[SOLVED] PC Gaming Build - feedback for newbie

[the_mentat]

First time ever building a PC. After much research, I think I got most of what I want but as a first time super newbie, I'd like to get some feedback.

Assumptions and Needs

1. I know there is no one size fits all - every person has different needs and requirements.
2. I have no budget constraints. That said, I don't want an overkill build. I'm the type of guy that likes the best bang for the buck.
3. PC will be used ONLY for gaming and PC case will be in my living room. I'll be sitting on a comfy recliner couch viewing my game on a 65" 4k TV. Furthermore, I intend on placing the PC case on a corner shelf which is 19.5" long by 11" width. This means that aesthetics are important and ideally I'd like to have the PC case small enough so it can sit on the shelf with room for the exhaust fan. I'll go with air cooling as I understand that water loop solution can have a noisy pump. I don't want RGB on components, so the case can be opaque (no glass panel).
4. I play games like Xcom, Dark Souls, Halo, Bloodborne, Horizon Ridge (last three are console games). I don't play sports games, race cars, or Rainbow 6, Call of Duty, and other squad like games.
5. Quiet PC is super important, as I easily get irritated by noisy fans. That said, I know that a silent optimized case without proper airflow can be just as noisy (if not more) as a case with plenty of airflow but not optimized for silent operation.
6. I won't be doing streaming (affects CPU choice).
7. I don't need an optical drive.
8. I'm a minimalist/simplistic type of guy.

After much research, here are the components I'm thinking of:

• CPU: Intel i5/9600K
• GPU: Nvidia 2080 RTX Super
• CPU Cooling: BeQuiet Dark Rock Pro 4 (or Noctua NH-D15)
• Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 DRAM 3200MHz
• Storage: Samsung SSD 970 PRO 512GB - NVMe PCIe M.2 2280 SSD
• PC Case: Fractal Design Meshify C
• PSU: BeQuiet Straight Power 11 or Dark Power Pro 11
• Motherboard: ATX form - undecided

Component Reasoning/Justification

• CPU: i7/9700k and i7/9900k seem like an overkill for my needs and there is quite a price difference.
  • There is the i5/9600kf (without integrated graphics) which costs about $20-$30 less. Should I consider that? If I ever need to replace graphics card or have problems with it, integrated graphics on CPU can be handy.
  • I thought about AMD equivalent but I read some people had compatibility issues with motherboard and memory so I'm going the safe route.
• GPU: Nvidia 2080 RTX Super recently came out and is slight improvement over the 2080 RTX. The Ti version is a major price difference and seems like an overkill. My 4k TV also supports max 60 FPS, so even higher FPS rates that the Ti can provide will be wasted. This seems like a good enough card with future proofing my needs.
  • Any specific implementation/vendor for this card?
  • I think it can fit inside the Fractal Design Meshify C case. Can anyone confirm?
  • Does it have decent 4k FPS rate?
• CPU Cooling: both of the mentioned models are HUGE, but seem to do excellent work. Since my case is opaque, internal aesthetics are not a concern. Can someone confirm if they fit within the PC case?
• Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX seems good enough, inexpensive, and small profile that will fit under the huge heat sink.
• Storage: 512GB is plenty and this model has very favorable reviews.
• PC Case: I initially thought about going with BeQuiet Dark Base 700, as I really liked its aesthetics and seems like a very high quality build. However, I'm concerned with its size (can barely fit the shelf though the legs can stand on it) but mostly with airflow. It has only a few vent slots on the top and front panel is opaque. The Meshify C is smaller in size, weighs less (don't want to put too much weight on the shelf), and has airflow from its front mesh AND the top. While may not be as sound proof as BeQuiet's 700 or Fractal Define C, excellent airflow can result is much lower fan speeds and be just as quiet. Downside is it doesn't have USB 3.1 Type C.
• PSU: undecided here. Definitely anything 80 Plus standard and fully modular. I believe Nvidia recommends 650 watts for the 2080 RTX. I also saw a single review which said that the PSU's 12V bus/lane should have at least one output of 24 amps or higher. Is that true? Only one review mentioned this fact. Any suggestions here are most welcomed.
• Motherboard: Z390 for sure, but I don't know which one to get. Ideally I would like to have on it:
  • bluetooth
  • wifi
  • USB 3.1 Type C port

I appreciate any feedback and if you can confirm component compatibility/clearance with each other.

 

[AngelTech]

I understand you won't be streaming but Ryzen is still very good for your needs you could get a Ryzen 3600 with an X570 motherboard to prevent the motherboard compatibility issues and I believe RAM compatibility was only an issue with Ryzen 1st and 2nd gen but may be wrong also Navi 12 has been teased by Lisa Su so IF your build isn't urgent I'd wait a few more weeks to see if any info comes out about Navi 12 or even till September if you can but if you can't the 2080 super is a fine choice I myself will be getting one unless Navi 12 comes out also no specific vendor it's all personal choice to me 4K isn't worth it until you can get 100FPS in 4K and playing in the resolution is pretty expensive you will need to uprgade every genereation most likely/every other generation and if it can fit will all depend on what AIB you get as for power supply the Seasonic focus plus gold 650 watts is a great choice IF you went Ryzen ASUS X570 TUF Gaming Plus (WI-FI) is a good choice honestly no 512GB is nothing nowadays I'd get a 1TB Intel 660P NVME drive and 2TB HDD for other things as games are beginning to take 100+ GB in some cases as for your heatsink I am actually getting the same case as you but different cooling method the max height for heatsink is 6.77 in. (172.00 mm) the Noctua is 165 mm and the Be Quiet is 163 mm they may make it difficult to install RAM so probably install the RAM first.

 

[King Dranzer]

What is your total budget for the build? Max you can spend

 

[WizzScout]

What is your budget though? This does sound like a huge budget but would still like numbers

 

[the_mentat]

Budget is not really a concern. But....... would like to keep it maximum between $2,000 - $3,000.

 

[King Dranzer]

Is that USD.

 

[the_mentat]

Is that USD.

Yes.

 

[King_V]

Well, the 970 EVO is an amazing SSD, but pricey. And, I'd have to agree, depending on the games, Windows updates, etc. that space can get eaten up quickly.

I know the Intel 660p 1TB has often been spotted for just under $100, though there are others in that price range for that size as well on occasion. I think the higher capacity is more worthwhile than the performance edge that the 970 EVO gives, particularly since typical gaming use doesn't actually get to take much advantage of that extra performance.

An additional HDD for less frequently played games, or anything else, might be worthwhile, but doesn't have to be purchased right away.

Power Supply: I'd personally go with Seasonic FOCUS+ or PRIME. Long warranties, top quality, and available I believe both as modular and semi-modular. But, that's what I'm familiar with - I don't know how good the BeQuiet models are.


While Intel is generally seen to have the edge from a strictly gaming perspective, it is likely worthwhile as well to consider a 3000 series Ryzen platform. In the long run, it's likely worthwhile. Gaming at 4K/60Hz, your limitation is going to still be the video card for the most part, even with a 2080 Super.

 

[King Dranzer]

Here is the list:

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 3900X 3.8 GHz 12-Core Processor ($499.00 @ B&H)
CPU Cooler: be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 50.5 CFM CPU Cooler ($106.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Asus TUF GAMING X570-PLUS ATX AM4 Motherboard ($189.99 @ B&H)
Memory: G.Skill Trident Z 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($143.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 970 Evo 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($169.99 @ B&H)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti 11 GB Black Video Card ($1069.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design Define R5 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($137.53 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Corsair RMi 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($119.88 @ Newegg)
Total: $2437.36
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-08-06 12:12 EDT-0400

It will be silent as well as well as provide peak of performance. For 4K gaming this is better setup this is best possible build.

 

[TCA_ChinChin]

If you want to save money compared to King Dranzer's above build and still run 4K 60FPS, then the option of the RTX 2080 Super is still available. It will still be able to push 4k 60FPS ultra quality (maybe slightly lower settings for more demanding games).

Honestly your CPU choice of the i5-9600k is perfectly fine for pure gaming, but since you have such a large budget, something like the i7-9700k or the i9-9900k is well within your reach (and would offer slightly higher performance).

AMD processors are perfectly suitable too since although they are generally slower in games, its not as big of a difference at high resolutions. The pro is that they have better performance/$ in general compared to their Intel counterparts.

Personally if I did have your budget, then I would absolutely recommend what King Dranzer has put together. Its not the best performance/$ NOW, but it will certainly last a lot longer.

 

[the_mentat]

Thanks all. Any motherboard recommendation or specific GPU implementation?

 

[King Dranzer]

See the thing is that RTX 2080 Super is not big improvement over RTX 2080 unlike RTX 2070 Super and RTX 2060 Super. RTX 2080 Ti is a level ahead of RTX 2080 Super. I would highly recommend RTX 2080 Ti as you have budget to afford it.

I have opted R9 3900X over Intel i9-9900K as at 4K the single core performance will not effect on performance much. But as R9 3900X has 4C/8T more they may come in handy for games which scale and utilize as many cores available to perform more smoothly.

 

[the_mentat]

See the thing is that RTX 2080 Super is not big improvement over RTX 2080 unlike RTX 2070 Super and RTX 2060 Super. RTX 2080 Ti is a level ahead of RTX 2080 Super. I would highly recommend RTX 2080 Ti as you have budget to afford it.

I have opted R9 3900X over Intel i9-9900K as at 4K the single core performance will not effect on performance much. But as R9 3900X has 4C/8T more they may come in handy for games which scale and utilize as many cores available to perform more smoothly.

I know the super is not a major improvement, but since it is out, I'll buy it rather than the "plain" 2080. I know the 2080 Ti is a level ahead, but I think it'll be an overkill for my needs. Also, it consumes more power, and I want to minimize heat/noise.

 

[King Dranzer]

I know the super is not a major improvement, but since it is out, I'll buy it rather than the "plain" 2080. I know the 2080 Ti is a level ahead, but I think it'll be an overkill for my needs. Also, it consumes more power, and I want to minimize heat/noise.

Hmmm........it will only consume same power as Super both rated at 250W TDP. Noise and heat will not be effected in any way.
Well for 15-20% increase in total budget you are getting 25-30% performance improvement. Not bad at all.
You can choose any as long as you end up being satisfied.

 

[the_mentat]

As for PSUs, I did some more research and seen very favorable reviews for Seasonic PSUs. I'm thinking of getting Seasonic Focus Plus Gold. Assuming I overclock, is 550w sufficient or should I get the 650w?

 

[King Dranzer]

As for PSUs, I did some more research and seen very favorable reviews for Seasonic PSUs. I'm thinking of getting Seasonic Focus Plus Gold. Assuming I overclock, is 550w sufficient or should I get the 650w?

Corsair is very high quality product and after sales support is superior to any brand. I hope you don't end up requiring after sales support and warranty coverage. Corsair is not bad at all and is even better. Seasonic is not bad and is of equal quality as Corsair but after sales support is not as good as Corsair.

Yes you can get Seasonic PSU it is also a good option.

 

[reaper12474]

you should get 650 watt or better. That is the recommended spec for a 2080super. Seasonic is highly recommened by many as well as evga and corsair

 

[the_mentat]

Thanks guys for the feedback. I ended up choosing Seasonic 650wGold Prime:

• It had extremely favorable reviews.
• The Gold Prime seems to have a bigger and quieter fan.
• Decided to it would be safer than 550w, as per recommendation, and also potential future proofing if I end up upgrading GPU.

I also selected Gigabyte Z390 AORUS PRO WiFi motherboard, and then to my surprise also realized this one has bluetooth as well - no dongle for me. I chose it due to favorite reviews and also availability of matching GPU from Gigabyte: Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Super (less chance of incompatibility due to being the same company).

Already ordered all the parts. Unfortunately, PSU is going to arrive latest in about a week and a half from now. Compared prices between Amazon, NewEgg, and BH Photo Video, and Amazon was the cheapest for most components - ordered from Amazon.

I also ordered the 9600k and not the 9600kf as there is only $10 difference. I figured if something ever happens to the video card, I'll be happy for those $10.

Fractal Design Meshify C solid (no glass panel) was actually very hard to find. Finally found on Amazon from 3rd party seller which had a few left.

So my final build is:

• CPU: Intel i5/9600K
• CPU Cooling: BeQuiet Dark Rock Pro 4
• GPU: Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Super
• Motherboard: Gigabyte Z390 AORUS PRO WiFi
• PC Case: Fractal Design Meshify C
• PSU: Seasonic PRIME 650 Gold
• Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 DRAM 3200MHz
• Storage: Samsung SSD 970 PRO 512GB

Grand total including shipping & handling is: $1894.81
I'm excited!

 

[King_V]

This is probably more maybe paranoia or a slight bit of excessive cautiousness, but I think either stepping up to a 1TB drive, or, perhaps, getting a second drive that doesn't necessarily have to be up to the performance of the 970 Pro, might be a good idea.

Of course, that's something that can always be pretty easily added in later if you find in the future that 512GB isn't enough.

 

[the_mentat]

Thanks, but I really think 512GB is enough for me. But as you said, I can always add later. By the way, from your profile, I see you have Seasonic? How is it? I ended up ordering the Seasonic 650w Gold Prime. Seems it has bigger fan than the plain Gold version and is quieter. What's your experience with your Seasonic?

 

[King_V]

I've had no complaints with it at all. It's quiet, and reliable. It's also slightly overkill for my needs.

I bought it with the anticipation of getting a GTX 1080Ti at the time, and Dell's 460W power supply would probably have not been enough - they generally advertise as "can handle up to a 225W GPU"

The 1080Ti is a 250W card, so I got the Seasonic. However, I wound up getting a 1080 instead of a 1080Ti. Given the 1080's 180W envelope, I would have been able to stick with my existing factory Dell PSU (the previous card I had in there was a 195W R9 285, and it had no problems running that for years).

It's definitely my intent to move the Seasonic and (likely) the GPU over to whatever new system I may build in the future.