$300 Micro Center bundle gets you three essential components for a new AM5 build
Table of Contents
Putting together a gaming PC can be a bit challenging, especially for a first-timer. You first have to figure out which components you can afford, then check the compatibility of everything, order them, and then put them all together and hope you didn’t slip up anywhere along the way.
An easy way to avoid that is to get a prebuilt gaming PC or look for bundles that offer a few components at a discounted rate, saving you the time and ensuring all parts are compatible. We spotted two such 3-in-1 bundles over at Micro Center, and both of these bundles are the same, except for the accompanying motherboard.
What do these bundles offer?
The common elements in these bundles are the Ryzen 5 9600X and the G.Skill Flare X5 Series 16GB DDR5-6000 RAM. The motherboard in the first bundle is the ASUS Prime B650M-A, and it costs $299.99; however, by paying $40 extra, you can get the second bundle for $339.99, which has the ASUS B650M Plus TUF Gaming WiFi.
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X, ASUS Prime B650M-A, G.Skill Flare X5 Series 16GB DDR5-6000 bundle – $299.99
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X, ASUS B650M Plus TUF Gaming WiFi, G.Skill Flare X5 Series 16GB DDR5-6000 – $339.99
We'll go over these components individually to see what they are capable of and which bundle is worth getting.
CPU: Ryzen 5 9600X
The Ryzen 5 9600X is the budget option of the Ryzen 9000 family, but it packs enough firepower that you can easily pair it with powerful GPUs without running into bottleneck issues. Also, you can increase its TDP to 105W, allowing more power to flow into the cores, resulting in better gaming and professional performance.
We've also reviewed the 9600X, but that was when it was limited to 65W TDP. So, the output should be better with the new 105W TDP. We paired it with the RTX 4070 Ti Super and ran Cyberpunk 2077 and Days Gone at 1080p low settings.
We got 325 and 246 FPS, respectively, and for synthetic testing, we put it through CPU-Z. The processor managed 827 points in the single-core test and 6,435 points in the multi-core test. So, it can easily hold its own when facing resource-intensive tasks, and you can easily pair it with most modern graphics cards for the best creative and gaming experience.
RAM: G.Skill Flare X5 16GB DDR5 6000MHz
G.Skill is a big name when it comes to memory, and you get 1 stick of 16GB RAM in this bundle. While many might think that won't be enough, DDR5 RAM is pretty fast, and the 6000MHz clock speed is the sweet spot for AM5 processors. On top of that, both motherboards, previously mentioned, have four RAM slots, meaning you can easily upgrade the system memory as much as you want.
Difference between the motherboards
| Specification | ASUS Prime B650M-A AX II | ASUS TUF B650M-PLUS WiFi |
|---|---|---|
| Memory speed | 7600+(OC) | 7600+(OC) |
| Memory capacity | 192GB DDR5 | 192GB DDR5 |
| Form Factor | mATX | ATX |
| M.2 slots | 2 | 3 |
| I/O | 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (2 x Type-A) 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (2 x Type-A) 4 x USB 2.0 ports (4 x Type-A) | 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 port(s) 3 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 port(s) (2 x Type-A + 1 x USB Type-C) 4 x USB 2.0 port(s) (4 x Type-A) |
| PCIe | 1 x PCIe 4.0 x16 slot (supports x16 mode)1 x PCIe 4.0 x16 slot (supports x1 mode) | 1 x PCIe 4.0/3.0 x16 slot(s) |
| Connectivity | WiFi 6 | WiFi 6 |
So, as you can see, there isn't much difference when it comes to the chipset and maximum RAM capacity, and speed, but the size difference between mATX (micro ATX) and standard ATX means less space for the ASUS Prime B650M-A.
The ASUS TUF B650M-PLUS has faster ports, more M.2 slots, more fan headers, and more power-related connectors. So, when it comes to customizability and upgradability, it is definitely the better motherboard. However, the ASUS Prime will also work perfectly fine, and you should feel like you're missing out on performance, opting for as the chipset is the same, but it'll depend on whether you're willing to spend a little extra ($40) for a larger and better motherboard.
How much will you save?
If you were to get these components individually, the first set with the ASUS Prime motherboard would set you back by $409.97, but with the bundle, you save $109.98. The same goes for the ASUS TUF bundle, which would cost you $449.97 if you bought the parts separately. Again, a saving of $109.98.
Whichever bundle you go for, you can be guaranteed excellent savings. Just keep in mind that both of these bundles are available for in-store pickup only, so you’ll have to visit your local Micro Center store in order to grab it. You can see a full list of Micro Center locations in the U.S. here.
About the Author