PC Builds

The Best Budget RTX 4070 SUPER PC Build

FI_Fractal Pop Air x ASUS 4070 SUPER

More components targeting the 1440p market are landing with competitive prices, making mid-range systems more affordable. This means now is a great time to start buying some new parts, and build yourself an awesome gaming PC. NVIDIA’s RTX 4070 SUPER is a powerful graphics card that targets the 1440p gaming space, offering excellent framerates across a plethora of titles. This makes it a perfect contender for a mid-range system, especially if you’re being a bit more price conscious with your purchases.

For those interested in putting together a high powered 1440p gaming PC, you’re probably wondering what parts you should pick up, to get the best balance of pricing and performance. In this full PC build guide, we’ll be doing a deep dive on a number of components that are perfect for a fully fledged 1440p gaming PC, with the RTX 4070 SUPER at the forefront of our choices.

We’ve prioritised picking out parts that sit at a sub $1500 price point, while providing excellent performance across the board.

Suggested Article: ASUS Dual RTX 4070 SUPER OC Review

Main Components

GPU: ASUS Dual RTX 4070 SUPER

MPI_ASUS Dual RTX 4070 SUPER OC
Original Review by Aled Wheeler : ASUS Dual RTX 4070 SUPER Review

NVIDIA’s RTX 4070 SUPER is a graphics card targeting 1440p gaming and is a direct competitor to AMD’s highly popular RX 7800 XT. In terms of specs, the RTX 4070 SUPER hasn’t changed drastically when compared to the original RTX 4070 model. This card still offers 12GB of VRAM with a boost clock speed of 2.48GHz.

However, both CUDA and RT cores have seen an increase, which improves performance by a fair margin. The RTX 4070 SUPER also gets more mileage from DLSS and Frame Generation due to its stronger processing power.

The ASUS Dual RTX 4070 SUPER model pushes the performance a bit further with a slight overclock to the boost speed. The ASUS Dual variant is still an MSRP card, but the boost speed enhancement is a nice bonus.

Key SpecsASUS Dual RTX 4070 SUPER
Video Memory Capacity12GB GDDR6X
Bus Width192-Bit
Base Clock Speed1.98GHz
Boost Clock Speed2.5GHz
CUDA Cores7168
RT Cores56
Length267mm
Power Draw220W

This is a dual-fan option, so thermals aren’t much better than the Founders Edition card, but the addition of a slightly larger heatsink helps with heat dissipation. The ASUS Dual RTX 4070 SUPER is also pretty small too coming in with a length of 267mm, so clearance shouldn’t be an issue.

Buy the ASUS Dual RTX 4070 SUPER on:

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 7600X

AMD Ryzen 5 7600X Box Resized
Original Review by Jay Harris: AMD Ryzen 5 7600X Review – Architecture, Gaming Benchmarks & Thermals

AMD’s Ryzen 5 7600X is an excellent CPU, ideal for the price conscious buyer. This processor has been a hit with budget gamers, due to its low price point and excellent single core performance. The Ryzen 5 7600X is able to reach its 5.3GHz boost speed with ease while gaming, making it one of the strongest CPU options for those looking to play their favourite titles at 1440p.

Key SpecsAMD Ryzen 5 7600X
Core Count6
Thread Count12
Base Clock Speed4.7GHz
Boost Clock Speed5.3GHz
Total Cache38MB
Default TDP105W
CPU SocketAM5
OverclockableYes

While there are some that may have concerns about thermals, the Ryzen 5 7600X is one of the few Ryzen 7000 options that doesn’t reach insane temperatures during relatively low core count workloads. This means a decent air cooler will be perfectly sufficient to keep a lid on temperatures.

Buy the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X on:

$194.00 at Amazon
Last updated: 2024-12-07 04:51:34 ET

CPU Cooler: Deepcool AK400 WH

DeepCool AK400 WH Resized

Deepcool’s AK400 WH is an excellent CPU cooler, and is a perfect pairing for our Ryzen 5 7600X. The AK400 is a compact, single tower rendition of the AK620, which is one of Deepcool’s most popular budget air coolers.

But despite being smaller in size, the AK400 holds up very well with modern CPUs. The unique matrix fin design, along with four dedicated heat pipes, ensures heat is dissipated efficiently. The 120mm fan is also extremely quiet, minimising noise levels.

Key SpecsDeepcool AK400 WH
Number of Fans1
Heatpipes4
Max RPM1850RPM
Fan Noise29dB
Cooler Height155mm
Fan Connector4-Pin PWM
Socket SupportAM5
AM4
LGA1700

While this particular model is the white version of the AK400, it does also come in black, or the standard steel colour with a black top. We’ve picked out the white version because it provides some nice contrast for our PC build without taking away from the overarching darker theme.

Buy the Deepcool AK400 WH on:

Motherboard: ASUS TUF Gaming B650M-Plus

MPI_ASUS TUF Gaming B650M-Plus

The TUF Gaming B650M-Plus is a brilliant motherboard with an excellent set of features that comes in at a great price point. This Micro-ATX board sports an industrial-themed design with a contrasting grey and black colour scheme. While there will be some buyers that won’t be a fan of the aesthetic that the TUF Gaming B650M-Plus offers, it blends in very well with other dark coloured components.

Key SpecsASUS TUF Gaming B650M-Plus
Form FactorMicro-ATX
Supported Memory192GB DDR5 7600MT/s
PCI-E x16 Slots1x PCI-E 4.0
PCI-E x4 Slots2x PCI-E 5.0
Rear IO1 x USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C
2 x USB 3.2 Gen2
1 x USB 3.2 Gen1
4 x USB 2.0
Networking2.5 Gigabit LAN

On the features front, the TUF Gaming B650M-Plus comes with a Gen4 graphics card slot, which is perfect for our RTX 4070 SUPER, alongside a Gen5 M.2 slot. This will open up some upgrade options for those that plan on picking up a PCI-E 5.0 SSD later down the line.

On the rear IO, you’ll find 8 total ports to choose from, which includes a 20Gbps Type-C port. While this motherboard doesn’t offer any onboard WiFi, the 2.5 Gigabit LAN port should be ample for gamers to leverage strong speeds.

Buy the ASUS TUF Gaming B650M-Plus on:

RAM: TEAMGROUP T-Force Delta RGB

MPI_TEAMGROUP T-Force Delta RGB DDR5 32GB

TEAMGROUP’s T-Force Delta RGB 32GB kit is perfect for this PC build based on its solid price point compared to the rest of the market. DDR5 can sit well over the $150 mark dependent on the kit that you’ve chosen. However, this T-Force Delta set of DIMMs sits closer to the $100 price point, which is very reasonable considering the speed.

In terms of specs, this kit is rated at 6400MT/s with a latency of CL40. While we would have preferred to get a lower latency kit, it can be quite difficult to find better options that sit at this price. Regardless, the latency shouldn’t affect gaming performance.

Key SpecsTEAMGROUP T-Force Delta RGB
Capacity32GB
GenerationDDR5
Speed6400MT/s
LatencyCL40
Voltage1.35V
Height46mm
RGBYes

From an aesethetic standpoint, the T-Force Delta RGB kit looks awesome. Picking up a component with RGB is a welcome addition to this build, as it provides some much needed flair.

The black shrouding contrasts with the RGB lighting on the top of each DIMM. All of the RGB lighting can be fully customised using a variety of different software, allowing you to configure lighting effects to your heart’s content.

Buy the TEAMGROUP T-Force Delta RGB Kit on:

$89.99 at Amazon
Last updated: 2024-12-07 04:51:34 ET

SSD: Crucial P3 Plus 1TB

MPI_Crucial P3 Plus

Crucial’s P3 Plus drive is a mainstay of budget PC builds due to its competitive price point and excellent speeds. This is a 1TB drive, offering read speeds up to 5000MB/s and write speeds up to 3600MB/s. While we could have picked out a drive that offers stronger performance, this isn’t necessary for gaming.

The vast majority of games aren’t going to use the full bandwidth capability of high-end M.2 SSDs, so it made sense to us to capitalise on the lower prices of budget Gen4 drives.

Key SpecsCrucial P3 Plus 1TB
PCI-E GenerationGen4
Capacity1TB
Read Speeds5000MB/s
Write Speeds3600MB/s

While some buyers might have concerns about the capacity of this drive, we believe 1TB of storage to be a good middle ground for this system. This will allow you to install the vast majority of your main games along with extra applications. It might be worth adding an extra terabyte later down the line if you’ve got a lot of games, but this is an upgrade option to consider in the future.

Buy the Crucial P3 Plus 1TB on:

$61.70 at Amazon
Last updated: 2024-12-07 04:51:34 ET

Case: Fractal Design Pop Air RGB

MPI_Fractal Pop Air Build

Fractal Design’s Pop Air is a very popular case due to its versatile airflow-focused design that is very easy to build in. We’ve picked the standard black colourway option as it blends in well with other components, but there are a number of other different coloured designs on the market.

The Pop Air offers a relatively minimalist style around the chassis, alongside a honeycomb-patterned mesh front panel, providing some additional flair.

Key SpecsFractal Design Pop Air RGB
Form FactorMid-Tower
Motherboard SupportITX, M-ATX, ATX
Front IO2 x USB 3.0 Type A
1x 3.5mm Headphone Jack
1x 3.5mm Microphone Jack
Max. Clearance170mm Cooler Height
405mm GPU Length
170mm PSU Length
Drive SupportUp to 2 x 5.25 Inch
Up to 3 x 2.5 inch
Up to 4 x 3.5 inch
Fan SupportFront: 2 x 140mm
Top: 2 x 140mm
Rear: 1 x 120mm
Radiator SupportFront: 280mm
Top: 240mm
Rear: 120mm
Preinstalled Fans3 x 120mm

The Fractal Design Pop Air offers space for a 280mm radiator at the front of the case, or a 240mm AIO at the top. You’ve also got 405mm of GPU clearance to play around with, which is more than enough room for our ASUS Dual RTX 4070 SUPER. The Pop Air does support air coolers up to 170mm in height too, which should be ample for the AK400 WH we’ve chosen for this PC build.

Despite the Pop Air being a bit simplistic in its design, it is an extremely versatile case that offers plenty of space for a range of component configurations at a very reasonable price point.

Buy the Fractal Design Pop Air RGB on:

$93.00 at Amazon
Last updated: 2024-12-07 04:51:34 ET

PSU: Thermaltake Smart BM3 750W

MPI_Thermaltake Smart BM3 750W

Thermaltake’s Smart BM3 750W has popped up in a multitude of our mid-range PC builds due to its reliability and highly competitive price point. This semi-modular 750W unit sports an 80 Plus Bronze efficiency rating, ensuring minimal power is lost as heat or noise. The Smart Zero Fan mode will also keep your fan switched off while your PSU is sitting below a 20% load.

In terms of cabling, the Smart BM3 750W is a semi-modular power supply, meaning some of your cables are hard-wired into the unit, while some can be plugged in of your own accord. This includes PCI-E cables, peripheral and SATA options, along with the 12VHPWR connector, which is perfect for powering the ASUS Dual RTX 4070 SUPER OC.

Key SpecsThermaltake Smart BM3 750W
Wattage750W
Efficiency Rating80 Plus Bronze
ModularityFully
ATX 3.0Yes
Zero-Fan ModeYes
Warranty5 Years

The Smart BM3 750W offers industrial grade protection mechanisms which will switch off your PC should any of these protections become tripped.

Buy the Thermaltake Smart BM3 750W on:

$99.34 at Amazon
Last updated: 2024-12-07 04:51:34 ET

Performance

Overall, this build offered up performance levels that can compete with the best 1440p configurations on the market. In the latest and greatest competitive titles, the RTX 4070 SUPER and AMD Ryzen 5 7600X combination managed to reach the 144FPS ‘sweet-spot’ fairly comfortably, providing smooth gameplay across the board.

1440p, High Settings
Avg: 235FPS

Preset: High

V-Sync: Off
Anti Aliasing: TSAA
Texture Filtering: 8x
Ambient Occlusion: High
Volumetric Lighting: High
Dynamic Shadows: Enabled
Model Detail: High


1080p, Comp. Settings
Avg: 303FPS

Preset: Low

V-Sync: Off
Render Distance: Far
TSR: Off
Global Illumination: Off
Ray Tracing: Off
Effects: Low
Post Processing: Low


1440p, High Settings
Avg: 157FPS

Preset: High

V-Sync: Off
DLSS: Performance
Textures: High
Particle Quality: High
Tessellation: Near
Shaders: High

1440p, High Settings
Avg: 180FPS

Preset: High

V-Sync: Off
DLSS: Performance
Textures: High
Particle Quality: High
Tessellation: Near
Shaders: High

Video

editor
Jay Harris is an expert in everything PC hardware! With a degree in Cybersecurity, and a PC hardware background Jay has all of the technical knowledge required to make informed recommendations. Jay is an avid keyboard builder and gamer, with a major passion for tech. In fact, Jay's personal rig boasts a white RX 7900 XTX graphics card, inside of the Lian O11D Mini - a true enthusiast's dream!