The Best $1250 Stock Trading PC Build

It suits players who also stream or edit on a DDR4 platform.

The Ryzen 7 5700X brings 8 cores and 16 threads, a 4.6GHz maximum boost, 32MB of L3 cache and a 65W rating, and it accounts for 17% of the parts total. It ships without a cooler, so the build pairs it with the Phantom Spirit 120 Digital EVO.

The Ryzen 7 5700X uses the AM4 socket and the B550M K board uses AM4, so the processor seats in the board directly. Read the board's CPU support list for the BIOS version this chip needs. The PNY Low Profile is a DDR4 kit, the type both the B550M K (DDR4) and the Ryzen 7 5700X (DDR4) accept. A kit of the other generation would not physically fit the board. The Phantom Spirit 120 Digital EVO lists AM4 support (AM5, AM4, LGA1851, LGA1700), so its mounting kit fits the Ryzen 7 5700X. If the budget is tighter, the Ryzen 5 5600 offers 6 cores and 32MB of L3 cache against 8 and 32MB, roughly 25% cheaper than the Ryzen 7 5700X; the socket, memory and cooler checks still pass.

ASRock's Challenger version is 249mm long and needs one 8-pin plug and a 650W PSU.

The Arc B580 Challenger gives the build 12GB of GDDR6, the Arc B580 chip, a 2-slot cooler, a 249mm length and 1 x 8-pin power, and at 27% of the parts total it is the biggest line in the budget. Its chip's maker recommends a 650W supply for the whole system.

366mm is the longest card the QUBE 340 lists, and the Arc B580 Challenger is 249mm, so there are 117mm to spare. The Arc B580 Challenger is an Arc B580 card, and its chip maker recommends a 650W system power supply. The be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 750W is 750W, which leaves 100W for the processor, drives and fans. The Arc B580 Challenger lists 1 x 8-pin, and the be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 750W lists one 12V-2x6 connector and four PCIe 8-pin leads, so match the cable to the card's socket. A cheaper route is the ASRock Arc A580 Challenger: the Arc A580 with 8GB of GDDR6, against the Arc B580's 12GB, roughly 45% cheaper than the Arc B580 Challenger; the power-supply and case checks still pass.

On the spec sheet, it offers a 2 M.2 slot count and offers a 1Gbps wired network speed.

For 6% of the parts total, the B550M K adds the B550 chipset, Micro-ATX size, 2 M.2 slots and 1GbE LAN on the AM4 socket, and only DDR4 sticks fit its slots.

The Ryzen 7 5700X uses the AM4 socket and the B550M K board uses AM4, so the processor seats in the board directly. Read the board's CPU support list for the BIOS version this chip needs. The PNY Low Profile is a DDR4 kit, the type both the B550M K (DDR4) and the Ryzen 7 5700X (DDR4) accept. A kit of the other generation would not physically fit the board. 2 M.2 slots on the B550M K means the Optimus 5100 1TB plugs in without an adapter, with a slot spare for later; check the manual for the slot that gets the fastest lanes.

It also offers a CL16 CAS latency and offers a 3200MT/s rated speed.

This kit is 32GB, DDR4, 3200MT/s and CL16 in two sticks and takes 19% of the parts total.

The PNY Low Profile is a DDR4 kit, the type both the B550M K (DDR4) and the Ryzen 7 5700X (DDR4) accept. A kit of the other generation would not physically fit the board. The PNY Low Profile totals 32GB in two sticks, so fit them in the slot pair the board manual names for dual-channel operation. If the budget allows more, the Vengeance LPX 64GB offers 64GB at 3200MT/s, roughly 165% dearer than the PNY Low Profile; the memory-type check still passes.

On the spec sheet, it is rated for 1TB.

The Optimus 5100 1TB offers 1TB and PCIe 4.0 and takes 15% of the parts total.

2 M.2 slots on the B550M K means the Optimus 5100 1TB plugs in without an adapter, with a slot spare for later; check the manual for the slot that gets the fastest lanes. To spend more, the P310 2TB is 2TB on PCIe 4.0, roughly 35% dearer than the Optimus 5100 1TB; it uses the same M.2 slot as the current drive.

Cybenetics rates it Platinum.

The be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 750W is 750W, Gold rated, ATX 3.1, ATX format and one 12V-2x6 connector and takes 7% of the parts total.

The Arc B580 Challenger is an Arc B580 card, and its chip maker recommends a 650W system power supply. The be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 750W is 750W, which leaves 100W for the processor, drives and fans. The Arc B580 Challenger lists 1 x 8-pin, and the be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 750W lists one 12V-2x6 connector and four PCIe 8-pin leads, so match the cable to the card's socket. The be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 750W is a standard ATX unit, and the QUBE 340 listing does not name a power supply type (its length limit is 200mm), so confirm ATX fits in its manual.

It fits 366mm cards and 178mm tower coolers.

The QUBE 340 lists room for Micro-ATX boards, graphics cards up to 366mm, coolers up to 178mm tall and a radiator up to 240mm and takes 4% of the parts total.

The B550M K is a Micro-ATX board and the QUBE 340 lists Micro-ATX, so the board mounts on the standoffs without adapters. 366mm is the longest card the QUBE 340 lists, and the Arc B580 Challenger is 249mm, so there are 117mm to spare. The be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 750W is a standard ATX unit, and the QUBE 340 listing does not name a power supply type (its length limit is 200mm), so confirm ATX fits in its manual.

The Phantom Spirit 120 Digital EVO is a tower air cooler with 7 heatpipes, a 120mm fan (2 supplied), 160mm height and AM5, AM4, LGA1851, LGA1700 mounting, and it takes 5% of the parts total.

The Phantom Spirit 120 Digital EVO lists AM4 support (AM5, AM4, LGA1851, LGA1700), so its mounting kit fits the Ryzen 7 5700X. 178mm is the tallest cooler the QUBE 340 lists, and the Phantom Spirit 120 Digital EVO is 160mm, so the panel closes with 18mm to spare.