First-time PC Build

[kason_mane]

I feel pretty confident that I've got a good list put together (famous last words), just wanted to make sure these parts all look good and that nobody's had bad experiencs with anything before:

 

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/MbtdpH

 

Budget:

• it's not really set in stone but I like the 850-ish range I'm at rn (prices in USD, located in US)

What it's for: 

• playing games (pretty much the whole range demand-wise, from runescape to cyberpunk and everything in between, emulation as well) at a stable 1080p 144hz (not 144hz with 1% lows in the 60s) rt performance isn't too important
• no plans on game capture/streaming but having the capability to do so would be a plus
• multitasking, generally being able to have more than 3 chrome tabs open at once (hence 32gb ram, maybe overkill?)
• light video editing (very infrequent and nothing professional, just for fun or for small not-too-serious projects)

Other details:

• I'm not aiming for the absolute most price-to-performance bc I do care a bit about quality and whatnot (i.e. I don't like the idea of saving an extra $30 for gpu while ending up with a case made out of styrofoam, bit of an exaggeration but hopefully you get the idea)
• I jumped up from an 8gb 6650xt to the 10gb 6700 non-xt. I assume it could be seen as a tad overkill for 1080p but also all the talk recently about vram has kinda got me worried about going for the 8gb card even if it is just for 1080p
• I do plan on buying a second monitor (1080p 144hz), but it won't be for gaming on and will instead be on the side for random other stuff like web browsing, yt videos etc. I'm not sure if that draws too much from the gpu even if you're not gaming on it but I figured I'd mention it
• the ram is something I'm kinda iffy on, I'd like to get 32gb if possible, but I'm not sure about the speed and whether the price is too low for it to be good, but I'm hoping to hear feedback on it
• I already own peripherals so they're not needed

any and all input is greatly appreciated. also thanks for reading through that wall of text lol.

[Hinjima]

22 minutes ago, kason_mane said:

I feel pretty confident that I've got a good list put together (famous last words), just wanted to make sure these parts all look good and that nobody's had bad experiencs with anything before:

 

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/MbtdpH

 

Budget:

• it's not really set in stone but I like the 850-ish range I'm at rn (prices in USD, located in US)

What it's for: 

• playing games (pretty much the whole range demand-wise, from runescape to cyberpunk and everything in between, emulation as well) at a stable 1080p 144hz (not 144hz with 1% lows in the 60s) rt performance isn't too important
• no plans on game capture/streaming but having the capability to do so would be a plus
• having more than 3 chrome tabs open at once (hence 32gb ram)
• light video editing (very infrequent and nothing professional, just for fun or for small not-too-serious projects)

Other details:

• I'm not aiming for the absolute most price-to-performance bc I do care a bit about quality and whatnot (i.e. I don't like the idea of saving an extra $30 for gpu while ending up with a case made out of styrofoam, bit of an exaggeration but hopefully you get the idea)
• I jumped up from an 8gb 6650xt to the 10gb 6700 non-xt. I assume it could be seen as a tad overkill for 1080p but also all the talk recently about vram has kinda got me worried about going for the 8gb card even if it is just for 1080p
• I do plan on buying a second monitor (1080p 144hz), but it won't be for gaming on and will instead be on the side for random other stuff like web browsing, yt videos etc. I'm not sure if that draws too much from the gpu even if you're not gaming on it but I figured I'd mention it
• the ram is something I'm kinda iffy on, I'd like to get 32gb if possible, but I'm not sure about the speed and whether the price is too low for it to be good, but I'm hoping to hear feedback on it
• I already own peripherals so they're not needed

any and all input is greatly appreciated. also thanks for reading through that wall of text lol.

Pretty decent list indeed!  Even a 750w PSU so you have some upgrade room later is a nice touch! ( I run a 7700x - 32gb DDR5 and a 4080 on a RM750i ).
The ram speed and timings are the sweet spot, maybe check your motherboards QVL ( RAM compatability ) list to see if they are listed there, If you dont know how, I can do it for you just let me know.
Having a slightly overkill GPU is not a bad thing, at one point it won't be but that point will be further away.
This PC should make you happy for 1080p gaming for sure.

[Aaron_T]

This is a pretty good budget spec you have.

Pretty minor, but the only thing I'd personally change is to add a few more bucks to get a WD770 or a Samsung 980 for the SSD. Or even a 2tb version of either of those.

[rustable]

You could change the case to the fractal pop mini air, and remove the fans to save 10 bucks, also maybe get the 6700xt as it's only 30$ more than the 6700, good list

[kason_mane]

9 minutes ago, Hinjima said:

Pretty decent list indeed!  Even a 750w PSU so you have some upgrade room later is a nice touch! ( I run a 7700x - 32gb DDR5 and a 4080 on a RM750i ).
The ram speed and timings are the sweet spot, maybe check your motherboards QVL ( RAM compatability ) list to see if they are listed there, If you dont know how, I can do it for you just let me know.
Having a slightly overkill GPU is not a bad thing, at one point it won't be but that point will be further away.
This PC should make you happy for 1080p gaming for sure.

hmm I'm not sure how to check that. if you could tell me how, or if you wouldn't mind doing so then I'd appreciate it.

[PC HEROES]

33 minutes ago, kason_mane said:

I feel pretty confident that I've got a good list put together (famous last words), just wanted to make sure these parts all look good and that nobody's had bad experiencs with anything before:

 

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/MbtdpH

 

Budget:

• it's not really set in stone but I like the 850-ish range I'm at rn (prices in USD, located in US)

What it's for: 

• playing games (pretty much the whole range demand-wise, from runescape to cyberpunk and everything in between, emulation as well) at a stable 1080p 144hz (not 144hz with 1% lows in the 60s) rt performance isn't too important
• no plans on game capture/streaming but having the capability to do so would be a plus
• having more than 3 chrome tabs open at once (hence 32gb ram)
• light video editing (very infrequent and nothing professional, just for fun or for small not-too-serious projects)

Other details:

• I'm not aiming for the absolute most price-to-performance bc I do care a bit about quality and whatnot (i.e. I don't like the idea of saving an extra $30 for gpu while ending up with a case made out of styrofoam, bit of an exaggeration but hopefully you get the idea)
• I jumped up from an 8gb 6650xt to the 10gb 6700 non-xt. I assume it could be seen as a tad overkill for 1080p but also all the talk recently about vram has kinda got me worried about going for the 8gb card even if it is just for 1080p
• I do plan on buying a second monitor (1080p 144hz), but it won't be for gaming on and will instead be on the side for random other stuff like web browsing, yt videos etc. I'm not sure if that draws too much from the gpu even if you're not gaming on it but I figured I'd mention it
• the ram is something I'm kinda iffy on, I'd like to get 32gb if possible, but I'm not sure about the speed and whether the price is too low for it to be good, but I'm hoping to hear feedback on it
• I already own peripherals so they're not needed

any and all input is greatly appreciated. also thanks for reading through that wall of text lol.

The list looked good but I did change a few things. I added a better CPU Cooler, Motherboard, faster RAM for the 5000 series Ryzen, a better M.2, and a Case that already has fan built in.

 

I have been building PCs for 30 years so if you have any questions please ask. Also if you like this build and go with it then please mark it as the Solution.

 

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/6HWh4s

 

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600 3.5 GHz 6-Core Processor  ($130.18 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Burst Assassin 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler  ($27.90 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte B550M DS3H AC Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard  ($109.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Mushkin Enhanced Redline Stiletto 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3600 CL16 Memory  ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Black SN770 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive  ($50.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: XFX Speedster SWFT 309 Radeon RX 6700 10 GB Video Card  ($279.99 @ Newegg Sellers)
Case: Montech X3 Mesh ATX Mid Tower Case  ($59.99 @ Newegg Sellers)
Power Supply: Corsair RM750e (2023) 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply  ($99.99 @ Best Buy)
Total: $839.02

[kason_mane]

11 minutes ago, Aaron_T said:

This is a pretty good budget spec you have.

Pretty minor, but the only thing I'd personally change is to add a few more bucks to get a WD770 or a Samsung 980 for the SSD. Or even a 2tb version of either of those.

I was thinking about stretching a bit to a 2tb drive which I might end up doing. I'm just curious is it worth spending a bit more on a tried and true drive that's from a more reputable/popular brand, or are most drives nowadays reliable enough to not worry about? Not that Kingston isn't reputable it's just not a Samsung or WD drive 

[Hinjima]

6 minutes ago, kason_mane said:

I was thinking about stretching a bit to a 2tb drive which I might end up doing. I'm just curious is it worth spending a bit more on a tried and true drive that's from a more reputable/popular brand, or are most drives nowadays reliable enough to not worry about? Not that Kingston isn't reputable it's just not a Samsung or WD drive 

Kingston is one of the leading brands in the storage market.  I run a Kingston kc3000 2TB myself and its great.  You could always upgrade later to another M.2 or SSD.  I feel like I got a lot of games installed and I still have 850GB of free space.

12 minutes ago, kason_mane said:

hmm I'm not sure how to check that. if you could tell me how, or if you wouldn't mind doing so then I'd appreciate it.

The msi pro b550m-vc wifi is the first motherboard I have come across that does not have a QVL ( memory compatability ) list, I find that strange. it has nothing to do with the quality of the motherboard. But to check on other boards you would go to that boards specific motherboards website, click support - compatability and then memory / QVL and you can search by the RAM's model number. Photo for reference. Just because the RAM is not listed does not mean it won't work, they cant test every single RAM out there.. But there is no guarantee.

[Aaron_T]

7 minutes ago, kason_mane said:

I was thinking about stretching a bit to a 2tb drive which I might end up doing. I'm just curious is it worth spending a bit more on a tried and true drive that's from a more reputable/popular brand, or are most drives nowadays reliable enough to not worry about? Not that Kingston isn't reputable it's just not a Samsung or WD drive 

For the most part I think most drives are reliable enough, I have many off brand and "second tier" drives I use for non-mission-critical functionality that I've never had issues with for years. But if it costs $5-10 more, then I tend to just go with the better brand(or in this case just a higher end series of drive) to buy a little "insurance" for things like my main systems OS drive.

EDIT: There is a good reason to get 2tb if you are on the fence though. SSD performance starts reducing around the 70-80% full mark, so the extra space gives you wiggle room if you think you'll get close to filling 1tb.

[kason_mane]

19 minutes ago, rustable said:

You could change the case to the fractal pop mini air, and remove the fans to save 10 bucks, also maybe get the 6700xt as it's only 30$ more than the 6700, good list

I was actually looking into getting this case, but if I remember correctly, the included fans aren't pwm (no speed control). It's not an absolute deal breaker, and I do really like the other aspects of the case (besides having to pay extra for a usb c port), so perhaps if the other one goes out of stock or something I might reconsider it.

[kason_mane]

7 minutes ago, Hinjima said:

Kingston is one of the leading brands in the storage market.  I run a Kingston kc3000 2TB myself and its great.  You could always upgrade later to another M.2 or SSD.  I feel like I got a lot of games installed and I still have 850GB of free space.

The msi pro b550m-vc wifi is the first motherboard I have come across that does not have a QVL ( memory compatability ) list, I find that strange. it has nothing to do with the quality of the motherboard. But to check on other boards you would go to that boards specific motherboards website, click support - compatability and then memory / QVL and you can search by the RAM's model number. Photo for reference. Just because the RAM is not listed does not mean it won't work, they cant test every single RAM out there.. But there is no guarantee.

I did a bit of searching and I think I may have found the compatibility list for the model I have listed:

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/PRO-B550M-VC-WIFI/support#mem

I don't think the specific ram I have is listed, but like you said they might not be able to test everything. I might end up changing it just to be safe or maybe I'll test my luck. if it doesn't work I can probably just return it.

[Hinjima]

4 minutes ago, kason_mane said:

I did a bit of searching and I think I may have found the compatibility list for the model I have listed:

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/PRO-B550M-VC-WIFI/support#mem

I don't think the specific ram I have is listed, but like you said they might not be able to test everything. I might end up changing it just to be safe or maybe I'll test my luck. if it doesn't work I can probably just return it.

That site just won't show up for me for some strange reason, it wont load   This is all I get.  I am based in Norway, so who knows if that has anything to do with it but this is the first time I have had this issue with over 1000 boards checked over the years.
You could test your luck and return the sticks if they don't work or you could play the safe card even if you find some RAM that might be 10 bucks more expensive. 

[kason_mane]

15 minutes ago, Hinjima said:

That site just won't show up for me for some strange reason, it wont load   This is all I get.  I am based in Norway, so who knows if that has anything to do with it but this is the first time I have had this issue with over 1000 boards checked over the years.
You could test your luck and return the sticks if they don't work or you could play the safe card even if you find some RAM that might be 10 bucks more expensive. 

huh that's very strange but oh well. I think I will end up looking for something better just to have that insurance. ty very much for the help I really appreciate it

[Hinjima]

16 minutes ago, kason_mane said:

huh that's very strange but oh well. I think I will end up looking for something better just to have that insurance. ty very much for the help I really appreciate it

No worries

[kason_mane]

[Somerandomtechyboi]

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/NMKr3y

5500 + 6800 + 32gb 3200c16

 

Used gpu so make sure you can return incase faulty

[rustable]

2 hours ago, kason_mane said:

I was actually looking into getting this case, but if I remember correctly, the included fans aren't pwm (no speed control). It's not an absolute deal breaker, and I do really like the other aspects of the case (besides having to pay extra for a usb c port), so perhaps if the other one goes out of stock or something I might reconsider it.

Don't quote me on this but I'm pretty sure you can control non pwm fans, just less precisely 

[SorryBella]

4 hours ago, kason_mane said:

I feel pretty confident that I've got a good list put together

Cash shifting.

 

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600 3.5 GHz 6-Core Processor  ($130.18 @ Amazon) 
Motherboard: ASRock B550M Pro4 Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard  ($106.99 @ Amazon) 
Memory: Silicon Power GAMING 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory  ($49.97 @ Amazon) 
Storage: TEAMGROUP MP33 PRO 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive  ($75.98 @ Amazon) 
Video Card: ASRock Challenger D OC Radeon RX 6700 XT 12 GB Video Card  ($309.99 @ Newegg) 
Case: Montech X3 Mesh ATX Mid Tower Case  ($68.99 @ Newegg) 
Power Supply: Deepcool PM750D 750 W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply  ($97.99 @ Newegg) 
Total: $840.09
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2023-06-01 22:46 EDT-0400

[GeorgeMKane]

5 hours ago, kason_mane said:

I feel pretty confident that I've got a good list put together (famous last words), just wanted to make sure these parts all look good and that nobody's had bad experiencs with anything before:

 

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/MbtdpH

 

Budget:

• it's not really set in stone but I like the 850-ish range I'm at rn (prices in USD, located in US)

What it's for: 

• playing games (pretty much the whole range demand-wise, from runescape to cyberpunk and everything in between, emulation as well) at a stable 1080p 144hz (not 144hz with 1% lows in the 60s) rt performance isn't too important
• no plans on game capture/streaming but having the capability to do so would be a plus
• multitasking, generally being able to have more than 3 chrome tabs open at once (hence 32gb ram, maybe overkill?)
• light video editing (very infrequent and nothing professional, just for fun or for small not-too-serious projects)

Other details:

• I'm not aiming for the absolute most price-to-performance bc I do care a bit about quality and whatnot (i.e. I don't like the idea of saving an extra $30 for gpu while ending up with a case made out of styrofoam, bit of an exaggeration but hopefully you get the idea)
• I jumped up from an 8gb 6650xt to the 10gb 6700 non-xt. I assume it could be seen as a tad overkill for 1080p but also all the talk recently about vram has kinda got me worried about going for the 8gb card even if it is just for 1080p
• I do plan on buying a second monitor (1080p 144hz), but it won't be for gaming on and will instead be on the side for random other stuff like web browsing, yt videos etc. I'm not sure if that draws too much from the gpu even if you're not gaming on it but I figured I'd mention it
• the ram is something I'm kinda iffy on, I'd like to get 32gb if possible, but I'm not sure about the speed and whether the price is too low for it to be good, but I'm hoping to hear feedback on it
• I already own peripherals so they're not needed

any and all input is greatly appreciated. also thanks for reading through that wall of text lol.

I would definitely recommend Corsair or G.Skill over those RAM sticks. Apparently people are having issues with getting even XMP to work on the ones you had listed, so I wouldn't recommend those.

 

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/2d6w9r

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600 3.5 GHz 6-Core Processor  ($130.18 @ Amazon) 
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Assassin X 120 Refined SE 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler  ($19.89 @ Amazon) 
Motherboard: Gigabyte B550M AORUS ELITE Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard  ($119.99 @ Newegg) 
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory  ($63.99 @ Newegg) 
Storage: Western Digital Black SN770 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive  ($50.99 @ Amazon) 
Video Card: XFX Speedster SWFT 309 Radeon RX 6700 10 GB Video Card  ($279.99 @ Newegg Sellers) 
Case: Fractal Design Pop Air ATX Mid Tower Case  ($79.99 @ B&H) 
Power Supply: Corsair RM750e (2023) 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply  ($99.99 @ Best Buy) 
$845.01

Edited June 2, 2023 by GeorgeMKane
changed the case. no need for the extra fans atm

[kason_mane]

11 hours ago, GeorgeMKane said:

I would definitely recommend Corsair or G.Skill over those RAM sticks. Apparently people are having issues with getting even XMP to work on the ones you had listed, so I wouldn't recommend those.

I did find these which are on the motherboard QVL, I'm assuming that means they'll work no problemo...

I'm also curious if 3600 cl18 vs 3200 cl16 makes any noticeable difference

[kason_mane]

if anyone comes back to this thread, here's an updated parts list with

• ram that's on the qvl
• better quality 2tb ssd
• nicer case with included fans for the same price (it will be an atx case w/ an matx board but I don't mind)

might switch to a 6700xt later but I'm still not sure