Build Advice First PC build --- comments please

[hdmixx1]

Hi Everyone!

This will be my very first build, I've never done PC build before so kindly help for advice.

My PC build has a white theme and a budget of around $1000, which mainly will be used for 1080p gaming, and I don't have a plan for CPU OC and Raytracing.

My primary choice now:

1. ASRock B760M Pro RS Micro ATX LGA1700 Motherboard - $162.99
2. Intel Core i5-12400F 2.5 GHz 6-Core Processor - $142.99
3. Deepcool AK400 66.47 CFM CPU Cooler - $37.99
4. ADATA XPG GAMMIX S70 Blade 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive - $59.99
5. ASRock Steel Legend OC Radeon RX 6650 XT 8 GB Video Card - $249.99
6. Lian Li LANCOOL 216 ATX Mid Tower Case - $103.99
7. Corsair RM750e (2023) 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply - $99.99
   Total : $957.92

Will it be ok to run 1080p game? I planning to play hogwarts legacy, Civilization 5 & 6, witcher 3, and final fantasy 7 remake on a high but not highest setting.

Question,
1. Do I need to upgrade my motherboard? my brother told me to buy Asus ROG STRIX B760-A GAMING WIFI ATX LGA1700 Motherboard - $244.99, but I don't really know if this is necessary he said something about better audio codec and VRM but I cannot find any of the VRM detail on the motherboard spec.
2. Is it okay if I only plan to use 1 stick of RAM with 16GB for playing those games that I mentioned before?
3. The case already have 2 160mm fans at the front and 1 140mm fan at the back, do I need to buy 3 fans for the top?

Thanks folks!

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

I wouldn't run a single stick, i WOULD BUY A 32 GB KIT THats on the boards QVL list.

 

[hdmixx1]

I wouldn't run a single stick, i WOULD BUY A 32 GB KIT THats on thr boards QVL list.

Hi, thank you, I'll stick with 32GB then, also haven't paid any attention with the QVL list, thanks will look into it

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

gET A 2X16 KIT.

 

[Why_Me]

The 120mm fan goes inside the back of that case for an exhaust fan.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: *Intel Core i5-12400F 2.5 GHz 6-Core Processor ($142.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: *Thermalright Assassin X 120 Refined SE 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler ($18.89 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: *Gigabyte B660M AORUS ELITE AX DDR4 Micro ATX LGA1700 Motherboard ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: *TEAMGROUP T-Force Vulcan Z 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory ($54.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: *Samsung 970 Evo Plus 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: *Asus DUAL OC GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 8 GB Video Card ($399.99 @ Amazon)
Case: *Fractal Design Focus 2 ATX Mid Tower Case ($52.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: *Corsair RM750e (2023) 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($99.99 @ Best Buy)
Case Fan: *ARCTIC P12 56.3 CFM 120 mm Fan ($9.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $959.80
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria
Generated by PCPartPicker 2023-07-29 23:49 EDT-0400

https://www.fractal-design.com/products/cases/focus/focus-2/white-tg-clear-tint/

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIG4vFQbDn4

 

[sin69sin]

Hi Everyone!

This will be my very first build, I've never done PC build before so kindly help for advice.

My PC build has a white theme and a budget of around $1000, which mainly will be used for 1080p gaming, and I don't have a plan for CPU OC and Raytracing.

My primary choice now:

1. ASRock B760M Pro RS Micro ATX LGA1700 Motherboard - $162.99
2. Intel Core i5-12400F 2.5 GHz 6-Core Processor - $142.99
3. Deepcool AK400 66.47 CFM CPU Cooler - $37.99
4. ADATA XPG GAMMIX S70 Blade 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive - $59.99
5. ASRock Steel Legend OC Radeon RX 6650 XT 8 GB Video Card - $249.99
6. Lian Li LANCOOL 216 ATX Mid Tower Case - $103.99
7. Corsair RM750e (2023) 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply - $99.99
   Total : $957.92

Will it be ok to run 1080p game? I planning to play hogwarts legacy, Civilization 5 & 6, witcher 3, and final fantasy 7 remake on a high but not highest setting.

Question,
1. Do I need to upgrade my motherboard? my brother told me to buy Asus ROG STRIX B760-A GAMING WIFI ATX LGA1700 Motherboard - $244.99, but I don't really know if this is necessary he said something about better audio codec and VRM but I cannot find any of the VRM detail on the motherboard spec.
2. Is it okay if I only plan to use 1 stick of RAM with 16GB for playing those games that I mentioned before?
3. The case already have 2 160mm fans at the front and 1 140mm fan at the back, do I need to buy 3 fans for the top?

Thanks folks!

Agree with others 2x16gb of ram, just know thr processor is only capable of managing upto 3200Mhz. I have the 12400 and use corsair vengeance LPX 2x16gb 3200MHz.

 

[geofelt]

To answer your questions...
1. No you do not need the more expensive motherboard unless you need wifi.
The 12400 processor is not a high power draw.

2. It is not ok to use one stick of ram. Performance is better with dual channel. Buy the ram you need up front, many, today will buy a 2 x 16gb kit since ram is relatively cheap. But no game is going to need more than 16gb.
If you plan on multitasking while gaming, like streaming of discord, then get 32gb up front.
Do not plan on adding ram later; ram must be bought in a single kit to guarantee proper performance.

3. Love the case. You do not need any more fans. In fact top fans may well be counterproductive by diverting cooling air up and out of the case before reaching the cpu cooler, motherboard and graphics cards.

On your parts list:

Penny wise and pound foolish to try to save $25 on a F processor.
If you ever have a graphics problem, integrated graphics will save you.

12400 is fine; 13400 is the next step up.
Both come with a stock cooler that can do the job.
I would be inclined to install the stock cooler first and see how you do.
Gaming does not put the same cpu load on the processor that multithreaded batch apps do.

I think 1tb is a bit small. games are getting bigger and 2tb might be better.
You can buy a 2tb intel 670P for $65:

Intel 670p Series M.2 2280 2TB PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe 3D4 QLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) SSDPEKNU020TZX1 - Newegg.com

Buy Intel 670p Series M.2 2280 2TB PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe 3D4 QLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) SSDPEKNU020TZX1 with fast shipping and top-rated customer service. Once you know, you Newegg!

www.newegg.com

I have no opinion on graphics cards. You mostly get what you pay for.
Over time, you can expect to do a graphics upgrade as you move to higher resolution monitors.

The RM750e is fine; 850w would not be out of line.
A psu only uses the power demanded of it, regardless of the max capability.


For a first time builder, here is
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.
Opinions vary on updating the bios.
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.
Use the usb option, not the windows option.
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.

 

[Lucky_SLS]

White themed as requested:

if you are near a microcenter, get the 5600X3D https://www.microcenter.com/product...-6-core-boxed-processor-heatsink-not-included

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU Cooler: Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE WHITE ARGB 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler ($38.90 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock X570 Steel Legend WiFi ax ATX AM4 Motherboard ($156.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Timetec PINNACLE Konduit 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3600 CL18 Memory ($54.99 @ Newegg Sellers)
Storage: Crucial P5 Plus 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($97.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: ASRock Steel Legend OC Radeon RX 7600 8 GB Video Card ($289.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Montech AIR 903 BASE ATX Mid Tower Case ($69.00 @ Newegg Sellers)
Power Supply: Thermaltake Toughpower GF1 Snow - TT Premium 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $807.85
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2023-07-31 03:53 EDT-0400


Total comes to ~1040 USD

 

[hdmixx1]

Thank you so much for the detailed guide geofelt, I do appreciated it

To answer your questions...
1. No you do not need the more expensive motherboard unless you need wifi.
The 12400 processor is not a high power draw.

2. It is not ok to use one stick of ram. Performance is better with dual channel. Buy the ram you need up front, many, today will buy a 2 x 16gb kit since ram is relatively cheap. But no game is going to need more than 16gb.
If you plan on multitasking while gaming, like streaming of discord, then get 32gb up front.
Do not plan on adding ram later; ram must be bought in a single kit to guarantee proper performance.

3. Love the case. You do not need any more fans. In fact top fans may well be counterproductive by diverting cooling air up and out of the case before reaching the cpu cooler, motherboard and graphics cards.

On your parts list:

Penny wise and pound foolish to try to save $25 on a F processor.
If you ever have a graphics problem, integrated graphics will save you.

12400 is fine; 13400 is the next step up.
Both come with a stock cooler that can do the job.
I would be inclined to install the stock cooler first and see how you do.
Gaming does not put the same cpu load on the processor that multithreaded batch apps do.

I think 1tb is a bit small. games are getting bigger and 2tb might be better.
You can buy a 2tb intel 670P for $65:

Intel 670p Series M.2 2280 2TB PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe 3D4 QLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) SSDPEKNU020TZX1 - Newegg.com

Buy Intel 670p Series M.2 2280 2TB PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe 3D4 QLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) SSDPEKNU020TZX1 with fast shipping and top-rated customer service. Once you know, you Newegg!

www.newegg.com

I have no opinion on graphics cards. You mostly get what you pay for.
Over time, you can expect to do a graphics upgrade as you move to higher resolution monitors.

The RM750e is fine; 850w would not be out of line.
A psu only uses the power demanded of it, regardless of the max capability.


For a first time builder, here is
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.
Opinions vary on updating the bios.
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.
Use the usb option, not the windows option.
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.

 

[hdmixx1]

Thank You everyone for the help!

So everything is almost same, except for the processor I decided to buy i5 12400, and decided not to buy the CPU cooler first, also increase the SSD from 1tb to 2TB, Ram also decided to buy 2x16GB

It's quite scarry for me doing the PC build first time, really really appreciate the help

 

[Nighthawk117]

If your going for a i5 12400, then I would also consider a B660 board. You might be able to get a good discount on a quality board.

 

[DaDuckster]

Thank You everyone for the help!

So everything is almost same, except for the processor I decided to buy i5 12400, and decided not to buy the CPU cooler first, also increase the SSD from 1tb to 2TB, Ram also decided to buy 2x16GB

It's quite scarry for me doing the PC build first time, really really appreciate the help

Whatever you do don’t panic if, when you apply power, it doesn’t immediately POST. It’s far too easy to simply miss a single connector or misread a connection. Just start over again tracing your build and verifying which cables connect where. I connected a single two pin connector to the wrong button pins on the MOBO, and had that sinking feeling when I tried to power it up. But, having read all the threads here, I didn’t panic and I did what all these experts always say, retrace what you did and verify. Moved a single connection and everything powered right up just fine.

The paperwork with components these days isn’t always the most clear, but there are web resources on damn near everything,

 

[kizo]

The 120mm fan goes inside the back of that case for an exhaust fan.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: *Intel Core i5-12400F 2.5 GHz 6-Core Processor ($142.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: *Thermalright Assassin X 120 Refined SE 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler ($18.89 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: *Gigabyte B660M AORUS ELITE AX DDR4 Micro ATX LGA1700 Motherboard ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: *TEAMGROUP T-Force Vulcan Z 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory ($54.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: *Samsung 970 Evo Plus 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: *Asus DUAL OC GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 8 GB Video Card ($399.99 @ Amazon)
Case: *Fractal Design Focus 2 ATX Mid Tower Case ($52.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: *Corsair RM750e (2023) 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($99.99 @ Best Buy)
Case Fan: *ARCTIC P12 56.3 CFM 120 mm Fan ($9.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $959.80
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria
Generated by PCPartPicker 2023-07-29 23:49 EDT-0400

https://www.fractal-design.com/products/cases/focus/focus-2/white-tg-clear-tint/

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIG4vFQbDn4

2TB 970 Evo Plus is just 80$.
I think it would be worth it with how enormous modern games can get.
Over 200GB some are.
Perhaps even approaching 300GB(crazy)

 

[kizo]

[PCPartPicker Part List](https://pcpartpicker.com/list/VqJj4M)

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
**CPU** | [AMD Ryzen 5 5600 3.5 GHz 6-Core Processor](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/PgcG3C/amd-ryzen-5-5600-36-ghz-6-core-processor-100-100000927box) | $139.00 @ Amazon
**CPU Cooler** | [\*Thermalright Assassin X 120 Refined SE 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/q6H7YJ/thermalright-assassin-x-120-refined-se-6617-cfm-cpu-cooler-ax120-se-d3) | $18.89 @ Amazon
**Motherboard** | [MSI B550M PRO-VDH WIFI Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/PDsnTW/msi-b550m-pro-vdh-wifi-micro-atx-am4-motherboard-b550m-pro-vdh-wifi) | $101.99 @ Amazon
**Memory** | [Silicon Power XPOWER Turbine 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/w98bt6/silicon-power-xpower-turbine-32-gb-2-x-16-gb-ddr4-3200-cl16-memory-sp032gxlzu320bda) | $48.97 @ Amazon
**Storage** | [Western Digital Black SN850X 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/crKKHx/western-digital-black-sn850x-2-tb-m2-2280-pcie-40-x4-nvme-solid-state-drive-wds200t2x0e) | $118.62 @ Amazon
**Video Card** | [MSI VENTUS 3X OC GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 8 GB Video Card](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/KFsV3C/msi-ventus-3x-oc-geforce-rtx-4060-ti-8-gb-video-card-rtx-4060-ti-ventus-3x-8g-oc) | $389.99 @ B&H
**Case** | [Cougar Archon 2 Mesh RGB ATX Mid Tower Case](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/nHXJ7P/cougar-archon-2-mesh-rgb-atx-mid-tower-case-cgr-5cc5w-mesh-rgb) | $59.99 @ Amazon
**Power Supply** | [\*Corsair RM750e (2023) 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/YRJp99/corsair-rm750e-2023-750-w-80-gold-certified-fully-modular-atx-power-supply-cp-9020262-na) | $99.99 @ Newegg
| *Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts* |
| **Total** | **$977.44**
| \*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria |
| Generated by [PCPartPicker](https://pcpartpicker.com) 2023-08-07 09:14 EDT-0400 |

What do I need to do to have all the nice red links?
Edit:
Case has 3 fans it seems.
Perhaps 1 can be moved to the back.
Edit 2:
A BIOS update shall be required.
Not to worry though since motherboard comes with Flash Bios button