Question Is this new build strong? Any changes to be made within my budget?

[lewismann3]

Hi all,

Going to be building a new desktop and have researched lots of different components suited to my needs and what would benefit me most with my budget.

I am set on using AMD and not looking for an Intel system. Also, my build will be fully white and majorly RGB so these are some factors to consider please.

I am a Graphic Designer who uses Adobe softwares, a multi-tasker and gamer so all of these are a must for my system, with design work taking the majority of the build criteria.

I've listed some parts below that are compatible and looking for any advice/changes that meet my budget.

Case: NZXT H6 Flow
CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 9900x
CPU Cooler: Arctic Liquid Freezer III ARGB White
RAM: G.Skill Trident Z5 RGB 64GB DDR5 6000MHz
Motherboard: GIGABYTE X870 AORUS ELITE WIFI7 ICE Motherboard
GPU: MSI Nvidia Geforce RTX 3060 12GB (swapping from my previous build to new)
Storage: SAMSUNG 990 PRO M.2 Internal SSD
PSU: Corsair CS650M (swapping from my previous build to new)
Fans:
NZXT F120 RGB 120mm (rear)
Arctic P14 PWM PST A-RGB 140mm (bottom)

Budget is £1250 which with this build is currently the price (minus GPU & PSU). No more and happy for less

Many thanks!
Lewis

 

[Lutfij]

Welcome to the forums, newcomer!

CPU Cooler: Arctic Liquid Freezer III ARGB White
Artic's Liquid Freezer III comes in various sizes, which one have you listed in your build?

PSU: Corsair CS650M (swapping from my previous build to new)
That's the green labelled unit from Corsair, isn't it? How old is this unit? I wouldn't have it anywhere near your new build, since that's a horrible unit.

You're advised to stylize your post with info asked of in this thread;

*How to Ask for New Build or Upgrade Advice*

How to Ask for New Build or Upgrade Advice First off, respect where respect is due - this is an adaptation of the Animal's *How To Ask For New Build Advice* Sticky. I created this because there's a lot of posts nowadays asking for upgrade advice both on here and on the CPU forums, and I feel...

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including the names of the app's, titles and tasks you wish to task your proposed build with, not to mention the absolute budget you have allocated towards said build.

I've listed some parts below that are compatible and looking for any advice/changes that meet my budget.
List your parts on PCPartPicker and then parsed a link for us to see if there's room for fine tuning.

 

[lewismann3]

Welcome to the forums, newcomer!

CPU Cooler: Arctic Liquid Freezer III ARGB White
Artic's Liquid Freezer III comes in various sizes, which one have you listed in your build?

PSU: Corsair CS650M (swapping from my previous build to new)
That's the green labelled unit from Corsair, isn't it? How old is this unit? I wouldn't have it anywhere near your new build, since that's a horrible unit.

You're advised to stylize your post with info asked of in this thread;

*How to Ask for New Build or Upgrade Advice*

How to Ask for New Build or Upgrade Advice First off, respect where respect is due - this is an adaptation of the Animal's *How To Ask For New Build Advice* Sticky. I created this because there's a lot of posts nowadays asking for upgrade advice both on here and on the CPU forums, and I feel...

forums.tomshardware.com

including the names of the app's, titles and tasks you wish to task your proposed build with, not to mention the absolute budget you have allocated towards said build.

I've listed some parts below that are compatible and looking for any advice/changes that meet my budget.
List your parts on PCPartPicker and then parsed a link for us to see if there's room for fine tuning.

Hey!

My bad, I'm going for the 360mm cooler.

I currently have it in there purely because I don't have an additional budget for a new PSU and this has enough for the new build wattage.

 

[lewismann3]

Hi all,

Looking for advice on this build I have put together please. Have added notes below for some guidance and criteria. Ive listed directly below this the build I'm currently looking at.

I'm a Graphic Designer looking to prioritse work, multi-tasking and productivity, with gaming being my secondary source.

Case: NZXT H6 Flow
CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 9900x
CPU Cooler: Arctic Liquid Freezer III ARGB White
RAM: G.Skill Trident Z5 RGB 64GB DDR5 6000MHz
Motherboard: GIGABYTE X870 AORUS ELITE WIFI7 ICE Motherboard
GPU: MSI Nvidia Geforce RTX 3060 12GB (swapping from my previous build to new)
Storage: SAMSUNG 990 PRO M.2 Internal SSD
PSU: Corsair CS650M (swapping from my previous build to new)
Fans:
NZXT F120 RGB 120mm (rear)
Arctic P14 PWM PST A-RGB 140mm (bottom)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Approximate Purchase Date: Hopefully this week.

Budget Range: £800 - £1250

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Using productivity, multi-tasking mostly, and secondary is gaming.

Are you buying a monitor: No

Parts to Upgrade: CPU, Motherboard, RAM, CPU Cooler, SSD, Case, Fans

Do you need to buy OS: No

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Any UK trusted websites, e.g Amazon, Scan, CCL, eBuyer, Overclockers.

Location: United Kingdom

Parts Preferences: AMD, Corsair, G.Skill, Arctic, NZXT

Overclocking: Most likely not.

Your Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080 - 144hz

Additional Comments: Looking for a strong system that is both aesthetically pleasing, powerful but also quiet regarding the fans. My build is going to be full white, parts black where this can't be the case. Looking for an AMD build and avoiding Intel.

And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: Looking for a more powerful system for what I do, and to change the appearance of my PC from non-rgb and dull to the opposite.

 

[turtletarget111]

I guess I'll start off critiquing your motherboard selection. Unless you are 100 percent certain you require WiFi 7, tons of IO, and all those additional expansion slots, I would go with something more modest. The balance of the computer budget is put a little into question when the motherboard costs as much as a mid-range CPU. This ROG Strix B650 may be a good alternative; however, if you are absolutely sure you don't what to pick something else and put that extra cash towards a video card, more storage, or just more money in your pocket, then that X870 board will serve you well.

I'm going to assume you went with a 2x32 gigabyte kit, as you did not specify above. If you chose the alternative, two kits of 2x16, I would swap it for a single kit of 2x32. A typical 2x32 kit is cheaper than two separate kits, and will simultaneously allow you to buy an additional one later for a total of 128 gigabytes if you desired. As far as your memory, choose a kit with tighter timings than the G.Skill kit would net you better performance. Albeit, we're talking about a couple percent, but if it doesn't cost you anything, it may be a worthwhile choice. Consider this Corsair Vengeance kit, or for something more aggressive, this set of Corsair Dominator Titanium. Both kits cost the same or less than the G.SKill memory, while delivering more performance with tighter timings.

When it comes to your PSU, it really depends on its age. If it's only a few years old, it will probably serve you well in this new machine. If you want to play it safe, you can throw in something like this Corsair RM650, which is rated for 80+ Gold and has fully modular cables for a clean aesthetic. If you can imagine yourself upgrading the video card a few years from now, as Nvidia's 5000 series announcement is around the corner, you may want to grab something more beefy. As alluded to earlier, a cheaper motherboard would allow you to easily slot this into your budget, depending on your decision.

Here is the full parts list for your reference.

 

[Misgar]

PSU: Corsair CS650M (swapping from my previous build to new)

Your proposed build is similar to my 7950X and I've got the same 12GB GTX 3060, but your PSU is not what I'd use on a system of this calibre.
https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/how-good-is-the-corsair-cs650m.2531913/

If you're certain you want to stick to 650W, consider the RM650 (I have one in a lesser build). For a 9900X I'd be happier with an RM750 and I use an RM850 in the 7950X because it has more SATA power connectors.

I'm currently running a Topaz Video AI upscale and my 7950X has peaked at 184W (no overclock) and the GTX 3060 at 170W. I also use Adobe apps. Last time I checked the total power on a rendering run it was averaging 350W.

 

[lewismann3]

I guess I'll start off critiquing your motherboard selection. Unless you are 100 percent certain you require WiFi 7, tons of IO, and all those additional expansion slots, I would go with something more modest. The balance of the computer budget is put a little into question when the motherboard costs as much as a mid-range CPU. This ROG Strix B650 may be a good alternative; however, if you are absolutely sure you don't what to pick something else and put that extra cash towards a video card, more storage, or just more money in your pocket, then that X870 board will serve you well.

I'm going to assume you went with a 2x32 gigabyte kit, as you did not specify above. If you chose the alternative, two kits of 2x16, I would swap it for a single kit of 2x32. A typical 2x32 is cheaper than two separate kits, and will simultaneously allow you to buy an additional one later for a total of 128 gigabytes if you desired. As far as your memory, choose a kit with tighter timings than the G.Skill kit would net you better performance. Albeit, we're talking about a couple percent, but if it doesn't cost you anything, it may be a worthwhile choice. Consider this Corsair Vengeance kit, or for something more aggressive, this set of Corsair Dominator Titanium. Both kits cost the same or less than the G.SKill memory, while delivering more performance with tighter timings.

When it comes to your PSU, it really depends on its age. If it's only a few years old, it will probably serve you well in this new machine. If you want to play it safe, you can throw in something like this Corsair RM650, which is rated for 80+ Gold and has fully modular cables for a clean aesthetic. If you can imagine yourself upgrading the video card a few years from now, as Nvidia's 5000 series announcement is around the corner, you may want to grab something more beefy. As alluded to earlier, a cheaper motherboard would allow you to easily slot this into your budget, depending on your decision.

Here is the full parts list for your reference.

Thanks for the reply.

I will be going with 2x32GB RAM, my bad for not listing these.

What motherboard would you recommend for something slightly more modest? I'd like to stick with the x870 as first choice, and X670 as second.

PSU is due an upgrade but for now I think will keep until my budget increases and I can afford to get a new one, but isn't entirely necessary for now if it does the job.

Thanks!

 

[turtletarget111]

I now realize some of the white X870 boards are either out of stock, or have mismatched prices on PCPartPicker. However, this Asrock X870 Steel Legend packs in the majority of the features you're after while still coming in over 50 dollars cheaper. If you like the style, it may be worth switching to.