[SOLVED] Power without the light show?

[ultrarunner100]

Hey guys;
I want to build a powerful system for gaming and other intensive work, but I don't need or want a light show in the box.
The box will sit beside my workstation, between it and another piece of furniture, so no one (including me) is going to see or care what the inside of the box looks like.

I assume I can still buy a tower case that doesn't have a glass or acrylic side panel, but what about the components?
Do all graphics cards, memory modules, motherboards, fans, and cases come with lights?
While I will assume that either I can turn off the lighting, or, with an opaque case won't see it. But could I get components that don't have the lighting effects in the first place?

Thanks for your help
Ultrarunner

 

[jay32267]

There are still components without lights.
I have a system with an ASUS TUF MARK I motherboard that's pretty new and I have memory without lights and fans without lights and basically no lights anywhere except the GPU lights up a little bit with a logo.

 

[ultrarunner100]

So there is hope!
Thanks

 

[jay32267]

So there is hope!
Thanks

You're welcome.
Just look around a bit.....but I get what you're saying.

 

[WildCard999]

What is your budget?

It's easy to build a system nowadays without the flashy stuff and the non lit stuff, case fans for example, is usually quieter which is always a plus.

 

[ultrarunner100]

My budget? I'm not sure yet, but I'm thinking that to get what I really want, it's going to have to be $1500 or higher.

 

[WildCard999]

My budget? I'm not sure yet, but I'm thinking that to get what I really want, it's going to have to be $1500 or higher.

What will be the main uses for the system? What monitor resolution?

Knowing this we could give you a good idea on what you may or may not need to spend. For $1500, tower only, you could pretty much make a gaming system up to 4K/60hz (mix of Med-High settings).

 

[ultrarunner100]

The system will be for gaming, but currently the game I play the most is Run8 V2 train simulator, which is not even close to the demand of most of today's serious games. I also do some video streaming on YouTube, Amazon, and perhaps Netflix.
None of my 3 monitors are 4K, but if prices are reasonable, I would consider adding a 4K monitor.

It may not seem that I 'need' a serious gaming box, but I want to 'future-proof' as much as possible. Considering that I have been running my current build for 8 years, I'm not the type who does a build every few years.

 

[WildCard999]

I'd probably get something like this.

PCPartPicker Part List
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 3.6 GHz 8-Core Processor ($294.48 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI B450 TOMAHAWK MAX ATX AM4 Motherboard ($114.99 @ B&H)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3600 Memory ($154.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial P1 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($109.99 @ B&H)
Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER 8 GB Video Card ($699.99 @ Best Buy)
Case: Phanteks Eclipse P300A Mesh ATX Mid Tower Case ($58.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic FOCUS 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-modular ATX Power Supply ($99.99 @ B&H)
Total: $1533.41
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-04-14 14:51 EDT-0400

 

[MadsModsat]

I'm definately no fan of the RGB-lighting features which are integrated into all kinds of hardware and peripherals imaginable.

And as you probably already know, turning the lights off may require several different pieces of software, sometimes even running software in the background for no other good reason than to kill the RGB LEDs.

One thing I came across when I was looking for a graphics card, was that the ASUS RoG Strix line of graphics cards has an actual button on the back of the graphics card itself, which allows you to completely kill all lights without any use of software. That was an actual feature that influenced my choice between a few different manufacturers.

So if you look around a bit, before deciding on certain components, there are sometimes decent options for disabling the lights and related software which is often required.

If a certain hardware component seems to fit your upcomming build perfectly, but it has RGB lighting integrated, it is also worth checking if the hardware component can be controlled by the same app as one or two other components you might end up buying.

I would personally like to avoid RGB lighting on almost all components and peripherals, but sometimes I found that the price could be a bit steep on non-RGB hardware, or less options to chose from, compared to otherwise completely identical specs of a component with RGB - even from same manufacturer.

So personally I ended up with a few components with RGB lighting (motherboard, GPU and an AiO I have since ditched), but I managed to put togheter a system, where the few RGB LEDs I had to live with, can be controlled by one single piece of software, which doesn't even have to be running after changing settings.

To my surprise, I even found out, that the Call of Duty themed version of my current motherboard, had less visible RGB LEDs on the motherboard, compared to the identical motherboard with standard ASUS branding.
I never thought I'd end up with a motherboard with a gaming frachise branding added. It was even approximately USD $30 cheaper than the standard model. The only actual diffrence between the two motherboards being visual.

It is definately possible to avoid almost all RGB light integration, but if compromises has to be made, in my opinion, it pays off the see if they can at least be controlled by the same software

I don't mind the RGB options on my current keyboard though (Corsair K95), as it is first of all possible to set just one color and reduce brightness a lot - but what I particularly like about it is the options for only illuminating keys that has an actual function in the program I'm using, so I can quickly locate the right keys if it is dark.

But to be honest, the color display often associated with RGB features, makes hardware appear cheap or unreliable to me, even if it is actually quality hardware

 

[ultrarunner100]

I'd probably get something like this.

PCPartPicker Part List
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 3.6 GHz 8-Core Processor ($294.48 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI B450 TOMAHAWK MAX ATX AM4 Motherboard ($114.99 @ B&H)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3600 Memory ($154.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial P1 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($109.99 @ B&H)
Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER 8 GB Video Card ($699.99 @ Best Buy)
Case: Phanteks Eclipse P300A Mesh ATX Mid Tower Case ($58.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic FOCUS 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-modular ATX Power Supply ($99.99 @ B&H)
Total: $1533.41
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-04-14 14:51 EDT-0400

Well, that pretty much matches what I would go with. I love the MSI mobo. I have the P67A in my current build, and the fact that it has been running flawlessly for 8 years is enough to convince me to buy MSI again.
Although all of my builds to date have been Intel, I have been getting really interested in the AMD Ryzen 7 3700. It seems to be a better 'bang for the buck' than Intel. And you spec'd the 3700X, which I think is an upgraded version of the 3700?

I am happy to see the cost of RAM is low enough that I could afford 32GB. I have always been a believer in 'more is better' with RAM, even if my current needs don't require it.
The NVidia GeForce RTX 2080 Super 8GB is obviously the most expensive component, but it is also the most important, so I would not really have a problem with spending that much on it. I suppose I could save about $250 if I go with the 2060 instead, but will I need to upgrade it in 5 years?

As for RGB lighting, I have a better solution than installing bloatware to turn it off: Just get a case that doesn't have a clear panel, or cover it up with some wallpaper or an interesting piece of (opaque) artwork. If only I had saved some of those vinyl album covers...

I do like my RGB keyboard though. It's an Aukey KM-G3 mechanical. Knock-off Blue switches. I get some chatter sometimes, but have an app called 'keyboard chattering fix' running in the background, and set to 100ms. It takes care of any chatter. Still, I shouldn't need an app like that. So I'm probably going to buy a new KB with real Cherry switches - probably Brown, not Blue - when I do the build.
I only use the solid color lighting on the KB. None of that pulsating or sweeping showy stuff. I don't think the Aukey can be programmed to the extent that specific keys can have its own color, but it's good enough for night work.

For my train driving needs, I use a RailDriver, which is a dedicated USB box that simulates the controls of a locomotive. It's not perfect, but so much better than any keyboard.

 

[ultrarunner100]

Just did a Google for 'GeForce 2060 vs 2080', and came up with this:

https://www.userbenchmark.com/EFps/,2060S,,_,5700-XT,,_CSGO,,9600K.OC

,
Is there really an issue here, or is this just one tester's experience? I haven't done any real research into this yet.

 

[MadsModsat]

After an error message I'm redirected to the front page of UserBenchmarks when I follow your link.
Maybe my browser is at fault, but could you possibly mention the issue you are looking into with regards to the 2060 and 2080? Maybe I'll know where to look, in case I'm just not looking the right place?

 

[WildCard999]

The Ryzen X versions come with a better cooler so it is a bit better and I think the RGB on it can be disabled but I'm not 100% sure. The case is tinted tempered glass so it should hide any lights decently. With your games you could probably get a lower end GPU but I wanted to get a part list that would last and the 2080S is a excellent card for the money and follows the CPU/GPU rule of thumb which is spend double on the GPU that you spent on the CPU for a well balanced system. Depending on the game requirements it may also allow you to make that jump to 4K. That being said the RX 5700 XT is still a good card and competes with the 2070S for a bit cheaper but if you want to utilize tech such as Ray Tracing then you'll want to go Nvidia.

 

[ultrarunner100]

I'm directed to the front page of UserBenchmarks when I follow your link. Maybe my browser is at fault, but could you possibly mention the issue you are looking into with regards to the 2060 and 2080? Maybe I'll know where to look, in case I'm just not paying enough attention

My bad. I was using a private Firefox browser session. It probably messed up the link. Try this one.
https://gpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Nvidia-RTX-2080-vs-Nvidia-RTX-2060/4026vs4034

 

[WildCard999]

Remember, the S (Super) versions are the improved versions which can be found for a little bit more.

 

[MadsModsat]

My bad. I was using a private Firefox browser session. It probably messed up the link. Try this one.
https://gpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Nvidia-RTX-2080-vs-Nvidia-RTX-2060/4026vs4034

Your link now works, but I just see a comparison of the two GPUs. I don't see any review comments. I'm sorry if I'm just being a bit dim.

But I could add this personal experience, if you could possibly find that useful somehow.
If you find the price for a 2080 Super a bit steep, I can highly recommend looking into an RTX 2070 Super.

Before I bought the 2080 Super I have now, I owned an RTX 2070 Super. To be honest, I don't really have anything negative to say about the 2070 Super, and it was pure coincidence I later ended up with the 2080 Super instead, it was definately not because I felt like I needed more performance.. -and to be honest, I can hardly tell the difference in game performance between the RTX 2070 Super and the 2080 Super, although with a few exceptions.

Personally, I play at 1440p, 144Hz and the 2070 Super seems to be perfect for this. I like most visual seetings maxed out, but I turn off AntiAlias (because of the 2K resolution) and turn down shadows, disable motion blur and similar options, which evens out performance requirements compared to lower quality visual settings.
In reviewer's benchmarks, there is only about 10-12% performance difference or less (depending one the game) between the two, but the difference in price is usually more.

AMD probably offers the best price / performance currently, but when factoring in the drivers which seems to be a bit of a sore point for some AMD cards currently, and the performance vs price when looking at an Nvidia card in that performance segment, to me personally, the RTX 2070 Super was well worth the price, and performs very close to the original RTX 2080 (non-super)

For 4K, or if you are serious about RayTracing, I'd get the 2080 Super though - even my current setup slows down a lot when playing Control at 1440p with all RayTracing turned on.

 

[ultrarunner100]

Remember, the S (Super) versions are the improved versions which can be found for a little bit more.

Right. I'm thinking I could save some $$ by going one step lower, to the 2070 Super 8 for $499. For the games I now play, I don't think there would be any sacrifice in performance at all, and of course I could always upgrade in a few years, when the prices come way down.
that said, I am getting some compatibility issues, including a warning from PC Parts Picker on the MSI mobo with the AMD Ryzen 7 3700 CPU. They're warning that a BIOS upgrade may be necessary, which would require an older CPU to be installed to do the update.

Edit: Just went to MSI website, and found that you can do a flash BIOS without any CPU installed, so that pretty much negates that warning from PCPP.

 

[WildCard999]

Right. I'm thinking I could save some $$ by going one step lower, to the 2070 Super 8 for $499. For the games I now play, I don't think there would be any sacrifice in performance at all, and of course I could always upgrade in a few years, when the prices come way down.
that said, I am getting some compatibility issues, including a warning from PC Parts Picker on the MSI mobo with the AMD Ryzen 7 3700 CPU. They're warning that a BIOS upgrade may be necessary, which would require an older CPU to be installed to do the update.

Edit: Just went to MSI website, and found that you can do a flash BIOS without any CPU installed, so that pretty much negates that warning from PCPP.

So the B450 Tomahawk MAX ships with a updated BIOS so it will work with the 3700X out of the box but a neat feature with some of the MSI boards as they do actually allow you to update the BIOS without a CPU.

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

 

[ultrarunner100]

AMD probably offers the best price / performance currently, but when factoring in the drivers which seems to be a bit of a sore point for some AMD cards currently, and the performance vs price when looking at an Nvidia card in that performance segment, to me personally, the RTX 2070 Super was well worth the price, and performs very close to the original RTX 2080 (non-super)

For 4K, or if you are serious about RayTracing, I'd get the 2080 Super though - even my current setup slows down a lot when playing Control at 1440p with all RayTracing turned on.

I have always been an NVidia fan, so I will go with it again.
Ray Tracing? I had to look it up. Had never even heard of it before!
4K, possibly, but I need to check out the cost of a good 4K monitor.
I guess I'll have to do a bit more research on that AMD CPU/NVidia RTX 2070/2080 'bottleneck'.
Oh yea; One more thing: Would you recommend liquid cooling or is air cooling sufficient?
At this point, I'm not planning to overclock anything.

 

[WildCard999]

There would be no 'bottleneck' even if using multi 1080P monitors in surround. AMD Ryzen, 3600 or better would pair well with a higher end Nvidia GPU and don't bother with those bottleneck calculators as they are complete garbage that doesn't account for the game nor monitor resolution.

 

[ultrarunner100]

There would be no 'bottleneck' even if using multi 1080P monitors in surround. AMD Ryzen, 3600 or better would pair well with a higher end Nvidia GPU and don't bother with those bottleneck calculators as they are complete garbage that doesn't account for the game nor monitor resolution.

Thanks for that heads-up. I'm glad I came here before doing any other searches.

 

[MadsModsat]

Oh yea; One more thing: Would you recommend liquid cooling or is air cooling sufficient?
At this point, I'm not planning to overclock anything.

I have never owned a Ryzen CPU, but I have recent experience with the choice between AiO or air cooling for my 9900K, which is a fairly hot CPU under load. Most Ryzen CPUs have a bit higher idle temps, but the max temp is often better than some of their Intel counterparts.

For the last couple of years, I have been using different AiOs on different systems. I like the more clean look, but to be honest, I have always preferred air cooling.

Just a few weeks ago, I decided to ditch the AiO and return to air only. Most current good quality AiOs don't fail very frequently and has up to 5+ years factory warranty, but an AiO has more parts which can fail, and in a worst case scenario, has the potential to do more damage if they fail in a way which could spill water onto other fragile components carrying an electric current.

AiOs aren't all that quiet either, so if noise is a factor, AiOs are usually not the best option.

I have had to adjust to the temperature spikes being a bit higher (nowhere near the upper temperature limit, just compared to what I was used to). They are only there for an instant, but water cooling does decrease the temperature spikes more than air.
This not an actual problem, since the average temperatures are the same in my case between air and AiO, but it just looks different, and I'm still adjusting to the fact that temps are safe, even if I personally find them too hot.

The air cooler might not look as sleek, and some of them does make it difficult reaching RAM or unlocking the PCI-e x16 latch to free the GPU, but other than that, they offer less parts to go wrong and the niose levels are the same or lower, if using a good quality air cooler - in my own experience at least.

However some current CPUs do get quite hot, so for overlcocking or if other variables affect air cooling performance in a negative way, an AiO can be the best solution.

Personally I've always been happy with Noctua air coolers, but they are known for their less than ideal color scheme - but they finally offer a few that are completely black

So my personal recomendation would be air cooling over an AiO, but you might have completely different requirements which doesn't go well with air cooling, even if you don't plan on overclocking.
If choosing air cooling, airflow is important of course, but even more important to make sure the chassis you chose has enough clearence to accomodate an air cooler, as some of the high performance ones are quite tall once installed on the motherboard

 

[ultrarunner100]

The Ryzen X versions come with a better cooler so it is a bit better and I think the RGB on it can be disabled but I'm not 100% sure. The case is tinted tempered glass so it should hide any lights decently. With your games you could probably get a lower end GPU but I wanted to get a part list that would last and the 2080S is a excellent card for the money and follows the CPU/GPU rule of thumb which is spend double on the GPU that you spent on the CPU for a well balanced system. Depending on the game requirements it may also allow you to make that jump to 4K. That being said the RX 5700 XT is still a good card and competes with the 2070S for a bit cheaper but if you want to utilize tech such as Ray Tracing then you'll want to go Nvidia.

Wait a minute... you're saying the Ryzen X comes with the cooler? So I don't need to buy a CPU cooler separately?

 

[MadsModsat]

I completely forgot about that, Ryzen X stock air coolers are supposed to be quite good. Some mention a bit of noise at high RPM, which makes sense, but it is often recommended to stick with the stock cooler, unless noise becomes an issue to the user - but that's more down to personal preference than quality

I see very few complaints about the AMD Ryzen X coolers on various forums

I've personally hated the Intel Box coolers for years, so I always use aftermarket coolers, and completely forgot that AMD actually makes good stock coolers for some of their CPUs, at least by reputation