What kind of PC can you build with PlayStation 5 Pro money?

The Intel Core i5-14400 is an updated version of last year's i5-13400 with higher clock speeds and essentially the same price. The updated Raptor Lake Refresh architecture helps improve overall performance while maintaining high energy efficiency. As before, we have a processor with a hybrid structure that includes 6 high-performance and 4 energy-efficient cores, and in total the processor can simultaneously process up to 16 data streams.

The energy-efficient cores operate at 1.8 GHz and are designed for less resource-intensive background tasks, while the P-cores are used under more serious loads and can be overclocked to 4.7 GHz. The processor is also equipped with an Intel GNA neural module, designed to perform specialized tasks related to artificial intelligence and machine learning. When it comes to gaming, the i5-14400F shows excellent results, especially when combined with powerful graphics cards (for example, the GeForce RTX 4070), allowing you to avoid the bottleneck effect. The closest competitors of the Intel Core i5-14400F in the “red” camp are AMD Ryzen 5 7600X and Ryzen 7 5700X chips.

The only downside to this option is the stock fan. Intel has followed AMD's lead and now equips its chips with inexpensive fans that are only suitable for cooling the processor in the basic mode with a declared power consumption of 65 W. However, with full auto overclocking to the declared 4.7 GHz, heat dissipation increases to almost 150 W and the cooler frankly does not cope with its work and is noticeably noisy.

The GeForce RTX 4070 is one of the most balanced and popular graphics cards in the Ada Lovelace line. It is noticeably ahead of the younger models in this line, the RTX 4050 and RTX 4060, providing excellent performance when working with resource-intensive tasks, including games, video rendering, and 3D modeling. In terms of performance, it is on par with the flagships of the previous generation (note: GeForce RTX 3080 Ti and RTX 3090), but it costs a little less, consumes less energy, and boasts support for more modern technologies.

As you probably guessed, we are talking about the much-talked-about “enhancement” complex called DLSS 3, the key elements of which are a built-in upscaler and a frame extrapolation system that actually generates frames using FPS, thereby increasing the smoothness of the gameplay. If we leave DLSS out of the equation, the AD-104 graphics chip with 12 GB of video memory performs well in most big-budget games of recent years at 1440p and maximum graphics settings. But for higher resolutions, DLSS will come in handy. And you may have to lower some graphics settings to medium.

There are quite a few different variations of the RTX 4070 on the market, and our choice fell on one of the most popular options in the MSI Ventus version. The video card is noticeably different from the version of the RTX 4070 that NVIDIA originally presented - the length of the printed circuit board is 24 cm, the GPU takes up two slots on the motherboard, and for its cooling there are 2 massive TORX FAN fans with support for silent mode. The power consumption of the model is 200 W and in most cases a 600 W power supply will be enough for it, but the manufacturer recommends not to skimp and take a model with a reserve of 650 W.

There are plenty of well-balanced motherboards on the market for the Intel LGA 1700 platform. One of the most popular options is the Asus TUF GAMING B760-PLUS WIFI: it is based on the mid-range Intel B760 chipset and is equipped with a fairly powerful power subsystem with 12 (50A) + 1 (60A) power stages that combine the upper and lower MOSFETs in a single package, ensuring efficient power distribution for all the latest generations of Intel processors.

As is traditional for the TUF series, it is built on durable components and designed for non-stop gaming, even if you plan to stream until you drop. Additional advantages of the device include a Realtek LAN controller with a throughput of 2.5 Gbps, a built-in wireless module with Wi-Fi 6 support, and proprietary Asus developments such as the OptiMem memory accelerator and the Fan Xpert intelligent cooling system.

Considering the gaming nature of the board, the set of connection slots looks as modern as possible, without limiting the owner during assembly. Among them are 4 slots with support for fast DDR5-7200 RAM, three more slots with cooling are allocated for connecting miniature and fast M.2 SSDs (all three operate in PCI-E 4.0 mode and are equipped with a radiator). Well, let's not forget about the reinforced slot for a video card with support for the PCI-E 5.0 interface, which will provide the necessary bandwidth for flagship video cards of the current and next generation, allowing you to use their potential as efficiently as possible.

It is safe to say that the SSD market has finally formed and settled down: models with PCI-E 4.0 support are no longer exorbitantly priced, unsuccessful management controllers have gradually left the scene, and the cost of compact M.2 and standard SATA3 solid-state drives has been reduced to a minimum, which is why buying a bulky and slow drive now looks rather strange. A great example of this is the Crucial P3 drive, which is even cheaper than the still popular, but rapidly becoming obsolete SSDs like the Kingston A400 and Samsung 870 EVO.

The Crucial P3 is a great example of working on mistakes. In its production, Crucial engineers used 176-layer QLC NAND flash memory from Micron. Considering that Micron is the creator of Crucial, we think it can be called in-house memory. The popular entry-level E21T controller from Phison is used as the brain, and there is no DRAM cache. To increase write speed, a pseudo-SLC cache is used, so bursts in speed indicators are smoothed out faster than in completely unbuffered drives without a dedicated cache.

Unlike the older P3 Plus model, the regular P3 interacts with other system components using the PCI-E 3.0 interface, not 4.0. However, this does not play a special role in everyday use - mainly this is a limitation of the maximum throughput, which affects the transfer of large arrays of data. As a result, we have a very serious read speed of 3500 MB / s (note: write 3000 MB / s), in most cases in practice such an SSD will lag behind drives with PCI-E 4.0 and a linear speed above 3000 MB / s by a few seconds. For example, a hypothetical Hogwarts Legacy will start up not in 28, but in 30 seconds. Additionally, the coolness of the Crucial P3 is emphasized by the official 5-year warranty.

The Patriot Viper Venom DDR5 2x16GB kit running at 5600MHz is a great choice for budget users who are planning to build with the latest generation of Intel processors. The chosen configuration of two modules provides a noticeable performance increase compared to single strips, and using two modules will allow for a hassle-free system upgrade in the future, as most motherboards for gamers usually have four slots for installing RAM.

Patriot Memory Viper Venom DDR5 modules support Intel XMP 3.0 technology, which allows for easy memory overclocking and performance tuning. Users can achieve higher frequencies and improved timings by selecting the appropriate profile in the BIOS, eliminating the need to manually select frequency, latency, and voltage combinations. In addition, Viper Venom modules are equipped with stylish heatsinks that not only give them an attractive appearance, but also contribute to efficient heat dissipation, maintaining optimal temperatures during long-term operation.

In terms of gaming, the Viper Venom DDR5 kit can provide higher bandwidth compared to DDR4. However, in real-world gaming scenarios, the performance gains may vary depending on the specific games and system configuration. As for the capacity, 32 GB is not a must, but it is still a good start for the future. Especially since its cost is only 30% higher than the popular 2x8 GB memory kits.

Montech XR is another rather interesting and modern Midi Tower case, which combines all the most interesting ideas of computer cases of recent years. It is positioned by the manufacturer as an affordable and modern solution for gamers and enthusiasts who would like to assemble a neat PC for games and entertainment with complex lighting and powerful cooling. As a rule, solutions of this level cost one and a half to two times more, so it is not surprising that literally immediately after its release it immediately hit the top sales of many online stores.

In terms of format, the Montech XR is a classic Midi Tower, but with panoramic transparent panels on the side and front in the style of the currently fashionable aquarium cases. The only difference is that all metal panels on the top, front and sides are covered with large perforations to improve ventilation. The case has space for nine fans (three ARGB coolers are already pre-installed by the manufacturer), as well as one platform for a large-caliber liquid cooling system of the 360 mm form factor. It is important to note that the liquid cooling system is attached from above and does not interfere with the installation of other components.

Another important feature of the Montech XR is its exceptional flexibility in designing and assembling the system. Montech XR supports the installation of ATX motherboards, video cards up to 420 mm long and CPU coolers up to 175 mm high. On the lower tier there are two bays for 3.5" drives and two for 2.5" drives. A hidden cable routing system helps to maintain a neat appearance of the assembly. The only nuance is that the control panel is not located on the top, but on the bottom of the case, that is, this is an option exclusively from the "put on the table" category.

The MSI MAG A650BN power supply provides stable power supply for entry-level and mid-range computer components. 80+ Bronze certification and active power factor correction indicate good efficiency of the PSU regardless of loads, temperature conditions and input power parameters. The overall efficiency is 85%, so the model is capable of providing gaming, working with resource-intensive applications without sags and the risk of overheating. The manufacturer has implemented all the necessary protection mechanisms - OVP, OPP, SCP, OCP, OTP, which monitor not only general changes, but also output parameters on each power line.

MSI MAG A650BN uses non-removable cables of standard length, which is enough for hidden installation in the corresponding case. The manufacturer has provided the ability to power advanced motherboards and processors thanks to the 24+8 (4+4) pin scheme and two additional PCI-E 8 pin (6+2) lines for connecting a powerful mid-range video card. A pair of Molex connectors will come in handy for uncontrolled case fans or outdated hard drives.

The air cooler from the Chinese brand Deepcool is designed for efficient cooling of processors in mid-range gaming and workstations. It demonstrates a good combination of performance and cost, which increases its appeal in the eyes of budget users who are not used to overpaying for status components and unnecessary functions. And even despite this factor, it can boast of ARGB backlighting with support for all the most popular lighting synchronization control systems.

Deepcool AG400 ARGB Black is equipped with a radiator with four copper heat pipes, which effectively transfer heat from the processor to the aluminum fins of the radiator. The cooler comes with one 120 mm fan with a hydrodynamic bearing, which, depending on the load, can accelerate from 500 to 20,000 rpm. In theory, an additional fan can also be placed on the other side, but the radiator itself, shifted to the side, suggests that one fan is still preferable to eliminate possible conflicts with tall RAM modules.

The Deepcool AG400 has a maximum thermal package of 220 W, but the technical characteristics of the model and its architectural features rather suggest that this fan is more suitable for cooling mid-range processors like the latest generation Core i5/Ryzen 5, which can generate a solid 140 – 160 W of heat with automatic overclocking of all cores. In this case, the cooler works out the funds invested in it 100% - for example, it copes with cooling a fairly hot 14-core Intel Core i5-14600 processor without any problems, while leaving a small power reserve in case the user decides to play with overclocking on his own.