Provide guidance on assembling an mATX build.
Provide guidance on assembling an mATX build.
Additional items to consider:
- The review highlights how the Montech Air 903 Base further lowers the cost barrier compared to its previous model.
- It emphasizes the modern, airflow-focused design expected from a current enclosure.
The pop air mini works well with front air intakes. A 240 aio could be used, though it wouldn't provide much improvement over a high-quality twin tower cooler such as the noctua NH-D15s from thermalright peerless asassin.
Thanks for the suggestions. Actually, I included the Montech Air 903 on the list but felt it was too lengthy for a single reply, so I excluded it.
I also reviewed its Max version, and I’ll consider another option.
For those unfamiliar with caseend.com, it serves as a handy site for exploring and evaluating different legal cases.
Youre right here. Now I am sure this extension card would cause numerous issues - so my only option for this mATX case (or possibly any mATX case) is to get a more costly motherboard with native USB4/Thunderbolt 4. I think logically this should cause no more issues, or am I wrong?
My current two builds to consider are:
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A. Micro ATX:
- Case: Lian Li A3-mATX wood (370 PLN)
- CPU ooling: ARCTIC Freezer 34 eSports DUO (200 PLN)
- One rear exhaust fan: Arctic P12 PWM PST (26 PLN). No obstructions – priority is low noise level and decent airflow.
- Bottom slim fans: SilverStone Air Slimmer 120 (200 PLN za 3 sztuki). It has higher static pressure than other slim options, which helps push air through the mesh. It's a bit louder, but I can accept that trade-off.
- Power supply: Corsair RM850e 850 W (530 PLN)
- SSD: Crucial T500 1TB (380 PLN). Avoid picking up an SSD with a heatsink from the factory as removing that may void warranty. Motherboard comes with heat spreaders for M.2 SSD's
- Motherboard with USB4: ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi (1650-1900 PLN)
- GPU: ASUS TUF Gaming RTX 5070 OC (2800-3000 PLN) or MSI GeForce RTX 5070 12G Gaming Trio OC (2800-3000 PLN)
- RAM: Corsair Vengeance 6000MHz CL30 (504 PLN)
- AMD Ryzen 7 7700 OEM (830 PLN) - 830 PLN
^ Out of the box, the Ryzen 7 7700 trails the 7700X by roughly 3–7% in multi-threaded tests, but enabling Precision Boost Overdrive (PBO) auto closes nearly all of that gap, bringing performance within 1–3% of the 7700X. Applying a –30 mV offset via the Curve Optimizer can yield an additional ~3–4% improvement in multi-threaded workloads while cutting peak temperatures by up to 15 °C, making the non-X model a cost-effective alternative to the 7700X.
Total = ~7490 PLN
Future upgrades (later this year):
- Cooling: Be Quiet! Light Loop 360 (572 PLN). Generally has to be strong enough to sustain things like Blender rendering (sustained high average, and very high peaks).
- GPU: RTX 5070 Ti, something stronger from AMD or maybe RTX 5080 (last one probably unlikely).
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
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B. Mid Tower sized:
- Case: Lian Li LANCOOL 207 (423 PLN) or Fractal Design North (592 PLN)
- CPU cooler: ARCTIC Freezer 34 eSports DUO (200 PLN) or Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE (190 PLN). Arctic has much better warranty.
- Top fans: 2 × Arctic P14 PWM PST (64 PLN for 2)
- Rear fan: 1 × Arctic P12 PWM PST (26 PLN)
- Power supply: Corsair RM850e 850 W (530 PLN)
- SSD: Crucial T500 1TB (380 PLN). Avoid picking up an SSD with a heatsink from the factory as removing that may void warranty. Motherboard comes with heat spreaders for M.2 SSD's
- GPU: ASUS TUF Gaming RTX 5070 OC (2800-3000 PLN) or MSI GeForce RTX 5070 12G Gaming Trio OC (2800-3000 PLN)
- RAM: Corsair Vengeance 6000MHz CL30 (504 PLN)
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7700 OEM (830 PLN)
^ Out of the box, the Ryzen 7 7700 trails the 7700X by roughly 3–7% in multi-threaded tests, but enabling Precision Boost Overdrive (PBO) auto closes nearly all of that gap, bringing performance within 1–3% of the 7700X. Applying a –30 mV offset via the Curve Optimizer can yield an additional ~3–4% improvement in multi-threaded workloads while cutting peak temperatures by up to 15 °C, making the non-X model a cost-effective alternative to the 7700X.
- Motherboard: ASUS ROG Strix B850-E Gaming WiFi (1471 PLN) or Gigabyte X870E AORUS PRO ICE (1500 PLN).
^ B850-E is more recent and has some AI fireworks. Both have USB4 ports 40 Gbps (Asus has 1, Gigabyte has 2).
Totals = ~7228 PLN
Future upgrades (later this year):
- Cooling: Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360mm (430 PLN). Generally has to be strong enough to sustain things like Blender rendering (sustained high average, and very high peaks).
- GPU: RTX 5070 Ti, something stronger from AMD or maybe RTX 5080 (last one probably unlikely).
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
Have you thought about opting for an Ultra 5-245K or a 7-265k? These options offer better performance for non-gaming tasks, use less power, and have similar pricing.
Welcome back.
You're correct, it would be a better option to go with a more powerful CPU from AMD. If I choose a budget Intel CPU now, I'd need a motherboard too. Then I'd have to either stick with Intel for future upgrades or swap the board when switching to the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X. Native USB4/Thunderbolt 4 boards are expensive, so buying two isn't practical for me. I prefer Intel CPUs, though they can be tougher to cool if I later need something stronger.
Currently, the Ultra 285K matches the 9950x in performance based on passmark ratings. An expected improvement is planned for the same 1851 socket this autumn.
Good competition benefits our clients always. I’ll check what options suit me best now. Right now, I should rate my two builds favorably. From what I know, both configurations (mATX and mid tower) should function well even with a more powerful CPU later, especially if liquid cooling is added. The mid tower model tends to keep temperatures lower. The micro ATX version might handle high loads without overheating, though it would be quieter due to higher fan speeds. The A3 can only match the 207’s temps by increasing fan speed.