Esports PC for CS2, Warzone, PUBG, Apex and Valorant

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 is undoubtedly the best value six-core processor on the market, with the Tray version without a cooler costing less than $100. The AM4 compatible motherboard and DDR4 RAM are also cheap compared to AM5 and DDR5. Thanks to the architecture, Zen 3 has high performance per core, and SMT technology parallelizes it into 12 virtual threads.

The L3 cache size is half that of the previous Ryzen 3600, but the cache is fast dual-channel 8+8 MB. And the RAM is capable of operating at up to 4266 MHz in Gear 1 synchronous mode. Even after automatically overclocking the cores, Precision Boost generates very little heat - only 40 W in games, which is even less than the manufacturer's TDP level of 65 W.

Even a mini tower with a 9cm fan will provide virtually silent cooling. There is no integrated video card, or rather it is disabled, otherwise the processor would be called 5600G. And for the discrete GPU, the PCIe 3.0 x8 bus is available, which is a problem only for the Radeon RX 6400 and 6400 XT. Owners of more powerful video cards need not worry.

Zalman CNPS4X Black is a compact CPU cooler that can effectively dissipate up to 150 W of heat, despite its height of only 13.5 cm. The radiator consists of an array of aluminum fins and three copper tubes. Direct contact with the processor without an intermediary plate. The sealed ends of the tubes are not covered with anything, but are painted the same black color as the cooler.

The mounting bracket for AMD AM4 and AM5 sockets is built directly into the cooler, while for Intel LGA1200 and LGA1700 you will have to use an adapter ring. Also looking ahead, we announce compatibility with the LGA1851 socket for future Arrow Lake processors. The complete fan with hydraulic bearing has a diameter of 92 millimeters.

The rotation speed is controlled using PWM technology within the range of 800 - 2000 rpm. The corners of the fan have rubber gaskets, which eliminate vibration. The cooler does not conflict even with high RAM modules in the first DIMM slot. The radiator and fan weigh a moderate 420 grams, so you don’t have to worry about bending the motherboard’s PCB.

Biostar B550MT - motherboards with socket AM4 continue to be updated even after the release of AM5. Compared to the old B550MH, the new MT received two digital video outputs for the integrated video card: HDMI and Display Port. A PCIe 4.0 x16 slot is provided for a discrete graphics card. But the number of lanes and PCI-Express version may be limited by the processor.

The PCIe Gen4 bus will also be useful for the M.2 Key-M SSD. But the slot with an alternative Key-E pinout for the Wi-Fi wireless adapter is not soldered, although the place for it is clearly visible on the PCB. But there is a wired Internet Realtek Gigabit LAN, 7.1-channel sound and an internal USB Type-C port, which can be displayed on the front panel of the PC case.

Six VRM power phases are devoid of heatsinks: four for processor cores and two for iGPUs with a memory controller. A pair of DDR4 DIMM slots are compatible with XMP modules up to 4400 MHz. Processors are supported by AMD Ryzen 3000, 4000G and 5000 series. Later models, such as the 5500GT or 5700X3D, may require a BIOS update.

ATRIA Fly DDR4 is a series of XMP RAM for desktop PCs, which includes both individual modules and paired kits. A two-channel set, as a rule, is better matched to each other, so it works more stable and accelerates more strongly. Although nothing prohibits buying only one module at first, and later upgrading with a second one.

Volumes vary from 8 to 2x16 GB, and frequencies - from 2666 to 3600 MHz. Aluminum radiators can be of two colors: black or blue. This not only adds visual polish, but also allows the memory to operate at a higher voltage. Instead of the typical 1.2 V for the JEDEC 3200 MHz standard, the voltage is 1.35 V for the XMP 3600 MHz frequency.

You can activate the XMP profile with just one click in the BIOS settings menu. After which the timings will be reduced, that is, delays to CL18. If you wish, you can not limit yourself to auto-overclocking XMP, but experiment with manual overclocking. Depending on the success of a particular memory instance, you will be able to squeeze out a few hundred more bonus megahertz, which is especially useful for iGPUs.

MSI RTX 3050 Ventus 2X 6G OC - the latest budget video card from NVIDIA, oddly enough, is not the RTX 4050, but the simplified RTX 3050. Compared to the 8 GB version, the 6 GB one has a lower core frequency and a narrow 96-bit memory bus, because of which it became slower by 20%. At the same time, energy consumption has decreased by one and a half times in order to do without additional power.

Even after simplification, the RTX 3050 produces more FPS in games than the integrated Radeon 780M and the old discrete GeForce GTX 1650. The direct competitor is the 4 GB Radeon RX 6500 XT, but it is very dependent on the PCIe 4.0 bus, which is still a luxury. In addition, the RTX 3050 can do video editing, streaming, and even artificial intelligence.

Theoretically, even hardware ray tracing is supported, but in practice it works normally on such a weak video card only in Diablo 4 and Dirt 5. But it can comfortably play popular multiplayer games: Dota 2, Counter-Strike 2, EA Sports FC (formerly FIFA). For these less hardware-intensive games, you can even count on a 2K or 144 Hz monitor.

The PrologiX S380 is the most popular M.2 SSD at 8cm in length (some mini PCs require a shorter 4cm). Produces sequential read speeds almost at the limit of PCIe 3.0 bus bandwidth - 3400 MB/s. Recording of large files is stated by the manufacturer at 1900 MB/s, but in reality it is even higher - 2800 MB/s.

Built on the Maxio MAP1202A controller: relatively cold, does not require a radiator. It lacks a separate RAM cache chip, but supports Host Memory Buffer technology, which uses part of the system-wide RAM. This not only increases the processing speed of small IOPS files, but also reduces the cost of the disk.

The flash memory uses 3D TLC, which is combined in three cells to create a virtual SLC array to speed up writing. The manufacturer claims an uptime of 1 million hours and provides a three-year warranty. The maximum capacity of the M.2 NVMe drive S380 is currently 512 GB, while the alternative S320 2.5" SATA model can reach 960 GB.

PCCooler HW600-NP is an inexpensive power supply from a brand famous primarily for its cooling systems. Of the total 600 W of power, it produces 552 W, that is, 90%, via a solid +12 V line, from which the most energy-intensive PC components are powered: the processor and video card. The efficiency is 80%, which corresponds to the 80 PLUS White certificate.

Although the BP has not undergone official external testing, because the procedure is paid, this would have a negative impact on the cost. Four levels of protection are implemented: OVP against surges, OTP against overheating, OPP against overpower and SCP against short circuits. The power supply can only operate from European household power outlets of 200 - 240 V.

The 4+4-pin processor cable, which is the most problematic for neat installation, has a sufficient length of 60+10 centimeters, and there are two 6+2-pin video card connectors available. You can only criticize the PCCooler HW600-NP for its old-school Passive PFC correction algorithm. But unlike Active PFC, there will be no conflicts with the uninterruptible power supply.

Frontier Asaro 205A is a full-size Midi-Tower case with seven expansion slots. Accommodates motherboards from Mini-ITX to Full-ATX. Made of thick-walled steel and tempered glass, which is resistant to scratches and even moderate impacts. The side panel is made in the form of a door with hinges and a magnetic lock, which simplifies the assembly and subsequent maintenance of the PC.

The video card fits up to 34 cm long, and the air tower for the processor is up to 16 cm high. If you prefer water cooling, then a radiator of up to 280 mm in size will fit on top, and 360 mm in front. By default, the case comes pre-installed with three intake fans. The impeller with a diameter of 12 cm is decorated with RGB lighting, which is clearly visible through the mesh panel.

Easily removable dust filters are installed at the bottom and top. The interface panel houses three classic USB Type-A ports, two of which are of the fast 3.0 standard. There are slots for two 3.5-inch HDDs or three 2.5-inch SSDs. The case weighs a respectable 5.2 kg, thanks to which it effectively dampens vibration.

The 1stPlayer K8 KIT is a very affordable gaming keyboard and mouse kit that you can save some money on just by saving on school lunches. The full-size keyboard has ten additional multimedia buttons. They are responsible for the operation of the web browser and music player. Anti-Ghosting technology reads 19 keystrokes simultaneously.

The symbols on the keycaps are laser engraved, so they are perfectly readable even with the backlight turned off. The caps themselves are resistant to scratches, dust and moisture. The Fire Dancing backlight shimmers with seven colors of the rainbow. The white backing increases the brightness of the glow. The lifespan of the membranes is 10 million clicks. The length of the USB cable with a frequency of 125 Hz is 1.5 meters.

The mouse has a symmetrical shape, which makes it suitable not only for right-handers, but also for left-handers. Except that two additional customizable keys are located only on one side. The optical sensor can switch between four resolutions: 500, 1000, 1500 and 2000 DPI. This changes the color of the scroll wheel. Three Teflon feet glide perfectly.

The Marsriva MR-UF800 is an interactive uninterruptible power supply with a peak power of 800 volt-amps and a rated power of 480 watts. It also acts as an AVR voltage stabilizer: it is capable of equalizing 145 - 290 V into a stable 220 V, similar to a sine wave (approximation). The UPS can charge its battery from the mains, even when completely turned off.

Inside is a high-quality 12 amp-hour lead-acid battery that does not lose its capacity even after numerous recharge cycles. Charges from zero to one hundred percent in about 6 hours. The transition from wall power to battery occurs in just 6 milliseconds. Equipped with two standard Schuko sockets for a European plug.

If you connect too powerful devices to the UPS, it will automatically turn off and indicate the Overload light. A fuse reliably protects against short circuits. The sound signal during battery operation can be turned off by briefly pressing the power button. Four LEDs indicate the remaining charge level.