Question Opinion on New PC Build

[Traf]

I'm building my first PC in years. I did some research on Tom's Hardware in an attempt to select some decent components. I'm looking to build a decent gaming PC that is going to last several years. It appeared that the i5 was better than some of the i7s listed, so I went with that, and I think the GPU was pretty good based on value/performance.

The better GPUs were a lot more money and provided only a minimal performance boost as far as I could tell. By that I mean the difference between the 3060Ti and the 3070Ti was nearly double the price, and only went from about 90 FPS to 110 FPS. I can't imagine I'm ever going to play games that get above 100 FPS. I play American Truck Sim, Snow Runner, Mud Runner, Spintires, and all 3 Witcher games. Not much else right now. I don't play and FPS/Shooter games.

This is what I came up with, and I'm wondering if anyone has any opinions:

• Corsair RMX Series (2021), RM750x, 750 Watt, Gold, Fully Modular Power Supply
• Crucial RAM 16GB Kit (2x8GB) DDR5 4800MHz CL40 Desktop Memory CT2K8G48C40U5
• TEAMGROUP T-Force Vulcan Z 2TB SLC Cache 3D NAND TLC 2.5 Inch SATA III Internal Solid State Drive SSD (R/W Speed up to 550/500 MB/s)
• Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Gaming OC 8G (REV2.0) Graphics Card, 3X WINDFORCE Fans, LHR, 8GB 256-bit GDDR6, GV-N306TGAMING OC-8GD REV2.0
• Intel Core i5-13600KF Desktop Processor 14 cores (6 P-cores + 8 E-cores) 24M Cache, up to 5.1 GHz
• ASUS Prime Z690-A LGA 1700(Intel 12th) ATX Motherboard (16+1 DrMOS,PCIe 5.0,DDR5,4X M.2, Intel 2.5 Gb LAN,USB 3.2 Gen 2 Front Panel Type-C,Thunderbolt™ 4,Aura Sync RGB Lighting)
• Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE ARGB White CPU Air Cooler, 6 Heat Pipes CPU Cooler, Dual 120mm TL-C12C-S PWM Fan, AGHP Technology, for AMD AM4/AM5/Intel LGA1700/1150/1151/1155/1200
• HYTE Y60 Modern Aesthetic Dual Chamber Panoramic Tempered Glass Mid-Tower ATX Computer Gaming Case with PCIE 4.0 Riser Cable Included, White (CS-HYTE-Y60-BW)

 

[Why_Me]

That Asus Prime board won't run a 13 gen cpu without an update. Also you can probably do better on your gpu.

What country are you located, what is your budget and what is your monitor resolution or is a monitor to be included in the budget?

 

[MJS WARLORD]

As you know what games you are going to use go to the website and check out what the makers suggest you use for best performance.
Next go to a pc builders web site and choose the ... build my pc section .... input all the items you intend to use and at the end of the process they should tell you of any mismatch or overkill.

 

[ilukey77]

100% previous post what is your budget and what games are you looking to play and at what resolution ?
secondly 8gb gpu's are seriously getting obsolete these days so be careful
I would always a recommend a 850w as the lowest PSU wattage just to be safe ..

just throwing it out there a AM4 with a 5800x3d is a great alternative i think you will find it a cheaper option overall
to be honest i think the 13600k is a beast but with a z690 and ddr5 its just as non future proof as the AMD option ..

 

[Traf]

Thanks for all the replies.

If I decided to stick with the setup I have above, but swapped out to this motherboard, would it fix my issues?

I read an article from the manufacture where they state it's possible that some newly manufactured Z690 already have the 13th gen update installed even though they say 12th gen on the box. They said I could tell by looking at the sticker on the motherboard to see what version I have. But it doesn't say which version the sticker should list. Does anyone know what should be printed on the sticker to see if I got lucky with a 13th gen update?

if I have to update it, I have no idea how I will do it, because it doesn't appear that motherboard supports flashback.

 

[ilukey77]

Thanks for all the replies.

If I decided to stick with the setup I have above, but swapped out to this motherboard, would it fix my issues?

I read an article from the manufacture where they state it's possible that some newly manufactured Z690 already have the 13th gen update installed even though they say 12th gen on the box. They said I could tell by looking at the sticker on the motherboard to see what version I have. But it doesn't say which version the sticker should list. Does anyone know what should be printed on the sticker to see if I got lucky with a 13th gen update?

if I have to update it, I have no idea how I will do it, because it doesn't appear that motherboard supports flashback.

If you go with that mobo linked your doing yourself a favor .. unless your willing to spend the extra on a bios flash back z690 your far better to just go the z790 for piece of mind ..

I dont know much about Intel as i usually go AMD but i do have a gigabyte vision d z590i itx with a 10850k in it and i cannot use the front m,2 slot because it only works with 11th gen in that board so by using the 13th with the z790 which is ultimately made for that cpu could eliminate any issues that could arise !!

 

[Traf]

I think I'll just swap the motherboard out for the z790 to be safe.

It looks like they are out of stock of the GPU I listed right now, so I was thinking about getting this one instead. I'm not sure what the difference is between Gigabyte and MSI, but they both say RTX 3060ti. I'm assuming just different manufacturers, but is there going to be any noticeable difference between the two?

 

[logainofhades]

I would not settle on 16gb ram, for a new rig today, and would recommend faster ram as well. If it is a budgetary issue, go with DDR4 and a DDR4 capable Z790 instead. With a 13600k, you aren't going to see much of a difference between ddr4 and ddr5. DDR4 4800 can be slower than DDR4 3200, due to the latency. Games are starting to become ram hungry. RX 6700xt is usually cheaper, and faster, on average, vs a 3060ti. NVME drives have come down in price to the point where getting a SATA drive make 0 sense, unless you lack M.2 ports. Getting the 13600k, over the KF is a better idea. The KF lacks IGP, which can prove useful, for troubleshooting, or if your GPU dies, you can still use the system.

 

[Traf]

I would not settle on 16gb ram, for a new rig today, and would recommend faster ram as well. If it is a budgetary issue, go with DDR4 and a DDR4 capable Z790 instead. With a 13600k, you aren't going to see much of a difference between ddr4 and ddr5. DDR4 4800 can be slower than DDR4 3200, due to the latency. Games are starting to become ram hungry. RX 6700xt is usually cheaper, and faster, on average, vs a 3060ti. NVME drives have come down in price to the point where getting a SATA drive make 0 sense, unless you lack M.2 ports. Getting the 13600k, over the KF is a better idea. The KF lacks IGP, which can prove useful, for troubleshooting, or if your GPU dies, you can still use the system.

The RAM I can update easily. I have 32GB in my current PC and I rarely use more than half of it. I can pop that in at any time.

As far as GPUs go, would you recommend this one then, over the 3060ti? It's in stock and about $100 cheaper. But I have never heard of this brand. I have never bought an AMD GPU before.

 

[logainofhades]

I would get that over a 3060ti, for sure. Power Color makes some of the best AMD graphics cards. I have been eyeing that model, to replace an RTX 2060, for quite some time. Just haven't had the extra funds to do so. I use a reference model RX 6800, in my R7 5800x rig. Had it nearly two years, and no issues so far.

 

[geofelt]

You can build as is.

I have some thoughts:

I would not worry about 13th gen capability on the Z690 motherboard.
13th gen bios updates have been available since last summer and will be incorporated on new stock. If you want, the MSI Z690 PRO A motherboards can flash without a processor present. There are others.

Today, DDR4 and DDR5 perform comparably. Intel is not much dependent on ram speed for performance.
If on a budget, DDR4 motherboards and ram will be cheaper.
Consider a 2 x 16gb kit if you have any notion that you might want 32gb in the future.
Adding ram does not always work, ram must be from the same matched kit to perform as advertised.

Look at MATX size for added savings.
You will do better by allowing the turbo boost mechanism to increase the performance of a couple of cores past what an all core OC can do.
For that reason, a B660/B760 motherboard is an alternative choice.

Considering your budget, I would pick the non F version of the i5-13600K.
Cheap insurance for gpu issues and you also get quick sync if that might be applicable:
https://www.intel.com/content/www/u...uick-sync-video/quick-sync-video-general.html

The games you play are cpu centric and largely single threaded.
A fast graphics card is more for fast action shooters.
3060ti or similar seems good to me.

The psu is very good, but upping to 850w or even 950w may not cost much more.
3000 series cads can have high power spikes.
The psu will only use the power demanded of it, regardless of the max capability.
Seasonic focus is another quality option.
The psu will only

 

[ilukey77]

The 6700xt is a great little gpu ive got the rare powercolor spectral white 6700xt hellhound and its a great gpu disregard the colour the hellhound is one cool and quiet card ..
the 6750xt might even be a option as ( mostly likely more pricey ) there may be more of them out in the wild ..

I kinda have issues now ( mostly after the issues with that hogwarts game ) that 8gb ram on a gpu is too little and for the extra spent on the more Vram will give you more options in modern gaming !!

 

[Why_Me]

You can build as is.
I would not worry about 13th gen capability on the Z690 motherboard.
13th gen bios updates have been available since last summer and will be incorporated on new stock. If you want, the MSI Z690 PRO A motherboards can flash without a processor present. There are others.

Today, DDR4 and DDR5 perform comparably. Intel is not much dependent on ram speed for performance.
If on a budget, DDR4 motherboards and ram will be cheaper.
Consider a 2 x 16gb kit if you have any notion that you might want 32gb in the future.
Adding ram does not always work, ram must be from the same matched kit to perform as advertised.

Look at MATX size for added savings.
You will do better by allowing the turbo boost mechanism to increase the performance of a couple of cores past what an all core OC can do.
For that reason, a B660/B760 motherboard is an alternative choice.

Considering your budget, I would pick the non F version of the i5-13600K.
Cheap insurance for gpu issues and you also get quick sync if that might be applicable:
https://www.intel.com/content/www/u...uick-sync-video/quick-sync-video-general.html

The games you play are cpu centric and largely single threaded.
A fast graphics card is more for fast action shooters.
3060ti or similar seems good to me.

The psu is very good, but upping to 850w or even 950w may not cost much more.
3000 series cads can have high power spikes.
The psu will only use the power demanded of it, regardless of the max capability.
Seasonic focus is another quality option.
The psu will only

https://forums.tomshardware.com/thr...check-this-build-for-me.3795624/post-22934119

 

[Traf]

Ok, well how do I tell if my board has been updated with 13th generation when I receive it? I already ordered that motherboard. I read that you can tell by a BIOS version number on the motherboard sticker, but I don't know what that sticker should say.

I don't want to ship it back if it already has the update.

 

[XxDarkMario20xX]

Ok, well how do I tell if my board has been updated with 13th generation when I receive it? I already ordered that motherboard. I read that you can tell by a BIOS version number on the motherboard sticker, but I don't know what that sticker should say.

I don't want to ship it back if it already has the update.

My Z690 Bios Is At 2204 at moment thats the lastest Bios



Version 2103
10.78 MB 2022/10/19
"1. Improve system overclocking stability on 13th Gen Intel Processors

1. Update Microcode for 13th Gen Intel Processors
2. Update Microcode for 12th Gen Intel Processors

“Before BIOS update, please download Intel ME update tool from ASUS support site, and update ME firmware to Version 16.1.25.1885 to ensure optimized system settings.”

Before running the USB BIOS Flashback tool, please rename the BIOS file (SZ690F.CAP) using BIOSRenamer."

 

[geofelt]

Ok, well how do I tell if my board has been updated with 13th generation when I receive it? I already ordered that motherboard. I read that you can tell by a BIOS version number on the motherboard sticker, but I don't know what that sticker should say.

I don't want to ship it back if it already has the update.

Unless it is old stock, you should be ok.
Motherboards may have version numbers on them, but not likely the bios level that was installed. The motherboard maker will constantly change the initial bios level to what is then current.
Play the odds, and assume that the bios level is adequate for your processor.
If it does not post, you can then ship it back.
Or, take it to a local shop and have them update the bios for you.

 

[King Dranzer]

This is your build:

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: Intel Core i5-13600KF 3.5 GHz 14-Core Processor ($294.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE ARGB 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler ($40.90 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus PRIME Z690-A ATX LGA1700 Motherboard ($239.00 @ Adorama)
Memory: Crucial CT2K8G48C40U5 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR5-4800 CL40 Memory ($65.98 @ Amazon)
Storage: TEAMGROUP T-Force Vulcan Z 2 TB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($222.00 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Gigabyte GAMING OC Rev 2.0 GeForce RTX 3060 Ti LHR 8 GB Video Card ($459.99 @ Newegg)
Case: HYTE Y60 ATX Mid Tower Case ($194.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Corsair RM750x (2021) 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($139.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $1657.84
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2023-02-16 12:53 EST-0500

Here is the list:

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: Intel Core i5-13600K 3.5 GHz 14-Core Processor ($319.83 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: ARCTIC Freezer 34 eSports DUO CPU Cooler ($52.49 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte B760M AORUS ELITE AX Micro ATX LGA1700 Motherboard ($169.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws S5 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-5600 CL36 Memory ($119.95 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 980 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($69.98 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Asus TUF GAMING GeForce RTX 4070 Ti 12 GB Video Card ($799.99 @ ASUS)
Case: Corsair 4000D Airflow ATX Mid Tower Case ($94.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Corsair RM850x (2021) 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1757.21
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2023-02-16 13:05 EST-0500

Yes $100 more but absolutely huge jump in performance. And better quality components and much faster SSD. Point is 1TB is enough and can be scaled up if needed over time for minimal cost. Other components cannot be scaled up in a similar manner. 32GB DDR5 RAM.

Best thing is that you can scale down to i5-13500 if you wanna save that $100. Then the price will be equal to what your list adds up to. Yes be loosing some performance but will not be even close to the loss of what you get from going with RTX3060Ti over RTX4070Ti.

 

[Traf]

Unless it is old stock, you should be ok.
Motherboards may have version numbers on them, but not likely the bios level that was installed. The motherboard maker will constantly change the initial bios level to what is then current.
Play the odds, and assume that the bios level is adequate for your processor.
If it does not post, you can then ship it back.
Or, take it to a local shop and have them update the bios for you.

And what happens if I install the CPU and it doesn't support 13th generation? I don't want to damage something and be out a few hundred dollars.

 

[geofelt]

And what happens if I install the CPU and it doesn't support 13th generation? I don't want to damage something and be out a few hundred dollars.

Not to worry.
It simply will not post and you would get a cpu led diagnostic on your motherboard.
No damage would ensue.
The applicable bios was released 9-2022 so new stock should be fine.

 

[helper800]

Personally I would not get the 13600k/f unless you are interested in tinkering around in the BIOS with overclocking. I would do it like this;

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: Intel Core i5-13500 2.5 GHz 14-Core Processor ($249.98 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler ($39.90 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte B760M AORUS ELITE AX Micro ATX LGA1700 Motherboard ($179.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws S5 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL36 Memory ($129.94 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 970 Evo Plus 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($79.98 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Asus TUF GAMING GeForce RTX 4070 Ti 12 GB Video Card ($799.99 @ ASUS)
Case: Fractal Design Focus 2 ATX Mid Tower Case ($79.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair RM850e 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($114.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1674.75
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2023-02-16 13:25 EST-0500

If you want to spend significantly less then you can opt for this graphics card for 399.99:
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/Rb...-gaming-oc-video-card-gv-r675xtgaming-oc-12gd

 

[logainofhades]

Personally I would not get the 13600k/f unless you are interested in tinkering around in the BIOS with overclocking. I would do it like this;

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: Intel Core i5-13500 2.5 GHz 14-Core Processor ($249.98 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler ($39.90 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte B760M AORUS ELITE AX Micro ATX LGA1700 Motherboard ($179.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws S5 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL36 Memory ($129.94 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 970 Evo Plus 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($79.98 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Asus TUF GAMING GeForce RTX 4070 Ti 12 GB Video Card ($799.99 @ ASUS)
Case: Fractal Design Focus 2 ATX Mid Tower Case ($79.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair RM850e 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($114.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1674.75
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2023-02-16 13:25 EST-0500

If you want to spend significantly less the you can opt for this graphics card for 399.99:
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/Rb...-gaming-oc-video-card-gv-r675xtgaming-oc-12gd

I agree with this sentiment, I would choose a few things differently though. 5600 CL28 performs on par with 6000 CL30. $1 more gets you a solid gen 4 drive, and the motherboard is just personal preference, due to the case being ATX.

PCPartPicker Part List

Motherboard: Gigabyte B760 AORUS ELITE AX ATX LGA1700 Motherboard ($189.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws S5 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-5600 CL28 Memory ($139.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial P5 Plus 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($80.99 @ B&H)
Total: $410.97
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2023-02-16 13:35 EST-0500

 

[helper800]

I agree with this sentiment, I would choose a few things differently though. 5600 CL28 performs on par with 6000 CL30. $1 more gets you a solid gen 4 drive, and the motherboard is just personal preference, due to the case being ATX.

PCPartPicker Part List

Motherboard: Gigabyte B760 AORUS ELITE AX ATX LGA1700 Motherboard ($189.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws S5 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-5600 CL28 Memory ($139.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial P5 Plus 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($80.99 @ B&H)
Total: $410.97
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2023-02-16 13:35 EST-0500

Good catch on the SSD, I did not see that one otherwise I would have selected it. I generally have the sentiment that RAM speeds and timings are really scrapping the barrel for performance. Its usually not worth spending too much more for RAM as it will likely be nearly margin of error in performance differences.

 

[logainofhades]

Yea, wouldn't recommend a high dollar kit, but for $10 more, vs a slower kit, isn't a bad deal. Anymore than that, and I probably wouldn't have suggested it.

 

[Traf]

Just an update for anyone else with this motherboard.

I got the motherboard in the mail. I checked the serial number on the motherboard and called ASUS to check. They said this motherboard has 0803 BIOS per the sticker on the motherboard. It has 12th gen BIOS. ASUS told me to send it back to Amazon and get the Z790. So, they are still manufacturing this motherboard with 12th gen BIOS. He said the last 4 digits of the sticker near the RAM will have 2004 if the motherboard was preloaded with 13th gen BIOS. He said that 0803 is the current factory BIOS still being put on these boards.

 

[Traf]

Whelp, I'm up 💩 creek, I think. Because Amazon won't return it, and I can't find a CPU to update it. I looked for a Celeron and they were $200. I can just buy a new motherboard for that price. So, I'm going to have a motherboard sitting in a box that I'll never use. Man, I messed up. 😔