First gaming build

[VelikiPCguy]

Budget (including currency): £5,000 (around €6,000 / $7,000)

Country: UK

Games, programs or workloads that it will be used for: any and all games (Cyberpunk 2077, Assassin's Creed, the new Elders Scrolls, Total War: Warhammer 3, etc.)

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): This is a completely new build that I'm treating myself to where money is no object. Well, I mean money is always a bit of an object, but I'm really trying to get the best of the best here as this has been a wish of mine for many years, so I don't mind spending for all the best parts, even if it's a bit overkill. And there's some fun in doing that anyway, no?

 

- GPU: MSI RTX 3090 Ventus 3X OC (I was hoping to get the EVGA FTW3 version as it seems to be the most highly lauded one atm, but I was lucky enough to snag this one recently (it's the only part I've actually got so far), and the current market doesn't really allow for pickiness. If a "better" card does show up, I might think of switching out, but for now this is what I have. I've read the Ventus has some overheating problems with its VRAM, so I'm thinking the following: replace its thermal paste + pads, set custom fan curve, undervolt, have good airflow in my case. Any additional ideas?)

 

- CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 5950X

 

- Motherboard: Gigabyte X570 Aorus Master

 

- CPU cooler: Corsair iCUE H150i Elite Capellix 360mm AIO

 

- RAM: G.SKILL Trident Z RGB 32GB (4x8) DDR-3600 CL17 F4-3600C17Q-32GTZR (after much ado over RAM and many posts on these forums over compatibility, I've found this one listed as QVL for my mobo + CPU combo (see: https://pangoly.com/en/review/gigabyte-x570-aorus-master/compatibility/ram?c=Vermeer#cc), plus it's B-Die, plus the speed is reasonable but not too fast for the 4 sticks and mobo/CPU)

 

- Storage: Samsung 980 PRO 2TB MZ-V8P2T0BW

 

- PSU: Corsair HX1200 80+ Platinum (I wanted to get the HX1200i, but unfortunately it's not in stock atm and I don't feel like buying off scalpers on eBay, especially as, to my understanding (please correct me if I'm wrong), the only benefit of the HXi over the HX is that the HXi has an integrated monitoring system for power draw etc. But I'm sure there are some programmes which could allow you to check that, no?)

 

- Case: undecided, but airflow / ambient cooling is my priority, especially with the potentially overheating GPU, with looks being secondary. I'm planning to mount my AIO radiator at the front for intake, and then have exhaust fans at the top / back. Not sure if I should have positive or negative pressure. Open to suggestions

 

- Monitor: undecided, but thinking of getting one with all the bells and whistles to make use of this rig, so curved, 27-30", 4k, 144Hz+, IPS. Unsure if OLED or mini LED is better for gaming. Open to suggestions

 

- Keyboard: undecided, I'm thinking either mechanical or mecha-membrane. Open to suggestions

- Mouse + mouse pad: undecided, thinking of optical mouse and since I have a claw-ish grip, maybe a slightly softer / slower pad. Should I get an extended mouse pad? Open to suggestions

 

- OS: Windows 10

[Pandora1]

22 minutes ago, NewwGuyy123 said:

GPU: MSI RTX 3090 Ventus 3X OC

I suggest the Asus 3090 because they usually sell the best cards and if you cant get a hold of that get the MSI Suprim X.

22 minutes ago, NewwGuyy123 said:

Storage: Samsung 980 PRO 2TB

You should also get more storage because games are getting like 300gb and 150gb so I suggest getting a nother NVME or Sata. (1-2tb should be enough)      (I would personally use 1tb for games and 2tb for the rest)

22 minutes ago, NewwGuyy123 said:

Mouse + mouse pad

Glorious Model O wireless or D wireless 

22 minutes ago, NewwGuyy123 said:

Motherboard: Gigabyte X570 Aorus Master

Idk if you really care but the Asus Dark hero is ryzen 5000 out of the box and is pretty good (There is one right now on amazong and Newegg for $449.99 (MSRP)

22 minutes ago, NewwGuyy123 said:

Case: undecided, but airflow / ambient cooling is my priority,

Something like a Phanteks case or A corsair case or a Be Quiet.

22 minutes ago, NewwGuyy123 said:

Keyboard: undecided, I'm thinking either mechanical or mecha-membrane. Open to suggestions

Mechanical  Recommendations: Steel Series Apex Pro, Ducky mecha mini.

22 minutes ago, NewwGuyy123 said:

Monitor: undecided, but thinking of getting one with all the bells and whistles to make use of this rig, so curved, 27-30", 4k, 144Hz+, IPS. Unsure if OLED or mini LED is better for gaming. Open to suggestions

There is a Lg 4k 144hz monitor but idk if its curved. https://www.amazon.com/LG-27GN950-B-Ultragear-Response-Compatibility/dp/B08BCRYS6B/ref=sr_1_9?dchild=1&keywords=Lg+4k+Monitor&qid=1622351319&sr=8-9

[Chris Pratt]

7 minutes ago, NewwGuyy123 said:

Case: undecided, but airflow / ambient cooling is my priority, especially with the potentially overheating GPU, with looks being secondary. I'm planning to mount my AIO radiator at the front for intake, and then have exhaust fans at the top / back. Not sure if I should have positive or negative pressure. Open to suggestions

I'd get something like a Be Quiet Silent Base 802 or a Corsair 5000D Airflow. I agree with Linus on setting the radiator up as exhaust, as that keeps dust from building up between the fans and the radiator, and makes it much easier to clean. Plus, that frees you up to do front intake unobstructed, to get lots of fresh air into the case.

 

As far a pressure goes, you want to shoot for neutral or slightly positive. Negative just sucks in dust, while too positive can create hot spots.

[VelikiPCguy]

 

31 minutes ago, Chris Pratt said:

I agree with Linus on setting the radiator up as exhaust, as that keeps dust from building up between the fans and the radiator, and makes it much easier to clean.

I saw a video recently (sorry can't find it atm, but it was from one of the big tech youtubers) that said for open air GPUs (which most GPUs are nowadays, incluidng the one I've got), a front-mounted AIO radiator is significantly better though. Not too worried about the dust, just performance (I can always clean the dust more frequently).

31 minutes ago, Chris Pratt said:

Plus, that frees you up to do front intake unobstructed, to get lots of fresh air into the case.

So would there be a disadvantage in terms of performance is the AIO fans served as intake fans?

32 minutes ago, Chris Pratt said:

you want to shoot for neutral or slightly positive. Negative just sucks in dust

Doesn't negative create better cooling though?

[Chris Pratt]

7 hours ago, NewwGuyy123 said:

I saw a video recently (sorry can't find it atm, but it was from one of the big tech youtubers) that said for open air GPUs (which most GPUs are nowadays, incluidng the one I've got), a front-mounted AIO radiator is significantly better though. Not too worried about the dust, just performance (I can always clean the dust more frequently).

Not sure where they got that from. There's no difference where you mount the AIO (as long as the rad tube intake is above the pump), and there's minimal difference even between things like push/pool or intake vs exhaust, as far as the AIO itself is concerned. It's still a block of metal that is dissipating heat. If anything, though, it really makes more sense to blow the heat from the rad *out* of the case, rather than in.

 

7 hours ago, NewwGuyy123 said:

So would there be a disadvantage in terms of performance is the AIO fans served as intake fans?

Technically, yes. The more obstruction between the fans and the air, the harder they have to work, and the less effective they are overall. For the radiator itself, that's unavoidable obviously: the whole point is to move air through the radiator, but if the rad is blocking the only source of fresh air intake into the case, that limits the overall cooling inside the case, meaning higher ambients. It's similar to having a case with a closed front panel. You can still get air intake, and people run builds all day long like that, but if you want high airflow, mounting a front rad intake is not the way to do it.

 

7 hours ago, NewwGuyy123 said:

Doesn't negative create better cooling though?

Nope.

[cube1903]

6900 XT is better than 3090. There will be 15-20 FPS difference

[Guest]

1 hour ago, cube1903 said:

6900 XT is better than 3090. There will be 15-20 FPS difference

You going to provide proof of that ? 

[IkeaGnome]

12 hours ago, NewwGuyy123 said:

4k, 144Hz+

 

1 hour ago, cube1903 said:

6900 XT is better than 3090. There will be 15-20 FPS difference

AMD tends to be better in 1440p and lower. 4k it starts going to Nvidia. With the OP's GPU set up, and computer set up in general encoding of some kind wouldn't surprise me, which once again goes to Nvidia. If OP plans to use ray tracing, it goes to Nvidia.

Even just for 4k you've got it backwards.