First full build, including Powermac G5 case modding

[SydHalfast]

Hello everyone!

 

I am planning a build for a new pc.

I currently have an old laptop, as my job keeps me moving between countries but in 3 months I will be coming back on a permanent basis to my home city.

 

So I am planning to keep the laptop for work and simple stuff (over the last 5 years I bought 8 Gb ddr3 1600 and a samsung 850 evo 250 Gb SSD, so the laptop is holding out very nicely. Also I take good care of it, maintenance wise.) and build a new pc using and old Powermac G5 I got for cheap.

The new pc will be used as a budget gaming station with a steam link wired connection to the living room tv. I will mostly use emulators and Bluetooth controller based games on the living room and the pc will also serve as a machine to run some more recent games that I have on my library but I never managed to play on my current laptop(like Witcher 3 or Doom).

 

The case modding on the Powermac G5 will be mostly a fun project and I know how to proceed for the most part. I will be using some power tools from my fathers garage and I will order an ATX motherboard tray online.

 

These are the desired parts:
http://www.performance-pcs.com/lian-li-replacement-removable-motherboard-tray-pc-6x.html#Questions-Answersqa[cT0zMjM0]

and the cables from the front panel of the Powermac G5 case:
https://www.ebay.com/sch/?_nkw=CBL084L&clk_rvr_id=394368884147

 

I will flip the orientation of the tray so it fits the case and assemble the build upside down inside it.

I will repurpose the original case fans and try to keep the modular design of the case. No need to make it complicated.

 

For the build itself is where I need your help.

I am planning to go easy on the spending and go true budget with a ryzen APU build. I also have an old lcd monitor lying around for immediate use. If I feel unsatisfied I can upgrade later on.

I have chosen a local store to get all my parts from (they have an online store and a physical store in my city where I can pick up the parts). Also, by buying all in the same store I can try to get something extra from them. For example, I can ask them for a AM4 mounting kit for the new fan or to upgrade an old Ryzen b350 mobo firmware before I take it away. Also, having the warranty support on a local accessible big retailer is a plus for me.

 

This is my selection so far:

https://i.imgur.com/jx6QA4z.png

 

Ill repurpose my SSD for the build, restoring the original HDD to the laptop. I also have some extra HDD´s I can use if needed.
I will not buy a GPU until the annoying crypto dwarves go back to sleep in Khazad-dûm. The APU should be enough for now as my habits are not that extravagant. I'm ok if I have to play HoMM3.
Later on Ill consider upgrading to a dedicated GPU or even new memory in a few years.

 

I am also conflicted regarding the necessity for a new Cooler fan for the APU versus using the stock one from AMD.

 

Also conflicted regarding buying a cheap off brand 80+ PSU or going with the Cooler Master one in the list.

 

As I said before, I have 3 months until I move, so I will not buy the parts right now. For now I am exploring my options and would like your honest feedback. This would a first for me as I never had the possibility to do it myself before. I'm sure I need to change something and I am sure there is always someone with more knowledge and good advice to share.

 

Also, I'm sorry for my English, it is not my native language but I tried my best.

 

Please consider helping me out and giving me some tips. TY!

[minervx]

spending more on the ram than the cpu is questionable.

 

for just about any task, beyond 8gb, the cpu is far more important than the ram.

 

you can always buy more ram - you cant unbuy a cpu

[SydHalfast]

5 minutes ago, minervx said:

spending more on the ram than the cpu is questionable.

 

for just about any task, beyond 8gb, the cpu is far more important than the ram.

 

you can always buy more ram - you cant unbuy a cpu

Sure, I think it makes sense.

Would you consider this a more reasonable choice?
 

https://www.mbit.pt/crucial-ballistix-8gb-ddr4-2666mt-s-srx8-dimm-branco

or

https://www.mbit.pt/kingston-ram-hyperx-fury-ddr4-8gb-3200mhz-cl18-1rx8-black-hx

[Radium_Angel]

27 minutes ago, SydHalfast said:

No need to make it complicated.

Have you seen the amount of work that goes into making a G5 case into a PC-friendly one? I hope you are *very* good with power tools, it's not for the faint of heart nor short in skill...

[SydHalfast]

23 minutes ago, Radium_Angel said:

Have you seen the amount of work that goes into making a G5 case into a PC-friendly one? I hope you are *very* good with power tools, it's not for the faint of heart nor short in skill...

It might sound strange but that is the fun part. I don't mind the work. Also I know my father will enjoy doing it with me. I've taught him how to repair an old computer some years ago. Fast forward a few months, he had fixed 3 Macbook Pros, one using a heat gun and the other two by fixing the inverter and replacing a screen. Lately, he also fixed my mom's broken laptop keyboard. I know he enjoys it so the bigger the challenge the better. He only comes to me about ordering parts online, as he is not good with other languages.

[SydHalfast]

So this just came up:

https://www.anandtech.com/show/13050/amd-b450-mobos-listed-in-europe-ahead-of-launch

 

The b450 are coming out very soon.

As I understand these will allow for better memory usage and will not have compatibility issues for the Ryzen 2200g or 2400g.

Should I go for these or should I wait for a price drop on the b350's?