer configuration has been designed specifically for your needs. Each part has been chosen deliberately to strike a balance between affordability and capability, ensuring smooth gaming experiences and quick loading times.
This October 2025 build offers impressive frame rates in popular competitive games such as Fortnite, CS2, and Apex Legends without breaking the bank. Whether you’re climbing ranked ladders or pursuing victory moments, this setup keeps you competitive. It’s a straightforward, performance-focused gaming system that prioritizes high frame rates and minimal input delay for 1080p competitive play.
This guide covers each component in detail, provides performance data, and includes assembly instructions to help you build the system yourself.
Component Selection
Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 7600
This processor features 6 cores and 12 threads, with speeds ranging from 3.8GHz base to 5.1GHz boost. It excels in single-threaded operations and handles modern gaming demands efficiently. The chip offers strong value, combining reasonable pricing with forward-looking technology. Native PCIe 5.0 and DDR5 memory support enable faster data transfers for graphics cards and system memory, providing smooth performance and upgrade flexibility.
In games where processor speed significantly impacts frame rates, particularly at 1080p resolution, this chip performs admirably. While this build doesn’t currently utilize PCIe 5.0 capabilities, future upgrades to the power supply and graphics card will unlock that potential, making this processor a wise long-term choice.
Cooling Solution: Thermalright Assassin X 120 Refined SE
This tower cooler consistently ranks among the most affordable options available while delivering performance that exceeds its price point. Given the Ryzen 5 7600’s thermal output, adequate cooling is essential. This single-fan cooler operates quietly at 44.9dB(A) or less. Standing 148mm tall, this compact profile fits comfortably in mid-tower cases while providing effective CPU cooling.
Mainboard: ASRock B850M PRO RS WIFI
This modern-looking board comes equipped with attractive specifications. The Race Sport edition evolves from the popular PRO series. It supports the AM5 socket and accommodates processors up to the AMD Ryzen 9000 series. The board handles up to 192GB of DDR5 memory and can support speeds reaching 8000 MT/s when overclocked in dual-channel configurations. This budget-conscious mainboard provides several future-ready features.
The board offers ATX form factor with one PCIe 5.0 x16 slot and one PCIe 4.0 x16 slot operating at x4. It includes 8+2+1 VRM power phases. Front panel connectivity provides USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C, USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A, and USB 2.0 ports. Rear connections include USB4 Type-C at 40Gbps, multiple USB 3.2 ports, audio jacks, optical S/PDIF, 2.5 Gigabit LAN, and WiFi 6E.
Memory: TeamGroup T-Force Vulcan DDR5
This build uses the TeamGroup T-Force Vulcan DDR5 kit in standard black. It ranks among the most affordable DDR5 options available, and since aesthetics aren’t the priority, this memory represents a solid choice. The focus is on dependable performance at a reasonable cost. RGB lighting adds visual appeal but unnecessarily increases expenses. With current market conditions, smart compromises are essential to avoid sacrificing performance.
This kit provides solid latency and speed, making it reliable for competitive gaming and everyday multitasking. If you find a 32GB kit with 6000MHz frequency at an acceptable price, it’s worth considering.
Storage: TeamGroup MP44L 1TB
The MP44L from TeamGroup serves as the storage solution. This reliable Gen4 SSD achieves read speeds up to 5000MB/s and write speeds around 4500MB/s. This Gen4 drive works excellently for gaming, and its 1TB capacity accommodates multiple modern titles. However, future storage expansion or selecting a larger 2TB drive is recommended if budget permits.
Graphics Card: Gigabyte RX 9060 XT
Two variants of the Gigabyte RX 9060 XT are recommended: 8GB and 16GB models. Both share identical core architecture and 1080p performance, but the 16GB version doubles the video memory, which proves beneficial in certain scenarios. Choosing the 16GB model provides more headroom at 1440p, better handling of high-resolution textures, and longer viability for future memory-demanding titles. If budget allows, the additional memory represents a smart investment for smoother gameplay and extended usefulness.
Chassis: Montech XR Wood
This Montech chassis emphasizes airflow and offers straightforward assembly. The XR Wood case has become a team favorite for these reasons.
The mid-tower case supports Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX, and ATX motherboards. It measures 475mm x 230mm x 456mm and offers USB Type-C and USB 3.0 Type-A front panel connectivity plus a 3.5mm combo jack. Available in black or white, it accommodates coolers up to 175mm tall, graphics cards up to 420mm long, and power supplies up to 230mm. It supports up to two 2.5-inch and two 3.5-inch drives. Fan mounting locations include top, side, front, PSU shroud, and rear positions with support for radiators up to 360mm on top and 280mm in front. Four fans come pre-installed.
This attractive case seamlessly blends American Walnut wood elegance with high-performance gaming design. This combination presents a unique fusion of craftsmanship and technology that complements Scandinavian or minimalistic setups. It includes four pre-installed fans: three 120mm intake fans on the front and one 120mm exhaust fan on the rear, eliminating the need for additional fans unless desired.
Power Supply: MSI MAG A650BN
Strategic power supply selection can reduce build costs, but careful consideration is necessary. Ensuring adequate wattage and strong efficiency ratings is critical. The MSI A650BN achieves the right balance for this build, providing approximately 200 watts more output than AMD’s minimum recommendation for the RX 9060 XT. The A650BN delivers reliable performance with up to 85% efficiency, meaning power consumption remains low while supporting high-performance gaming. Its non-modular design means all cables are pre-attached, simplifying cable management. The XR Wood’s cable management channels and PSU shroud help maintain tidiness.
This PSU lacks PCIe 5.0 readiness, so if graphics card upgrades are planned in coming years and spending more now to save later appeals to you, the MSI MAG A750BN PCIE5 power supply is recommended, costing roughly $10 to $20 more.
Performance Analysis
The Gigabyte RX 9060 XT 8GB graphics card delivers strong results. At 1080p, titles like Fortnite and Apex Legends exceed 250 FPS on average, ideal for high refresh rate monitors and latency-sensitive gameplay. Even demanding or less optimized titles like Marvel Rivals maintain steady performance above 100 FPS, with 1% and 0.1% lows remaining playable.
At 1440p, the RX 9060 XT 8GB continues performing admirably. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and Cyberpunk 2077, both graphically intensive, remain smooth and responsive, especially with performance-tuned settings. F1 25 stands out with strong showing above 100 FPS, excellent for sim racers who value fluid motion and input precision.
| Game Title | Average FPS | 1% Lows | 0.1% Lows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fortnite (1080p) | 268 | 120 | 74 |
| Apex Legends (1080p) | 258 | 162 | 93 |
| Marvel Rivals (1080p) | 104 | 50 | 30 |
| Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (1440p) | 59 | 43 | 39 |
| F1 25 (1440p) | 114 | 83 | 65 |
| Cyberpunk 2077 (1440p) | 84 | 56 | 30 |
With a Gigabyte RX 9060 XT 8GB GPU
While 8GB of VRAM suffices for most current titles, users planning long-term 1440p gaming or texture-heavy modifications may benefit from the 16GB variant. That said, for pure 1080p competitive gaming, the 8GB model offers exceptional value and performance. These results demonstrate that the Gigabyte RX 9060 XT 8GB handles competitive 1080p gaming with ease.
The Gigabyte RX 9060 XT 16GB graphics card delivers expected improvements. Competitive games at 1080p receive excellent frame rates and approximately 20 FPS more per game on average for this resolution.
| Game Title | Average FPS | 1% Lows | 0.1% Lows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fortnite (1080p) | 288 | 131 | 79 |
| Apex Legends (1080p) | 290 | 203 | 166 |
| Marvel Rivals (1080p) | 126 | 73 | 38 |
| Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (1440p) | 93 | 74 | 70 |
| F1 25 (1440p) | 146 | 114 | 105 |
| Cyberpunk 2077 (1440p) | 87 | 47 | 18 |
With a Gigabyte RX 9060 XT 16GB GPU
At 1440p, the RX 9060 XT 16GB performs better overall. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and Cyberpunk 2077 remain smooth and responsive. F1 25 receives approximately 30 extra frames per second, and with this being a newer game, this proves impressive, demonstrating how current optimizations affect this card’s performance positively. Surprisingly, Cyberpunk 2077 presented unexpected results, with the 16GB card not handling the game quite as well as the 8GB version at 1% and 0.1% lows, though it provided a slight average increase from 84 FPS to 87 FPS.
The RX 9060 XT 16GB provides significant performance improvements overall, sometimes nearly doubling output frame rates even in 0.1% lows. This proves remarkable and explains why the 16GB model receives stronger recommendation.
