Nvidia has released another Ampere GPU and it’s the most affordable yet: The RTX 3060 Ti starts at $399 but make no mistake, this is no entry-level GPU. With performance surpassing the outgoing RTX 2080 Super, this GPU is well suited to 1440p high FPS gameplay. With advanced technologies like RTX cores and DLSS 2.0 for upscaling, it brings high-performance graphics to a price point not seen before. In this build guide, we’ll take you through the best system $1200 can buy featuring the RTX 3060 Ti.

RTX 3060 Ti Gaming PC Build – The Parts List

Graphics Card

At $400 the RTX 3060 Ti is the most affordable Ampere GPU released so far. This new architecture from Nvidia brings a huge step forwards in performance with this $400 card exceeding the performance of the last generations $700 RTX 2080 Super—That’s this generations mid tier card faster than all but the highest end of the Turing GPU offerings from just 2 years ago. This card will approach or exceed 100FPS in demanding AAA titles at 1440p, with even Red Dead Redemption 2 hitting around 80FPS with settings turned up to High. It has the advantage of a lower power draw than the higher end cards in the lineup, with a 650W Power supply being adequate to power it’s 200W demands. This increases the value of this graphics card and reduces the additional spend needed to build a well-rounded system. This GPU forms the core of the best bang for buck gaming system currently available – so we’ll select parts that allow it to achieve it’s potential without overspending.

Related: RTX 3060 Ti vs RTX 2080 Super

CPU

To properly take advantage of the RTX 3060 Ti you need a well-balanced system with a high-performance CPU. This is because the GPU is capable of high frame rates in well-optimised titles so long as the CPU is up to the task. We’ve opted for the Intel i5-10600K in this instance to maintain the value of the build: whilst the Ryzen 5 5600X is slightly higher performance, it’s also more expensive and at present stock is hard to find. The Intel i5-10600K nearly equals it in performance in high framerate titles, but most of the time the GPU will be the limiting factor so there will be no performance difference at all. We’ve paired this CPU with a Hyper 212 Black Edition, which is a great value and capable CPU cooler to reduce temperatures and noise and keeps the total CPU cost to $300.

Motherboard

We’ve opted for this Aorus Elite AC branded Z490 motherboard from Gigabyte for a number of reasons. Firstly Gigabyte offers strong VRM performance across their Z490 range, meaning you can comfortably overclock the power-hungry Comet Lake CPU without excessive heat or instability. The Aorus Elite AC has 12+1 Phase VRM with 50 Amp Mosfets to ensure stable power to the CPU. This motherboard is also capable of taking the more powerful i7-10700K or even the 10-core i9-10900K in future if you wish to upgrade, as well as being forwards compatible with upcoming Rocket Lake ‘11^th gen’ intel CPUs.

The Aorus Elite AC uses a Realtek 2.5G Ethernet controller, whilst many of the competition uses an Intel ‘I225V’ which unfortunately suffers from packet loss in some earlier revisions: Rather than hunt through retailer sites to ensure you don’t get a defective LAN chip, this motherboard avoids the issue entirely. The rest of the specifications are excellent with good USB connectivity, inbuilt WiFi, three M.2 slots and a high quality ALC1200 Audio Codec. This motherboard is a strong pairing with the i5-10600K and will allow the RTX 3060 Ti to really shine. Regarding the lack of PCIe 4.0 functionality: Testing shows that this doesn’t negatively impact GPU performance at all, and neither is the increased speed of a PCIe 4.0 SSD beneficial to gaming or worth the additional costs of those high-performance SSDs. Therefore the specification of this motherboard and CPU is in keeping with the bang-for-buck nature of this build, giving you maximum gaming performance without overspending. 

Memory

This G.Skill Ripjaws V 16GB DDR4-3200 CL16 RAM kit is sufficient for all current games. Intel isn’t as RAM speed sensitive as Ryzen, allowing us to take advantage of slightly lower-priced and more readily available RAM. This kit is from G.Skill who is a trusted brand and runs at 3200MHz. It has CL16 16-18-18-38 timings for good performance and a stable XMP overclock with one click in BIOS, and using a dual-stick kit means you benefit from dual-channel operation which maximizes the bandwidth and improves performance. This is a rock-solid RAM kit and provides enough memory at a high enough speed to ensure great performance from this PC. 

Storage

With SSD prices dropping all the time it makes sense to specify a large SSD for the operating system and games. This is a solid choice from Western Digital with their SN550 1TB NVMe SSD, and whilst it may not post the highest scores in benchmarks, our own testing shows it to be no slower in real-world performance (booting and game loading) than much more expensive options. Therefore it’s an ideal drive for a gaming and general-purpose PC. Running this in the primary M.2 Slot keeps a second M.2 slot free for future upgrades, and simplifies both storage and set up with just one drive. 

PC Case

Phanteks have a strong reputation for high performance and attractive cases with great cooling capability. The Phanteks P400A has a mesh front panel allowing maximum airflow into the case, to ensure ample cooling for the CPU and GPU. A PSU shroud keeps cabling neat inside whilst a tempered glass side panel shows off the bits you do want people to see. It’s an ATX mid-tower and has a standard layout for ease of build and maintenance, but there’s plenty of options to mount radiators, multiple fan configurations and additional drives as you need or PC expand with time.  There are alternative versions if you’d prefer: The P400A Digital includes 3 RGB front case fans, and there are white variants too, but this case represents a great starting point and can be configured however you choose.  If you don’t opt for the P400A Digital, We’d recommend adding a pair of 140mm fans of your choice to this case to act as intake, and ensure case temperatures are kept low.

Power Supply

One of the blessings of the RTX 3060 Ti against its higher strung siblings it the reduced power requirements. Whilst the RTX 3080 and RTX 3070 demand much more expensive power supplies, the relatively frugal 250W draw of this GPU mean we can specify a cheaper but still very capable Power supply. With choice restricted and prices elevated owing to supply issues, we’ve opted for the EVGA GD series in 600W format here. This is a new design, refreshed in 2019 and meeting Gold efficiency requirements. It’s non modular, which means all required cables come permanently attached to the power supply. That’s not a problem – in fact it simplifies the build process and if you wish to customise your cabling then extensions are cheaper and easier to find than full custom cables for a modular power supply. This PSU also has the full suite of protection features to prevent damage to itself and your system in the event of any faults. It’s backed by EVGA’s 5 years warranty, to provide you with peace of mind.

Best 1080p 240Hz Monitor for RTX 3060 Ti

The Alienware AW2521HF is a specialist 1080p monitor with 240Hz refresh rate and a very fast response time: This is the perfect monitor to take advantage of the very high frame rates this PC’s CPU and GPU combination will deliver at 1080p. If you’re a competitive player in titles like Rainbow 6 Siege, CoD Warzone, or even Fortnite then a faster framerate can make the difference between winning and losing. This monitor uses G-Sync compatible Adaptive Sync technology to display frames as soon as they’re ready, reducing lag and eliminating tearing. It’s the perfect complement to this system if fast-paced shooters are your favoured games.

Best 1440p All-rounder Monitor for RTX 3060 Ti

The RTX 3060 Ti really shines at 1440p resolution, where it can bring detailed worlds to life in intricate detail. To really immerse yourself in games like Cyberpunk 2077 or Red Dead Redemption 2, we’d recommend this 27” 1440p monitor, the M27Q, from Gigabyte. It uses an IPS panel for rich vibrant colors and includes a 144hz refresh rate and Freesync premium to ensure tear-free high frame rate action. It’s great value and keeps it on-trend with the theme of this PC: Maximising bang for buck around the new value champion, the RTX 3060 Ti. 

Conclusion

Overall, this system delivers an epic high FPS 1080p or all-round 1440p Gaming experience, at just $1200. This is a level of performance we couldn’t dream of at the price only a year ago. Nvidia’s Ampere has brought this within reach, with the RTX 3060 Ti providing a gaming experience you had to spend $800 on the GPU alone to rival in the previous generation. This is an excellent gaming PC at a price you can afford. 

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Intel’s ‘Comet lake‘ refresh of their CPUs has brought new features and capability to the Core i5 designation. In response to AMD’s dominant Zen 2 Ryzen 3000 CPUs Intel has made the i5 a 6-core part with multithreading and raised the clock speeds. These enhancements make the new i5 an excellent choice for gamers as well as those needing high single-core speeds for tasks such as iterative modelling or CAD work. 

In this article, we’ll make a number of RAM recommendations for a variety of common scenarios with the i5-10600K. Using the RAM kits we’ve selected will ensure that you’re maximising the potential of this CPU without overspending or running into compatibility issues.

Memory for the i5-10600K – Speeds and features

Whilst the CPU memory controller is rated at 2666MHz this is the base frequency. A Z490 motherboard allows overclocking of both CPU and RAM speeds and we strongly advise that any build using the ‘K’ suffix unlocked CPUs also includes a Z490 chipset motherboard. Otherwise, the CPU cannot fulfil its potential meaning you’ve paid for performance you can’t access. RAM speeds are less critical for Intel CPUs than for AMD’s Ryzen products in which the infinity fabric speed dictates the overall performance of the CPU. For the Comet Lake i5, there’s less incentive to buy the fastest RAM and we can choose more freely from some better value offerings without negatively impacting CPU performance. Therefore when choosing RAM we can look at a starting point of 3000Mhz clock speeds and CL16 or lower timings for optimal performance. In all cases, we select a kit of matched memory modules to ensure operation in dual channel mode. This gives a marked improvement in performance over single-channel memory access. 

Here are our recommendations for the best RAM to pair with your Comet Lake i5-10600K CPU:

Best RAM for Intel Core i5-10600K Builds – Our Recommendations

Best RAM for i5-10600K Esports Builds

G.Skill Ripjaws V 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 CL16 Memory F4 – SKU 3600C16D-16GVKC

If you’re into Esports then the i5-10600K is an excellent choice. The high clock speeds will let you obtain high frame rates, especially when overclocked. This RAM, the G.Skill Ripjaws V, compliments that with 3600Mhz speeds and tight 16-19-19-39 timings. The true latency of this RAM is under 9ns making it a bargain at around $80! For a one-click solution, you can use the embedded XMP profile in BIOS for a guaranteed RAM  overclock but if you wish to dig deeper you can extract even more performance by tweaking primary and secondary timings manually. It appears on the Qualified Vendor Lists (QVL) for the popular entry-level MSI and Gigabyte Z490 Motherboards guaranteeing compatibility at the rated speeds. Using Samsung memory chips, this high performance but low-cost RAM should be at the top of your shopping list for an esports PC.

Best Gaming RAM for i5-10600K Builds

Crucial Ballistix 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory – SKU BL2K8G32C16U4B

For a cost-effective i5-10600K gaming build, 16Gb of RAM is adequate for almost all current games. This 2x8Gb Crucial Ballistix kit operates at 3200MHz and CL16 via an XMP profile so it’s very easy to set up for good performance. The discreet black heat spreader design fits well with the aesthetic on a number of the mid-range Z490 motherboards and at around $75 this kit is easy on the wallet as well as the eye. 

Best RGB RAM for i5-10600K Builds

Kingston HyperX Fury RGB 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory – SKU HX432C16FB3AK2/16 

If you want to add some visual flair to your gaming build then this Kingston HyperX Fury RGB RAM kit is a great option. The memory itself is rated at 3200mhz CL16 and uses Hynix manufactured RAM chips. 

The RGB can be synced with the software from all the major motherboard manufacturers making this RAM easy to integrate into your build without using additional RGB control software. Kingston has recently refreshed the heat spreader design of their Hyper X RAM kits giving this RAM a clean modern aesthetic that is consistent with motherboard heatsinks. This RAM kit offers an attractive balance of price, performance and RGB features that enhances your PC without diverting budget from other important components.

Best 32GB RAM for i5-10600K Productivity Builds

G.Skill Aegis 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory – SKU F4-3200C16D-32GIS

For productivity tasks such as photo editing or CAD work 32Gb is a sensible memory capacity for i5-10600K productivity builds. You may also find this beneficial for demanding sim titles like Cities: Skylines or the upcoming Microsoft Flight release. The Aegis line is the entry-level RAM from G.Skill offering maximum value for money by cutting down on frills. The core of this kit is well up to the task with 3200MHz speed and tight CL16-18-18-38 primary timings available via a one-click XMP profile. Using 2 16Gb sticks initially makes a future move to 64Gb painless, and the Aegis line is well established which will make finding matching sticks in future much easier if you do need more RAM. It has a lifetime warranty for peace of mind and is widely featured on motherboard QVL lists for maximum compatibility irrespective of the motherboard you choose.

Best Overclocking RAM for i5-10600K

Team T-Force Xtreem DDR4 4133Mhz CL18 – SKU TXKD416G4133HC18FDC01

If you’re looking to wring maximum performance out of your i5-10600K and don’t mind tinkering with settings we recommend this high-performance 16Gb RAM kit from Team group. The T-Force Xtreem 4133Mhz kit has exceptionally low latency and has been verified to run at 4133Mhz on compatible motherboards. The fast XMP Profile is just the beginning with Team group boasting of multiple records in the hands of talented memory overclockers – so if you want to try your hand at improving things further this RAM has the capacity to respond well to manual adjustment of speeds and timings. Nevertheless, if you just want high memory speeds in a click-and-forget profile this RAM has you covered too. Whilst higher speed kits are on the market the cost increases exponentially and actual performance gains in use are minimal. That’s why paired with an i5-10600K this memory kit is an excellent choice for overclockers and memory tweakers.

Featured Builds

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If you’ve bought into the hype of Intel’s newest 10^th Generation CPUs, dubbed ‘Comet Lake‘ then you are going to need an LG1200 chipset compatible motherboard: The Z490. With the enhanced RAM compatibility featured by the new 10^th generation processors, including the i3-10100, i5-10600K, i7-10700K and i9-10900K, it is a good opportunity to upgrade/purchase some brand new RAM to go with it.

The quality of RAM is many times overlooked, despite it playing a key roll in the overall quality of the build. The RAM enables the CPU to engage in data transfer, software and gaming applications, as well as prevent any occasional slowdowns, stuttering or system crashes.

There are some specific key aspects of RAM that need to be taken into account when planning a new build. Each component of a PC needs to work in harmonious synchronicity in order to avoid bottlenecking issues between units. You can purchase star components which will have a larger share of the allocated to the setup budget, but if the team is weak, that star will not have the opportunity to shine.

Best Memory Size for Intel 10th Gen Processors (Workstation / Gaming)

The first key component to take into account when purchasing RAM, is the size needed for the intended use. A computer for just desktop applications or video streaming – like an HTPC for example – (for those looking to purchase one of Intel’s new i3 series processors) will need no more than 8 GB of RAM; and even that may be too much. If you are a gaming enthusiast and want to build a PC worthy of the next generation of consoles set to release by the end of the year, then 16 GB of RAM will work out just fine. If you’re worried about this amount of RAM being too low to futureproof your build, worry not, as the announced specifications of the Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X show us that these consoles will also feature 16 GB of RAM. Of course, you can always purchase more if you feel the need to later on, though that money would be better allocated to purchasing better quality RAM, rather than quantity. If you are looking to stream in addition to gaming, or perhaps edit and render high resolution videos, then 32 GB would be a sufficient start. Of course, this number goes up depending on the line of work.

Best RAM Speeds for Intel 10th Gen Processors (Workstation / Gaming)

The next key aspect is the speed of the RAM. For workstations, the higher the speed the better, though 3200 MHz should work sufficiently for most applications. The same applies for gaming, as 3000-3200 MHz is more than enough. After 3000 MHz, diminishing effects begin to stack up on each other, and are generally not worth the extra cost. For desktop applications, video streaming, and light gaming use, speeds of 2400-2666 MHz will suffice.

Best CAS Latencies for Intel 10th Gen Processors

The final key aspect, which is many times ignored when purchasing RAM, despite being of almost equal importance to the RAM speeds, is the latency of the memory. The Column Address Signal (CAS) measures the cycles necessary for the unit to access data from a column address; therefore, the lower the CAS, the better. Having high latency RAM will bottleneck its speed and overall performance. Benchmarks show that a 3200 MHz RAM with a CAS of 15 will outperform the same brand model with 3600 MHz and a CAS of 16. For gaming, a CAS 15 will suffice, while for workstations a CAS of 14 would be best. For streaming and desktop use the CAS will not matter, as RAM speeds for such light use will hardly be noticeable.

To help you choose the right RAM for you, we’ve included the best models for: entry-level i3 builds, gaming i5-10600K or i7-10700K builds, and i9-10900K workstation builds; taking in mind all the aforementioned key aspects, and, of course, pricing.

Best RAM for Intel i3-10300, i5-10600K, i7-10700K, i9-10900K – Our Recommendations

Award	Design	Model
Best RAM for Intel 10th Gen i3 Budget Builds		Crucial 8GB DDR4 DDR4-2666 CL19
Best RGB RAM for Intel 10th Gen Gaming Builds		Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 16GB DDR4-3000 CL15
Best RAM for Intel 10th Gen Gaming Builds		Crucial Ballistix 16GB DDR4-3000 CL15
Best RAM for Intel 10th Gen Workstation Builds		TeamGroup T-Force Dark Pro 16GB DDR4-3200 CL14

Best RAM for Intel 10th Gen i3 Budget Builds

Crucial is a consumer brand from Micron Technology, an American producer based in Idaho that makes competitive, high quality, memory units and sells them at a fraction of the price of their competitors. For budget i3-10100, i3-10300 or i5-10600K builds, we recommend none other than the Crucial 8GB DDR4 2666 MHz RAM stick.

If you’re looking to build a mini-ITX setup, then you are most likely aware that mITX motherboards RAM slots are quite limited: usually only two slots. Despite Crucial’s $34 price tag, this 8GB of RAM comes in a single rank, so you can always have the option to upgrade further if need be – though 8GB should be more than enough.

Accordingly, the 2666 MHz speeds, and 19 CAS latency are respectable for such builds, as anything more would be overkill for the intended purpose. Another great aspect of this RAM is that it is free of the clunkyness of the heat spreaders of other RAM cards, instead of going for a smaller and thinner design to fit those tightly fit small form factor cases.

It may not have the best latency mark, or any stylish design fluff like RGB lighting, but this RAM is all about functionality, compatibility, and of course, an affordable price; making it a perfect fit for entry-level SFF, and budget, builds featuring the i3-10100 or i3-10300 series Intel CPUs.

Best RAM for Intel 10th Gen Gaming Builds

Here we’ve chosen two different RAM models, as to better suit different types of gaming builds with the i5-10600K, i7-10700K or i9-10900K. If you want a tempered glass panel case to show off your RGB pizzazz, then the Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro is chosen for you, but if you want a silent case, care little about RGB lighting, or would rather save some money from the RAM purchase, then the Crucial Ballistix is better suitable for your Comet Lake setup.

For both these choices, we recommend the 3000 MHz C15 versions, with 16 GB being the smartest size for a first purchase. Both these RAM choices are very similar in their build: they both have respectable heat spreaders, they have the same speeds and similar CAS latencies, and they both come in different variations to choose from in regards to colors and designs.

The main differences are, that the Corsair option has RGB lighting which can be synchronized via Corsair’s iCue software and provide quite an impressive light show, lacking from the Crucial Ballistix, which otherwise has a low-profile suitable for SFF builds, and is considerably cheaper than the aforementioned option.

If the appearance of your system is important for you, then the price difference will cost you close to an extra $30, as the Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro currently costs $95.99. If you care little for appearances, but rather prefer a more practical or silent setup, then you can find Crucial’s Ballistix option for $69.99.

No matter what you choose, both RAM models are great for gaming builds; and are estimable companions for Intel’s i5-10600 or i7-10700 series CPUs.

Best RAM for Intel 10th Gen Workstation Builds

For most consumer-level workstations, nothing will beat TeamGroup’s T-Force Dark Pro RAM.

Team Group is a Taiwanese company founded in 1997, and is, for the most part, a manufacturer of memory units; hence why their products have earned them several awards for their price-quality ratios.

The T-Force Dark Pro features 3200 MHz frequencies, and an ultra-low latency of C14 cycles, with CL timings of 14-14-14-31, rendering it capable of data transfers of 25.6 GB/s. Enhanced by the use of JEDEC RC 2.0: a customized circuit board with an increased distance between power and signal layers, which boosts the transmitting signal by 35%. Additionally, this RAM is optimized for Intel’s XMP technology, allowing you to apply multiple memory settings to different profiles for a quicker change of overclocking settings. To dissipate the resulting heat from the application of such overclocking settings, the T-Force Dark pro has a five-piece heat sink with an aluminum heat spreader. Finally, the chips used are all original integrated circuit chips.

For the quality and specifications of this RAM, the T-Force Dark Pro’s $129 is exceptional – definitely the best price-value ratio available for RAM suitable for an i9-10900K workstation build. This price includes 16 GB (two 8GB ranks) of RAM, so for 32 GB the price will rise to $259, which is still exceptional, and will suffice for the majority of consumer-level workstation, and enthusiast i9-10900K setups.

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