Beginner PC Builder looking for some help

[Gentifa]

Hey! I'm a beginner in PC Building with my latest built being 8 years ago (Not even for me), with all the stuff going around I'm planning to build a PC to pass time (Also because I need one). I'm currently located in the state with access to local microcenter (although probably not going there anytime soon with the lockdown in place). This build is going to be mainly for my general day to day PC use + Gaming + some personal project I'm doing (some coding and 3d rendering).

I've myself a shot at building one here https://pcpartpicker.com/list/m8kRMc but not too sure if that's the best value I'm getting.

I wouldn't mind a total revamp from the list or something going from that list, my budget is $1300-$1600 excluding monitors.

 

Thanks!

[Entropy.]

3 minutes ago, Gentifa said:

Hey! I'm a beginner in PC Building with my latest built being 8 years ago (Not even for me), with all the stuff going around I'm planning to build a PC to pass time (Also because I need one). I'm currently located in the state with access to local microcenter (although probably not going there anytime soon with the lockdown in place). This build is going to be mainly for my general day to day PC use + Gaming + some personal project I'm doing (some coding and 3d rendering).

I've myself a shot at building one here https://pcpartpicker.com/list/m8kRMc but not too sure if that's the best value I'm getting.

I wouldn't mind a total revamp from the list or something going from that list, my budget is $1300-$1600 excluding monitors.

 

Thanks!

It's a pretty solid build, but you may want to buy a MAX motherboard (comes with the bios update for ryzen 3rd gen) so you don't have to go through the mess of doing it yourself, or you can buy an x570 (if you do, try to buy one that's above $170 or $180 USD, because the ones lower than that can be a bit sketchy). Maybe try getting an nvme ssd, and perhaps if you get a x570 board, try getting a pci-e gen 4 nvme, to give you lightning-fast load times. The 3600x is also a solid cpu, that can probably do what you want for a little less, but it's your life, booth the 3700x and 3600x are awesome. If you stick with the 3700x, I recommend getting an aftermarket cooler, just for the in-case of overclocking, heavy loads, or loads that may put the cpu at 85+c for over 45-90 minutes. The Noctua NH-D9L or be quiet! Shadow Rock 2 are both quite good. You may also want a 2080 or 2080 super, but If its out of the price range dont sweat it, the 2070 super is great. Finally, remember the small things, such as thermal paste and cable ties. 

[Gentifa]

Thanks! A couple question from your reply, if I decide to not use a PCIe 4.0 SSD would it be worth to still get the x570? So the stock cooler that comes from the 3700x should be enough, but if I decide to overclock I should be getting a dedicated cooler right? As much as I can afford the 2080 super, knowing that I'll be only using a 144 Hz would it still be worth it? Or do you think it's better to allocate it to some other parts? (Like say better mobo + ssd, or some good cooling)

[Entropy.]

7 minutes ago, Gentifa said:

Thanks! A couple question from your reply, if I decide to not use a PCIe 4.0 SSD would it be worth to still get the x570? So the stock cooler that comes from the 3700x should be enough, but if I decide to overclock I should be getting a dedicated cooler right? As much as I can afford the 2080 super, knowing that I'll be only using a 144 Hz would it still be worth it? Or do you think it's better to allocate it to some other parts? (Like say better mobo + ssd, or some good cooling)

The x570 mobo will be better overall, with better/more io, vrm heatsinks, power delivery, that good stuff. So yes, It would be worth it getting the x570. The stress on your components from playing at 144fps depends a lot on your resolution and graphics settings, but saying high at 1080p, the 2070 super should be good, if very hiigh/ultra/extreme at either 1080p, or 1440p, it may be wise to get a 2080S. I would say better mobo over the gpu for this current scenario. The dedicated cpu cooler is for a few reasons, but if you:

 

- Don't overclock

-Do anything that puts the cpu at ~70%+ utilization and 85c+ for more than 45 minutes at a time,

- Don't need the cpu to last more than 5-8 years,

-Or want to have super good temps, 

 

You don't need an aftermarket cooler. 

[TheRealChrisCusano]

I just built my first pc and it looked like this

PCPartPicker Part List

Type	Item	Price
CPU	AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 3.6 GHz 8-Core Processor	$296.47 @ Amazon
Thermal Compound	ARCTIC MX-4 2019 Edition 4 g Thermal Paste	$9.15 @ Amazon
Motherboard	Asus TUF GAMING X570-PLUS (WI-FI) ATX AM4 Motherboard	$189.99 @ Best Buy
Memory	G.Skill Trident Z Neo 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 Memory	$119.99 @ Newegg
Storage	Seagate FireCuda 2 TB 2.5" 5400RPM Hybrid Internal Hard Drive	$77.98 @ Amazon
Video Card	EVGA GeForce GTX 1650 4 GB SC ULTRA GAMING Video Card	$139.99 @ Newegg
Power Supply	Corsair RM (2019) 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply	$115.49 @ Amazon
Operating System	Microsoft Windows 10 Pro OEM 64-bit	$139.99 @ Other World Computing
Monitor	Acer KG241Q Pbiip 23.6" 1920x1080 144 Hz Monitor
Mouse	Logitech G203 Prodigy Wired Optical Mouse	$26.48 @ Amazon
	Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts
	Total (before mail-in rebates)	$1135.53
	Mail-in rebates	-$20.00
	Total	$1115.53
	Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-04-10 17:05 EDT-0400

 

I would highly recommend the asus tuf x570 plus wifi over the b450 because it is only $30 more expensive and it is a wifi board so you don't need to buy a wifi card with it. I would also go with the AMD RX 5700XT over the RTX 2070 Super because it is cheaper but better performing for games I have revised your list from before I hope this helps Chris Cusano

PCPartPicker Part List

Type	Item	Price
CPU	AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 3.6 GHz 8-Core Processor	$296.47 @ Amazon
Motherboard	Asus TUF GAMING X570-PLUS (WI-FI) ATX AM4 Motherboard	$189.99 @ Best Buy
Memory	G.Skill Trident Z Neo 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 Memory	$119.99 @ Newegg
Storage	Samsung 970 Evo 500 GB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive	$99.99 @ Amazon
Storage	Seagate Barracuda Compute 2 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive	$54.98 @ Newegg
Video Card	PowerColor Radeon RX 5700 XT 8 GB Red Devil Video Card
Case	NZXT H510 ATX Mid Tower Case	$69.99 @ Best Buy
Power Supply	EVGA SuperNOVA G1+ 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply	$127.98 @ Newegg
Operating System	Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit	$109.99 @ B&H
Monitor	Acer XV272U Pbmiiprzx 27.0" 2560x1440 144 Hz Monitor	$479.98 @ Amazon
	Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts
	Total	$1549.36
	Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-04-10 16:57 EDT-0400

 

[Gentifa]

15 minutes ago, InnerBeast Gaming said:

The x570 mobo will be better overall, with better/more io, vrm heatsinks, power delivery, that good stuff. So yes, It would be worth it getting the x570. The stress on your components from playing at 144fps depends a lot on your resolution and graphics settings, but saying high at 1080p, the 2070 super should be good, if very hiigh/ultra/extreme at either 1080p, or 1440p, it may be wise to get a 2080S. I would say better mobo over the gpu for this current scenario. The dedicated cpu cooler is for a few reasons, but if you:

 

- Don't overclock

-Do anything that puts the cpu at ~70%+ utilization and 85c+ for more than 45 minutes at a time,

- Don't need the cpu to last more than 5-8 years,

-Or want to have super good temps, 

 

You don't need an aftermarket cooler. 

Thanks! that's a great answer.

 

I think I wouldn't mind investing a better mobo overall, just for lifespan sake to be honest. But I was being told that B450 is the most worth for the value.

 

And the monitor I'm planning to get is going to be a 2K144Hz, so it's a bit over 1440p. But I wasn't sure if that warrants me getting a 2080S.

 

Point 2 and 3 got me sold on a cooler, so I guess I'll have to invest in one for sure!

Thanks! that's a great answer.

 

I think I wouldn't mind investing a better mobo overall, just for lifespan sake to be honest. But I was being told that B450 is the most worth for the value.

 

And the monitor I'm planning to get is going to be a 2K144Hz, so it's a bit over 1440p. But I wasn't sure if that warrants me getting a 2080S.

 

Point 2 and 3 got me sold on a cooler, so I guess I'll have to invest in one for sure!

I've update my list to look like https://pcpartpicker.com/list/mxDfRk

 

I don't think I want to spend more for a PCIe 4 SSD (I considered getting an m2 but wasn't sure if this is worthed), but maybe that's an upgrade that I can do down the line

[Gentifa]

11 minutes ago, TheRealChrisCusano said:

I just built my first pc and it looked like this

PCPartPicker Part List

Type	Item	Price
CPU	AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 3.6 GHz 8-Core Processor	$296.47 @ Amazon
Thermal Compound	ARCTIC MX-4 2019 Edition 4 g Thermal Paste	$9.15 @ Amazon
Motherboard	Asus TUF GAMING X570-PLUS (WI-FI) ATX AM4 Motherboard	$189.99 @ Best Buy
Memory	G.Skill Trident Z Neo 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 Memory	$119.99 @ Newegg
Storage	Seagate FireCuda 2 TB 2.5" 5400RPM Hybrid Internal Hard Drive	$77.98 @ Amazon
Video Card	EVGA GeForce GTX 1650 4 GB SC ULTRA GAMING Video Card	$139.99 @ Newegg
Power Supply	Corsair RM (2019) 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply	$115.49 @ Amazon
Operating System	Microsoft Windows 10 Pro OEM 64-bit	$139.99 @ Other World Computing
Monitor	Acer KG241Q Pbiip 23.6" 1920x1080 144 Hz Monitor
Mouse	Logitech G203 Prodigy Wired Optical Mouse	$26.48 @ Amazon
	Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts
	Total (before mail-in rebates)	$1135.53
	Mail-in rebates	-$20.00
	Total	$1115.53
	Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-04-10 17:05 EDT-0400

 

I would highly recommend the asus tuf x570 plus wifi over the b450 because it is only $30 more expensive and it is a wifi board so you don't need to buy a wifi card with it. I would also go with the AMD RX 5700XT over the RTX 2070 Super because it is cheaper but better performing for games I have revised your list from before I hope this helps Chris Cusano

PCPartPicker Part List

Type	Item	Price
CPU	AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 3.6 GHz 8-Core Processor	$296.47 @ Amazon
Motherboard	Asus TUF GAMING X570-PLUS (WI-FI) ATX AM4 Motherboard	$189.99 @ Best Buy
Memory	G.Skill Trident Z Neo 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 Memory	$119.99 @ Newegg
Storage	Samsung 970 Evo 500 GB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive	$99.99 @ Amazon
Storage	Seagate Barracuda Compute 2 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive	$54.98 @ Newegg
Video Card	PowerColor Radeon RX 5700 XT 8 GB Red Devil Video Card
Case	NZXT H510 ATX Mid Tower Case	$69.99 @ Best Buy
Power Supply	EVGA SuperNOVA G1+ 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply	$127.98 @ Newegg
Operating System	Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit	$109.99 @ B&H
Monitor	Acer XV272U Pbmiiprzx 27.0" 2560x1440 144 Hz Monitor	$479.98 @ Amazon
	Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts
	Total	$1549.36
	Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-04-10 16:57 EDT-0400

 

Thanks for the suggestion! I updated my list to be https://pcpartpicker.com/list/mxDfRk 

I picked that mobo just because I can get a deal for that one on my local microcenter, so it's cheaper and I think it's about the same spec wise.

As for graphics card I was under the impression (80% sure) that 2070S would out perform 5700 xt when it comes to performance (maybe you were referencing 2070?) But to be completely fair, I'm in no rush to get myself this build. So I'm also a bit confused if I should just wait for the next gen graphics card here. Mainly because I honestly don't like both option right now with the 2070S and 5700 xt

[Entropy.]

1 hour ago, Gentifa said:

Thanks! that's a great answer.

 

I think I wouldn't mind investing a better mobo overall, just for lifespan sake to be honest. But I was being told that B450 is the most worth for the value.

 

And the monitor I'm planning to get is going to be a 2K144Hz, so it's a bit over 1440p. But I wasn't sure if that warrants me getting a 2080S.

 

Point 2 and 3 got me sold on a cooler, so I guess I'll have to invest in one for sure!

Thanks! that's a great answer.

 

I think I wouldn't mind investing a better mobo overall, just for lifespan sake to be honest. But I was being told that B450 is the most worth for the value.

 

And the monitor I'm planning to get is going to be a 2K144Hz, so it's a bit over 1440p. But I wasn't sure if that warrants me getting a 2080S.

 

Point 2 and 3 got me sold on a cooler, so I guess I'll have to invest in one for sure!

I've update my list to look like https://pcpartpicker.com/list/mxDfRk

 

I don't think I want to spend more for a PCIe 4 SSD (I considered getting an m2 but wasn't sure if this is worthed), but maybe that's an upgrade that I can do down the line

Three parting things- 

- Rgb? If you want to have it all synced up, make sure to go with one company, and check compatibility, such as If you want a razer chroma setup, MSI, G.Skill rgb, and a lot of other brands support it, but not asus, corsair, or gigabyte, so if you wanted a rgb setup thats synced together, make sure to pay attention to compatibility. 

 

-Color scheme. Your case is white, but the rest of the build is black and silver, intentional? Or not? 

 

-Small things (again lol) Remember the zip ties/cable ties, thermal paste, and make sure to think about your setup and circumstances before you purchase something. 

[Gentifa]

4 minutes ago, InnerBeast Gaming said:

Three parting things- 

- Rgb? If you want to have it all synced up, make sure to go with one company, and check compatibility, such as If you want a razer chroma setup, MSI, G.Skill rgb, and a lot of other brands support it, but not asus, corsair, or gigabyte, so if you wanted a rgb setup thats synced together, make sure to pay attention to compatibility. 

 

-Color scheme. Your case is white, but the rest of the build is black and silver, intentional? Or not? 

 

-Small things (again lol) Remember the zip ties/cable ties, thermal paste, and make sure to think about your setup and circumstances before you purchase something. 

- Honestly trying to keep the RGB to a minimum but not none (I think only the mobo has rgb?) Maybe I'll add RGB fan down the line, but that's for a lot later.

 

- Yup! The inside of the case is black so I thought it would fit well, that's the only reason I picked mostly black parts.

 

- I got zip ties and thermal paste, that's why it's not included in the built!

[Herman Mcpootis]

6 hours ago, Gentifa said:

Thanks for the suggestion! I updated my list to be https://pcpartpicker.com/list/mxDfRk 

I picked that mobo just because I can get a deal for that one on my local microcenter, so it's cheaper and I think it's about the same spec wise.

As for graphics card I was under the impression (80% sure) that 2070S would out perform 5700 xt when it comes to performance (maybe you were referencing 2070?) But to be completely fair, I'm in no rush to get myself this build. So I'm also a bit confused if I should just wait for the next gen graphics card here. Mainly because I honestly don't like both option right now with the 2070S and 5700 xt

the 2070S performs slightly better than the 5700XT, but also costs $100 more.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 3.6 GHz 8-Core Processor  ($294.48 @ Amazon) 
Motherboard: ASRock X570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 WIFI ax ATX AM4 Motherboard  ($153.99 @ Newegg) 
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 Memory  ($84.99 @ Amazon) 
Storage: Silicon Power A80 512 GB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive  ($68.98 @ Amazon) 
Storage: Seagate Barracuda Compute 2 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($54.98 @ Newegg) 
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8 GB WINDFORCE OC 3X Video Card  ($499.99 @ B&H) 
Case: Corsair 275R Airflow ATX Mid Tower Case  ($79.98 @ Amazon) 
Power Supply: GAMDIAS KRATOS P1 G 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-modular ATX Power Supply  ($77.99 @ Best Buy) 
Monitor: Acer VG270U Pbmiipx 27.0" 2560x1440 144 Hz Monitor  ($364.98 @ Newegg) 
Total: $1680.36
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-04-11 00:18 EDT-0400

[Gentifa]

13 hours ago, Herman Mcpootis said:

the 2070S performs slightly better than the 5700XT, but also costs $100 more.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 3.6 GHz 8-Core Processor  ($294.48 @ Amazon) 
Motherboard: ASRock X570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 WIFI ax ATX AM4 Motherboard  ($153.99 @ Newegg) 
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 Memory  ($84.99 @ Amazon) 
Storage: Silicon Power A80 512 GB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive  ($68.98 @ Amazon) 
Storage: Seagate Barracuda Compute 2 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($54.98 @ Newegg) 
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8 GB WINDFORCE OC 3X Video Card  ($499.99 @ B&H) 
Case: Corsair 275R Airflow ATX Mid Tower Case  ($79.98 @ Amazon) 
Power Supply: GAMDIAS KRATOS P1 G 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-modular ATX Power Supply  ($77.99 @ Best Buy) 
Monitor: Acer VG270U Pbmiipx 27.0" 2560x1440 144 Hz Monitor  ($364.98 @ Newegg) 
Total: $1680.36
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-04-11 00:18 EDT-0400

Those looked great, I was just wondering why that PS was so cheap(guessing it's probably on sale right now?) I think I'm still going to keep the mobo since the one I found on a micro center is about that price too. The SSD choice is brilliant, I'm going to put that in my list for sure, been wanting to try using a M.2 NVME for a while. Monitor wise I read a lot of review about that monitor, and most saying it has faulty stand, or it's unstable. I have a motor elevated desk so I'm going to keep it save and get the $10 more expensive one. And lastly do you think I won't need a fan? One of the other comments here recommend a fan for this setup

[Herman Mcpootis]

7 hours ago, Gentifa said:

Those looked great, I was just wondering why that PS was so cheap(guessing it's probably on sale right now?) I think I'm still going to keep the mobo since the one I found on a micro center is about that price too. The SSD choice is brilliant, I'm going to put that in my list for sure, been wanting to try using a M.2 NVME for a while. Monitor wise I read a lot of review about that monitor, and most saying it has faulty stand, or it's unstable. I have a motor elevated desk so I'm going to keep it save and get the $10 more expensive one. And lastly do you think I won't need a fan? One of the other comments here recommend a fan for this setup

The board you picked is hot garbage, the phantom gaming 4 or B450 gaming pro carbon will be better. The stock cooler will do, you can add in a better cooler if you're gonna oc.

[Gentifa]

57 minutes ago, Herman Mcpootis said:

The board you picked is hot garbage, the phantom gaming 4 or B450 gaming pro carbon will be better. The stock cooler will do, you can add in a better cooler if you're gonna oc.

As much as I want to take your word for it, I can't really find a good reason why the mobo would be considered garbage, I would love to hear why you think that. At least to me on paper it makes perfect sense. The phantom gaming 4 you recommend doesn't have a DDR4-3600 on the listed memory speed (according to https://pcpartpicker.com/product/7mGnTW/asrock-x570-phantom-gaming-4-wifi-ax-atx-am4-motherboard-x570-phantom-gaming-4-wifi-ax). Doesn't that make it incompatible with the ram?

[Herman Mcpootis]

1 minute ago, Gentifa said:

As much as I want to take your word for it, I can't really find a good reason why the mobo would be considered garbage, I would love to hear why you think that. At least to me on paper it makes perfect sense. The phantom gaming 4 you recommend doesn't have a DDR4-3600 on the listed memory speed (according to https://pcpartpicker.com/product/7mGnTW/asrock-x570-phantom-gaming-4-wifi-ax-atx-am4-motherboard-x570-phantom-gaming-4-wifi-ax). Doesn't that make it incompatible with the ram?

horrible, horrible VRM temps, you won't be able to run anything past the 3700x without throttling on the gaming edge. Asrock's site claims support for 3600Mhz ram.

[Gentifa]

6 minutes ago, Herman Mcpootis said:

horrible, horrible VRM temps, you won't be able to run anything past the 3700x without throttling on the gaming edge. Asrock's site claims support for 3600Mhz ram.

Got it that makes sense, I guess I didn't take into account any upgrade I'm planning to do in the future. If I take that into account, I guess I'll probably will go with ASUS TUF x570, do you think that makes more sense? (Not seeing where the Phantom Gaming 4 is on that list, so I'm just guessing the TUF is better than that here)

[Herman Mcpootis]

14 minutes ago, Gentifa said:

Got it that makes sense, I guess I didn't take into account any upgrade I'm planning to do in the future. If I take that into account, I guess I'll probably will go with ASUS TUF x570, do you think that makes more sense? (Not seeing where the Phantom Gaming 4 is on that list, so I'm just guessing the TUF is better than that here)

it's better than the gaming pro carbon and phantom gaming 4.

[Gentifa]

5 minutes ago, Herman Mcpootis said:

it's better than the gaming pro carbon and phantom gaming 4.

To put into perspective on what price range I got for a mobo is around $180-$200. I was initially interested by the TUF, but my local microcenter is doing a $50 off for the gaming edge (of course that sounds like a steal to me), from the VRM thermal test list you gave I think https://pcpartpicker.com/product/XV6qqs/gigabyte-x570-aorus-elite-wifi-atx-am4-motherboard-x570-aorus-elite-wifi would be the highes value for the price point I get, so I'm either getting that or the TUF for sure. Thanks!

 

My list looks more like https://pcpartpicker.com/list/qFWTV7 now