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A deterministic optimizer searches the catalog under your budget and the compatibility rules, then scores every feasible build three different ways.

3000 feasible builds found from 55 eligible parts

Requirements

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Current requirements

Budget $1,600
1440p (2560 × 1440)
165 Hz target
Priority: value
Style: any

Maximum Performance$1,565The highest frame rate this budget can reach without breaking compatibility.87 / 100597 W Balanced Value$1,542The best performance per dollar with no weak component.71 / 100561 W Quiet & Upgradeable$1,591Low noise under load and room to change parts in two years.77 / 100560 W

Maximum Performance

The highest frame rate this budget can reach without breaking compatibility.

No compatibility errors

Total: $1,565
Budget remaining: $35
Estimated load: 597 W
PSU headroom: 43%

Budget allocation

Sample data

CPU14%
Motherboard10%
Graphics card51%
Memory7%
Storage5%
Power supply9%
Case4%
CPU cooler1%

Selected components with the retailer offer chosen for each.
Component	Selected offer	Price	Actions
CPUAetheron ZX-7600X	Atlas ComponentsIn stock3 retailers listing this part	$213	Swap part Aetheron ZX-5600 Aetheron ZX-5600 uses socket ZX4 but Vertex AX650M Spark provides socket ZX5.$105 Volterra LG-12400F Northwind Stock S1 supports ZX5, ZX4 and has no LG1900 bracket.$114 Volterra LG-14600K Pushes the build over budget$266 Aetheron ZX-7800X3V Pushes the build over budget$414 Aetheron ZX-7950X Pushes the build over budget$551 Volterra LG-14900K Pushes the build over budget$595
MotherboardVertex AX650M Spark	Nordic PartsIn stock2 retailers listing this part	$156	Swap part Vertex AX620I AtlasCompatible with the rest of this build+$30 Vertex VH810M Basis Aetheron ZX-7600X uses socket ZX5 but Vertex VH810M Basis provides socket LG1900.$90 Halcyon AX560 Anvil Meridian Compact C3 accepts microATX, Mini-ITX boards, not ATX.$105 Vertex VB860M Relay Aetheron ZX-7600X uses socket ZX5 but Vertex VB860M Relay provides socket LG2100.$122 Vertex VB860 Drift Aetheron ZX-7600X uses socket ZX5 but Vertex VB860 Drift provides socket LG2100.$152 Halcyon AX650 Pulse Meridian Compact C3 accepts microATX, Mini-ITX boards, not ATX.$180
Graphics cardCinder CX-7900 XTQ	Atlas ComponentsIn stock3 retailers listing this part	$799	Swap part Nimbus NX-4050 LPCompatible with the rest of this build−$624 Cinder CX-7600Compatible with the rest of this build−$534 Nimbus NX-4060Compatible with the rest of this build−$508 Cinder CX-7800 XTCompatible with the rest of this build−$299 Nimbus NX-4070 SableCompatible with the rest of this build−$280 Nimbus NX-4080 Titanis Pushes the build over budget$971
MemoryCorvid Vertex 5 32 GB DDR5-6000 CL30	Atlas ComponentsIn stock3 retailers listing this part	$102	Swap part Corvid LowProfile 5 16 GB DDR5-5600Compatible with the rest of this build−$40 Corvid Vertex 5 RGB 32 GB DDR5-6000 CL30Compatible with the rest of this build+$24 Corvid Dyne 4 16 GB DDR4-3200 CL16 Corvid Dyne 4 16 GB DDR4-3200 CL16 is DDR4 but Vertex AX650M Spark accepts DDR5 only.$47 Corvid Dyne 4 32 GB DDR4-3600 CL18 Corvid Dyne 4 32 GB DDR4-3600 CL18 is DDR4 but Vertex AX650M Spark accepts DDR5 only.$79 Corvid Vertex 5 Pro 32 GB DDR5-7200 CL34 Pushes the build over budget$154 Corvid Vertex 5 64 GB DDR5-6400 CL32 Pushes the build over budget$212
StorageSilica Nova 4 1000 GB NVMe	Atlas ComponentsIn stock3 retailers listing this part	$74	Swap part Silica Entry 4 500 GB NVMeCompatible with the rest of this build−$25 Silica Stack 3 1000 GB SATACompatible with the rest of this build−$8 Silica Nova 5 1000 GB NVMe Pushes the build over budget$126 Silica Nova 4 2000 GB NVMe Pushes the build over budget$132 Silica Nova 5 2000 GB NVMe Pushes the build over budget$202
Power supplyVoltaic QuietRail 850	BitForge SupplyIn stock2 retailers listing this part	$135	Swap part Voltaic CoreBase 600Compatible with the rest of this build−$70 Voltaic QuietRail 650Compatible with the rest of this build−$41 Voltaic SlimFit 750 SFXFits, but needs an installation step+$26 Voltaic QuietRail 550 Estimated load is 596.7 W but Voltaic QuietRail 550 delivers 550 W. Use at least 700 W.$80 Voltaic PowerLine 1000 Pushes the build over budget$184
CaseMeridian Compact C3	Atlas ComponentsIn stock2 retailers listing this part	$66	Swap part Meridian Atlas A4Compatible with the rest of this build+$22 Meridian Lumen L6 Pushes the build over budget$104 Meridian Nano N2 Pushes the build over budget$117 Meridian Silentia S7 Pushes the build over budget$123 Meridian Forge F9 Pushes the build over budget$144
CPU coolerNorthwind Stock S1	Atlas ComponentsIn stock3 retailers listing this part	$20	Swap part Northwind LowLine L2Compatible with the rest of this build+$24 Northwind Tower T4Compatible with the rest of this build+$29 Northwind Whisper W6 Pushes the build over budget$88 Frostline AquaCore 240 Pushes the build over budget$98 Frostline AquaCore 360 Pushes the build over budget$143
Total across 3 retailers		$1,565

Why this build

Generated from the score breakdown and the canonical product facts — no language model writes these sentences.

Cinder CX-7900 XTQ scores 88 on the 1440p performance index of the demo catalog, paired with Aetheron ZX-7600X at gaming index 82.
The build totals $1564.9 of your $1600 budget, leaving $35.1 unspent (97.8% used).
Nothing in this build is starved: 32 GB of memory and a 1000 GB drive for 1440p (2560 × 1440).
Voltaic QuietRail 850 leaves 42.5% headroom over the 596.7 W estimated load, at or above the 12% this profile requires.
All 13 compatibility rules ran against these parts with no errors and 11 explicit passes.

Trade-offs

You are paying a premium for the top of this budget: $1564.9 buys the frame rate, not the best price-per-frame in the catalog.
Northwind Stock S1 is rated for 95 W but Aetheron ZX-7600X peaks at 142 W. Expect thermal throttling in sustained all-core work.
Only 8 mm of clearance remains (322 mm card in a 330 mm bay). Front fans or stiff power cables may not fit.

No games selected

Pick one or more demo titles in the requirements form to score builds against measured frame rates instead of the resolution performance index.

Compatibility certificate

Rule set 2026.08.1 · 13 rules evaluated

No blocking errors

Error0Action required0Limitation2Verified11

LimitationCOOLER_CPU_SOCKET
Northwind Stock S1 is rated for 95 W but Aetheron ZX-7600X peaks at 142 W. Expect thermal throttling in sustained all-core work.
Parts checked: Northwind Stock S1 · Aetheron ZX-7600X · Evidence: 4 canonical value(s)
LimitationGPU_CASE_CLEARANCE
Only 8 mm of clearance remains (322 mm card in a 330 mm bay). Front fans or stiff power cables may not fit.
Parts checked: Cinder CX-7900 XTQ · Meridian Compact C3 · Evidence: 2 canonical value(s)

Show the 11 rules that passed

VerifiedBOARD_CASE_FORM_FACTOR
microATX board mounts in Meridian Compact C3.
VerifiedCOOLER_CASE_CLEARANCE
76 mm of headroom above the 82 mm cooler.
VerifiedCPU_BOARD_SUPPORT
AX650 lists Aetheron ZX-7600X as supported out of the box.
VerifiedCPU_SOCKET_MATCH
Both parts use socket ZX5.
VerifiedMEMORY_CAPACITY_LIMIT
32 GB in 2 of 2 slots, under the 96 GB board limit.
VerifiedMEMORY_GENERATION_MATCH
DDR5 kit in a DDR5 board.
VerifiedMEMORY_SPEED_SUPPORT
6000 MT/s is within the 6000 MT/s validated platform speed once the EXPO/XMP profile is enabled.
VerifiedPSU_CAPACITY_HEADROOM
850 W against a 596.7 W estimate — 42% headroom.
VerifiedPSU_CASE_FORM_FACTOR
ATX unit in a ATX-compatible bay.
VerifiedPSU_GPU_CONNECTORS
4 × 8-pin PCIe available for the 2 the card needs.
VerifiedSTORAGE_INTERFACE_SUPPORT
PCIe 4.0 drive in one of 2 M.2 slots rated to PCIe 4.0.

Selected offers for this build

Ranked by delivered total, stock and data freshness. Commission never affects this order.

Sample data

Sample data — illustrative fixture prices from a demo feed, not live retailer quotes.
Retailer	Price	Shipping	Total	Availability	Open retailer
Atlas ComponentsBest totalNo affiliate linkSample feed30-day returns · observed 4 d ago	$212.99	Free	$212.99	In stock	Go to store
Nordic PartsAffiliate partnerSample feed30-day returns · observed 4 d ago	$155.99	Free	$155.99	In stock	Go to store
Atlas ComponentsNo affiliate linkSample feed30-day returns · observed 4 d ago	$798.99	Free	$798.99	In stock	Go to store
Atlas ComponentsNo affiliate linkSample feed30-day returns · observed 4 d ago	$101.99	Free	$101.99	In stock	Go to store
Atlas ComponentsNo affiliate linkSample feed30-day returns · observed 4 d ago	$73.99	Free	$73.99	In stock	Go to store
BitForge SupplyAffiliate partnerSample feed14-day returns · observed 4 d ago	$129.99	$4.99	$134.98	In stock	Go to store
Atlas ComponentsNo affiliate linkSample feed30-day returns · observed 4 d ago	$65.99	Free	$65.99	In stock	Go to store
Atlas ComponentsNo affiliate linkSample feed30-day returns · observed 4 d ago	$19.99	Free	$19.99	In stock	Go to store

Sample data — illustrative fixture prices from a demo feed, not live retailer quotes. We are not the seller and take no payment. How offers are verified.

Score breakdown

Total 87 / 100 under the Maximum Performance weighting.

Workload performance87
Budget utilisation98
Memory and storage adequacy91
Value for money56
Energy and PSU headroom86
Upgradeability44
Noise and cooling45

Each bar is the raw component score. The profile weights decide how much each one contributes to the ranking.

Power estimate

Aetheron ZX-7600X peak package power: 178 W
Cinder CX-7900 XTQ board power: 352 W
Motherboard and chipset (model constant): 35 W
2 memory modules: 6 W
Silica Nova 4 1000 GB NVMe: 7 W
Northwind Stock S1 pump and fans: 5 W
2 chassis fans: 4 W
Headers, USB and other loads (model constant): 10 W
Estimated system load: 597 W
Recommended supply for this profile: 700 W

Requirements used

Budget: $1,600
Resolution: 1440p (2560 × 1440)
Target refresh: 165 Hz
Priority: value
Style: any
Games: None selected

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