First Gaming Rig since 2015

[SDSchlager]

Budget (including currency): 4000

Country: United States

Games, programs or workloads that it will be used for: anything from DOOM to Nioh 2 and above for games, I also plan to run some VMs and possibly a Server VM as I'm a Sys admin and need a safe space to experiment

Other details (existing parts lists, whether any peripherals are needed, what you're upgrading from, when you're going to buy, what resolution and refresh rate you want to play at, etc): So far I have an MSI Godlike z490 ordered, as I'm trying to make it so I shouldn't have to replace parts for quite some time

 

Looking at either a 10900k or an 11900k, leaning toward the 10900k unless the 11 really is that much of an improvement

Corsair H115i RGB Platinum 97 CFM Liquid Cooler

32 GB (2x16) Crucial Ballistix MAX DDR4 4400Mhz CL19

2TB 980 Pro Evo (more to be added on later)

Hoping to get a Corsair HX1200 Platinum on this Ebay Auction

 

Right now I'm using a 1070 with plans to upgrade to either an EVGA 3080 FTW or a 3080ti if it's within my budget by the time GPU's are available.

 

 

Is there any corners I could cut to get same-ish results or any recommendations? I've been out of building rigs for 6 years so I fear I may be rusty at this point, thank you for any input!

 

[dizmo]

I wouldn't have gone with an MSI motherboard, but seeing as you've already ordered that I take it you have no interest in Ryzen?

Build looks all right. I'd get a different cooler personally.

I'd also go for lower latency RAM.

Why the Pro version of the 980? Likely unnecessarily expensive with no real benefit over cheaper drives.

I wouldn't get a PSU from eBay unless you're getting a truly excellent deal. Losing that 10 year (or lifetime in some instances) warranty isn't really worth it.

 

As for corners you could cut to get similar results? The motherboard. No need at all to be spending that much on one. Same with the higher speed RAM. After 3600mhz the returns really start to diminish. As already stated, the SSD.

[SDSchlager]

8 minutes ago, dizmo said:

I wouldn't have gone with an MSI motherboard, but seeing as you've already ordered that I take it you have no interest in Ryzen?

Build looks all right. I'd get a different cooler personally.

I'd also go for lower latency RAM.

Why the Pro version of the 980? Likely unnecessarily expensive with no real benefit over cheaper drives.

I wouldn't get a PSU from eBay unless you're getting a truly excellent deal. Losing that 10 year (or lifetime in some instances) warranty isn't really worth it.

 

As for corners you could cut to get similar results? The motherboard. No need at all to be spending that much on one. Same with the higher speed RAM. After 3600mhz the returns really start to diminish. As already stated, the SSD.

I'd be really interested in a Ryzen 9 5900x they've been just impossible to get without paying scalper prices in my experience. I originally was trying to get that with a Dark Hero VII mobo.

 

Honestly the 980 is probably just mind goblins not wanting to deal with load times and possibly a futile belief that my VM's would run/boot faster as opposed to getting a standard 970.

 

I was debating between getting Corsair Vengence 3600 RAM was advised to get the 4400 by friend of mine who's into building but if the returns aren't worth the price I'm open to dropping speed and maybe picking up a 64gb kit instead even.

 

I'm not very experienced with liquid cooling, is there a better brand or model to look for?

 

I haven't been able to find new PSU's for reasonable pricing for running 1200w and the one I'm bidding on would be about 200$

 

Thank you for the input!

 

EDIT: I should mention, I just ordered the MSI today so there is still time to cancel the order from Amazon as well

[IkeaGnome]

1 minute ago, SDSchlager said:

I was debating between getting Corsair Vengence 3600 RAM was advised to get the 4400 by friend of mine who's into building but if the returns aren't worth the price I'm open to dropping speed and maybe picking up a 64gb kit instead even.

3600 CL14 is actually slightly faster than the 4400 19. 7.7 nano seconds vs 8.6. Diminishing returns. Really you'll be perfectly fine with 3600 16 or 18.

 

You have no need for a 1200w PSU. You more than likely could get away with an 850.

 

Also no saying if the 11 is an improvement yet. Only Intel numbers are out yet.

[dizmo]

Just now, SDSchlager said:

I'd be really interested in a Ryzen 9 5900x they've been just impossible to get without paying scalper prices in my experience. I originally was trying to get that with a Dark Hero VII mobo.

 

Honestly the 980 is probably just mind goblins not wanting to deal with load times and possibly a futile belief that my VM's would run/boot faster as opposed to getting a standard 970.

 

I was debating between getting Corsair Vengence 3600 RAM was advised to get the 4400 by friend of mine who's into building but if the returns aren't worth the price I'm open to dropping speed and maybe picking up a 64gb kit instead even.

 

I'm not very experienced with liquid cooling, is there a better brand or model to look for?

 

I haven't been able to find new PSU's for reasonable pricing for running 1200w and the one I'm bidding on would be about 200$

 

Thank you for the input!

 

EDIT: I should mention, I just ordered the MSI today so there is still time to cancel the order from Amazon as well

I'd cancel it, but it's personal biases more than anything; I've had nothing but problems with MSI boards in the past, as has my father, and a couple of friends.

I also wouldn't be spending that much on a motherboard if you're looking to trim costs. You can easily spend half that and get the same experience.

 

Depends if the 64GB kit would be of use to you or not. I get the feeling you go way over on the killing of things.

 

I'm not into liquid cooling at all, I just don't recall those being units that are that great.

 

Why do you want 1200w?

 

Just now, IkeaGnome said:

3600 CL14 is actually slightly faster than the 4400 19. 7.7 nano seconds vs 8.6. Diminishing returns. Really you'll be perfectly fine with 3600 16 or 18.

 

You have no need for a 1200w PSU. You more than likely could get away with an 850.

 

Also no saying if the 11 is an improvement yet. Only Intel numbers are out yet.

Agreed, except GamersNexus already has prelim numbers for the 11700k vs the 10700k.

[SDSchlager]

13 minutes ago, IkeaGnome said:

3600 CL14 is actually slightly faster than the 4400 19. 7.7 nano seconds vs 8.6. Diminishing returns. Really you'll be perfectly fine with 3600 16 or 18.

 

You have no need for a 1200w PSU. You more than likely could get away with an 850.

 

Also no saying if the 11 is an improvement yet. Only Intel numbers are out yet.

I've swapped out the 4400Mhz for a kit of Corsair Vengence 3600 C18, I'll have to see how the auction turns out if I get outbid or not.

 

1 minute ago, dizmo said:

I'd cancel it, but it's personal biases more than anything; I've had nothing but problems with MSI boards in the past, as has my father, and a couple of friends.

I also wouldn't be spending that much on a motherboard if you're looking to trim costs. You can easily spend half that and get the same experience.

 

Depends if the 64GB kit would be of use to you or not. I get the feeling you go way over on the killing of things.

 

I'm not into liquid cooling at all, I just don't recall those being units that are that great.

 

Why do you want 1200w?

 

Agreed, except GamersNexus already has prelim numbers for the 11700k vs the 10700k.

I was looking at an Asus Maximus Formula XII as well, but I may have been suckered into going overboard on the MSI honestly, the expansion slot for  the extra NVMe's might have convinced me.

 

The 64 Kit as far as RAM goes i was looking at as kind of a "Just in Case" for setting up a mini virtual network with a server and VM's to experiment on in down time at home, I didn't know if 32GB would run all that plus my normal pc/games safely or not.

[dizmo]

Just now, SDSchlager said:

I've swapped out the 4400Mhz for a kit of Corsair Vengence 3600 C18, I'll have to see how the auction turns out if I get outbid or not.

 

I was looking at an Asus Maximus Formula XII as well, but I may have been suckered into going overboard on the MSI honestly, the expansion slot for  the extra NVMe's might have convinced me.

 

The 64 Kit as far as RAM goes i was looking at as kind of a "Just in Case" for setting up a mini virtual network with a server and VM's to experiment on in down time at home, I didn't know if 32GB would run all that plus my normal pc/games safely or not.

You want low CLs, not necessarily high MHZ. I'd aim for 16 or lower. 18 is still pretty high.

[SDSchlager]

7 minutes ago, dizmo said:

You want low CLs, not necessarily high MHZ. I'd aim for 16 or lower. 18 is still pretty high.

Sounds good, I'll keep an eye out, but I haven't seen anything in the 3600 with CL of 16 so far, I might not be looking in the right places though

[dizmo]

Just now, SDSchlager said:

Sounds good, I'll keep an eye out, but I haven't seen anything in the 3600 with CL of 16 so far, I might not be looking in the right places though

That's what happens when you limit yourself to eBay.

https://pcpartpicker.com/products/memory/#U=4&S=3600,4000&Z=32768002,65536002&L=30,160&sort=price&page=1

[SDSchlager]

3 minutes ago, dizmo said:

That's what happens when you limit yourself to eBay.

https://pcpartpicker.com/products/memory/#U=4&S=3600,4000&Z=32768002,65536002&L=30,160&sort=price&page=1

That's fair, thanks for showing me that! If I plan to upgrade to a 64 eventually, would you suggest buying a whole new Kit or just a 2nd set of 32? (I'm going with the Crucial as I've always had good experience with their parts)

 

Sorry for asking so many questions, gaming rigs are just so out of my wheelhouse anymore.

[dizmo]

Just now, SDSchlager said:

That's fair, thanks for showing me that! If I plan to upgrade to a 64 eventually, would you suggest buying a whole new Kit or just a 2nd set of 32? (I'm going with the Crucial as I've always had good experience with their parts)

 

Sorry for asking so many questions, gaming rigs are just so out of my wheelhouse anymore.

Personally I'd just buy a kit of 64GB if you're eventually getting it for sure anyway; kits of RAM are matched, so you're going to have fewer (even if it's rare) issues if you buy a proper kit.

 

Haha, you don't need to apologize. Anyone who gets frustrated with a lot of questions can just go do something else with their time, that's kind of why the forum exists

[SDSchlager]

On 3/17/2021 at 12:07 PM, dizmo said:

Personally I'd just buy a kit of 64GB if you're eventually getting it for sure anyway; kits of RAM are matched, so you're going to have fewer (even if it's rare) issues if you buy a proper kit.

 

Haha, you don't need to apologize. Anyone who gets frustrated with a lot of questions can just go do something else with their time, that's kind of why the forum exists

Thanks a bunch, I ended up getting an i9-10900 with an aorus Mobo, a case for around $40, a liquit fooler for 170, 64gb kit of 3600 CL16 RAM and a 200$ PSU, selling a friend my old rig hoping I can get a hold of a 3080 through my company if allowed.