[SOLVED] Need feedback and opinions on this build. I got some specific questions related to the parts I selected.

[Conrad Pinto]

Hellu, hellu!

I am building a new PC after 9 years. Last one I built was around a 4th Gen Intel. Using a laptop now. I checked the compatibility on PC Part Picker for the build below. Purchasing in Canada, maybe in a few weeks/ 1 months time.

Purpose of the build: Gaming, Content consumption. I play multiplayer games but not competitively. I don't want to play games on low medium settings anymore. I don't want a system which takes 2 seconds to switch TABs on Firefox.

Component: Model - Comments
CPU: Intel Core i7-13700K - Probably overkill for gaming.
Cooler: NZXT Kraken X53 RGB 240mm (White) - I like the look of this but is this decent?
Motherboard: GIGABYTE Z790 AORUS ELITE AX - It says online this is a budget Z790. But has everything I need.
RAM: G.SKILL Trident Z5 RGB Series 32GB (2x16GB) 6000MHz CL36 1.36V Black - Any alternative suggestions would be appreciated.

Alternative RAM: CORSAIR Vengeance 32GB (2x16GB) DDR5 5600MHz​

Graphic Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 16GB - I really like the look of this.
Storage: SAMSUNG 980 Pro 1TB M.2 NVMe - I would like a 1TB/2 TB 990 pro but I can't afford that.

Alternative Storage: WD Black SN850X 1TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 2280​

Power Supply: CORSAIR RMx Shift Series RM850x Shift - I need to know if this is good enough for this build.

Alternative PSU: CORSAIR* RMe Series RM850e - Cheaper​

Case: Fractal Design Torrent White E-ATX Tempered Glass - I like the look. I guess the MB fits but let me know.

Budget: 5000 CAD
I have already purchased the Monitor, Keyboard and Mouse. OS, I will figure out (maybe try to get it discounted from using a coupon code of any tech YouTuber. I've seen a couple of these. I'll "manage" until then).

Questions:

• I really like the look of the 4080 founders edition. But should I ditch a reference card for a partner card? Any downsides of sticking to the FE?
• Is the Power Supply decent?
• Storage: Am I losing too much by going for the 980 instead of the 990?
• I checked but any idea if the Case is large enough for my motherboard?
• Overall thoughts? Any parts which are no good?

I am buying from Best Buy or Canada Computers. Using these guys since I can pick up the parts at their store. I am not getting any parts shipped because of fu****g thieves.

 

[Phaaze88]

CPU: Intel Core i7-13700K - Probably overkill for gaming.
Cooler: NZXT Kraken X53 RGB 240mm (White) - I like the look of this but is this decent?
Motherboard: GIGABYTE Z790 AORUS ELITE AX - It says online this is a budget Z790. But has everything I need.
RAM: G.SKILL Trident Z5 RGB Series 32GB (2x16GB) 6000MHz CL36 1.36V Black - Any alternative suggestions would be appreciated.
Alternative RAM: CORSAIR Vengeance 32GB (2x16GB) DDR5 5600MHzGraphic Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 16GB - I really like the look of this.
Storage: SAMSUNG 980 Pro 1TB M.2 NVMe - I would like a 1TB/2 TB 990 pro but I can't afford that.
Alternative Storage: WD Black SN850X 1TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 2280Power Supply: CORSAIR RMx Shift Series RM850x Shift - I need to know if this is good enough for this build.
Alternative PSU: CORSAIR* RMe Series RM850e - CheaperCase: Fractal Design Torrent White E-ATX Tempered Glass - I like the look. I guess the MB fits but let me know.

1)Well, the 13700 exists. Could save a few bucks and not miss much, but then the selected mobo loses some value; you may find a cheaper H or B chipset board that still has the options/features you want. The i7 is a good in-between.
2)240mm AIOs don't offer enough over a decent air cooler, IMO. 280mm or larger have more going for them. Kind of a waste to use an AIO in the air cooling focused Torrent(again, IMO).
3)Gigabyte's Aorus tier is NOT budget, that's premium. Ultra Durable is budget.
4)Why you believe you need/want a Gen 4 NVMe at all... your activities don't even benefit from it. Save some cash, or allocate it elsewhere(if possible) with a Gen 3 SATA or NVMe, THEN pick up a Gen 4 later, when you have more breathing room.
5)Psu is fine.

Questions:

• I really like the look of the 4080 founders edition. But should I ditch a reference card for a partner card? Any downsides of sticking to the FE?
• Is the Power Supply decent?
• Storage: Am I losing too much by going for the 980 instead of the 990?
• I checked but any idea if the Case is large enough for my motherboard?
• Overall thoughts? Any parts which are no good?

1A)Dunno. I don't think you're missing much, though. The FE is very competitive with the aftermarket models this time.
1B)Downsides? Uhh, that it doesn't cost more than the partner models, LOL. On a more serious note: if someone doesn't like the look of it.
2)Yes, very good.
3)More like, you're overspending on something you don't need. NVMes shine when moving A LOT of data. The stated purpose doesn't come close to making full use of that speed. A Gen 3 SATA SSD will still do very well for you.
4)It's a standard ATX board, it's fine. It's tricky when diving into E-ATX territory, as that size doesn't really have standard dimensions.
5)See first quote responses.

 

[Why_Me]

What monitor did you purchase so that we know your resolution and refresh rate.

 

[Lucky_SLS]

The current gaming cpu king is 7800X3D. The AM5 platform would allow you to upgrade ur cpu down the line.

The 4080 would comfortably do 2k 144hz gaming

A kinda white themed build using ur choice of case and GPU:

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D 4.2 GHz 8-Core Processor ($599.00 @ Canada Computers)
CPU Cooler: MSI MAG CORELIQUID C240 78.73 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($145.98 @ Best Buy Canada)
Motherboard: ASRock B650E PG RIPTIDE WIFI ATX AM5 Motherboard ($299.99 @ Canada Computers)
Memory: Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-5600 CL36 Memory ($159.99 @ Canada Computers)
Storage: Kingston KC3000 1.024 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($114.99 @ Canada Computers)
Storage: Kingston KC3000 1.024 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($114.99 @ Canada Computers)
Video Card: NVIDIA Founders Edition GeForce RTX 4080 16 GB Video Card ($1649.99 @ Best Buy Canada)
Case: Fractal Design Torrent ATX Mid Tower Case ($279.99 @ Canada Computers)
Power Supply: Corsair RM850 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($164.98 @ Best Buy Canada)
Total: $3529.90
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2023-04-06 10:53 EDT-0400

 

[Conrad Pinto]

What monitor did you purchase so that we know your resolution and refresh rate.

This one - Samsung Odyssey G5 32" QHD 165Hz 1ms GTG IPS LCD G-Sync FreeSync Gaming Monitor (LS32AG500PNXZA)

I got this since I needed a large screen for work. But eventually this will become a secondary monitor and I'll go for a 4k monitor. This one I have is only 1440p and I know a 4080 is overkill for this resolution (for now).

 

[Conrad Pinto]

The current gaming cpu king is 7800X3D. The AM5 platform would allow you to upgrade ur cpu down the line.

The 4080 would comfortably do 2k 144hz gaming

A kinda white themed build using ur choice of case and GPU:

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D 4.2 GHz 8-Core Processor ($599.00 @ Canada Computers)
CPU Cooler: MSI MAG CORELIQUID C240 78.73 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($145.98 @ Best Buy Canada)
Motherboard: ASRock B650E PG RIPTIDE WIFI ATX AM5 Motherboard ($299.99 @ Canada Computers)
Memory: Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-5600 CL36 Memory ($159.99 @ Canada Computers)
Storage: Kingston KC3000 1.024 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($114.99 @ Canada Computers)
Storage: Kingston KC3000 1.024 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($114.99 @ Canada Computers)
Video Card: NVIDIA Founders Edition GeForce RTX 4080 16 GB Video Card ($1649.99 @ Best Buy Canada)
Case: Fractal Design Torrent ATX Mid Tower Case ($279.99 @ Canada Computers)
Power Supply: Corsair RM850 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($164.98 @ Best Buy Canada)
Total: $3529.90
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2023-04-06 10:53 EDT-0400

Thanks for this.

CPU question:
I've never tried AMD before but I've also seen very positive reviews on this CPU.
I am going to ask a stupid question but for a CPU bound game such as Guild Wars 2 (MMORPG) will a 16-core Intel do better than the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D?
OR what is the use case of the 16-core Intel CPU. I went for a Intel i7 because it fits in my budget and I just say it has a high core count.

Cooler question:
Did you select this cooler based on price or performance? It looks a bit drab.

 

[GarrettL]

Any cpu of the last couple of gens will run GW2 just fine. That's an old game, I use to play it

The 13700k, 5800x3d and 7800x3d are all good options. The AMD AM5 platform with the 7000 series is the only platform that will be upgradable in the future. The 13700k and 5800x3d sockets are at end of life.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOi0aFLH9HE

 

[Conrad Pinto]

2)240mm AIOs don't offer enough over a decent air cooler, IMO. 280mm or larger have more going for them. Kind of a waste to use an AIO in the air cooling focused Torrent(again, IMO).

I don't understand much about AIOs and air cooling so a bunch of questions from me. Honestly, I went for the AIO because of the looks.

1. Can you explain why it is a waste to use an AIO for the Torrent? Is it because of the top mounted PSU? Or is it that the air flow is so good that an AIO isn't required?
2. Is this (Cooler Master Hyper 212 RGB) a good cooler? I don't think has a white color LED (the website doesn't say so). There are too many options on PC part picker.
   • How about this - NZXT T120 RBG?
   • Or this - Cooler Master Hyper 212 Halo? It seems like the LED can be turned to white color which is a plus for me.
3. The liquid coolers, can there be any leakage? I don't believe the water needs to be replaced (I haven't read up on this).
4. Lastly, the thermal paste which gets shipped with the CPU/Cooler is sufficient? I also have a tube of Corsair TM30 but I am not sure if it is any good. It was very cheap.

 

[Why_Me]

I don't understand much about AIOs and air cooling so a bunch of questions from me. Honestly, I went for the AIO because of the looks.

1. Can you explain why it is a waste to use an AIO for the Torrent? Is it because of the top mounted PSU? Or is it that the air flow is so good that an AIO isn't required?
2. Is this (Cooler Master Hyper 212 RGB) a good cooler? I don't think has a white color LED (the website doesn't say so). There are too many options on PC part picker.
   • How about this - NZXT T120 RBG?
   • Or this - Cooler Master Hyper 212 Halo? It seems like the LED can be turned to white color which is a plus for me.
3. The liquid coolers, can there be any leakage? I don't believe the water needs to be replaced (I haven't read up on this).
4. Lastly, the thermal paste which gets shipped with the CPU/Cooler is sufficient? I also have a tube of Corsair TM30 but I am not sure if it is any good. It was very cheap.

Air cooling is less of a hassle.

https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product...k-argb-6788-cfm-cpu-cooler-r-ag620-bkanmn-g-2
DeepCool AG620 BK ARGB Dual Tower CPU Cooler

https://www.deepcool.com/products/C...al-Tower-CPU-Cooler-1700-AM5/2022/16082.shtml

Low profile RAM so that it doesn't impede the cpu cooler. I'll use this set as an example.

https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product...ddr5-6400-cl32-memory-f5-6400j3239g16gx2-rs5k
G.Skill Ripjaws S5 DDR5-6400 32GB (2x16GB) CL32

Size up on your SSD.

https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product...tb-m2-2280-nvme-solid-state-drive-wds200t3x0e
Western Digital Black SN770 2TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 x4 NVME SSD

Save some money on the board & cpu.

https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product...13700f-21-ghz-16-core-processor-bx8071513700f
Intel Core i7-13700F

https://www.intel.com/content/www/u...-30m-cache-up-to-5-20-ghz/specifications.html

https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product...lga1700-motherboard-tuf-gaming-b760-plus-wifi
Asus TUF GAMING B760-PLUS WIFI

TUF GAMING B760-PLUS WIFI｜Motherboards｜ASUS Global

TUF Gaming series distills essential elements of the latest AMD and Intel® platforms, and combines them with game-ready features and proven durability. Engineered with military-grade components, an upgraded power solution and a comprehensive set of cooling options, this motherboard delivers...

www.asus.com

 

[Phaaze88]

I don't understand much about AIOs and air cooling so a bunch of questions from me. Honestly, I went for the AIO because of the looks.

1. Can you explain why it is a waste to use an AIO for the Torrent? Is it because of the top mounted PSU? Or is it that the air flow is so good that an AIO isn't required?
2. Is this (Cooler Master Hyper 212 RGB) a good cooler? I don't think has a white color LED (the website doesn't say so). There are too many options on PC part picker.
   • How about this - NZXT T120 RBG?
   • Or this - Cooler Master Hyper 212 Halo? It seems like the LED can be turned to white color which is a plus for me.
3. The liquid coolers, can there be any leakage? I don't believe the water needs to be replaced (I haven't read up on this).
4. Lastly, the thermal paste which gets shipped with the CPU/Cooler is sufficient? I also have a tube of Corsair TM30 but I am not sure if it is any good. It was very cheap.

1)Already got the good 38 x 180mm fans in the front to bring in room air into the cpu and gpu coolers. Put an AIO there, and while it gets room air, the gpu doesn't. It's usually a minor thing, as most games don't see very high cpu power draw, but it's a tradeoff nonetheless.
The only other place to install those large fans is the bottom, but most cases out there don't have tall enough legs to get that much out of bottom intake(if they have that option).
You WILL have to clean the bottom filter and fans more frequently; the alternative? They'll do more to bring in dust than air.

2A)Oh heck naw. Hyper 212 hasn't been a good cooler for several years. Cooler Master's smoking that good stuff.
It was a good low cost option back then. Now? They want too much for it, and plenty of cheaper alternatives exist. I guess it keeps coming back because folks keep buying it.
2B)T120 looks pretty terrible on an i7 - unfortunately, the review that showed this was in French: https://www.comptoir-hardware.com/articles/refroidissement/46893-test-nzxt-t120-rgb.html
If it was a Ryzen APU or Intel i3, it looks to be fine.

3)Yes. They are not leak proof, but leak RESISTANT. You can cause a leak if you're careless.
Most coolers out there aren't intended to be refilled. They tend to show problems before that happens.

4)Yes. You're really not missing much between pastes, except if there's a recall on bad batches or something. The most recent one was Arctic's MX-5.

 

[Lucky_SLS]

The 7800X3D does not run that hot and draws less power compared to the i7 or i9.

So i chose that AIO cuz its sufficient and costs less.

Alternatively, the Deepcool AG620 ARGB as suggested by @Why_Me would be the best aircooler option.

Or, u can get this white cooler which also performs similarly: Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 White ARGB CPU Air Cooler, 6 Heat Pipes, Dual 120mm TL-C12W-S PWM Fan, Aluminium Heatsink Cover, AGHP Technology, for AMD AM4/Intel LGA 1700/1150/1151/1200/2066/2011 : Amazon.ca: Electronics