Build Advice New PC Build. Concerns with M.2 overheating and BIOS questions.

[DarkRoastGuy]

Here's the part list:
PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D 4.2 GHz 8-Core Processor ($385.36 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Corsair NAUTILUS 360 RS ARGB 74.37 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($129.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus ROG STRIX B850-E GAMING WIFI ATX AM5 Motherboard ($349.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Trident Z5 RGB 64 GB (2 x 32 GB) DDR5-6000 CL36 Memory ($169.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Crucial T705 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 5.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($229.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Asus TUF GAMING OC GeForce RTX 5070 Ti 16 GB Video Card ($999.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Corsair 7000D AIRFLOW ATX Full Tower Case ($269.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Corsair RM850 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($124.99 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 11 Home Retail - USB 64-bit ($134.99 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: ARCTIC P14 PST 72.8 CFM 140 mm Fans 5-Pack ($40.99 @ Amazon)
Custom: Thermalright HR-09 2280 PRO Black SSD heatsink, Double-Sided Heat Sink, with Thermal Silicone Pad for M.2 SSD PC and Computer,Desktop High Performance SSD Cooler ($11.90 @ Amazon)
Total: $2848.17
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2025-05-14 14:07 EDT-0400

My main concern right now is with the M.2 SSD overheating, so I'm planning on adding a giant heatsink (HR-09 PRO), but I'm unsure if it will fit right above the GPU. Assuming it does fit, will the GPU just blow hot air directly into the M.2 heatsink? I want to take full advantage of the Gen 5 speeds, so I'd rather not use the alternative M.2 slots.

I'm also unfamiliar with updating the BIOS on the motherboard. Should I update the BIOS before installing Windows? Should I use the Flashback method or the ASUS EZ Flash 3 tool? Is one more reliable than the other?

Any insight or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Lutfij]

Welcome to the forums, newcomer!

You're actually overthinking this. You're going to be fine with the SSD being under the SSD heatsinks that come bundled with the motherboard, while also making sure the case's airflow is optimally setup. You could just change the case out for this;
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/nbXMnQ/corsair-frame-4000d-atx-mid-tower-case-cc-9011290-ww

Should I update the BIOS before installing Windows?
You don't need to do that with the processor you've picked up. In the event you do need to flash the BIOS follow this guide;

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

different board but the principle remains the same.

Lastly, if you want to stick to G.Skill ram kit, look for something with the Neo range. Those ram kits are designed for AMD's AM5 platform. Tight latencied ram kit's will also give you an uplift in performance. Speaking of performance, you haven't given us any context of what the purpose of this system is. Gaming? Productivity?

 

[logainofhades]

You do not need to buy an extra heatsink for the ssd. The motherboard already has them. Unless you are moving a lot of large files, you are never going to see a difference between gen 5 and gen 4 ssd's, just as an FYI.

That board will work with your CPU right out of the box, so no need to use bios flashback.

Unless you really care about RT, save some money and go with a 9070xt. The 5070ti is slightly faster, (3%-4%), in raster, but not $200 faster. RT is about 13%-17% depending on resolution and game.

Ram really should be CL30 or 28 DDR5 6000.

You are overspending in areas that are costing you performance elsewhere.


PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D 4.7 GHz 8-Core Processor ($479.00 @ Abt)
CPU Cooler: Montech HyperFlow ARGB 360 76.2 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($97.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus TUF GAMING X870-PLUS WIFI ATX AM5 Motherboard ($243.00 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo RGB 64 GB (2 x 32 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory ($199.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: SK Hynix Platinum P41 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: MSI SHADOW 3X OC GeForce RTX 5080 16 GB Video Card ($1399.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Montech AIR 903 MAX ATX Mid Tower Case ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Enermax Revolution D.F. X 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($119.88 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 11 Home Retail - USB 64-bit ($134.99 @ Amazon)
Custom: Thermalright HR-09 2280 PRO Black SSD heatsink, Double-Sided Heat Sink, with Thermal Silicone Pad for M.2 SSD PC and Computer,Desktop High Performance SSD Cooler ($11.90 @ Amazon)
Total: $2906.71
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2025-05-14 15:26 EDT-0400

 

[Why_Me]

Here's the part list:
PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D 4.2 GHz 8-Core Processor ($385.36 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Corsair NAUTILUS 360 RS ARGB 74.37 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($129.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus ROG STRIX B850-E GAMING WIFI ATX AM5 Motherboard ($349.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Trident Z5 RGB 64 GB (2 x 32 GB) DDR5-6000 CL36 Memory ($169.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Crucial T705 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 5.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($229.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Asus TUF GAMING OC GeForce RTX 5070 Ti 16 GB Video Card ($999.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Corsair 7000D AIRFLOW ATX Full Tower Case ($269.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Corsair RM850 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($124.99 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 11 Home Retail - USB 64-bit ($134.99 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: ARCTIC P14 PST 72.8 CFM 140 mm Fans 5-Pack ($40.99 @ Amazon)
Custom: Thermalright HR-09 2280 PRO Black SSD heatsink, Double-Sided Heat Sink, with Thermal Silicone Pad for M.2 SSD PC and Computer,Desktop High Performance SSD Cooler ($11.90 @ Amazon)
Total: $2848.17
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2025-05-14 14:07 EDT-0400

My main concern right now is with the M.2 SSD overheating, so I'm planning on adding a giant heatsink (HR-09 PRO), but I'm unsure if it will fit right above the GPU. Assuming it does fit, will the GPU just blow hot air directly into the M.2 heatsink? I want to take full advantage of the Gen 5 speeds, so I'd rather not use the alternative M.2 slots.

I'm also unfamiliar with updating the BIOS on the motherboard. Should I update the BIOS before installing Windows? Should I use the Flashback method or the ASUS EZ Flash 3 tool? Is one more reliable than the other?

Any insight or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Look for a ATX 3. 0 / 3.1 psu for these RTX 50XX cards due to the adapter and you want DDR5-6000 CL30 RAM.

 

[DarkRoastGuy]

you haven't given us any context of what the purpose of this system is. Gaming? Productivity?

I'll be using it primarily for gaming, but also for school assignments.

Thanks for the info and the video. I'll look into the Neo RAM you mentioned.

 

[DarkRoastGuy]

You do not need to buy an extra heatsink for the ssd. The motherboard already has them. Unless you are moving a lot of large files, you are never going to see a difference between gen 5 and gen 4 ssd's, just as an FYI.

That board will work with your CPU right out of the box, so no need to use bios flashback.

Unless you really care about RT, save some money and go with a 9070xt. The 5070ti is slightly faster, (3%-4%), in raster, but not $200 faster. RT is about 13%-17% depending on resolution and game.

Ram really should be CL30 or 28 DDR5 6000.

You are overspending in areas that are costing you performance elsewhere.

Thanks a ton for the info. I've been reading reviews and complaints about the SSD getting hot, so I wanted to play it safe with a big heatsink since they're only like $10-20. As for the GPU, I've heard how the cards can be more valuable, but I've also heard about random issues with them, like crashing, etc., so I figured I'd stick with the tried and true Nvidia. I'll look into that more, though. I'll also switch to some different RAM. Thanks again for all the info and sharing that build list with me, much appreciated.

 

[DarkRoastGuy]

Look for a ATX 3. / 3.1 psu for these RTX 50XX cards due to the adapter and you want DDR5-6000 CL30 RAM.

Will do, thank you very much 👍

 

[Why_Me]

ATX 3.1 psu, SSD w/DRAM cache, low profile RAM so that the heatsinks don't impede a dual tower cpu cooler.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: *AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D 4.2 GHz 8-Core Processor ($380.00 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: *ID-COOLING FROZN A620 PRO SE ARGB 58 CFM CPU Cooler ($39.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: *MSI MAG B850 TOMAHAWK MAX WIFI ATX AM5 Motherboard ($231.38 @ Amazon)
Memory: *G.Skill Flare X5 64 GB (2 x 32 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory ($194.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: *Acer Predator GM7000 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($125.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: *Asus PRIME OC GeForce RTX 5070 Ti 16 GB Video Card ($939.99 @ Amazon)
Case: *Lian Li LANCOOL 216 RGB ATX Mid Tower Case ($102.96 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: *MSI MAG A850GL PCIE5 II 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $2145.29
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria
Generated by PCPartPicker 2025-05-14 18:15 EDT-0400

PCPartPicker Part List

Monitor: *Asus TUF Gaming 27.0" 2560 x 1440 260 Hz Monitor ($329.00 @ ASUS)
Total: $329.00
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria
Generated by PCPartPicker 2025-05-14 18:17 EDT-0400

https://www.tomshardware.com/software/windows/windows-11-free-or-cheap

A better look at those components.

https://www.asus.com/us/displays-desktops/monitors/tuf-gaming/tuf-gaming-vg27aqm1a/

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/MAG-B850-TOMAHAWK-MAX-WIFI

https://www.predatorstorage.com/products/pcie-m-2-ssd/predator-gm7000-pcie-4-ssd/

https://www.idcooling.com/product/detail?id=525&name=FROZN A620 PRO SE ARGB

ASUS Prime GeForce RTX™ 5070 Ti OC Edition 16GB GDDR7

The SFF-Ready ASUS Prime GeForce RTX™ 5070 Ti OC Edition 16GB GDDR7 boasts three axial-tech fans for supreme cooling.

www.asus.com

https://www.msi.com/Power-Supply/MAG-A850GL-PCIE5-II

https://lian-li.com/product/lancool-216/

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TfR60pM5oU

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykbhuv6yLBc

 

[DarkRoastGuy]

ATX 3.1 psu, SSD w/DRAM cache, low profile RAM so that the heatsinks don't impede a dual tower cpu cooler.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: *AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D 4.2 GHz 8-Core Processor ($380.00 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: *ID-COOLING FROZN A620 PRO SE ARGB 58 CFM CPU Cooler ($39.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: *MSI MAG B850 TOMAHAWK MAX WIFI ATX AM5 Motherboard ($231.38 @ Amazon)
Memory: *G.Skill Flare X5 64 GB (2 x 32 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory ($194.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: *Acer Predator GM7000 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($125.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: *Asus PRIME OC GeForce RTX 5070 Ti 16 GB Video Card ($939.99 @ Amazon)
Case: *Lian Li LANCOOL 216 RGB ATX Mid Tower Case ($102.96 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: *MSI MAG A850GL PCIE5 II 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $2145.29
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria
Generated by PCPartPicker 2025-05-14 18:15 EDT-0400

PCPartPicker Part List

Monitor: *Asus TUF Gaming 27.0" 2560 x 1440 260 Hz Monitor ($329.00 @ ASUS)
Total: $329.00
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria
Generated by PCPartPicker 2025-05-14 18:17 EDT-0400

https://www.tomshardware.com/software/windows/windows-11-free-or-cheap

A better look at those components.

https://www.asus.com/us/displays-desktops/monitors/tuf-gaming/tuf-gaming-vg27aqm1a/

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/MAG-B850-TOMAHAWK-MAX-WIFI

https://www.predatorstorage.com/products/pcie-m-2-ssd/predator-gm7000-pcie-4-ssd/

https://www.idcooling.com/product/detail?id=525&name=FROZN A620 PRO SE ARGB

ASUS Prime GeForce RTX™ 5070 Ti OC Edition 16GB GDDR7

The SFF-Ready ASUS Prime GeForce RTX™ 5070 Ti OC Edition 16GB GDDR7 boasts three axial-tech fans for supreme cooling.

www.asus.com

https://www.msi.com/Power-Supply/MAG-A850GL-PCIE5-II

https://lian-li.com/product/lancool-216/

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TfR60pM5oU

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykbhuv6yLBc

Holy smokes, you shaved off nearly $1000! Thank you for taking the time to show me all of this, and that case is awesome. I greatly appreciate all of this!

 

[logainofhades]

Thanks a ton for the info. I've been reading reviews and complaints about the SSD getting hot, so I wanted to play it safe with a big heatsink since they're only like $10-20. As for the GPU, I've heard how the cards can be more valuable, but I've also heard about random issues with them, like crashing, etc., so I figured I'd stick with the tried and true Nvidia. I'll look into that more, though. I'll also switch to some different RAM. Thanks again for all the info and sharing that build list with me, much appreciated.

I have been using an RX 6800, myself, for 4yrs now without issue. The AMD problems are overblown. Right now Nvidia is the one having troubles due to the melty connector, and for some reason cannot seem to fix their 50 series drivers.

 

[geofelt]

To answer your m.2 cooling question:
Don't worry.
m.2 devices monitor their temperatures and will slow down if needed to protect themselves.
Heat is generated during fast repeating accesses. Most common when doing something sequential like a virus scan.
We do very little sequential work.
Normally, you want some sort of airflow over the motherboard to let ANY heat sink to do it's job.
Your case is a good one for airflow,
I think a good twin tower air cooler like the one Why-Me suggested would do the cooling job for you .

 

[DarkRoastGuy]

To answer your m.2 cooling question:
Don't worry.
m.2 devices monitor their temperatures and will slow down if needed to protect themselves.
Heat is generated during fast repeating accesses. Most common when doing something sequential like a virus scan.
We do very little sequential work.
Normally, you want some sort of airflow over the motherboard to let ANY heat sink to do it's job.
Your case is a good one for airflow,
I think a good twin tower air cooler like the one Why-Me suggested would do the cooling job for you .

Okay, interesting. Ideally, I'd like to avoid having the M.2 throttled due to high temps (even if it's only for rare workloads). But you're saying it would actually be more effective for me to ditch the liquid CPU cooler and swap it for fans to allow for better airflow around the M.2?

This leads me to another question (I will Google it, but maybe someone knows something that will save me time): Is there some kind of airflow software that would let me easily visualize different airflow variations of my PC build? This is probably extremely unnecessary, but I just finished my final exams this week, so I have nothing better to do. Lol. There is not, unfortunately.