In this article, I’m going to be building an immensely powerful $300 gaming PC build that is going to kick ass at 1440p gaming. I’ll be building this system inside a brand new case from Montech, which looks pretty special, basing it around AMD’s legendary 7900 GR, and showing you guys what you really can get for under $1,300. Let’s do this!
The Cola Master GM 34 CW Q2
This is a 34-inch Ultra-wide gaming monitor set on a 1500R curve with a sharp 3440 by 1440 resolution. The Quantum Dot panel is rich and vibrant, while the stock 165Hz refresh rate can be overclocked up to 180Hz for extra performance. AMD FreeSync Premium support, a 0.5 millisecond response time, and a 4,000 to 1 contrast ratio make this monitor both practical and a panel that looks the part. Learn more at the first link in the description below.
Case Overview and First Impressions
I’m going to begin by talking through the case. It’s not typically the most exciting part, especially in more value-oriented builds, but I’m looking forward to building these components inside of this. Now, this is Montech’s latest XR, and it’s a case I first saw and got hands-on with at Compex not that long ago. Ironically, that’s one of the things I like about it—shown at Compex and now available for purchase. In its first couple of weeks, I’m led to believe it has been one of the best sellers in the budget case space, which is pretty impressive.
Build Quality and Internal Layout
First impressions are that build quality feels okay. These panels have got a little bit of flexing, but nothing that’s going to cause any problems. Inside, the internal layout looks pretty good, with room for standard ATX motherboards, two reverse intake 120mm fans (a nice touch), and a 120mm exhaust at the rear. This case resembles many cases we’re seeing right now, very similar to a height Y40 but obviously with cheaper materials.
Features and Functionality
The power supply shield is nice with lots of ventilation at the bottom—not great for airflow, but it’s good to have. The glass panel at the front will naturally cause some restrictions in airflow, but it looks pretty sick, and that’s what most people care about. We’ve got the I/O down the bottom with power, reset, HD audio, two standard USB 3s, and a Type-C. So far, so good.
Cable Management
At the rear, cable management space seems quite limited, but there’s plenty of room for long power supplies, 2.5-inch drive mounting bays, and a large cutout. While there’s no RGB controller included, the fans come daisy-chained and pre-run, showcasing some of the better fan cable management I’ve seen. For comparison, check out a recent MSI build I did, which didn’t look quite as good.
Key Components: GPU and CPU
The GPU: Radeon RX 7900 GR
Let’s move on to the components that are really going to make gaming happen here, starting with the GPU. This is the Radeon RX 7900 GR,
The CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 7600 Non-X
In terms of what I’m pairing with the GPU, I’ve gone for the AMD Ryzen 5 7600 Non-X. Why not Ryzen 9000? The 9600 X might compete, but this one is just $184 on NewEgg right now—the lowest price I’ve seen since it came out. Stick with this and save yourself some cash, as at higher resolutions like 1440p, you’re more likely to run into a GPU bottleneck than a CPU one. Ryzen’s upgradeability is a plus, even if Ryzen 9000 was a bit of a letdown. The B650 chipset is a great choice for balancing cost and functionality, offering DDR5 as standard, memory overclocking, and PCIe Gen 5.
Additional Components: RAM and SSD
RAM: Team Group Vulcan DDR5
I’m also installing the RAM and the SSD early on. I’ve chosen the Team Group Vulcan DDR5, under their T-Force gaming brand. It comes with a lifetime warranty, has low latencies, fast speeds, and is incredibly affordable. It’s the cheapest DDR5 that looks half decent for a build like this, and it’s really reliable.
SSD: Crucial P3 Plus 1TB
For storage, I’ve gone with a channel favorite: the Crucial P3 Plus 1TB. You can find this for about $50-$60, and it provides surprisingly good speeds on the PCIe Gen 4 bus. While you won’t saturate Gen 4 speeds up to 7GB, you’ll get more than the 3GB limit of Gen 3.
Installation Process
Installing the CPU, RAM, and SSD
With all those components ready, it’s time to install them. I’ll start with the CPU, placing it into the AM5 socket, then move on to the RAM in slots 2 and 4, followed by the NVMe drive in the top PCIe slot, which has an inbuilt heatsink. These parts are super easy to install, so no worries there.
The Motherboard and Power Supply Installation
Next up, I’ll install the motherboard assembly into the case. The standoffs appear to be in the right place, so just grab the board and screw it into place. It’s a bit tight in this case, but with some included screws and paraphernalia, it’s done. I’m also installing the power supply—Corsair’s RM 750e. This fully modular unit has excellent reviews, and it’s Cybernetics Platinum certified, making it a great choice. I’ll also run the power cables, connect the front panel cables, and then install the GPU.
Adding the Final Touches
Installing the CPU Cooler
The CPU cooler I ordered was delayed, but it finally arrived—a John’s Bro unit with a fairly large heatsink and RGB top plate. It’s a bit smaller than I thought, but it should be fine. I’ll remove the protective cover, apply thermal paste, and place the cooler on top.
Final Assembly and Boot-Up
With everything wired up, the fan plugged in, and the power button on, it’s time to see if it all works. The system powers on, and everything seems good, except the RGB, which I’ll sort out shortly.
Performance Testing and Benchmark Results
Game Performance Overview
Once everything is configured, it’s time to check the performance in all the games we’ve tested today. Starting with Alan Wake 2 at 1440p high with FSR set to quality, the build performed really well, breaking through the triple-digit FPS mark at 101 frames per second. Call of Duty’s Warzone at 1440p high with FSR on the quality preset further improved performance to 171 FPS.
Starfield, Hogwarts Legacy, Fortnite, and Apex Legends
Starfield at 1440p high achieved a strong 98 FPS on average, while Hogwarts Legacy hit 122 FPS. Fortnite at 1080p competitive settings reached 275 FPS, and Apex Legends rounded off the benchmarks with 231 FPS at 1440p high.
Final Thoughts and Recommendations
This is a build that means business at 1440p. For its sub-$1,300 price point, I was impressed with how well it performed in all of the latest AAA titles. If you want to buy any of the parts mentioned today, check the affiliate links in the description below. Get subscribed to see more from me. Thanks for watching, and as always, we’ll see you in the next one!