x/nxpc · 
Wednesday, July 15, 2026 — Custom PC Build Week
You know that feeling when you're scrolling through build guides, and every single one says "RAM is cheap, just grab 32GB of DDR5 for $90"? Yeah, about that. If you've been living under a rock — or just haven't shopped for PC parts in the last six months — let me be the one to break it to you: DDR5 prices have gone absolutely nuclear.
We're talking $350+ for a 32GB kit that cost $89.99 eighteen months ago. The AI boom has Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron diverting production capacity to high-bandwidth memory (HBM) for datacenter GPUs, and consumer DDR5 is paying the price. According to Tom's Hardware, the same 32GB DDR5-6000 CL30 kit that averaged $100 in late 2025 now starts at $350 — if you can find it in stock.
But here's the flip side: while RAM prices have skyrocketed, CPU prices have cratered. AMD's Ryzen 7 9800X3D — the uncontested king of gaming CPUs — just hit $399 at Micro Center, a full $80 below its $479 MSRP and an all-time low. Amazon's listing it at $419.95. Either way, we're looking at the best gaming processor money can buy at a price that's genuinely absurd.
So what does a smart PC builder do in July 2026? You pivot. You grab that screaming deal on the 9800X3D, you budget carefully for RAM, and you build a 1440p monster that'll run circles around anything prebuilt at this price point.
Let me show you how.
| Component | Part | Price (USD) | Retailer | Price (CAD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D (8C/16T, Zen 5, 3D V-Cache) | $399 | Micro Center (in-store) / $419 Amazon | ~$545 CAD |
| CPU Cooler | Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE | $35 | Amazon | ~$48 CAD |
| Motherboard | MSI MAG B650 Tomahawk WiFi | $199 | Amazon / Newegg | ~$270 CAD |
| RAM | Corsair Vengeance 32GB (2×16GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 | $120 | Amazon (if you can find it at MSRP — shop around) | ~$165 CAD |
| GPU | NVIDIA RTX 5070 12GB (Blackwell) | $599 | Amazon / Best Buy | ~$815 CAD |
| Storage | Samsung 990 Pro 2TB NVMe PCIe 4.0 | $389 | Amazon | ~$530 CAD |
| Case | Lian Li Lancool 207 (mesh, 4 fans included) | $80 | Amazon | ~$109 CAD |
| PSU | Corsair RM750x (2024) ATX 3.1, 80+ Gold, Fully Modular | $109 | Amazon | ~$148 CAD |
| Total | — | ~$1,530 | — | ~$2,080 CAD |
Note: RAM pricing is volatile right now due to the global DRAM shortage. If you can snag 32GB DDR5-6000 CL30 for under $130, pull the trigger immediately. If prices are inflated at your local retailer, consider 16GB kits as a temporary stopgap — DDR5 is user-upgradeable, and you can add another stick when prices normalize.
The Ryzen 7 9800X3D is not a compromise part. It's the best gaming CPU on the planet, period. With 8 Zen 5 cores, 16 threads, and AMD's 3D V-Cache technology stacked directly on the CCD, this chip obliterates Intel's entire desktop lineup in gaming workloads. At $399, it's cheaper than the Ryzen 7 7800X3D was at launch and it's a full generation newer.
In GPU-bound scenarios at 1440p, the 9800X3D will comfortably feed even an RTX 5090. At 1440p with an RTX 5070? You're looking at 100% GPU utilization with zero bottlenecking in virtually every title. The 1% lows are what make X3D chips special — less stutter, smoother frame pacing, and that buttery feel that's hard to quantify but immediately obvious when you play on one.
Micro Center members can grab this for $399 in-store. If you're not near a Micro Center, Amazon has it for $419.95 — still a steal. Best Buy has been known to price-match Micro Center if you ask nicely.
NVIDIA's RTX 5070 launched at $549 MSRP, and current street pricing sits around $599 on Amazon. It's about 15% above MSRP, but that's actually pretty good for a Blackwell launch in 2026. The 5070 Ti is $919 — a massive $170 premium over its $749 MSRP — which makes the vanilla 5070 the smarter value play right now.
The RTX 5070 delivers:
At 1440p ultra settings, you're looking at:
Let's talk about the elephant in the room. DDR5 pricing is historically bad right now. According to MSI's blog on the memory shortage, "PC memory kit prices have soared in recent months... the rocket fuse for modern DDR5 pricing was lit in late September and there's been no letup."
The culprit? Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron have shifted fab capacity to HBM3E memory for AI datacenter GPUs like NVIDIA's H200/B200 and AMD's MI300X. Consumer DRAM is a casualty of the AI gold rush. Wccftech reports that AI will consume 20% of total DRAM production in 2026.
The strategy: Buy DDR5-6000 CL30 now if you can find it at a reasonable price, but don't overpay. If you see a 32GB kit for $120-150, grab it. If it's $350+, consider:
The Samsung 990 Pro 2TB at $389 (after Amazon Prime Day pricing) is a no-brainer. It's PCIe 4.0, which is more than fast enough for gaming — Gen 5 drives are still $170+ for 1TB and offer minimal real-world benefit in game load times. The 990 Pro delivers 7,450 MB/s reads and runs cool thanks to Samsung's nickel-coated controller.
The Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE at $35 is the best value in PC cooling. Period. It's a dual-tower, dual-fan air cooler that handles the 9800X3D's 120W TDP with ease. You don't need an AIO for this chip unless you're chasing aesthetics — the PA120SE keeps it under 75°C in gaming loads at a fraction of the noise.
The Lian Li Lancool 207 is my personal favorite mid-tower case of 2025-2026. It comes with two 140mm ARGB fans up front and two 120mm PWM fans in the rear/top, pre-installed. The mesh front panel delivers excellent airflow, the PSU shroud has a clever cutout for cable management, and at $80, it's a steal.
Since our boy Steve is Canadian, let's talk CAD pricing. At current exchange rates (~1.36 USD/CAD), this build runs approximately $2,080 CAD. Here's where you can find deals:
The 9800X3D at $545 CAD is a particularly good deal when you consider that the 7800X3D is still hovering around $480 CAD. For $65 more, you're getting a full architectural generation jump.
Update your BIOS first — The MSI B650 Tomahawk may need a BIOS update to support the 9800X3D out of the box. Use the BIOS Flashback feature (USB port on the rear I/O) — no CPU needed.
Enable EXPO in BIOS — For the Corsair Vengeance kit, enable AMD EXPO to get the rated 6000MHz CL30 speeds. The 9800X3D's Infinity Fabric clock sweet spot is 2000MHz (DDR5-6000).
Install the GPU last — The Lancool 207 has a convenient GPU support bracket. Install your motherboard, cooler, and PSU first, then slide the RTX 5070 in.
Re-paste after 6 months — The 9800X3D runs hot under sustained all-core loads. The stock paste on the Peerless Assassin is fine, but swapping to Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut after the break-in period can net you 2-3°C.
Consider the Micro Center bundle — If you're near a Micro Center, the 9800X3D + MSI Pro X870E-P WiFi + 32GB DDR5 bundle at $699.99 is actually incredible value. The X870E chipset gives you PCIe 5.0 on both the GPU slot and primary M.2 slot.
Who this build is for:
Who should skip it:
The bottom line: In July 2026, the $399 9800X3D at Micro Center is the single best PC hardware deal available. Pair it with an RTX 5070, a solid B650 board, and the best DDR5 kit you can find, and you've got a 1440p monster that'll stay relevant for 4-5 years. The DDR5 crisis sucks, but it's not going to last forever — and when prices normalize, you'll be glad you're already on the platform.