Intel Core Ultra 7 265 + Arc B570 · Intel B860 · Passive cooling · Fanless PSU · 96GB DDR5 · 8TB NVMe + 32TB HDD build
Value build — most for your money · tower build on LGA 1851 + Intel B860
Parts · Value build — most for your money≈ €2,290
cpuIntel Core Ultra 7 26520C/20T · 5.3 GHz · 65 W€376
motherboardAsus B860 PRIME B860M-A LGA1851 DDR5 Micro ATXIntel B860 · MATX · 2× M.2€185
ramTEAMGROUP T-FORCE DELTA RGB DDR5-6400 96GB (2x48GB) CL30 Black96 GB DDR5 · 6400 MT/s≈ €322
caseTRYX LUCA L70 White ATX PC Case Panoramic Glass with Front Panel ATX Case Top Mount PSU WhiteATX/MATX/ITX/EATX · 2× 3.5″€72
coolingThermalright Le Grand Macho Air 159mm Fanlesspassive · 159 mm≈ €35
psuThermaltake Toughpower GT 1000W White1000 W · gold · modular€151
storageRocket Q NVMe SSDNVME · 8 TB€123
storage× 2Seagate Exos X18 16TB HDD 3.5" SAS 12.0 Gb/s3.5 HDD · 16 TB · NAS-rated≈ €704
gpuASRock Intel Arc B570 Challenger 10GB GDDR6 OC10 GB VRAM · 150 W€322
Idle
71W
Typical
107W
Peak
274W
Energy / year
≈ €263
Performance97
Value68
Efficiency41
Expandability81
Silence95
Longevity100
Reliability85
Overall73
Future-proof score
Strong future-proofing74/100
Strong future-proofing (74/100) — this build should stay relevant for years without major surgery.
Upgrade path75
DIY build — the CPU, motherboard and PSU can each be upgraded independently without replacing the whole system.
Expansion64
Expansion headroom: 2 PCIe slot(s), 1 M.2, 2 SATA, 0 drive bay(s), 2 RAM slot(s) free.
Storage growth70
Storage is 100% utilized with 0 free drive bay(s) and 2 free SATA port(s).
Memory growth75
2 RAM slot(s) free; memory is 62% utilized.
Networking80
Networking is 2500 Mbps, and a free PCIe slot can add a faster NIC later.
Replacement ease90
ATX form factor with standard, socketed components — most parts are easy to replace.
Workload change65
A 10GB GPU is present — AI and transcoding workloads are covered.
Homelab Risk Score
Low risk10/100
Low risk (10/100) — sensible redundancy and headroom; no single point of failure is exposed.
low
Single point of failure
Storage has redundancy (mirror) — a single drive failure does not take the array down.Fix: Continue a 3-2-1 backup strategy; redundancy is not a backup.
low
Storage risk
2 NAS-rated hard drive(s) — rated for 24/7 operation.Fix: Keep drives cool and monitor SMART health.
low
Data loss risk
Redundancy protects against drive failure, though it is not a substitute for backups.Fix: Follow a 3-2-1 backup rule: at least one copy off the box.
low
Power risk
PSU is 1000W, peak load 274W (27%).Fix: PSU sizing leaves healthy headroom for spikes and future parts.
low
Network risk
Single 2500 Mbps NIC — a switch/port failure takes the box fully offline, and multi-user media can saturate 2500 Mbps.Fix: Consider a second NIC or a managed switch; for heavy media, plan for 2.5/10G before the build.
low
Expansion risk
2 PCIe, 1 M.2, 2 SATA, 0 bays free.Fix: Healthy room for future drives, NICs and accelerators.
low
Upgrade risk
2025 platform — current generation with a forward-looking socket/feature set.Fix: Buy for the workload, not the socket — upgrade paths are a bonus, not a guarantee.
Final build audit
Audit found 3 critical and 0 warning item(s) worth fixing before you buy.
3 Critical2 Optional2 Future
Critical
Check the balance
Requested maxNoise=silent but case TRYX LUCA L70 White ATX PC Case Panoramic Glass with Front Panel ATX Case Top Mount PSU White is "standard" — silent option unavailable, falling back.Action: Reconsider the config for the stated workload or budget before buying.balance
Critical
Check the balance
Total (2290€) exceeds your budget (1200€) by 1090€ (91%). Ranking already prefers in-budget variants — this one is shown for comparison; check the value variant or raise the budget.Action: Reconsider the config for the stated workload or budget before buying.balance
Critical
Check the balance
This build may struggle with the stated workload.Action: Reconsider the config for the stated workload or budget before buying.balance
Optional
Add a UPS
An always-on server holding data should survive power blips.Action: Add an online/line-interactive UPS sized to the build's idle draw.power
Optional
Keep a backup off-box
Redundancy inside the box does not survive fire, theft or a whole-array fault.Action: Mirror the important data to an external drive, a second box, or cloud.storage
Future
RAM expansion available
2 RAM slot(s) free for a later upgrade.Action: Leave them free until the workload actually grows.memory
Future
PCIe slot available
2 free PCIe slot(s) for a NIC, HBA or GPU later.Action: Use it for a 10G NIC, extra HBA, or an accelerator when the need appears.expansion
What becomes the limit
Storage nearly full is the most likely thing to date this build within 1-2y.
1-2y
Storage nearly full
Why: 100% of raw capacity is already in use — media libraries and backups grow fast.What to do: Expanding is easy: add a drive to the free bays/ports.
1-2y
CPU is the next bottleneck
Why: The CPU runs at 85% of capacity — new services or more users will hit the wall first.What to do: Consider a stronger CPU within the same socket generation while it is still cheap.
| Game | 1080p | 1440p | 4K |
|---|---|---|---|
 Roblox | ≈300 | ≈300 | ≈300 |
 Minecraft | ≈300 | ≈300 | ≈300 |
 Grand Theft Auto V | ≈300 | ≈295 | ≈175 |
 Fortnite | ≈300 | ≈210 | ≈120 |
 Minecraft: Java Edition | ≈90 | ≈60 | ≈25 |
 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | ≈50 | ≈35 | ≈16 |
 Red Dead Redemption 2 | ≈125 | ≈90 | ≈50 |
 Baldur's Gate III | ≈70 | ≈50 | ≈20 |
 Palworld | ≈45 | ≈30 | ≈14 |
 Valorant | ≈300 | ≈300 | ≈300 |
 Cyberpunk 2077 | ≈60 | ≈45 | ≈19 |
 Hollow Knight | ≈280 | ≈205 | ≈120 |
Real FPS from owners
Built this PC? Tell others the frame rate you actually get — we show the median of all reports next to our estimate.
Keep going
Community
Take it further
Take the next step with this build.
Verified
No tracked builds at testing stage or beyond yet.
