Workload
Streaming
You need headroom: a GPU encoder so the game keeps its frames, plus a CPU that can run Discord, overlays, and the title.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
The no-compromise 4K / AI card. Power, heat, and price are the cost.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090
The last-gen king. Still elite at 4K and local AI if you can find one.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080
High-end 4K gaming without the 5090’s power bill.
Intel Core i9-14900K
Peak LGA 1700 performance — and peak heat. A cooler is not optional.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti
The sweet 1440p/4K Ti — more VRAM than the 5070, less excess than the 5080.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Super
A proper 4K Ada card — 16 GB, strong raster, great NVENC.
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D
The current gaming CPU to beat — extra cache, not extra cores.
Intel Core i7-14700K
A strong creator CPU on a closed socket — buy it used, not as a new platform.
Corsair RM850x
An 850 W Gold unit that will feed a 4080-class GPU without drama.
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Still one of the best gaming CPUs you can buy used or new.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070
The 1440p Blackwell card most people should actually buy.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Super
The 1440p Ada sweet spot. The card a lot of people actually wanted.
Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
The AIO to beat on value — 360 mm of radiator for hot 16-core chips.
AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
A creation and compile chip that still games well — not the gaming specialist.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070
Efficient 1440p. Super is faster if the price gap is small.
Corsair Vengeance DDR5-6000 32 GB
The default AM5 kit. 32 GB at 6000 CL30 is the Ryzen sweet spot.
G.Skill Trident Z5 DDR5-6400 32 GB
Faster kit for Intel and tuned Ryzen. Diminishing returns above 6000 on AM5.
AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
The last-gen workstation Ryzen — still excellent for creators.
Intel Core i5-14600K
The Intel all-rounder — games well, creates better than a 6-core Ryzen.
Noctua NH-D15
The air cooler that still beats many 240 mm AIOs. Huge, quiet, beige.
Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
A cooler, more efficient Intel — gaming is good, not the reason to buy it.
Samsung 990 Pro 2 TB
A fast OS and game drive. 2 TB is the comfortable modern size.
WD Black SN850X 2 TB
Same job as a 990 Pro — flagship PCIe 4 games and scratch disk.
MSI MAG B650 Tomahawk WiFi
A favorite AM5 mid-board: solid VRM, Wi-Fi, and BIOS that people actually like.
Gigabyte X670E Aorus Elite AX
Extra lanes and USB for a 16-core / creator AM5 machine.
Seasonic Focus GX-750
A quiet 750 W Gold — enough for 4070 Super / 7800 XT class cards.
AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D
The last great AM4 gaming upgrade — stay on the old board.
ASUS TUF Gaming B650-Plus
A no-drama AM5 board — VRM and ports that will take a 9800X3D later.
Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
Near-D15 cooling for a fraction of the money. The budget air king.