Current GPU and flash-based memory/storage pricing has left those looking to build a system or upgrade an existing one in a tough spot. Prices on the midrange GPU market have started to compete with the higher SKUs, and flash-based memory (SSDs and DRAM) have been and continue to be high. That being said, this week we’ve looked at other hardware to help offset the above average costs for the aforementioned components.
SeaSonic S12II 620W PSU - SeaSonic’s S12II 620W PSU is an 80+ Bronze certified unit and can be picked up on Amazon. SeaSonic’s S12 units are more budget friendly, but provide solid efficiency. These are non-modular, making cable management more difficult, in exchange for a lower price and tighter grouping of key features. At 620W, the SeaSonic S12II will likely be enough to power most single graphics card systems making it a good purchase if in the market for a PSU.
ASUS ROG Strix B350-F Motherboard ($85) - AMD’s Ryzen CPUs require a socket AM4 motherboard, currently on sale on Newegg. The ASUS ROG Strix B350-F motherboard is on sale for $85 after rebate. The Strix B350-F is compatible with all AM4 Ryzen CPUs and has a monochromatic color scheme, making it suitable for most builds. The B350-F also has the “reinforced” PCIe slots that have been a trend this year, a slot for M.2/NVMe drives, and the cheaper B350 mainstream chipset. The sale on the ASUS ROG Strix B35-F Motherboard expires Wednesday, September 20th.
Rosewill Mechanical Keyboard - For those looking to purchase a mechanical keyboard void of RGB LEDs, the Rosewill Mechanical Keyboard with genuine Cherry MX Red switches may be one to consider. The Rosewill keyboard has no backlighting and no “gamer” aesthetics, but features a full number pad and more of a function-focused feature set.
ASUS ROG Strix GeForce GTX 1080Ti - Currently one of the only aftermarket GeForce GTX 1080Tis on Amazon for a middle-of-the-road MSRP, albeit very slightly, is the ASUS ROG Strix card. GamersNexus reviewed this card back in May of this year, and found to perform well both thermally and acoustically. If you are interested in the base GTX 1080 Ti specs check out our initial review, most aftermarket cards seem to perform the same, thermals and noise are only real separation amongst AIB cards.
Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum Mouse - The Logitech G502 mouse is on sale across most major retailers, making it a solid middle-of-the-road pick-up for “gaming” mice. The G502 is a wired mouse, with interchangeable weights and switches rated up to 20-million clicks. The G502 is also RGB LED enabled and is controllable through Logitech’s Gaming Software, where the 11 programmable buttons can be mapped to the users preference.
Hardware sales have continued to be slow, but be sure to check back the site and YouTube channel next week for more review coverage.
Editorial: Ryan Greenberg