[SOLVED] Quick First Pc Build Help

[TeeCab]

Okay, I'm looking to build a first pc for my partner since his current laptop is going in the garbage as soon as I get my hands on it.
He wants to be able to run AAA games and do a bit of programming and ethical hacking on it, so I want to make sure I'm getting him something good he can work with and upgrade to his needs but also be able to use and run with immediately.
Budget is about $1400-1600, and the Parts List is here.
Really appreciate any advice on the subject as I'm learning as I go.

 

[tennis2]

That's a horrible price for a 3400G. The MSRP of that chip is $150.

Not sure why you're pairing it with a $250 X570 board....

650W PSU is great....if you're pairing it with a $500 dGPU.

$225 case?

Is the 3400G intended to be a hold-over until GPU prices stabilize, at which point you'll get a 5600X and a dGPU?

 

[Eximo]

Not many triple A games will run on an APU. Some of the lighter ones will be playable at low resolutions and medium settings. Certainly lighter e-sports titles will be more than playable. Your LoL, CS:GO, Rocket League and the like. But I understand, GPU prices are outrageous, and the best you can get is entry level graphics cards at inflated prices, or high end cards at ludicrous prices.

You should go for 3600Mhz memory, since that will also be the graphics memory. Also set you up for future non-APU upgrades.

You don't really need to purchase thermal compound, the included cooler will have you covered, nor is Arctic Silver considered to be a high end paste. They just have a long history. Pastes from Noctua, Thermal Grizzly, Arctic(not to be confused with Arctic Silver, separate companies), etc are better.

I won't gainsay you on the case or RGB memory, up to individuals what they like there. Though you are spending a good chunk of change.

 

[Eximo]

That's a horrible price for a 3400G. The MSRP of that chip is $150.

Not sure why you're pairing it with a $250 X570 board....

650W PSU is great....if you're pairing it with a $500 dGPU.

Is the 3400G intended to be a hold-over until GPU prices stabilize, at which point you'll get a 5600X and a dGPU?

Good catch, yeah the Amazon price is crazy. Get it anywhere else for $150.

I assume the motherboard is for future upgrades, and it is a nice one.

 

[TeeCab]

Good catch, yeah the Amazon price is crazy. Get it anywhere else for $150.

I assume the motherboard is for future upgrades, and it is a nice one.

The motherboard is for future upgrades, as I'd prefer him to have something he can run for at least 4-6 years before needing to replace it. As to why I paired them up, I'll be honest here and say that I have only a small clue of what I'm doing and I'm just going based off of compatibility and his preferences plus my own knowledge.
RGB is an add-on for him and if it needs to be snuffed out for something better it is absolutely do-able btw.

 

[tennis2]

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X 3.7 GHz 6-Core Processor ($329.99 @ Adorama)
Motherboard: MSI MAG B550M MORTAR WIFI Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard ($169.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix RGB 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 CL16 Memory ($104.00 @ B&H)
Storage: Samsung 970 Evo 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($144.99 @ Amazon)
Insert GPU here when hell thaws out.
Case: Fractal Design Meshify C Mini MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($102.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic FOCUS 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($109.80 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit ($108.78 @ Other World Computing)
Software: Microsoft Office 365 Personal (1 Year Subscription) - 1 User Software ($44.99 @ Amazon)
Keyboard: Kingston HyperX Alloy Origins Core RGB Wired Gaming Keyboard ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $1205.51
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2021-03-12 10:56 EST-0500

I'd recommend a tenkeyless keyboard. I'd also let him try out different switch colors (red/brown probably) to let him decide which he likes best.

 

[TeeCab]

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X 3.7 GHz 6-Core Processor ($329.99 @ Adorama)
Motherboard: MSI MAG B550M MORTAR WIFI Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard ($169.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix RGB 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 CL16 Memory ($104.00 @ B&H)
Storage: Samsung 970 Evo 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($144.99 @ Amazon)
Insert GPU here when hell thaws out.
Case: Fractal Design Meshify C Mini MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($102.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic FOCUS 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($109.80 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit ($108.78 @ Other World Computing)
Software: Microsoft Office 365 Personal (1 Year Subscription) - 1 User Software ($44.99 @ Amazon)
Keyboard: Kingston HyperX Alloy Origins Core RGB Wired Gaming Keyboard ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $1205.51
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2021-03-12 10:56 EST-0500

I'd recommend a tenkeyless keyboard. I'd also let him try out different switch colors (red/brown probably) to let him decide which he likes best.

Thanks for this, my only concern is that this is the case he wants, and while I'm sure I can convince him otherwise, I'd rather him have at least that one thing since I'm in charge of the rest, lol. I know the case is overpriced, but hey, if it's what he likes I guess. I'll have to look into each part, but I'll try out the suggestions.

 

[tennis2]

What exactly has him so swooned over the TT case that it's worth spending an extra $100 for?

 

[TeeCab]

What exactly has him so swooned over the TT case that it's worth spending an extra $100 for?

From what I understand it’s the ergonomics/airflow paired with the included rgb fans. I could not tell you though. We went over a bunch of pros and cons with cases, searched for a few hours, pulled up his favorites, and that’s what he landed on.

 

[tennis2]

FYI, the TT View 71 TG RGB comes with 2 x 140mm fans included.
The TT View 71 TG ARGB comes with 3 x 140mm fans included.

The photo(s) of the product with fan lights on and system installed rarely has the accurate included fan count. Gotta look at the specs.

 

[JoshTheDogBuildingNewPC]

I'd recommend a tenkeyless keyboard. I'd also let him try out different switch colors (red/brown probably) to let him decide which he likes best.

I don't know if he would want a tenkeyless keyboard or not, because the numpad can be very useful if you use it often. You might also want to know whether he wants clicky switches or not, a lot of noise or a quiet keyboard.

 

[tennis2]

I don't know if he would want a tenkeyless keyboard or not, because the numpad can be very useful if you use it often. You might also want to know whether he wants clicky switches or not, a lot of noise or a quiet keyboard.

Agreed. Depends on the usage. Tenkeyless affords much greater mousepad space which is a huge benefit for gaming.