FROM INTEL’S NEW 12th-generation line-up of chips, the i5-12400 doesn’t initially appear to be the pick of the bunch. Following our recent i9-12900K build, it doesn’t quite have the credentials to match that model. But does it have enough oomph to push out solid 1080p gaming with the sliders cranked up? Building inside Corsair’s impressive 275R Airflow case should help show it off—we may be overdoing the white cases of late, but we’ve had some slick ones we just couldn’t ignore.
For this build, we have more than doubled our previous $600 budget. With the bar now set at $1300, we are looking for the best performance we can get from one of Intel’s latest budget CPUs. We also have some cash spare for a fairly decent GPU, so we have opted for the RTX 3050, which matched up well in the mid to high-end budget range.
Choosing parts is always the most timeintensive section of any build. With so many different combinations of components, there are an almost endless amount of possibilities. Of course, we have to check for compatibility which isn’t always as simple as checking PC Part Picker, and we also have to stick to our budget. This is always a challenge as most builds have these two targets in mind.
So, with a 12th-gen processor, a capable GPU, a Corsair case, and the rest of the $1300 budget to play with, this should be an intriguing build. Hopefully, at the end of it all, we should be left with some comfortable numbers and a 1080p gaming beast.
CPU
Denne historien er fra April 2022-utgaven av Maximum PC.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra April 2022-utgaven av Maximum PC.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
NZXT C1500 Platinum
Top-tier performance and efficiency
Nvidia DLSS vs AMD FSR
Which AI upscaling technique has the edge?
World of Goo 2
Goo-d enough for two
BenQ X300G 4K Short Throw Projector
Priced high, yet punchy
Hyte Thicc Q60
Almost more mobile phone than CPU cooler
Remove stalkerware from your PC
ACCORDING TO KASPERSKY’S LATEST ‘State of Stalkerware’ report, over 40 percent of those surveyed worldwide said they’d experienced stalking or suspected that they were being stalked.
BUILD AN IT SUPPORT HUB
Discover how to use RustDesk to provide remote assistance and control your own devices remotely with Nick Peers
AMD's turn to drop the ball?
WITH INTEL'S RAPTOR LAKE CPUs falling over, the company firing around 15,000 employees, and cancelling its 2024 innovation event, AMD must have been enjoying the view - until its new Ryzen 9000 desktop CPUs rolled out. So, is AMD's CPU a minor stumble or game-changing fumble?
Intel issues fix for Raptor Lake degradation
EARLIER THIS YEAR, I wrote about difficulties I was having with a Core 19-13900K processor (see MPC230 Tech Talk). Little did we realize that we were only seeing the tip of the iceberg. While most complaints have involved the unlocked Core i9 Raptor Lake CPUs, it appears the instability problems build up and potentially impact many Raptor Lake-13th and 14th Gen Core CPUs, with Intel identifying 22 different desktop parts.
AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
The new Zen 5 CPUs are here—time to benchmark!