New gaming build - would love some feedback

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psychedelicbeast

Active member
Hi All
Happy new year to everyone (and their loved ones) on the forums! I am planning on buying a new gaming PC as a surprise birthday gift for my wife. Spec attached below:

Case
FRACTAL DEFINE 7 BLACK QUIET MID-TOWER CASE
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 5 5600X Six Core CPU (3.7GHz-4.6GHz/35MB CACHE/AM4)
Motherboard
ASUS® ROG STRIX X570-F GAMING (USB 3.2 Gen 2, PCIe 4.0) - ARGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
16GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3600MHz (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
8GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 3070 - HDMI, DP
1st Storage Drive
2TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 256MB CACHE
1st M.2 SSD Drive
500GB SAMSUNG 980 PRO M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 6900MB/R, 5000MB/W)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB SAMSUNG 970 EVO PLUS M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 3500MB/R, 3300MB/W)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 750W RMx SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
Corsair H115i RGB PLATINUM Hydro Series High Performance CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Card
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT (Wi-Fi NOT INCLUDED)
Wireless Network Card
WIRELESS INTEL® Wi-Fi 6 AX200 2,400Mbps/5GHz, 300Mbps/2.4GHz PCI-E CARD + BT 5.0
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KK3-00002]
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10 Multi-Language Recovery Image - Unlimited Downloads from Online Account
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft 365® (Operating System Required)
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Firefox™
Warranty
3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 17 to 19 working days
Price: £2,183.00 including VAT and Delivery
Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am4-gen3-pc/enX6tFEcbH/


The main usage would be for gaming, some python development (she's started getting into machine learning) and standard office work (i.e MS Office,etc).
She loves games like Cyberpunk, Assassin's Creed, Horizon New Dawn, World of Warcraft, etc. The plan would be to game in 1440P 144HZ or greater ideally.

1. Can you please let me know if the spec makes sense, or if you would recommend changes? I can go above the current price as required.
2. Can you recommend a screen to buy? I've looked at the Samsung G7 and G9, which look great (online admittedly). Bit wary of going for the G9 due to the high price as well as a concern about whether it will be too big for someone keeping it on a desk and sitting less than a metre away. Also, none of us have ever tried ultrawide, so that's another reason I am not prioritizing the G9 at the moment.

Let me know if you have any questions about usage, etc.
Thanks
 
B

Bigfoot

Grand Master
You don’t really need the ROG Strix motherboard or the extra cooling with the 5600x, but they won’t do any harm except to your wallet. I would second the question about the timing of your wife’s birthday and there are long lead times on several components.
 
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psychedelicbeast

Active member
Birthday is end of January, so I am resigned to showing her a lovely printout of the specs of her future gaming system on the big day :) I don't want to compromise with components just to get ultra fast delivery, since this system will hopefully last her a few years.
 
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psychedelicbeast

Active member
Thanks for the advice. My budget would ideally be < 2500 pounds.

Do you think the G9 is worth it for someone sitting less than a metre away? Or would it be too big?

Also, I have never had an ultrawide screen, so would it actually show more detail i.e. extend the picture so you can see more detail ? Or would it squish the picture so that all the characters look fatter? Apologies if this question sounds really dumb, am completely clueless when it comes to ultrawide screens, and have only had a 16:9 screen forever.
 
AgentCooper

AgentCooper

At Least I Have Chicken
Moderator
psychedelicbeast said:
Thanks for the advice. My budget would ideally be < 2500 pounds.

Do you think the G9 is worth it for someone sitting less than a metre away? Or would it be too big?

Also, I have never had an ultrawide screen, so would it actually show more detail i.e. extend the picture so you can see more detail ? Or would it squish the picture so that all the characters look fatter? Apologies if this question sounds really dumb, am completely clueless when it comes to ultrawide screens, and have only had a 16:9 screen forever.
Click to expand...
The system is usually clever and will automatically change the aspect ratio of what’s on screen so it all looks lovely. I’ve found with my ultrawide monitor that some older games may not support it so you can just manually adjust it and then it’ll display the image as if it was on a 27 inch screen and you’ll have two black borders on either side.

A possible ‘inbetweenie’ suggestion is to take the build that @Nursemorph did for you, change the GPU to the 3070, and pair it up with this lovely screen...

www.overclockers.co.uk

Acer Nitro XV340CKP 34" 3440x1440 IPS 144Hz 1ms FreeSync Ultrawide LED Backlit Gaming Monitor

Acer Nitro XV340CKPbmiipphzx, Display Resolution 3440x1440, Display Size 34", Refresh Rate 144Hz, FreeSync, 1ms Response Time, Contrast Ratio 1000:1, Panel Type IPS, 2xHDMI(2.0) + 2xDP(1.4)
www.overclockers.co.uk www.overclockers.co.uk
 
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psychedelicbeast

Active member
Thanks. That monitor looks good, but I am thinking of going for a curved monitor. Getting more and more tempted by the G9! I have amended my build slightly based on advice above:

Case
FRACTAL DEFINE 7 BLACK QUIET MID-TOWER CASE
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 5 5600X Six Core CPU (3.7GHz-4.6GHz/35MB CACHE/AM4)
Motherboard
ASUS® ROG STRIX X570-F GAMING (USB 3.2 Gen 2, PCIe 4.0) - ARGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
16GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3600MHz (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
10GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 3080 - HDMI, DP
1st Storage Drive
2TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 256MB CACHE
1st M.2 SSD Drive
500GB SAMSUNG 980 PRO M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 6900MB/R, 5000MB/W)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB SAMSUNG 970 EVO PLUS M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 3500MB/R, 3300MB/W)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 750W RMx SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
STANDARD AMD CPU COOLER
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Card
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT (Wi-Fi NOT INCLUDED)
Wireless Network Card
WIRELESS INTEL® Wi-Fi 6 AX200 2,400Mbps/5GHz, 300Mbps/2.4GHz PCI-E CARD + BT 5.0
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KK3-00002]
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10 Multi-Language Recovery Image - Unlimited Downloads from Online Account
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft 365® (Operating System Required)
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Firefox™
Warranty
3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 17 to 19 working days
Price: £2,178.00 including VAT and Delivery

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am4-gen3-pc/MrSHvaJjBN/

Does this work with the G9? Also, some specific questions:
1. For gaming on the G9 on highest settings + light work, is the 5600X and 16GB RAM OK? Or should I be striving for 5800X and 32GB RAM?
2. For a 5600X, I have removed the AIO cooler I had selected, and just gone for stock fan cooling, without any extra fans. Would this be sufficient, given the setup I have chosen? Or do you recommend AIO cooler/ extra cooling fan(s)?
3. I am keeping the 570F motherboard for potential CPU upgrades in the future. DO you think this is overkill given the setup I have chosen, and the 550 should be fine?
 
AgentCooper

AgentCooper

At Least I Have Chicken
Moderator
So...

1) You won’t need more than 16GB RAM unless the games are flight sims, they tend to be a bit more memory hungry.

2) For most cases, the stock cooler would be fine... For the Fractal case, an AIO cooler would definitely be preferable to get heat exhausted from the case as efficiently as possible.

3) I’d stick with an X570 motherboard but the ROG Strix version wouldn’t be necessary with that CPU. The TUF X570 would be a good alternative 👍
 
P

psychedelicbeast

Active member
AgentCooper said:
So...

1) You won’t need more than 16GB RAM unless the games are flight sims, they tend to be a bit more memory hungry.

2) For most cases, the stock cooler would be fine... For the Fractal case, an AIO cooler would definitely be preferable to get heat exhausted from the case as efficiently as possible.

3) I’d stick with an X570 motherboard but the ROG Strix version wouldn’t be necessary with that CPU. The TUF X570 would be a good alternative 👍
Click to expand...
Awesome. I actually thought the Fractal case will have better than average cooling hence selected it but happy to change. Is there any other specific case you would recommend?
And is there any other change you would recommend for G9 gaming? :)
 
AgentCooper

AgentCooper

At Least I Have Chicken
Moderator
psychedelicbeast said:
Awesome. I actually thought the Fractal case will have better than average cooling hence selected it but happy to change. Is there any other specific case you would recommend?
And is there any other change you would recommend for G9 gaming? :)
Click to expand...
The Fractal is by far the best of the quiet cases out there but there’s always compromises on the thermals in order to attain ‘silence’. And with a fan cooler it’s a more difficult task to get the heat out of such a case. Not so with a AIO as the heat will be channelled to the radiator and can then be drawn directly out. A decent alternative would be the iCue 465X, it’s a bit flashy but would be better with the standard cooler 👍

A couple of changes I’d make would be to up the PSU to the 850w to cover any future upgrades. And to change the 1TB M.2 drive to the PCS version. Speed on that drive isn’t as important as the OS drive (it’ll still be FAST) and you could potentially channel the saving into something else.

Other than that, it’s looking good 🙂
 
P

psychedelicbeast

Active member
Hey, have another questions regarding the AIO for the 5600X. Would you have any recommendations on which one to take? Would CoolerMaster MasterLiquid Lite 240 High Performance Cooler work? Or the PCS RGB 240 Frostflow?
 
AgentCooper

AgentCooper

At Least I Have Chicken
Moderator
psychedelicbeast said:
Hey, have another questions regarding the AIO for the 5600X. Would you have any recommendations on which one to take? Would CoolerMaster MasterLiquid Lite 240 High Performance Cooler work? Or the PCS RGB 240 Frostflow?
Click to expand...
CoolerMaster 240 all the way, much better unit 👍

The H100i RGB Platinum is the premium option but is a more pricey.
 
P

psychedelicbeast

Active member
Thanks! Everytime I see your profile pic, I resist the temptation to make a "the owls are not what they seem" comment :)

I made a few changes on top.
1. Selected the H115i RGB Platinum (was just 2 pounds more than the H100i). Was looking at the more budget options, but the reviews didn't seem great for the first 4 I checked. Didn't consider the Noctua, as I thought liquid cooling would be better, but happy to be proven wrong?
2. Changed the case to Crystal 680X. Given that all the good cooling options seemed to be RGB (as I mentioned, I hadn't considered the Noctua), I thought it would be nicer to show it in an RGB case. The iCUe 465X had middling reviews online, hence changed to the Crystal (although I really wish I could go for the Crystal instead to cut costs a bit). I basically want to avoid a situation where I have a noisy system (especially since I opted out of the Fractal Define). If you feel the Noctua would actually be great with the 5600X, maybe I can go back to the Fractal Define
3. Moved to Platinum Warranty since it's an expensive system. Maybe that's overkill? Not sure

Here's the new spec:

Case
CORSAIR CRYSTAL SERIES 680X RGB GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 5 5600X Six Core CPU (3.7GHz-4.6GHz/35MB CACHE/AM4)
Motherboard
ASUS® TUF X570-PLUS GAMING (USB 3.2 Gen 2, PCIe 4.0, CrossFireX) - ARGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
16GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3600MHz (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
10GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 3080 - HDMI, DP
1st M.2 SSD Drive
500GB SAMSUNG 980 PRO M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 6900MB/R, 5000MB/W)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB PCS PCIe M.2 SSD (2000 MB/R, 1100 MB/W)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 850W RMx SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
Corsair H115i RGB PLATINUM Hydro Series High Performance CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Card
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT (Wi-Fi NOT INCLUDED)
Wireless Network Card
WIRELESS INTEL® Wi-Fi 6 AX200 2,400Mbps/5GHz, 300Mbps/2.4GHz PCI-E CARD + BT 5.0
USB/Thunderbolt Options
2 PORT (2 x TYPE A) USB 3.1 PCI-E CARD + STANDARD USB PORTS
Operating System
Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10 Multi-Language Recovery Image - Unlimited Downloads from Online Account
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft 365® (Operating System Required)
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Firefox™
Warranty
3 Year Platinum Warranty (3 Year Collect & Return, 3 Year Parts, 3 Year labour)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 17 to 19 working days
Price: £2,259.00 including VAT and Delivery

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am4-gen3-pc/dv6ze2uJ!Q/
 
AgentCooper

AgentCooper

At Least I Have Chicken
Moderator
Okay, first things first. Why have you resisted making a Twin Peaks reference thus far? I fully back all opportunities to do so and have high expectations that you will in your next post...

I always support anyone who goes for the 680X case, it’s a personal favourite. With that case you have good airflow and it’s a dream for making upgrades with, due to the dual chamber design. You won’t necessarily need the posh cooler with that case, but it’s a nice touch.

But... at this point I fear you’re going down the rabbit hole and reading into a series of reviews, which isn’t always productive. The iCue 465X is a very good case and definitely shouldn’t be disparaged. Put it this way, I made an executive decision to buy one of the most budget friendly Corsair options, the iCue 220T - because it’s dinky and fits perfectly on my desk. I’ve got a balanced selection of components inside it and it’s serving me well. A good system is the sum of its parts.

Platinum warranty... I personally wouldn’t. Silver is plentiful and if you have any issues there’s some absolute legends on the forum who are brilliant at helping you troubleshoot problems.

Now that I’ve seen your final spec I’m going to throw a little curveball into the equation and suggest that for an extra £37 you could have this...

Case
CORSAIR iCUE 465X RGB GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X Eight Core CPU (3.8GHz-4.7GHz/36MB CACHE/AM4)
Motherboard
ASUS® TUF X570-PLUS GAMING (USB 3.2 Gen 2, PCIe 4.0, CrossFireX) - ARGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
16GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3600MHz (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
10GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 3080 - HDMI, DP
1st M.2 SSD Drive
500GB SAMSUNG 980 PRO M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 6900MB/R, 5000MB/W)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB PCS PCIe M.2 SSD (2000 MB/R, 1100 MB/W)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 850W RMx SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
Corsair H100i RGB PLATINUM Hydro Series High Performance CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Card
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT (Wi-Fi NOT INCLUDED)
Wireless Network Card
WIRELESS INTEL® Wi-Fi 6 AX200 2,400Mbps/5GHz, 300Mbps/2.4GHz PCI-E CARD + BT 5.0
USB/Thunderbolt Options
2 PORT (2 x TYPE A) USB 3.1 PCI-E CARD + STANDARD USB PORTS
Operating System
Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KUK-00001]
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10 Multi-Language Recovery Image - Unlimited Downloads from Online Account
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft 365® (Operating System Required)
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Firefox™
Warranty
3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 17 to 19 working days
Price: £2,296.00 including VAT and Delivery

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am4-gen3-pc/Jp9d8Uj4cN/
 
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