Intel Core i5-14500 + Radeon RX 9060 XT 16 GB · Intel B760 · 32GB DDR4 · 2TB NVMe build

Smart build — best all-round · tower build on LGA 1700 + Intel B760

Still the recommended build for:

Blender 3D workstation Blender 3D workstation · Europe

Parts · Smart build — best all-round€1,473

cpuIntel Core i5 1450014C/20T · 5 GHz · 65 WAlternatives & swap
€273
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motherboardASUS B760M-AYW WIFI D4 IIIntel B760 · MATX · 2× M.2Alternatives & swap
€83
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ramPatriot Signature Premium 32GB DDR4 3200 MHz UDIMM Memory Kit (2 x 16GB)32 GB DDR4 · 3200 MT/sAlternatives & swap
€150
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caseSHARKOON VS8 ATX Mid Tower BlackATX/MATX/ITX · 2× 3.5″Alternatives & swap
€35
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cooling ID-COOLING SE-904-XT Blackair tower · 123 mmAlternatives & swap
€16
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psube quiet! Straight Power 11 550W Fully Modular 80+ Gold550 W · gold · modularAlternatives & swap
≈ €60
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storageNetac NV7000-t 2TB M.2 NVMe SSDNVME · 2 TBAlternatives & swap
€226
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gpuGigabyte GAMING OC Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB GDDR616 GB VRAM · 160 W · ROCMAlternatives & swap
€630
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Performance67

Value83

Efficiency62

Expandability71

Silence50

Longevity82

Reliability60

Overall70

Future-proof score

Strong future-proofing

72/100

Strong future-proofing (72/100) — this build should stay relevant for years without major surgery.

Upgrade path75

DIY build — the CPU, motherboard and PSU can each be upgraded independently without replacing the whole system.

Expansion64

Expansion headroom: 1 PCIe slot(s), 1 M.2, 4 SATA, 2 drive bay(s), 0 RAM slot(s) free.

Storage growth90

Storage is 100% utilized with 2 free drive bay(s) and 4 free SATA port(s).

Memory growth20

0 RAM slot(s) free; memory is 100% utilized.

Networking80

Networking is 2500 Mbps, and a free PCIe slot can add a faster NIC later.

Replacement ease90

ATX form factor with standard, socketed components — most parts are easy to replace.

Workload change85

A 16GB GPU is present — AI and transcoding workloads are covered.

Homelab Risk Score

Low risk

21/100

Low risk (21/100) — sensible redundancy and headroom; no single point of failure is exposed.

low

Single point of failure

No primary data stored on this system, so a drive failure has low impact.Fix: Keep backups for any data you do add later.

low

Storage risk

Solid-state storage — no moving parts, low mechanical failure risk.Fix: For an always-on system, prefer NAS/CMR-rated drives; monitor SMART and replace before the warranty ends.

high

Data loss risk

1 drive(s) with no redundancy — a single SSD/controller failure can still lose data.Fix: Add redundancy and an off-site/off-box backup for anything irreplaceable.

low

Power risk

PSU is 550W, peak load 255W (46%).Fix: PSU sizing leaves healthy headroom for spikes and future parts.

low

Network risk

Single 2500 Mbps NIC — a switch/port failure takes the box fully offline, and multi-user media can saturate 2500 Mbps.Fix: Consider a second NIC or a managed switch; for heavy media, plan for 2.5/10G before the build.

low

Expansion risk

1 PCIe, 1 M.2, 4 SATA, 2 bays free.Fix: Healthy room for future drives, NICs and accelerators.

low

Upgrade risk

2024 platform — current generation with a forward-looking socket/feature set.Fix: Buy for the workload, not the socket — upgrade paths are a bonus, not a guarantee.

Final build audit

Audit passed (0 critical, 0 warning) — mostly optional and future considerations remain.

2 Optional2 Future

Optional

Back up what you keep

No data pool on this build: a drive failure costs a reinstall, not your files.Action: Keep saves, configs and projects in a cloud or external backup.storage

Optional

Keep a backup off-box

Redundancy inside the box does not survive fire, theft or a whole-array fault.Action: Mirror the important data to an external drive, a second box, or cloud.storage

Future

Drive bays remain

2 drive bay(s) free for future capacity.Action: Expand capacity in pairs (mirror/parity) when needed.storage

Future

PCIe slot available

1 free PCIe slot(s) for a NIC, HBA or GPU later.Action: Use it for a 10G NIC, extra HBA, or an accelerator when the need appears.expansion

What becomes the limit

Most likely to date this build within 1-2y: RAM is maxed out.

1-2y

RAM is maxed out

Why: All RAM slots are used and the workload already sits at 100% — the next memory need means replacing kits or a new build.What to do: Buy a single larger kit now, or plan the RAM for the full lifecycle.

1-2y

Storage nearly full

Why: 100% of raw capacity is already in use — media libraries and backups grow fast.What to do: Expanding is easy: add a drive to the free bays/ports.

1-2y

CPU is the next bottleneck

Why: The CPU runs at 86% of capacity — new services or more users will hit the wall first.What to do: Consider a stronger CPU within the same socket generation while it is still cheap.

Estimated FPS at Medium preset with a Gigabyte GAMING OC Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB GDDR6 and a Intel Core i5 14500.
Game	1080p	1440p	4K
Grand Theft Auto V	~300	~300	~275
Baldur's Gate III	~150	~110	~65
Red Dead Redemption 2	~95	~70	~40
Elden Ring	~110	~90	~55
Cyberpunk 2077	~75	~55	~35
Roblox	≈300	≈300	≈300
Path of Exile 2	~90	~75	~50
War Thunder	~155	~140	~100
Rocket League	≈225	≈165	≈95
Minecraft	~300	~300	~300
Stardew Valley	≈300	≈300	≈300
Geometry Dash	≈300	≈300	≈300