This build is designed to give Half-Life 2: Episode One exactly what it needs at 1080p: excellent single-core CPU performance and enough modern GPU power to support visual mods while staying cost-effective. The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X delivers the strong single-threaded speed the Source engine craves for physics objects, AI pathing, and particle bursts during combat, directly addressing the stuttering that older CPUs often show in City 17’s busy streets. Paired with the ASRock Radeon RX 7600 8GB, the system handles base game rendering and common texture upgrades with ease, avoiding any GPU bottleneck at this resolution. The CPU/GPU balance is intentional. Episode One places far more demand on the processor than the graphics card, so we selected a newer Zen 5 CPU over an older, cheaper one that might still stutter under load. The RX 7600 provides clean 1080p performance and future-proofs the rig for other games or heavier mods without the cost of higher-end cards that would be wasted here. Supporting components complete a balanced system: the ASUS Prime B650-PLUS WIFI motherboard offers reliable AM5 connectivity, 16GB of DDR5-6000 RAM meets modern Windows requirements, and the 1TB NV3 SSD ensures fast level loads. The Thermalright Peerless Assassin cooler, Montech AIR 903 case, and 650W MSI power supply keep everything running quietly and with stable power. Overall the configuration avoids the common mistake of overspending on GPU horsepower for a 2006 title while giving the engine the modern CPU foundation it benefits from most. It solves the practical demands of smooth, hitch-free physics and combat at 1080p so the focus stays on the story and gameplay.