Build Advice I'm building a PC for the first time, do these parts look alright ?

[sainthawke]

Hi, I'm building a PC for the first time for a friend within a certain budget. Could someone with more experience please look over the components I've picked and see whether they're all compatible or appropriate?

(Also, the first thing anyone would notice is the much weaker GPU, but this is intentional. The friend got that old GPU second-hand, and a future upgrade of GPU is on the horizon. So the bottleneck of GPU is something I am aware of. A hefty GPU upgrade is accounted for in the PSU wattage as well. Also, a lot of this is supposed to be future-proofed, because the friend in question isn't looking to do tiny upgrades here and there on his own.)

My main questions:

* Is the cooling for the CPU adequate? Do I need to add something more?
* Are these parts going to work well together?

Thank you so much if you look at this and give me some insight!

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/rPrj2x

 

[ohio_buckeye]

I don’t see a parts list.

 

[sainthawke]

I don’t see a parts list.

Sorry, I totally forgot. I added it now.

 

[Why_Me]

Sorry, I totally forgot. I added it now.

If your primary use will be gaming then I suggest something like this down below. You want two sticks of RAM, not four, so that you don't stress the memory controller. DDR5-6000 CL30 is the sweet spot for these AM5 cpu's.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D 4.2 GHz 8-Core Processor ($449.00 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: *ID-COOLING FROZN A620 PRO SE 58 CFM CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: *MSI PRO B650-A WIFI ATX AM5 Motherboard ($179.99 @ MSI)
Memory: *TEAMGROUP T-Create Expert 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory ($86.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: *Acer Predator GM7000 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($132.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Gigabyte EAGLE OC GeForce RTX 3060 Ti 8 GB Video Card
Case: *Montech AIR 903 BASE ATX Mid Tower Case ($65.00 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: *Thermaltake Toughpower GF3 TT Premium 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $1033.95
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria
Generated by PCPartPicker 2025-01-07 08:43 EST-0500

 

[geofelt]

The only serious mistake is using two mismatched kits of ram.
If you want 64gb, pick a single kit that shows up on the motherboard's ram qvl supported list.
https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/B650-AORUS-ELITE-AX-rev-10-11/support#support-memsup
Note that ram support differs by the intended processor.

Other thoughts:
Your case is an excellent one for air cooling.
Noctua maintains a list of suitable coolers for various processors,
Here is the list for the 7800X3d:
https://ncc.noctua.at/cpus/model/Ryzen-7-7800X3D-1649
Any of the NH-D15 versions would be good and run quiet.
Did you know that aio coolers do not last forever?
In time the mechanical pump fails or collects debris.
Air will eventually intrude through the tubes and the unit will need to be replaced.
Think of an aio as a 5 year rental.

As a first time builder:
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 switch&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 current.
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.

 

[sainthawke]

The only serious mistake is using two mismatched kits of ram.
If you want 64gb, pick a single kit that shows up on the motherboard's ram qvl supported list.
https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/B650-AORUS-ELITE-AX-rev-10-11/support#support-memsup
Note that ram support differs by the intended processor.

Other thoughts:
Your case is an excellent one for air cooling.
Noctua maintains a list of suitable coolers for various processors,
Here is the list for the 7800X3d:
https://ncc.noctua.at/cpus/model/Ryzen-7-7800X3D-1649
Any of the NH-D15 versions would be good and run quiet.
Did you know that aio coolers do not last forever?
In time the mechanical pump fails or collects debris.
Air will eventually intrude through the tubes and the unit will need to be replaced.
Think of an aio as a 5 year rental.

As a first time builder:
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 switch&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 current.
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.

Hey, I want to thank you so much for taking the effort to write all of this up for me, it is incredibly helpful and useful!
I was wondering about just a few things though;
* I understand that it might be inefficient to use 4 sticks of ram when going for an amount of memory that is achievable with 2. But I don't understand your comment that they are mismatched? In my research, it seemed like 4 sticks of ram would be totally fine if they were of the exact same type. Is there more to this than I thought?

 

[sainthawke]

If your primary use will be gaming then I suggest something like this down below. You want two sticks of RAM, not four, so that you don't stress the memory controller. DDR5-6000 CL30 is the sweet spot for these AM5 cpu's.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D 4.2 GHz 8-Core Processor ($449.00 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: *ID-COOLING FROZN A620 PRO SE 58 CFM CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: *MSI PRO B650-A WIFI ATX AM5 Motherboard ($179.99 @ MSI)
Memory: *TEAMGROUP T-Create Expert 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory ($86.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: *Acer Predator GM7000 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($132.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Gigabyte EAGLE OC GeForce RTX 3060 Ti 8 GB Video Card
Case: *Montech AIR 903 BASE ATX Mid Tower Case ($65.00 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: *Thermaltake Toughpower GF3 TT Premium 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $1033.95
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria
Generated by PCPartPicker 2025-01-07 08:43 EST-0500

Thanks so much for taking the time to respond and find alternative parts!
I was wondering what the reasoning behind the different parts was. I see you picked a different motherboard manufacturer, storage and memory and case and PSU. Is the reason because these things are better, or related to price or both? Is thermaltake better than corsair, and MSI when it comes to making boards etc?

 

[geofelt]

Hey, I want to thank you so much for taking the effort to write all of this up for me, it is incredibly helpful and useful!
I was wondering about just a few things though;
* I understand that it might be inefficient to use 4 sticks of ram when going for an amount of memory that is achievable with 2. But I don't understand your comment that they are mismatched? In my research, it seemed like 4 sticks of ram would be totally fine if they were of the exact same type. Is there more to this than I thought?

Yes, there is more to it.

Ram is sold in kits for a reason.
A motherboard must manage all the ram using the same specs of voltage, cas and speed.
The internal workings are designed for the capacity of the kit.
Ram from the same vendor and part number can be made up of differing manufacturing components over time.
Some motherboards, can be very sensitive to this.
This is more difficult when more sticks are involved.
Ram must be matched for proper operation.
The embedded xmp(or expo) settings define the specs required to run that kit at rated performance.
If the ram is not matched, the xmp settings in each stick may be different, causing all sorts of confusion.

Then, also, ram runs in dual channel mode, regardless if there are two sticks or 4 so there is no performance advantage to 4 vs. 2.

 

[logainofhades]

I would do something more like this, for less than $20 more. You get a faster CPU, better ram config, better board, and more storage. The 1tb for OS and programs, and the 4tb remains for game storage.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D 4.7 GHz 8-Core Processor ($479.00 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III 420 72.8 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($98.55 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte X870 AORUS ELITE WIFI7 ATX AM5 Motherboard ($229.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Flare X5 64 GB (2 x 32 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory ($179.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital WD_Black SN850X 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($74.98 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital WD_Black SN850X 4 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($284.99 @ Best Buy)
Video Card: Gigabyte EAGLE OC GeForce RTX 3060 Ti 8 GB Video Card
Case: Antec FLUX PRO ATX Full Tower Case ($169.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Thermaltake Toughpower GF3 TT Premium 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $1607.48
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2025-01-08 14:21 EST-0500

 

[Why_Me]

Thanks so much for taking the time to respond and find alternative parts!
I was wondering what the reasoning behind the different parts was. I see you picked a different motherboard manufacturer, storage and memory and case and PSU. Is the reason because these things are better, or related to price or both? Is thermaltake better than corsair, and MSI when it comes to making boards etc?

Price for the most part. All those components I listed are quality yet they don't break the bank. You can save a few dollars with this motherboard.

PCPartPicker Part List

Motherboard: *Asus PRIME B650-PLUS WIFI ATX AM5 Motherboard ($149.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $149.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria
Generated by PCPartPicker 2025-01-08 15:10 EST-0500