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

Senjuro · Sep 30, 2020

Alvis said:
There's a local store that apparently has the Cooler Master TD500 Mesh for 61€. Do you think I should go with that over the P400A, then? And yes, a 240mm radiator is fine, but if I can go bigger, that's even better. Like I said, I'm not looking to build a small PC at all.

If 240mm is fine then I'd say cancel the P400A. There's other options with good performance that won't force you to compromise on ideal radiator mounting.
Lian Li Lancool II Mesh RGB is among the best performing cases, if not the best.
The aforementioned Be Quiet! Pure Base 500DX doesn't have RGB fans but has RGB built into the front of the case.
Cooler Master Masterbox TD500 Mesh has the largest top radiator clearance.
Cooler Master MasterCase H500 ARGB isn't bad either as long as you use the mesh front.

There's of course even more options, just without built in RGB, at least not that I'm familiar with or would recommend. You can always add RGB to almost any case on your own if you want.

MrKlaw · Sep 30, 2020

I like my lancool 2 mesh RGB :)

I'm air cooling but looks like it'll take 240/280 in the roof - 240 should have comfortable clearance of the motherboard/ram etc

esit: where is a quick photo of the top mount points

Olrac · Sep 30, 2020

EscapePlan said:
LTT did a video on this about a year ago:

LG just made the Best Monitor of 2019 – 27GL850 Review

Sign up for Private Internet Access VPN at https://lmg.gg/pialinus2 Manage your data with EaseUS with a 30-day risk-free guarantee at https://lmg.gg/easeus L...

www.youtube.com

Here's the model mentioned in the video but it's OOS:

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/lg-ultragear-27-ips-led-qhd-freesync-monitor-with-hdr-black/6358119.p?skuId=6358119

Here is the 2020 refresh of that same monitor with a different stand and minus the USB hub. It's $50 cheaper and I own it so let me know if you have any specific questions about it. I mostly just played BL3 and Gears 5 on it since I bought it a few months ago.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/lg-ultragear-27-ips-led-qhd-freesync-and-g-sync-compatable-monitor-with-hdr-black/6401809.p?skuId=6401809

This looks great, thanks so much. Just ordered it and it will be here on Friday :)

MonthOLDpickle · Sep 30, 2020

super-famicom said:
Flex ATX PSU

Should I tell him to just buy another?

I honestly don't know why he needs a new one, he is my wife's cousin and we don't really speak the same language - but play games together lol

Olrac · Sep 30, 2020

EscapePlan said:
LTT did a video on this about a year ago:

LG just made the Best Monitor of 2019 – 27GL850 Review

Sign up for Private Internet Access VPN at https://lmg.gg/pialinus2 Manage your data with EaseUS with a 30-day risk-free guarantee at https://lmg.gg/easeus L...

www.youtube.com

Here's the model mentioned in the video but it's OOS:

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/lg-ultragear-27-ips-led-qhd-freesync-monitor-with-hdr-black/6358119.p?skuId=6358119

Here is the 2020 refresh of that same monitor with a different stand and minus the USB hub. It's $50 cheaper and I own it so let me know if you have any specific questions about it. I mostly just played BL3 and Gears 5 on it since I bought it a few months ago.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/lg-ultragear-27-ips-led-qhd-freesync-and-g-sync-compatable-monitor-with-hdr-black/6401809.p?skuId=6401809

Actually one question - I have a 1070 (will be building a completely new rig in Q1 with a 3080 and the latest AMD CPU, etc) - but I read the reviews on best buy and they say this isn't actually g-sync. Does it actually have a port for the g-sync cable to plug-in to?

Serpens007 · Sep 30, 2020

Yesterday I was asking about this PSU which seems to be pretty good

Home-Segotep

Segotep is a well known brand for Computer Case and Power Supply in China. Establish in 2003 until today, Segotep have their own Manufacture and Production Line, most importantly they have their own Research and Development(R&D) team. Nowadays with the growth of the Gaming Industry, Segotep had...

en.segotep.com

Now this one popped up at basically the same price. Any opinon on it? It's also rated B tier on LTT

Cooler Master MWE Gold 750 Full Modular 80 Plus Gold Certified ATX PSU

The MWE Gold 750 offers a highly efficient, affordable power solution with fully modular cabling. Enjoy consistent 90% efficiency with an 80 PLUS Gold certification. Cooler Master’s design techniques ensure improved efficiency while maintaining low temperatures and quiet operation.

www.coolermaster.com

Edit: Aaaaaand it's out of stock already. Lmao

maximumzero · Sep 30, 2020

WD SN550 1TB on sale today for $99 at NewEgg. I was hoping it would be a bit cheaper but thems the breaks I guess. Looks to be the best in its price range/category so I'll try to convince myself to grab it by the end of the day.

SmartWaffles · Sep 30, 2020

Olrac said:
Actually one question - I have a 1070 (will be building a completely new rig in Q1 with a 3080 and the latest AMD CPU, etc) - but I read the reviews on best buy and they say this isn't actually g-sync. Does it actually have a port for the g-sync cable to plug-in to?

No this is a Freesync monitor, but Nvidia opened up Freesync monitors to use Gsync adaptive refresh tech last year.

Olrac · Sep 30, 2020

SmartWaffles said:
No this is a Freesync monitor, but Nvidia opened up Freesync monitors to use Gsync adaptive refresh tech last year.

So, I will just connect it with HDMI?

maximumzero · Sep 30, 2020

After weeks of being sure I was gonna go with ASRock's "Phantom Gaming" Mini ITX motherboard I'm suddenly thinking that maybe I can get away with the standard B550-MITX/ac board they sell instead.
Here's the comparison.

The biggest thing for me honestly is the lack of USB-C front panel header on the motherboard and the lack of a second M.2 slot, which is not necessary I suppose, but would be nice for future expansion should I decide to go that route.

Of course I can buy adapters to wire up the front panel USB-C connection to the USB 3 header on the motherboard and then wire up the USB 3 connections to the USB 2 header, but that's something like $30 worth of adapters when the motherboards are only a $70 price difference. And even then I honestly don't know how much I'll be using those front panel ports...I could probably just the USB-C port disconnected completely for now. Hmm.

FreddieQuell · Sep 30, 2020

So I've got the following PC that I built a few years ago that I'm thinking about updating in the next couple months. I just started looking into it, but I'm thinking of trying to get a 3070 whenever they become available and one of the Zen 3 processors.

If I wanted to do it piecemeal, should I update the GPU first or go for the CPU/Motherboard/RAM? Which would be the more useful gaming upgrade?

SmartWaffles · Sep 30, 2020

Olrac said:
So, I will just connect it with HDMI?

Needs to be via DisplayPort.

FreddieQuell said:
So I've got the following PC that I built a few years ago that I'm thinking about updating in the next couple months. I just started looking into it, but I'm thinking of trying to get a 3070 whenever they become available and one of the Zen 3 processors.

If I wanted to do it piecemeal, should I update the GPU first or go for the CPU/Motherboard/RAM? Which would be the more useful gaming upgrade?

You'll need a full rebuild. That CPU and RAM is going to bottleneck the 3070 if you are going to play at >60fps. And if you don't plan to get a 1440p144Hz monitor the 3070 won't do much difference.

Helmholtz · Sep 30, 2020

FreddieQuell said:
So I've got the following PC that I built a few years ago that I'm thinking about updating in the next couple months. I just started looking into it, but I'm thinking of trying to get a 3070 whenever they become available and one of the Zen 3 processors.

If I wanted to do it piecemeal, should I update the GPU first or go for the CPU/Motherboard/RAM? Which would be the more useful gaming upgrade?

Edit: sorry I misread your question
You kind of need both. If you upgrade the GPU first, the CPU/RAM will bottleneck it. If you upgrade the CPU/RAM, you'll only see marginal improvements with your current GPU.

If it was me I'd probably do the GPU first though. I would imagine it would still help you out in games until you upgrade the rest to unlock its full potential.

A cheaper third option would be to consider upgrading your ram to 16gb, then getting a more middle of the road GPU like the 1660ti/2060. Those GPUs should play okay with your existing cpu and run games fine at 1080p (and in some cases 1440p) for a while longer. But it's a matter of whether you'd want to invest anything to keep the current one going, or just start buying for further into the future. My girlfriend had almost your exact system and that's what she did, went up to 16gb ddr3 and a 1660ti, and is running stuff like Warzone great (all she really cares about at the moment).

Justin Iacobellis · Sep 30, 2020

ABeezy1388 said:
awesome thanks! The third party mark ups are just insane :X

that link/site is legit? As in if you pre order you'll get a legit product? Never heard of it before but at that price, it seems like a great idea!

You're welcome! Hopefully you are able to snag a unit at that price!

FreddieQuell · Sep 30, 2020

SmartWaffles said:
Needs to be via DisplayPort.

You'll need a full rebuild. That CPU and RAM is going to bottleneck the 3070 if you are going to play at >60fps. And if you don't plan to get a 1440p144Hz monitor the 3070 won't do much difference.

Helmholtz said:
Edit: sorry I misread your question
You kind of need both. If you upgrade the GPU first, the CPU/RAM will bottleneck it. If you upgrade the CPU/RAM, you'll only see marginal improvements with your current GPU.

If it was me I'd probably do the GPU first though. I would imagine it would still help you out in games until you upgrade the rest to unlock its full potential.

A cheaper third option would be to consider upgrading your ram to 16gb, then getting a more middle of the road GPU like the 1660ti/2060. Those GPUs should play okay with your existing cpu and run games fine at 1080p (and in some cases 1440p) for a while longer. But it's a matter of whether you'd want to invest anything to keep the current one going, or just start buying for further into the future. My girlfriend had almost your exact system and that's what she did, went up to 16gb ddr3 and a 1660ti, and is running stuff like Warzone great (all she really cares about at the moment).

Yeah so I want to do a full rebuild, I was just thinking I might be able to do it in two big chunks. And I'd also want to go all the way up to current hardware, so I don't think I'd go for an older generation HW. I do plan to go to 1440p and120/144 hz, but getting that monitor can wait.

I guess it doesn't matter too much if I go for the CPU side or the GPU side first. I'll probably wait for whichever is actually available first and just start buying that up.

Also, what sort of power supply am I going to need most likely? I've got a 550W currently, is that going to be okay?

Alvis · Sep 30, 2020

Yoooo will I be able to fit a big, nice AIO mounted on top with this BEAUTIFUL case? I love the looks, damn

Corsair 4000D Airflow Chasis ATX Semitorre con Cristal Templado, Panel Frontal con Un Caudal de Aire Elevado, Panel Lateral de Cristal Templado, Dos Ventiladores de 120 mm Incluidos, Color Blanco: Amazon.es: Informática

Compra online Corsair 4000D Airflow Chasis ATX Semitorre con Cristal Templado, Panel Frontal con Un Caudal de Aire Elevado, Panel Lateral de Cristal Templado, Dos Ventiladores de 120 mm Incluidos, Color Blanco. Envío en 1 día GRATIS con Amazon Prime.

www.amazon.es

Senjuro

Sorry, I'm being a pain in the ass, but damn, deciding on a case is hard, huh?

Senjuro · Sep 30, 2020

Alvis said:
Yoooo will I be able to fit a big, nice AIO mounted on top with this BEAUTIFUL case? I love the looks, damn

Corsair 4000D Airflow Chasis ATX Semitorre con Cristal Templado, Panel Frontal con Un Caudal de Aire Elevado, Panel Lateral de Cristal Templado, Dos Ventiladores de 120 mm Incluidos, Color Blanco: Amazon.es: Informática

Compra online Corsair 4000D Airflow Chasis ATX Semitorre con Cristal Templado, Panel Frontal con Un Caudal de Aire Elevado, Panel Lateral de Cristal Templado, Dos Ventiladores de 120 mm Incluidos, Color Blanco. Envío en 1 día GRATIS con Amazon Prime.

www.amazon.es

Senjuro

Sorry, I'm being a pain in the ass, but damn, deciding on a case is hard, huh?

Tell me about it, I've been struggling to pick a case for myself for months now and I still haven't even settled on what form factor I want. So if I can't help myself I can at least put all my research to use by helping others.

According to the 4000D's manual it supports a top mounted radiator "280mm with CORSAIR LPX DRAM / 240mm with all CORSAIR DRAM" so in other words if your RAM is too tall you could be limited to 240mm instead of the 280mm. Case is pretty new though so I can't really tell you where it stacks in cooling performance.

Alvis · Sep 30, 2020

Senjuro said:
Tell me about, I've been struggling to pick a case for myself for months now and I still haven't even settled on what form factor I want. So if I can't help myself I can at least put all my research to use by helping others.

According to the 4000D's manual it support a top mounted radiator "280mm with CORSAIR LPX DRAM / 240mm with all CORSAIR DRAM" so in other words if your RAM is too tall you could be limited to 240mm instead of the 280mm. Case is pretty new though so I can't really tell you where it stacks in cooling performance.

Thanks! This is my RAM kit:

https://www.amazon.es/gp/product/B07WHF6X3X/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Do you think it's too tall?

If it is, do you think a 240mm radiator should be enough for getting top performance and good temps with a Zen 3 8c/16t CPU?

Also, would it be bad to just buy an AIO that has RGB and front mount it, instead of top mounting it?
And lastly, I assume it will fit my 180mm long PSU just fine, right? (EVGA Supernova G2 850W)

Senjuro · Sep 30, 2020

Alvis said:
Thanks! This is my RAM kit:

https://www.amazon.es/gp/product/B07WHF6X3X/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Do you think it's too tall?

If it is, do you think a 240mm radiator should be enough for getting top performance and good temps with a Zen 3 8c/16t CPU?

Also, would it be bad to just buy an AIO that has RGB and front mount it, instead of top mounting it?
And lastly, I assume it will fit my 180mm long PSU just fine, right? (EVGA Supernova G2 850W)

They don't really give an exact number for RAM clearance so our only measuring stick is Corsair's LPX RAM which is 31mm tall while yours is 41mm. Impossible to say if 41mm is still fine without the case on hand.

As to whether 240mm is enough, it should be? Hard to say for sure as Zen 3 isn't out yet.

Regarding front mounting, I highly recommend you watch this video to understand exactly where the problem lies. The tldw version is you're fine if you can manage to front mount it so the tubes are on the bottom of the radiator, that's just as good as top mounting, but if you can't and you have to go tubes up then it won't kill the AIO (as long as the pump is not above the radiator) but it could cause noise and regardless, as I've mentioned before, using the AIO as front intake means the GPU is getting warmer air. Not necessarily by a lot but it's not ideal.

Official page for the case says 180mm is the PSU limit without removing the HDD cage so it might be tight but should be doable.

Ravager777 · Sep 30, 2020

For my new build, I decided on a NZXT H1 (matte white). Ordered it today and two 140mm fans for doing a simple exhaust fan mod.

Next I will likely buy a Ryzen 7 5800X and a X670 mITX motherboard when these are announced and available.

I plan on overclocking my old GTX 970 as much as possible until I can get an EVGA RTX 3080 XC3 (only RTX 3080 version that can comfortably fit in NZXT H1).

Helmholtz · Sep 30, 2020

FreddieQuell said:
Yeah so I want to do a full rebuild, I was just thinking I might be able to do it in two big chunks. And I'd also want to go all the way up to current hardware, so I don't think I'd go for an older generation HW. I do plan to go to 1440p and120/144 hz, but getting that monitor can wait.

I guess it doesn't matter too much if I go for the CPU side or the GPU side first. I'll probably wait for whichever is actually available first and just start buying that up.

Also, what sort of power supply am I going to need most likely? I've got a 550W currently, is that going to be okay?

I wonder if it might actually be better to just go for the CPU/Ram side first, since those are typically upgraded way less frequently. Then whenever you are able to get a new GPU, there could be a new series out by then.
I believe 550W is not enough. You will have to google the psu requirements of the 3 series gtx cards but I believe 650W is the minimum.

Senjuro · Sep 30, 2020

Ravager777 said:
For my new build, I decided on a NZXT H1 (matte white). Ordered it today and two 140mm fans for doing a simple exhaust fan mod.

Next I will likely buy a Ryzen 7 5800X and a X670 mITX motherboard when these are announced and available.

I plan on overclocking my old GTX 970 as much as possible until I can get an EVGA RTX 3080 XC3 (only RTX 3080 version that can comfortably fit in NZXT H1).

Don't count on X670, it doesn't look like it's coming anytime soon. There's been no recent rumors or leaks about it.

Ravager777 · Sep 30, 2020

Senjuro said:
Don't count on X670, it doesn't look like it's coming anytime soon.

Really? I figured these would come along with the new Ryzen sometime in the next month

Alvis · Sep 30, 2020

Senjuro said:
They don't really give an exact number for RAM clearance so our only measuring stick is Corsair's LPX RAM which is 31mm tall while yours is 41mm. Impossible to say if 41mm is still fine without the case on hand.

As to whether 240mm is enough, it should be? Hard to say for sure as Zen 3 isn't out yet.

Regarding front mounting, I highly recommend you watch this video to understand exactly where the problem lies. The tldw version is you're fine if you can manage to front mount it so the tubes are on the bottom of the radiator, that's just as good as top mounting, but if you can't and you have to go tubes up then it won't kill the AIO (as long as the pump is not above the radiator) but it could cause noise and regardless, as I've mentioned before, using the AIO as front intake means the GPU is getting warmer air. Not necessarily by a lot but it's not ideal.

Official page for the case says 180mm is the PSU limit without removing the HDD cage so it might be tight but should be doable.

I think I've settled on setting a Keepa alert for the TD500 Mesh to see if Amazon Spain stocks it between now and whenever I order my Zen 3 CPU + mobo + 3070. I think it should be enough time for Amazon to get some stock, and if not, we'll see then. If they do stock it, I'll order one inmediately.

I should be good with that case for sure, right?

EDIT: A local store will get the white variant of the TD500 Mesh the 15 of November. Nice! So I can get it for sure.

Oswen · Sep 30, 2020

My PC was built last year because my old PC was out of commission, it's a i7 9800k/Nvidia 2070 Super build.

I was thinking about upgrading a few minor stuff but I'm not sure how worth that would be.

What I'd like to do is:

- Buy a Samsung 970 Evo plus Nvme 1TB SSD for games; at the moment I have a 500 GB SSD mostly for the OS while games are installed on a larger HDD. I have a msi Z390- A- PRo motherboard so the M2 port is already there ready to be used, seems like a good idea I think?

- Get a decent wireless module - I can't always use ethernet connections so wi-fi is important for me for everyday use, I am using an older Asus n wireless card which doesn't work that greatly and was thinking about getting a Tp-Link AX3000 Archer 50E which comes with the ax standard and also bluetooth which my pc lacks.

- I'd like to bring my ram from 16 to 32, I don't really need it but two 8GB ram modules aren't that expensive.

As you can see it's mostly minor stuff with the SSD being the biggest seller and for that I ask, would that really be gamechanging?
I know about faster loading times but would getting a good SSD for gaming purposes be a good idea righht now?

I am planning to upgrade my gpu in a year or two aswell but for now my 2070 Super is more than enough, even though I noticed that it makes an occasional odd rattle (a very quiet one which you wont hear with any sort of noise going on) and for that I'm kinda of worried that the fan may pull some nasty trick in the future.

Senjuro · Sep 30, 2020

Alvis said:
I think I've settled on setting a Keepa alert for the TD500 Mesh to see if Amazon Spain stocks it between now and whenever I order my Zen 3 CPU + mobo + 3070. I think it should be enough time for Amazon to get some stock, and if not, we'll see then. If they do stock it, I'll order one inmediately.

I should be good with that case for sure, right?

It's got good thermal performance, it fulfills almost every criteria you said you were looking for, It allows up to 360mm AIO on top (with 44mm max motherboard component height) So yeah I'd say it's about the best choice you can make. It's either that or the Phanteks P500A but the P500A seems to be a pain in the ass to get globally.

Alvis · Sep 30, 2020

Senjuro said:
It's got good thermal performance, it fulfills almost every criteria you said you were looking for, It allows up to 360mm AIO on top (with 44mm max motherboard component height) So yeah I'd say it's about the best choice you can make. It's either that or the Phanteks P500A but the P500A seems to be a pain in the ass to get globally.

Thank you for all the help! A local store will get the white variant of the TD500 Mesh the 15 of November. So I can get it for sure, nice! No problems with a 180mm long PSU either, right?

Any motherboard recommendations (either B550 or X570) that don't break the bank, have good VRMs or whatever is needed to sustain high boost clocks, and play nice with top mounted radiators in terms of component height or whatever?

I'm sorry for all the questions.

MrKlaw · Sep 30, 2020

Alvis said:
Yoooo will I be able to fit a big, nice AIO mounted on top with this BEAUTIFUL case? I love the looks, damn

Corsair 4000D Airflow Chasis ATX Semitorre con Cristal Templado, Panel Frontal con Un Caudal de Aire Elevado, Panel Lateral de Cristal Templado, Dos Ventiladores de 120 mm Incluidos, Color Blanco: Amazon.es: Informática

Compra online Corsair 4000D Airflow Chasis ATX Semitorre con Cristal Templado, Panel Frontal con Un Caudal de Aire Elevado, Panel Lateral de Cristal Templado, Dos Ventiladores de 120 mm Incluidos, Color Blanco. Envío en 1 día GRATIS con Amazon Prime.

www.amazon.es

Senjuro

Sorry, I'm being a pain in the ass, but damn, deciding on a case is hard, huh?

4th picture down that shows the top - looks like mounts for 240 or 280mm radiators. 240 shoudl be fine for your CPU and means no issue with motherboard clearance. Means you can use whatever ram and you'll be fine.

Has a basement for PSU so you'll have tons of space for PSU and cables (but still try and get a modular PSU for fewer cables so less tidying up).

What about HDD mounts? Does it have enough for you?

edit: two bays for 3.5" drives, and plenty of space for SSDs. user manual here -https://www.corsair.com/corsairmedia/sys_master/productcontent/WW_4000D_4000D_Airflow_QSG_WEB_AA.pdf

only two case fans provided so if you want pretty front fans you might want some RGB. In that case you could look at a 360mm or 280 RGB AIO in the front which could cover cooling and RGB in one go. Or AIO in the roof and put 3 120m RGB fans in the front - your call.

Alvis · Sep 30, 2020

MrKlaw said:
4th picture down that shows the top - looks like mounts for 240 or 280mm radiators. 240 shoudl be fine for your CPU and means no issue with motherboard clearance. Means you can use whatever ram and you'll be fine.

Has a basement for PSU so you'll have tons of space for PSU and cables (but still try and get a modular PSU for fewer cables so less tidying up).

What about HDD mounts? Does it have enough for you?

Thanks, but I think I'm going with the TD500 Mesh!

As for HDD mounts, the more the merrier just in case (future proofing and all that, I tend to store a considerable amount of stuff), but 2 should be enough. Knowing I can add a second HDD in the future is enough for me to have peace of mind.

I'll definitely keep the Corsair 4000D in mind if I'm unable to get the TD500 Mesh. Thanks!

Senjuro · Sep 30, 2020

Alvis said:
Thank you for all the help! A local store will get the white variant of the TD500 Mesh the 15 of November. So I can get it for sure, nice! No problems with a 180mm long PSU either, right?

Any motherboard recommendations (either B550 or X570) that don't break the bank, have good VRMs or whatever is needed to sustain high boost clocks, and play nice with top mounted radiators in terms of component height or whatever?

I'm sorry for all the questions.

No worries.

Normally the motherboards I'd recommend are Gigabyte B550 Aorus Pro (AC version if you want Wi-Fi) and MSI B550 Tomahawk (or Gaming Edge if you want Wi-Fi), in that order. If you don't plan on using multiple GPUs, or multiple PCIe 4 SSDs, or a ton of USB3 peripherals simultaneously then X570 is overkill.

Problem is, I can't find exact measurements for how tall the highest components are. Nothing appears to be higher than the IO shield and the shield itself is 44mm tall so in theory it should be fine.

Alvis · Sep 30, 2020

Senjuro said:
No worries.

Normally the motherboards I'd recommend are Gigabyte B550 Aorus Pro (AC version if you want Wi-Fi) and MSI B550 Tomahawk (or Gaming Edge if you want Wi-Fi), in that order. If you don't plan on using multiple GPUs, or multiple PCIe 4 SSDs, or a ton of USB3 peripherals simultaneously then X570 is overkill.

Problem is, I can't find exact measurements for how tall the highest components are. Nothing appears to be higher than the IO shield and the shield itself is 44mm tall so in theory it should be fine.

Thanks again! I'll look around for these motherboards and see if I can find measurements.

Another question: Would this AIO be good? https://www.amazon.es/NZXT-Kraken-X73-360-Refrigerador/dp/B0849SK835/ref=sr_1_1?__mk_es_ES=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&dchild=1&keywords=aio+360&qid=1601494119&sr=8-1

I'm trying to get an idea of how much I'll have to spend on a good AIO.

civet · Sep 30, 2020

Hey guys, planning to build a new rig soon-ish. It's for 1080p only and I want to make it a decently balanced build as I've a got a 144hz monitor while trying to keep it cheap.

My main concern is the CPU just now. So I was looking at an i5 10400F as it's really inexpensive but then I was thinking that since consoles will be sporting 8 cores CPU from now on, I take it 6 cores won't be faring very well in a fairly soon future, isn't it? Or could it be still okay-ish through the course of next gen? I guess that the second question is quite hard to predict just now but oh well!

Senjuro · Sep 30, 2020

Alvis said:
Thanks again! I'll look around for these motherboards and see if I can find measurements.

Another question: Would this AIO be good? https://www.amazon.es/NZXT-Kraken-X73-360-Refrigerador/dp/B0849SK835/ref=sr_1_1?__mk_es_ES=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&dchild=1&keywords=aio+360&qid=1601494119&sr=8-1

I'm trying to get an idea of how much I'll have to spend on a good AIO.

I'm paranoid about AIO reliability and the Kraken series has a 6 year warranty that no one else offers so it's what I'd pick if I was buying one but if you want absolute best cooling performance instead then you want Arctic's Liquid Freezer II series.

Alvis · Sep 30, 2020

Senjuro said:
I'm paranoid about AIO reliability and the Kraken series has a 6 year warranty that no one else offers so it's what I'd pick if I was buying one but if you want absolute best cooling performance instead then you want Arctic's Liquid Freezer II series.

I see, and I assume that huge AIOs like that one will get me better performance than a huge air cooler right? (while also looking way cooler than an air cooler that blocks the view lol)

Senjuro · Sep 30, 2020

Alvis said:
I see, and I assume that huge AIOs like that one will get me better performance than a huge air cooler right? (while also looking way cooler than an air cooler that blocks the view lol)

CPU performance? I don't know, not something I've researched. Depends on the CPU's boosting behavior I suppose. If it's set to keep going until it reaches thermal limits then it should definitely give you more headroom.

One definite benefit that you get is that it takes significantly longer to reach steady max temps with a beefy AIO than an air cooler. Short spikes are better absorbed as well.

Alvis · Sep 30, 2020

Senjuro said:
CPU performance? I don't know, not something I've researched. Depends on the CPU's boosting behavior I suppose. If it's set to keep going until it reaches thermal limits then it should definitely give you more headroom.

One definite benefit that you get is that it takes significantly longer to reach steady max temps with a beefy AIO than an air cooler. Short spikes are better absorbed as well.

Sorry, in this context with "performance" I meant "temps". I was asking if I'll get better temps with a beefy AIO than with a beefy air cooler.

MrKlaw · Sep 30, 2020

Alvis said:
Sorry, in this context with "performance" I meant "temps". I was asking if I'll get better temps with a beefy AIO than with a beefy air cooler.

not a big difference really but some additional headroom for heavy overclocking. Most of the time you'll be within a few degrees

PhantomFFR · Sep 30, 2020

Alvis said:
If it is, do you think a 240mm radiator should be enough for getting top performance and good temps with a Zen 3 8c/16t CPU?

I would be very surprised if Zen3 regresses from Zen 2 and a ~50€ air cooler was not ample to run a Zen 3 chip cool and quietly.

Deleted member 51957 · Sep 30, 2020

I just got a new PSU: https://www.evga.com/products/product.aspx?pn=220-GA-0850-X1

It came with 4 VGA cables, but 2 of them split at the end into 2x8 outputs. Does that mean I can run just one of these cables to my gfx card that has 2x8 ports on it? Or will the graphics card still require 2 separate cables? I hope this makes sense.

fadedbones · Sep 30, 2020

Hi all. Been wanting to get a gaming PC for a while, lurked the gaming laptop discussion for a bit before coming to terms with the fact that building a desktop would be more bang for my $ and that I never use my laptop anywhere besides a desk 95% of the time haha.

I'd like something that can handle last gen games at high+ settings and be good/upgradeable for next gen. Not too concerned about better cpus/gpus being around the corner, definitely willing to upgrade later. The 1200-1500 builds in the OP look like a great starting point but I'm not sure what if anything I should change and I uh need some accessories too. Like all of them.

What's your budget and currency?
1. I was looking at ~$1500 laptops. Would like to get the desktop and accessories with more bang for $ than a laptop at or below that price.
What do you want to use the computer for? (gaming? web? video editing? everything?)
1. Gaming/general purpose
When do you plan to purchase the parts and build it?
1. ASAP preferably
Are you reusing any parts or are you building a completely new computer?
1. From scratch
Do you only need the computer itself or do you need accessories, such as a monitor, mouse, keyboard, and speakers?
1. Need everything. Monitor, keyboard+mouse, mousepad, and headphones (last one looking into on my own...)
Do you want to overclock? (will make your PC faster, but requires better cooling and can have various side effects)
1. Not really interested in overclocking

Concerns/thoughts:
Monitor with 144hz refresh rate would be good. Prefer low response time, prefer G-SYNC/FreeSync, whatever fits in the budget is cool. I also need a copy of windows... (could I just use the 2.5" ssd + spacer with win10 from my laptop?!)

Also decent cooling is would be great, tired of ps4 and current laptop noise levels, and if anyone has recommendations for a quiet KB and mouse I'd appreciate it. Have always preferred laptop keyboards bc they aren't super clicky/loud.

Sabin · Sep 30, 2020

Alvis said:
Thanks again! I'll look around for these motherboards and see if I can find measurements.

Another question: Would this AIO be good? https://www.amazon.es/NZXT-Kraken-X73-360-Refrigerador/dp/B0849SK835/ref=sr_1_1?__mk_es_ES=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&dchild=1&keywords=aio+360&qid=1601494119&sr=8-1

I'm trying to get an idea of how much I'll have to spend on a good AIO.

Decent AIO but you are forced to install NZXT garbage Cam software.

Vulcano's Assistant · Sep 30, 2020

ThurstonLess said:
I just got a new PSU: https://www.evga.com/products/product.aspx?pn=220-GA-0850-X1

It came with 4 VGA cables, but 2 of them split at the end into 2x8 outputs. Does that mean I can run just one of these cables to my gfx card that has 2x8 ports on it? Or will the graphics card still require 2 separate cables? I hope this makes sense.

Some PSU manufacturers recommend using two cables, others intend you to use a single one. Not sure what EVGA's specification are, but if it came with those split cables it must mean the PSU connectors and cables are rated for that load. When in doubt, or if you are planning on pushing more voltage than one normally would, two cables are more stable than one.

Alvis · Sep 30, 2020

Choosting a EVGA Supernova G2 850W PSU was the worst mistake of my life. I wasn't aware that having a 180mm long PSU would limit my choice for a case this much

vestan · Sep 30, 2020

Got myself a Cryorig H7, can't wait to get rid of this shitty Intel stock cooler I've been using for years

Thanquol · Sep 30, 2020

Thanquol said:
Anyone has a cooler master n200 microatx tower case? I want a case I can lie down horitzontally, there seems to be some kind of bump on both sides.

No one eh?
I'm looking for a cheap case that fits 3 hard drives and a ssd drive and a 3080. My antec case doesn't fit the 3080 now

MonthOLDpickle · Oct 1, 2020

super-famicom said:
Flex ATX PSU

I can't find anything that is 450w or more. He has soem AMD CPU and GTX 1070 and I don't think a max 200w would kick it. 450w was enough with no overhead.

super-famicom · Oct 1, 2020

MonthOLDpickle said:
I can't find anything that is 450w or more. He has soem AMD CPU and GTX 1070 and I don't think a max 200w would kick it. 450w was enough with no overhead.

500W- https://www.newegg.com/p/1HU-0095-0...cm_re=flex_atx psu-_-9SIABP9BGC2871-_-Product

850W- https://www.newegg.com/p/1HU-0095-0...cm_re=flex_atx psu-_-9SIABP9BXA8300-_-Product

MonthOLDpickle · Oct 1, 2020

Thanks buddy. Now time to try to find these in Taiwan..

maximumzero · Oct 1, 2020

Anyone out there still rocking a mechanical HDD? Debating whether or not I want to pull a WD Green drive out of my parents old Acer PC and drop it in my build in addition the the M.2 drive I'm installing.

Crazymoogle · Oct 1, 2020

maximumzero said:
Anyone out there still rocking a mechanical HDD? Debating whether or not I want to pull a WD Green drive out of my parents old Acer PC and drop it in my build in addition the the M.2 drive I'm installing.

Yeah of course, I have a 3TB WD that's like 8 years old sitting in the PSU shroud. It's very useful to have the cold storage; even 2TB on my M.2 isn't always enough and there is junk (videos, screenshots, etc) that can just live on the HD instead.

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