First PC build

[xTWITTx]

Budget (including currency): See PC partpicker description

Country: US

Games, programs or workloads that it will be used for: I play mostly Apex legends on Xbox, I also like ghost recon.

Other details : I'm building my first pc. New to the community. Doing it for fun, no rush.See PC partpicker description. 

https://pcpartpicker.com/user/xTWITTx/saved/#view=W7Fwgs

Open to any comments or suggestions.

[Alder Lake]

11 minutes ago, xTWITTx said:

Budget (including currency): See PC partpicker description

Country: US

Games, programs or workloads that it will be used for: I play mostly Apex legends on Xbox, I also like ghost recon.

Other details : I'm building my first pc. New to the community. Doing it for fun, no rush.See PC partpicker description. 

https://pcpartpicker.com/user/xTWITTx/saved/#view=W7Fwgs

Open to any comments or suggestions.

This should perform noticeably better while remaining under the $1200 budget

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/7D3Fwz

[xTWITTx]

10 minutes ago, yesyes said:

This should perform noticeably better while remaining under the $1200 budget

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/7D3Fwz

Thank you for the reply. I've been told AMD is better for gaming. I do run Intel on my laptop, though looking to get a new one too. Also I've heard hard drives are kinda worse than SSD these days. Being that I have the case and RAM I was trying to build it around that, though might be willing to buy new ram. The motherboard I would like to have wifi as I don't know if i'll always be close to router.

[iMxmo]

6 minutes ago, yesyes said:

This should perform noticeably better while remaining under the $1200 budget

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/7D3Fwz

Gigabyte Z690 boards have been experiencing some memory training issues. Go for Z690 A Pro. 

Overkill SSD for gaming, could go for much cheaper Pilot-E or MP33 which would save budget for higher GPU. 

Similar predicament with cooler. AS500 is a nice value option for ADL atm (not many LGA1700 brackets out there) 

[iMxmo]

2 minutes ago, xTWITTx said:

Thank you for the reply. I've been told AMD is better for gaming. I do run Intel on my laptop, though looking to get a new one too. Also I've heard hard drives are kinda worse than SSD these days. Being that I have the case and RAM I was trying to build it around that, though might be willing to buy new ram. The motherboard I would like to have wifi as I don't know if i'll always be close to router.

126K is the best value option for gaming at the 300 USD range. Outperforms 5600X and similar to 5800X (outperforms by a little)

[Alder Lake]

24 minutes ago, xTWITTx said:

Thank you for the reply. I've been told AMD is better for gaming. I do run Intel on my laptop, though looking to get a new one too. Also I've heard hard drives are kinda worse than SSD these days. Being that I have the case and RAM I was trying to build it around that, though might be willing to buy new ram. The motherboard I would like to have wifi as I don't know if i'll always be close to router.

AMD was mauled by Intel for 50 years

then was ahead from 2020-2021

and now they're behind again

[Jonathan Lee]

55 minutes ago, xTWITTx said:

Thank you for the reply. I've been told AMD is better for gaming. I do run Intel on my laptop, though looking to get a new one too. Also I've heard hard drives are kinda worse than SSD these days. Being that I have the case and RAM I was trying to build it around that, though might be willing to buy new ram. The motherboard I would like to have wifi as I don't know if i'll always be close to router.

Unfortunately, tech moves fast so most forums asking for advice that are a few months old are pretty much out of date. Back when it was 11th gen intel vs ryzen 5000, this was true. AMD was better. Now 12th gen Intel is better than 5000. Don't be shock when 6000 is better than 12th. This is just how competition works. The main difference now is have two separate core structures p and e. With having dedicated p cores for gaming and e core for everything else, games will run much smoother (better frame times, frame pacing and 1% lows). So I would recommend for new builds to go with 12th gen intel. I think best value is 12700K, but most people probably disagree with that statement

[14HoursToSteve]

First congrats on starting your first build! That's awesome and is a lot of fun to have a PC that works how you want. I have made some suggestions here were I think you can save money or get better components in your budget: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/Yh7hsX

 

As always though this is YOUR computer. You should put in what you want. Everyone here is just making suggestions to help you achieve that goal. Short of buying incompatible parts there is no wrong answer. We all made "mistakes" on the way. Below I explain the changes I made to your parts list. 

 

Given you have good RAM and a case. 

 

1) I prefer SSD's as well. There is nothing wrong with HDD in a gaming system but I just think SSD's particularly nvme m.2 lead to an easier and cleaner build. I would dump the Samsung EVO. Yes it is a very good SSD, but for gaming it will provide no added benefit and 99.9% of other uses the benefit is so small you will likely never notice. Western Digital SSD's are very good and from a reputable outfit. 

 

2) CPU cooling. I have that Corsair AIO and it works great. Just know air cooling vs most AIO's is basically a wash. If you like the aesthetic and you know it will fit in your case than go for it. However know that a 3080 is about 320mm wide and in some midsize cases may not fit with an AIO (radiator and fans). If you were just using the 3080 as a place holder no big deal, but be aware that space can get tight. 

 

So you may want to consider an air cooled option if so - as others have mentioned - you cannot go wrong with a Noctua. My personal recommendation is https://pcpartpicker.com/product/R6kgXL/noctua-nh-d15s-chromaxblack-8251-cfm-cpu-cooler-nh-d15s-chromaxblack - it's a little overkill but the thing is bulletproof and will likely work for you through numerous upgrades or future builds. It is what I put in my daughter's gaming and music/video editing PC and it works great. 

 

3) Motherboard. This is a bit of a philosophy difference from others. You want a quality motherboard but it also should fit your use case. It's not a component to go cheap on, but you should by what you need. With DDR5 coming to market (its way to expensive now, but in 5 years it won't be) I don't think you need to have anything other than a solid MB for now, with good features, and a reputable company. 

 

4) Power supply. Seasonics are very good and the one I list is a pretty good deal. Big thing is just a reputable company and at least bronze 80+ rating, I usually go 80+gold or better. Oh and if you can always full-modular, makes cable management go way better. 

 

5) Case fans. If you are going with the AIO you probably only need a max of three other case fans. The AIO will have two for it and I cant imagine wanting more than two on the top (if your case supports it) and one on the back. Now I do set up my AIO with a push pull config (fans on the front and back), but that is like wearing a belt and suspenders - I know that but it's what I like. 

 

6) CPU: Don't get too caught up in the intel v AMD wars. I like AMD mainly because I started building when they were a good value and they have continued on that path. Intel and AMD will leapfrog each other when it comes to performance. There are solid deals out for both so buy whatever gets you the best value that day. 

 

Hope this helps. Feel free to ask more questions and make sure you post a pic of your build when you are done!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[xTWITTx]

1 hour ago, 14HoursToSteve said:

First congrats on starting your first build! That's awesome and is a lot of fun to have a PC that works how you want. I have made some suggestions here were I think you can save money or get better components in your budget: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/Yh7hsX

 

As always though this is YOUR computer. You should put in what you want. Everyone here is just making suggestions to help you achieve that goal. Short of buying incompatible parts there is no wrong answer. We all made "mistakes" on the way. Below I explain the changes I made to your parts list. 

 

Given you have good RAM and a case. 

 

1) I prefer SSD's as well. There is nothing wrong with HDD in a gaming system but I just think SSD's particularly nvme m.2 lead to an easier and cleaner build. I would dump the Samsung EVO. Yes it is a very good SSD, but for gaming it will provide no added benefit and 99.9% of other uses the benefit is so small you will likely never notice. Western Digital SSD's are very good and from a reputable outfit. 

 

2) CPU cooling. I have that Corsair AIO and it works great. Just know air cooling vs most AIO's is basically a wash. If you like the aesthetic and you know it will fit in your case than go for it. However know that a 3080 is about 320mm wide and in some midsize cases may not fit with an AIO (radiator and fans). If you were just using the 3080 as a place holder no big deal, but be aware that space can get tight. 

 

So you may want to consider an air cooled option if so - as others have mentioned - you cannot go wrong with a Noctua. My personal recommendation is https://pcpartpicker.com/product/R6kgXL/noctua-nh-d15s-chromaxblack-8251-cfm-cpu-cooler-nh-d15s-chromaxblack - it's a little overkill but the thing is bulletproof and will likely work for you through numerous upgrades or future builds. It is what I put in my daughter's gaming and music/video editing PC and it works great. 

 

3) Motherboard. This is a bit of a philosophy difference from others. You want a quality motherboard but it also should fit your use case. It's not a component to go cheap on, but you should by what you need. With DDR5 coming to market (its way to expensive now, but in 5 years it won't be) I don't think you need to have anything other than a solid MB for now, with good features, and a reputable company. 

 

4) Power supply. Seasonics are very good and the one I list is a pretty good deal. Big thing is just a reputable company and at least bronze 80+ rating, I usually go 80+gold or better. Oh and if you can always full-modular, makes cable management go way better. 

 

5) Case fans. If you are going with the AIO you probably only need a max of three other case fans. The AIO will have two for it and I cant imagine wanting more than two on the top (if your case supports it) and one on the back. Now I do set up my AIO with a push pull config (fans on the front and back), but that is like wearing a belt and suspenders - I know that but it's what I like. 

 

6) CPU: Don't get too caught up in the intel v AMD wars. I like AMD mainly because I started building when they were a good value and they have continued on that path. Intel and AMD will leapfrog each other when it comes to performance. There are solid deals out for both so buy whatever gets you the best value that day. 

 

Hope this helps. Feel free to ask more questions and make sure you post a pic of your build when you are done!

 

 

 

 

 

 

First off thank you for the positive and very informative response. Second I yell at people for wearing suspenders and a belt like my friends who I've seen do, no no. Now a little breakdown respond, I like your response organization.

 

1) Just want to clarify the SDD I had picked was the 980 Pro not the 970 EVO encase you got mistaken. Which the 980 org $230 went on sale for $169 recently and I'm hoping someone in my family might have grabbed it for Christmas since it was on my list. Honestly the 7000 read and 5000 write just sounded sweet, but there a crucial p5 with 6600 read and 5000 write on sale for $145 right now.

 

2) This was one of the first things I fond somewhat suggested by my roommate. I was going to put it on top as outtake with 3 front fans intake and 1 back fan outtake. According to my measures and leaving decent space between the front fans the max length GPU I can do is about 254mm, which the placeholder 3080 I put on my list is 252mm. The case spec says max GPU is 300mm but I think it's taking out the front intake fans for that.

 

3) I figured DDR5 was too expensive and new for a newb like me. The motherboard I chose I thought fit my budget well and had rgb and wifi. Unfortunately the one you picked doesn't have wifi, currently the router is next to me and my roommate is on wifi, but that may not always be the case as when I use to live with my dad the router was a floor below.) And honestly I hate the aesthetic of the free hanging ports on the back.

 

4) This is a nice looking power supply. I will favorite this and keep an eye on it. My concern is that it came out in 2017 and funny enough has a floppy port it said haha.

 

5) As stated in 1, 3 intake front fans and 3 out take back and top fans (includes the 2 AIO).

 

6) I actually am an intel person but have heard about AMD's improvements over the years. I'm sure they'll both roller coaster on performance over years, so I thought I'd give it a try. My laptops I customize I run i7 or i9 usually been looking at the new EVO for my newest laptop either customize HP or been eyeing the LG gram 17" because I like my screens big, I play xbox on a 55" 4K TV which I might look at the specs again for computer monitor. My roommate runs intel and has been having problems with frame drop, so I was going to try AMD.

[14HoursToSteve]

30 minutes ago, xTWITTx said:

First off thank you for the positive and very informative response. Second I yell at people for wearing suspenders and a belt like my friends who I've seen do, no no. Now a little breakdown respond, I like your response organization.

 

1) Just want to clarify the SDD I had picked was the 980 Pro not the 970 EVO encase you got mistaken. Which the 980 org $230 went on sale for $169 recently and I'm hoping someone in my family might have grabbed it for Christmas since it was on my list. Honestly the 7000 read and 5000 write just sounded sweet, but there a crucial p5 with 6600 read and 5000 write on sale for $145 right now.

 

2) This was one of the first things I fond somewhat suggested by my roommate. I was going to put it on top as outtake with 3 front fans intake and 1 back fan outtake. According to my measures and leaving decent space between the front fans the max length GPU I can do is about 254mm, which the placeholder 3080 I put on my list is 252mm. The case spec says max GPU is 300mm but I think it's taking out the front intake fans for that.

 

3) I figured DDR5 was too expensive and new for a newb like me. The motherboard I chose I thought fit my budget well and had rgb and wifi. Unfortunately the one you picked doesn't have wifi, currently the router is next to me and my roommate is on wifi, but that may not always be the case as when I use to live with my dad the router was a floor below.) And honestly I hate the aesthetic of the free hanging ports on the back.

 

4) This is a nice looking power supply. I will favorite this and keep an eye on it. My concern is that it came out in 2017 and funny enough has a floppy port it said haha.

 

5) As stated in 1, 3 intake front fans and 3 out take back and top fans (includes the 2 AIO).

 

6) I actually am an intel person but have heard about AMD's improvements over the years. I'm sure they'll both roller coaster on performance over years, so I thought I'd give it a try. My laptops I customize I run i7 or i9 usually been looking at the new EVO for my newest laptop either customize HP or been eyeing the LG gram 17" because I like my screens big, I play xbox on a 55" 4K TV which I might look at the specs again for computer monitor. My roommate runs intel and has been having problems with frame drop, so I was going to try AMD.

It sounds like you've really thought through your build all of that make sense. Some specific responses below, but I think you are on a good path. Can't wait to see you post it!

 

 

1) SSD: With the Samsung SSD sorry for the confusion but same thought. It's twice the price as the Western Digital without any measurable performance boost. Just an easy place to save money or put in other parts. This is your rig and sometimes you just want those sweeeeeeet specs ...lol. So go for it and hopefully it's under the tree for Christmas. 

 

2) Motherboard I didn't think about you running wi-fi - which does show you we all have blind spots. Two options move forward with another board with Wi-Fi built in or you can by inexpensive wifi dongle adapter. I personally don't like the adapter so I would buy with wi-fi built in. 

 

3) DDR5 is too expensive for everyone right now and its still got kinks to work out, but in 2-4 years it may look very competitive. Just think about the balance between buying the highest end MB you can or putting that to other components. We are literally in the beginning of the movement to DDR5 and soon(ish) that will be the big bad on the block. You maybe upgrading that sooner than you think. I like a cool looking motherboard too, but it's also the first thing that gets buried under a mountain of other components. Just a thought as you balance your budget. 

 

4) No worries just don't skimp on your PSU quality. (I'm not sure what you mean by floppy port?)

 

5) make sense - sounds like a good plan. Honestly, that was me projecting one of my earliest build mistakes on to every first time builder I talk to. 

 

6) I like my AMD CPU's and have run into no problems. My latest build I'm running a Ryzen 7 5800x because I got a crazy good deal for it new in box at 289.00 right when intel dropped their latest gen. The power to dollar ratio was just too good for me to pass up. If the Intel 12700k ever got into the $375-$400 range that would be very compelling depending on my budget and needs. Right now the R7 5800x handles high end games great when paired with any recent graphics card. 

 

Have fun, again nothing like having a computer that works exactly how you want. Game changer.