AMD RX 6700 XT Build Guide

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Picking up one of the new AMD RX 6700 XT cards, but don’t know what type of computer you want to build around it? We’ve put together two builds, an AMD and an Intel build, to make the most of the RX 6700 XT.

AMD-based AMD RX 6700 XT Build

If you’re building with an AMD graphics card, pairing it with a recent AMD processor will give your rig an extra bit of power. With that in mind, we’ve put together a parts list for a mid-range powerhouse with just a bit of color to make it pop.

Processor: Ryzen 5 5600X Vermeer

The Ryzen 5600X is the perfect sweet spot of power and price. It offers enough oomph that gamers will rarely notice a slowdown but also doesn’t break the bank. Plus, it comes with an AMD Wraith Stealth Cooler, a pack-in so good, you probably won’t need an aftermarket cooler.

Alternate: AMD Ryzen 9 5900X - More expensive, more powerful!

Motherboard: MSI X570 MPG Gaming Plus AMD AM4 ATX Motherboard

The MSI X570 offers a solid mid-range board, forgoing bells and whistles for a simple plug-and-play motherboard that will do exactly what you need it to do, making it a great compliment to the Ryzen 5 5600X in a budget build.

Alternate: ASUS B550-f ROG Strix Gaming - A bit more expensive, but comes with on-board WiFi and some additional settings to make it uniquely yours.

Graphics Card: Sapphire Technology AMD Radeon Ryzen RX 6700 XT

Obviously, we'll be using the brand new Radeon Ryzen RX 6700 XT as the centerpiece of the build, and we've got a ton of reasons why - check out our RX 6700 XT discussion thread and breakdown post!

RAM: G.Skill Trident Z RGB 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3200

What’s a gaming build without some flash, though? The G.Skill Trident Z offers DDR4-3200 speeds and 16GB should be enough to handle anything you throw at it. Plus, you can make it glow red, and we all know that red lighting means it’s faster.

Alternate: G.Skill Ripjaws V 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3200 - Same brand, similar RAM, but no RGB and a bit cheaper.

Hard Drives: WD Black SN 750 500GB M.2 (For OS) and WD Blue 1TB 7200RPM SATA III (For everything else)

I can’t recommend putting your OS on an old-school HDD. They’re far too slow when compared to M.2 drives. But, M.2 drives are expensive. The compromise is to pick up a smaller M.2 like the WD Black SN 750 for your OS and a few other necessities and save some money with a cheaper HDD like the WD Blue 1TB for everything else.

Alternative: Samsung 870 QVO 2TB SSD - The other middle ground is a big SSD. Still quick, but more expensive. Just not M.2 expensive.  

Power Supply: EVGA 750 BQ 750 Watt 80 Plus Bronze Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply

As my alternate non-modular choice would suggest, you can go a bit cheaper by forgoing any modular element to your power supply, but if you have the extra budge and want to keep your case looking as clean as possible, definitely spring for something like the EVGA 750 BQ that’s at least semi-modular.

Alternate: Thermaltake Smart Series 750 Watt 80 Plus ATX Non-Modular Power Supply - All the power, none of the modularity. It’ll save you some money, but make cable management a bit harder.

Case: Lian Li Lancool II Mesh RGB Full Tower

When it comes to cases, it mostly comes down to style - as long as all your components will fit. The Lian Li Lancool II offers a sleek, fairly minimal style with RGB fans up front and tempered glass side panels.

Alternate: Thermaltake H200 RGB Tempered Glass ATX Mid-Tower (Or any case that strikes your fancy and will fit your parts) - Again, a lot of case decisions come down to personal preference. Check out our case offerings and pick the one in your budget that speaks to you!

The full parts list can be found on our Custom PC Builder: https://www.microcenter.com/site/content/custom-pc-builder.aspx?load=0ab38820-7c81-4411-9663-c9965c3c7253

Intel-Based RX 6700 XT Build 

For our Intel build, we’re building a sleeper machine, designed to look unsuspecting but still have a ton of power and speed without breaking the bank.

Processor: Intel Core i5-10400 Comet Lake

The Intel i5-10400 offers the best bang for your buck. It’ll get you everything you need to game, but doesn’t overdo it in price or power. It does come with a pack-in cooler that'll do the job, but we have a suggestion for something that'll do it better in a bit.

Alternative: Intel Core i7-10700K Comet Lake - Costs more, but gives some extra kick and overclocking capabilities

Motherboard: ASUS Z490 Prime Intel LGA 1200 ATX

Much like the MSI X570 in the AMD build, the Z490 Prime provides a solid compromise between price and power, a solid plug-and-play motherboard without much to fiddle with. Just good performance at a good price.

Alternative: MSI Z490 MPG Gaming Plus Intel LGA 1200 ATX - Why not add a burst of RGB color to your motherboard?

Graphics Card: Sapphire Technology AMD Radeon Ryzen RX 6700 XT

Just like the AMD build, we'll be using the new AMD Radeon Ryzen RX 6700 XT. If you're looking for more information on the card, check out our RX 6700 XT discussion thread and breakdown post!

RAM: Crucial Ballistix 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3200

Keeping with the low-profile theme, we’ve got some simple black RAM that’ll blend in with the build but still deliver on speed and then some. It’s minimal, it's chic, it’ll look good in your case, and it’ll deliver the performance you want. What’s not to love?

Alternative: Crucial Ballistix Gaming RGB 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3200 White - Don’t just add RGB, make a splash in your case with white RGB RAM and make sure it stands out.

Hard Drives: Samsung 970 EVO SSD 1TB M.2 NVMe (For OS & Essentials) and Samsung 870 EVO 1TB SSD 2.5” (For everything else)

If we’re building a subtle powerhouse, we’re keeping the memory small and fast. A 1TB M.2 NVMe from Samsung will give you more than enough room for your OS and a good chunk of your Steam library. Add on another 1TB SSD from Samsung for your Epic Game Store library, and you’re booting into Cyberpunk 2077 in record time.

Alternative: WD Blue Mainstream 4TB 5400RPM SATA III - If you’re looking for a bit more room, stick with the M.2 as your main drive but supplement it with this hearty HDD with three more terabytes instead of a second SSD.

Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 750 GT 750 Watt 80 Plus Gold ATX Fully Modular Power Supply

If you want to immediately throw off the vibe of your new build, leave cables strewn about the case. If you want to keep it looking nice and clean, spring for the modular power supply and only use the cables you actually need. Keep the rest in the box, not your case.

Alternative: Corsair CX650M 650 Watt 80 Plus Bronze ATX Semi-Modular Power Supply - save some money and spring for a semi-modular. Not as customizable, but it’ll still look clean.

Case: Fractal Design Meshify C Tempered Glass ATX Mid-Tower Case

Let the build do the talking: no RGB, no flash. Just a sleek, tempered glass case showing off your internal components. Let the world know you mean business by not saying anything at all.

Alternative: Thermaltake Versa J24 RGB Tempered Glass ATX Mid-Tower Case - Say everything with RGB everywhere!

Optional: CPU Cooler: Corsair iCUE H100i RGB Pro XT 240MM Water Cooling Kit

Sure, the Intel i5-10400 comes with a stock cooler that’s fine, but if we’re going to really impress with this build and keep CPU temps down, it’s worth springing for an aftermarket cooler. And nothing cools better than a water cooler.

The full parts list can be found on our Custom PC Builder: https://www.microcenter.com/site/content/custom-pc-builder.aspx?load=ec8e84a8-829d-47cf-876f-c2c95864ba80

Got your own idea for a build? Leave them in the comments! Or, if you build either of these, we want to see them over on our Build Showcase!

If you're looking for more information on the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT, we've published our (very positive) benchmarks, put together a FAQ and discussion post, as well as a card breakdown.