Guide total ≈ £1,404 (~$1,895)
The £1,404 guide — Balanced 1440p
Spec-led 1440p target; verify settings and frame rates in dated independent tests.
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Guide prices are approximate UK street prices last checked August 29, 2026 (GPU and 32GB RAM rows rechecked September 26, 2026) — not live quotes. RAM and GPU pricing moved weekly through 2025-26; use the per-part buttons to verify current figures before ordering.
CPU
AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
≈ £175~$236Zen 5 efficiency keeps the CPU from being the 1440p gaming bottleneck in most titles; still AM5, so the X3D upgrade path stays open.
Search Amazon UK (opens in new tab)CPU cooler
Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
≈ £33~$45Twin-tower cooling for the price of a basic single tower — the 9600X does not justify liquid cooling.
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Gigabyte B650 Eagle AX
≈ £108~$146Wi-Fi 6E, three M.2 slots and a 4-DIMM layout — the sensible middle of the B650 range.
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32GB (2×16GB) DDR5-6000 CL30
≈ £400~$540DDR5-6000 CL30 is a commonly specified AM5 pairing; 32GB leaves more room for 1440p textures and background applications than the 16GB tier.
Search Amazon UK (opens in new tab)SSD
WD Black SN850X 1TB
≈ £140~$189A higher-tier PCIe 4.0 drive at a guide-price step above budget models; 1TB is the selected starting capacity.
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AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB
≈ £421~$56816GB at a mid-range price is the point: it is selected for high-settings 1440p targets and VRAM that should not date first. Catalogued alongside other mid-range cards on the GPU guide.
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Phanteks XT Pro
≈ £55~$74Mesh front, one included rear 120mm fan, and clearance for a three-slot card when the GPU upgrade comes.
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MSI MAG A750GL 750W Gold
≈ £72~$97750W Gold with a native 12V-2x6 cable; the listed capacity leaves an upgrade margin, but confirm the future GPU's vendor requirements.
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Approximate tier total
The 16GB GPU configuration is selected for a 1440p target because it provides more memory headroom than the 8GB alternative. Verify game-specific settings and frame rates in dated independent tests rather than treating this list as a benchmark.
The 9600X and the AM5 socket are the specification-led CPU and platform choices here, with an X3D upgrade left as a possibility subject to BIOS and vendor support. The £33 twin-tower cooler is a compatible option; noise and temperature results depend on the case, fan curve, and workload. Intel’s Core Ultra 5 250K Plus is the current 2026 Arrow Lake Refresh alternative if pricing changes the balance — see the CPU hub for Intel's list price and check live UK street; the older 245K is no longer the live mid-stack pick.
A 750W Gold PSU and a case with room for a three-slot card leave an upgrade margin on paper. Confirm dimensions, power connectors, and vendor requirements before changing the GPU.
The RX 9060 XT also ships in an 8GB version for roughly £40 less; the 16GB model is the capacity-oriented choice for this guide's 1440p target. At 2026 memory-crisis prices a 16GB (2×8GB) DDR5 kit is the fallback if 32GB would break the budget — drop it in first and upgrade the kit later. Compare current pricing and dated independent tests before ordering. Guide prices checked August 29, 2026; GPU and 32GB RAM rows rechecked September 26, 2026. USD figures are indicative conversions at a static rate, not live prices.