Finally building a new PC after 8 years - how does this look?

Soldato
Joined
2 May 2004
Posts
19,946
Last PC I built was an Intel 2600K based PC about 8 years ago (still going strong and going to convert in to server), so it's time to upgrade

Budget around £2,000 for the PC and I want a screen too - this spec is coming in at just under £2k for the PC and £2.5k with screen:

  • AMD Ryzen 3900X
  • Corsair H100i RGB Platinum
  • ASUS TUF Gaming X570 Plus WiFi
  • Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 16GB x2
  • Samung 970 Evo Plus 1TB M.2
  • Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2070 Super 8GB Windforce OC 3X
  • be quiet! Dark Base 700
  • Super Flower Leadex III 650W PSU
Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated :)

I will be getting an Oculus Rift S at some point, plus want to game at 4k as I'll be getting the Dell U2720Q.

Thanks
 
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Soldato
Joined
6 Jun 2008
Posts
11,618
Location
Finland
Just forget heavily brand overcharging Samsung.
WD SN550 would be perfect for gaming use:
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/wd-b...-solid-state-drive-wds100t2b0c-hd-56l-wd.html
And £10 more gives "full bandwidth" drive:
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/tosh...-3.0-x4-nvme-solid-state-drive-hd-04n-ts.html

Memory is also similarly Ridiculously Grossly Bloated brand overpriced.
This is sensibly priced RGB memory.
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/team...ual-channel-kit-rgb-black-tf1d-my-0a4-tg.html
In 3600MHz this is the only more reasonably priced kit.
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/cors...zen-tuned-ddr4-memory-dual-kit-my-4cl-cs.html
Well, this is also well priced for actually tight latency kit:
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/team...00c16-3600mhz-dual-channel-kit-my-002-8p.html


And if you want similar longevity Asus has 15 year old bad chipset cooler design:
- Actual heatsink under marketing covers is tinfoil origami sturdy. >
- And relies on constant airflow from fan. >
- With everything slapped into worst place directly under graphics card to be bathed in its heat. >
- Fan has to run even faster than necessary because of higher ambient.​
So once that constantly running fan fails, chipset temps will climb fast high or straight away overheat.
That's not something I can consider as good design.
Especially after having once had to start replacing crappy design chipset coolers...

Again Gigabyte and MSI have chipset coolers with proper size heatsink positioned farther from graphics card allowing semi passive cooling.
In those fan failure wouldn't be automatically serious problem.
Though MSI went from B450 hero to zero in X570 copypasting same VRM to half the range.
That leaves Gigabyte having done best work with Aorus very good package for the price.
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/giga...4-x570-chipset-atx-motherboard-mb-57w-gi.html


For graphics card Radeon 5700 XT would be the most expensive some sense making.
Nvidias are just brand overpriced and no matter much empty air you buy, future proofness is very bad against next-gen cards coming in fall.
Just for measure GPU of next Xbox might fully challenge every single current card at least with raytracing.
Rigth time to buy more expensive card would be then when next-gen cards are out.
(and don't expect Nvidia to be any less brand overpriced then)


Also that cooler is overpriced marketing hype for guaranteedly worser long term reliability than in heatpipe coolers which can't fail.
Those slim small radiators aren't even better in continuous cooling per noise than high end heatpipe coolers.
They just don't have surface area for that.
Big dual tower heatpipe coolers have fully comparable surface area and also best single towers are around same level as average waterpipe coolers.

Though availability/stock situation is bad in many coolers right now with lots of people having bought PCs.
Anyway something like this would be very good for 3900X:
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/alpenfohn-brocken-3-cpu-cooler-140mm-hs-05a-al.html
In RGB models Scythe Mugen 5 would be step behind dual tower...
But with convex base optimized for often concave Intel heatspreaders might need lapping to perform fully with AMD's flattish heatpreader of off center heat sources.


While Leadex is good PSU, there's 3 years longer warranty PSU for less:
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/phanteks-amp-650w-80-plus-gold-modular-power-supply-ca-09q-pt.html
Though might want to ask about availability.

That Dell is rather bad for gaming:
Only outdated/low end 60Hz and no variable refresh rate tech.
For gaming would definitely want higher than 60Hz capable monitor and FreeSync to avoid problems associated with both traditional V-sync or lack of it.
I think current selection is one Asus, but there should be some models coming out during this year.
 
Soldato
Joined
19 Feb 2010
Posts
13,250
Location
London
I'm still rocking my ancient i2500K PC and to be honest, it just seems to me that the likes of Intel and Nvidia are dragging their heels.

I'd like to upgrade to an ultrawide 1440p setup but I am mentally really struggling to justify the cost given that my current rig handles pretty much everything I throw at it on 1080p. I would like more threads for lab work though :(

Good luck OP :)
 
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