First PC,

[Trying]

Budget (including currency): $1500 Australian (around $1000 USD?)

Country: Australia

Games, programs or workloads that it will be used for: Currently play low-intensive games but am interested in things like Horizons, Spider-Man. Single player sort of games. Will also be used for blender.

Other details: 

Parts list - https://pcpartpicker.com/list/V6G9Ls

Playing 1440p at 144hz

Would appreciate tips to cut cost or if any parts are incompatible 

[theRatty]

5 minutes ago, Trying said:

Budget (including currency): $1500 Australian (around $1000 USD?)

Country: Australia

Games, programs or workloads that it will be used for: Currently play low-intensive games but am interested in things like Horizons, Spider-Man. Single player sort of games. Will also be used for blender.

Other details: 

Parts list - https://pcpartpicker.com/list/V6G9Ls

Playing 1440p at 144hz

Would appreciate tips to cut cost or if any parts are incompatible 

why go b550? 

[NF-A12x25]

4 minutes ago, phatrattyy said:

why go b550? 

if you’re asking why not x570, x570 isn’t good enough to justify the increased cost of motherboards over a good b550 mobo. It can be good running multi-GPU setups (more than 2) but that’s uncommon nowadays.

 

If you’re asking why not b650 and ryzen 7000, not everyone has unlimited money and in australia prices are shit rn

[theRatty]

1 minute ago, NF-A12x25 said:

if you’re asking why not x570, x570 isn’t good enough to justify the increased cost of motherboards over a good b550 mobo. It can be good running multi-GPU setups (more than 2) but that’s uncommon nowadays.

 

If you’re asking why not b650 and ryzen 7000, not everyone has unlimited money and in australia prices are shit rn

not what I meant why not x470 or b450 to save money, also why not a cheaper psu?

[Ryuikko]

This would be pretty reasonable for 1440p

PCPartPicker Part List

 

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600 3.5 GHz 6-Core Processor ($199.00 @ Amazon Australia) 

CPU Cooler: Deepcool AG400 75.89 CFM CPU Cooler ($25.00 @ PCCaseGear) 

Motherboard: MSI B550M PRO-VDH WIFI Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard ($179.00 @ Centre Com) 

Memory: TEAMGROUP Vulcan Z 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 CL18 Memory ($79.00 @ Scorptec) 

Storage: Crucial P3 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($109.00 @ MSY Technology) 

Video Card: Sapphire PULSE Radeon RX 6700 XT 12 GB Video Card ($599.00 @ Scorptec) 

Case: MSI MAG FORGE 100R ATX Mid Tower Case ($98.00 @ Skycomp Technology) 

Power Supply: Fractal Design Ion Gold 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($119.00 @ Scorptec) 

Total: $1407.00

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2022-12-08 17:57 AEDT+1100

[Trying]

1 minute ago, phatrattyy said:

not what I meant why not x470 or b450 to save money, also why not a cheaper psu?

i didnt really know what b550m was, all i knew was to make sure my motherboard has the correct socket, ram speeds and i/o. Also i went with that PSU and motherboard because prices and stock are shit as NF-A said. do you mind telling me what b550m is and what alternative i should go for?

[Proud Cipher]

Your parts list looks solid. I'd try looking around a little more to see if you can find an RTX 3060; the price on the current 2060 is a little higher than I would have expected. You should be able to find a 3060 for around the same price, maybe cheaper if you consider a used, refurb or open box deal on a card.

 

I would also suggest removing the Windows license for now (you'll be able to install windows without a license key for a while and shouldn't hurt gaming) and using the money from that to buy a better SSD. If you've only got the one opportunity currently to build a new computer, I would get the best SSD I could afford. 500 GBs is gonna run out really fast. Modern games use ludicrous amounts of storage space. Try for at least a good 1TB drive, with that extra $100 from skipping the Windows license you might be able to get a good 2TB drive that should suit your needs nicely.

[Trying]

5 minutes ago, Proud Cipher said:

Your parts list looks solid. I'd try looking around a little more to see if you can find an RTX 3060; the price on the current 2060 is a little higher than I would have expected. You should be able to find a 3060 for around the same price, maybe cheaper if you consider a used, refurb or open box deal on a card.

 

I would also suggest removing the Windows license for now (you'll be able to install windows without a license key for a while and shouldn't hurt gaming) and using the money from that to buy a better SSD. If you've only got the one opportunity currently to build a new computer, I would get the best SSD I could afford. 500 GBs is gonna run out really fast. Modern games use ludicrous amounts of storage space. Try for at least a good 1TB drive, with that extra $100 from skipping the Windows license you might be able to get a good 2TB drive that should suit your needs nicely.

if i can get windows without buying a key, what are the downsides to that? sounds like the keys have no purpose

btw thanks for the tips

[Proud Cipher]

3 minutes ago, Trying said:

if i can get windows without buying a key, what are the downsides to that? sounds like the keys have no purpose

When you install Windows on a machine without a license key, Microsoft automatically grants you a brief trial period of full functionality. Once that period expires though, some text will appear in the bottom right of the desktop that indicates an unactivated Windows install. This will disable certain advanced features and limit customization of the OS (no themes or color changes etc) but shouldn't impact your gaming experience. Once you acquire a license, you'll be able to activate your Windows install from the System menu. This ought to buy you enough time to save up and buy the license separately later so you can have better hardware. Not a requirement, just a suggestion.

 

EDIT: Forgot to mention! LMG often doesn't bother with Windows activation when they are benchmarking and testing computers. There's really no point in their case because the systems usually don't stay built. It doesn't impact their benchmarks so it shouldn't impact your gaming.

[NF-A12x25]

14 minutes ago, phatrattyy said:

not what I meant why not x470 or b450 to save money, also why not a cheaper psu?

ah yeah @Tryingbuying a ryzen 5 3600 rn is dumb (if new, if you get it really really cheap used, like sub-$75 US it could be worth it), the 5600 is really cheap right now.

 

Also use australian pcpartpicker.

 

@Proud Cipher the original list provided by OP is not a solid parts list by any means, it’s unbalanced asf.

 

B550 is a good choice but r5 3600 is a horrible one. Shit cooler. Decent mobo. Overpriced ram. 980 is a shit SSD especially for the price, could get better 1tb ssds like the mp34 for less. The 2060 if buying new is dogshit, get a 6600(xt) instead at the low end, 6700xt would be more reasonable for 1440p144hz. Bizarre case choice. PSU is not worth it. And get a mobo with wifi and you won’t need that wifi adapter. 

 

Better intel build:

https://au.pcpartpicker.com/list/pWWFhk

 

Slightly worse ryzen build (worse vs the intel build) but orders of magnitude better than original: 

https://au.pcpartpicker.com/list/TTsDyK

[Trying]

2 minutes ago, Proud Cipher said:

When you install Windows on a machine without a license key, Microsoft automatically grants you a brief trial period of full functionality. Once that period expires though, some text will appear in the bottom right of the desktop that indicates an unactivated Windows install. This will disable certain advanced features and limit customization of the OS (no themes or color changes etc) but shouldn't impact your gaming experience. Once you acquire a license, you'll be able to activate your Windows install from the System menu. This ought to buy you enough time to save up and buy the license separately later so you can have better hardware. Not a requirement, just a suggestion.

ah i see. Thanks for helping

[Proud Cipher]

2 minutes ago, NF-A12x25 said:

ah yeah @Tryingbuying a ryzen 5 3600 rn is dumb (if new, if you get it really really cheap used, like sub-$75 US it could be worth it), the 5600 is really cheap right now.

 

Also use australian pcpartpicker.

 

@Proud Cipher the original list provided by OP is not a solid parts list by any means, it’s unbalanced asf.

 

B550 is a good choice but r5 3600 is a horrible one. Shit cooler. Decent mobo. Overpriced ram. 980 is a shit SSD especially for the price, could get better 1tb ssds like the mp34 for less. The 2060 if buying new is dogshit, get a 6600(xt) instead at the low end, 6700xt would be more reasonable for 1440p144hz. Bizarre case choice. PSU is not worth it. And get a mobo with wifi and you won’t need that wifi adapter. 

 

https://au.pcpartpicker.com/list/pWWFhk

Oh you're right, I was using the US version of PCPartPicker. Jesus, $1700 auzzie bucks? It would appear that parts selection in Australia isn't very good right now.

[NF-A12x25]

1 minute ago, Proud Cipher said:

Oh you're right, I was using the US version of PCPartPicker. Jesus, $1700 auzzie bucks? It would appear that parts selection in Australia isn't very good right now.

it’s awful, worse even than Canada and Europe. We’re very lucky in the US, although I live in both canada and the US so “we” is conditional LMAO

[Proud Cipher]

Just now, NF-A12x25 said:

it’s awful, worse even than Canada and Europe

I'm gonna take a look around on the AUS version of the site and see if I can't reconfigure your build and hopefully get a better result.

[Trying]

4 minutes ago, NF-A12x25 said:

ah yeah @Tryingbuying a ryzen 5 3600 rn is dumb (if new, if you get it really really cheap used, like sub-$75 US it could be worth it), the 5600 is really cheap right now.

 

Also use australian pcpartpicker.

 

@Proud Cipher the original list provided by OP is not a solid parts list by any means, it’s unbalanced asf.

 

B550 is a good choice but r5 3600 is a horrible one. Shit cooler. Decent mobo. Overpriced ram. 980 is a shit SSD especially for the price, could get better 1tb ssds like the mp34 for less. The 2060 if buying new is dogshit, get a 6600(xt) instead at the low end, 6700xt would be more reasonable for 1440p144hz. Bizarre case choice. PSU is not worth it. And get a mobo with wifi and you won’t need that wifi adapter. 

 

Better intel build:

https://au.pcpartpicker.com/list/pWWFhk

 

Slightly worse ryzen build (worse vs the intel build) but orders of magnitude better than original: 

https://au.pcpartpicker.com/list/TTsDyK

in terms of motherboard i sadly dont have much choice. The only one in stock at a price im willing to pay with wifi is mATX. I think ill go 5 5600 and 3060. would that be better?

[NF-A12x25]

Just now, Trying said:

in terms of motherboard i sadly dont have much choice. The only one in stock at a price im willing to pay with wifi is mATX. I think ill go 5 5600 and 3060. would that be better?

…better, but not as good as 12400(f) and 6700(xt) or 5600 and 6700(xt)

 

The 6700 and 6700xt FAR outstrip the 3060, the 3060 is a low end card that’s not good for 1440p especially at high refresh.

[Proud Cipher]

Try this on for size: https://au.pcpartpicker.com/list/Pm4crD

You get a more modern processor, bigger and faster SSD, a 12GB 3060, a mobo with a better chipset, an interesting and well-reviewed case, and all for a couple hundred dollars less. If you want to spend up to the $1700, you can. Actually you can probably buy the Windows license now and still come in under budget!

EDIT: Reread your opening post, saw your budget is actually $1500. This config still comes in under that limit, and ought to be a little more performant compared to the original build. Also I did check the dimensions on the case to make sure the CPU cooler would fit. It'll be kinda tight, but it should fit.

[Trying]

21 minutes ago, Proud Cipher said:

Try this on for size: https://au.pcpartpicker.com/list/Pm4crD

You get a more modern processor, bigger and faster SSD, a 12GB 3060, a mobo with a better chipset, an interesting and well-reviewed case, and all for a couple hundred dollars less. If you want to spend up to the $1700, you can. Actually you can probably buy the Windows license now and still come in under budget!

currently looking around for as many parts in this build as i can, but as a sidenote. what should i look for in fans? 3 120mm's should be enough right? and if so is there a brand/model you recommend? not really after RGB if that would influence your choice

[Proud Cipher]

2 minutes ago, Trying said:

currently looking around for as many parts in this build as i can, but as a sidenote. what should i look for in fans? 3 120mm's should be enough right? and if so is there a brand/model you recommend? not really after RGB if that would influence your choice

Noctua fans are definitely my favorite. They're among the very best on the market and you can't go wrong with them. 2 fans on the front for intake, one in the rear for exhaust. This should create positive pressure in the case too.

[Trying]

2 minutes ago, Proud Cipher said:

Noctua fans are definitely my favorite. They're among the very best on the market and you can't go wrong with them. 2 fans on the front for intake, one in the rear for exhaust. This should create positive pressure in the case too.

the case you put seems to have an exhaust fan on the back included. Are you suggesting i replace the stock one or can i leave it

[Proud Cipher]

Just now, Trying said:

the case you put seems to have an exhaust fan on the back included. Are you suggesting i replace the stock one or can i leave it

The stock exhaust would work fine, but replacing it with a Noctua fan will be a little quieter and maybe shave an extra half degree off your temps. The important thing is the two intake fans to one exhaust to create positive pressure in the case. If you want to save a buck, you can leave the stock fan in. Shouldn't affect things quite that much.

[Trying]

3 minutes ago, Proud Cipher said:

The stock exhaust would work fine, but replacing it with a Noctua fan will be a little quieter and maybe shave an extra half degree off your temps. The important thing is the two intake fans to one exhaust to create positive pressure in the case. If you want to save a buck, you can leave the stock fan in. Shouldn't affect things quite that much.

https://au.pcpartpicker.com/list/BTwLxs

This is what i ended up with working around stock issues and websites that seem sketchy. I didn't go with the noctua fans because i am not that keen to spend 4 fans worth of money on 2. At the top is has that green bar talking about compatibility, does that mean everything is all good?

 

[Proud Cipher]

2 minutes ago, Trying said:

https://au.pcpartpicker.com/list/BTwLxs

This is what i ended up with working around stock issues and websites that seem sketchy. I didn't go with the noctua fans because i am not that keen to spend 4 fans worth of money on 2. At the top is has that green bar talking about compatibility, does that mean everything is all good?

 

Yeah, that means it detects no obvious incompatibilities. The notes merely indicate that it isn't checking the dimensions of components.

EDIT: Just for peace of mind I double checked the dimensions of the case against the cooler and GPU, everything should fit nicely!

[Trying]

2 minutes ago, Proud Cipher said:

Yeah, that means it detects no obvious incompatibilities. The notes merely indicate that it isn't checking the dimensions of components.

EDIT: Just for peace of mind I double checked the dimensions of the case against the cooler and GPU, everything should fit nicely!

I appreciate the time you gave me to help and work around my lack of knowledge lol. Will have to save up a little while longer for the upgrades but thank you

[Proud Cipher]

12 minutes ago, Trying said:

I appreciate the time you gave me to help and work around my lack of knowledge lol. Will have to save up a little while longer for the upgrades but thank you

Best of luck to you mate.