Part Recommendations

[NDA]

Dear Friends, I am planning to assemble my home computer for my Cisco CCIE Lab  preparation. For that I am looking for processor with at least 12 cores, 16 to 24 GB RAM and support virtualization as will run multiple VMs on it. Can someone please guide me what are the different parts/hardware I need to consider to build my desktop. I am looking for budget friendly materials.

Could you please guide me with component:
CPU -
Motherboard -
RAM -
Storage -
GPU -
PSU -
Case/Cabinate -
Cooling -

Your help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

NDA

[teresa32yon]

Hi NDA! I'd be happy to help you build your computer for your Cisco CCIE Lab preparation. Here are some budget-friendly components that meet your requirements:

CPU
AMD Ryzen 5 7600X - This processor offers 6 cores and 12 threads, which is a great balance of performance and price.

Motherboard
ASUS Prime B650M-A - This motherboard supports virtualization (AMD-V) and has multiple RAM slots for future upgrades.

RAM
Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR5 5200 MHz - This will give you a good starting point, and you can add more sticks later if needed.

Storage
Samsung 970 EVO Plus 1TB NVMe M.2 SSD - Fast storage for quick boot times and efficient VM performance.

GPU
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Super - A budget-friendly GPU that will handle most tasks you throw at it.

PSU
Corsair RM650x 650W 80+ Gold Certified - This PSU will provide enough power for your components and future upgrades.

Case/Cabinet
NZXT H510 ATX Mid Tower - A budget-friendly and well-ventilated case that fits all your components.

Cooling
Cooler Master Hyper 212 RGB - An affordable and efficient air cooler that will keep your CPU temperatures in check.

Hope this helps!

[BigAl01]

If you go with the current AMD socket (AM5), then you probably want a 12-core 7900X CPU.  The more budget-friendly approach would be to find an AM4 CPU, like the 5900X.  

[FunkZ]

What Hypervisor are you intending to use? This will influence your hardware requirements.

Have you considered a virtual emulator such as EVE-NG?

[BigAl01]

So, have you made any decisions on the new build?  Several people have offered suggestions......