May Must-Haves: Staff Picks from CCL

We’re seriously impressed with the Samsung 990 Pro – especially this massive 4TB version. It’s one of the fastest SSDs we’ve used in-house, hitting insane speeds of up to 7,450 MB/s read and 6,900 MB/s write. Whether we’re loading into massive open-world games or transferring large 4K video files, the performance is nothing short of instant.

Setup is as simple as it gets – slotting it into an M.2 PCIe 4.0 slot (we tested on an ASUS B650 board) took seconds, and it was ready to go. With 4TB of space, it’s become our go-to drive for storing game libraries, raw footage, and project files. No more shuffling things between drives or plugging in externals – it all lives right here.

From a user experience point of view, the responsiveness is incredible. Game loads, Windows boots, and massive file moves all happen in a flash. Samsung’s Magician software is also really useful for health monitoring and firmware updates – a small but appreciated bonus.

Like most Gen4 NVMe drives, it can get warm under sustained loads, so we’d recommend using it with a heatsink or ensuring your case has decent airflow. The price is premium – but for enthusiasts, creators, or serious gamers, it’s an investment in performance and convenience that’s absolutely worth it. Add in Samsung’s 5-year warranty and high endurance rating, and it’s a drive we’d happily recommend any day.

2. AMD Ryzen 5 5500 6 Core/12 Thread AM4 CPU

This is hands down one of our favourite budget gaming CPUs right now. The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 brings 6 cores and 12 threads of Zen 3 power, with a base clock of 3.6 GHz and boost up to 4.2 GHz – and in our testing, it delivers solid, reliable performance in both gaming and general everyday tasks.

We’ve been using it here at CCL in some of our own AM4 builds, and for 1080p gaming it’s a brilliant performer. In titles like Apex Legends, Warzone, and Fortnite, it keeps up with far more expensive CPUs, especially when paired with a mid-range GPU like the RTX 5060. What’s more, it feels snappy for multitasking and handles Windows 11 with no fuss.

One of the biggest perks is that it includes AMD’s Wraith Stealth cooler in the box. It’s surprisingly quiet, easy to install, and keeps temps well under control even under load – no need to buy an aftermarket cooler unless you’re going for overclocks.

There are a couple of things to keep in mind: it doesn’t have integrated graphics, and since it’s an AM4 chip, it’s limited to PCIe 3.0. But honestly, for the £74 price point, it’s hard to beat. It’s a fantastic choice for anyone building their first gaming PC, upgrading an older AM4 setup, or just looking to get great value without compromising performance. Rock-solid, affordable, and easy to drop into a wide range of motherboards – this is a CPU we’re very happy to recommend.

3. 500W CiT ATV Pro 80 Plus Bronze PSU

When it comes to budget builds, we’ve found the CiT ATV Pro 500W to be a real standout. It’s 80 Plus Bronze rated, so you’re getting a solid level of efficiency (around 85% at typical loads), which helps keep things cool and power bills down – especially in systems running for long hours.

We’ve used this PSU in a number of entry-level and mid-range builds here at CCL – most recently in a system powered by a Ryzen 5 and RTX 5060 – and it’s delivered stable, clean power with no issues. The 12V rail holds steady even under heavier loads, and the 14 cm fan keeps things quiet under normal gaming and desktop use.

The flat black cables are fixed (non-modular), but they’re easy to route neatly in a compact case, and actually help streamline the build process for newer builders. For under £26, it’s seriously hard to fault. You’re still getting all the expected protections like OVP, UVP, and SCP, and the 2-year warranty offers peace of mind.

Of course, this isn’t the PSU for power-hungry setups – we wouldn’t recommend it for anything with an RTX 5070 or above. And being non-modular means a little extra cable management work. But if you’re building a 1080p gaming rig or a reliable home/office system on a budget, this is one of the best value power supplies we’ve come across.

4. ASUS Prime B650M-A WIFI II mATX Motherboard

This board has become one of our go-to picks for anyone building on the AM5 platform without going over budget. Despite the micro-ATX form factor, the ASUS Prime B650M-A WiFi II doesn’t cut corners. We’ve had it running in several test rigs with Ryzen 7000-series CPUs – most recently with a Ryzen 7 7700X – and it handled everything smoothly from first boot.

You get support for DDR5 (up to 192 GB across four slots), plus two M.2 slots – one running PCIe 5.0 and the other PCIe 4.0 – which means you can future-proof your storage setup without breaking the bank. The VRM cooling is robust for a board at this price, and BIOS updates and tweaking are simple thanks to ASUS’s EZ Flash and BIOS Flashback tools. We had no trouble getting things dialled in quickly.

Connectivity is another strong point. Built-in Wi-Fi 6 and 2.5 Gb Ethernet give you fast, reliable networking out of the box. The rear I/O is generous, with a healthy spread of USB ports, HDMI, DisplayPort, and even VGA – handy if you’re running a mixed setup or repurposing older monitors.

As with most micro-ATX boards, there are a few compromises. You’ve only got one full-size PCIe x16 slot, so multi-GPU setups are off the table, and only four SATA ports for traditional storage. But for £129.99, it’s packed with features, performs reliably, and is ideal for compact gaming PCs or productivity builds using the latest AMD chips. We’ve had nothing but good experiences with it – a reliable and well-rounded option we’re happy to recommend.

5. ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ 27" QHD 165Hz IPS Monitor

This monitor has been a real favourite among the team here at CCL. The ASUS TUF VG27AQ strikes a brilliant balance between competitive performance and visual quality – it’s a 27” 1440p IPS panel that runs at 144Hz natively and can be overclocked to 165Hz, giving you incredibly smooth gameplay in fast-paced titles.

We’ve tested it across a range of games including first-person shooters and racing sims, and motion felt buttery smooth with Adaptive-Sync turned on – no screen tearing, minimal input lag, and a noticeably more fluid experience. ELMB Sync (a strobing backlight feature) really helps with motion clarity during intense action sequences, especially in shooters where every frame matters.

Visually, the monitor delivers vibrant colours and wide viewing angles, and the QHD resolution keeps everything looking crisp without pushing your GPU as hard as 4K would. We also really appreciated the stand – it’s fully adjustable, letting you tilt, swivel, rotate, and raise it for the perfect setup. Ideal for long gaming sessions or even dual-use with productivity work.

There are a few minor downsides worth noting. As with most IPS panels, the contrast isn’t amazing – blacks can appear slightly grey in dark scenes. You also won’t find USB-C or a built-in USB hub here. But honestly, at around £330, it delivers fantastic value for a premium-feeling 1440p display. For gamers wanting a smooth, sharp, and reliable monitor that looks great and performs even better, the VG27AQ is a choice we regularly recommend.

6. Gigabyte Radeon RX 7900 XT GAMING OC 16GB GDDR6

This card is an absolute powerhouse – and one we’ve had a lot of fun putting through its paces here at CCL. The Gigabyte RX 7900 XT Gaming OC sits just below the flagship XTX but still brings serious muscle to any build. With 16GB of GDDR6 memory, a boost clock of around 2.5GHz, and AMD’s latest RDNA 3 architecture, it handles everything we throw at it – from high refresh 1440p to ultra-detailed 4K.

We ran this card through a range of AAA titles like Cyberpunk 2077, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and Call of Duty: MW3 – all at max settings – and it maintained excellent frame rates even at 4K. In 1440p, it absolutely flies. Ray tracing performance has also taken a step up from previous AMD generations, and while it’s still slightly behind Nvidia in some heavier DXR workloads, it’s more than good enough for a high-end gaming experience.

The cooling on this Gigabyte model really impressed us too. The triple-fan Windforce system kept the GPU in the mid-60s even under extended load, and noise levels stayed low. It’s a big card and draws about 300W, so make sure your case has the clearance and your PSU is up to the job (we recommend 750W+). It’s also ready for the future with DisplayPort 2.1 and HDMI 2.1 – great for high refresh 4K and even 8K monitors.

At around £700–£750, it delivers a lot of performance for the price – especially considering you’re getting more VRAM than an RTX 5070. If you’re looking for top-tier 1440p or 4K gaming without going all the way to the extreme high end, this card offers incredible value. It’s one of our favourite high-end picks right now.

Conclusion

That wraps up our picks for this week – a solid mix of performance, value, and reliability across everything from SSDs to GPUs. Whether you're planning your next gaming build, upgrading a few key components, or just browsing for inspiration, we hope our recommendations help point you in the right direction.

We put these lists together every single week, based on what’s popular in the shop, what we love using ourselves, and what we genuinely believe offers great value or standout performance. If you don’t want to miss out on future picks, exclusive deals, or awesome competitions, be sure to subscribe below or follow us on socials.

Thanks again for reading – and as always, happy building!