SFF Build for christmas 2021

SUPER_MOOSE93 · December 18, 2020

Budget (including currency): £1500 - £2000

Country: UK

Games, programs or workloads that it will be used for: AAA Games, open world, shooter, etc...

I am planning my new build for when all the stock avalability is sorted out, so the main components won't be getting purchased until late 2021. This is the Parts List so far, it may change based on new releases that are better suited for the build.

For the CPU I am looking at the Ryzen 5 5600x. I will be using this PC for games 99% of the time, so I dont think I will see any benefit from spending an extra £130 on the 5800x. I will be using a 120mm AIO for cooling, would it be worth just getting a 240mm instead? it doesn't have to be the arctic one on the list, just depends on which is a good price at the time.

Motherboard will be the Aorus B550I Pro AX. I like the design, even though i wont be able to see it, and it has two M.2 slots, allowing for a storage upgrade should I need it. This board may change depending on newer releases allowing for more performance from GPU/CPU/etc...

RAM is G.Skill Ripjaws V 32GB DDR4-3200, little bit overkill but i already have it in my current build so it will be moving over and RAM is expensive. Storage is a 1TB M.2 SSD, this is also in my current build so no point in buying more yet (unless it gets really cheap).

For now the GPU is the RTX 3080 Strix, currently have a 1080ti strix and its great so i am sticking with the brand. This may change to the 3080ti, just depends on the availability and price to performance over the normal 3080. I am thinking of removing the fan shroud and using two 120mm fans to cool it instead, the card will be face down at the bottom of the case so airflow wont be great with the stock fans. I will be doing this with my 1080ti soon to see if it is worth doing in the future, just not sure whether to have air blowing onto the heatsink and into the case (exhausting out the top), or having air pulled through it and straight out the bottom of the case.

Based on what i have read, a 700w PSU should be enough to run all this, BUT I have seen people recommend at least a 750w PSU. I will look at bumping that up to 750w or even 800w if i have to.

Already ordered a Cooler Master Masterbox NR200P (Best name, good job guys) to replace my NZXT H1. For the mean time I will be using the AIO and PSU from the H1 until I purchase a replacement, then the H1 can be sold. I could get the PSU and cooler early to get rid of the H1 sooner (which sounds like a good option)

I know 12 months is a long time to plan ahead for a PC, so heres hoping next year will go by as fast as this one did.