[SOLVED] New PC Build help 2-3k budget

[Yapsonark]

Hopefully I'm putting this post in the correct location

Hello!

For about 15 years I've been building my own PC's and the last one I built was around 3 years ago. I'm hoping with some help, this next build will go smoothly.


My goal is
Gaming/Recording/Streaming focused PC
Safe Overclocking
Maybe a 10th gen CPU? (I was thinking an Intel Core i9-10900X 3.7 GHz 10-Core Processor) not sure if the upgrade to 12 or 14 cores is a big deal.

Would a "Noctua NH-U14S 82.52 CFM CPU Cooler" be powerful enough to cool overclocked to 5ghz?
I read the i9-10900X can overclock to 5ghz and that Noctua is legendary for cpu cooling.

A reliable motherboard to go with it

Stability is very important to me. The less of a headache the better. Potential future expansion is also nice.


This is what I got so far and is in Canadian Prices.
The $980 price tag for the RTX 2080 makes me wonder if it was stripped down for a better price since the other versions are much more.

PCPartPicker Part List

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i9-10900X 3.7 GHz 10-Core Processor | $1046.00 @ shopRBC
CPU Cooler | Noctua NH-U14S 82.52 CFM CPU Cooler | $95.17 @ Vuugo
Memory | G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 CL14 Memory | $298.99 @ Newegg Canada
Storage | Samsung 970 Evo Plus 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive | Purchased For $0.00
Video Card | Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER 8 GB WINDFORCE OC Video Card | $979.00 @ Canada Computers
Case | Cooler Master Storm Stryker (White) ATX Full Tower Case | Purchased For $0.00
Monitor | Asus PG279Q ROG Swift 27.0" 2560x1440 165 Hz Monitor | Purchased For $0.00
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total | $2419.16
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-05-27 18:31 EDT-0400 |


Any guidance, tips or info is greatly appreciated!

A heads up too if anything looks off or you can see a potential bottle neck is also appreciated

Thanks!

 

[bmockeg]

Hopefully I'm putting this post in the correct location

Hello!

For about 15 years I've been building my own PC's and the last one I built was around 3 years ago. I'm hoping with some help, this next build will go smoothly.


My goal is
Gaming/Recording/Streaming focused PC
Safe Overclocking
Maybe a 10th gen CPU? (I was thinking an Intel Core i9-10900X 3.7 GHz 10-Core Processor) not sure if the upgrade to 12 or 14 cores is a big deal.

Would a "Noctua NH-U14S 82.52 CFM CPU Cooler" be powerful enough to cool overclocked to 5ghz?
I read the i9-10900X can overclock to 5ghz and that Noctua is legendary for cpu cooling.

A reliable motherboard to go with it

Stability is very important to me. The less of a headache the better. Potential future expansion is also nice.


This is what I got so far and is in Canadian Prices.
The $980 price tag for the RTX 2080 makes me wonder if it was stripped down for a better price since the other versions are much more.

PCPartPicker Part List

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i9-10900X 3.7 GHz 10-Core Processor | $1046.00 @ shopRBC
CPU Cooler | Noctua NH-U14S 82.52 CFM CPU Cooler | $95.17 @ Vuugo
Memory | G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 CL14 Memory | $298.99 @ Newegg Canada
Storage | Samsung 970 Evo Plus 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive | Purchased For $0.00
Video Card | Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER 8 GB WINDFORCE OC Video Card | $979.00 @ Canada Computers
Case | Cooler Master Storm Stryker (White) ATX Full Tower Case | Purchased For $0.00
Monitor | Asus PG279Q ROG Swift 27.0" 2560x1440 165 Hz Monitor | Purchased For $0.00
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total | $2419.16
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-05-27 18:31 EDT-0400 |


Any guidance, tips or info is greatly appreciated!

A heads up too if anything looks off or you can see a potential bottle neck is also appreciated

Thanks!

For $650 I’d highly recommend a 3900x instead

 

[Yapsonark]

For $650 I’d highly recommend a 3900x instead

Sorry, i'm not sure what you mean. If you're talking about a cpu, 3900x sounds very old

 

[bmockeg]

Sorry, i'm not sure what you mean. If you're talking about a cpu, 3900x sounds very old

AMD Ryzen 3900x 12core/24thread


PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 3900X 3.8 GHz 12-Core Processor ($647.50 @ Vuugo)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-U14S 82.52 CFM CPU Cooler ($95.17 @ Vuugo)
Motherboard: MSI MEG X570 ACE ATX AM4 Motherboard ($499.99 @ Amazon Canada)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3600 CL16 Memory ($199.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Storage: Samsung 970 Evo Plus 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive (Purchased For $0.00)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER 8 GB WINDFORCE OC Video Card ($979.00 @ Canada Computers)
Case: Cooler Master Storm Stryker (White) ATX Full Tower Case (Purchased For $0.00)
Monitor: Asus PG279Q ROG Swift 27.0" 2560x1440 165 Hz Monitor (Purchased For $0.00)
Total: $2421.65
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-05-27 20:00 EDT-0400

 

[Yapsonark]

AMD Ryzen 3900x 12core/24thread


PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 3900X 3.8 GHz 12-Core Processor ($647.50 @ Vuugo)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-U14S 82.52 CFM CPU Cooler ($95.17 @ Vuugo)
Motherboard: MSI MEG X570 ACE ATX AM4 Motherboard ($499.99 @ Amazon Canada)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3600 CL16 Memory ($199.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Storage: Samsung 970 Evo Plus 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive (Purchased For $0.00)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER 8 GB WINDFORCE OC Video Card ($979.00 @ Canada Computers)
Case: Cooler Master Storm Stryker (White) ATX Full Tower Case (Purchased For $0.00)
Monitor: Asus PG279Q ROG Swift 27.0" 2560x1440 165 Hz Monitor (Purchased For $0.00)
Total: $2421.65
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-05-27 20:00 EDT-0400

Thats a great price but my problem is I know very little about AMD. Never had one before. This is kind of a one shot only sort of deal. What ever I buy i'm stuck with for the foreseeable future.

Although AMD has made some amazing jumps ahead of intel recently, isn't Intel still better for gaming?
Aren't processors paired with specific graphics cards?

Like Intel with Nvidia?
AMD with ATI?

If we forget the price, Is Ryzen 9 3900k a better buy for gaming then Intel Core i9-10900X ?

I've always thought AMD had other strengths and intel was best for gaming.

Thanks for your replys

 

[bmockeg]

Thats a great price but my problem is I know very little about AMD. Never had one before. This is kind of a one shot only sort of deal. What ever I buy i'm stuck with for the foreseeable future.

Although AMD has made some amazing jumps ahead of intel recently, isn't Intel still better for gaming?
Aren't processors paired with specific graphics cards?

Like Intel with Nvidia?
AMD with ATI?

If we forget the price, Is Ryzen 9 3900k a better buy for gaming then Intel Core i9-10900X ?

I've always thought AMD had other strengths and intel was best for gaming.

Thanks for your replys

Gaming at 1440p the difference is almost negligible, if you were doing 1080p then yes the intel would be slightly better but not worth $400. The 10900k has a 3% gaming advantage over a 3900x. If you rather pay $400 for 3% then that’s a decision for you. There’s no such thing as pairing CPU and GPU with certain brands. There’s nothing special to know, it will all go together and work the same, just different manufacturers.

 

[Yapsonark]

Gaming at 1440p the difference is almost negligible, if you were doing 1080p then yes the intel would be slightly better but not worth $400. The 10900k has a 3% gaming advantage over a 3900x. If you rather pay $400 for 3% then that’s a decision for you. There’s no such thing as pairing CPU and GPU with certain brands. There’s nothing special to know, it will all go together and work the same, just different manufacturers.

what if i had my heart set on spending the extra 400? could i get a beefier amd cpu at the same price as the 10900k giving me even better performance? would it be worth it?

Thanks

 

[bmockeg]

what if i had my heart set on spending the extra 400? could i get a beefier amd cpu at the same price as the 10900k giving me even better performance? would it be worth it?

Thanks

For gaming, not really because the more cores you add, the lower the clock speed typically so you’ll get less gaming ability by jumping to a 3950x. If you want to spend more, I’d use it on the GPU. Also, there are new AMD CPUs, as well as new AMD and Intel GPUs launching in 4 months or so

 

[Yapsonark]

For gaming, not really because the more cores you add, the lower the clock speed typically so you’ll get less gaming ability by jumping to a 3950x. If you want to spend more, I’d use it on the GPU. Also, there are new AMD CPUs, as well as new AMD and Intel GPUs launching in 4 months or so

So with for eg a Ryzen 9 3900k and RTX 2080 TI would the Ryzen be enough to fully take advantage of the 2080TI? or would there be a bottle neck.


Also I noticed you're using a Intel Core i9-9900k, how come you didn't go with amd? is there more OC potential with intel?

Thanks

 

[cryoburner]

Aren't processors paired with specific graphics cards?

Like Intel with Nvidia?
AMD with ATI?

No, they're all compatible with one another, so an Nvidia graphics card with an AMD processor should be fine. Also, ATI hasn't been a thing for quite a while. AMD bought them up well over a decade ago and hasn't used the ATI brand name in the last 10 years. Their graphics cards are still branded as Radeons though.

And were you looking for a 10900K or a 10900X? The 10900X you linked to in your first post is a processor that came out half a year ago for Intel's HEDT motherboards. The 10900K is the one they released just the other day, and features higher clock rates. 10900Ks are in extremely limited supply for the time being though, so you might have trouble finding one for a while.

 

[Yapsonark]

No, they're all compatible with one another, so an Nvidia graphics card with an AMD processor should be fine. Also, ATI hasn't been a thing for quite a while. AMD bought them up well over a decade ago and hasn't used the ATI brand name in the last 10 years. Their graphics cards are still branded as Radeons though.

And were you looking for a 10900K or a 10900X? The 10900X you linked to in your first post is a processor that came out half a year ago for Intel's HEDT motherboards. The 10900K is the one they released just the other day, and features higher clock rates. 10900Ks are in extremely limited supply for the time being though, so you might have trouble finding one for a while.

Well if i went with a cheaper amd and put that extra saved money into the rtx 1080ti, my concern is would a Ryzen 9 3900k be able to take full advantage of it.

I didn't know that about 10900k and 10900x, I probably couldn't afford the 10900k if its that new.

I choose the 10900x because i read it could be over clocked to 5ghz and want to make sure i've got no bottle necks.

best combinations is brand new territory for me atm lol

 

[bmockeg]

Well if i went with a cheaper amd and put that extra saved money into the rtx 1080ti, my concern is would a Ryzen 9 3900k be able to take full advantage of it.

I didn't know that about 10900k and 10900x, I probably couldn't afford the 10900k if its that new.

I choose the 10900x because i read it could be over clocked to 5ghz and want to make sure i've got no bottle necks.

best combinations is brand new territory for me atm lol

I bought the 9900k a few weeks before the Ryzen 3000 series launched and regret it. If I could even swap my 9900k for a 3900x I would. I buy most of my stuff on Newegg and they were going to start charging taxes before Ryzen 3000 launched so I bought my current stuff tax free before that date. The higher resolution you go, the less the CPU matters. Even a Ryzen 3600 wont “bottleneck” a 2080ti.

 

[FoxVoxDK]

A Ryzen 3900X @1440p would not "bottleneck" a 2080 ti.

I would most definitely choose 3900X + 2080Ti instead of 10900K(f) + 2080(Super) any day.

You're going to have all the power you could ever need.*



*Disclaimer: Outside of the usual progression of time and technology. xD

 

[Yapsonark]

I bought the 9900k a few weeks before the Ryzen 3000 series launched and regret it. If I could even swap my 9900k for a 3900x I would. I buy most of my stuff on Newegg and they were going to start charging taxes before Ryzen 3000 launched so I bought my current stuff tax free before that date. The higher resolution you go, the less the CPU matters. Even a Ryzen 3600 wont “bottleneck” a 2080ti.

Thanks so much!

I probably should overclock the 3900 to get the most out of it? Would the Noctua NH-U14S be enough? Or would it require a water cpu cooler.

Also there seems to be so many versions to the 2080 TI. Is there something to look out for when shopping for one? In CAD currency i've seen the range from 1600 to 2500+. Clearly something is different between these 2080 TI's right?

 

[bmockeg]

Thanks so much!

I probably should overclock the 3900 to get the most out of it? Would the Noctua NH-U14S be enough? Or would it require a water cpu cooler.

Also there seems to be so many versions to the 2080 TI. Is there something to look out for when shopping for one? In CAD currency i've seen the range from 1600 to 2500+. Clearly something is different between these 2080 TI's right?

Noctua coolers are pretty good. I prefer AIO water cooling but it depends on what YOU want. The gigabyte Aurous Extreme is a very good card

 

[cryoburner]

Also there seems to be so many versions to the 2080 TI. Is there something to look out for when shopping for one? In CAD currency i've seen the range from 1600 to 2500+. Clearly something is different between these 2080 TI's right?

Performance-wise, the different versions of a given graphics card typically perform within a few percent or so of one another, so paying substantially more for a high-end model is arguably not worth it. And in some cases, the price might be high simply because supplies of a given model are low and some store is price-gouging on their remaining inventory.

The biggest thing differentiating these cards is the cooler. The lowest-end models will often have just enough to get by, and as a result will probably run hotter and/or be more audible under load, while the highest-end models might employ overkill cooling solutions like an integrated water cooler. For the most part, the majority of them should be priced around the lower-end of the spectrum though, and it's probably not worth paying more than 10% extra for a fancy cooler.

Another thing you might want to pay attention to is the warranty period, especially for cards in this price range. Most cards offer 3-year warranties, but some brands like Zotac will try to get away only 2 years of warranty coverage. I think Zotac offers 3 years if you register at their site within 30 days, but in general, I would want to see 3 years of coverage for a higher-end graphics card, in case something goes wrong with it in the near future.

You might also want to search for the product number for any card you are considering, since chances are good that some professional review site has reviewed it, and may have pointed out things like the card running hot or being loud, or other potential issues.

 

[Yapsonark]

Noctua coolers are pretty good. I prefer AIO water cooling but it depends on what YOU want. The gigabyte Aurous Extreme is a very good card

So I've been doing some research into liquid cooling (mostly youtube videos lol)

If I understand this correctly, you can liquid cool more then just the cpu with an AIO? just buy more tubing and blocks? I never did liquid cooling before or RGB and was thinking maybe i'd give it a shot this time. I realize the larger price but I'm tempted to sink a bit more into this build.

I was thinking something like CPU / GPU water cooling along with a pump, radiator and reservoir. Purty it up with some clear tubes and RGB. A GPU block would require some modding to the card? Is it difficult to do and carry risk with it? With tech where it's at these days, is it a good or bad idea to do a water cooled system like that? Is risk of a leak / condensation inevitable over time? These questions are quite scary and hoping to find someone who has traveled this road lol

I feel confident I could set this up but if there is a lot of risk and a good chance I'll wake up one morning to everything ruined then I may reconsider. I enjoy doing this type of thing a lot but also want stability / reliability.

Do you have any insight into such a project? I've heard of MoBo's having liquid cooling in them and has the ability to upgrade from 3900x down the line easily with AM4. Both sound awesome. I feel like a reliable water cooled system with the option to RGB would be a lot of fun.

Thanks so much for your help

 

[Yapsonark]

Performance-wise, the different versions of a given graphics card typically perform within a few percent or so of one another, so paying substantially more for a high-end model is arguably not worth it. And in some cases, the price might be high simply because supplies of a given model are low and some store is price-gouging on their remaining inventory.

The biggest thing differentiating these cards is the cooler. The lowest-end models will often have just enough to get by, and as a result will probably run hotter and/or be more audible under load, while the highest-end models might employ overkill cooling solutions like an integrated water cooler. For the most part, the majority of them should be priced around the lower-end of the spectrum though, and it's probably not worth paying more than 10% extra for a fancy cooler.

Another thing you might want to pay attention to is the warranty period, especially for cards in this price range. Most cards offer 3-year warranties, but some brands like Zotac will try to get away only 2 years of warranty coverage. I think Zotac offers 3 years if you register at their site within 30 days, but in general, I would want to see 3 years of coverage for a higher-end graphics card, in case something goes wrong with it in the near future.

You might also want to search for the product number for any card you are considering, since chances are good that some professional review site has reviewed it, and may have pointed out things like the card running hot or being loud, or other potential issues.

I Plan to do 3900x with a 2080TI. I was thinking of dabbling with a RGB & Liquid cooled build. Do you have much knowledge in this area? I was thinking a fully water cooled system including a block for the GPU?

So I was thinking
-CPU & GPU Blocks
-Maybe MoBo
-Radiator
-Reservoir
-Pump
-RGB to only one controller

Last day or so I've been expanding my knowledge of water cooling. Looks like a lot of fun

Although that might be over kill. I love how AM4 is suppose to stick around for a while. The ability to upgrade my CPU in the future is good news so I'd like to build with that in mind.

I still don't know what board to get, I know very little about AMD and which Manufactures for mobo's that are reliable.

-Ability to upgrade in the future with the motherboard
-Reliable MoBo manufacturer
-RGB system with a good single controller
-Full system Water Cooling but only if reliable and safe.
-Is condensation/leak an ever present danger?
-A water block for the GPU is this considered modding and carry extra risk?
-Water Cooled MoBo?
-I'd like to dabble in overclocking too. Get the best safe/stable performance

Sorry if this sounds excessive lol

Any info or guidance, even to some of my questions is greatly appreciated.

The ability to get everything stable... set it down, turn it on and leave it for the next 3-5 years with only some maintenance is very appealing to me.

I realize it will get much more pricey. I'm one of those, build for the next 3-5 years type people

Thanks so much for your help!

 

[cryoburner]

I don't do water cooling, so I probably can't help a whole lot with that. One thing to note about it though is that especially for a custom loop, some maintenance will be required. I think it's generally recommended to flush out and replace the coolant of a custom loop every year or so, as contaminants from the metal parts and organic matter can build up over time. You also need to make sure the various metal components of a custom loop all use the same type of metal, otherwise one metal can potentially cause another to corrode over time.

AIO coolers, on the other hand, are fully enclosed and are not intended to have their coolant replaced, or to be customized in any way, but they also have a tendency to start failing after some years.

Leaks can be possible, but I think they tend to be relatively rare. Condensation isn't likely to be a problem, as the components should be warming the water to above room temperature. It is possible for the pump to wear out eventually though, or the water blocks and radiators to accumulate organic matter.

In general though, air cooling, with something like a tower cooler for the CPU and the multi-fan coolers that typically come with GPUs, tends to be more reliable and lower-maintenance. Water cooling can look really nice, and higher-end setups can potentially cool somewhat more effectively, but one has to be willing to put up with increased maintenance and a higher chance of something going wrong.

 

[Yapsonark]

I don't do water cooling, so I probably can't help a whole lot with that. One thing to note about it though is that especially for a custom loop, some maintenance will be required. I think it's generally recommended to flush out and replace the coolant of a custom loop every year or so, as contaminants from the metal parts and organic matter can build up over time. You also need to make sure the various metal components of a custom loop all use the same type of metal, otherwise one metal can potentially cause another to corrode over time.

AIO coolers, on the other hand, are fully enclosed and are not intended to have their coolant replaced, or to be customized in any way, but they also have a tendency to start failing after some years.

Leaks can be possible, but I think they tend to be relatively rare. Condensation isn't likely to be a problem, as the components should be warming the water to above room temperature. It is possible for the pump to wear out eventually though, or the water blocks and radiators to accumulate organic matter.

In general though, air cooling, with something like a tower cooler for the CPU and the multi-fan coolers that typically come with GPUs, tends to be more reliable and lower-maintenance. Water cooling can look really nice, and higher-end setups can potentially cool somewhat more effectively, but one has to be willing to put up with increased maintenance and a higher chance of something going wrong.

Althou you can overclock with an air cooler. Isn't it better and somewhat required to switch to water cooling for more aggressive stable overclocking?