The PC hardware industry is facing an unprecedented challenge at the moment: a component crisis. During times like these, if you wanted to build or upgrade your own PC, you'd be stuck with overpriced parts unless you find deals. Well, worry not, as we've spotted exactly that — a combo bundle featuring a Ryzen 5 5500 with 16GB of DDR4 RAM and a B550M motherboard for just $280.99 on Newegg right now.
The Ryzen 5 5500 is not exactly the newest or fastest processor on the block, but it's plenty for gaming on a tight budget. It's a six-core CPU with 12 threads that can boost up to 4.2 GHz. It has 16MB of L3 cache and 2MB of L2 cache, along with a 65W TDP. Since it's based on the Zen 3 architecture, it uses the AM4 platform, which means more affordable motherboards and, more importantly, access to less-expensive DDR4 RAM.
The AM4 socket also gives you a direct upgrade path to the Ryzen 7 5800X3D down the line because the motherboard is strong enough to support it. You're getting a Gigabyte B550M Gaming X board with Wi-Fi 6 that costs $155 on its own. It has strong rear I/O thanks to its four USB 3.2 ports on the back, along with two USB 2.0 ports and Gigabit Ethernet for wired connectivity. Internal I/O includes two ARGB headers and a Type-C header for your case's front panel.
You get two M.2 slots running at PCIe 3.0 speeds, which can be a blessing in disguise since you don't have to look for the latest SSDs anymore, helping you save a bit of money. There are four RAM slots with support for up to 128GB of memory at DDR4-3200. Speaking of which, the final product in this bundle is a 16GB (2x8GB) kit of TeamGroup's T-Force Delta Force RGB RAM in black. It's running at DDR4-3200 with a CAS latency of CL16.
Even though DDR4 is a generation old now, it's not outdated. It's sufficient for gaming and even some professional workflows. You're only getting 16GB in this combo, but the four-slot motherboard leaves room for an easy upgrade to 32GB later when things normalize. Overall, this is a fantastic budget bundle to get you started whether you're building a new PC or coming from a really old platform.
When you purchase all these items separately, the total bill comes out to around $420, so you'll be saving 32% upfront by going with the bundle instead! For just $281 on Newegg, you'll get a few essential components knocked off the list without compromising on performance or breaking the bank, all the while leaving room for upgrades that make sense in the current state of the industry.
If you're looking for more savings, check out our Best PC Hardware deals for a range of products, or dive deeper into our specialized SSD and Storage Deals, Hard Drive Deals, Gaming Monitor Deals, Graphics Card Deals, gaming chair, or CPU Deals pages.
