Building a PC capable of pushing high framerates at 1440p without breaking the bank is the sweet spot for modern PC gamers. With the release of the RTX 50-series and AMD’s RX 8000 series, 1440p gaming is more accessible than ever.
The Heart of the Build: CPU and GPU
For the graphics card, the NVIDIA RTX 5070 is the undisputed champion of this tier. It offers exceptional rasterization performance and DLSS 4 frame generation, ensuring games like Cyberpunk 2077 run smoothly at Ultra settings.
We pair this with the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X. This 6-core, 12-thread CPU is incredibly power efficient and handles gaming workloads flawlessly. Unlike the more expensive Ryzen 9 parts, the Ryzen 5 keeps temperatures low, meaning you don’t need to spend $150 on an AIO cooler.
Motherboard and Memory
A B650 motherboard is all you need. The MSI MAG B650 TOMAHAWK WIFI offers robust VRMs and built-in Wi-Fi 6E. For memory, 32GB of DDR5-6000 CL30 is the optimal speed for Ryzen 9000 processors. Going faster yields diminishing returns and introduces instability.
Cooling and Clearance
Always double-check your GPU length! The RTX 5070 can exceed 310mm depending on the AIB partner (like ASUS or Gigabyte). We recommend the Corsair 4000D Airflow, which supports GPUs up to 360mm. If you’re unsure if your exact model fits, use our Compatibility Checker!