Question Gaming build at 1440p, need help with selecting parts

Weathered

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Looking to build a new computer for gaming at 1440p. Currently running 8700k, 1080ti, 16gm ram. Would just need the main components, don't need monitor, keyboard or mouse.

Haven't really kept up with the latest news on hardware. I know gpu prices have been pretty high, have those been coming down any? What video card would I need to see a noticeable increase over my current 1080ti? 3060? 3070? 3080ti?

Part of me wants to go all out on this build. But also at same time, don't want to spend 3,4 or 5k dollars. Don't plan on doing any watercooling unless certain cpu's absolutely require some type of watercooling. I have never messed with water cooling before.

Any reason to wait to build? New hardware coming out soon? I may not "need" to upgrade but been getting the itch to upgrade
 
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Taking into consideration that you have a solid card still I would highly recommend to wait for the new Nvidia/AMD cards to come out to make your upgrade worth while. That being said if you can pickup a 3080TI for MSRP that would still be a viable option. Seems like that 12700k is a very good price vs performance gaming CPU. Z690 is a pretty good chipset as long as you go with DDR5 (bit overpriced IMO).
 
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Looking to build a new computer for gaming at 1440p. Currently running 8700k, 1080ti, 16gm ram. Would just need the main components, don't need monitor, keyboard or mouse.

Haven't really kept up with the latest news on hardware. I know gpu prices have been pretty high, have those been coming down any? What video card would I need to see a noticeable increase over my current 1080ti? 3060? 3070? 3080ti?

Part of me wants to go all out on this build. But also at same time, don't want to spend 3,4 or 5k dollars. Don't plan on doing any watercooling unless certain cpu's absolutely require some type of watercooling. I have never messed with water cooling before.

Any reason to wait to build? New hardware coming out soon? I may not "need" to upgrade but been getting the itch to upgrade
It would probably be cheaper to upgrade your board and cpu. I'd look at a Intel 12 gen set up with B660 board + i7 12700 / 12700F. What country are you located and what is your budget.
 
When you get the itch, you have to scratch it.

I would do this in stages.
You have many good, usable parts.

12th gen intel is a big jump.
I might suggest I5-12600K.
Pay an extra few $ to get the K version which includes integrated graphics.
It is cheap insurance if you ever have a gpu issue.

Most any B660 or Z690 motherboard will do.
Z690 allows overclocking, but these days, gamers will use the stock turbo mechanism which boosts a few cores past what an overclock might do.
12600K will boost to 4.9
You really do not need to go higher:
https://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/core_i5_12600k_processor_review,21.html
A 12700K @ 5.2, 12900K@5.2, or even a $750 12900KS@5.5 if you were really flush.
Better to use more budget on graphics.

Buy the DDR4 version of motherboard and you can reuse your 16gb of DDR4 ram.
Performance is similar to DDR5 and much less expensive.
16gb is fine for gaming. If you are multitasking at the same time, then look at 32gb. You probably know by now if 16gb is enough for how you run things.
Look at task manager resource monitor memory and at the hard fault page rate. It should be zero or close to it.
Any significant fault rate and you need more ram.
Do not try to add 16gb, it may not work.
Ram must be matched for proper operation,
Buy a 2 x 16gb replacement, ram must be matched.
Keep the old as a spare.
Speed is not that important for Intel. 3600 is about the sweet spot.

12th gen lga1700 mounting is a bit different. the spacing is wider, and the height of the dpu die is less.
I very much like your cryorig cooler, and I think it would work just fine.
Cryorig may send you a lga1700 mounting kit.
http://www.cryorig.com/news.php?id=91
If you want a cooler upgrade, I can recommend the noctua NH-D15s.
They now come with lga1700 mounting.

Initially, use yourGTX1080ti. An oldie but goodie.
See how you do.
You will be better able to assess just how strong your graphics needs to be.
at 1440P, a 3070 might be appropriate.
If you play fast action games, consider going stronger.
You may want to change monitors to a large 4k resolution unit in the future when a
3080 or better might be appropriate.

Your 650w is a good one that can be used now, and perhaps for a modest gpu upgrade in the future.
Here is a handy chart:
http://www.realhardtechx.com/index_archivos/Page362.htm

If you buy a psu, buy a 850w unit. It will only use the power demanded of it, regardless of the max capability. the 3000 series graphics cards can have high power spikes that 850w can handle better.
Look for a quality unit with a 7 to 10 year warranty.

It is probably time to go past 250gb for the C drive.
m.2 at 1 or 2tb is good.
I like the samsung m.2 units, 1tb is not so expensive these days.
No need for the pro version, endurance is no longer an issue.

I like the Antec 1200 case.
It has good cooling and plenty of room.

No need to change it out unless it is for aesthetics and you simply want a chang.
 
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This build is meant for gaming @ 1440P. Ideally you want a G-Sync compatible monitor so that you can take advantage of Nvidia's DLSS and Reflex technology that comes with these new RTX 30XX series cards. btw the psu in this build is manufactured for Phanteks by Seasonic.

https://www.newegg.com/black-lian-li-lancool-ii-performance-atx-mid-tower/p/2AM-000Z-00086
LIAN LI LANCOOL II MESH C PERFORMANCE Case $120.99


https://www.newegg.com/phanteks-amp-ph-p850g-850w/p/N82E16817987011
Phanteks Amp 850W 80+ GOLD Modular Power Supply $109.99

https://www.amazon.com/MSI-MAG-B660M-DDR4-Motherboard/dp/B09PXD16F6
MSI MAG B660M Mortar WiFi DDR4 $159.04

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/MAG-B660M-MORTAR-WIFI-DDR4

https://www.amazon.com/Intel-i7-12700F-2-1GHz-6xxChipset-BX8071512700F/dp/B09NPJDPVG/
Intel Core i7-12700F $312.96

https://ark.intel.com/content/www/u...2700f-processor-25m-cache-up-to-4-90-ghz.html

https://www.amazon.com/DeepCool-AK620-High-Performance-Dual-Tower-Dissipation/dp/B09CSXS3X4
DeepCool AK620 CPU Cooler $64.99

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

https://global.deepcool.com/product...-High-Performance-CPU-Cooler/2021/13067.shtml

or ...

https://www.amazon.com/Rev-B-Cooler-LGA1700-LGA1151-Towers/dp/B09NZGH4RD/
Scythe Fuma 2 Rev.B CPU Cooler $65.99

https://hardwarecanucks.com/forum/t...-review-the-best-cpu-cooler-got-cooler.84709/

https://www.scytheus.com/fuma2-rev-b

https://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Vengeance-PC4-28800-Desktop-Memory/dp/B07ZPLM1R1/
Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4 3600 32GB (2x16GB) CL18 $119.99

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-970-EVO-Plus-MZ-V7S2T0B/dp/B07MFZXR1B/
SAMSUNG 970 EVO Plus 2TB M.2 NVMe Internal SSD $189.99

https://www.amazon.com/GIGABYTE-Graphics-WINDFORCE-GV-N308TGAMING-OC-12GD/dp/B083HZGMWZ/
GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Gaming OC 12GB Graphics Card $1,199.99

https://www.guru3d.com/articles-pages/gigabyte-geforce-rtx-3080-ti-gaming-oc-review,1.html

https://www.newegg.com/microsoft-windows-11-home-usb/p/N82E16832351748
Microsoft Windows 11 Home USB $139.00

Total: $2416.94 including shipping.

If for whatever reason you prefer a full size ATX board (even though less than 10% of PC users will ever think of using that extra PCI slot) then here's one to have a look at.

https://www.amazon.com/GIGABYTE-B660-AORUS-DDR4-Motherboard/dp/B09QNVD2SW/
GIGABYTE B660 AORUS Master DDR4 $189.99

https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/B660-AORUS-MASTER-DDR4-rev-10#kf

https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-Gaming-VG27AQ-G-SYNC-Monitor/dp/B07WQ4FXY9/
ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ 27" 2K HDR IPS QHD (2560 x 1440) 165Hz 1ms Extreme Low Motion Blur G-SYNC Compatible Gaming Monitor $309.00

https://www.asus.com/us/Displays-Desktops/Monitors/TUF-Gaming/TUF-Gaming-VG27AQ/

MSI Optix G273QF 27" QHD 2560 x 1440 (2K) 1ms (GTG) 165 Hz 2 x HDMI, DisplayPort NVIDIA G-Sync Compatible Rapid IPS Gaming Monitor $299.99

https://us.msi.com/Monitor/Optix-G273QF

https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/technologies/reflex/
NVIDIA REFLEX

https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/technologies/dlss/
NVIDIA DLSS

i7 12700 / 12700F gaming benchmarks.

i712700.jpg
 
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DDR5 version of that build I posted up above. Just swap out the board and RAM with these.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1687328-REG/msi_mag_b660m_mortar_wifi.html
MSI MAG B660M MORTAR WIFI DDR5 $159.99

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/MAG-B660M-MORTAR-WIFI

https://www.newegg.com/corsair-32gb-288-pin-ddr5-sdram/p/N82E16820236828
CORSAIR Vengeance DDR5 5600 32GB (2x16GB) CL36 $259.99 + $30 off w/ promo code HTSBS3A333

And for a full size ATX B660 DDR5 board ... look for this one to be hitting the shelves in the US any day now.

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/MAG-B660-TOMAHAWK-WIFI

https://www.newegg.com/p/1HD-002J-005K8
MSI MAG B660 TOMAHAWK WIFI DDR5 $189.99

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1687326-REG/msi_mag_b660_tomahawk_wifi.html
MSI MAG B660 TOMAHAWK WIFI DDR5 $189.99

And another full size ATX B660 board due to arrive in the US. Expect this board to be priced at $190.

https://www.gigabyte.com/us/Motherboard/B660-AORUS-MASTER-rev-1x#kf GIGABYTE B660 AORUS MASTER DDR5
 
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Weathered

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For the graphics card, are there certain types or brands to stay away from? I do have a g sync 144hz 1440p monitor.

On the i7-12700k, I noticed it has performance and efficient cores? What is the deal with that? Will the efficient cores not be used at all for certain tasks like gaming? Tried to do some reading on this and got me confused. Can someone explain that in simple terms?
 
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For the graphics card, are there certain types or brands to stay away from? I do have a g sync 144hz 1440p monitor.

On the i7-12700k, I noticed it has performance and efficient cores? What is the deal with that? Will the efficient cores not be used at all for certain tasks like gaming? Tried to do some reading on this and got me confused. Can someone explain that in simple terms?
The e-cores help with programs you might have open while gaming such as Discord, browser tabs, etc .... You want to use Windows 11 with these Intel 12 gen cpu's due to the scheduler. btw haven't heard of any gpu brands to stay away from.
 
One other thing ... you might get posters on here who recommend the12700K / 12700KF + Z690 board over the 12700 / 12700F. If that happens please ask them why. The only advantage a Z690 board has is more PCIe lanes which is helpful if you plan on running dual M.2 SSD's and / or if you plan on overclocking and overclocking anymore these days is a hobbyist thing. Minimal gains for more money. The unlocked cpu's use more juice and create more heat for a whopping one to two more FPS on average.
 
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One other thing ... you might get posters on here who recommend the12700K / 12700KF + Z690 board over the 12700 / 12700F. If that happens please ask them why. The only advantage a Z690 board has is more PCIe lanes which is helpful if you plan on running dual M.2 SSD's and / or if you plan on overclocking and overclocking anymore these days is a hobbyist thing. Minimal gains for more money. The unlocked cpu's use more juice and create more heat for a whopping one to two more FPS on average.

While I agree with everything you said, In my travels I have often found that Z and X series boards just seem to be built better and have less issues. Once again that is in my experience not everyone will feel the same or have the same results. Kind of like a power supply I view the motherboard as a part I just never cheap out on. As for overclocking while gains have become much lower I still prefer to lock in my core multi at a constant speed, while it does make more heat and consume more power I prefer it over speed step and downclocking in lighter tasks. It is nice being able to run dual Nvmes at full speed also, example I am cheap with storage so I usually only buy a 1TB nvme when I start a build but I generally end up adding another 1TB down the road so having that option without slow down is quite nice. The last reason why I generally go with Z or X is because I only keep a PC for around 1 year and resale on Z and X is pretty dang good and usally stays in demand better then B or H overall. That being said I think b660 vs z690 comes to personal preference but I would say the benefits do not outweigh the cost anymore at this point for most people so I should stop recommending it.
 
While I agree with everything you said, In my travels I have often found that Z and X series boards just seem to be built better and have less issues. Once again that is in my experience not everyone will feel the same or have the same results. Kind of like a power supply I view the motherboard as a part I just never cheap out on. As for overclocking while gains have become much lower I still prefer to lock in my core multi at a constant speed, while it does make more heat and consume more power I prefer it over speed step and downclocking in lighter tasks. It is nice being able to run dual Nvmes at full speed also, example I am cheap with storage so I usually only buy a 1TB nvme when I start a build but I generally end up adding another 1TB down the road so having that option without slow down is quite nice. The last reason why I generally go with Z or X is because I only keep a PC for around 1 year and resale on Z and X is pretty dang good and usally stays in demand better then B or H overall. That being said I think b660 vs z690 comes to personal preference but I would say the benefits do not outweigh the cost anymore at this point for most people so I should stop recommending it.
The Z690 boards come in handy for those wanting to run dual M.2 SSD's but if a person wanted to add more storage on a B660 board then a 1TB SATA SSD can be had for $80.
 
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On the 12700k, I don't understand something. It has 12 physical cores and 20 threads. I thought the amount of threads you have was double the amount of cores you have. Am I wrong on that or did something change on that part?
 
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But the total cores is 12 and total threads is 20 counting the e cores, which is not double like it used to be in past

Don't think I am going to go the DDR5 route. Maybe kicking myself later on but think I will be fine with DDR4.

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/PjWzv3

Dumb question, if I get a DDR5 board, do I have to use DDR5 memory?
 
But the total cores is 12 and total threads is 20 counting the e cores, which is not double like it used to be in past

Don't think I am going to go the DDR5 route. Maybe kicking myself later on but think I will be fine with DDR4.

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/PjWzv3

Dumb question, if I get a DDR5 board, do I have to use DDR5 memory?
DDR4 board = DDR4 memory only
DDR5 board = DDR5 memory only.

Alder Lake i7: 8 P-cores = 16 threads. 4 E-cores = 4 threads. 8P + 4E = 20 threads.
 
But the total cores is 12 and total threads is 20 counting the e cores, which is not double like it used to be in past

Don't think I am going to go the DDR5 route. Maybe kicking myself later on but think I will be fine with DDR4.

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/PjWzv3

Dumb question, if I get a DDR5 board, do I have to use DDR5 memory?
A few things about your build. Get RAM with low profile heatsinks such as Corsair, Kingston, or Crucial instead of those old school G.Skill cookie cutter heatsinks so it doesn't impede your cpu cooler. An 850w psu will suffice for your build but if you want a 1000w psu then there's plenty of those with a 10 year warranty for cheaper. Seasonic manufactures the upper end lineup of Corsair psu's including the one in your link. Seasonic also manufactures this psu down below for Phanteks.

https://www.amazon.com/Phanteks-PH-P1000G-80PLUS-Modular-Certified/dp/B09BDTQVWG
Phanteks AMP 1000W 80+ Gold Modular Power Supply $159.99

Use your savings and size up on your SSD seeing how these newer games take up a crap load of h/d space ... games just keep getting bigger and bigger these days.

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-970-EVO-Plus-MZ-V7S2T0B/dp/B07MFZXR1B/
SAMSUNG 970 EVO Plus 2TB M.2 NVMe Internal SSD $189.99
 

Weathered

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Ok ty for info. I will check out low profile ram.

And not saying the PSU you listed is a cheap or bad one but just want to make sure I get a good one, don't like taking a chance with PSU since it can take out other parts if it goes out.

For storage, should mention that I will most likely reuse my current 2tb HDD for storage and games and just use the ssd for windows and other programs. Currently using 250gb as windows drive and have 191gb free but I did just recently reinstall windows so don't have everything installed I normally would have
 
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