The PC Builders Thread ("I Need a New PC") v3

Dunlop · Aug 20, 2020

It's funny I spent the last hour looking up CPU and motherboard possibilities and the motherboard just showed up.

Amazon was using a company called LoomisExpress that I had never used before and their own website was down so tracking was not an option but the earliest possibility from the Amazon order page was supposed to be the 23rd.

To bring the cost down in line with his budget I will pick up a Nvidia 1160 Super tomorrow, Reviews on the Zotac combined with a nice sale make it my current choice...is there any reason I should not pick that up?

Canada Computers | Best PC, Laptop, Gaming Gear, Printer, TV, Cables - Canada Computers & Electronics

The best deals on laptops, PC, game systems, components, small appliances, cables, and office supplies. Save more by shopping online or in-store!

www.canadacomputers.com

Serpens007 · Aug 20, 2020

I was wondering if I should actually wait for the Ryzen 4000 series announcement before building the new PC, or if I should just buy a Ryzen 5 3600.

The main idea is to not upgrade the CPU in a few more years, so I really don't know. I'm set on a B550M so there will be an upgrade path anyway, but do we know anything about the next series other than 2020 being the placeholder year?

SmartWaffles · Aug 20, 2020

Dunlop said:
That ship has sailed as I already have the processor (Intel Core i5-10400) short of returning that to Amazon and re-ordering a new processor

edit: I looked to maybe swap the CPU and motherboard and it is the same deal, can get he CPU but motherboard in OP will take over a week to be delivered on Amazon.ca...arg

Everything else can be kept, they are universal, you only need to swap the CPU for a Ryzen 5 3600 and some other motherboard, I recommend the following:

MSI B450 Tomahawk Max: the undisputable budget AMD king, downside is it lacks PCIE 4.0 support, if you see yourself using it down the line consider the B550 options below then;
Asrock B550m Pro4
MSI B550 Pro VDH WIFI
Gigabyte B550m Aorus Pro

Serpens007 said:
I was wondering if I should actually wait for the Ryzen 4000 series announcement before building the new PC, or if I should just buy a Ryzen 5 3600.

The main idea is to not upgrade the CPU in a few more years, so I really don't know. I'm set on a B550M so there will be an upgrade path anyway, but do we know anything about the next series other than 2020 being the placeholder year?

If your PC is used for more than gaming and light production and can afford to wait, then wait.

Serpens007 · Aug 20, 2020

SmartWaffles said:
If your PC is used for more than gaming and light production and can afford to wait, then wait.

Yeah it's mainly used for gaming and light procution or productivity tasks. I wonder if I should wait so I don't "need" another upgrade in two years or something. For GPU I know I should totally wait, even if I end up with a 2060/2060S anyway, but for CPU I am wondering this

Vuze · Aug 20, 2020

Alright, snagged a MSI X570 Unify at a historic low price today. Hurry up AMD! Got the RAM and the board, GPU hopefully next month.

catpurrcat · Aug 20, 2020

Dunlop said:
It's funny I spent the last hour looking up CPU and motherboard possibilities and the motherboard just showed up.

Amazon was using a company called LoomisExpress that I had never used before and their own website was down so tracking was not an option but the earliest possibility from the Amazon order page was supposed to be the 23rd.

To bring the cost down in line with his budget I will pick up a Nvidia 1160 Super tomorrow, Reviews on the Zotac combined with a nice sale make it my current choice...is there any reason I should not pick that up?

Canada Computers | Best PC, Laptop, Gaming Gear, Printer, TV, Cables - Canada Computers & Electronics

The best deals on laptops, PC, game systems, components, small appliances, cables, and office supplies. Save more by shopping online or in-store!

www.canadacomputers.com

if you're playing at 1080 P it's an amazing card. Bought a 1660 TI triple slot last year for around $400 so this price you're getting is pretty decent.

Plum · Aug 20, 2020

I'm thinking about changing my PSU to a small form factor one to better fit in my ITX case.

Will a 600w PSU be fine when I've been using a 650w PSU so far? My specs are:

- Ryzen 5 3600 @ Stock speeds
- Gigabyte Aero 2070 Super
- 16GB Corsair LPX RAM
- 500gb NVME SSD
- 1TB Regular SSD
- 4 * Noctua fans

discotheque · Aug 20, 2020

Any guesses if my old Corsair TX750 psu is going to be enough if I went for like a Ryzen 4000 series/3080ti combo later? Should I just upgrade because I've had this thing for like 5 years?

Dunlop · Aug 20, 2020

catpurrcat said:
if you're playing at 1080 P it's an amazing card. Bought a 1660 TI triple slot last year for around $400 so this price you're getting is pretty decent.

Thanks,

It's my son's first PC. The monitor he is getting supports 1440p but he knows the limitations as we had to go for a cheaper card to bring the costs down.

ViewSonic VX3268-2KPC-MHD 32 Inch 1440p Curved 144Hz 1ms Gaming Monitor with FreeSync Premium Eye Care HDMI and DP : Amazon.ca: Electronics

www.amazon.ca

This monitor was $300 (Canadian) to preorder from Amazon..I just need to make sure when it is shipped they honor the price

super-famicom · Aug 20, 2020

Plum said:
I'm thinking about changing my PSU to a small form factor one to better fit in my ITX case.

Will a 600w PSU be fine when I've been using a 650w PSU so far? My specs are:

- Ryzen 5 3600 @ Stock speeds
- Gigabyte Aero 2070 Super
- 16GB Corsair LPX RAM
- 500gb NVME SSD
- 1TB Regular SSD
- 4 * Noctua fans

You'll be fine.

Corsair SF600 Gold is in stock here for $124.99: https://www.corsair.com/us/en/Categ...™-80-PLUS-Gold-Power-Supplies/p/CP-9020105-NA

and Amazon preorder (for October shipping) is $110.42: https://www.amazon.com/CORSAIR-SF60...dchild=1&keywords=sf600&qid=1597952787&sr=8-2

If you need custom cables to better fit your ITX case, pslate is awesome: https://www.pslatecustoms.com/

Plum · Aug 20, 2020

super-famicom said:
You'll be fine.

Corsair SF600 Gold is in stock here for $124.99: https://www.corsair.com/us/en/Categories/Products/Power-Supply-Units/SF-Series™-80-PLUS-Gold-Power-Supplies/p/CP-9020105-NA

and Amazon preorder (for October shipping) is $110.42: https://www.amazon.com/CORSAIR-SF60...dchild=1&keywords=sf600&qid=1597952787&sr=8-2

If you need custom cables to better fit your ITX case, pslate is awesome: https://www.pslatecustoms.com/

Thanks! I might consider some new cables, but I've got a Fractal Design Nano S which is pretty much just a desktop at Mini ITX scale; it doesn't really require custom cables. It would mainly just be an aesthetic thing, I think.

Appreciate the recommendations (though I am in the UK). I actually just ordered a Corsair SF600 Platinum from Amazon UK as it was in stock and you could buy it with their whole "Spread the cost over 5 months," thing. £27 for 5 months is definitely better than £130 on the spot lol

Deleted member 9330 · Aug 20, 2020

Vuze said:
Alright, snagged a MSI X570 Unify at a historic low price today. Hurry up AMD! Got the RAM and the board, GPU hopefully next month.

Great board, mine was a seamless install and had all the functionality I wanted.

PetyrBaeless · Aug 20, 2020

So, this is my current build, and I was wondering if it was time to upgrade my MOBO and my processor:

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 2600 3.4 GHz 6-Core Processor
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 RGB Black Edition 57.3 CFM CPU Cooler
Motherboard: Gigabyte B450 AORUS ELITE ATX AM4 Motherboard
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport LT 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory
Storage: Kingston A400 240 GB 2.5" Solid State Drive
Seagate BarraCuda ST1000DM010 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Hard Drive Bare Drive
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon RX 5600 XT 6 GB PULSE Video Card
Case: NZXT S340 ATX Mid Tower Case
Power Supply: EVGA 500 W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply

Mugy · Aug 20, 2020

Hey guys, so based on this thread https://www.resetera.com/threads/if...uy-a-power-supply-sooner-versus-later.271683/ i was wondering if it is a good time to buy a PSU as in, before this month ends. Something that can hold an AMD 4000 + RTX 3060 or something? (alternatively, something that can pull off a build with an AMD Ryzen 3600 + 2060 Super?)

Thanks in advance

two_headed_boy · Aug 20, 2020

I just got my first headphone amp and dac. Sounds super good. Now to think about upgrading the headphones. Anyone have any experience with the Sennheiser 660s or something in that range?

hyouko · Aug 20, 2020

PetyrBaeless said:
So, this is my current build, and I was wondering if it was time to upgrade my MOBO and my processor:

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 2600 3.4 GHz 6-Core Processor
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 RGB Black Edition 57.3 CFM CPU Cooler
Motherboard: Gigabyte B450 AORUS ELITE ATX AM4 Motherboard
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport LT 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory
Storage: Kingston A400 240 GB 2.5" Solid State Drive
Seagate BarraCuda ST1000DM010 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Hard Drive Bare Drive
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon RX 5600 XT 6 GB PULSE Video Card
Case: NZXT S340 ATX Mid Tower Case
Power Supply: EVGA 500 W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply

Why would you upgrade your processor now? Wait until the 4000 series comes out.

Izzy · Aug 20, 2020

Bleh, I'm out of my wheelhouse on CPUs. How far away is the 4000 series really? Like by the end of september, or Halloween+? Pandemic supply chains are a pain.

vitormg · Aug 20, 2020

Izzy said:
Bleh, I'm out of my wheelhouse on CPUs. How far away is the 4000 series really? Like by the end of september, or Halloween+? Pandemic supply chains are a pain.

Supposedly November-ish reveal and release more or less. We don't have a specific date such as September 1st for Ampere yet though. The only thing we know for sure is that it is releasing this year according to AMD afaik.

Polyh3dron · Aug 20, 2020

Ryzen 3950X pushed its release date back a few times, and that was pre-pandemic. I wouldn't even count on a November release for Ryzen 4000. They could push back to February even.

Izzy · Aug 20, 2020

vitormg said:
Supposedly November-ish reveal and release more or less. We don't have a specific date such as September 1st for Ampere yet though. The only thing we know for sure is that it is releasing this year according to AMD afaik.

Polyh3dron said:
Ryzen 3950X pushed its release date back a few times, and that was pre-pandemic. I wouldn't even count on a November release for Ryzen 4000. They could push back to February even.

Much appreciated!

Polyh3dron · Aug 20, 2020

Izzy said:
Much appreciated!

Here I was assuming a fiscal year end in February.. AMD's fiscal year actually ends in December which means they are more likely to release this year actually, even if it's in very low quantities.

PersonAndStuff · Aug 20, 2020

So my cat has a nasty habit of jumping onto or of my computer and pressing the power button. Anyone got any ideas? Maybe a button cover? Like my power button is going to set off a nuke. But I couldn't find any that would work.

Crazymoogle · Aug 20, 2020

OP NOTE: Hey folks, if anyone has something they think this thread is missing, let me know. I can always write more guides but or fix something here and there, but if you think there is something sorely missing, I'll add it to my priority list.

Polyh3dron said:
Here I was assuming a fiscal year end in February.. AMD's fiscal year actually ends in December which means they are more likely to release this year actually, even if it's in very low quantities.

I suspect it's just that the very top and very bottom will come next year - usually with a first launch you get the core/expensive parts. 3700X, 3900X, 3600X basically. The really low (like 3600) and really high (3950) equivalents could be next year simply to make space and give AMD new parts for later and simply ensure they get enough volume of the basics out there. Same way that I don't necessarily expect a 3080ti and 3060 at Nvidia launch either.

PersonAndStuff said:
So my cat has a nasty habit of jumping onto or of my computer and pressing the power button. Anyone got any ideas? Maybe a button cover? Like my power button is going to set off a nuke. But I couldn't find any that would work.

Well, the power button is usually connected to the PC with headers on the motherboard. So I've heard of some users redirecting it (like moving the power button to "reset" or something else) or even just buying a separate power button and connecting the leads to that. I would agree a button cover is way faster/cheaper though - you could basically duct-tape a plastic cap or something...

catpurrcat · Aug 20, 2020

PersonAndStuff said:
So my cat has a nasty habit of jumping onto or of my computer and pressing the power button. Anyone got any ideas? Maybe a button cover? Like my power button is going to set off a nuke. But I couldn't find any that would work.

Maybe one of those natural cat repellent things at the PetSmart would work. Don't spray your PC obviously but perhaps nearby furniture

Villa · Aug 20, 2020

Looking for some opinions on whether ultra wide monitors are worth it?

I'm doing a new build based around a Ryzen 3700X and either a 3070 or 3080 and looking for a 1440p 144hz (or similar) monitor. I was looking at the LG 27GL850, since it has those specs and has great reviews. But after seeing flight sim, I am now considering ultra wide as an option too, like the Acer Predator X34P. Just not sure if they're worth the extra cost.

Also, I largely play strategy (4X and RTS) and city building /sim games, which I'm not sure will have a huge benefit? Although I do play a few other genres here and there.

Are there some good quality ultra wide options around the LG 27GL850 price, or not too much more?

super-famicom · Aug 20, 2020

Villa said:
Looking for some opinions on whether ultra wide monitors are worth it?

I'm doing a new build based around a Ryzen 3700X and either a 3070 or 3080 and looking for a 1440p 144hz (or similar) monitor. I was looking at the LG 27GL850, since it has those specs and has great reviews. But after seeing flight sim, I am now considering ultra wide as an option too, like the Acer Predator X34P. Just not sure if they're worth the extra cost.

Also, I largely play strategy (4X and RTS) and city building /sim games, which I'm not sure will have a huge benefit? Although I do play a few other genres here and there.

Are there some good quality ultra wide options around the LG 27GL850 price, or not too much more?

Not ultrawide, but the Lenovo Legion Y27q-20 uses the same panel as the 27GL850 but is 165 Hz and has better build quality. I bought it a few weeks ago for $399 and it's awesome.

Lenovo Legion Y27Q-20 review

While LG’s 27GL850-B is still hard to get, it’s display panel is available for other brands to use in their design. Currently the Lenovo Legion Y27Q-20 and Viewsonic’s XG270QG are…

motherbear.home.blog

Lakeside · Aug 20, 2020

Villa said:
Looking for some opinions on whether ultra wide monitors are worth it?

I'm doing a new build based around a Ryzen 3700X and either a 3070 or 3080 and looking for a 1440p 144hz (or similar) monitor. I was looking at the LG 27GL850, since it has those specs and has great reviews. But after seeing flight sim, I am now considering ultra wide as an option too, like the Acer Predator X34P. Just not sure if they're worth the extra cost.

Also, I largely play strategy (4X and RTS) and city building /sim games, which I'm not sure will have a huge benefit? Although I do play a few other genres here and there.

Are there some good quality ultra wide options around the LG 27GL850 price, or not too much more?

I have an early 34" Ultrawide and won't ever have anything else. It is the perfect balance of screen real estate without being too difficult to drive GPU-wise for gaming. I can't speak about lower than 3440x1440 because I prefer that vertical resolution but it's fantastic.

Villa · Aug 20, 2020

Lakeside said:
I have an early 34" Ultrawide and won't ever have anything else. It is the perfect balance of screen real estate without being too difficult to drive GPU-wise for gaming. I can't speak about lower than 3440x1440 because I prefer that vertical resolution but it's fantastic.

Thanks. Yeah I think I would prefer an ultrawide after getting opinions and doing research. It's just trying to find a good one within my budget that will be the deciding factor. I would love to get a panel on the same level quality-wise as the 27GL850, but that's basically the 34GN850 and that's almost double the price lol, at least here in Australia. I feel like I'd rather have a really quality 27" than an average ultrawide.

Le Dude · Aug 20, 2020

Thinking about selling my 2080 and replacing it with a 3___ series card. Look like I could get about $450 for it right now, which is just below what I paid.

caff!!! · Aug 20, 2020

Villa said:
Thanks. Yeah I think I would prefer an ultrawide after getting opinions and doing research. It's just trying to find a good one within my budget that will be the deciding factor. I would love to get a panel on the same level quality-wise as the 27GL850, but that's basically the 34GN850 and that's almost double the price lol, at least here in Australia. I feel like I'd rather have a really quality 27" than an average ultrawide.

Yeah, outside of LG's great budget-ish 1080p ultrawide monitors things get expensive fast (only the Acer XV340CK seems to offer 1440p IPS ultrawide for around the same price, but has a dimmer screen.) I've also been thinking of getting a 1440p ultrawide, but it's around the price of a used VR unit or HP Reverb G2 pre-order which seem way more interesting to me

gully state · Aug 21, 2020

Sounds like if I want to put together something by mid September, I should just buy current gen stuff for AMD and Nvidia if rumors are for a November release the earliest

Mugy · Aug 21, 2020

Mugy said:
Hey guys, so based on this thread https://www.resetera.com/threads/if...uy-a-power-supply-sooner-versus-later.271683/ i was wondering if it is a good time to buy a PSU as in, before this month ends. Something that can hold an AMD 4000 + RTX 3060 or something? (alternatively, something that can pull off a build with an AMD Ryzen 3600 + 2060 Super?)

Thanks in advance

Bump to this guys? i'm tempted to buy the PSU as soon as next week. You guys think 650w would be enough for an AMD 4000 + RTX 3060/3070 build? currently looking at the Seasonic Focus GM-650

Teiresias · Aug 21, 2020

Has anyone bought CableMod cables before for their PSU? I was thinking of ordering some cables for my SF600 from them.

My issue is that the stock cables are way too long and way too stiff for the install I'm trying to to do in my new CM NR200 since the cables come out of the bottom and have to make turns immediately to clear the GPU. The stock cables are stiff parallel-cable style cables.

As an interim I'm going to spend some time today separating the individual cables from one another and zip tying them in smaller, hopefully more bendable, bundles (as opposed to the flat format) to see if it can work better in the space I have in the case.

Absent that working, and maybe even just to get cables of more appropriate length for an ITX case, I was thinking of ordering from Cablemod so was wondering if anyone had experience with them. I do builds so infrequently I can't really justify buying the materials to do it myself even though I'm sure I could build some myself.

super-famicom · Aug 21, 2020

Mugy said:
Bump to this guys? i'm tempted to buy the PSU as soon as next week. You guys think 650w would be enough for an AMD 4000 + RTX 3060/3070 build? currently looking at the Seasonic Focus GM-650

Should be fine

Teiresias said:
Has anyone bought CableMod cables before for their PSU? I was thinking of ordering some cables for my SF600 from them.

My issue is that the stock cables are way too long and way too stiff for the install I'm trying to to do in my new CM NR200 since the cables come out of the bottom and have to make turns immediately to clear the GPU. The stock cables are stiff parallel-cable style cables.

As an interim I'm going to spend some time today separating the individual cables from one another and zip tying them in smaller, hopefully more bendable, bundles (as opposed to the flat format) to see if it can work better in the space I have in the case.

Absent that working, and maybe even just to get cables of more appropriate length for an ITX case, I was thinking of ordering from Cablemod so was wondering if anyone had experience with them. I do builds so infrequently I can't really justify buying the materials to do it myself even though I'm sure I could build some myself.

I purchased custom cables for my SF600 from here: https://www.pslatecustoms.com/

This site is nice because they custom fit the cables specific to certain cases. They don't have cables specifically for the NR200, but you could always email and ask.

According to this reddit thread, the NCase M1 cables will work in the NR200, and the site owner is getting a NR200 in so he can make optimal length cables for it: https://www.reddit.com/r/sffpc/comments/ibha0m/routing_the_motherboard_cable_in_nr200

Another place for custom cables that I see get talked about a lot is https://www.etsy.com/shop/DreambigByRay

Jarmel · Aug 21, 2020

Teiresias said:
Has anyone bought CableMod cables before for their PSU? I was thinking of ordering some cables for my SF600 from them.

My issue is that the stock cables are way too long and way too stiff for the install I'm trying to to do in my new CM NR200 since the cables come out of the bottom and have to make turns immediately to clear the GPU. The stock cables are stiff parallel-cable style cables.

As an interim I'm going to spend some time today separating the individual cables from one another and zip tying them in smaller, hopefully more bendable, bundles (as opposed to the flat format) to see if it can work better in the space I have in the case.

Absent that working, and maybe even just to get cables of more appropriate length for an ITX case, I was thinking of ordering from Cablemod so was wondering if anyone had experience with them. I do builds so infrequently I can't really justify buying the materials to do it myself even though I'm sure I could build some myself.

I ordered CableMod cables and got them yesterday. I haven't done anything with them yet though.

wollywinka · Aug 21, 2020

Dunlop said:
This monitor was $300 (Canadian) to preorder from Amazon..I just need to make sure when it is shipped they honor the price

Once you have checked out, the price can't change (unless it was possibly a mistake).

Dunlop · Aug 21, 2020

wollywinka said:
Once you have checked out, the price can't change (unless it was possibly a mistake).

I took screenshots and have the email. It's Amazon so I'm not too worried.

Would feel bad if I had to return, my son is so excited lol.

He grew up as a console gamer and will be in for a reality check when he starts to play MP games vs people who are used to keyboard/mouse lol

ArcticDonkey · Aug 21, 2020

First ever build!

A huge thanks to the the posters who chipped in with advice, particularly Moogle for his suggested builds.

I spent a ridiculous amount of time assembling everything and made some braindead mistakes like not placing standoffs correctly and cutting myself on the I/O shield. I was actually shocked everything booted up first time. It was a good learning experience and I could probably do it in the half the time now.

The Dark Rock cooler came packaged with a long magnetic screwdriver which was frankly a lifesaver for my clumsy hands. I had a nightmare of a time attaching the fan to it though with the clips supplied.

I definitely got a bit lazy towards the end. The extra 140mm fan I got for the rear exhaust didn't fit so rather than move the pre-installed ones about I just placed it on top. After that, one of the cable management slots was blocked but I just looped a cable in from the front. Bt messy but works.

All in all, pretty happy with it. Booted up the Witcher and it looked incredible. I have some time off from work coming up and can't wait to really dig in.

Sone stray things:

1) There is a distinct buzzing sound coming from inside when playing certain games. It literally stops the second I bring up a pause menu. I guess this is the coil whine I've heard so much about. There's not much to be done here is there?

2) It isn't quuuuite as quiet as I'd like, but still nothing compared to my old rig from years ago. I haven't messed with fan profiles yet.

3) 144hz is lovely.

Mullet2000 · Aug 21, 2020

ArcticDonkey said:
First ever build!

A huge thanks to the the posters who chipped in with advice, particularly Moogle for his suggested builds.

I spent a ridiculous amount of time assembling everything and made some braindead mistakes like not placing standoffs correctly and cutting myself on the I/O shield. I was actually shocked everything booted up first time. It was a good learning experience and I could probably do it in the half the time now.

The Dark Rock cooler came packaged with a long magnetic screwdriver which was frankly a lifesaver for my clumsy hands. I had a nightmare of a time attaching the fan to it though with the clips supplied.

I definitely got a bit lazy towards the end. The extra 140mm fan I got for the rear exhaust didn't fit so rather than move the pre-installed ones about I just placed it on top. After that, one of the cable management slots was blocked but I just looped a cable in from the front. Bt messy but works.

All in all, pretty happy with it. Booted up the Witcher and it looked incredible. I have some time off from work coming up and can't wait to really dig in.

Sone stray things:

1) There is a distinct buzzing sound coming from inside when playing certain games. It literally stops the second I bring up a pause menu. I guess this is the coil whine I've heard so much about. There's not much to be done here is there?

2) It isn't quuuuite as quiet as I'd like, but still nothing compared to my old rig from years ago. I haven't messed with fan profiles yet.

3) 144hz is lovely.

Right on!!

1) Yes that is coil whine. Not much you can do about it other than cap your FPS so that you don't push the GPU too hard on pause screens and such. Rivatuner is a great program to use to do that.

2) Yeah there's always going to be some sound. You have a pretty open case too, so a lot of sound will come out. Mess with it a bit.

3) hell yes it is.

AquaRegia · Aug 21, 2020

Cutting yourself on the I/O shield is a rite of passage, so welcome!

super-famicom · Aug 21, 2020

ArcticDonkey said:
First ever build!

A huge thanks to the the posters who chipped in with advice, particularly Moogle for his suggested builds.

I spent a ridiculous amount of time assembling everything and made some braindead mistakes like not placing standoffs correctly and cutting myself on the I/O shield. I was actually shocked everything booted up first time. It was a good learning experience and I could probably do it in the half the time now.

The Dark Rock cooler came packaged with a long magnetic screwdriver which was frankly a lifesaver for my clumsy hands. I had a nightmare of a time attaching the fan to it though with the clips supplied.

I definitely got a bit lazy towards the end. The extra 140mm fan I got for the rear exhaust didn't fit so rather than move the pre-installed ones about I just placed it on top. After that, one of the cable management slots was blocked but I just looped a cable in from the front. Bt messy but works.

All in all, pretty happy with it. Booted up the Witcher and it looked incredible. I have some time off from work coming up and can't wait to really dig in.

Sone stray things:

1) There is a distinct buzzing sound coming from inside when playing certain games. It literally stops the second I bring up a pause menu. I guess this is the coil whine I've heard so much about. There's not much to be done here is there?

2) It isn't quuuuite as quiet as I'd like, but still nothing compared to my old rig from years ago. I haven't messed with fan profiles yet.

3) 144hz is lovely.

Congrats on the new build!

vitormg · Aug 21, 2020

AquaRegia said:
Cutting yourself on the I/O shield is a rite of passage, so welcome!

I've done that myselft recently too. Didn't know it was somewhat common. Lmfao

UF_C · Aug 21, 2020

I keep getting an error that I'm using too many USB ports on my computer. It is because my MB does t allow but a certain many plugged in? I have several usbs being used for my fans and aoi as well. Do I need to upgrade my motherboard?

Lakeside · Aug 21, 2020

AquaRegia said:
Cutting yourself on the I/O shield is a rite of passage, so welcome!

My last prebuilt, going way back to the Micron days had dried blood inside when I went to do an upgrade. It probably wasn't from the I/O shield though b/c cases back then had plenty of sharp edges.

catpurrcat · Aug 21, 2020

UF_C said:
I keep getting an error that I'm using too many USB ports on my computer. It is because my MB does t allow but a certain many plugged in? I have several usbs being used for my fans and aoi as well. Do I need to upgrade my motherboard?

why not use the actual fan headers on your motherboard for the case fans and AIO? Check your motherboard manual if you're not sure what I mean.

UF_C · Aug 21, 2020

catpurrcat said:
why not use the actual fan headers on your motherboard for the case fans and AIO? Check your motherboard manual if you're not sure what I mean.

My MB doesn't have the 4 pin connector that integrates the fans and rgb controller. It's got the 5 pin and 3 pin.

you would think the Aorus gaming 7 would have it but I think it came out the year before the 4 pin became standard.

Teiresias · Aug 21, 2020

super-famicom said:
I purchased custom cables for my SF600 from here: https://www.pslatecustoms.com/

This site is nice because they custom fit the cables specific to certain cases. They don't have cables specifically for the NR200, but you could always email and ask.

According to this reddit thread, the NCase M1 cables will work in the NR200, and the site owner is getting a NR200 in so he can make optimal length cables for it: https://www.reddit.com/r/sffpc/comments/ibha0m/routing_the_motherboard_cable_in_nr200

Another place for custom cables that I see get talked about a lot is https://www.etsy.com/shop/DreambigByRay

Thanks for the suggestions! I think pulling loose the individual wires on the stock cables and rebundling them has gotten me to a point where the stock cables will work and be out of the way, but I may still consider getting better/fancier cables later, so this is a good reference and suggestion.

Deleted member 19293 · Aug 21, 2020

Hey all. I bought a Corsair H60 AIO liquid cooler. Does the position of mounting it matter? I've got it mounted like this right now

I can mount it on the top, and I can mount it on the front if need be. Any suggestions, or did I get it right the first time?

myzhi · Aug 21, 2020

ProfessionalBastard said:
Hey all. I bought a Corsair H60 AIO liquid cooler. Does the position of mounting it matter? I've got it mounted like this right now

I can mount it on the top, and I can mount it on the front if need be. Any suggestions, or did I get it right the first time?

It offers lower cpu temps to mount it in the front and push fresh cool air through the radiator. Your current setup would suck inside hot air through the radiator and push it outside the case.

super-famicom · Aug 21, 2020

myzhi said:
It offers lower cpu temps to mount it in the front and push fresh cool air through the radiator. Your current setup would suck inside hot air through the radiator and push it outside the case.

Edit- nevermind

The PC Builders Thread ("I Need a New PC") v3

Well, Tosca isn't for everyone

Well, Tosca isn't for everyone

User requested account closure

Prophet of Regret

Prophet of Regret

Game Developer

The Jackrabbit Always Wins

Teyvat Traveler

User requested account closure