Oh, how times have changed. I'd now buy an RTX 5060 Ti gaming PC with 32 GB RAM over an RTX 5070 PC with just 16 GB any day of the week in the RAMpocalypse

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ABS Flux II Aqua | RTX 5060 Ti 16 GB: was $1,999.99 now $1,424.99 at Newegg

Yes, this is pushing frightening close to the $1,500 mark for an RTX 5060 Ti gaming PC, but take a look at that RAM. During a memory shortage, 32 GB of very fast DDR5 makes this PC a great value proposition, as does the fast CPU and 16 GB of VRAM. Plus, there'll be a clearer and easier upgrade path down the line if you get a new high-end GPU. Use code ABS5APRIL at checkout to get the full discount.

Key specs: Core i7 14700F | RTX 5060 Ti 16 GB | 32 GB DDR5-6400 | 1 TB SSD

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I've been keeping an eye on gaming PC prices for a long time now, and I feel like I can now say with confidence (to parody LOTR's Gothmog) that the age of definitive GPU-first purchasing is over; the time of memory-first purchasing has come. Or at least a time where you should consider both on par. In other words, I reckon it's almost universally worth looking for builds with enough fast RAM more than builds with the best GPU for your budget.

Take this RTX 5060 Ti gaming PC with 32 GB of fast DDR5 RAM going for $1,425 at Newegg, for instance. For $75 extra at Amazon you could get an RTX 5070 rig with 16 GB of RAM, but I think we're at a point now where such trade-offs aren't worth it. If you'd have asked me last year I'd have said go for the latter because you can always upgrade the RAM down the line and for now the RTX 5070 build will net you better gaming performance.

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But now? Well, it's hard to say "you can always upgrade your RAM down the line" with a straight face given all signs point towards the RAMpocalypse staying the same or getting worse for the foreseeable future. If you're looking for a solid all-round PC with some longevity, I think it now makes much more sense to opt for a build like the ABS one and upgrade the GPU down the line.

That actually makes sense with an RTX 5060 Ti, too, whereas with an RTX 5070 or RX 9070, you'd probably end up debating "is the upgrade really worth it?" when the next GPU generation or the following one launches. But coming from an RTX 5060 Ti, upgrading to, say, an RTX 6070 Ti or RTX 7060 Ti is much more likely to make sense.

All that depends on the CPU in question holding out, of course, and here you're getting a nice Core i7. The only thing to note on this front is that Intel's 14th Gen chips can run a little hot, and while we're not talking an i9 here, it's only running on air cooling. So you might want to upgrade to an AIO if you want to do any serious productivity work—but hey, I'd rather that than being lumped with 16 GB of RAM in this market.

Overall, with the CPU, GPU, and RAM on offer here, you're looking at not only a decent gaming experience in modern titles (albeit with a little help from DLSS upscaling) but also a great overall desktop experience. That's the kind of thing that I think matters now much more than before.

But hey, if you want to max out those gaming chops for around the $1,500 mark, feel free to go for the RTX 5070 build I mentioned earlier. You'll get some better gaming performance, for sure, given 16 GB of RAM still does surprisingly well for gaming if you keep your other apps closed.

For my money, though, I'd take the peace of mind of a better CPU and more RAM. Doubly so considering it's looking like CPUs are next in line to take a hit after memory.

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