Are you starting out as a builder? Any tips or suggestions would be appreciated!
Are you starting out as a builder? Any tips or suggestions would be appreciated!
Hi Guys, I just wanted to express my gratitude ahead of time for any guidance or suggestions—apologies if I’m mistaken. I’m about to begin my PC building journey and I’m not very familiar with the technical aspects of components. So far I’ve been quite uncertain when choosing parts, but I’m eager to start, which is why I’m reaching out for advice! My budget allows a bit more flexibility, but I’d prefer not to upgrade CPU or GPU unless you specifically advise against it.
CPU: Ryzen 5 7600X - £187
CPU Cooler: ID-Cooling FROZN A410 Black, similar style, around £26
GPU: RX 7700 XT, prices vary on Amazon now, but I’ll pick the best-priced 3-fan version—about £380-400
Motherboard: Gigabyte Gigabyte B650M D3HP AX, mainly because it supports WiFi as a backup—£110
RAM: ADATA XPG Lancer Blade RGB 32GB 6000MHz CL30, I don’t mind the RGB, this will be one of the few in my setup—£88
SSD: ADATA 1TB Legend 900 M.2 NVMe Gen4 - £52
PSU: Be Quiet! 750W Pure Power 12 M, fully modular, 80+ Gold—£94
Total: Around £950 (excluding case and fans), I’d rather not overspend unless it really improves performance or future-proofs the build!
Case will be decided later; at this stage I’m not keen on a lot of RGB fans or anything extra, just clean looks.
Thanks again for any tips or recommendations—truly appreciate your help! If there’s anything missing, let me know.
Your components are sensible.
My considerations:
1) Was the ram kit you chose confirmed for the ram QVL list of your motherboard/cpu combination? Or, via the Adata selection app?
If a common reason for problems with ryzen is ram incompatibility, then compatibility is key.
2) A m.2 device is typically installed beneath the graphics card and can be tricky to swap out.
It might be wise to opt for a 2tb m.2 from the start.
3) Choose a case that you enjoy. Don’t limit yourself to a cheap option; it will remain with you for a long time.
For someone new to building:
My typical steps:
Before any parts arrive, download and thoroughly read the manual for your case and motherboard.
Get a long #2 magnetic tip Phillips screwdriver.
A small LED flashlight is also useful.
It’s handy to purchase a power switch like this for testing purposes.
https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E168121..._s...-_-Product&quicklink=true
1. I put the essential components together outside the case.
This makes it simple to verify their functionality.
A wooden table or cardboard works fine.
2. Start with only the necessary items: ram, cpu, cooler, psu.
Don’t force anything—parts fit only in one orientation.
Attach a monitor to the built-in motherboard adapter if available, otherwise to the graphics card.
3. If your motherboard lacks a PWR button, briefly touch the two power front panel pins with a flat blade screwdriver.
4. Press F2 or DEL repeatedly; this should bring you into the BIOS screen.
5. Boot from a CD or USB stick using memtest86. This tool checks ram and cpu health without Windows.
They boot from a USB and don’t rely on Windows.
You can find them here:
MemTest86 - Official Site of the x86 Memory Testing Tool
MemTest86 is the original self-booting memory testing software for x86 and ARM systems. It supports both BIOS and UEFI, with options to boot from USB.
www.memtest86.com
Memtest86+ | The Open-Source Memory Testing Tool
Memtest86+ is a free, open-source, standalone memory tester for 32- and 64-bit computers (supports UEFI & BIOS)
www.memtest.org
If you can complete a full pass with no errors, your ram should be fine.
Running additional passes occasionally may reveal an issue, but it’s time-consuming.
Unless you strongly suspect a problem, it’s usually not worth the effort.
Views differ about whether to update the BIOS.
Typically, one doesn’t update the BIOS unless there’s a fix affecting performance. I follow this rule on new builds and update immediately.
Use the USB installation method, not the Windows one.
If the issue is serious, the consequences are minimal.
Opinions vary on whether to update the BIOS.
In general, you shouldn’t update the BIOS unless a specific fix is needed. I do so right away when necessary.
Connect to the internet and install an antivirus program. Microsoft Defender is free, straightforward, and unobtrusive.
Install your graphics card and driver if you tested with integrated graphics.
You’ll need to remove the graphics card later to fit the motherboard in the case.
For guidance on tightening screws, turn the screw counterclockwise until it clicks—this confirms proper engagement.
Keep track of how the graphics card secures into the PCIe slot.
The latch mechanism will be concealed under the card and may be challenging if you haven’t checked before.
9. Update Windows to the latest version.
10. Only then do I disassemble what I need and fit it inside the case.
11. This is when it’s time to reinstall your graphics card.
I don't have the CPU prices in your area, but the performance gap between the 7600 and 7600X seems minimal.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xo9UXTs0uzY
If you find an RX 6800 on sale somewhere, it could be more affordable and slightly superior to the 7700XT...
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FR7XVFX053g
For £1000 the Zen 4c CPU paired with 6750XT combo is available.
PC Part List:
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 8500G 4.1 GHz 6-Core Processor (£129.99 @ Amazon UK)
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Phantom Spirit 66.17 CFM (£37.00 @ Computer Orbit)
Motherboard: Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX V2 ATX AM5 (£159.99 @ Amazon UK)
Memory: TEAMGROUP T-Create Expert 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-7200 CL34 (£117.50 @ Amazon UK)
Storage: Kingston Fury Renegade 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME SSD (£117.27 @ Amazon UK)
Video Card: XFX Speedster QICK 319 Core Radeon RX 6750 XT 12 GB (£290.99 @ Amazon UK)
Case: Deepcool CH510 MESH DIGITAL ATX Mid Tower (£59.00 @ Computer Orbit)
Power Supply: MSI MPG A850G PCIE5 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Modular ATX (£105.46 @ Scan.co.uk)
Total: £1017.20
All prices contain shipping, taxes, and applicable discounts.
Created by PCPartPicker
2024-08-22 18:22 BST+0100
Thanks a lot! The details are really helpful. I'll definitely do some research and consider them. Appreciate it!
I’d be happy to help you decide. Would you like my advice on whether this CPU and GPU setup is better suited for your needs compared to what you currently have? It seems you’re focused on stability and compatibility with a variety of games, especially CoD titles, online play, and some older games.
Some of the parts in your list were entry level models like the mobo, CPU cooler, SSD and PSU. I swapped them for more robust models whilst still being within your £1000 budget. the mobo supports pcie 5.0 SSD, better VRM design. PSU has 10 year warranty and 135mm fan. SSD has better performance with its DRAM cache. The 7700XT performs a bit better than the 6750XT. If you have the budget i would advice you to wait and see how much these new 4070 will go for: The CPU performance is about the same with the 8500G and 7600X. The 7600X might boost maybe 150mhz higher with PBO enabled. But both CPUs should give you 100+FPS is most game titles if not bottlenecked by the GPU.
PCPartPicker List of Components
CPU:
*
AMD Ryzen 5 7600 3.8 GHz 6-Core Processor
(£174.99 @ AWD-IT)
CPU Cooler:
*
ID-COOLING SE-914-XT 45.8 CFM CPU Cooler
(£24.99 @ Amazon UK)
Motherboard:
*
MSI PRO B650-S WIFI ATX AM5 Motherboard
(£129.99 @ Amazon UK)
Memory:
*
TEAMGROUP T-Create Expert 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory
(£97.99 @ Amazon UK)
Storage:
*
Western Digital Blue SN580 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME SSD
(£97.98 @ Ebuyer)
Video Card:
*
Sapphire PULSE Radeon RX 7700 XT 12 GB Video Card
(£340.00 @ Amazon UK)
Case:
*
Montech AIR 903 BASE ATX Mid Tower Case
(£49.98 @ Scan.co.uk)
Power Supply:
*
NZXT C750 (2022) 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply
(£75.32 @ Scan.co.uk)
Overall Cost: £991.24
Costs encompass shipping, taxes, and applicable discounts
*Selected parts based on predefined parameters*
Created by PCPartPicker
2024-08-25 10:14 BST+0100