Resolved: As a novice builder, I’m curious about potential conflicts or incompatibilities I should be aware of.
Resolved: As a novice builder, I’m curious about potential conflicts or incompatibilities I should be aware of.
Greetings, I'm a novice PC assembler. I’ve been assembling a gaming computer, adjusting components over the past month (awaiting Black Friday deals) due to fluctuating prices, compatibility issues, and performance considerations. Currently, only the processor and case fans remain unchanged, while numerous other parts have undergone revisions. I’m hoping to finalize my component selections by sharing my current target specifications here. Please note that the power supply unit is the sole component I've received professional guidance on. Below are the specifications I’ve compiled within a $1300 budget.
P.S.: The system should be capable of 4K resolution for long-term viability.
Specifications:
Processor: Ryzen 5 3600
Graphics Card: RX 5700 XT Red Devil
CPU Cooler: Deepcool Gammaxx GT
Storage: 1TB Crucial BX500 SSD
Motherboard: ASRock X570 Pro4
Memory: LPX Vengeance 16GB DDR4 3200
Case: NR600
Case Fans: Six Deepcool RF120S
Power Supply Unit: Seasonic Focus Plus Gold 650W
You can afford a 3700X processor.
Here’s a parts list compiled using PCPartPicker:
Processor:
AMD Ryzen 7 3700X with a 3.6 GHz clock speed and 8 cores ($326.89 from OutletPC).
CPU Cooler:
Deepcool GAMMAXX GTE, offering 56.5 CFM airflow ($29.89 from SuperBiiz).
Motherboard:
An ASRock X570 Pro4 ATX AM4 motherboard ($149.99 from Newegg).
Memory:
G.Skill Ripjaws V 16 GB (two 8 GB sticks) with DDR4-3600 speeds ($76.99 from Newegg).
Storage:
A Crucial P1 1 TB M.2-2280 NVMe solid state drive ($95.99 from Amazon).
Graphics Card:
PowerColor Radeon RX 5700 XT with 8 GB of video memory ($409.99 from Amazon).
Case:
The Metallic Gear Neo Air, an ATX mid-tower case ($65.98 from Newegg).
Power Supply:
SeaSonic FOCUS Plus…
This system supports 4K resolution, however, demanding games at that display size would be problematic; it’s best suited for older or less resource-intensive titles. Achieving 4K gaming at 60Hz with satisfactory visual quality requires a substantially more powerful graphics card. Currently, true 4K adoption isn't widespread and is primarily aimed at dedicated enthusiasts willing to invest almost $2,000 in a GPU and display – even then, performance may not be optimal. The integrated CPU cooler is somewhat inadequate; while functional, it’s unsuitable for overclocking or any advanced modifications. Consider alternatives like the be quiet! Dark Rock series or products from Noctua. The bx500 storage drive is a slower variant; an Intel 660p NVMe M.2 SSD would be a preferable upgrade.
Thank you for your input; I examined the dark rock – it wasn't suitable for my needs. I’m planning to purchase an NH-U12A, as many users consistently commend its performance, despite its unattractive appearance and lower cost. Regarding the BX500… yes, I did make a typographical error; I opted for the Crucial P1 NVMe, which is deemed marginally superior and more affordable than the Intel 660 by benchmark results. And indeed, you were correct about the 4K resolution being premature and requiring an excessively expensive system to achieve reasonable performance. However, shouldn’t this new setup adequately handle games running at 1440p?
Despite my limited recent knowledge of graphics processing units, I believe the 5700XT offers slightly better performance than an RTX 2060 Super and is somewhat slower than an RTX 2070 regarding graphical capabilities. The RTX 2080, RTX 2080 Super, and RTX 2080 Ti perform above this level but often struggle with maximum settings in recent games.
Currently, I utilize a GTX 1080, which is heavily overclocked to its maximum potential under water cooling. I achieve frame rates of 80-90 FPS in demanding titles at 1440p resolution – approximately equivalent to an RTX 2070’s performance. Therefore, the 5700XT should perform admirably for 1440p gaming at 60Hz.
The 5700XT falls into the upper mid-range category primarily due to its newer release date compared to other available options. However, it remains somewhat overvalued in my opinion, a situation mirrored across the entire GPU market presently. RTX cards are now quite dated, and consumers continue to pay inflated prices. Super cards provided only a minor reduction in cost while still maintaining substantially higher prices than previous generations. Nvidia is attempting to discover new markets for its silicon by continually releasing revisions of the same GPUs.
I previously expressed surprise at how long Nvidia managed to maintain stable pricing amidst inflation. When competition was healthy, both Nvidia and AMD effectively balanced each other’s efforts. Nvidia has held an advantage for too long. I likely purchased my last flagship GPU with the GTX 1080; justifying $1200 on a single PC component, especially coupled with my preference for water cooling, is simply excessive. When the GTX 1080 experiences dips below 60 FPS in modern games, I'll consider replacement, most likely an xx70 series card once Nvidia implements a smaller manufacturing process. It’s remarkable what AMD has accomplished with this technology; it will be fascinating to see future developments. (AMD should also eventually release another high-end GPU – although they have previously discussed avoiding direct competition, they could potentially succeed. It would likely involve significant technological advancements, but consumers would still eagerly purchase it.)
I believe I’m in a favorable position given that I’ve been evaluating performance metrics over recent weeks while trying to determine my purchase choice. The RTX 2080 is significantly overpriced and delivers only approximately a 10% improvement. The RTX 2070 offers similar performance to the 5700 series but at a $100 premium, and the RTX 2060 feels outdated for newcomers like myself who are considering options such as the 1660. Nvidia seems intent on promoting the more expensive 2000-series cards, so there isn’t much room for negotiation.
With a budget of $1279.69, you can acquire the following components:
AMD Ryzen 7 3700X (3.6 GHz, 8 cores) – $326.89 from OutletPC
Deepcool GAMMAXX GTE cooler – $29.89 from SuperBiiz
ASRock X570 Pro4 motherboard – $149.99 from Newegg
G.Skill Ripjaws V 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 RAM – $76.99 from Newegg
Crucial P1 1 TB NVMe SSD – $95.99 from Amazon
PowerColor Radeon RX 5700 XT 8 GB graphics card – $409.99 from Amazon
Metallic Gear Neo ATX mid-tower case – $65.98 from Newegg
SeaSonic FOCUS Plus Gold 650 W power supply – $103.98 from Newegg
MetallicGear Skiron RGB MG-F120PRGB_BK fan – $19.99 from Newegg
Total cost: $1279.69 (including shipping, taxes, and discounts). This list was generated by PCPartPicker on 2019-11-04 at 16:28 EST-0500.
Running games in 1440p is easily achievable; for many titles, you can expect high or ultra settings with frame rates around 80-100. A 4K resolution isn't recommended unless you’re willing to play at medium quality and disable numerous visual enhancements to maintain a consistent 60 frames per second – which I don’t believe is worthwhile.