Question Wanting to build HTPC / mini ITX rig

[g-unit1111]

Approximate Purchase Date: e.g.: sometime in the next couple of months

Budget Range: $1K but can be flexible

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming (mainly console-ish games like GTA V and Borderlands, stuff like that) and streaming

Are you buying a monitor: No

Parts to Upgrade: New build from scratch

Do you need to buy OS: Yes (and will purchase the full Windows 10 Home OEM)

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Newegg, Micro Center, Amazon

Location: Orange County, CA, USA (I have access to a Micro Center for CPUs / motherboards)

Parts Preferences: Nothing really, want the best combination of price and performance for my dollar

Parts Not Required: GPU (have one from previous rig that I will be using)

Overclocking: Maybe

SLI or Crossfire: No

Your Monitor Resolution: This is the monitor I will be using (my primary system will be getting a 1440P LG in the next few months): https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16824236825

Additional Comments: Case MUST be ITX form factor. I would prefer something that is of the HTPC variety, but I will also accept something like a Phanteks Evolve Shift. I would go with the Ryzen 5600X normally but unless I can guarantee that the motherboard will recognize the CPU out of the box, I won't buy it. I personally don't want to have to flash the BIOS on my motherboard out of the box without a CPU, I would prefer not to do that.

And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: Been wanting to build a system like this for a while now and after upgrading my primary rig I have a few parts that I can use to make this system happen.

Here's the build that I am thinking of doing:

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: Intel Core i5-10600K 4.1 GHz 6-Core Processor ($214.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-L9i chromax.black 33.84 CFM CPU Cooler
Motherboard: MSI MEG Z490I UNIFY Mini ITX LGA1200 Motherboard ($277.83 @ Amazon)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory ($221.99 @ Corsair)
Storage: Intel 665p 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($103.99 @ Adorama)
Storage: Intel 665p 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($103.99 @ Adorama)
Case: Fractal Design Node 202 HTPC Case ($87.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair SF 600 W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully Modular SFX Power Supply ($139.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1150.76
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2021-03-25 18:00 EDT-0400

Or:

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600X 3.8 GHz 6-Core Processor ($248.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-L9a-AM4 chromax.black 33.8 CFM CPU Cooler
Motherboard: Gigabyte B550I AORUS PRO AX Mini ITX AM4 Motherboard ($209.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory ($221.99 @ Corsair)
Storage: Intel 665p 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($103.99 @ Adorama)
Storage: Intel 665p 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($103.99 @ Adorama)
Case: Fractal Design Node 202 HTPC Case ($87.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair SF 600 W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully Modular SFX Power Supply ($139.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1116.92
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2021-03-25 20:52 EDT-0400

 

[Karadjgne]

3600x is going to run quieter. With the same cooling solution it comes down to wattage, and the 3600x uses far less than the 10600k. With a htpc parked next to a TV, last thing you want is to really hear the fan.

I'd not bother with rgb ram inside the node, kinda pointless expenditure. Htpc shouldn't be running any lighting, gets really distracting during intense movies.
PCPartPicker Part List

Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3600 CL16 Memory ($199.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $199.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2021-03-25 21:25 EDT-0400

Cheaper, faster, better with Ryzens.

 

[Why_Me]

I'd run that build this way if its primary purpose is gaming. Expect that board and Rocket Lake cpu to show up on Newegg any day now. btw size up on your PSU to a 650w or even a 750w in order to push something such as an RTX 3070/3070 Ti in the future RE 1440 resolution.

https://us-store.msi.com/Intel-H510?product_id=711
MSI H510I PRO WIFI $119.99

https://www.microcenter.com/product...ake-29ghz-eight-core-lga-1200-boxed-processor
Intel Core i7-10700F $219.99

or ...

https://www.adorama.com/inbx8781170f.html
Intel Core i7-11700F $365.49

https://www.newegg.com/corsair-32gb-288-pin-ddr4-sdram/p/N82E16820236541
CORSAIR Vengeance LPX 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4 3200 CL16 Intel XMP 2.0 $164.99

And a single 2TB SSD w/TLC controller.

https://www.newegg.com/mushkin-enhanced-pilot-e-2tb/p/N82E16820226902
Mushkin Enhanced Pilot-E M.2 2280 2TB PCIe Gen3 x4 NVMe 1.3 3D TLC Internal SSD $214.99

https://www.anandtech.com/show/1634...e-i710700k-review-is-65w-comet-lake-an-option

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/H510I-PRO-WIFI

 

[Why_Me]

Two alternate cpu's for that build I posted up above to have a look at.

https://www.microcenter.com/product...-lake-29ghz-six-core-lga-1200-boxed-processor
Intel Core i5-10400F $129.99

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1621133-REG/intel_bx8070811400f_core_i5_11400f_2_6_ghz.html
Intel Core i5-11400F $167.95

Intel Core i5-10400F Review - Six Cores with HT for Under $200

Intel's new Core i5-10400F offers a large performance jump over the previous generation Core i5-9400F because of its six-core/twelve-thread design. In this Core i5-10400F review we also test the feasibility of overclocking through BCLK, or by relaxing the PL1 and PL2 Turbo Limits.

www.techpowerup.com

 

[g-unit1111]

I'd not bother with rgb ram inside the node, kinda pointless expenditure. Htpc shouldn't be running any lighting, gets really distracting during intense movies.
PCPartPicker Part List

Yeah that is a good point, I think I will use that RAM instead.

I'd run that build this way if its primary purpose is gaming. Expect that board and Rocket Lake cpu to show up on Newegg any day now. btw size up on your PSU to a 650w or even a 750w in order to push something such as an RTX 3070/3070 Ti in the future RE 1440 resolution.

https://us-store.msi.com/Intel-H510?product_id=711
MSI H510I PRO WIFI $119.99

Is there a better motherboard than that for H510? That one looks kind of cheap, I've been burned by cheap motherboards before and I would gladly pay $50 extra to get a good one if possible.

 

[g-unit1111]

Two alternate cpu's for that build I posted up above to have a look at.

https://www.microcenter.com/product...-lake-29ghz-six-core-lga-1200-boxed-processor
Intel Core i5-10400F $129.99

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1621133-REG/intel_bx8070811400f_core_i5_11400f_2_6_ghz.html
Intel Core i5-11400F $167.95

Intel Core i5-10400F Review - Six Cores with HT for Under $200

Intel's new Core i5-10400F offers a large performance jump over the previous generation Core i5-9400F because of its six-core/twelve-thread design. In this Core i5-10400F review we also test the feasibility of overclocking through BCLK, or by relaxing the PL1 and PL2 Turbo Limits.

www.techpowerup.com

I'd be OK with a non overclocked CPU. My primary rig runs a Ryzen 9 3900X so I have all the CPU horsepower I need there to run high end games and everything else I use my PC for. I don't think I need an i7 for these applications, an i5 or Ryzen 5 would be all I would get for this particular application. The GPU I'm using is the 2070 that I took out of my main rig after installing my 3080. So I would need at least a 600W or 650W PSU for that.

 

[Karadjgne]

I'm happy with my Asus ROG X570-i. It has the built-in Wifi6 that the others don't have, full Gen4 compatibility. About the only thing it doesn't have is an A-type header for front USB-C, the B550 (came out later) does.

Running CB using CTR and Dram Calculator (I have the same ram as I linked but 3700x) I'm getting right at 4998 on all core at only 41.8 multiplier. 65°C. That's up from the 4273 I started with and VID is down from 1.43v to 1.256v.

 

[g-unit1111]

I'm happy with my Asus ROG X570-i. It has the built-in Wifi6 that the others don't have, full Gen4 compatibility. About the only thing it doesn't have is an A-type header for front USB-C, the B550 (came out later) does.

Yeah I should also note that I will need Wifi-6 and USB-C connectivity. My router is a Netgear Nighthawk and it's really finicky with new devices.

Running CB using CTR and Dram Calculator (I have the same ram as I linked but 3700x) I'm getting right at 4998 on all core at only 41.8 multiplier. 65°C. That's up from the 4273 I started with and VID is down from 1.43v to 1.256v.

That's one thing I love about Ryzen is that it's very easy to overclock on very minimal equipment. On my 3900X I can get 4.8GHz with all cores and full DOCP with almost no effort.

 

[Karadjgne]

Well they all have USB-C in the rear, but only the B550 has it for the front. Not sure on the Intels.

 

[Why_Me]

Yeah that is a good point, I think I will use that RAM instead.



Is there a better motherboard than that for H510? That one looks kind of cheap, I've been burned by cheap motherboards before and I would gladly pay $50 extra to get a good one if possible.

This board is listed in the UK for 158 quid but that includes their VAT. If I had to guess this board will show up on Newegg for around $160 - $170.

https://www.gigabyte.com/us/Motherboard/B560I-AORUS-PRO-AX-rev-10#kf

 

[Why_Me]

This board is listed in the UK for 158 quid but that includes their VAT .. which is a total hose job btw. If I had to guess this board will show up on Newegg for around $160 - $170.

https://www.gigabyte.com/us/Motherboard/B560I-AORUS-PRO-AX-rev-10#kf

Gigabytes ATX version of that board showed up on Newegg a few days ago. Not sure if that board has 14k gold plated VRM's but it's priced above some of the low end Z590 boards.

https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16813145275
GIGABYTE B560 AORUS PRO AX $219.99

 

[Karadjgne]

Anything mITX comes at a premium. My board was $250. The exact same board (ROG-F) in atx was $159.
My case was $250. (worth every penny, serious attention to detail, and all sorts of additional screws, brackets, filler plates for front i/o to fully customize any design)

 

[g-unit1111]

Gigabytes ATX version of that board showed up on Newegg a few days ago. Not sure if that board has 14k gold plated VRM's but it's priced above some of the low end Z590 boards.

https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16813145275
GIGABYTE B560 AORUS PRO AX $219.99

Yeah that looks like a much better board. But is it any better than a B550 version?

 

[Why_Me]

Yeah that looks like a much better board. But is it any better than a B550 version?

No idea tbh. I don't know much when it comes to AMD boards. I would like to know why that board is priced $45 more than the Asus ROG B560 when they both look to have similar features.

https://www.newegg.com/asus-rog-strix-b560-a-gaming-wifi/p/N82E16813119382
ASUS ROG STRIX B560-A GAMING WIFI $174.99

 

[Karadjgne]

Thought you wanted mITX not ATX. Kinda makes those board prices moot.

 

[Why_Me]

This board is listed in the UK for 158 quid but that includes their VAT. If I had to guess this board will show up on Newegg for around $160 - $170.

https://www.gigabyte.com/us/Motherboard/B560I-AORUS-PRO-AX-rev-10#kf

@g-unit1111 here's another ITX board that's already showing up on UK sites at a price similar to that Gigabyte board in the quote. The Brits seem to be a week or two ahead of us lately for new hardware.

https://rog.asus.com/motherboards/rog-strix/rog-strix-b560-i-gaming-wifi-model/

 

[g-unit1111]

@g-unit1111 here's another ITX board that's already showing up on UK sites at a price similar to that Gigabyte board in the quote. The Brits seem to be a week or two ahead of us lately for new hardware.

https://rog.asus.com/motherboards/rog-strix/rog-strix-b560-i-gaming-wifi-model/

Now that is the kind of board that I'm looking for! 👍

 

[g-unit1111]

So I think I'm close to finalizing my parts list - here's what I am thinking of going with:

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600X 3.8 GHz 6-Core Processor ($249.00 @ Adorama)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-L9a-AM4 chromax.black 33.8 CFM CPU Cooler
Motherboard: Gigabyte B550I AORUS PRO AX Mini ITX AM4 Motherboard ($199.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3600 CL16 Memory ($199.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital SN750 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($129.99 @ Western Digital)
Storage: Western Digital SN750 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($129.99 @ Western Digital)
Case: Fractal Design Node 202 HTPC Case ($87.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair SF 600 W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully Modular SFX Power Supply ($139.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit ($108.78 @ Other World Computing)
Total: $1245.71
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2021-04-06 00:40 EDT-0400

I'm sure this thing is going to wind up costing more than my stated budget, lol. As far as storage goes, I always prefer to have one drive for OS / programs, and a separate drive for data. I might consider the Phanteks Evolv Shift instead of the Node 202 as well, though I want this system to be console sized, or near console sized. I would get that Asus B560 but I can't seem to find it anywhere.