Trying to make a 1440p build, unsure on quite a few things.

[BendyG]

Here's the specs, lots I'm unsure about so please forgive any obvious mistakes. I've added notes to parts I'm uncertain about. Notes about monitor at the end. My budget is flexible, but I don't really want it going beyond £2,300. I've decided to upgrade from 1080p (been told it's worth it - hopefully it is?). Currently on a GTX1660, with an i59400 and a 450w PSU, don't want to make the same mistakes of bad upgradability. It's only for gaming, no content creation, streaming etc. Don't play competitive games, so I'm not after ultra high framerates. Can't see myself ever wanting 4K (excited enough about the thought of 1440p!).

Case
CORSAIR 5000D AIRFLOW TEMPERED GLASS GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™ i7 16-Core Processor i7-13700K (3.4GHz) 30MB Cache
Motherboard
ASUS® ROG STRIX Z690-F GAMING WIFI (LGA1700, USB 3.2, PCIe 5.0) - ARGB Ready (no idea about motherboards, can save if I got TUF gaming Z790 - a big step down?)
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR5 4800MHz (2 x 16GB) (unsure about size and speed - hoping 4800MHz is virtually just as good as 5200? And 32gb seems a bit much right now, but is it more sensible long term than 16gb?)
Graphics Card
12GB AMD RADEON™ RX 6750 XT - HDMI, DP - DX® 12 (only recently decided to try AMD, so a little unsure on the model. It's either this or the 6800XT, which I feel like I'd rather because it will just squeeze in my budget and I've heard good things about it)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB PCS PCIe M.2 SSD (3300 MB/R, 2900 MB/W) (for Windows and secondary storage for games - it's this or SOLIDIGM P41+)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
2TB SAMSUNG 980 PRO M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 7000MB/R, 5000MB/W)
1st Storage Drive
2TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 256MB CACHE
Power Supply
CORSAIR 1000W RMe SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS GOLD, ULTRA QUIET (anticipating GPU upgrade in several years, scarred by my 450w PSU - overkill?)
Power Cable
1 x 1.5 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead, 1.0mm Core)
Processor Cooling
PCS FrostFlow 240 Series ARGB High Performance Liquid Cooler (Need help here: tested out some bigger cards for this build, and they all said the cards wouldn't fit in the case with this cooler, so if I upgrade to a bigger card in the future I might be in trouble - no idea about processor cooling, so any help is greatly appreciated)
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
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Windows 11 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KUK-00003]

Sorry about all the questions. Really the only things I'm sure about are the processor (pretty sure I want to stay with intel, but if anyone thinks AMD is a better choice please let me know) and the second SSD drive for games.

I don't have a 1440p monitor yet, I've looked and stock seems low at Currys, and it's like a minefield at Amazon, baffled by a lot of the terms. I *think* a 1440p, 144hz flatscreen monitor will do (curved vs flatscreen is something I can't quite decide on), but I've seen 165hz ones too, and coming from 60fps, 60hz, 1080p for years, it just baffles me... I guess you can change the refresh rate on newer monitors to match the framerate?

I did nearly buy a really flawed, stupid build a few months back, had a rethink and came back with this.

Edit: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/intel-z790-ddr5-pc/X7TBBCS59A/

 

[sck451]

Here's a significantly better option for less money. In a few days the 7800X3D will be out and you could see what the performance and price of that part is and whether it might be worth an upgrade for you to use your full budget...

I'm not sure there's much case for any Intel build for gaming right now, and especially not for the expensive DDR5 platform, so I'm suggesting AMD's latest 7000 series platform.

Case
CORSAIR 5000D AIRFLOW TEMPERED GLASS GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 7 7700X Eight Core CPU (4.5GHz-5.4GHz/40MB CACHE/AM5) Excellent gaming CPU
Motherboard
ASUS® TUF GAMING B650-PLUS WIFI (DDR5, USB 3.2, 6Gb/s) Plenty of motherboard
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE RGB DDR5 6000MHz (2 x 16GB) AMD RAM speed makes a huge difference especially for AMD
Graphics Card
12GB AMD RADEON™ RX 6750 XT - HDMI, DP - DX® 12 Good choice especially with the 6800XT out of stock
1st M.2 SSD Drive
500GB SAMSUNG 980 PRO M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 6900MB/R, 5000MB/W) Boot drive
1st M.2 SSD Drive
2TB SOLIDIGM P41+ GEN 4 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 4125MB/sR, 3325MB/sW) Games drive
1st Storage Drive
2TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 256MB CACHE Bulk storage (do you need this?)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 1000W RMe SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS GOLD, ULTRA QUIET Good plan
Power Cable
1 x 1.5 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead, 1.0mm Core)
Processor Cooling
CORSAIR iCUE H150i ELITE RGB High Performance CPU Cooler Probably the H100i would be enough, but this case is a nice match aesthetically with the H150i...
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
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Windows 11 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KUK-00003]
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10/11 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
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 12 to 15 working days
Price: £2,073.00 including VAT and Delivery
Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am5-pc/9M5dQMUDg6/

For a display, you really want to be looking at 1440p 144Hz+ IPS. I wouldn't get a curved display as they're mostly inferior VA panels. All good monitors (paired with good GPUs) will do a decent job of adapting the frame rate. (It's called variable refresh rate, or by the brand names FreeSync/Gsync.) The top end is the MSI MAG274QRF-QD; other mid-range offerings include the Asus VG27AQ. The low end (which I'd be heistant to recommend) is the X= XRGB27WG for £240ish.

 

[BendyG]

Thanks so much for the help! I'll have to do some research on AMD CPUs, I know next to nothing about them, even the naming scheme goes over my head. I've got to shake that Intel brand loyalty, because those RAM speeds look great, and the build you suggested is cheaper. I'd be tempted to wait for the 6800XT to come back in stock with those savings (if it would be suitable for that build), seems like such a good card from videos I've watched.

A quick look says that AMD says the 7800X3D is on par with 13th gen i9, would that processor just go with the build you suggested, wouldn't clash with anything? (probably a daft question).

Had a look at the monitors - the Asus VG27AQ is one I had an eye on, but out of stock. Do G Sync labelled monitors work well with AMD GPUs?

 

[sck451]

Thanks so much for the help! I'll have to do some research on AMD CPUs, I know next to nothing about them, even the naming scheme goes over my head. I've got to shake that Intel brand loyalty, because those RAM speeds look great, and the build you suggested is cheaper. I'd be tempted to wait for the 6800XT to come back in stock with those savings (if it would be suitable for that build), seems like such a good card from videos I've watched.

Yeah, the only downside is that it's now a couple of years old, so it's no longer the newest card around. But there (currently) isn't much midrange 1440p stuff about. You could buy a graphics card elsewhere (you can get a 6800 XT for £550 on Amazon) and fit it. It would actually be cheaper, but obviously you have to do the work and PCS's warranty wouldn't cover it.

A quick look says that AMD says the 7800X3D is on par with 13th gen i9, would that processor just go with the build you suggested, wouldn't clash with anything? (probably a daft question).

AMD's 7800X3D is likely to be ahead of the 13900K. To some extent on raw performance; probably to a greater extent considering power/heat performance. I'd choose the AMD option in a heartbeat over the Intel one.

Had a look at the monitors - the Asus VG27AQ is one I had an eye on, but out of stock. Do G Sync labelled monitors work well with AMD GPUs?

Yes, they'll work fine. If they don't have the dedicated G Sync module, they'll revert to using the open standard Freesync. You'll struggle to tell the difference except in your wallet!

 

[BendyG]

Yeah, it's an awkward time for the level of GPU I'd like, I'm guessing the rest of the Radeon current series will come out over the rest of the year and maybe the hypothetical 7700 or 7800 will be ideal, but I don't know how long I'd be waiting. I can see the 6800XT lasting me for a good long while though.

From what you've said and what I've read, I'm going to wait and see what kind of price and performance the 7800X3D has. Might need to repost new specs next week. For longevity I'd rather spend more on the processor than GPU. I've read that AMD CPUs can be a bit easier to upgrade, but it's not something I'd want to try, and it sounds like the 7800X3D will stay very relevant for years to come. AMD's website said it's max RAM speed is 5200mhz, so if I go with that I guess I'd have to lower the RAM speed to 5200mhz (still over twice as fast as my current RAM).

Thanks again for the help, and thanks for the monitor tips!

 

[SpyderTracks]

AMD's website said it's max RAM speed is 5200mhz

That's the native speed of the board, but almost all RAM for many years now is run overclocked.

Any AMD board will happily go over 7000MHz on the RAM.

 

[BendyG]

That's the native speed of the board, but almost all RAM for many years now is run overclocked.

Any AMD board will happily go over 7000MHz on the RAM.

Thanks, that's good to know! I'll definitely be revisiting this when the 7800X3D is available, hopefully PC Specialist can supply it soon-ish, we'll see.

 

[SpyderTracks]

Thanks, that's good to know! I'll definitely be revisiting this when the 7800X3D is available, hopefully PC Specialist can supply it soon-ish, we'll see.

It's available on Thursday.

 

[BendyG]

It's available on Thursday.

Brilliant!

A bit of an open question, but I watched a video on it and it said it would have support for upgradability for a couple of generations.
Might be a daft question, but does that mean in a few years I could get a newer CPU, bring it to a PC shop / send it to PCS and they could put it on the same motherboard? That would seal it for me.

 

[sck451]

Brilliant!

A bit of an open question, but I watched a video on it and it said it would have support for upgradability for a couple of generations.
Might be a daft question, but does that mean in a few years I could get a newer CPU, bring it to a PC shop / send it to PCS and they could put it on the same motherboard? That would seal it for me.

That's exactly what it means. I did it last week with my own PC and it was trivially easy, so don't rule out doing it yourself even!

 

[BendyG]

That's exactly what it means. I did it last week with my own PC and it was trivially easy, so don't rule out doing it yourself even!

Wow, that's the one I'm getting then, no doubt. Whether I do it myself or not, it's better than being locked in to one CPU. I don't know too much, but I've got it in my head if you want to upgrade Intel chips, you'd usually need a new motherboard.

So two generations would take me to around 2026? With that and the 1000w PSU good for future GPUs, seems like this would be a really upgradable build.

Edit: Reading more into the motherboards, are there any tangible benefits to the X670 over the B650. To be honest, the specs go completely over my head. More SATA ports and superspeed USB? I won't be having more than 3 drives (if that relates to SATA - no idea), and got no idea about superspeed USB. Can't see it making a difference, just want to make sure I understand each part of this build as much as I can. It's so much more enjoyable when you understand it.

 

[Scott]

Wow, that's the one I'm getting then, no doubt. Whether I do it myself or not, it's better than being locked in to one CPU. I don't know too much, but I've got it in my head if you want to upgrade Intel chips, you'd usually need a new motherboard.

So two generations would take me to around 2026? With that and the 1000w PSU good for future GPUs, seems like this would be a really upgradable build.

I would suggest it's even better than you are considering. The upgrade path does allow you to upgrade to a newer CPU. However, keep in mind that you don't need to do this when the CPU is released. You can hold off until the pricing normalises and you can get it for much better value. With that in mind I would suggest the system would be good until 2030, save for a couple of GPU upgrades.

You may want to consider the 1200w PSU. It just depends if you see yourself climbing tiers or not. I wouldn't trust a current 1000w PSU with the likes of the 4090, for example, I would want a 1200w PSU in there. No idea what the 5090/6090/etc are going to be like. On the other side of that coin though, you may want to factor in a PSU upgrade down the line. Unfortunately PCS don't offer ATX3.0s yet and I think the 12pin 600w cable is going to become the norm. At the moment we need cable adapters for current PSUs, which aren't idea.

 

[BendyG]

I would suggest it's even better than you are considering. The upgrade path does allow you to upgrade to a newer CPU. However, keep in mind that you don't need to do this when the CPU is released. You can hold off until the pricing normalises and you can get it for much better value. With that in mind I would suggest the system would be good until 2030, save for a couple of GPU upgrades.

You may want to consider the 1200w PSU. It just depends if you see yourself climbing tiers or not. I wouldn't trust a current 1000w PSU with the likes of the 4090, for example, I would want a 1200w PSU in there. No idea what the 5090/6090/etc are going to be like. On the other side of that coin though, you may want to factor in a PSU upgrade down the line. Unfortunately PCS don't offer ATX3.0s yet and I think the 12pin 600w cable is going to become the norm. At the moment we need cable adapters for current PSUs, which aren't idea.

Good point, I don't need to upgrade as soon as a new CPU comes out. It just opens things up so much. If the 7800X3D pushes me too over budget, I can settle on the 7700X knowing that that's not set in stone for the PC's lifespan, brilliant stuff.

I thought I might be being overkill with the 1000w PSU, I've just seen a few articles saying how the power demands are going through the roof. I could consider a 1200w PSU, not sure if I'd have to reconsider my case (very fond of the Corsair 5000D airflow, and I'm very indecisive).

I can't see myself moving tiers, if that means targeting 4K. I've been stubbornly clinging on to 1080p until now, it's only everyone saying the leap is massive that I want to upgrade. But going to 4K, I just can't see it happening. Does make me wonder if 1440p cards will need more and more power though... I don't know much about CPU power demands, but I'm guessing an upgrade would heap more work on the PSU?

 

[Scott]

I wouldn't worry too much about the CPU demands. I always have worst case in my head, so I consider the utilisation with Intel in mind..... I can't see AMD ever using that much juice, and certainly not at their gaming levels.

The resolution demands to tend to follow the tiers. Using Nvidia as an example, the 3070 would be high end 1440p, the 4070 would be extreme 1440p and well into 4k usage..... as time goes on, this will become the 1440p norm though, as the demands of games increases.

I think AMD is the right choice for you though, you'll get more mileage with the vRAM and I think the pricing is better just now.

With the PSU.... if you think you'll upgrade it, I'd either stick with 1000w or possibly even drop to 850w. If you do drop down, keep in mind this is likely a dead end PSU and you will need to upgrade it before your next GPU upgrade. This would give you the opportunity to install an ATX3.0 with the money saved. This obviously increases hassle. The other option would be to opt for the 1200w PSU knowing that will cover you for the life of your build. Staying at the same tier there's just no way you're going to need more than that, even with transient spikes in mind.

So..... I would either save money, add hassle and opt for the 850w PSU.... or spend the money, reduce the hassle and opt for the 1200w PSU. I wouldn't middle personally. It's just where we are with the technology changes unfortunately.

 

[BendyG]

Yeah, I looked into AMD GPUs mainly because of VRAM and price (and because after researching what I need it for - just gaming at 1440p - AMD is generally recommended).

From what you've said on PSUs, I'd lean more to getting the 1200w PSU. Don't think I'd be confident to do the upgrade myself, and paying someone else to do it might end up more expensive. If I don't need to consider the ATX3.0 upgrade with a 1200w PSU, then that's settled it in my head.

I know the configurator isn't perfect, but I tested it by putting a 1200w PSU and an RTX4090 in it, and it didn't throw me back. I think (?) I'd be surprised if I ever needed a GPU bigger than a 4090. Surely there's got to be a limit on just how big they get...

 

[BendyG]

My only worry with an ideal, very upgradable build is childproofing it... -_-

 

[sck451]

Yeah, I looked into AMD GPUs mainly because of VRAM and price (and because after researching what I need it for - just gaming at 1440p - AMD is generally recommended).

From what you've said on PSUs, I'd lean more to getting the 1200w PSU. Don't think I'd be confident to do the upgrade myself, and paying someone else to do it might end up more expensive. If I don't need to consider the ATX3.0 upgrade with a 1200w PSU, then that's settled it in my head.

I know the configurator isn't perfect, but I tested it by putting a 1200w PSU and an RTX4090 in it, and it didn't throw me back. I think (?) I'd be surprised if I ever needed a GPU bigger than a 4090. Surely there's got to be a limit on just how big they get...

The 1200W PSU will fit fine in the 5000D. It's quite a sizeable case; you won't have any problems.

And yes, it's unlikely that the size will be a lot bigger than the 4090 unless you are buying the top tier graphics cards. The mid-tier stuff hasn't got significantly bigger in a long time. And buying top-tier is generally not a great plan anyway. You'll be well set with that system.

 

[BendyG]

The 1200W PSU will fit fine in the 5000D. It's quite a sizeable case; you won't have any problems.

And yes, it's unlikely that the size will be a lot bigger than the 4090 unless you are buying the top tier graphics cards. The mid-tier stuff hasn't got significantly bigger in a long time. And buying top-tier is generally not a great plan anyway. You'll be well set with that system.

Thank you! And thanks again for all your help in this thread. I'm going to reconfigure your suggested specs when the 7800X3D is available, work out where the budget is (I do want to try and get the RT 6800XT in this build - but with a better CPU and PSU it might increase a lot), and then repost them here, hopefully by the weekend.

 

[BendyG]

Okay, so the 7800X3D's available for a build on pre-order, and the RX 6800XT's back in stock so I could put my highest options on the build. I can stretch the budget to meet that. The 7800X3D gaming benchmarks just seem so good (thanks for the advice regarding CPUs - was going to let brand loyalty make me get Intel), and the 6800XT seems like a big enough leap from the 6750XT to justify the price, and hopefully it will last me a little longer.

So it's all in one post, this will be paired with a 1440p, up to 170hz monitor (looking at the Acer Nitro XV272UV - more on monitors at the end) and will be used for single player, non-competitive gaming. Having future upgradability options is a big priority for me on this build.

Here's the new specs, based on advice I received here. If there's any more advice I'd be really grateful, quite nervous about making a mistake.

Case
CORSAIR 5000D AIRFLOW TEMPERED GLASS GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D Eight Core CPU (4.2GHz-5.0GHz/104MB w/3D V-CACHE/AM5)
Motherboard
ASUS® TUF GAMING B650-PLUS WIFI (DDR5, USB 3.2, 6Gb/s) would the X670e be a pointless investment? Motherboard specs are alien to me
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE RGB DDR5 6000MHz (2 x 16GB) AMD (the non-RGB ones don't say AMD at the end, not sure if there's a difference apart from RGB. Does RGB RAM look pretty enough to make it worthwhile?)
Graphics Card
16GB AMD RADEON™ RX 6800 XT - HDMI, DP - DX® 12
1st M.2 SSD Drive
500GB SAMSUNG 980 PRO M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 6900MB/R, 5000MB/W)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
2TB SOLIDIGM P41+ GEN 4 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 4125MB/sR, 3325MB/sW)
1st Storage Drive
2TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 256MB CACHE B (I'd at least get 1TB for mass storage, and it's only an extra £13 for 2TB and it would be used, so figured it would be worth it - I have to use an external hardrive now, and I have 1TB of hard drive , though only 500GB of SSD..)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 1200W HX SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® PLATINUM, ULTRA QUIET (based on advice for long-term usability)
Power Cable
1 x 1.5 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead, 1.0mm Core)
Processor Cooling
CORSAIR iCUE H150i ELITE RGB 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
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Windows 11 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KUK-00003]
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10/11 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 - Subject to stock availability on pre-order products
Price: £2,413.00 including VAT and Delivery
Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am5-pc/Sr6c76bwCs/


Feel nervous about pulling the trigger on this. I'd aim to get it delivered towards the end of May when I have a week off work.
I'll just quickly post monitor stuff here.

At the moment, my first choice is this (Nitro XV272UV), seems good from a review I watched and is in stock: https://www.argos.co.uk/product/3125841?clickSR=slp:term:qhd monitor:3:63:1

Or I could wait for the ASUS TUF VG27AQ1A to hopefully come back in stock: https://www.currys.co.uk/products/a...27-ips-lcd-gaming-monitor-black-10220251.html

There's also the LG UltraGear 27GP850, but it's £80 more than my first choice and I'm not sure I'd appreciate the benefits?
I'm guessing Freesync / AMD compatability would be fine for all these choices, and basically most gaming monitors?

There was a cheaper option, but it's VA and flat screen - I'm best avoiding those in favour of IPS?

(sorry for the long post, but very grateful for the help received so far)

 

[sck451]

Okay, so the 7800X3D's available for a build on pre-order, and the RX 6800XT's back in stock so I could put my highest options on the build. I can stretch the budget to meet that. The 7800X3D gaming benchmarks just seem so good (thanks for the advice regarding CPUs - was going to let brand loyalty make me get Intel), and the 6800XT seems like a big enough leap from the 6750XT to justify the price, and hopefully it will last me a little longer.

So it's all in one post, this will be paired with a 1440p, up to 170hz monitor (looking at the Acer Nitro XV272UV - more on monitors at the end) and will be used for single player, non-competitive gaming. Having future upgradability options is a big priority for me on this build.

Here's the new specs, based on advice I received here. If there's any more advice I'd be really grateful, quite nervous about making a mistake.

Case
CORSAIR 5000D AIRFLOW TEMPERED GLASS GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D Eight Core CPU (4.2GHz-5.0GHz/104MB w/3D V-CACHE/AM5)
Motherboard
ASUS® TUF GAMING B650-PLUS WIFI (DDR5, USB 3.2, 6Gb/s) would the X670e be a pointless investment? Motherboard specs are alien to me
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE RGB DDR5 6000MHz (2 x 16GB) AMD (the non-RGB ones don't say AMD at the end, not sure if there's a difference apart from RGB. Does RGB RAM look pretty enough to make it worthwhile?)
Graphics Card
16GB AMD RADEON™ RX 6800 XT - HDMI, DP - DX® 12
1st M.2 SSD Drive
500GB SAMSUNG 980 PRO M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 6900MB/R, 5000MB/W)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
2TB SOLIDIGM P41+ GEN 4 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 4125MB/sR, 3325MB/sW)
1st Storage Drive
2TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 256MB CACHE B (I'd at least get 1TB for mass storage, and it's only an extra £13 for 2TB and it would be used, so figured it would be worth it - I have to use an external hardrive now, and I have 1TB of hard drive , though only 500GB of SSD..)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 1200W HX SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® PLATINUM, ULTRA QUIET (based on advice for long-term usability)
Power Cable
1 x 1.5 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead, 1.0mm Core)
Processor Cooling
CORSAIR iCUE H150i ELITE RGB 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
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Windows 11 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KUK-00003]
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10/11 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 - Subject to stock availability on pre-order products
Price: £2,413.00 including VAT and Delivery
Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am5-pc/Sr6c76bwCs/


Feel nervous about pulling the trigger on this. I'd aim to get it delivered towards the end of May when I have a week off work.
I'll just quickly post monitor stuff here.

At the moment, my first choice is this (Nitro XV272UV), seems good from a review I watched and is in stock: https://www.argos.co.uk/product/3125841?clickSR=slp:term:qhd monitor:3:63:1

Or I could wait for the ASUS TUF VG27AQ1A to hopefully come back in stock: https://www.currys.co.uk/products/a...27-ips-lcd-gaming-monitor-black-10220251.html

There's also the LG UltraGear 27GP850, but it's £80 more than my first choice and I'm not sure I'd appreciate the benefits?
I'm guessing Freesync / AMD compatability would be fine for all these choices, and basically most gaming monitors?

There was a cheaper option, but it's VA and flat screen - I'm best avoiding those in favour of IPS?

(sorry for the long post, but very grateful for the help received so far)

Awesome post: much easier to give lots of information than for us on the forum to try to extract it like blood from a stone!

That Nitro looks good and it's definitely a good price. (Well, there were 1440p IPS displays under £300 for a while, but they went for some reason...) As you say, I'd definitely go with IPS.

Your build looks great. You're arguably overkill with the cooler, but not in a problematic way. I like the RGB RAM, but for me it's the only RGB in my PC. You'd have the fans as well. Really only you can answer! Your storage looks great. I don't think the X670E upgrade is worth it for you.

The only change I'd make to the PC would be to the graphics card. The upgrade to a 6950XT is about £30 and gains you around 20% in performance. On the one hand, it's overkill for 1440p. On the other hand, it's an astonishingly cheap upgrade and 100% worth it.