Building A New Gaming Rig!

First Hello, I am Quinn (Omikse). I am new to the forum but have been looking at major geeks for year to get answers to questions I have had. SO I come here today to ask a few questions myself. I am building a new rig and I am looking for places to get the best deals I can and I am hoping I can find out where to go here. I know some of the bigger names like EBay, Newegg, Amazon, but are there any others out there that I can go looking at. I have already made my first purchase which a ASUS ASROG Crosshair VI Hero. I am looking into the AMD Ryzen for the CPU and the Thermaltake Level 10 gt case but that is all I have gone after so far. Any advise as to where to go to get the absolute lowest deals I can get? Thanks in advance. Oh and by the way I am trying to keeps this all under 1000 dollars even lower if possible.

 

I think you have already hit the main sites. I shop mostly through Newegg and Amazon. Ebay can be risky. I have got some really good deals on TVs, monitors and printers from B&H Photo. Micro Center is popular too.

You need to shop around on the day you are planning to buy as prices vary everywhere. Be sure to factor in shipping, if any.

Also, do NOT try to trim the budget with a cheap power supply. Get a quality supply from a reputable maker, at least 80 PLUS Bronze, I prefer Gold. I like EVGA and SeaSonic but there are many good brands and models out there. But the point is your PSU is arguably the most important (in terms of purchasing and researching) decision you must make. And don't pick your supply until after you have decided on all your other components so you know how big you need.

PCPartPicker is good for builders and it will suggest a PSU size.

Or my preferred PSU calculator is the eXtreme Power Supply Calculator. All PSU calculators pad the results a little to avoid recommending an underpowered supply. But, by far, the eXtreme Outer Vision PSU calculator is the most accurate because it is so flexible with so many input and utilization options. Plus (and this may be the most important factor) they have a group of researchers on staff constantly researching components for us, and then updating the calculator with those components.

 

Thanks for the info. I went to the PCPartPicker and made a potential parts list, of course it will change when I have the money to build it with but as of right now, the list is suggestion a 250w psu which I was planning on going with either 750 or 850. I usually go with corsair but it all depends on where I can find the cheapest. Also some of the things on the list I already have like The motherboard is already purchased, the monitor (Acer s271HL), Keyboard (G.Skill MK780R RGB), Logitech G602 wireless mouse, and a D-Link DWA-192 Wi-Fi network Adapter. I already have Windows 10 Pro and Office 16 as well.

So for your viewing pleasure, here is a list if the link works:
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/TGssbj

EDIT: The Case will actually be Thermaltake Level 10 Snow Edition

 

EDIT TO PREVIOUS POST: The Memory will be G.Skill Trident Z RGB

 

Please spend money on a good PSU. The Ryzens are awesome but require some tuning after installing. The intel processors are more plug and play. You don't have to buy the best cooling system but research which is best for what you use the computer for.

 

I plan on getting a decent PSU. But just in case what would you suggest?

 

That depends on your budget. This is what I use and has done me well so far. Corsair RM750x. About $109.

 

I was thinking of going with Corsair, either a 750 or 850.

 

That Ryzen comes with an able cooler. Contrary to what some want us to believe, both AMD and Intel provide quality and capable coolers with their CPUs. The H80i is waste of money for you.

Not all Corsairs are alike. Stay away from their entry level series. I prefer EVGA supplies.

750W is WAY overkill! The eXtreme calculator, with CPU utilization at 100% and computer utilization set to 16 hours/day, says your load is 251 and recommends 301W as a minimum. And I think that is about right. But to ensure wiggle room for future upgrades, I recommend you look at 400 to 450W supplies. That size is more than enough.

And while dual channel memory did not pan out to be the performance booster the hype suggested, it is still worth it. So with the money you save not getting that H80i and by getting a smaller PSU, you can opt for 2 x 8GB of RAM.

 

This is true of we're talking about DDR3 RAM, maybe not for DDR 4. I do agree that 16 GB is optimal.

 

Which game he plays or the intensity of the games has nothing to do with this. The only thing that matters is the maximum demand of the attached components. Even NVIDIA only recommends a 300W supply with that card because it maxes out at only 75W. It is not a very power hungry card. Neither is that CPU.

Any quality power supply is fully capable of running near or at full capacity full time (with proper case cooling). But no program, including game, pushes the hardware at full capacity full time. It varies constantly. Only some benchmarking programs keep demands at maximums for extended periods and that is just not realistic.

Both PCPartPicker and the eXtreme PSU calculator, and now NVIDIA all say 300W is plenty. So 400 - 450 is more than enough while still giving headroom for future expansion.

There is no reason to expect a 750W supply would be more reliable than a 450W supply with the demands those components will make. More power capability does not equal better reliability as long as demands does not exceed capability. And these components don't come near that.

What does DDR4 instead of DDR3 have to do with this? Dual channel is a motherboard feature, not RAM. If the motherboard supports it, the CPU uses the RAM on both halves (dual) of the cycle. If the motherboard does not support it, the board and thus RAM runs in single channel.

The issue was dual-channel was that it promised twice the RAM performance. Dual channel is faster, just not twice as fast. But still worth it when possible. 2 x 4GB in dual channel will outperform 1 x 8GB any day of the week.

That said, more RAM trumps faster RAM.

 

The difference I'm talking about with DDR4 RAM is price. If he has a motherboard that supports DDR3 he can afford more RAM than one that supports DDR4.

 

As for the motherboard I have already bought (and is on the way) is the ASUS Crosshair VI Hero. I was thinking the Extreme but it was more then my budget would allow. So I just updated my parts list to reflect some suggestions you all made:

https://pcpartpicker.com/user/Omikse/saved/#view=X6PNNG

I have the Noctua NH-D15 in my current build and I like it except for the fact that I need to remove it to add or remove memory.

 

I know it is more than you suggested but I kind of want to build an RGB based system so I am looking into this PSU:

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817153310

 

Yes, DDR4 is more expensive (for now) but there's really no "if" involved here. The motherboard he has selected only supports DDR4 - which is good. DDR3 has been superseded by DDR4 and is becoming obsolete.

@Geek_Justin - Again, you don't need a 3rd party cooler with that CPU. Remember, it is the case's responsibility to provide an adequate supply of cool air flowing through the case. The CPU cooler need only toss the CPU's heat into that air flow and OEM coolers are more than capable of doing that, even with mild to moderate overclocking.

Note first, the Ryzen 7 1700 is not a hot running CPU. And second it comes with the Wraith Spire LED Cooler - a very capable cooler! You are just wasting your money with that Noctua. You can always swap out the OEM cooler down the road when you have built your budget back up. But frankly, unless you are doing extreme overclocking (and I would suggest a different CPU if doing that), there is no need. That stock cooler is just fine.

You don't have to achieve the lowest possible temperatures. You just need to keep CPUs adequately cooled. For example, there is no reason whatsoever to expect that AMD 1700 CPU running at 30°C will be more stable, offer better performance, or have a longer life expectancy than if it was running at 60°C. Keeping a CPU adequately cooled is critical. But achieving the lowest temps possible really achieves nothing. Note that 1700 has a maximum allowed operating temperature of 95°C. Technically, 60°C is just warm.

Speaking of cases, I see you switched to a full tower. That is a mistake, IMO. Almost nobody needs a full tower case. That mid tower you had earlier already easily supports your ASUS motherboard and 10 drives! 10 drives!!! Do you plan on installing more drives than 10 drives? The other main difference (besides being heavier and bigger, thus harder to lug around for cleaning) is the full tower supports an EATX motherboard. You are not getting an EAXT motherboard.Those are typically used for large scale servers.

Are you going to be staring at your case all day? Or paying attention to what's on your monitor(s)? A nice looking case is fine but a case really should not draw your attention away from your monitor. It should sit discreetly and quietly off to the side, cool and protect the components inside. Once the newness of that fancy facade of that TT case wears off, it becomes just another case. And with all those slots, cracks, crevices and indentations, a very difficult case to clean too. Because the exterior will get dusty. No thanks.

I recommend you check out the Fractal Design Define R5. We've made several builds with Fractal Design cases recently, including on this, my personal computer and they are fantastic cases. Very stylish, extremely well made, easy to clean, extremely quiet, with superior cooling options. The included Fractal Design 140mm fans move massive amounts of air and the only way I can tell they are spinning is by looking or putting my ear up to the back and feeling the air flow on my ear - they are that quiet. Plus, the R5 is cheaper than that full tower TT.

 

Below where you mentioned saving money not buying the liquid cooler I said I totally agree with you.

 

I saw that. I did not say anything to suggest you didn't agree. I added my comment because the OP changed the liquid cooler in his list to the Noctua - which is still not needed as that CPU comes with a fully capable cooler.

Now if the plan is to cannibalize this Noctua from the old computer, then fine. But then I might suggest a different CPU. And if cannibalizing, what case is that?

Oh, I have no experience with the Thermaltake Toughpower Grand RGB 650W PSU (or its siblings) but it got decent reviews.

 

Digerati:
Thanks for the advice you have given. So to address some of your thoughts. 1st) No I do not plan to cannibalize my Noctua from my old system. The reason for my choice of the liquid cooler was mostly for the RGB aspect of it but after seeing the Wraith Spire, I will concede to your argument and stick with the stock cooler for the Ryzen. 2nd) As for the case, I am currently in a Thermaltake Overseer RX-1. Yes it is big and more than I need but I liked to looks of it, and yes I do like to look at my computer instead of the screen from time to time. Hence the reasoning for the Thermaltake Level 10 GT. I not only build my systems for practicality but also looks. Also I do plan to use all the using all of the HD bays. Currently I do have 4 2 TB HDD's in my system. Mostly for storage, and yes I do need that much. I save a lot of videos, pictures, TV shows, movies, and programs. And I use one for back ups. So all of the HDD bays will be used. I will not use all of the upper bays but again I am OK with that.

Every Thermaltake component I have ever gotten has been good to me so I do trust them as a company and their products. So I believe my Final list of products to put together are as follows:

Thermaltake Level 10 GT (either Black or Snow Edition, Black is 20 dollars cheaper)
ASUS ROG Crosshair VI Hero
AMD Ryzen 7 1700 (maybe X)
Samsung 850 EVO 500gb or 1tb
G.Skill Trident Z 3000 or 3200
ASUS GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Strix
Thermaltake ToughPower Grand RGB 650 80+ Gold
ASUS Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer

Keyboard, Mouse, and Monitor will be cannibalized from my old system which are as follows:
G.Skill RipJaws RGB Mechanical Keyboard (Cherry MX Red)
Logitech G602 Wireless Gaming Mouse
Acer 27" Widescreen Monitor (S271HL)

 

That's fine, but again, a good mid tower case will support 8 or more drives, not be so big, heavy and cumbersome when it comes to doing internal maintenance and cleaning (still needed even with filters), typically cost less still look good. But that's your choice.

I don't see where you said the intended purpose of this computer. That motherboard and graphics solution may be much more than you need too - even though they are very nice.

 

I want a good powerhouse gaming rig that I do not have to update for a while at least.

 

More power does not automatically mean what you do with your computer will go any faster.

There are many bottlenecks that affect performance. These include your Internet access speeds, disk drive access, the program you are running and more. If you bought a more powerful CPU and graphics card, you will not see any performance gains surfing the Internet or viewing YouTube videos or updating facebook.

More drives does NOT equal better performance. Neither does a full tower case.

As for games, it is important to note that game developers know most users cannot afford monster gaming rigs. So games are coded to provide good game play on lessor systems. And of course, much depends on the game being played.

And finally, it is all relative. Understand a budget of less than $1000 for an entire computer is a lot of money for some, but chump change for others who are willing to spend over $1000 just on the CPU, or just on the graphics card (or have 2 or 3 graphics cards that cost $1000 each!).

 

SO I am now thinking of shying away from the Level 10 GT and going with a Aura Synced case but having trouble finding one at a decent price. On another forum the only suggestion I got was the Corsair 460X or 570X. I personally do not like the looks of these cases so outside of that, are there any suggestions you might have on that that type of case (aura sync that is).

 

I actually am not a fan of RGB lighting. I expect my cases to sit quietly and discreetly off to the side and not draw attention to themselves so I can focus on what's displayed on my monitors. So I am not up on that. But certainly, you can take just about any windowed case and add RGB fans.

Otherwise, perhaps someone will come by with suggestion or for use, use your friend Bing Google.

I will say this, a good case is part of the solid foundation for a good computer. It primary purpose is to provide sufficient cooling and air flow through the case, and to protect the components inside from kicks and bumps. And I will never have a case again that does not have removable, washable air filters. I like Fractal Design cases.