Question New Gaming Build / Budget

[Falcon6]

It's been awhile, I have been out of the PC gaming\hardware scene for about 6 years, below are my current specs (a bit dated I know), I am looking for a modest upgrade, my current specs did me well for awhile if that gives you a better understanding of my comfort level.

Mobo: Z170A SLI Plus

CPU: i7-6700K 4.00GHz

Memory: Kingston HyperX FURY Black 16GB 2133MHz DDR4

GPU: Radeon RX 580 8GB

Power Supply: EVGA 600 B1, 80+ BRONZE 600W

I am not looking to replace or upgarde, I am looking to put together a new build.

I'd say my budget would be around $1000 - $1200 on the high-end, I appreciate any suggestions. Thanks. I

Gaming mostly, Division, Deep Rock Galactic, I don't run anything GPU intensive

 

[35below0]

What's your target resolution and refresh rate?

Can you run to $1400?
If not, i could knock the SSD from 2Tb to 1Tb, and swap out the 7800XT GPU for a 4060.

The motherboard isn't the greatest but it will do. For the budget it's ok.

You should also be aware that it nVidia is expected to release a new gen of GPUs in the next 11-12 months. Great gains are expected so keep this in mind. If you buy a GPU today, you might be kicking yourself very soon.
I would go for a cheap GPU or no GPU at all right now, and plan on buying a RTX 5000 series GPU once it comes to market.
Upgrading to a new machine right now is ok, but a GPU choice is difficult atm.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: Intel Core i5-13600K 3.5 GHz 14-Core Processor ($279.99 @ B&H)
CPU Cooler: Scythe Fuma 3 67.62 CFM CPU Cooler ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte B760 GAMING X AX ATX LGA1700 Motherboard ($159.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws S5 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial P3 Plus 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($123.99 @ B&H)
Video Card: PowerColor Hellhound OC Radeon RX 7800 XT 16 GB Video Card ($529.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Phanteks XT PRO ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: be quiet! Pure Power 12 M 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($109.90 @ Amazon)
Total: $1413.83
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-04-03 09:39 EDT-0400

Overkill on PSU watts, but it's a better quality PSU than some around this price.

 

[Flayed]

It's been awhile, I have been out of the PC gaming\hardware scene for about 6 years, below are my current specs (a bit dated I know), I am looking for a modest upgrade, my current specs did me well for awhile if that gives you a better understanding of my comfort level.

Mobo: Z170A SLI Plus

CPU: i7-6700K 4.00GHz

Memory: Kingston HyperX FURY Black 16GB 2133MHz DDR4

GPU: Radeon RX 580 8GB

Power Supply: EVGA 600 B1, 80+ BRONZE 600W

I am not looking to replace or upgarde, I am looking to put together a new build.

I'd say my budget would be around $1000 - $1200 on the high-end, I appreciate any suggestions. Thanks. I

Gaming mostly, Division, Deep Rock Galactic, I don't run anything GPU intensive

Here is a possible build for you:

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600 3.5 GHz 6-Core Processor ($146.89 @ B&H)
Motherboard: Asus PRIME B550M-A WIFI II Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard ($105.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: TEAMGROUP T-Force Vulcan Z 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory ($55.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: MSI SPATIUM M482 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($109.99 @ MSI)
Video Card: PowerColor Fighter OC Radeon RX 7700 XT 12 GB Video Card ($399.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT H5 Flow ATX Mid Tower Case ($94.99 @ Best Buy)
Power Supply: Corsair RM650 (2023) 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($89.99 @ Corsair)
Total: $1003.82
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-04-03 11:24 EDT-0400

 

[geofelt]

Your 6700K was as good as it gets back some 7 years ago.
There is no effective cpu upgrade available for your current motherboard.
Since you do nothing gpu intensive, I suggest you do the processor first;
gpu and associated psu can come later.
How much ram do you need?

DDR4 and DDR5 perform comparably and DDR4 might be a tad cheaper.
But, Most, today will pick DDR5 and a 2 x 16gb kit for about $100.
Intel does not depend on fast ram for performance. 5600 speed is fine.

Look for a B760 based motherboard for about $150.
Gamers do not overclock, they use the default boost mechanism to turbo a couple of cores to higher than an all core oc could do.
For games, concentrate on the single thread performance.
Run the cpu-Z bench on your 6700K.
Look at the single thread rating which should be about 510.
Look, for example at the $250 I5-14500 which scores 795:
https://www.newegg.com/intel-core-i5-14500-core-i5-14th-gen/p/N82E16819118478?Item=N82E16819118478
I like the non K processors which can not be overclocked and have much more moderate cooler demands than the K suffix units.

Once you have the cpu in hand, you will be in a better position to determine how strong your gpu needs are, and concurrently how strong the psu should be.
Here is tom's gpu hierarchy chart:
https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gpu-hierarchy,4388.html
When you upgrade the gpu, make it a biggish jump or you may be disappointed if you do not see magical results.
RTX4060 or RX7600 class cards or better. Those are $300 class cards.
Modern graphics cards have some high power spikes, so buy a strong psu, say 850w. Look for modern atx3.0 compatibility and at least a 10 year warranty.
Here is a seasonic 850w unit with a 12 year warranty for $160:
https://www.newegg.com/seasonic-vertex-gx-850-850-w/p/N82E16817151258?Item=9SIB4ZVK6W4838

 

[logainofhades]

A little over the $1200 mark. You could always get the 1tb version now, and add more storage, if you absolutely don't or can't go any higher.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: Intel Core i7-12700K 3.6 GHz 12-Core Processor ($236.99 @ B&H)
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler ($33.90 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock Z690 Extreme ATX LGA1700 Motherboard ($129.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: TEAMGROUP T-Force Vulcan Z 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory ($55.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: TEAMGROUP MP44 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($123.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: ASRock Challenger OC Radeon RX 7800 XT 16 GB Video Card ($479.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Deepcool CC560 V2 ATX Mid Tower Case ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Thermaltake Toughpower GF1 (2024) 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($94.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $1210.83
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-04-03 12:57 EDT-0400

 

[ohio_buckeye]

Good build above. You could always consider as well getting a CPU like the i5 12600k to cut some money off. The 12600kf is on Amazon for 159 right now. That would give decent performance then you could always update the bios and jump to the 13700 or 14700 if you wanted.

 

[Flayed]

An AM5 option at the top end of your budget:

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 7600 3.8 GHz 6-Core Processor ($199.00 @ B&H)
Motherboard: ASRock B650M Pro RS WiFi Micro ATX AM5 Motherboard ($149.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Flare X5 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory ($106.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: MSI SPATIUM M482 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($109.99 @ MSI)
Video Card: ASRock Challenger OC Radeon RX 7800 XT 16 GB Video Card ($479.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Deepcool CH370 MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair RM650 (2023) 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($89.99 @ Corsair)
Total: $1195.94
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-04-03 19:37 EDT-0400

 

[Falcon6]

An AM5 option at the top end of your budget:

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 7600 3.8 GHz 6-Core Processor ($199.00 @ B&H)
Motherboard: ASRock B650M Pro RS WiFi Micro ATX AM5 Motherboard ($149.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Flare X5 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory ($106.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: MSI SPATIUM M482 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($109.99 @ MSI)
Video Card: ASRock Challenger OC Radeon RX 7800 XT 16 GB Video Card ($479.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Deepcool CH370 MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair RM650 (2023) 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($89.99 @ Corsair)
Total: $1195.94
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-04-03 19:37 EDT-0400

I do like his build, are the micro builds any more challenging than a non micro build? I have built many but never a micro.

What would be the part list for a regular build? I assume all the same except the case and MOBO ?

Also, do you have a recommendation on a CPU cooler for this?

 

[35below0]

You mean microATX? I don't think it's any different. ITX is much smaller though, but mATX is not much different. If the case is very cheap and bad quality then you will have a bad time.

 

[Flayed]

I do like his build, are the micro builds any more challenging than a non micro build? I have built many but never a micro.

What would be the part list for a regular build? I assume all the same except the case and MOBO ?

Also, do you have a recommendation on a CPU cooler for this?

Micro ATX cases are not that much smaller really, I chose it as it has very good reviews and seems to be excellent value for money. I was also trying to stay within the $1200 budget which was why I didn't select a CPU cooler. The one that loganofhades suggested above would also be my pick.

One thing to consider is that AMD will be launching new Zen 5 CPUs very soon probably sometime in the summer so it may be worth waiting for those.

 

[Falcon6]

Micro ATX cases are not that much smaller really, I chose it as it has very good reviews and seems to be excellent value for money. I was also trying to stay within the $1200 budget which was why I didn't select a CPU cooler. The one that loganofhades suggested above would also be my pick.

One thing to consider is that AMD will be launching new Zen 5 CPUs very soon probably sometime in the summer so it may be worth waiting for those.

The case specs state that it will hold 8x 120mm fans, It does come with one pre-installed, do you have a fan recommendation or preference?

 

[35below0]

If you're going to have a lot of fans, you will need a fan hub. A fan hub draws power from the power supply so your fans don't have to rely on limited fan headers on the motherboard.

 

[Flayed]

The case specs state that it will hold 8x 120mm fans, It does come with one pre-installed, do you have a fan recommendation or preference?

I wouldn't put 8 fans in there, I would go for two front intake and one rear exhaust. I haven't kept up to date with what fans are good these days. I've been using Noctua fans in my system but I'm sure there are cheaper alternatives which offer better value for money.

 

[35below0]

I'm pleased with Noctuas. Very quiet fans.
I've been using a Arctic Bionix P120 fan as an exhaust fan, and i don't have an unkind word to say about it. Noctuas feel more premium, but the performance is there.

Other fans i've recently been using are Fractal Aspect 140mm, simply because they were pre-installed in the case. I think they're ok, but probably not something i would go out of my way to buy. Noctua, beQuiet!, or Scythe would be my choice, but every use case is different.
Noctua's redux series is cheaper, and feels cheaper.


Phanteks PH-F120SP look very plain, but are very good. 5y warranty too.
Phanteks M25-140 PWM D-RGB
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/hNqBD3/arctic-bionix-p120-6756-cfm-120-mm-fan-acfan00116a (6y warranty)
Scythe Kaze Flex II - https://www.scytheus.com/kazeflexii-120

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/bKFPxr/noctua-case-fan-nfs12bredux1200pwm

https://www.bequiet.com/en/casefans/shadow-wings-2/1620

 

[ohio_buckeye]

I wouldn't put 8 fans in there, I would go for two front intake and one rear exhaust. I haven't kept up to date with what fans are good these days. I've been using Noctua fans in my system but I'm sure there are cheaper alternatives which offer better value for money.

On fans noctua is nice but if you’re on a budget you can really get into some money quickly. If on a tight budget you might even get on eBay as I’d be willing to guess there are fan kits from overseas that might be reasonable.

 

[vMax]

Just within budget with an upgrade path to 13th or 14th gen. Windows 11 Pro licence can be picked up seperatly and cheap! But overall this will batter all your games very well...The motherboard is a very good one with enough connectivity and a Gen 5 slot. PSU is Gold rated and with enough wattage. Case is mesh so airflow will be good. Ram is more than fast enough and still has headroom to go higher..

PCPartPicker Part List: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/mX73QP

CPU: Intel Core i5-12600K 3.7 GHz 10-Core Processor ($185.75 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Deepcool GAMMAXX AG400 ARGB 75.89 CFM CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI PRO Z690-A WIFI ATX LGA1700 Motherboard ($145.00 @ MSI)
Memory: G.Skill Trident Z5 RGB 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL36 Memory ($114.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: MSI SPATIUM M450 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: ASRock Challenger OC Radeon RX 7800 XT 16 GB Video Card ($489.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Montech AIR 903 BASE ATX Mid Tower Case ($59.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: BitFenix BFG GOLD ATX3.0 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($79.90 @ Newegg Sellers)
Total: $1170.60
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-04-12 13:05 EDT-0400

And if you must go Nvidia, here is an option with the RTX 4070 Super at $70 over your budget though you could cut some cost elsewhere on the motherboard....

PCPartPicker Part List: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/49zTTY

CPU: Intel Core i5-12600K 3.7 GHz 10-Core Processor ($185.75 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Deepcool GAMMAXX AG400 ARGB 75.89 CFM CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI PRO Z690-A WIFI ATX LGA1700 Motherboard ($145.00 @ MSI)
Memory: G.Skill Trident Z5 RGB 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL36 Memory ($114.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: MSI SPATIUM M450 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Zotac Twin Edge GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER 12 GB Video Card ($589.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Montech AIR 903 BASE ATX Mid Tower Case ($59.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: BitFenix BFG GOLD ATX3.0 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($79.90 @ Newegg Sellers)
Total: $1270.60
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-04-12 13:08 EDT-0400