So in mid-Feb I ordered an Intel/3080 build that, going by the 3080 thread, I'm probably not going to see this side of summer. While I realise that most GPUs are in short supply right now, it's clear that the 3080 is by far the most affected. So, for now, I'm contemplating an AMD build instead.
The goal was really to get as a good a spec as possible for gaming on a 1440p 165hz Freesync (GSYNC compatible) monitor (with the view to potentially getting an ultra-wide later on), for under £3000, that could potentially hold it's own in latest gaming titles for at least three years. This would be replacing my current 6700k/Strix 1080Ti.
I believe the spec below would satisfy that need - but I suspect there may be some gaps/room for improvement within the budget. There's a few things I'm less keen on, but limited by the available options - e.g. Arctic MX4 isn't really the best, and I'd prefer a wider choice of X570 boards with built-in WiFi (my current ROG Maximus VIII Impact with built in WiFi has been rock solid). I would also prefer WD Blue NVMe/SSD options over PCS or Intel 660p options (without straying into Samsung pricing) but there we go.
My main concerns are around RAM, CPU cooler and PSU. I've read that 3600 is preferred, and it looks like the ram on offer by PCS is Corsair Dominator LPX - but I don't see CAS speeds listed (and the LPX is available in both CAS18 and 16) - I'd definitely prefer CAS16 RAM, though I believe CAS18 3600 ram is roughly equivalent to CAS16 3200. With regards to the cooler, I know the 5800X runs hot, so I'm hoping the H115i Hydro is enough to tame it (Id have preferred an NZXT Z63 or Arctic Liquid Freezer II 360). Finally the PSU - while the PCS configurator says that 750w supply should be fine, I'm wary of the spikes that have been reported against the 6900XT, so I am hoping that the 850w RMx is good enough to cover that.
In short, I should really be building my own system (which is what I've done for the past 20+ years), and if GPU availability wasn't what it is, I would (seems like there's very little chance to even pre-order a higher end graphics card these days). So any build I put together in PCS will be a compromise against what I'd build with preferred parts, but with the way things are, that's just the way it is I guess. Interested to hear any opinions on the build below..
Case
CORSAIR OBSIDIAN SERIES™ 500D SE CASE
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X Eight Core CPU (3.8GHz-4.7GHz/36MB CACHE/AM4)
Motherboard
ASUS® ROG STRIX X570-F GAMING (USB 3.2 Gen 2, PCIe 4.0) - ARGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3600MHz (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
16GB AMD RADEON™ RX 6900 XT - HDMI, DP - DX® 12
1st Storage Drive
1TB PCS 2.5" SSD, SATA 6 Gb (520MB/R, 470MB/W)
1st Storage Drive
8TB SEAGATE IRONWOLF PRO 3.5", 7200 RPM 256MB CACHE
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
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Card
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT (Wi-Fi NOT INCLUDED)
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 Professional 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
Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)
Warranty
3 Year Standard Warranty (1 Month Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 10 to 12 working days
Price: £2,943.00 including VAT and Delivery
Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am4-gen3-pc/7ahdDya5cw/
The goal was really to get as a good a spec as possible for gaming on a 1440p 165hz Freesync (GSYNC compatible) monitor (with the view to potentially getting an ultra-wide later on), for under £3000, that could potentially hold it's own in latest gaming titles for at least three years. This would be replacing my current 6700k/Strix 1080Ti.
I believe the spec below would satisfy that need - but I suspect there may be some gaps/room for improvement within the budget. There's a few things I'm less keen on, but limited by the available options - e.g. Arctic MX4 isn't really the best, and I'd prefer a wider choice of X570 boards with built-in WiFi (my current ROG Maximus VIII Impact with built in WiFi has been rock solid). I would also prefer WD Blue NVMe/SSD options over PCS or Intel 660p options (without straying into Samsung pricing) but there we go.
My main concerns are around RAM, CPU cooler and PSU. I've read that 3600 is preferred, and it looks like the ram on offer by PCS is Corsair Dominator LPX - but I don't see CAS speeds listed (and the LPX is available in both CAS18 and 16) - I'd definitely prefer CAS16 RAM, though I believe CAS18 3600 ram is roughly equivalent to CAS16 3200. With regards to the cooler, I know the 5800X runs hot, so I'm hoping the H115i Hydro is enough to tame it (Id have preferred an NZXT Z63 or Arctic Liquid Freezer II 360). Finally the PSU - while the PCS configurator says that 750w supply should be fine, I'm wary of the spikes that have been reported against the 6900XT, so I am hoping that the 850w RMx is good enough to cover that.
In short, I should really be building my own system (which is what I've done for the past 20+ years), and if GPU availability wasn't what it is, I would (seems like there's very little chance to even pre-order a higher end graphics card these days). So any build I put together in PCS will be a compromise against what I'd build with preferred parts, but with the way things are, that's just the way it is I guess. Interested to hear any opinions on the build below..
Case
CORSAIR OBSIDIAN SERIES™ 500D SE CASE
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X Eight Core CPU (3.8GHz-4.7GHz/36MB CACHE/AM4)
Motherboard
ASUS® ROG STRIX X570-F GAMING (USB 3.2 Gen 2, PCIe 4.0) - ARGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3600MHz (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
16GB AMD RADEON™ RX 6900 XT - HDMI, DP - DX® 12
1st Storage Drive
1TB PCS 2.5" SSD, SATA 6 Gb (520MB/R, 470MB/W)
1st Storage Drive
8TB SEAGATE IRONWOLF PRO 3.5", 7200 RPM 256MB CACHE
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
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Card
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT (Wi-Fi NOT INCLUDED)
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 Professional 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
Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)
Warranty
3 Year Standard Warranty (1 Month Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 10 to 12 working days
Price: £2,943.00 including VAT and Delivery
Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am4-gen3-pc/7ahdDya5cw/
