There’s no better time to join the PC Master Race — get started on your PCMR journey with MSI (Part 2)

Didn’t fancy the Intel-based gaming rigs we discussed in our earlier article? Well, let’s take a look at some builds featuring AMD-powered hardware from MSI. As you might have known, the latest AMD Ryzen 3000XT deliver higher frequencies and thus gaming performance than the original Ryzen 3000 series. They also promise better overclocking headroom, which you can easily take advantage of with these recommended MSI motherboards and cooling solutions.

Premium Build – around RM15 000

To get the most out of the highest-end AMD Ryzen 9 3900XT, you will need something like the MSI MEG X570 UNIFY with a beefy VRM and extensive feature set to help you take full advantage of the next-gen features like PCIe 4.0 that AMD brings to the table. Pairing it with a MSI GeForce RTX 3080 Gaming X Trio ensures that you enjoy both the powerful CPU along with strong graphics performance to tackle all the AAA titles you are interested in.

The AMD Ryzen 9 3900XT may not be the hardest CPU to cool, but keeping the temperatures low does yield benefits as it will be able to boost higher and deliver better performance. Fore that, the MSI MAG Coreliquid 360R is up for the task. Crammed into the MSI MPG SEKIRA 500X, you have plenty of airflow to keep your components cool, and loads of room for upgrades down the line. Last but not least, get a MSI Optix MAG322CQR for a fluid 165Hz gaming experience at 1440p.

Premium Build Specs and Pricing

	Model	Price	Where to Buy
Processor	AMD Ryzen 9 3900XT	RM2299
CPU Cooler	MSI MAG Coreliquid 360R	RM729	Lazada
Motherboard	MSI MEG X570 UNIFY	RM1350	Lazada
Memory	32GB (2 x 16GB) KLEVV CRAS XR DDR4-3600	RM729
Graphics	MSI RTX 3080 Gaming X Trio 10G	RM3750
Storage	2TB (1TB x 2) WD Blue SN550 PCIe 3.0 x4 SSD	RM1178
PSU	Cooler Master V850 Gold V2	RM579
Case	MSI MPG SEKIRA 500X	RM999	Lazada
Display	MSI Optix MAG322CQR, 32″ 1440p, 165Hz refresh rate, 1500R curvature	RM2249	Shopee
Total		RM13 862

Here’s the pros and cons of this build:

Pros	Cons
+ Type-C ports on rear I/O and case I/O + Dragon Center allows for easy monitoring of entire system + Mystic Light to sync GPU, case and CPU cooler lighting + 2.5G LAN and WiFi 6 for great connectivity, wired or wirelessly	– Motherboard is not as flashy as MSI’s other designs – Not using PCIe 4.0 storage

Upper mid-range build – around RM10 000

If you have a slightly tighter budget, you can also check out this build featuring an AMD Ryzen 7 3800XT. With eight cores and sixteen processing threads, you have more than sufficient CPU horsepower to blaze through all the latest games. Paired up with the new MSI MAG X570 TOMAHAWK WiFi, this build arguably offers the best bang for buck as well. To make sure that  you can take full advantage of the CPU and motherboard’s overclocking capabilities, the MSI MAG Coreliquid 360R is recommended for this build.

The graphics is downgraded to the MSI Radeon RX 5700 XT Gaming that is AMD’s current top-of-the-line graphics card, but it still offers plenty of performance and features, with the only exception being the raytracing and AI-accelerated upscaling features that the GeForce RTX cards offer. While the graphics card will deliver awesome 1440p visuals to the MSI Optix MAG272CQR monitor, you can also gaze lovingly at the hardware with the full tempered glass side panel of the MSI MPG GUNGNIR 110R.

Upper mid-range build Specs and Pricing

	Model	Price	Where to Buy
Processor	AMD Ryzen 7 3800XT	RM1899
CPU Cooler	MSI MAG Coreliquid 360R	RM729	Lazada
Motherboard	MSI MAG X570 TOMAHAWK WiFi	RM999	Lazada
Memory	16GB (2 x 8GB) KLEVV CRAS XR DDR4-3600	RM399
Graphics	MSI Radeon RX 5700 XT Gaming	RM2139	Shopee
Storage	1TB WD Blue SN550 PCIe 3.0 x4 SSD	RM589
PSU	Cooler Master V750 Gold V2	RM519
Case	MSI MPG GUNGNIR 110R	RM449	Lazada
Display	MSI Optix MAG272CQR, 27″ 1440p, 165Hz refresh rate, 1500R curvature	RM1999	Shopee
Total		RM9721

Here’s what good and what’s not with this build:

Pros	Cons
+ Type-C ports on rear I/O and case I/O + Dragon Center allows for easy monitoring of entire system + Mystic Light to sync system lighting + 2.5G LAN and WiFi 6 for great connectivity, wired or wirelessly	– GPU misses out on some of the latest features in the market

Budget Build – less than RM6000

Have an even tighter budget? Well, this build might just fit the bill. Featuring an AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT, you still have plenty of CPU horsepower to go around, and the MSI MAG B550 TOMAHAWK will help you squeeze even more performance out of your CPU. Cooled by the MSI MAG Coreliquid 240R, you will have all the thermal headroom you need to get the most out of the AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT.

The case used will be the affordable MAG FORGE 100R, which sports ample airflow for the cooling, while also looking absolutely amazing. An AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT MECH 8G OC ensures that you have sufficient performance for a good gaming experience at 1080p, which is where the 144Hz MSI Optix G24C4 comes in.

	Model	Price	Where to Buy
Processor	AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT	RM1199
CPU Cooler	MSI MAG Coreliquid 240R	RM549	Lazada
Motherboard	MSI MAG B550 TOMAHAWK	RM799	Lazada
Memory	16GB (2 x 8GB) KLEVV BOLT XR DDR4-3600	RM319
Graphics	MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT MECH 8GB OC	RM999	Lazada
Storage	1TB WD Blue SN550 PCIe 3.0 x4 SSD	RM589
PSU	Cooler Master MWE White 550	RM215
Case	MSI MPG FORGE 100R	RM259	Lazada
Display	MSI Optix G24C4, 24″ 1080p, 144Hz refresh rate, 1500R curvature	RM999	Shopee
Total		RM5927

Here’s a quick breakdown of this build:

Pros	Cons
+ Type-C ports on rear I/O + Dragon Center allows for easy monitoring of entire system + Mystic Light to sync system lighting + 2.5G LAN and WiFi 6 for great connectivity, wired or wirelessly + Pre-installed I/O shield is nice to have at this price point	– AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT doesn’t offer the best bang for buck like the Ryzen 5 3600

Let us know what you think of this builds, and what would you change in them!

This is an exclusive article for MSI Malaysia.