My setup

The PC, the desk and the gear I recommend.

Everything on this page is something I use, have used, or would happily buy again. Some links are affiliate or referral links, and a few carry a discount code for you.

Affiliate disclosure. If you buy through one of these links the channel earns a small commission or referral credit, at no extra cost to you. Nothing here is a paid placement. Prices, stock and codes change without notice, so check the final price at the shop before buying.

PC2 · main PC

The main machine

The current daily driver: a 9950X3D build on AM5, cooled by a 360mm AIO and built into a Fractal case. This is the machine that games, records and compiles everything on the channel. The drives and the rest of the parts are further down the page.

AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D

16 Zen 5 cores with 3D V-Cache on one CCD. One of the fastest gaming CPUs around, and it still chews through compiles and encodes.

CPUAM5Amazon

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NZXT Kraken Plus 360

360mm AIO for the 9950X3D. It keeps the boost clocks steady through a long compile or a hot summer evening.

Cooler360mmAmazon

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ASUS ROG Strix X870E-H

AM5 board with DDR5, PCIe 5.0 for the GPU and storage, and enough USB for the desk without a hub.

MotherboardX870EAmazon

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Gigabyte Radeon RX 9070 XT

An RDNA 4 card with plenty of headroom for 1440p on Linux, using the open Mesa driver stack rather than a proprietary blob.

GPUAmazon

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Crucial Pro DDR5 64GB kit

64GB of DDR5. Enough for a game, a browser full of tabs and a virtual machine running at the same time.

Memory64GBAmazon

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Corsair RM1000x

1000W, 80 Plus Gold, fully modular, with a zero-RPM fan mode under light load. More capacity than PC2 needs, which keeps it quiet.

Power supply1000WAmazon

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Fractal Design Pop 2 Vision

The case for PC2. Plenty of glass, a clean interior and enough room to build in without fighting the panels.

CaseAmazon

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Other parts

Also on the bench

Parts I have used, tested or keep around for other builds. Amazon links, so check the seller and the exact model before ordering.

Gigabyte Radeon RX 9060 XT

The smaller RDNA 4 option, aimed at 1080p and 1440p with FSR. Same open driver experience as the rest of the Radeon range.

GPUAmazon

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AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D

Eight cores with 3D V-Cache, still a strong AM4 gaming chip. If you are staying on an AM4 board, this is the easy upgrade.

CPUAmazon

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Corsair Vengeance RGB PRO DDR4

32GB (2x16GB) at 3600MHz. RGB can be controlled on Linux with OpenRGB, and 32GB is a comfortable amount for gaming plus a browser full of tabs.

MemoryAmazon

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ASUS TUF Gaming 750W

750W, 80 Plus Bronze, fully modular. Enough headroom for a modern GPU, and the modular cables keep the case tidy.

Power supplyAmazon

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Storage

Space for the library

NVMe drives that behave on Linux without extra drivers. Game libraries get big fast.

WD_BLACK SN850X 4TB

The big drive. PCIe Gen4 speeds, a heatsink option and room for a large Steam library plus a few VMs.

NVMe4TBAmazon

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WD Black SN850X 1TB

The 1TB version of the same drive. A good size for a boot drive with a couple of games on it.

NVMe1TBAmazon

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Crucial P310 2TB

A 2TB Gen4 drive that runs cool and keeps the price sensible. Fine for a secondary library or a scratch disk.

NVMe2TBAmazon

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Desk and network

Monitor, capture and desk

The bits around the machine that make recording and streaming less annoying.

AOC AGON AG405UXC

40-inch 144Hz QHD ultrawide. The extra width is great for a game plus notes, a terminal or a chat window.

Monitor40 inchAmazon

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Elgato HD60 X

Capture card for recording another machine or a console at 1080p60 HDR10. Works as a plain UVC device, so no special Linux driver.

Capture1080p60Amazon

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Elgato 4K X

The newer capture card: 4K60 HDR capture with high-refresh passthrough, so the monitor keeps its refresh rate while you record. Also a plain UVC device on Linux.

Capture4K60Amazon

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UGREEN 2.5GbE USB adapter

A USB Ethernet adapter for machines without a 2.5G port, or when the onboard NIC is being difficult. Shows up as a normal interface in NetworkManager.

Network2.5GbEAmazon

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Linux Command Line mouse pad

A desk mat printed with Linux commands. Handy when the terminal brain fog hits, and it looks the part next to the keyboard.

DeskMouse padAmazon

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Games and services

Discounts and referrals

Game stores, peripherals, servers, learning and a VPN. These are the ones with a discount or referral attached.

Dune: Awakening

My favourite game right now. Survival crafting on Arrakis, with a persistent world and enough sand to last a lifetime.

Code AGCO7U · 10% off Game

Get Dune: Awakening

Keychron keyboards and mice

Linux-compatible mechanical keyboards and mice that work over USB-C and Bluetooth. The browser-based Launcher works on Linux, and LGL Keychron Helper wraps it in a desktop window.

Referral link Peripherals

Shop Keychron

Nodecraft game servers

Hosted Minecraft, Valheim, Palworld and more, managed from a browser. Useful when you want a server running without leaving a machine on at home.

30% off Servers

Get a Nodecraft server

boot.dev

Backend and computer science courses with a Linux and terminal-heavy approach. A good fit if you want to understand the commands you keep pasting.

25% off with LINUXGAMERLIFE Learning

Start learning

Proton VPN

The VPN I use, with a proper Linux client, WireGuard support and a kill switch. Handy on public networks and for region-locked store pages.

Referral link Privacy

Get Proton VPN

A code not working, or a part out of stock? Let me know in the community and I will update the page.