[SOLVED] Need help choosing the components for my gaming PC

[Jussinen]

Hi
Thanks already for the answers. I'm planning to purchase a new PC around Black Friday. Instead of talking about a budget (which could be something like 2300 € in total without OS), I'd say that the parts that I've already thought about are just about as expensive as I'm willing to pay for them. However, I could swab a component for a much better one if it doesn't have a significant impact on the total cost.

Monitor is not included, I'll buy it separately or at least I'll think about it later.

I may end up overclocking the CPU and/or GPU one day, when they're not up for their task, but that's a big may. I might buy a better GPU (like RTX 3090) one day though, and possibly CPU (something better from the same 5000-series). It's not going to happen in any near future, but I like to leave that option open. So that's good to remember when choosing the motherboard.

So this is what I've been thinking of so far:

CPU: Ryzen 5600X
GPU: Asus Rog Strix 3060 Ti OC
RAM: Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 3200 MHz
Motherboard: B550 MSI Gaming Edge Wifi
SSD: M.2 Samsung 970 Evo Plus (500gb and 1tb)
PSU: Seasonic PX850
Case: Fractal Design Meshify 2
Cooling: I'm willing to spend some 200-300 €, but need some help with what to get.

I'm not really planning to reconsider my CPU here.
GPU-wise it's really Asus Rog Strix 3060 Ti OC or MSI 3060 Ti Gaming Z Trio. I'd be happy to buy a Radeon 6700XT too, but it's currently unavailable.
RAM seems to be just about the best alternative. There are other good options too, but I guess I'll make the final decision on Black Friday based on what's on discount and for how much.
Motherboard: I just want a good motherboard that can meet up with the requirements that I listed above (components, overclocking, future upgrades). Whether it costs 170 € or 230 € is not that important.
SSD: Is there any reason why I shouldn't use 2x m.2? Difference in price between m.2 and 2,5" is really small. I was thinking of buying that 500GB for OS and 1TB for everything else.
PSU: There are few good options here and I'll look at what's on discount on Black Friday. Energy efficiency is a good thing, but obviously there's no point in paying a huge sum of money just to save an euro or two in electricity bill.
Case: There are other options too, but Fractal Design's Meshify 2 is my number 1 choise right now. I don't think that I'll change my mind on that one anymore, unless someone can convince me that NZXT H710i is a great option aswell.
Cooling: I'll probably open a new thread because there's just so much to it, but I'm thinking of going with 3x 140mm in front, 1x 140mm rear, 1x 140mm bottom, 360mm AIO on top.

How does all of this sound to you? Is it a decent gaming PC or is something horribly wrong about it? Computers are ridiculously expensive these days so I just want to make sure that I get it "right" before I invest all that money on it. I've already asked about some of these parts elsewhere but I just want to see what people think about the whole package.

EDIT:
Thanks everyone for the answers so far. I asked for help choosing the components for my gaming PC and this is what I ended up with:

CPU: Ryzen 5600X
GPU: Asus Rog Strix 3060 Ti OC
RAM: Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 3600 MHz
Motherboard: B550 MSI Gaming Edge Wifi
SSD: M.2 Samsung 970 Evo Plus (500gb and 1tb)
PSU: Seasonic PX850
Case: Fractal Design Meshify 2
Cooling: Most likely Arctic Freezer 34 eSport Duo for CPU
2x Arctic BioniX F140 PWM PST fans on top of the case (or alternatively Arctic Liquid Freezer II 360 on top, for CPU)
3x Fractal Design Prisma AL-14 PWM in front intake
1x Fractal Design Prisma AL-14 PWM for rear exhaust

Now I only really need a gaming monitor (curved or not? if curved, then only slightly), which I wasn't sure if I wanted to buy now. But I may aswell use this same thread for that. So... I've read about monitors, but it's all still blurry... Too much info. I would like a 27" 1440p monitor (for some future proofing at least, in case I ever end up upgrading the CPU and GPU). Price range around 300-400 € (or less...). It's a gaming PC so I would like a monitor mostly for gaming, but it doesn't have to be the best best. I've played with regular non-gaming monitors for years and they've been okay. But something that is gentle to one's eyes would be good, my current monitor sure isn't. I noticed that most gaming monitors are in the worst possible energy class and I've read some pretty confusing and contradictory reviews and comments on their energy efficiency and power consumption. With how things are developing with the energy prices, I think good energy efficiency would be much preferable. No need for integrated speakers or headphone inserts, but other than that, I am not entirely sure what I need. Computer world has changed so much since I bought my last computer.

 

[Aeacus]

but I guess I'll make the final decision on Black Friday based on what's on discount and for how much.

Black Friday sales usually mean that stores want to get rid of excess stock, that people haven't bought otherwise. Here, i wouldn't count on Black Friday sales since there's usually a good reason why people haven't bought them earlier.

Motherboard: I just want a good motherboard that can meet up with the requirements that I listed above (components, overclocking, future upgrades). Whether it costs 170 € or 230 € is not that important.

When it comes to MoBo, besides price difference, there is also difference in features it offers. E.g RGB/ARGB headers, M.2 slots, how many fan headers, unique features, etc.
Here's a good point to start researching best MoBos for Ryzen CPUs at current date: https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-motherboards,3984-2.html

Difference in price between m.2 and 2,5" is really small.

You need to pay careful attention if the M.2 SSD is ACHI or NVMe. If it's ACHI (usually close or same price as 2.5" SSD), then do note it uses SATA protocol and isn't any faster than normal 2.5" SSD. NVMe uses PCI-E protocol and is much faster than conventional SSD.

How does all of this sound to you? Is it a decent gaming PC or is something horribly wrong about it?

Build looks good and great choice on PSU.

 

[Jussinen]

Black Friday sales usually mean that stores want to get rid of excess stock, that people haven't bought otherwise. Here, i wouldn't count on Black Friday sales since there's usually a good reason why people haven't bought them earlier.

Don't worry, I won't buy just anything that's on discount I've made some list on what's good and what's not. Like my options on RAM: Corsair Vengeance LPX, Vengeance RGB Pro, G.Skill Ripjaws V, Trident Z Neo. Whatever is on a good discount will probably be my choise. I've noticed that sometimes the pricing can get a bit ridiculous and you may find - say - a Seasonic PX 850W for the same price as GX 850 (that's Platinum for PX and Gold for GX) if the former one is on discount.

When it comes to MoBo, besides price difference, there is also difference in features it offers. E.g RGB/ARGB headers, M.2 slots, how many fan headers, unique features, etc.
Here's a good point to start researching best MoBos for Ryzen CPUs at current date: https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-motherboards,3984-2.html

Yea I checked out that list, and a great many reviews on Tom's hardware and elsewhere. That's really why I picked that B550 MSI Gaming Edge Wifi. Should have good thermals, overclocking possibilities, good Wifi and Bluetooth, M.2 with a heatsink (well, it's not a reason to buy it but it's still extra) etc. But maybe I missed out something. RGB headers are still a bit of mystery for me. And so is the difference between RGB and ARGB. As far as I know, Gaming Edge Wifi has 4 RGB headers. But well, I don't know anything about them. Does each fan need one?

You need to pay careful attention if the M.2 SSD is ACHI or NVMe.

I forgot to put that on my list above, but it is fixed it now. I meant NVMe when I talked about M.2, not the SATA 2,5". Those Samsung 970 Evo Plus SSDs are NVMe. And really not that more expensive than equivalent 2,5". And all B550 motherboards that I'm even considering support two NVMe M.2 SSDs. I don't even know if there are any B550s that don't.

Build looks good and great choice on PSU.

Cheers! Good to hear that. I did try to read as much as possible about all the options before choosing the components, but quite frankly I don't know much about computers. Especially motherboards. 😓

 

[Aeacus]

RGB headers are still a bit of mystery for me. And so is the difference between RGB and ARGB.

On the regular +12V RGB header (4-pin), all LEDs of a primary color (R, G, B) are chained together and act simultaneously depending on the input signal. This makes individual LED addressing impossible.

Pinout:
pin #1 - +12V
pin #2 - G (green color)
pin #3 - R (red color)
pin #4 - B (blue color)

On the +5V ARGB header (3-pin), there is LED driver control for each RGB LED package that translates the serial information coming in through the data pin into a specific output for that LED package it is attached to. That method makes single LED addressing possible.

Pinout:
pin #1 - +5V
pin #2 - data
pin #3 - empty (no pin)
pin #4 - ground

The technologies are different between the two and you can't combine them.
Plugging the 3-pin RGB connector to the 4-pin RGB header fries the LEDs since you'd be feeding more than twice the voltage to them (12V vs 5V). And even if the addressable LEDs somehow survive the initial power up, there's no data pin in the 4-pin RGB header to control the LEDs.

Gaming Edge Wifi has 4 RGB headers.

According to MoBo specs, it has two of each,
specs: https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/MPG-B550-GAMING-EDGE-WIFI/Specification

Does each fan need one?

To know the limits of RGB and ARGB headers, read the holy bible of PCs (aka MoBo manual).

In pages of 41 and 42, it is explained in detail:
(you can download the manual from Support page)

+12V RGB

The JRGB connector supports up to 2 meters continuous 5050 RGB LED strips (12V/G/R/B) with the maximum power rating of 3A (12V).

+5V ARGB

The JRAINBOW connector supports up to 75 LEDs WS2812B Individually Addressable RGB LED strips (5V/Data/Ground) with the maximum power rating of 3A (5V). In the case of 20% brightness, the connector supports up to 200 LEDs.

Easy, isn't it? 😄

but quite frankly I don't know much about computers. Especially motherboards.

Then it's a good time to start reading and learning. This way, you'll learn more about the ins and outs of your new PC, creating a bond/connection. And if you assemble all of it on your own, then the bond grows stronger. 😄 It's also one of the reasons why i love hardware and PC assembly. And helping others out in that regard as well.

As far as MoBos go, reviews are best source to learn about them.
All-in-all there are few criteria by which to choose MoBo:

• price
• features offered
• appearance

Price doesn't need further explanation. Features offered is based on your own needs (e.g like you want to have 2x M.2 SSD slots), and appearance comes into play when you think about build color theme. For example, NZXT has neat and clean MoBo, which would suit NZXT cases perfectly,
link: https://nzxt.com/product/n7-b550
But i doubt you'd put completely white MoBo in a black case. So, appearance does matter.

 

[Why_Me]

Hi
Thanks already for the answers. I'm planning to purchase a new PC around Black Friday. Instead of talking about a budget (which could be something like 2300 € in total without OS), I'd say that the parts that I've already thought about are just about as expensive as I'm willing to pay for them. However, I could swab a component for a much better one if it doesn't have a significant impact on the total cost.

Monitor is not included, I'll buy it separately or at least I'll think about it later.

I may end up overclocking the CPU and/or GPU one day, when they're not up for their task, but that's a big may. I might buy a better GPU (like RTX 3090) one day though, and possibly CPU (something better from the same 5000-series). It's not going to happen in any near future, but I like to leave that option open. So that's good to remember when choosing the motherboard.

So this is what I've been thinking of so far:

CPU: Ryzen 5600X
GPU: Asus Rog Strix 3060 Ti OC
RAM: Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 3200 MHz
Motherboard: B550 MSI Gaming Edge Wifi
SSD: M.2 Samsung 970 Evo Plus (500gb and 1tb)
PSU: Seasonic PX850
Case: Fractal Design Meshify 2
Cooling: I'm willing to spend some 200-300 €, but need some help with what to get.

I'm not really planning to reconsider my CPU here.
GPU-wise it's really Asus Rog Strix 3060 Ti OC or MSI 3060 Ti Gaming Z Trio. I'd be happy to buy a Radeon 6700XT too, but it's currently unavailable.
RAM seems to be just about the best alternative. There are other good options too, but I guess I'll make the final decision on Black Friday based on what's on discount and for how much.
Motherboard: I just want a good motherboard that can meet up with the requirements that I listed above (components, overclocking, future upgrades). Whether it costs 170 € or 230 € is not that important.
SSD: Is there any reason why I shouldn't use 2x NVMe m.2? Difference in price between NVMe m.2 and 2,5" is really small. I was thinking of buying that 500GB for OS and 1TB for everything else.
PSU: There are few good options here and I'll look at what's on discount on Black Friday. Energy efficiency is a good thing, but obviously there's no point in paying a huge sum of money just to save an euro or two in electricity bill.
Case: There are other options too, but Fractal Design's Meshify 2 is my number 1 choise right now. I don't think that I'll change my mind on that one anymore, unless someone can convince me that NZXT H710i is a great option aswell.
Cooling: I'll probably open a new thread because there's just so much to it, but I'm thinking of going with 3x 140mm in front, 1x 140mm rear, 1x 140mm bottom, 360mm AIO on top.

How does all of this sound to you? Is it a decent gaming PC or is something horribly wrong about it? Computers are ridiculously expensive these days so I just want to make sure that I get it "right" before I invest all that money on it. I've already asked about some of these parts elsewhere but I just want to see what people think about the whole package.

Ryzen cpu's benefit from higher clocked memory hence the reason you want 3600mhz RAM. btw what country are you located and what is your monitor resolution?

 

[Jussinen]

I was actually just reading about the ARGB and RGB. Blimey! What a mess they've created just to turn on lights inside a computer 😀 Back in the old times it was all about performance and looks meant nothing. Which should be the way to go these days aswell. I'm honestly surprised that it has come to this. But what am I ranting, I'm just another victim here! I may stick to those stock non-RGB fans awhile longer now though 😉I may simply get a single RGB fan and that's it.

Then it's a good time to start reading and learning. This way, you'll learn more about the ins and outs of your new PC, creating a bond/connection. And if you assemble all of it on your own, then the bond grows stronger. 😄 It's also one of the reasons why i love hardware and PC assembly. And helping others out in that regard as well.

I won't build it myself, no. I know that components come with a warranty but I also want a warranty from the shop that builds my PC. And I really know nothing about computers, other what I've read in the last few weeks (and I've read dozens and dozens of component reviews, comparisons etc.). I would love build it myself while being helped with it, but that's not possible. Maybe next time!

But i doubt you'd put completely white MoBo in a black case. So, appearance does matter.

I just might! But performance first! NZXT motherboard is fine, but it is 25% more to MSI and I don't think it adds up anything. Could even be worse.
What comes to motehrboard really, appearance is of a lesser value for me since I decided not to go with the NZXT case. MSI B550 Gaming Edge is perfectly good enough for me in terms of looks. It's fairly neutral, black. Asus Rog Strix models and most Gigabyte Aorus models are okay too in terms of looks. Aside of those features that Gaming Edge has that I like, I don't really know what else to look for. Better audio? No need. I have a stereo amp and A1200 codec (or whatever it was called) should be fine enough, even if I buy good headphones. More RGB or ARGB? Well, I guess I'll look into that, but maybe I don't need them. Honestly don't know what else I could possibly need.

Ryzen cpu's benefit from higher clocked memory hence the reason you want 3600mhz RAM. btw what country are you located and what is your monitor resolution?

I did read about the 3600 MHz for Ryzen, although officially they only support 3200 MHz, right? I could go with the 3600 MHz though. It's not really more expensive either, not around here anyway. And MSI B550 Gaming Edge should support far faster RAM too.

I'm from Finland and I haven't decided upon my monitor yet. I was thinking of QHD 1440p though (it's either that or 1080p), but prices are quite high for those too. 4k I won't bother with.

 

[Why_Me]

I was actually just reading about the ARGB and RGB. Blimey! What a mess they've created just to turn on lights inside a computer 😀 Back in the old times it was all about performance and looks meant nothing. Which should be the way to go these days aswell. I'm honestly surprised that it has come to this. But what am I ranting, I'm just another victim here! I may stick to those stock non-RGB fans awhile longer now though 😉I may simply get a single RGB fan and that's it.


I won't build it myself, no. I know that components come with a warranty but I also want a warranty from the shop that builds my PC. And I really know nothing about computers, other what I've read in the last few weeks (and I've read dozens and dozens of component reviews, comparisons etc.). I would love build it myself while being helped with it, but that's not possible. Maybe next time!


I just might! But performance first! NZXT motherboard is fine, but it is 25% more to MSI and I don't think it adds up anything. Could even be worse.
What comes to motehrboard really, appearance is of a lesser value for me since I decided not to go with the NZXT case. MSI B550 Gaming Edge is perfectly good enough for me in terms of looks. It's fairly neutral, black. Asus Rog Strix models and most Gigabyte Aorus models are okay too in terms of looks. Aside of those features that Gaming Edge has that I like, I don't really know what else to look for. Better audio? No need. I have a stereo amp and A1200 codec (or whatever it was called) should be fine enough, even if I buy good headphones. More RGB or ARGB? Well, I guess I'll look into that, but maybe I don't need them. Honestly don't know what else I could possibly need.



I did read about the 3600 MHz for Ryzen, although officially they only support 3200 MHz, right? I could go with the 3600 MHz though. It's not really more expensive either, not around here anyway. And MSI B550 Gaming Edge should support far faster RAM too.

I'm from Finland and I haven't decided upon my monitor yet. I was thinking of QHD 1440p though (it's either that or 1080p), but prices are quite high for those too. 4k I won't bother with.

An RTX 3060 Ti is ideal for 1080P. Also if this build is primarily for gaming you can save yourself some money by going with the i5 11400F. Intel 10/11 gen cpu's aren't as memory dependant and 3200mhz is ideal for those builds.

https://www.jimms.fi/fi/Product/Sho...ore-i5-11400-16gb-ddr4-3200-mhz-bundletarjous
ASUS TUF GAMING B560-PLUS WIFI + Core i5-11400 + 16GB DDR4 3200MHz CL16 429,90€

or ...

https://www.jimms.fi/fi/Product/Show/176511/b560-aorus-pro-ax/gigabyte-b560-aorus-pro-ax-atx-emolevy
Gigabyte B560 AORUS PRO AX 149,00€

https://www.jimms.fi/fi/Product/Sho...el-core-i5-11400f-lga1200-2-60-ghz-12mb-boxed
Core i5-11400F 179,90€

https://www.jimms.fi/fi/Product/Sho...-8gb-fury-beast-ddr4-3200mhz-cl16-1-35v-musta
Kingston 16GB (2x8GB) FURY Beast DDR4 3200MHz CL16 77,90€

https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/B560-AORUS-PRO-AX-rev-10#kf

https://www.asus.com/Motherboards-Components/Motherboards/TUF-Gaming/TUF-GAMING-B560-PLUS-WIFI/

Reviews of that cpu with benchmarks.

https://www.guru3d.com/articles-pages/intel-core-i5-11400f-processor-review,1.html

Intel Core i5-11400F Review - The Best Rocket Lake

The Core i5-11400F is Intel's most affordable Rocket Lake processor. While its multiplier is locked, you can still adjust the power limit. Once we did that, the CPU ran over 15% faster and almost matched the Core i5-11600K. We also made an interesting discovery regarding Gear 1 vs. Gear 2.

www.techpowerup.com

 

[Why_Me]

An RTX 3060 Ti is ideal for 1080P. Also if this build is primarily for gaming you can save yourself some money by going with the i5 11400F. Intel 10/11 gen cpu's aren't as memory dependant and 3200mhz is ideal for those builds.

https://www.jimms.fi/fi/Product/Sho...ore-i5-11400-16gb-ddr4-3200-mhz-bundletarjous
ASUS TUF GAMING B560-PLUS WIFI + Core i5-11400 + 16GB DDR4 3200MHz CL16 429,90€

or ...

https://www.jimms.fi/fi/Product/Show/176511/b560-aorus-pro-ax/gigabyte-b560-aorus-pro-ax-atx-emolevy
Gigabyte B560 AORUS PRO AX 149,00€

https://www.jimms.fi/fi/Product/Sho...el-core-i5-11400f-lga1200-2-60-ghz-12mb-boxed
Core i5-11400F 179,90€

https://www.jimms.fi/fi/Product/Sho...-8gb-fury-beast-ddr4-3200mhz-cl16-1-35v-musta
Kingston 16GB (2x8GB) FURY Beast DDR4 3200MHz CL16 77,90€

https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/B560-AORUS-PRO-AX-rev-10#kf

https://www.asus.com/Motherboards-Components/Motherboards/TUF-Gaming/TUF-GAMING-B560-PLUS-WIFI/

Reviews of that cpu with benchmarks.

https://www.guru3d.com/articles-pages/intel-core-i5-11400f-processor-review,1.html

Intel Core i5-11400F Review - The Best Rocket Lake

The Core i5-11400F is Intel's most affordable Rocket Lake processor. While its multiplier is locked, you can still adjust the power limit. Once we did that, the CPU ran over 15% faster and almost matched the Core i5-11600K. We also made an interesting discovery regarding Gear 1 vs. Gear 2.

www.techpowerup.com

https://www.jimms.fi/fi/Product/Sho...4-esports-duo-black-white-prosessorijaahdytin
ARCTIC Freezer 34 eSports DUO 42,90€

 

[Aeacus]

Back in the old times it was all about performance and looks meant nothing. Which should be the way to go these days aswell.

Nowadays, you can go without RGB eyecandy as well, just pick a case that doesn't have a side window. This way, it doesn't matter what's the hardware appearance. 😉

I may simply get a single RGB fan and that's it.

Since my MoBo doesn't have any RGB/ARGB headers, i went with single LED color fans + kit from NZXT with ARGB (HUE+, AER RGB fans and ARGB LED strip).
ARGB gives flexibility in terms of colors you're seeing from PC. RGB does the same but isn't that smooth with less RGB profiles/combinations.

Honestly don't know what else I could possibly need.

MSI B550 Gaming Edge Wifi has plenty of everything, without being overly flashy and yes, it's hard to think what else it could have.

I'm from Finland

Btw, i'm virolainen. 😉 Small world, eh? 😄

ARCTIC Freezer 34 eSports DUO 42,90€

One of the best mid-sized CPU coolers and my 1st suggestion regarding mid-sized CPU coolers.
Review too: https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/arctic-freezer-34-esports-duo-cooler,6352.html

 

[Jussinen]

Well I thought that at least my processor option would be safe, heh. And now I'm being recommended a 11400F. I was thinking of 11600K earlier, but decided that 5600X with the same cost (with motherboard) is just as fine and has lower power consumption. I see that 11400F beats 5600X in thermals and rendering but 5600X is still a good option, no? Just more expensive. Then there's the 3000-series AMD processors... I guess I'll have to read some more, again! I just decided upon 5600X because it was so widely used in so many builds. I think it is also the number 1 processor in https://www.jimms.fi/ own builds. One question though, is that iGPU important? F-model Intel CPUs don't have one, I believe.

Cooler-wise, I'm just unsure whether that Arctic Freezer 34 eSports Duo is powerful enough in case I want to upgrade my CPU or overclock the current contestant (5600X)? It really gets a lot of praises though. I'll think about it. I do want to spend on good quality parts even when it costs a bit more. But it is always about finding the balance of not wasting too much and getting the good enough components. In a long run I think it is a bit insignificant whether I paid 10 % more of my computer or not, if that 10 % more significantly improves the performance and experience. Like, I don't want an ugly case even if it is cheap. I'd have to be ashamed of it for the next 5+ years 😉

 

[Aeacus]

Well I thought that at least my processor option would be safe, heh.

5600X and 11600K are quite equal,
comparison: https://cpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/AMD-Ryzen-5-5600X-vs-Intel-Core-i5-11600K/4084vs4113

I, personally, prefer Intel more. Since it has iGPU (great to use when your dedicated GPU happens to die and you still need to use your PC), and it isn't that iffy about RAM speeds either.

Back in the day, last CPU AMD released, was FX-8350, in 2012. It took AMD 5 years before they came out with Ryzen 1st gen. In that time, Intel kept releasing CPUs, albeit with ~10% improvements over previous gen, since Intel didn't have competition. Also, Intel kept mainstream CPUs 4 core 4 thread ones, while only top-end CPUs had hyperthreading with double the amount of threads compared to the cores.
When AMD launched their Ryzen, AMD focused on multi-core performance and adding far more cores/threads to their CPUs. That move pushed Intel to increase core/thread amount in their CPUs as well, starting from 8th gen. And for a while, Intel and AMD had a nice synergy, where Intel CPUs excel in single- and quad-core performance, while AMD CPUs excel in multi-core (6 cores and up) performance.
Now, Intel has caught up and their newest CPUs have equal or even better multi-core performance than AMD CPUs have them.

Oh, reason why many people have AMD Ryzen CPUs, are basically for 2 reasons:

• AM4 socket does support several CPU generations and people didn't need to replace their MoBo when upgrading CPU. No such luxury with Intel. Each MoBo chipset supports only 2 generations of CPUs, while when you want to use 3rd gen in the line, you have to buy new MoBo. E.g Z170 chipset supports Intel 6th gen Skylake and (with BIOS update) 7th gen Kaby Lake CPUs. But when i'd want to use 8th gen Coffee Lake CPU, i have to buy a new MoBo.
• Ryzen CPUs have good multi-core performance, even their lower end, cheaper models and many people multitask (e.g gaming + streaming). In those situations, especially for streamers, high CPU core/thread count is needed.

Here's comparison between two builds, Ryzen as baseline, Intel as alternative:
Take it as a guideline, rather than actual rule.

Userbenchmark PC Build Comparison

Baseline Bench: Game 127%, Desk 102%, Work 120%
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
GPU: Nvidia RTX 3060-Ti
SSD: Samsung 970 Evo Plus NVMe PCIe M.2 500GB
RAM: Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR4 3600 C18 2x8GB

Alternative Bench: Game 136%, Desk 108%, Work 128%
CPU: Intel Core i5-11600K
GPU: Nvidia RTX 3060-Ti
SSD: Samsung 970 Evo Plus NVMe PCIe M.2 500GB
RAM: Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR4 3200 C16 2x8GB

Only diff between the two is, that for Intel build, i put in 3200 Mhz CL16 RAM.

When it comes to RAM, frequency alone isn't the factor to see if it is the best/fastest. Memory timings, namely CAS Latency also plays a huge role.
To know how fast the RAM actually is, we need to calculate it's latency, with following formula:
(cas latency / ram speed) x 2000 = latency in nanoseconds

If your 3600 Mhz RAM has CL18, it has:
(18/3600)x2000=10 nanoseconds of latency
3200 Mhz RAM with CL16, has:
(16/3200)x2000=10 nanoseconds of latency
And 3000 Mhz RAM with CL15, has:
(15/3000)x2000=10 nanoseconds of latency

So, despite the 3600 Mhz RAM having faster frequency than e.g 3000 Mhz RAM, it's the CAS Latency that equals things. And slower frequency RAM usually costs less as well, sweetening the deal even more. Btw, i have 3000 Mhz, CL15 RAM in use.

Btw, if you plan to go with Intel and i5-11600K, good MoBo would be MSI Z590 Tomahawk Wi-fi,
specs: https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/MAG-Z590-TOMAHAWK-WIFI/Specification

Key factor between the two is M.2 SSD slots. B550 MoBo has 2 M.2 SSD slots, while Z590 MoBo has 3 M.2 SSD slots.

Cooler-wise, I'm just unsure whether that Arctic Freezer 34 eSports Duo is powerful enough in case I want to upgrade my CPU or overclock the current contestant (5600X)? It really gets a lot of praises though.

Beefier CPU cooler gives you more headroom CPU OC wise. E.g you can run higher frequency with a bit more voltage increase, without hitting way too high CPU temps, compared when you'd be using Freezer 34 eSports Duo. For non-OC use, Freezer 34 eSports Duo is more than enough.

 

[5900x]

My cooler suggestion: For AIO coolers, I recently bought 5900x (manual clocking all cores 4.5hz @1.28v)couple of months ago and use Arctic Liquid Freezer II 360 ARGB (on B550M mobo) to cool it. I'm extremely happy with this experience and I will always use Arctic brands from here on. Non-rgb version is even cheaper but same performance. They have nailed it with the silent cool calm cooling. Just make sure the motherboard can take it if you decide to go with it.

 

[Jussinen]

I haven't ditched the AIO option yet, but I'm a bit scared of liquid cooling as AIOs do come with a shorter warranty period and if there is a leakage, things will get dirty... But I'm sure that in like 95% of the cases they'll be just fine and will likely outlive their life expectancy too. If I had the money, I'd buy the AIO and if anything happened to it, I'd replace it. But I don't want a PC that costs a fortune and costs even more to maintain, you know? 😉I can invest a good deal of money on something as long as I know that it'll be cheap to maintain from thereon.

 

[Aeacus]

it'll be cheap to maintain from thereon.

In this case, nothing beats tower-type air coolers. Since only a fan can go bad on it and new fan costs little and is also easy to replace. While with AIO and when pump goes bad, you need to replace the whole thing. Costing you considerably more, not to mention re-paste the CPU, where you need to remove the old thermal paste beforehand. Essentially, a lot more work.

and I will always use Arctic brands from here on.

Arctic Cooling, is yes, a good brand in terms of CPU coolers. Even i have Arctic Cooling CPU cooler, Freezer i32. With a diff that i've replaced the stock semi-passive fan with two Corsair ML120 Pro LED (red) fans, in push-pull.

Noctua is king when it comes to air coolers and they have nailed the CPU air cooling. Also, Noctua fans are very good, albeit their default brown/beige coloring is either hate or love.

Be Quiet! also has good CPU coolers and also makes good PC cases.

 

[Jussinen]

Well I did some comparison on regular fans, comparing their static pressure and airflow on paper and for the RGB fans available, I think Alpenföhn's Wing Boost 3 did pretty well. They're ARGB but come with an RGB convertor or some sort, I believe..? Good performance anyway. Not big differences between Be Quiet! Silent Wing 3 or Arctic BioniX P140. All models that I compared were RGB, PWM and 140mm. I'd probably put 2 or 3 of those 140mm RGBs in front for intake and one for rear exhaust. Three stock fans I could use on top, although I don't know if they're PWM which might be a good idea. I was thinking that the top fan closest to the rear exhaust should be the primary source of exhaust along with the rear exhaust.

An RTX 3060 Ti is ideal for 1080P. Also if this build is primarily for gaming you can save yourself some money by going with the i5 11400F. Intel 10/11 gen cpu's aren't as memory dependant and 3200mhz is ideal for those builds.

I actually checked this option aswell. Yes, I could save around a hundred euros there and for that price I'd probably get a slightly better Z590 board too (at least one more m.2 slot and better audio, though I need neither). That's a lot of money for sure, though performance would suffer slighly aswell. Or add up another 50 euros saved if I'd go with a Z490 board. But I'll have to think about it.

 

[Why_Me]

Well I did some comparison on regular fans, comparing their static pressure and airflow on paper and for the RGB fans available, I think Alpenföhn's Wing Boost 3 did pretty well. They're ARGB but come with an RGB convertor or some sort, I believe..? Good performance anyway. Not big differences between Be Quiet! Silent Wing 3 or Arctic BioniX P140. All models that I compared were RGB, PWM and 140mm. I'd probably put 2 or 3 of those 140mm RGBs in front for intake and one for rear exhaust. Three stock fans I could use on top, although I don't know if they're PWM which might be a good idea. I was thinking that the top fan closest to the rear exhaust should be the primary source of exhaust along with the rear exhaust.


I actually checked this option aswell. Yes, I could save around a hundred euros there and for that price I'd probably get a slightly better Z590 board too (at least one more m.2 slot and better audio, though I need neither). That's a lot of money for sure, though performance would suffer slighly aswell. Or add up another 50 euros saved if I'd go with a Z490 board. But I'll have to think about it.

https://www.jimms.fi/fi/Product/Show/170474/tuf-gaming-h570-pro/asus-tuf-gaming-h570-pro-atx-emolevy
Asus TUF GAMING H570-PRO 189,00€

https://www.asus.com/Motherboards-Components/Motherboards/TUF-Gaming/TUF-GAMING-H570-PRO/
Audio: Realtek ALC S1200A 7.1 Surround Sound High Definition Audio CODEC

https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/compare.html?productIds=196645,196613

H570 chipset = 20 PCIe lanes
B560 chipset = 12 PCIe lanes

 

[iTRiP]

If I where you i'd definitively go with the ROG spec of GPU, they are awesome.

 

[Jussinen]

If I where you i'd definitively go with the ROG spec of GPU, they are awesome.

Like to hear that, because now it is my only option since MSI 3060 Ti Gaming Z Trio is sold out! I wish that 6700 XT or 6800 would be available as they're in the same price range, but no.

 

[Jussinen]

I don't know why I'm such a noob at finding stuff but I couldn't find out how many fan headers B550 Gaming Edge Wifi has. There's just so much that I've had to learn about computers just so that I can get a build ready, even though someone else is going to build it for me (sadly!). So if Gaming Edge has 4x 4-pin headers, like I think it does, it means that I can use at least 4 PWM (or non-PWM) fans, right? Or more with a splitter? But using a splitter means that I cannot control the fans connected via splitter individually? Would make sense. Now that's a shame as such. 4 case fans might actually be enough for Meshify 2, but I think most people would recommend using like 7 case fans. It would be great to be able to fill the case with fans and then simply try different RPM settings on each fan individually and together to get the best optimal thermal performane.

Honestly though, I think cooling seems to be just about the most complicated thing overall.

 

[Aeacus]

I don't know why I'm such a noob at finding stuff but I couldn't find out how many fan headers B550 Gaming Edge Wifi has.

From the specs link i gave above, select Details tab. From there, scroll down to Internal Connections and:

1x 4-pin CPU fan connector
1x 4-pin water-pump fan connector
6x 4-pin system fan connectors

So, in total, it has 8 fan headers.

So if Gaming Edge has 4x 4-pin headers, like I think it does, it means that I can use at least 4 PWM (or non-PWM) fans, right? Or more with a splitter? But using a splitter means that I cannot control the fans connected via splitter individually? Would make sense. Now that's a shame as such.

You can connect comfortably 2 fans per one fan header, using the Y-splitter, like this one,
amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Noctua-NA-SYC1-Accessory-4-pin-Y-Cables/dp/B00KG8K5CY

But yes, individual fan control in this case is impossible and both fans on Y-splitter will run in sync.

It would be great to be able to fill the case with fans and then simply try different RPM settings on each fan individually and together to get the best optimal thermal performane.

With B550 Gaming Edge Wi-fi, you can connect 7 case fans individually. Though, even if you couldn't, you could always use fan controller; either internal (e.g Corsair iCUE Commander Pro, specs) or external (e.g Thermaltake Commander F6 RGB, specs) which sits in 5.25" bay. (I have the latter in use, very convenient. 😊 )

Edit:

I think Alpenföhn's Wing Boost 3 did pretty well.

Not quite.
First off, specs: https://www.alpenfoehn.de/en/products/fans/140mm-fans/wing-boost-3-argb-140mm-en

Sure, their static pressure is claimed to be great, at 2.07 mmH2O but their airflow is written using different measure amount, which gives bigger number. 134 m3/h. Nice big number, yes? Well, almost all fans airflow is measured in CFM and when you use converter like this one: https://www.convertunits.com/from/cubic+m/hr/to/cfm you can actually see that those fans are 78.8 CFM fans, which for a 140mm fan, is good performance but not great.

And by looking the fans, namely fan blade design, i don't think it is capable of 2.07 mmH2O static pressure. For static pressure, fan blades need to be fatter, with less gap between fan blades, so less air escapes between the blades and higher static pressure is achieved.

For example, look at Noctua NF-A14 PWM fan,
specs: https://noctua.at/en/products/fan/nf-a14-pwm
It has big, fat fan blades:

Noctua 140mm fan is capable of 2.08 mmH2O and 82.5 CFM. That i do believe. But Wing Boost 3, with it's long and slim fan blades getting same performance as Noctua? That, i don't believe. It MAYBE gets the same airflow but same static pressure? No way.

Oh, both fans have same max speed, 1500 RPM. Though, Wing Boost 3 has it's speed written as 500-1500 U/min.
U/min? What's that? Units per minute? Which units? Very suspicious.

---

My RGB fans are NZXT AER140 RGB, with the stats of 91.19 CFM and 1.52 mmH2O. Since i have them as top exhausts i don't need high static pressure there, but static pressure of 1.52 mmH2O is still pretty good. What is great about them, is their high airflow, the highest i've seen with 140mm ARGB fans.

Now, NZXT has since made successor of those fans, in form of AER RGB 2 fans (better LED control and technology), while keeping the superb airflow and static pressure,
specs: https://nzxt.com/product/aer-rgb-2-140mm-twin-starter-pack

 

[Jussinen]

Oh, both fans have same max speed, 1500 RPM. Though, Wing Boost 3 has it's speed written as 500-1500 U/min.
U/min? What's that? Units per minute? Which units? Very suspicious.

I could be wrong but Alpenföhn is a german company and U/min - as far as I know - is same as RPM, just in German. Websites (and people in general!) are very lazy with their translations so they just copy paste what they find from the official data sheet. Don't worry though, I did convert all metrics to ye olde imperial units 😉. Alpenföhn wasn't as good as some others, but was still in the category of better fans, beating Be Quiet! Silent Wing 3 for example.

Noctua 140mm fan is capable of 2.08 mmH2O and 82.5 CFM. That i do believe. But Wing Boost 3, with it's long and slim fan blades getting same performance as Noctua? That, i don't believe. It MAYBE gets the same airflow but same static pressure? No way.

You're right about the blade profile, sort of. It doesn't look like it has very wide blades, although they kinda are wide, just in a different angle. And they're not flat. It could be that they're not the best static pressure fans. Number one reason why Alpenföhn is not very well known, though, isn't the fact that they make bad products but because they're maybe not very well known in the USA (it's difficult to find reviews in English). If you ask for PSU recommendations here, you're more likely going to get Corsair AX than for example Seasonic Prime. Corsair is bigger in the USA than Seasonic, that's mostly why. Maybe the price in the USA are more favourable to Corsair. But I haven't even seen a Corsair AX PSU in Finland.

I do have to reconsider NZXT's fans though. They're a bit pricy, but they are cool looking RGBs and good on paper, yes. Best value non-RGBs are probably Arctic BioniX F140 PWM PST. 104 CFM and 2,35 mm H2O. Btw, the Noctua that you posted a picture of has 7 blades, Arctic has 9, Alpenföhn has 11.

Its a real shame that cases even come with stock fans. If you build a computer, you don't mind buying fans separately. If you don't build it, you don't care who installed the fans. But maybe I'm just worrying too much over cooling.

EDIT: Hang on a minute.. Rainbow LED connectors (2 in Gaming Edge Wifi) is the same as ARGB? Well:

Prisma AL-14 PWM

Our AL Series ARGB fans allow your system to truly shine. Six hub-mounted addressable RGB LEDs work in harmony with a white semi-opaque outer ring and fan blades to produce a beautifully uniform glow across the fan’s entire surface.

www.fractal-design.com

Fractal Design Prisma AL14 PWM ARGB. 2,4 static pressure and 104 CFM airflow. Valid option. Cheaper than NZXT. Looks more like Noctua too.

 

[Aeacus]

Number one reason why Alpenföhn is not very well known, though, isn't the fact that they make bad products but because they're maybe not very well known in the USA (it's difficult to find reviews in English).

I don't trust region specific brands. What i do trust, are global brands who's products have tried, tested and proven to be good.

When it comes to fans, there is plethora of brands to choose from. Both lesser known (e.g Bitfenix) and well known (e.g Noctua). But i won't be trusting a brand that i haven't even heard of (Alpenföhn), especially when i can clearly tell that the performance they claim for their fans to be, isn't even logical. It's easy to write big numbers on specs page, especially since end users have little, if any way, to confirm the said numbers once they get the fan. Fan testing requires specific hardware and testing static pressure is far harder than testing airflow.

Now, am i going to risk my hard earned money on a brand that sounds too good to be true? No. But maybe you are.

When it comes to fan brands, household name in consumer market is Noctua. And if you want very good cooling, look no further. Now, when i'd want even better than what Noctua offers, i can always look towards Delta industrial fans, since those are pinnacle when it comes to fans. Of course, Delta fans doesn't have any flashy RGBs for eyecandy. They are all about performance. And they don't need LEDs either (just like Noctua is, you won't find RGB fans from Noctua lineup).
Even then, where there's a will - there's a way. That being said, i can always buy Phanteks Halos frame and get the RGB eyecandy even for Delta industrial fans (or for any non-LED fan for that matter).

All-in-all, fan is there to cool the hardware. Eyecandy is secondary and irrelevant. Though, some people buy fans based on the eyecandy alone, without looking the specs, other than the price.

Rainbow LED connectors (2 in Gaming Edge Wifi) is the same as ARGB?

Yes, same 3-pin +5V ARGB header. "Rainbow LED" is just marketing.

Fractal Design Prisma AL14 PWM ARGB. 2,4 static pressure and 104 CFM airflow. Valid option. Cheaper than NZXT. Looks more than Noctua too.

These look good and believable of their performance as well (when looking fan blade design). Only concern i have with them, is their LLS bearing. Long Life Sleeve Bearing.

Now, when it comes to fan bearings, there are 4 major:
Sleeve bearing 40.000 hours
Ball bearing 60.000-75.000 hours
Fluid-dynamic bearing 150.000-300.000 hours
Magnetic levitation bearing 300.000+ hours (actually, essentially, unlimited)

Rifle bearing is another name for FDB bearing and LLS seems to be variant of Sleeve bearing. 🤔

Further reading: https://www.gamersnexus.net/guides/779-computer-case-fan-bearing-differences

All-in-all, i think you'd be fine with LLS bearing.

 

[Jussinen]

That being said, i can always buy Phanteks Halos frame and get the RGB eyecandy

That's pretty impressive actually, I must say.

Now, when it comes to fan bearings, there are 4 major:
Sleeve bearing 40.000 hours
Ball bearing 60.000-75.000 hours
Fluid-dynamic bearing 150.000-300.000 hours
Magnetic levitation bearing 300.000+ hours (actually, essentially, unlimited)

Rifle bearing is another name for FDB bearing and LLS seems to be variant of Sleeve bearing.

I noticed fan bearings but didn't read about it yet, so thanks for the info. Well, there's less than 9000 hours in a year so Sleeve bearing should still last 4 years of constant use (in my case more than 15 years). I have a feeling that I'd not use those fans for that long, lol. But obviously it is always better to have a little better fan bearings than what is required.

I played around with slightly different builds. Fractal Design Meshify 2 and Fractal Design Torrent, H710i, using different kind of fans and CPUs (11400 vs 5600X). In the end, the price difference between the cheapest option and the most expensive option was around 100 euros, roughly. Most of the builds were very close to one another in price. I'm still a little puzzled with all these connectors (ARGB, PWM etc.) and stuff and when I read more about everything, I'll just find more questions to ask. But I think things are looking positive right now. I think I have the cooling issue somewhat in order now. As I said, I won't write off AIO just yet but air cooler seems like a much better option and that Arctic Freezer 34 eSport Duo seems like a very good option. Or Noctua NH-D15 (or what was it).

So let's see...
CPU: 11400(f) got one vote, but overall nobody said that 5600X is a bad option. 3000-series wasn't even recommended
GPU: If 6700XT or 6800 doesn't appear on Black Friday, Asus Rog Strix 3060 Ti OC is my only option. 3070 Ti doesn't seem like a good option.
RAM: I was recommended to use 3600 MHz RAM instead, even though 5600X is officially made for 3200 MHz RAM? I'm not actually sure which one to buy. I know that 3600 MHz should work though as I've seen people using it in their builds. But brand-wise I think I have a good list of what's good and what's not. It's just a matter of the final price.

Motherboard: B550 MSI Gaming Edge Wifi seems like a good value motherboard with good thermals, OC possibilities and good features for a B550.
SSD: Nobody criticized M.2 Samsung 970 Evo Plus 500gb and 1tb. WD could be better value for money in the USA but here it doesn't seem to be the case. 500gb Seagate Firecuda could be an option, but while much faster than Samsung, I think it comes with its own flaws.
PSU: Seasonic PX850 didn't get hateful comments either! It might be more than is needed, but once again, if I ever upgrade on a 5950X and 3090 (when they become affordable), it's not too much. May be too little. I don't know.
Case: Fractal Design Meshify 2 is right now my number 1 choise (a compromise of looks and performance), but Torrent would be interesting too (it has good fans so no need to buy more or replace the case fans). And Gamers' Nexus' thermal tests actually put Meshify 2 and NZXT H700 (which should be the same as H710i really) on the same level. I don't understand it though. But it seems like H710i's airflow "kinda works".

I would say that these small questions aside, everything seems to be just about ready for me to order the PC. It is now more of a question of what looks I want. Thanks for everyone for all the answers so far. I've learned a lot in a short time period and really wish that I could build the PC myself now.

🙏

 

[Aeacus]

That's pretty impressive actually, I must say.

Phanteks Halos is one of a kind and i know no other piece of hardware that does the same.
Overall, there are 3 different Halos fan frames;
Halos, specs: http://www.phanteks.com/Halos.html
Halos Digital, specs: http://phanteks.com/HalosDigital.html
Halos Digital Lux, specs: http://phanteks.com/HalosLuxDigital.html

And when it comes to Phanteks, they are known for very good build quality.
When i was shopping for a PC case, i had a selection between Corsair and Phanteks, since both have superior build quality. If i wouldn't have gone with Corsair 760T V2 Black, my 2nd choice was Enthoo Pro,
Enthoo lineup: http://www.phanteks.com/Enthoo-Series.html

I was recommended to use 3600 MHz RAM instead, even though 5600X is officially made for 3200 MHz RAM? I'm not actually sure which one to buy.

If unsure, look at your MoBo memory QVL list,
link: https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/MPG-B550-GAMING-EDGE-WIFI/support#support-mem-21

If memory is tested by MSI to work at 3200/3600 Mhz, and when you buy the specific RAM, you can be sure that it does work at those speeds. That's what i did with my Kingston Savage RAM. I looked my MoBo memory QVL list and picked the RAM that works at 3000 Mhz and when all 4 RAM slots are populated, since i planned to use all 4 RAM slots (which i now do as well).

RAM not listed in memory QVL list still works on native speeds, up to 3200 Mhz (if the RAM frequency is equal or higher to that) but higher frequency may not work and you'd be stuck with native speeds.

SSD: Nobody criticized M.2 Samsung 970 Evo Plus 500gb and 1tb.

Samsung is the best when it comes to 2.5" and M.2 SSDs. Sure, it costs more than average but good build quality, great speeds and reliability does cost more.

I have Samsung 960 Evo 500GB in use and i'm pleased with it. I also bought Samsung 980 1TB for Haswell build but haven't had time to install it yet.
Also, i have Samsung 860 Evo 2.5" SSD in use (Haswell build) and i also bought two Samsung 870 Evo 2TB 2.5" SSDs (one for Skylake, another for Haswell) but haven't installed those either, yet.

Seasonic PX850 didn't get hateful comments either!

There's nothing bad to be said about PX-850. It's very good PSU and only a small notch down from the flagship PRIME line. Even i have same series PSU in use, with my AMD build, but at lower wattage: PX-550.

And Gamers' Nexus' thermal tests actually put Meshify 2 and NZXT H700 (which should be the same as H710i really) on the same level. I don't understand it though. But it seems like H710i's airflow "kinda works".

H700 and H710 are "basically" the same but not quite. H710 is refresh of H700.
Now, H710 and H710i are same, since the "i" part means that case has built-in fan controller. Other than that, both cases are identical.

GN also tested H710 and H710i,
review: https://www.gamersnexus.net/hwreviews/3521-nzxt-h710-case-review-brute-force-airflow

With stock conf, H710 is 2 dB(A) louder than Meshify 2. And to get same level of cooling for solid front panel case, like H710, you need to give up somewhere else, namely in noise department.

---

Oh, do note that all the PC components that i've shared here in this topic (and elsewhere in the forums) are suggestions and not recommendations.
Suggestion, as such, is an idea that i present for your consideration while backed up with additional data (specs page, reviews, comparisons etc) where you have easy to access for additional information. With suggestion, it's up to you to decide which part to go with.
Recommendation, in the other hand, is a statement where i basically say that:"this is the one", without proving why i want you to go with this part and where you only have my word to rely on.
If i do recommend something (happens very rarely), i also state that it's a recommendation.

 

[Jussinen]

If memory is tested by MSI to work at 3200/3600 Mhz, and when you buy the specific RAM, you can be sure that it does work at those speeds. That's what i did with my Kingston Savage RAM. I looked my MoBo memory QVL list and picked the RAM that works at 3000 Mhz and when all 4 RAM slots are populated, since i planned to use all 4 RAM slots (which i now do as well).

RAM not listed in memory QVL list still works on native speeds, up to 3200 Mhz (if the RAM frequency is equal or higher to that) but higher frequency may not work and you'd be stuck with native speeds.

Well, XMP mode enables everything up to 5100 MHz on B550 Gaming Edge Wifi, but without XMP mode it is 3200 MHz. And I believe it is the same with the CPU. 3200 MHz is the standard, everything above is overclocking. Though 3600 MHz is said to be the "optimal" speed for 5600X, I believe.

With stock conf, H710 is 2 dB(A) louder than Meshify 2. And to get same level of cooling for solid front panel case, like H710, you need to give up somewhere else, namely in noise department.

That list actually had Fractal Design Meshify S2, which is almost like Meshify 2, but not quite. They did review Meshify 2 though.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTW2KHGzbM0&t=943s

Fan standardized, Meshify did 47,1 °C / 47,9 °C (CPU/GPU) and H710i did 51,9 °C / 50,4 °C. Difference between CPU temps is around 5 °C better for Meshify 2 and GPU is 2,5 °C better for Meshify 2. Meshify 2 does come with a bit more fan options too, so it is better. Noise levels do not worry me so much. Especially if I use headphones and I usually do. As long as the cooling works. It's worth mentioning too that replacing the stock Meshify 2 fans with Noctuas improved the performance of GPU cooling in particular. That means that Meshify 2 is a pretty good case with bad fans, sadly!