[SOLVED] Looking for advice on mobo, SSDs and OS for new build

[Sean16]

Hi there, I'm from the UK and currently putting together a new build which I'll be purchasing from PC Specialist through their online configurator, so my choices are a little limited.

I've decided upon most of the parts but I'm a little stumped on my choice of motherboard and SSD for my main 2 TB drive (I'll be using a 500GB Samsung 980 Pro for Windows). I'm also having a hard time picking between Windows 10 or 11 for my OS and I'm very conscious of an OS upgrade at some point in the future once support for 10 ends.

My choice of motherboard is between an ASUS ROG Strix B550-F Gaming or an ASUS TUF Gaming X570-Plus. The TUF looks better compared to the B550 on various benchmarking sites but I've heard good things about the B550 and I like the amount of connectors it offers.

For the SSD, I have a little more choice. I was originally going to go with another Samsung 980 Pro for my 2TB drive but was recommended a 2TB Seagate Firecuda instead, though it's Gen 4 and may be a little overkill for my motherboard. The options I have for the SSD are:

• 2TB PCS PCIe M.2 SSD (3300 MB/R, 2900 MB/W)
• 2TB SOLIDIGM P41+ GEN 4 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 4125MB/sR, 3325MB/sW)
• 2TB SAMSUNG 970 EVO PLUS M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 3500MB/R, 3300MB/W)
• 2TB SAMSUNG 980 PRO M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 7000MB/R, 5000MB/W)
• 2TB SEAGATE FIRECUDA 530 GEN 4 PCIe NVMe (up to 7300MB/R, 6900MB/W)

I'm tempted to just stick with the 980 Pro for my 2TB SSD but not sure if having the same kind for my 500GB SSD as well would make any difference or I'm better off going for the other options.

As for the OS, I'm not sure. On the one hand, I've only just recently upgraded to Windows 10 on my current rig after support for Windows 7 ended, and I've heard mixed opinions about Windows 11. On the other hand, official support for Windows 10 is ending in 2025 and I don't really want to have to upgrade my OS down the line. I noticed a performance dip going from 7 to 10 but it could just be down to the age of my PC.

So far, I have the following for my build, subject to any changes:

• Case: COOLERMASTER MASTERBOX TD500 MESH ARGB GAMING CASE
• Processor (CPU): AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D Eight Core CPU (3.4GHz-4.5GHz/100MB CACHE/AM4)
• Motherboard: ASUS® ROG STRIX B550-F GAMING (DDR4, USB 3.2, 6Gb/s) - ARGB Ready!
• Memory (RAM): 32GB Corsair VENGEANCE RGB PRO DDR4 3600MHz (2 x 16GB)
• Graphics Card: 10GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 3080 - HDMI, DP, LHR
• 1st M.2 SSD Drive: 500GB SAMSUNG 980 PRO M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 6900MB/R, 5000MB/W)
• 2nd M.2 SSD Drive: 2TB SAMSUNG 980 PRO M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 7000MB/R, 5000MB/W)
• Power Supply: CORSAIR 1000W RMx SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
• Processor Cooling: Corsair iCUE H150i ELITE RGB High Performance CPU Cooler
• Sound Card: ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
• Network Card: 10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT
• USB/Thunderbolt Options: MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
• Operating System: Windows 11 Home 64 Bit
• Monitor: Samsung Odyssey G5 27" Inch (1440p, 144Hz)

Would greatly appreciated any input! My budget is roughly £3,000/$3,000 so I don't mind splashing a little extra cash, though not if it's at the expense of performance or suitability.

Thanks.

 

[Lutfij]

Honestly the build you've slapped together at the bottom of your thread, is splendid, though I'd look into a slightly higher wattage PSU due to the RTX3000 series having transient power spikes. 1.2KW would be a good number. For your primary (OS)drive, I'd get something like the 970 Evo Plus, provided it's actually cheaper by a good margin when compared to the 980 Pro. If they're the same price then leave the primary drive as the 980 Pro.

 

[Sean16]

Honestly the build you've slapped together at the bottom of your thread, is splendid, though I'd look into a slightly higher wattage PSU due to the RTX3000 series having transient power spikes. 1.2KW would be a good number. For your primary (OS)drive, I'd get something like the 970 Evo Plus, provided it's actually cheaper by a good margin when compared to the 980 Pro. If they're the same price then leave the primary drive as the 980 Pro.

Thank you so much! First time I'm putting something together so a little unsure on some of the parts. I switched them around and weirdly enough the 970 Evo Plus is actually coming out as slightly dearer than the 980 Pro, I thought it'd be the other way around. Do you recommend sticking with the 980 Pro for both drives?

Thanks.

 

[Lutfij]

In real world scenario's you won't see the speed, like OS and app's load times. You could see them on your game library drive. To add, the 970 Evo Plus is now considered discontinued by Samsung on their site, which would explain how the drive is priced higher than the newer unit...in favor of getting the newer tech out to the masses.

 

[Sean16]

In real world scenario's you won't see the speed, like OS and app's load times. You could see them on your game library drive. To add, the 970 Evo Plus is now considered discontinued by Samsung on their site, which would explain how the drive is priced higher than the newer unit...in favor of getting the newer tech out to the masses.

Ah that makes sense. I'll just stick with the 980 Pro then. I'll look into a bigger PSU as well, though originally was going to go for a 850W PSU. I didn't know that about the 3000 series.

 

[Lutfij]

View: https://youtu.be/wnRyyCsuHFQ


Considering it's a new build, you're spending what amounts to a fortune for some, better spend a few more cents and get the build done right with peace of mind.

 

[Sean16]

View: https://youtu.be/wnRyyCsuHFQ


Considering it's a new build, you're spending what amounts to a fortune for some, better spend a few more cents and get the build done right with peace of mind.

That's true, thanks for the heads up! I'll give the vid a watch.