BUDGET
CORSAIR’S WONDERFUL 4000D AIRFLOW CASE is up $8 this month, sound the alarms! It’s still a solid choice of case at that price but, hopefully, we can make some small savings elsewhere. For the AMD build, we’ve got a new power supply: the TUF Gaming 550W from Asus, which is cheaper than Corsair’s CV550 and brings to the table all the usual trimmings for a cheap but reliable PSU. We’re talking dual-ball fan bearings for improved lifespan, 0dB technology for quiet operation, and an 80+ Bronze efficiency rating.
The budget AMD system is treated to a new motherboard this month, courtesy of a sale on MSI’s MPG B550 Gaming Plus. This won’t net a massive performance boost, but it’s a steal at $87 and comes equipped with RGB lighting and an M.2 heat shield for better SSD thermals. The Intel machine gets a new mobo too; with MSI’s B460M-A PRO Micro no longer on sale, we’ve swapped it out for the similar (but military-styled) MAG B460M Mortar WiFi from MSI.