Gaming PC Build

[Scoutix]

Budget (including currency): USD $4000-4500

Country: USA

Games, programs or workloads that it will be used for: CoD Warzone, Minecraft, Unreal Engine 5 projects, Blender

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): 

[PCPartPicker Part List](https://pcpartpicker.com/list/c4qvGL)

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
**CPU** | [\*Intel Core i9-13900K 3 GHz 24-Core Processor](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/DhVmP6/intel-core-i9-13900k-3-ghz-24-core-processor-bx8071513900k) | $599.27 @ Amazon 
**CPU Cooler** | [\*Corsair iCUE H150i ELITE CAPELLIX 75 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/8jFKHx/corsair-icue-h150i-elite-capellix-75-cfm-liquid-cpu-cooler-cw-9060048-ww) | $169.99 @ Amazon 
**Motherboard** | [\*MSI MAG Z790 TOMAHAWK WIFI ATX LGA1700 Motherboard](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/9B2WGX/msi-mag-z790-tomahawk-wifi-atx-lga1700-motherboard-mag-z790-tomahawk-wifi) | $546.50 @ Amazon 
**Memory** | [Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-7200 CL34 Memory](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/Mh4Ycf/corsair-dominator-platinum-rgb-32-gb-2-x-16-gb-ddr5-7200-cl34-memory-cmt32gx5m2x7200c34) | $334.99 @ Corsair 
**Memory** | [Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-7200 CL34 Memory](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/Mh4Ycf/corsair-dominator-platinum-rgb-32-gb-2-x-16-gb-ddr5-7200-cl34-memory-cmt32gx5m2x7200c34) | $334.99 @ Corsair 
**Storage** | [Samsung 970 Evo Plus 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/Zxw7YJ/samsung-970-evo-plus-1-tb-m2-2280-nvme-solid-state-drive-mz-v7s1t0bam) | $99.99 @ Amazon 
**Video Card** | [Zotac GAMING AMP Extreme AIRO GeForce RTX 4090 24 GB Video Card](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/9x4Ycf/zotac-gaming-amp-extreme-airo-geforce-rtx-4090-24-gb-video-card-zt-d40900b-10p) | $2009.69 @ Amazon 
**Case** | [HYTE Y40 ATX Mid Tower Case](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/WpxRsY/hyte-y40-atx-mid-tower-case-cs-hyte-y40-bw) | $149.99 @ Adorama 
**Power Supply** | [Corsair HX1000 Platinum 1000 W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/nQJkcf/corsair-hx-platinum-1000w-80-platinum-certified-fully-modular-atx-power-supply-cp-9020139-na) | $254.99 @ Amazon 
 | *Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts* |
 | **Total** | **$4500.40**
 | \*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria |
 | Generated by [PCPartPicker](https://pcpartpicker.com) 2023-01-16 21:56 EST-0500 |

 

Hello!  This is my first time building my own computer and I need some help.  I currently have a gtx 1080 with an i7 and trying to make projects on Unreal Engine is very slow especially for the bigger ones and when rendering.  I went on PCPartPicker and made a build on there which I hope you all have the link to in this post.  I'm wanting to build a computer that will :

 

1. last for a while

2. run latest video games at least over 60 fps

3. run Unreal Engine 5 very well

4. render quickly

 

I know next to nothing about motherboards and I think that's where my main confusion and problem lies.  I know I want a rtx 4090 for sure, but I'm still trying to decide between intel and amd for the cpu.  I know (I think?) that ram is very important when it comes to things like rendering projects and multiple tasks so I am planning on having 64gb.  I am trying to stay within a $4000 USD budget and I think I can achieve that by getting the rtx 4090 at MSRP and by changing up the motherboard if I need to because right now it's $550.  Anyone have any recommendations on what to change around on the list I have here or on motherboards specifically?  I also am trying to figure out which cpu is better for my needs since I like both gaming and rendering things on programs like Unreal Engine.  Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

[yep6327]

For just gaming a 24-core cpu is way too overkill. I would probably get a i7-13700k. It has 12 cores it's base clock speed is 3.4ghz and it's boost clock speed is 5.4 ghz. This would also free up lots of your budget for other items. For the mobo I would probably go for a Gigabyte Z790 AORUS ELITE AX just because it's DDR5 has wifi and is much cheaper

 

 

[Peter_The_Ent]

12 minutes ago, Scoutix said:

Hello!  This is my first time building my own computer and I need some help.  I currently have a gtx 1080 with an i7 and trying to make projects on Unreal Engine is very slow especially for the bigger ones and when rendering.  I went on PCPartPicker and made a build on there which I hope you all have the link to in this post.  I'm wanting to build a computer that will :

 

1. last for a while

2. run latest video games at least over 60 fps

3. run Unreal Engine 5 very well

4. render quickly

 

I know next to nothing about motherboards and I think that's where my main confusion and problem lies.  I know I want a rtx 4090 for sure, but I'm still trying to decide between intel and amd for the cpu.  I know (I think?) that ram is very important when it comes to things like rendering projects and multiple tasks so I am planning on having 64gb.  I am trying to stay within a $4000 USD budget and I think I can achieve that by getting the rtx 4090 at MSRP and by changing up the motherboard if I need to because right now it's $550.  Anyone have any recommendations on what to change around on the list I have here or on motherboards specifically?  I also am trying to figure out which cpu is better for my needs since I like both gaming and rendering things on programs like Unreal Engine.  Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

You are correct in than Ram is very important. I don't see any issues with your parts list, but I am not the most experienced at building PCs, so you should make sure that you get someone else's opinion on this. I personally believe that you will have to sacrifice a little on the GPU if you want to stick to your budget.

[Scoutix]

1 minute ago, yep6327 said:

For just gaming a 24-core cpu is way too overkill. I would probably get a i7-12700k. It has 12 cores it's base clock speed is 3.6ghz and it's boost clock speed is 5.0 ghz. This would also free up lots of your budget for other items.

Hmmmm okay.  But would i7 be enough for rendering things?  I have a i7 now and using Unreal Engine 5 and blender is just terrible for me.  Also I want something that lasts for years, so I don't mind spending more on an i9.  Is i9 better than the newest amd one?  Thanks!

[yep6327]

6 minutes ago, Scoutix said:

Hmmmm okay.  But would i7 be enough for rendering things?  I have a i7 now and using Unreal Engine 5 and blender is just terrible for me.  Also I want something that lasts for years, so I don't mind spending more on an i9.  Is i9 better than the newest amd one?  Thanks!

What i7 do you have? If you want to go AMD a Ryzen 9 7950X would also be fine. It still has 12 cores and it's base clock speed is 3.7ghz its boost clock speed is 4.8ghz. The AMD is cheaper but slightly worse according to pc part picker

 

[Peter_The_Ent]

3 minutes ago, Scoutix said:

Hmmmm okay.  But would i7 be enough for rendering things?  I have a i7 now and using Unreal Engine 5 and blender is just terrible for me.  Also I want something that lasts for years, so I don't mind spending more on an i9.  Is i9 better than the newest amd one?  Thanks!

The Intel core i9-13900k soars above the best amd equivalent. Let us now how hot the space heater gets!

[Scoutix]

5 minutes ago, yep6327 said:

What i7 do you have?

I think its the 10700k

[Scoutix]

Just now, Peter_The_Ent said:

The Intel core i9-13900k soars above the best amd equivalent. Let us now how hot the space heater gets!

That's what I was thinking from what I've seen on the Linus tech tips vids talking about them both.  So a i9 13900k would be good for this build?  I'll get that then.  Still unsure on the motherboard though.  $550 just seems like a lot idk tho

[yep6327]

For the mobo I would get the Gigabyte Z790 AORUS ELITE AX because it has wifi fits your Cpu and is DDR5

[Scoutix]

3 minutes ago, yep6327 said:

For the mobo I would get the Gigabyte Z790 AORUS ELITE AX because it has wifi fits your Cpu and is DDR5

Ok!  And I heard that some motherboards would need a BIOS update in order to work with the cpu.  Would this one need an update to work with the i9 13900k?

[Dukesilver27-]

I'd wait for 7000X3D series, if it is anything like 5800X3D, Intel would be left in the dust. If you can't wait, then 13900K it is, but only for 1080p. If 1440p or 4K, get 13700K instead.

Also, 7200 mhz is way too overkill, If the CPU and could handle that fast, which takes a bit of luck and the best board for memory. Get 2xRAM sticks instead of 4x, faster and more stable.

970 EVO is crap for the price, get the P5 Plus instead, faster and cheaper than 980 Evo.

 

[YOLO1882]

44 minutes ago, Scoutix said:

Budget (including currency): USD $4000-4500

Country: USA

Games, programs or workloads that it will be used for: CoD Warzone, Minecraft, Unreal Engine 5 projects, Blender

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): 

[PCPartPicker Part List](https://pcpartpicker.com/list/c4qvGL)

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
**CPU** | [\*Intel Core i9-13900K 3 GHz 24-Core Processor](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/DhVmP6/intel-core-i9-13900k-3-ghz-24-core-processor-bx8071513900k) | $599.27 @ Amazon 
**CPU Cooler** | [\*Corsair iCUE H150i ELITE CAPELLIX 75 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/8jFKHx/corsair-icue-h150i-elite-capellix-75-cfm-liquid-cpu-cooler-cw-9060048-ww) | $169.99 @ Amazon 
**Motherboard** | [\*MSI MAG Z790 TOMAHAWK WIFI ATX LGA1700 Motherboard](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/9B2WGX/msi-mag-z790-tomahawk-wifi-atx-lga1700-motherboard-mag-z790-tomahawk-wifi) | $546.50 @ Amazon 
**Memory** | [Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-7200 CL34 Memory](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/Mh4Ycf/corsair-dominator-platinum-rgb-32-gb-2-x-16-gb-ddr5-7200-cl34-memory-cmt32gx5m2x7200c34) | $334.99 @ Corsair 
**Memory** | [Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-7200 CL34 Memory](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/Mh4Ycf/corsair-dominator-platinum-rgb-32-gb-2-x-16-gb-ddr5-7200-cl34-memory-cmt32gx5m2x7200c34) | $334.99 @ Corsair 
**Storage** | [Samsung 970 Evo Plus 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/Zxw7YJ/samsung-970-evo-plus-1-tb-m2-2280-nvme-solid-state-drive-mz-v7s1t0bam) | $99.99 @ Amazon 
**Video Card** | [Zotac GAMING AMP Extreme AIRO GeForce RTX 4090 24 GB Video Card](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/9x4Ycf/zotac-gaming-amp-extreme-airo-geforce-rtx-4090-24-gb-video-card-zt-d40900b-10p) | $2009.69 @ Amazon 
**Case** | [HYTE Y40 ATX Mid Tower Case](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/WpxRsY/hyte-y40-atx-mid-tower-case-cs-hyte-y40-bw) | $149.99 @ Adorama 
**Power Supply** | [Corsair HX1000 Platinum 1000 W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/nQJkcf/corsair-hx-platinum-1000w-80-platinum-certified-fully-modular-atx-power-supply-cp-9020139-na) | $254.99 @ Amazon 
 | *Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts* |
 | **Total** | **$4500.40**
 | \*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria |
 | Generated by [PCPartPicker](https://pcpartpicker.com) 2023-01-16 21:56 EST-0500 |

 

Hello!  This is my first time building my own computer and I need some help.  I currently have a gtx 1080 with an i7 and trying to make projects on Unreal Engine is very slow especially for the bigger ones and when rendering.  I went on PCPartPicker and made a build on there which I hope you all have the link to in this post.  I'm wanting to build a computer that will :

 

1. last for a while

2. run latest video games at least over 60 fps

3. run Unreal Engine 5 very well

4. render quickly

 

I know next to nothing about motherboards and I think that's where my main confusion and problem lies.  I know I want a rtx 4090 for sure, but I'm still trying to decide between intel and amd for the cpu.  I know (I think?) that ram is very important when it comes to things like rendering projects and multiple tasks so I am planning on having 64gb.  I am trying to stay within a $4000 USD budget and I think I can achieve that by getting the rtx 4090 at MSRP and by changing up the motherboard if I need to because right now it's $550.  Anyone have any recommendations on what to change around on the list I have here or on motherboards specifically?  I also am trying to figure out which cpu is better for my needs since I like both gaming and rendering things on programs like Unreal Engine.  Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

Hey
the build seems good and as u said if u want it for the long run i would recommend just spending a bit more on a 1200w psu for a bit of headroom if u were to overclock or upgrade down the like
another thing is maybe more storage 
u can either get more m.2 nvme ssd's the same one will do or ones with simply more capacity

if u wanna save a little buck u can even go for traditional ssd rather than m.2 but defiantly don't cheap out on hard drives unless u need them for bulk file storage

lastly i would recommend exploring mobo options from asus as their line up is also very good
not that msi is bad or anything but asus is my preference and im just letting you know

other suggestions

case maybe check out the nzxt h510 line up
 

[Scoutix]

2 minutes ago, YOLO1882 said:

Hey
the build seems good and as u said if u want it for the long run i would recommend just spending a bit more on a 1200w psu for a bit of headroom if u were to overclock or upgrade down the like
another thing is maybe more storage 
u can either get more m.2 nvme ssd's the same one will do or ones with simply more capacity

if u wanna save a little buck u can even go for traditional ssd rather than m.2 but defiantly don't cheap out on hard drives unless u need them for bulk file storage

lastly i would recommend exploring mobo options from asus as their line up is also very good
not that msi is bad or anything but asus is my preference and im just letting you know

other suggestions

case maybe check out the nzxt h510 line up
 

Thanks for all the info!  I like asus as well and have been using some of their products for a while.  I found this mobo on amazon that is an asus one.  Do you think this would work well with what I have currently listed on PCpartpicker?  And would it need a BIOS update for the cpu?  Thanks again!  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09JS5DHSX/ref=ewc_pr_img_7?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&th=1

[Scoutix]

5 minutes ago, Dukesilver27- said:

I'd wait for 7000X3D series, if it is anything like 5800X3D, Intel would be left in the dust. If you can't wait, then 13900K it is, but only for 1080p.

If 1440p or 4K, get 13700K instead.

Ok.  I don't know much about the different generations of i9s but why would you want to go backwards and get an older cpu for 4k gaming?  Wouldn't it be better to use the newest one?  Sorry if this question is dumb I just don't understand that well and figured I'd ask

[YOLO1882]

8 minutes ago, Scoutix said:

Ok!  And I heard that some motherboards would need a BIOS update in order to work with the cpu.  Would this one need an update to work with the i9 13900k?

it depends on when the mobo was manufactured.
if it is before a certain date it would need a bios update and if it is after a certain date it wouldn't need a bios update.

this is not a problem if the mobo comes with a bios flashback feature or in msi's case they call it M-flash

[YOLO1882]

3 minutes ago, Scoutix said:

Thanks for all the info!  I like asus as well and have been using some of their products for a while.  I found this mobo on amazon that is an asus one.  Do you think this would work well with what I have currently listed on PCpartpicker?  And would it need a BIOS update for the cpu?  Thanks again!  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09JS5DHSX/ref=ewc_pr_img_7?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&th=1

agreed i too have quite a few asus products and since then they are usually my first choice

[Dukesilver27-]

5 minutes ago, Scoutix said:

Ok.  I don't know much about the different generations of i9s but why would you want to go backwards and get an older cpu for 4k gaming?  Wouldn't it be better to use the newest one?  Sorry if this question is dumb I just don't understand that well and figured I'd ask

4K gaming requires more GPU power, CPU does not matter as much.

So, since 1080p is light work for 4090, it needs a very fast CPU to push out more fps, but in 4K, 4090 needs to work much harder whereas the CPU only need to keep up with the GPU.

Hence, 13700K is enough in 4K, because the CPU don't need to work as hard.

And, 13900K and 13700K is the same age, just different product tier, i9 is the highest product tier on Intel consumer CPUs.

[YOLO1882]

8 minutes ago, Scoutix said:

Thanks for all the info!  I like asus as well and have been using some of their products for a while.  I found this mobo on amazon that is an asus one.  Do you think this would work well with what I have currently listed on PCpartpicker?  And would it need a BIOS update for the cpu?  Thanks again!  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09JS5DHSX/ref=ewc_pr_img_7?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&th=1

Yes it is a good mobo but is would not be able to take advantage of ur ram

ur ram has a mhz of 7200 while this mobo only supports a max of 6400mhz

when checking out products i recommend going to the official product pages and viewing the tech specs

as you can see it is ready for the 13900k but not for that ram

ngl 6400mhz is also mad fast
so maybe dont spend the extra money on ram to get the latest 7200mhz but get like 6400mhz max

[Scoutix]

15 minutes ago, YOLO1882 said:

Yes it is a good mobo but is would not be able to take advantage of ur ram

ur ram has a mhz of 7200 while this mobo only supports a max of 6400mhz

when checking out products i recommend going to the official product pages and viewing the tech specs

as you can see it is ready for the 13900k but not for that ram

ngl 6400mhz is also mad fast
so maybe dont spend the extra money on ram to get the latest 7200mhz but get like 6400mhz max

Oh ok I see now.  So the actual name of the motherboard itself like z690 or z790 is indicative of the amount of ram speed it supports?  So this z690 would only support in 6000 range while the z790 ones would support in the 7000 range?  I will look at some other mother boards and decide on one that can support that ram amount then.

[Scoutix]

18 minutes ago, Dukesilver27- said:

4K gaming requires more GPU power, CPU does not matter as much.

So, since 1080p is light work for 4090, it needs a very fast CPU to push out more fps, but in 4K, 4090 needs to work much harder whereas the CPU only need to keep up with the GPU.

Hence, 13700K is enough in 4K, because the CPU don't need to work as hard.

And, 13900K and 13700K is the same age, just different product tier, i9 is the highest product tier on Intel consumer CPUs.

Thanks for explaining!  I did not know that.  I might have to look into getting a 13700 instead then because I do value playing in 4k on some games (not all).  

[YOLO1882]

@Scoutix i made a list if i was to build a pc with that budget take a look

for some reason parts picker couldnt find a better cooler but i would go with the one u chose in ur list 
its a good one.

    Since there is like $350 left to spare it can be spend on accessories yk

 

[YOLO1882]

6 minutes ago, Scoutix said:

z690 or z790 is indicative of the amount of ram speed it supports?

that about the naming im not so sure about but yeah probably
but ofc dont go by names its literally a must to check out details before spending like almost 5grand on a pc and being like oh well it doesn't work lol

[Scoutix]

4 minutes ago, YOLO1882 said:

that about the naming im not so sure about but yeah probably
but ofc dont go by names its literally a must to check out details before spending like almost 5grand on a pc and being oh well it doesn't work lol

lol that is good advice!  I will definitely check the actual website for the product then just in case.  Also, thanks for sharing what you would buy with the budget.  I was looking at it and saw you got the z790e mobo with the 6400 ram sticks.  Theoretically, could you use the ram sticks that are 7200 to get the extra 600mhz of use per gb for this mobo? 

[YOLO1882]

1 minute ago, Scoutix said:

lol that is good advice!  I will definitely check the actual website for the product then just in case.  Also, thanks for sharing what you would buy with the budget.  I was looking at it and saw you got the z790e mobo with the 6400 ram sticks.  Theoretically, could you use the ram sticks that are 7200 to get the extra 600mhz of use per gb for this mobo? 

yess you could
and ass u can see there is $350 left to spare so yeah u can 
i would go with g.skill's trident rgb ram personally cuz i think they look nice over the corsair's

i have no clue if there better but there certainly not worse 
ill do it rn

[YOLO1882]

5 minutes ago, Scoutix said:

lol that is good advice!  I will definitely check the actual website for the product then just in case.  Also, thanks for sharing what you would buy with the budget.  I was looking at it and saw you got the z790e mobo with the 6400 ram sticks.  Theoretically, could you use the ram sticks that are 7200 to get the extra 600mhz of use per gb for this mobo? 

Done and more 150 usd to spare