Build Advice Ryzen 5600 as a new system in 2022

[x0r13]

Hey there!

I'm currently looking for a new system, since my old one is...well...old (everything bought mid 2017 except for the monitor):

CPU: AMD Ryzen 1700
Motherboard: AsRock AB350M Pro4 (Bios P3.00)
Ram: 2 x Kingston KHX2666C15D4/8G
SSD/HDD: Samsung SSD 970 EVO Plus 500GB
GPU: eVGA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB
PSU: Cougar GX 800 V3 80 Plus Gold (bought 2017)
Chassis: MS-Tech Crow Q1 (falls apart)
OS: Ubuntu 20.04.5 LTS
Monitor: BenQ ZOWIE XL2411K 144hz

At first I was hyped waiting for the new 7600x but after seeing the prices and the heat/power consumption using those, I was a bit turned off to be honest.

I was also looking at the 13600k, but this one is even worse when it comes to efficiency. Sure, I could set a power limit of 90w but why would I want to cripple what I pay for.

My use case is pretty simple: light 1080p gaming (I have no problem with lower settings) @ 144hz, some compiling (nothing too big) and every now and then I encode a video.
I am not really at a budget, but I don't like to overspend. The new system should be good enough for the next few years. Production wise my old trusty 1700 does not feel that bad, since I don't really care if I have to wait 15mins or 10mins for a compile to finish.
For games it's a bit different. In CS:GO I get around 250-300fps but settings are pretty much at the minimum. In Diablo2 Resurrected I can't reach 144fps which bothers me.
So long story short, I picked my new system using those components:

PCPartPicker Part List: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/vtwHLs

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600 3.5 GHz 6-Core Processor ($118.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: be quiet! Pure Rock 2 Black CPU Cooler ($44.90 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock B550M Steel Legend Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard ($155.17 @ MemoryC)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3600 CL16 Memory ($114.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 970 Evo Plus 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($199.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: XFX Speedster MERC 308 Black Radeon RX 6650 XT 8 GB Video Card ($319.99 @ Amazon)
Case: be quiet! Pure Base 500DX ATX Mid Tower Case ($109.90 @ Newegg Sellers)

Total: $1063.93

I already have a modular Cougar GX 800w PSU which I will continue to use. I do not want to upgrade CPU and RAM using my old motherboard since I would not feel comfortable upgrading it later even further with a 5900x/3800x3D.

The idea is, to have at least the option to switch to a 5900x in two years or so to buy some more time. After the 5900x is not enough anymore, there will probably already be AM6 out.
What do you guys think? I'm so torn between all those options, it's not fun anymore. I have the feeling right now is the worst time to buy a new system, but maybe that's just always the case...

 

[Lutfij]

Welcome to the forums, newcomer!

I already have a modular Cougar GX 800w PSU which I will continue to use.
How old is the PSU that you're looking to recycle?

You could just update the BIOS on your existing motherboard, swap the rams to DDR4-3200MHz, then see an uplift without having to drop money onto a pseudo new platform. Speaking of platforms, which AB350M do you have?

On second thoughts, please list the specs to your existing build like so:
CPU:
Motherboard:
Ram:
SSD/HDD:
GPU:
PSU:
Chassis:
OS:
Monitor:
include the age of the PSU as well. Existing motherboard's BIOS version?

 

[x0r13]

I have edited my first post.

 

[DavidM012]

Yes please be specific which ab350m you have since there are 8 variants:

ab350m support page

If it's vanilla ab350m then the memory support list has 1 or 2 compatible 3600mhz 16gb memory kits on it which is optimal for zen 3/5000 series. eg. HX436C17PB3AK2/16 - hyper x predator, if you can find it on sale anywhere anymore.

Well if you're stuck with 3200mhz memory it isn't a disaster, just not perfect.

You can get a bios update for your board to support a 5000 series cpu but I haven't linked to that directly without ascertaining the precise exact model of your mobo since you can't flash the wrong bios and you have a 1 in 8 chance of guessing wrong.

Use Hwinfo to identify your mobo if you aren't sure.


If you only need to spend a couple of hundred rather than a thousand well you could simply buy a better gpu after the cpu and mem. than an entirely new system.

AMD 7000 gpu series will be launching next month, and probably cause the market to shuffle again this year so more sales and bargains. Patience may be rewarding so long as stock doesn't fly off the shelves. So upgrade your cpu and mem now and wait for any sales.

Hence the question about your power supply cougar gx tier c probably ok if not too old - is it still within the warranty? To be sure it will be ok to support a new gpu since that seems an option.

Now is a tough time to build a new system, ddr 5 is out but, they are still developing really fast large modules. Like 10000mhz ddr 5 isn't retail yet but it is being tested. So if you buy ddr 5 now as an early adopter you might have to pay again to get the next fastest memory. And after all ddr 5 can support 256gb modules which is way overkill for most.

Also Zen 4 has a very thick integrated heat spreader which does affect thermals - see jayz 2 cents well the impression I got is a better cooling solution does affect performance.

However most wouldn't be comfortable delidding or lapping and voiding their warranty and especially because removing the cpu lid or ihs carries the risk of cracking or chipping the cpu die since that's what protects it. It's one of those things well they used a 3.6mm thick ihs on the cpu to maintain compatibility with am4 coolers which means the cpu runs hot - up to 95c. When maybe it could've been brought down to 70's. Well some peoples are probably gonna get that with a naff cooler and say what the actual with these temps?

Softwares going windows 11 only probably isn't a concern for you but could happen once windows 10 retires 2025 and they optimize for the new hardware.

So yes if you only have to spend about $250 to upgrade your cpu and mem and then maybe get a 6900xt gpu or anything of your choice not that there's much either a 6000 series amd or 3000 series nvidia well it will be fine for most things until developers or modders decide they really want to max out the usage of newer high end hardware which might just mean you'll be a bit behind the times on advanced effects in games or apps, nothing new there though.

I think you'll be 'mid range' basically. If you spend $1000 on an entirely new system it will be more of a 'side grade' than an 'upgrade' where you could just squeeze in a much better gpu if you update your bios, cpu & mem. Or simply spend less if you aren't that fussed about gaming.

 

[John Chesterfield]

Cougar power supply = likely trash and should be replaced.

 

[x0r13]

@DavidM012 : I updated my post, it's the AsRock AB350M Pro4. And as I already wrote, using it with a newer CPU is out of question. Even if I would buy new RAM, I would still be limited to PCIe Gen3 for GPU, and PCIe Gen2 for NVME.
So I would basically cripple the 5600 (and a possible future 5900x) with the RAM, and GPU + NVME by PCIe. In my eyes it doesn't make sense to keep the old mainboard just to save $150. Not to mention the sub-optimal VRMs...
RDNA3 low-end / mid-range will most likely take a lot longer to arrive. I guess maybe may 2023. I don't know if I want to wait that long, but I do know that I will not buy a 7900xt(x)
I do not need any high-end GPU at all (I do not plan on buying a 4 monitor etc.) I just want to reach 144fps in most/all titles @ 1080p (I'm ok with lower details if needed).

As said, I'm not on a budget or anything, but for me it would not make sense to buy "gamer hardware" it would just sit there idling most of the time. Everything stated in my (edited) post was bought in 2017, so the PSU is from 2017 as well. But I think it was available for quite some time already back then (maybe launched 2015?).

@John Chesterfield : Is there a specific reason for that? test reports are not looking bad for that PSU (but of course, those are also a few years old). I don't have a problem with buying a new one if needed (600w be quiet! Pure Power 11 CM modular 80+ gold looks not that bad) but I would really like to know what wrong with my old one (maybe missing connectors?).

 

[BarderoJ]

Hey there!

I'm currently looking for a new system, since my old one is...well...old (everything bought mid 2017 except for the monitor):

CPU: AMD Ryzen 1700
Motherboard: AsRock AB350M Pro4 (Bios P3.00)
Ram: 2 x Kingston KHX2666C15D4/8G
SSD/HDD: Samsung SSD 970 EVO Plus 500GB
GPU: eVGA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB
PSU: Cougar GX 800 V3 80 Plus Gold (bought 2017)
Chassis: MS-Tech Crow Q1 (falls apart)
OS: Ubuntu 20.04.5 LTS
Monitor: BenQ ZOWIE XL2411K 144hz

At first I was hyped waiting for the new 7600x but after seeing the prices and the heat/power consumption using those, I was a bit turned off to be honest.

I was also looking at the 13600k, but this one is even worse when it comes to efficiency. Sure, I could set a power limit of 90w but why would I want to cripple what I pay for.

My use case is pretty simple: light 1080p gaming (I have no problem with lower settings) @ 144hz, some compiling (nothing too big) and every now and then I encode a video.
I am not really at a budget, but I don't like to overspend. The new system should be good enough for the next few years. Production wise my old trusty 1700 does not feel that bad, since I don't really care if I have to wait 15mins or 10mins for a compile to finish.
For games it's a bit different. In CS:GO I get around 250-300fps but settings are pretty much at the minimum. In Diablo2 Resurrected I can't reach 144fps which bothers me.
So long story short, I picked my new system using those components:

PCPartPicker Part List: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/vtwHLs

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600 3.5 GHz 6-Core Processor ($118.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: be quiet! Pure Rock 2 Black CPU Cooler ($44.90 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock B550M Steel Legend Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard ($155.17 @ MemoryC)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3600 CL16 Memory ($114.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 970 Evo Plus 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($199.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: XFX Speedster MERC 308 Black Radeon RX 6650 XT 8 GB Video Card ($319.99 @ Amazon)
Case: be quiet! Pure Base 500DX ATX Mid Tower Case ($109.90 @ Newegg Sellers)

Total: $1063.93

I already have a modular Cougar GX 800w PSU which I will continue to use. I do not want to upgrade CPU and RAM using my old motherboard since I would not feel comfortable upgrading it later even further with a 5900x/3800x3D.

The idea is, to have at least the option to switch to a 5900x in two years or so to buy some more time. After the 5900x is not enough anymore, there will probably already be AM6 out.
What do you guys think? I'm so torn between all those options, it's not fun anymore. I have the feeling right now is the worst time to buy a new system, but maybe that's just always the case...

5600/5600x/5600g is a beast for now and will be for next 2 year.

If u didnt already buy ur pc, why dont u take hyperx kit 2x16gb cl16, buy basic 1tb m2 ssd and a good 2tb hdd - with these u'll save abt 200-300usd(at least in my country)
Then buy 6750xt, and u can play all games mid-high 1440p

 

[John Chesterfield]

@John Chesterfield : Is there a specific reason for that? test reports are not looking bad for that PSU (but of course, those are also a few years old). I don't have a problem with buying a new one if needed (600w be quiet! Pure Power 11 CM modular 80+ gold looks not that bad) but I would really like to know what wrong with my old one (maybe missing connectors?).

Do you have a link to those reports? It's certainly possible that it's not bad, but Cougar is generally trash when it comes to power supplies. That said, even Deepcool have one or two decent models, but most of them are garbage.

Need to know the exact model or have links to these reports you mention.

 

[x0r13]

Cougar G800 GX-Series 800W Power Supply Review

Cougar is a company that few have heard of, even in Europe, a very small number would have them in their ‘recommended power supply manufacturer list’ which they would either consider for their own…

www.eteknix.com

https://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/4...t_80_plus_gold_power_supply_review/index.html

Just two of the ones I found when checking. But as I said, if newer hardware needs anything special (like special connectors etc.) I will most definitely need another PSU.

 

[John Chesterfield]

Cougar G800 GX-Series 800W Power Supply Review

Cougar is a company that few have heard of, even in Europe, a very small number would have them in their ‘recommended power supply manufacturer list’ which they would either consider for their own…

www.eteknix.com

https://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/4...t_80_plus_gold_power_supply_review/index.html

Just two of the ones I found when checking. But as I said, if newer hardware needs anything special (like special connectors etc.) I will most definitely need another PSU.

You will anyway, that review is 11 years old.

 

[ohio_buckeye]

I would consider staying with that board. I’ve got the full size AsRock ab350 pro 4, and I’m actually running a 5900x with 32gb ddr4 3200 on it along with a 6700xt.

It’s up to you but the money you’d spend on a new board might buy you a nice Corsair rmx psu that should be reliable for your system. I personally when I looked into things couldn’t see replacing the board. In my case it really works well. I’d consider to update the bios on your existing board, dump the 5600 and pick up a 5700x which will be a nice boost from what you’ve got and is still a 65 watt cpu and should be easy to cool. On gpu if you go used you can save but I’d buy from eBay and make sure the seller has good feedback and run the card hard for a week or so in case you need to file a claim through eBay.

For example this doesn’t look bad.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3254169526...1QoO_yZSxW&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

You could look at a 2080 super like this

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1752721008...1QoO_yZSxW&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

If I were going to choose one of those I’d go for the 6700xt due to the age.

Edit: this 3060ti doesn’t look bad either

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1954602719...1QoO_yZSxW&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

[ohio_buckeye]

For cpu cooler consider this.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3541065452...1QoO_yZSxW&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

It looks like it’s being sold by Arctic themselves. I bought an rgb version of this and run it on my 5900x. I’m pretty happy with it.

As far as storage, you may consider as well something like a 500gb boot drive and a cheaper 2tb secondary drive. In my pc I use a 240gb Samsung 960 evo, and 2 1tb sata ssd drives, and a 2tb sata ssd as well. I’ve seen some 2tb drives dropping to about 100 bucks lately.