Question $1200 gaming pc

[Brandon Tran]

im building my own gaming pc and it is used SPECIFICALLY for gaming. i am most likely not going to build another personal pc but i will upgrade my parts in the future, so i need this pc to be future proof. like i could upgrade the components without getting a new mobo. so far this is my build and i feel like its pretty good but i need the approval of you guys first. so, is there anything i need to change? i game on 1080p on 165hz as well. my monitor is the lg ultragear 32' 165hz.

i do have a question regarding the cpu cooler though, will an air cooler be better for long term or should i get the aio for better cooling and it would last? the air cooler would be the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler ($33.90 @ Amazon)

PCPartPicker Part List: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/6wCzh3

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 7600 3.8 GHz 6-Core Processor ($199.00 @ B&H)
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Frozen Notte ARGB 72.37 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($57.90 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte B650M AORUS ELITE AX Micro ATX AM5 Motherboard ($159.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Flare X5 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory ($104.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Black SN850X 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($84.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Gigabyte GAMING OC Radeon RX 7700 XT 12 GB Video Card ($439.99 @ B&H)
Case: Montech AIR 903 MAX ATX Mid Tower Case ($75.00 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Thermaltake Toughpower GF A3 - TT Premium Edition 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $1211.85
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2023-12-03 15:24 EST-0500

 

[Aeacus]

i game on 1080p on 165hz as well.

Build you composed won't do it. About half the FPS from 165 Hz it can do;

Without DXR (DirectX Ray Tracing), you'd get more FPS but still nowhere near 165 FPS;

Source: https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/amd-radeon-rx-7700-xt-review/4

So, if you want 165 FPS @ 1080p, better look towards RTX 4080;

Or when you enable DXR, then only RTX 4090 can push ~145 FPS on 1080p;

Source: https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/nvidia-geforce-rtx-4080-review/6

will an air cooler be better for long term

Yes, since only thing that can go bad on air cooler, is the fan on it. Also, replacing the fan is both easy and cheap.

While with AIOs, those usually last 2-3 years, high-end ones 3-5 years. And what usually goes bad on AIO, is the pump itself. When that happens, you have to replace the whole thing, buying completely new AIO, which costs far more than one 120/140mm fan.

should i get the aio for better cooling

You do realize that both, the air cooler and AIO, are cooled by ambient air, right? Since so, how come AIO can offer "better cooling"? 🤔

 

[Brandon Tran]

Build you composed won't do it. About half the FPS from 165 Hz it can do;

Without DXR (DirectX Ray Tracing), you'd get more FPS but still nowhere near 165 FPS;

Source: https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/amd-radeon-rx-7700-xt-review/4

So, if you want 165 FPS @ 1080p, better look towards RTX 4080;

Or when you enable DXR, then only RTX 4090 can push ~145 FPS on 1080p;

Source: https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/nvidia-geforce-rtx-4080-review/6


Yes, since only thing that can go bad on air cooler, is the fan on it. Also, replacing the fan is both easy and cheap.

While with AIOs, those usually last 2-3 years, high-end ones 3-5 years. And what usually goes bad on AIO, is the pump itself. When that happens, you have to replace the whole thing, buying completely new AIO, which costs far more than one 120/140mm fan.


You do realize that both, the air cooler and AIO, are cooled by ambient air, right? Since so, how come AIO can offer "better cooling"? 🤔

i see but i dont game on such high settings like those tests. i usually game at low-medium settings on games such as fn, val and siege. also, will the 6800 xt have better overall performance than the 7700 xt? i could spend an extra $30 dollars for a better gpu. i am probably going to go with the air cooler then, i have built systems with that same cooler and it works great! or are there any other coolers that are better?

 

[Aeacus]

or are there any other coolers that are better?

Regarding air coolers, Thermalright PE 120 SE even beat the king (NH-D15) in GamersNexus review;

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mm4hyIHe1PM

 

[Brandon Tran]

Regarding air coolers, Thermalright PE 120 SE even beat the king (NH-D15) in GamersNexus review;

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mm4hyIHe1PM

what about the gpu, 7700 xt vs 6800 xt?

 

[Aeacus]

what about the gpu, 7700 xt vs 6800 xt?

Both are essentially equal,
comparison: https://gpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/AMD-RX-7700-XT-vs-AMD-RX-6800-XT/m2184147vs4089

And same you can see from the review pics i linked.

 

[Brandon Tran]

Both are essentially equal,
comparison: https://gpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/AMD-RX-7700-XT-vs-AMD-RX-6800-XT/m2184147vs4089

And same you can see from the review pics i linked.

alright, i will get the 7700 xt since it is cheaper unless another person explains how a 6800 xt would be the better choice.

 

[Aeacus]

unless another person explains how a 6800 xt would be the better choice.

If you look the 7700 XT review i linked, then you can see that with 6800 XT, you could get ~11FPS more with DXR disabled. But a bit better GPU also costs more money and it's up to you to decide, if extra ~11FPS is worth the extra money, 6800 XT costs over 7700 XT.

 

[Why_Me]

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 7600 3.8 GHz 6-Core Processor ($199.00 @ B&H)
CPU Cooler: *Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler ($33.90 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: *Gigabyte B650M AORUS ELITE AX Micro ATX AM5 Motherboard ($159.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Flare X5 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory ($104.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: *Samsung 970 Evo Plus 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: *Sapphire 21330-01-20G Radeon RX 7800 XT 16 GB Video Card ($499.95 @ Newegg)
Case: *Deepcool CC560 ATX Mid Tower Case ($56.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Thermaltake Toughpower GF A3 - TT Premium Edition 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $1194.79
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria
Generated by PCPartPicker 2023-12-03 17:13 EST-0500

 

[Aeacus]

Case: *Deepcool CC560 ATX Mid Tower Case ($56.98 @ Newegg)

Care to explain why did your replace the PC case? Since PC case is personal choice and it's OP that has to look at that PC case on daily basis, not you. So, why force your preference regarding PC cases onto OP, especially when changing PC case from black to white and without saying a word about it? 🤔

 

[Why_Me]

Care to explain why did your replace the PC case? Since PC case is personal choice and it's OP that has to look at that PC case on daily basis, not you. So, why force your preference regarding PC cases onto OP, especially when changing PC case from black to white and without saying a word about it? 🤔

I'm guessing you missed the RX 7800 XT 16GB in that build.

 

[Brandon Tran]

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 7600 3.8 GHz 6-Core Processor ($199.00 @ B&H)
CPU Cooler: *Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler ($33.90 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: *Gigabyte B650M AORUS ELITE AX Micro ATX AM5 Motherboard ($159.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Flare X5 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory ($104.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: *Samsung 970 Evo Plus 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: *Sapphire 21330-01-20G Radeon RX 7800 XT 16 GB Video Card ($499.95 @ Newegg)
Case: *Deepcool CC560 ATX Mid Tower Case ($56.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Thermaltake Toughpower GF A3 - TT Premium Edition 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $1194.79
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria
Generated by PCPartPicker 2023-12-03 17:13 EST-0500

could i keep the SN850X as the ssd? what is the performance difference between the 970 evo plus and the SN850X? 30 dollars extra isn't too bad for a better ssd imo.

PCPartPicker Part List: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/KNQ6pB

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 7600 3.8 GHz 6-Core Processor ($199.00 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler ($33.90 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte B650M AORUS ELITE AX Micro ATX AM5 Motherboard ($159.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Flare X5 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory ($104.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Black SN850X 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($84.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Sapphire 21330-01-20G Radeon RX 7800 XT 16 GB Video Card ($499.95 @ Newegg)
Case: Deepcool CC560 ATX Mid Tower Case ($56.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Thermaltake Toughpower GF A3 - TT Premium Edition 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $1229.79
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2023-12-03 18:02 EST-0500

 

[Brandon Tran]

Care to explain why did your replace the PC case? Since PC case is personal choice and it's OP that has to look at that PC case on daily basis, not you. So, why force your preference regarding PC cases onto OP, especially when changing PC case from black to white and without saying a word about it? 🤔

the pc case has a black version but pcpartpicker doesn't show the price on it. its 3 dollars more but its alright.

 

[Aeacus]

could i keep the SN850X as the ssd? what is the performance difference between the 970 evo plus and the SN850X? 30 dollars extra isn't too bad for a better ssd imo.

970 Evo Plus is PCI-E 3.0 drive, SN850X is PCI-E 4.0 drive, thus, performance wise (read/write), WD drive is a lot better,
comparison: https://ssd.userbenchmark.com/Compa...Evo-Plus-NVMe-PCIe-M2-500GB/m1907297vsm700020

its 3 dollars more but its alright.

I suggest taking PC case that you actually like to look at, since you're the one who looks at it every day, and not Why_Me.

I actually find it disrespectful when OP has picked the PC case and it is changed without any word as of why. 😒 And better GPU in build suggestion is not a valid excuse.

Based on how Monotech Air 903 Max looks like, any of these would've been alternative suggestions (and cheaper from the one listed by Why_Me);
pcpp: https://pcpartpicker.com/products/compare/hKsnTW,LqPQzy,tBxRsY,QXwypg/

 

[Why_Me]

970 Evo Plus is PCI-E 3.0 drive, SN850X is PCI-E 4.0 drive, thus, performance wise (read/write), WD drive is a lot better,
comparison: https://ssd.userbenchmark.com/Compa...Evo-Plus-NVMe-PCIe-M2-500GB/m1907297vsm700020


I suggest taking PC case that you actually like to look at, since you're the one who looks at it every day, and not Why_Me.

I actually find it disrespectful when OP has picked the PC case and it is changed without any word as of why. 😒 And better GPU in build suggestion is not a valid excuse.

Based on how Monotech Air 903 Max looks like, any of these would've been alternative suggestions (and cheaper from the one listed by Why_Me);
pcpp: https://pcpartpicker.com/products/compare/hKsnTW,LqPQzy,tBxRsY,QXwypg/

The OP has a $1200 budget hence the reason I changed the case.

 

[Aeacus]

The OP has a $1200 budget hence the reason I changed the case.

Yeah, thought so. Then again, little, if any, effort was put in for alternative PC case (e.g like i compared the original case and picked several good alternatives, looking similar to what OP initially picked).

 

[ohio_buckeye]

I will say keep an eye out. From what I’ve seen the 6800xt is pretty much on par with the 7800xt. Like last night I caught a sale on Newegg for an rx 6800xt for $439.99.

I can attest to the Thermalright peerless assassin 120 se. For 35 bucks, it’s huge but relatively easy to install. I recommend having a long magnetic screwdriver.

Mine keeps my 12600kf around 60 under a full cinebench load and not much more under Intel burn test.

 

[Brandon Tran]

ok so this is the final build? or should i switch to the 6800 xt for a lower price than the 7800 x t? i like this case too.

PCPartPicker Part List: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/3NjH7R

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 7600 3.8 GHz 6-Core Processor ($199.00 @ B&H)
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler ($33.90 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte B650M AORUS ELITE AX Micro ATX AM5 Motherboard ($159.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Flare X5 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory ($104.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Black SN850X 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($84.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Sapphire 21330-01-20G Radeon RX 7800 XT 16 GB Video Card ($499.95 @ Newegg)
Case: DIYPC Rainbow-Flash-F4 ATX Mid Tower Case ($54.97 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Thermaltake Toughpower GF A3 - TT Premium Edition 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($89.99 @ Best Buy)
Total: $1227.78
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2023-12-04 00:17 EST-0500

 

[Aeacus]

or should i switch to the 6800 xt for a lower price than the 7800 x t?

GamersNexus comparison:

This summary chart looks at improvement from the 7800 XT to the 6800 XT, meaning that bars going in the positive direction, to the right, are the percentage advantage that the 6800 XT has over the new 7800 XT.

In most of our tested scenarios, the 6800 XT bests the 7800 XT. That’s embarrassing. Fortunately for AMD, the 6800 XT had a higher initial MSRP. Unfortunately for AMD, it’s readily available for cheap if used, or in a couple places we checked, about the same price. Some of the improvements are drastic, like Strange Brigade Vulkan at 4K or Final Fantasy at 4K.

Source: https://gamersnexus.net/gpus/amd-radeon-rx-7800-xt-gpu-review-benchmarks-vs-rx-6800-xt-rtx-4070-more