Can you provide feedback on the part selections for the new build?
Can you provide feedback on the part selections for the new build?
Before I commit to buying the remaining hardware, I'd like to hear if there's any gotchas I've missed.
I primarily need feedback on whether the build plan is solid.
Draft of the build plan so far
:
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/KkqPt3
I already bought these
:
GPU:
Asus ROG Astral OC GeForce RTX 5080 16 GB
SSD:
Corsair MP700 Elite 1 TB
RAM:
Kingston FURY Beast 64GB (2x32) 6000Mhz CL36
Budget:
Capping it at 5000 EUR, trying to go lower.
Stores:
Sticking to reputable stores within Norway, makes it easier if there's a problem, hence I have a slight limitation on what parts I can get. I'm not expecting anyone to pick parts within the region for me, just pointing out it's one reason I landed on the particular parts combo - those were locally available, good fits. Hope it's ok that I just link to the pcpartpicker pages for the components reference, since the pages I'm buying from are all in Norwegian and most of you speak English.
Use cases:
Gaming, heavy text processing, machine learning, compiling, virtual machines. I play old and new titles.
Build goal:
All round powerful, reliable quality parts, as quiet as I can get it beyond that, good life expectancy.
Overclocking:
Nothing for the time being for GPU/CPU, but I like having the option to OC a little so I can squeeze out a bit more a few years down the road. I'll push the RAM up to the highest stable EXPO profile I can get it working with as soon as the build is done and working.
Future proofing:
In a couple of years I may buy a newer "yesteryear's high end GPU" with more VRAM to keep the thing going as a good gaming rig. May change the AIO after a couple of years. May throw in higher speed QVL RAM in the future when prices are sane again.
OS:
Linux (longtime user). Windows related woes wrt. the hardware don't concern me. I know Linux well enough to do any needed tweaking.
Multiple GPUs:
Not needed. Maybe I'll throw in an old gtx 1060 for physx support, but it's not crucially important.
Monitor:
Currently have an ASUS TUF 280Hz 1920x1080. I'll get a 2560x1440 oled of some sort sometime next year.
Purchase date:
Nothing specific, just planning to finish buying the remaining components by the end of january 2026.
Additional hardware:
Maybe a harddrive or two, potentially a small extra GPU as aforementioned for physx, but I'll be fine if all I can do is plug in the extra nvme SSD.
Upgrade due to:
More compute power, playing newer games, quieter rig.
Reasoning so far:
Done purchases:
I bought the RAM, GPU and SSD a few weeks ago while they were still affordable and the GPU was on sale since I knew they were a good pick for my use cases. The SSD was just the fastest one I could find with a decent size, and I have a minty fresh, slower secondary 2TB somewhere that'll go in a slot that doesn't interfere with the GPU lane.
CPU:
The CPU is a done choice, I don't think anything else fits me better than the
Ryzen 9 9950X3D
.
Motherboard:
I've leaned toward the
Asus ROG STRIX X870E-E GAMING WIFI
as it seems decent with good VRM, both to have the option to overclock a bit and because I want to ensure stable performance and long part life as much as I can (within reason and budget), without it being too damn expensive.
PSU:
The
be quiet! Dark Power 14 1200 W
is a bit overkill, but out of what I can get from local suppliers, it was the one that seems most likely to be quiet, reliable, and leave some overhead for a beefier GPU and some extra drives down the line, and it comes with a zero-rpm mode which should leave the fan off most of the time. I'm guessing the 1200W and titanium rating at least don't hurt to keep the fan down.
AIO:
I know some other AIOs have better/beefier performance than
be quiet! Silent Loop 3 420mm
, and isn't a huge step up from their 360mm in terms of raw performance, but it seems to be what'll be most quiet day to day. Affordable, no frills, quiet, should cool the CPU well enough.
Noise:
I've put emphasis on maximizing passive cooling capacity so fans work as little as possible during normal desktop use, hence the 420mm AIO and the asus astral rog 5080 card, they seem to perform ok and had the biggest radiator and cooling fins I could get
(several 140mm fans will also go in the case).
Case:
Good pick seems to be
Fractal Design Define 7
. I just need it to have some sound padding to get rid of what extra noise it can, solid steel, no glass (I'd just break it), and fit a 420mm up top, though I will consider cutting top holes and placing the AIO radiator outside the case. Beyond that, I prefer a case with dust filters, and I'm planning to throw in 6-9 be quiet fans or 6-9 noctunas in a positive pressure config to get decent airflow at low rpms. May custom mount another fan inside to cool the VRM if it turns out to get toasty.
My doubt points are mostly around the case, psu and motherboard. I may not lose much by stepping down to a 1000W PSU, which I'm considering since there is at least one with zero-rpm mode and good tech reviews, but I suspect the 1200W dark power leaves me.. a little more prepared? And that it may run a bit cooler and be more quiet?
The Fractal Define 7 case is one of the few I found that comes with sound padding, 420mm aio topmount support, and not with a glass panel.
The
motherboard
is a tricky pick, but afaik high end Asus boards are reliable, and the Linux support for it is good. The wifi won't work for now, but I don't care about that. I couldn't find many boards available within the same price range that had more than 16 vrm stages, while this one offers 18x110A + 2x110A + 2x80A, and that combined with overall reviews/feedback and its Linux support makes it seem like the better option for my use case and criteria regarding reliability and some light overclocking later. pcpartpicker warned about compatibility with the CPU if the bios/uefi is too old, but most likely the board will come with updated firmware, and I assume I can at least get it to post so I can install an update if not.
edit: I have also considered the
Asus ROG STRIX X870-F GAMING
motherboard. Slightly lower spec VRM on that one, not 100% sure if it'll hold up as well in the long run on heavy load and overclocking.
Maybe I won't be able to push the
RAM
to its full 6000 on all this, but things are what they are right now, I just had to pick the fastest spec'd and still affordable 64GB kit I could get and deal with it.
I can afford all this, though the build has grown expensive, so I do consider dialing some things back a notch. That being said, I would rather spend big once and be sure I get good stuff than be in doubt by saving a few hundred.
As a last note, keep in mind that I haven't built a PC in decades. I've refurbished, changed parts, and fixed computers since the 90's, but this is the first time in forever I'm actually building something from scratch.
Component replacement suggestions are welcome, especially for a quiet 1000-1200W PSU with zero-fan mode and a solid no-glass case with padding and 420mm aio topmount support. Don't worry too much about whether they're available in my local stores, I'll do that legwork, and there are used/refurb/auction sites I can check for the case to expand my options a bit.
Now, is there anything I've missed or overlooked here?
Because you've already purchased the RAM, make sure it matches your motherboard and CPU setup. Not every similar RAM model is suitable. Check the motherboard's RAM QVL list for your processor, or use the Kingston selection tool to confirm compatibility. The most demanding part of your system will likely be the graphics card, not the CPU. A Noctua NH-D1 G2 air cooler can handle it with fans spinning at 1000 RPM, which is nearly silent. This information comes from a previous user. Your chosen case probably won't perform well without high-speed (noisy) front intake fans to help cool the GPU. Silverstone offers acoustic stick mats that provide good insulation for your case.
https://www.newegg.com/silverstone-...oS...P49jfcW9rn
I believe if quiet operation matters most to you, focusing on top-quality fans would be the next best step. These are among the highest-performing silent fans currently available, and they come in sizes of 140mm and 120mm. Keep in mind, each one costs around forty dollars.
PCPartPicker Part List
CPU:
AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D 4.3 GHz 16-Core Processor
(Purchased For $0.00)
CPU Cooler:
be quiet! Silent Loop 3 78.4 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler
($139.90 @ Amazon)
Motherboard:
Asus ROG STRIX X870E-E GAMING WIFI ATX AM5 Motherboard
($379.99 @ Amazon)
Memory:
Kingston FURY Beast 64 GB (2 x 32 GB) DDR5-6000 CL36 Memory
(Purchased For $0.00)
Storage:
Gigabyte AORUS Gen4 7300 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME SSD
($107.99 @ Amazon)
Storage:
ADATA XPG GAMMIX S70 Blade 4 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME SSD
($309.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card:
Asus ROG Astral OC GeForce RTX 5080 16 GB Video Card
(Purchased For $0.00)
Case:
Fractal Design Define 7 ATX Mid Tower Case
($194.99 @ B&H)
Power Supply:
be quiet! Dark Power 14 1200 W 80+ Titanium Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply
($309.89 @ Amazon)
Case Fan:
Phanteks T30-140 140 mm Fans 3-Pack
($114.99 @ Newegg)
Case Fan:
Phanteks T30-140 140 mm Fans 3-Pack
($114.99 @ Newegg)
Overall Total: $1672.73
Costs encompass shipping, taxes, and any applicable discounts.
Generated by
PCPartPicker
2025-12-18 13:34 EST-0500
I added additional storage and a higher-capacity 1TB drive with a DRAM cache.
I’ve decided to stick with the L and maintain the RAM at 4800, particularly given the limited options for the motherboard. It seems it should function properly at standard DDR5 speeds as long as both the board and CPU are DDR5-compatible. I wish I had more time to choose thoughtfully, but the budget constraints were tight. I can select from Asus, MSI, Gigabyte, and ASRock. MSI has had reliability issues too many times, and ASRock had some problems earlier this year, which has made me lean towards Gigabyte and Asus. They both seem to offer better quality and OS support, though I should check if I'm right. With fewer choices, I might have to focus on QVL matching as a last resort.
I’ll review the NH-D1 G2 air cooler. I’ve accepted that a completely quiet build isn’t realistic—gaming and heavy usage will always generate some noise. My goal is to achieve decent quietness during browsing or idle periods, avoiding a loud jet engine sound when playing games. An AIO might help separate CPU heat from GPU heat dissipation during extended sessions.
I’m considering the XL version of the same case to increase airflow and accommodate more fans. If there are enough units available and the GPU is the primary heat source (possibly with the CPU slightly decoupled via an AIO), it could work.
I’ll also note that the glass isn’t a design issue, but its fragility stands out compared to steel. I’m comfortable breaking things in my workspace, as I handle electronics regularly. In the past, EMI interference affected my PC without proper shielding, so a solid steel chassis or Faraday cage provides extra confidence. If needed, I could weld a plate for added protection.
Beggars can't be choosers
I chose the faster model (11700/9600) instead of a larger one, given the budget and the quick price increases.
I also have another 2TB available as a secondary drive and a NAS, so it should work fine.
I previously used a whole game library on the NAS, which actually provided quite good performance for the many older games.
Thank you for your feedback. I might have made a quick decision without fully evaluating the situation. Stock levels were low, and I anticipated higher prices upon restocking, so I went ahead with what was available.
Silent cases appeared to be a solid option as well. In fact, their fans are of good quality and remain quiet during light usage (though gaming doesn’t guarantee complete silence). Since you mentioned Phanteks, I’ll take a closer look at them.
There are some Phanteks models that seem reasonable without the need for a 420mm top AIO. If they match or exceed the performance of the fans I was considering, I might opt for one of those and even modify the design to keep the AIO external.
I should have mentioned that I plan to replace the stock fans if they’re decent and quiet, but I didn’t think to highlight that earlier. This suggests the fans you referred to could be a better overall choice than the ones I was leaning toward.
Additionally, 3packs of Be Quiet! Light Wings LX are nearby and reasonably priced, so I’ve been keeping an eye on those as well.
The T30 fans from phanteks are the most silent among the fans I've ever heard. Their high cost comes from the rigid plastic construction, which allows for tighter tolerances compared to other plastics. The quiet operation and increased airflow at higher pressures per RPM depend largely on the close spacing between the fan blades and the chassis edge. I think the T30 fans achieve this with tolerances around 2mm.
I managed to secure the RAM beforehand, which is currently available on the QVL for the motherboard, so it should function at maximum capacity. Regarding fans, airflow, noise levels, etc., my general feeling is that most fans advertised as quiet tend to be fairly similar in quietness across different RPMs, with noticeable differences only appearing at higher speeds—does that sound right? It also appears that pairing several large fans can work well even if they aren’t the most precise fit or have the lowest pressure rating, as long as there are enough of them. To achieve a mix of realism, availability, and performance I’m thinking about using:
Fractal Define 7 XL
instead of the smaller model
to increase the air intake area slightly and lower flow resistance
3 x 140mm front intake
2 x 140mm bottom intake
1 x 140mm rear exhaust
3 x 140mm on AIO top exhaust
And if this setup isn’t sufficient, I’ll modify by cutting holes, relocating the AIO outside the case, and adding two 140mm exhaust fans at the rear of the case.