Did we do alright on our secondhand PC build?
Posted by wtfa54@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 14 comments
Hey folks, we've been trying to upgrade my partner's old gaming PC on a pretty limited budget. He doesn't play the most demanding games and had a pretty outdated build but this is what we've been able to get together for about $400 total after selling his old PC:
Previous PC
MOBO: ASUS TUF B365 Plus
CPU: i5-9400F + stock CPU cooler
RAM: 16GB 2133 DDR4
GPU: RTX 1660 (can't remember which one)
Case: random Mid Tower Case
(Can't remember which PSU, sorry)
New PC
MOBO: MSI B550M Pro-VDH WIFI
CPU: Ryzen 5 5600X
Cooler: Pure Loop 2 280mm AiO
RAM: 32GB 3200 DDR4
GPU: EVGA 2080 Super
Case: NZXT Flow H3 (he wanted mATX and we were just about at our budget limit)
PSU: EVGA P2 750W 80+ Platinum
Either way I think it's a massive upgrade from his previous build but how did we end up doing in terms of value? We ended up buying the case and AiO new on sale and I know we're kinda getting close to the 750W on the PSU.
PressureConscious365@reddit
honestly looks pretty solid for a secondhand build, especially for the price range you guys worked with. if you ever end up upgrading again, I’ve seen people get decent deals on refurbished business PCs like the ones on discountcomputerdepot, might be worth a look.
OkSystem455@reddit
Not that pushing one's luck with a lower rated PSU is suggested as prudent, but this should impart some "perspective": https://www.reddit.com/r/PHbuildapc/comments/1rd0qq5/jayztwocents_what_happens_if_your_psu_is_too/
wtfa54@reddit (OP)
Thanks for the insight! I used a wattage calculator and it said with his HDD we were needing close to 700W so I'm glad to hear we have more headroom than I thought!
It's also good to know we don't actually need the aio and in that case we might just return it and use an extra Thermalright AXP90-X47 I have from my sleeper build if y'all think that would be enough
wtfa54@reddit (OP)
Alright additional game plan: sell 2080 Super and return the AiO (we haven't completed the build yet so it's unopened) and upgrade the GPU
Puzzleheaded-West159@reddit
Bro you bought a platinum 750W, for this build..
I probably go a bronze 550 / 650.
100% don't even need a cooler besides the stock cooler for that CPU, much less AIO.
RAM -16 GB is enough, but that choice is fine.
Would of spent that money to get a 5060 - like this
wtfa54@reddit (OP)
The 750W platinum came with the 2080 and 32GB of RAM lol
Puzzleheaded-West159@reddit
You know what to do now, try to sell the 2080 for a 5060.
And the build will be fire.
wtfa54@reddit (OP)
You're not wrong and yanno what I'm not gonna say no to a reason to keep deal hunting lol
Glad_Razzmatazz8004@reddit
I think this is a really solid, well-balanced build for 2026.
The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X + NVIDIA RTX 2080 Super combo still handles 1080p and 1440p high settings comfortably. As long as you’re not pushing heavy ray tracing, it’ll age well.
The NZXT H3 Flow is a great airflow-focused pick, too. You don’t need to max out fans immediately—add more later if temps require it. Plus, you’ve still got room to upgrade down the line, which is always a big win.
wubbadubdub_zzz@reddit
How much did you pay for the Ryzen 5600?
wtfa54@reddit (OP)
It came with the mobo for $150
psimwork@reddit
That's the danger in saying things that you know. 😊
You're really not getting anywhere close to 750W. The CPU and GPU are (by far) the biggest power draws in your computer. The 2080S pulls about 250W under full load. The 5600X about 125W. Together, you're at 375W under the assumption that you're using both at absolute max (which is going to be pretty rare). All the combined components beyond the CPU and GPU probably use around 50W of power, but we'll be conservative and say 100W. At that amount you're at 475W - WAY below the peak power of the 750W power supply.
wtfa54@reddit (OP)
Haha and the danger of trusting a wattage calculator. Thanks for the insight and correction!
Hawk7117@reddit
That upgrade for only $400? That is a pretty massive jump up.
I would say well done.
I likely wouldn't have gone for such a chunky AIO, even on sale for just a 5600x, those run very cool generally and could have been very easily cooled by a $15 air cooler. But if it was a good deal then really no biggie.
You are still pretty well within the bounds of that 750w PSU too, if was made by a lesser brand then I would consider swapping it, but EVGA used to make some phenomenal units back then. That one should be perfectly adequate.