Question Building Gaming PC (Need fresh eyes and advice on a monitor)

[PrimordialDaoist]

Never had a PC before, let alone a gaming one & I was unwilling to just buy a prebuilt. Hence I have done up a build that I think is acceptable but I would appreciate some outside eyes on it.

I largely intend to play strategic games such as Stellaris, Endless Space or Crusader Kings but I would also like the ability to play games of a more single player leaning such as Metro Exodus, Witcher 3 or Dishonoured.

Along with this, I am as of yet undecided as to what kind of monitor to purchase outside of one that is 1440p I suppose. I am a layman to this field and unawares if my build is suitable for this or not.

My intent is to create a PC that will serve well for a couple of years that from which can serve as a springboard for more quality builds in the future based of the experience of this one.

On a pricing and sourcing of parts basis, I should state that I am based in the Eurozone. Along with this, I would like to spend no more than €4000 in totality but expect to pay something around €3500ish.

I would appreciate any advise or critiques.



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I have done up what parts I feel suit best my needs here: https://ie.pcpartpicker.com/list/FFG2tn.

For convenience I will put them below as well.

**CPU** | [Intel Core i9-13900K 3 GHz 24-Core Processor](https://ie.pcpartpicker.com/product...-13900k-3-ghz-24-core-processor-bx8071513900k) |-

**CPU Cooler** | [be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 50.5 CFM CPU Cooler](https://ie.pcpartpicker.com/product/F3gzK8/be-quiet-dark-rock-pro-4-505-cfm-cpu-cooler-bk022) | €118.07 @ CustomPCPARTS

**Motherboard** | [Gigabyte Z790 AORUS ELITE AX ATX LGA1700 Motherboard](https://ie.pcpartpicker.com/product...x-atx-lga1700-motherboard-z790-aorus-elite-ax) | €298.95 @ Paradigit

**Memory** | [Corsair Vengeance 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-5600 CL36 Memory](https://ie.pcpartpicker.com/product...6-gb-ddr5-5600-cl36-memory-cmk32gx5m2b5600c36) | €218.95 @ Paradigit

**Storage** | [Samsung 980 Pro 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive](https://ie.pcpartpicker.com/product...b-m2-2280-nvme-solid-state-drive-mz-v8p1t0bam) | €135.99 @ Currys PC World

**Storage** | [Seagate FireCuda 4 TB 3.5" 7200 RPM Internal Hard Drive](https://ie.pcpartpicker.com/product...tb-35-7200rpm-internal-hard-drive-st4000dx005) |-

**Video Card** | [Asus TUF GAMING OC GeForce RTX 4070 Ti 12 GB Video Card](https://ie.pcpartpicker.com/product...ti-12-gb-video-card-tuf-rtx4070ti-o12g-gaming) |-

**Case** | [Corsair 4000D Airflow ATX Mid Tower Case](https://ie.pcpartpicker.com/product/bCYQzy/corsair-4000d-airflow-atx-mid-tower-case-cc-9011200-ww) | €103.95 @ Paradigit

**Power Supply** | [Corsair RM1000x (2021) 1000 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply](https://ie.pcpartpicker.com/product...-fully-modular-atx-power-supply-cp-9020201-na) | €228.95 @ Paradigit

 

[jeremyj_83]

For a monitor I would look at this. https://ie.pcpartpicker.com/product...0-3440-x-1440-144-hz-curved-monitor-cu34g2xbk

 

[geofelt]

A very good build; you can use it as is.
My thoughts:
13900K is as good as it gets for single thread performance which is what your type of games need most.

I think I would change the storage configuration a bit.
Use a 2tb m.2 drive initially and omit the HDD.
You can always add storage later if you need to.

If you can, go see some monitors in person.
Buy the very best one you can afford. Monitors will be with you for a long time.
Look for a 4k monitor of a larger size.
Something like this LG 43" 4k unit:

https://www.newegg.com/lg-43bn70u-b-43/p/N82E16824026126?Item=9SIAH41DCS3601&quicklink=true

 

[helper800]

The 13900k is as good as it gets for single threaded performance, true, however there is the consideration of cooling it and the sheer amount power it uses. Spinning drives are typically not used for games anymore and can cause some issues on newer games in particular, like excessive loading times, and zone loading in-game as well. Personally I would do a build like this with that budget as you can get similarly performing parts that are a much better value. All of the savings can be put into an awesome monitor and a great graphics card. I believe people from Ireland can buy from German sites, correct?

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: Intel Core i7-13700 2.1 GHz 16-Core Processor (€405.80 @ Amazon Deutschland)
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler (€48.90 @ Amazon Deutschland)
Motherboard: Gigabyte B760 GAMING X AX ATX LGA1700 Motherboard (€180.23 @ Amazon Deutschland)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws S5 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory (€138.68 @ Amazon Deutschland)
Storage: Crucial P5 Plus 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive (€76.66 @ Amazon Deutschland)
Storage: Crucial P3 Plus 4 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive (€208.78 @ Amazon Deutschland)
Video Card: Sapphire PULSE Radeon RX 7900 XT 20 GB Video Card (€856.99 @ Caseking)
Case: Fractal Design Focus 2 RGB ATX Mid Tower Case (€82.90 @ Amazon Deutschland)
Power Supply: SeaSonic FOCUS GX 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply (€139.00 @ Amazon Deutschland)
Monitor: Samsung Odyssey G8 34.0" 3440 x 1440 175 Hz Curved Monitor (€1107.98 @ Amazon Deutschland)
Total: €3245.92
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2023-06-09 18:40 CEST+0200

 

[Why_Me]

@PrimordialDaoist running an unlocked 13 gen i9 on air cooling might not be the best choice you make with a new PC. That cpu is a hot and hungry power hog to say the least. This build gives you a case with much better airflow (2x140mm intake fans + 1x120mm exhaust fan), a board with PCIe 5.0 and plenty of PCIe lanes to run dual M.2 SSD's. That MSI psu down below will easily power a RTX 4080 let alone the 4070 Ti in this build not to mention it comes with PCIe 5.0. As mentioned in the previous post, best to avoid the old school mechanical drives. Amazon.de ships to Ireland.

https://www.amazon.de/-/en/FD-C-FOC2A-07/dp/B095YBWDXT/
Fractal Design Focus 2 ATX Mid Tower Case €79.90

Rear exhaust fan for that case.
https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Arctic-P12-PWM-Optimized-Pressure/dp/B07GB5JRTZ/
Arctic P12 PWM 120mm 4-Pin Case Fan €4.58

https://www.amazon.de/-/en/A850G-PCIE5-Power-Supply-Plug/dp/B0B4345YV7/
MSI MPG A850G PCIE5 850W 80+ Gold Modular ATX 3.0 Power Supply €141.49

https://www.amazon.de/-/en/GAMING-H770-PRO-Motherboard-Socket-Memory/dp/B0BNQ99PNZ/
ASUS TUF GAMING H770-PRO WIFI €216.05

Amazon.de

Intel Core i7-13700 €405.80

https://www.amazon.de/-/en/DeepCool-AK620-Heatpipes-LGA1700-Compatible/dp/B09CKXT4FH/
DeepCool AK620 Dual Tower CPU Cooler €69.99

Amazon.de

G.SKILL Ripjaws S5 DDR5-6000 32GB (2x16GB) CL30 €129.74

O/S SSD
https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Crucial-Plus-500GB-Internal-Gaming/dp/B098W1NDV2/
Crucial P5 Plus 500GB M.2 PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD €54.90

Storage SSD
https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Crucial-Plus-CT4000P3PSSD8-PCIe-NAND/dp/B0B25M8FXX/
Crucial P3 Plus 4TB M.2 PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD €208.78

https://www.amazon.de/-/en/GeForce-4070-Ventus-Gaming-Graphics/dp/B0BHF2ZZKJ/
MSI GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Ventus 3X OC 12GB Graphics Card €895.99

https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Ultragear-Gaming-Monitor-27GN800-B-68-5/dp/B0BXBN9X7B/
LG Ultragear 27GN800-B 1440P IPS Gaming Monitor €265.00

Total: €2472.22

A better look at those components.

27" UltraGear QHD HDR Monitor - 27GN800-B | LG USA

Discover the 27" UltraGear QHD HDR Monitor that features G-SYNC Compatibility and IPS 1ms (GtG) Response Time. Find reviews, specs, and more for 27GN800-B.

www.lg.com

https://www.fractal-design.com/products/cases/focus/focus-2/black-solid/

https://www.msi.com/Power-Supply/MPG-A850G-PCIE5

https://www.asus.com/motherboards-components/motherboards/tuf-gaming/tuf-gaming-h770-pro-wifi/

Intel® Core™ i7-13700 Processor (30M Cache, up to 5.20 GHz) - Product Specifications | Intel

Intel® Core™ i7-13700 Processor (30M Cache, up to 5.20 GHz) quick reference with specifications, features, and technologies.

www.intel.com

https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/deepcool-ak620-review

AK620 - DeepCool

Achieve dominant cooling and silent efficiency with the DeepCool AK620 High Performance CPU Cooler equipped with six copper heat pipes stacked with a dense dual-tower fin array and two 120 FDB fans. - DeepCool was founded with the mission of providing professional, innovative, high-performance...

www.deepcool.com

MSI GeForce RTX™ 4070 Ti VENTUS 3X 12G OC | Graphics Card | MSI Global

GeForce RTX™ 4070 Ti VENTUS 3X 12G OC featuring a fresh new triple fan design with a sturdy brushed aluminum backplate reinforces the full length of graphics card while providing passive cooling. Also TORX Fan 4.0 provides more concentrated airflow.

www.msi.com

 

[PrimordialDaoist]

Thank you all very much for your detailed answers.
As my first foray into forums such as this, I really appreciate such a reception.
I have much to deliberate about but am leaning more towards @Why_Me's recommendations.
Nonetheless I am very grateful for all of the advice extended so far.

As this is my first time building a PC, is their anything else I would need bar the parts in the process of this build? I am aware of things such as thermal pastes but frankly like with my initial build; I would be thinking with my wallet along with loose understandings of value differences in products.

Along with this, were I to follow your suggestions @Why_Me , what would you project to be the lifespan of this build? In my mind, I would at least like the build to last a year or so off of the original base parts and longer with transplantation of better parts in the future. Cognisant as I am, I am aware that one cannot forecast the future too far but an approximation would be greatly appreciated from any or all.

I will do a deeper foray into the advice that has been given so far tomorrow so that I may look at it from a fresh perspective.

Thank you all for your assistance so far.

 

[Why_Me]

Thank you all very much for your detailed answers.
As my first foray into forums such as this, I really appreciate such a reception.
I have much to deliberate about but am leaning more towards @Why_Me's recommendations.
Nonetheless I am very grateful for all of the advice extended so far.

As this is my first time building a PC, is their anything else I would need bar the parts in the process of this build? I am aware of things such as thermal pastes but frankly like with my initial build; I would be thinking with my wallet along with loose understandings of value differences in products.

Along with this, were I to follow your suggestions @Why_Me , what would you project to be the lifespan of this build? In my mind, I would at least like the build to last a year or so off of the original base parts and longer with transplantation of better parts in the future. Cognisant as I am, I am aware that one cannot forecast the future too far but an approximation would be greatly appreciated from any or all.

I will do a deeper foray into the advice that has been given so far tomorrow so that I may look at it from a fresh perspective.

Thank you all for your assistance so far.

The build I posted should last you a good while and you can always upgrade the cpu and gpu later on if you feel the need. Thermal paste comes with most all cpu coolers including that DeepCool I posted. You can see it in the pics. You want Windows 11 Home 64-bit, a headset, mouse, keyboard and you're good to go.

https://ie.pcpartpicker.com/product/dKkWGX/microsoft-windows-11-home-oem-dvd-64-bit-kw9-00633
Microsoft Windows 11 Home OEM - DVD 64-bit

 

[geofelt]

If this is your first time building, here is my canned advice:
MY build process:

Before anything, while waiting for your parts to be delivered, download
and read, cover to cover your case and motherboard manual.
Buy a long #2 magnetic tip philips screwdriver.
A small led flashlight is also useful.

I find it handy to buy a power switch like this for testing.

https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16812119009?Description=power%20switch&cm_re=power_switch-_-12-119-009-_-Product&quicklink=true

1. I assemble the critical parts outside of the case.
That lets me test them for functionality easily.
A wood table or cardboard is fine.
2. Plug in only the necessary parts at first. Ram, cpu, cooler, psu.
Do not force anything. Parts fit only one way.
Attach a monitor to the integrated motherboard adapter if you have one, otherwise to the graphics card.
3. If your motherboard does not have a PWR button, momentarily touch the two pwr front panel pins with a flat blade screwdriver.
4. Repeatedly hit F2 or DEL, and that should get you into the bios display.
5. Boot from a cd or usb stick with memtest86 on it. memtest will exercise your ram and cpu functionality.
They boot from a usb stick and do not use windows.
You can download them here:

MemTest86 - Official Site of the x86 Memory Testing Tool

MemTest86 is the original self booting memory testing software for x86 and ARM computers. Supporting both BIOS and UEFI, with options to boot from USB.

www.memtest86.com

Memtest86+ | The Open-Source Memory Testing Tool

Memtest86+ is an advanced, free, open-source, stand-alone memory tester for 32- and 64-bit computers (UEFI & BIOS supported)

www.memtest.org

If you can run a full pass with NO errors, your ram should be ok.

Running several more passes will sometimes uncover an issue, but it takes more time.

Probably not worth it unless you really suspect a ram issue.
Normally, one does not update a bios unless there is a fix for something that is impacting you. I violate this rule on a new build and will update to currency up front.
If there is a severe problem, the impact is small.


6. Install windows.
7. Install the motherboard cd drivers. Particularly the lan drivers so you can access the internet.
Do not select the easy install option, or you will get a bunch of utilities and trialware that you don't want. Drivers only.
7. Connect to the internet and install an antivirus program. Microsoft defender is free, easy, and unobtrusive.
8. Install your graphics card and driver if you tested with integrated graphics.
You will need to remove the graphics card later to install your motherboard in the case.
As a tip when screwing the motherboard into the posts, give the screw a small counterclockwise turn until you feel a click.
That lets you know that the screw will engage properly.
Make a note of how the graphics card latches into the pcie slot.
The mechanism will be hidden under the card and may be difficult to work if you have not previously checked how.
9. Update windows to currency.
10. Only now do I take apart what I need to and install it in the case.
11. Now is the time to reinstall your graphics card.
12. Opinions vary on updating the bios. On a new build, I will update to currency right away. My thought is that I have no big loss if
I encounter a problem. Use the usb option, not the windows option.