Thanks for the feedback. My thinking was if by going with Palit or Zotac I can get stretch my budget to include a 4080 (if going AM5) or 4090 if going (Z790 or B660 + 13600K) etc, then it would be worth it, providing these basic cards would prove reliable. I just don't know their reputation as I'm unfamiliar with the brands, since this will be my first gaming PC.
As an animal lover, I fucking loathe fireworks. Fortunately, we've managed to condition 3 of our pets to largely ignore them, and the 4th is deaf. I can't help worrying about the wildlife they scare to death though.
Welcome.