New PC

D

DoctorFianchetto

Member
Case
CORSAIR CARBIDE SERIES™ 275Q QUIET CASE
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 5 5600X Six Core CPU (3.7GHz-4.6GHz/35MB CACHE/AM4)
Motherboard
ASUS® PRIME B550-PLUS (DDR4, USB 3.2, 6Gb/s) - ARGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
16GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3600MHz (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
6GB AMD RADEON™ RX 5600 XT - HDMI, DP, DX® 12
1st Storage Drive
2TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 256MB CACHE
1st M.2 SSD Drive
250GB SAMSUNG 970 EVO PLUS M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 3500MB/R, 2300MB/W)
Memory Card Reader
USB 3.0 EXTERNAL SD/MICRO SD CARD READER
Power Supply
CORSAIR 850W RMx SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
STANDARD AMD CPU COOLER
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Card
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT (Wi-Fi NOT INCLUDED)
Wireless Network Card
WIRELESS INTEL® Wi-Fi 6 AX200 2,400Mbps/5GHz, 300Mbps/2.4GHz PCI-E CARD + BT 5.0
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
NO OPERATING SYSTEM REQUIRED
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
NO RECOVERY MEDIA REQUIRED
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft 365® (Operating System Required)
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Firefox™
Warranty
3 Year Standard Warranty (1 Month Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 15 to 17 working days

----------------------------------------------

Greetings!

Looking to purchase a new PC. I'm a casual gamer - less than 10 hours per week - but I would like to be able to play the latest and greatest games. Maybe this goes without saying, but I'm interested in longevity particularly with respect to cooling. Besides that, pure casual use. No streaming, no video editing.

I'm not very knowledgeable on the nitty gritty of computer hardware. I built my spec following Scott's fantastic Desktop Building Guide (thank you!) but I still have some questions.

Motherboard
I selected the B550 ASUS in the end, but not really sure on the differences between that and X570 ASUS Standard. For my use case is it at all important which motherboard I have?

Drives
Never used an SSD before but my intention is to have the OS and games on my M2 SSD Drive and a 2TB hard drive for storage. I already have a hard drive which I'd like to carry over from my old PC. Is it as simple as removing the old hard drive and plugging it in to my new machine? My current machine is Intel, would there be any compatibility issues switching a hard drive to AMD?

Cooler / Thermal Paste / Extra Case Fans
To be honest I'm completely clueless about cooling so I left these as the stock options. I just know that my old PCs started to overheat frequently after a few years of use (casual gaming). Maybe this is normal, I don't know. I read online about air vs liquid. Air cooling seems more reliable, better value for money, and requires less maintenance. Should I stick with the stock cooler, or go for one of the air cooling options (e.g. PCS FrostFlow, Noctua NH-U14S). Would I need extra case fans?

Case
The description for Coolermaster TD500 in the guide is very appealing, but I didn't see it in the available cases. Instead I went for Corsair 275Q. Is this suitable? I assume the case model has a large impact on cooling/longevity.

Power Supply
PCSpecialist popped up with a message saying my current specs only require 350W, but the guide on these forums says "I would always try to fit a 650w PSU as a minimum to any desktop system now", so I'm pretty confused. Is my choice of 850W far above what I need?

Operating System
I have Windows 10 installed on my current machine with a digital license. I assume I can transfer this over to my new machine - guess I'd have to contact Microsoft to authenticate because it's a new CPU/motherboard? Just wondering how I would start the Windows installer as I don't have an installation disc - unless a recovery USB drive would work?

Monitor Cable
My current monitor is ACER S275 (27 inch). Quite an old monitor but I'm happy with it. Currently connecting to my PC with a a VGA-to-VGA cable. Would I need a new monitor cable? Also if you feel I need a monitor upgrade for my new rig, please let me know.

Please feel free to offer any feedback even if it's unrelated to the above points.

Thank you!

Chris
 
Last edited:
MrWilson

MrWilson

Godlike
DoctorFianchetto said:
Sorry to bump, but not received a response yet.
Click to expand...
Hi Chris, sorry that you've gone under the radar so far, hopefully you can get some support soon. Got a couple of questions to help us get the help that you need.
What is your budget?
Had a little google to check out your monitor without success, but based on the GPU you've selected I'm assuming it's a 1080p 120/144hz display?

I'll have a go at tackling your other questions after I hear back from you, as a lot of my answers will be dependent on your budget. :)
 
Scott

Scott

Behold The Ford Mondeo
Moderator
Hi Chris,

Great initial post. As above, just missing the budget really :D

Motherboard:
With your use case it will make no odds whatsoever. The lowest level B550 board is ideal for you, and it's no slouch either. They are expensive & high end boards, even the lesser priced ones.

Drives:
250GB is really low now. You will notice that I mentioned in the guide 500GB should be the absolute minimum. You're highly unlikely to get any decent amount of games on a 250GB drive with Windows etc on it. If you do, it'll slow down considerably. Anything over 50% usage sees a significant drop in performance. If you want the luxury, 250GB as a primary is fine for Windows, Programs and some storage, you would then want (IMO) a 1TB M2 drive (PCS brand) for games. The drive you are bringing across from your current system will serve well for mass storage (If it's a decent size). The only issue you would have with the transfer of drives is if it is a system drive. If it is, it will cause you a headache. If it's just storage, it'll plug and play.

Cooler:
Standard cooler/paste is fine for this chip/use case. You only want to bump the cooler with the higher end chips or where the system is going to be used for processing extensively.

Case:
The one you have chosen is not good unfortunately. It's quiet, but quiet almost always comes at the cost of cooling performance. The one exception is the Define 7.... which comes at the cost of cost. Even that goliath takes a hit on performance as it's not as good as the airflow cases, it's just a happy medium that does well at all functions. There aren't many cases to choose at the moment, I'm guessing they are expecting stock in very soon. You can send your own case in if you wanted to source one of the more recommended cases on your own.

Power Supply:
It seems against the grain of the configurator but you have chosen wisely. With the 850w RMx in there you will never need to consider power being a limitation with any upgrade in the future (Right up to a 4k gaming beast). You will always be in the efficiency band of the PSU where it will use minimal power and be in zero fan mode. It's a high end, top quality PSU with everything you could ever want. I think it's a wise choice regardless, only budget determines whether it needs lowered.... not usage.

Operating System:
Yes, simply link your current system to a M$ account. Can help with guidance links etc for this if you are struggling.

Monitor Cable:
I would check your monitor for what connections it has. You are looking for either HDMI or DP. The full model number would help us look properly and factor in the best GPU etc for the build. I think the 5600XT may be over-shooting but I'm not sure. I probably wouldn't go with an older AMD card, with the new ones out, but again this comes down to budget and the limited options from Nvidia right now.

Silver warranty would always be recommended too. It's only a fiver and covers you for any transportation costs due to teething problems.
 
Scott

Scott

Behold The Ford Mondeo
Moderator
That's 60hz 1080P. The likes of the 1650 Super would be ideal for that monitor. The 5600XT would be overkill.

Whether or not it warrants an upgrade is entirely up to you. If you are upgrading though you would want to opt for 1440p. With that in mind you would be looking at the 3060ti, which is a fair bump in costs.

Again, with your inclusive budget of 2k I think you would get a fantastic 1440p 144hz setup with monitor.
 
D

DoctorFianchetto

Member
Drives
1TB is overkill for a games drive for me. I know that modern games can be pretty hefty, but I don't keep many games installed at any one time. I reckon 500GB M2 drive for Windows + games + some storage, then my current hard drive (3TB) for mass storage. I'll also get the 2TB hard drive as in my initial spec for more mass storage + backup.

Case
Are you saying that none of the currently available cases are good? I'm not in any particular rush so I'm fine to play the waiting game for more stock to arrive. Do you have any particular cases to recommend aside from Coolermaster TD500? I'm definitely looking for cooling performance over quietness.

Operating System
Good that I can link my current system to Windows 10. Just wondering that if I receive a "blank" computer with no OS installed, how would I start the install? Is a recovery USB drive good enough?

Monitor
So it's a decision between new monitor + 5600XT or current monitor + weaker graphics card?
To be honest, the only reason I want to keep my current monitor is convenience (and also I like the monitor, it has served me well for a long time) So, I'm leaning towards new monitor.

Maybe this is outside the scope of this forum, but what's the best way to dispose of old gear? Does PCSpecialist collect? I'm thinking about my monitor, my graphics card (NVIDIA Geforce GTX960), and my case. Case is a rubbish Dell Optiplex 990. Don't ask how I ended up with this case, it's a long and painful story!
 
Scott

Scott

Behold The Ford Mondeo
Moderator
DoctorFianchetto said:
Drives
1TB is overkill for a games drive for me. I know that modern games can be pretty hefty, but I don't keep many games installed at any one time. I reckon 500GB M2 drive for Windows + games + some storage, then my current hard drive (3TB) for mass storage. I'll also get the 2TB hard drive as in my initial spec for more mass storage + backup.

Case
Are you saying that none of the currently available cases are good? I'm not in any particular rush so I'm fine to play the waiting game for more stock to arrive. Do you have any particular cases to recommend aside from Coolermaster TD500? I'm definitely looking for cooling performance over quietness.

Operating System
Good that I can link my current system to Windows 10. Just wondering that if I receive a "blank" computer with no OS installed, how would I start the install? Is a recovery USB drive good enough?

Monitor
So it's a decision between new monitor + 5600XT or current monitor + weaker graphics card?
To be honest, the only reason I want to keep my current monitor is convenience (and also I like the monitor, it has served me well for a long time) So, I'm leaning towards new monitor.

Maybe this is outside the scope of this forum, but what's the best way to dispose of old gear? Does PCSpecialist collect? I'm thinking about my monitor, my graphics card (NVIDIA Geforce GTX960), and my case. Case is a rubbish Dell Optiplex 990. Don't ask how I ended up with this case, it's a long and painful story!
Click to expand...

With the drive it's definitely up to you, you will know your usage more than anyone :)

The case selection is awful just now, just plain awful IMO. I don't know what's going on. There are only 2 cases I would look at right now, the NZXT and the Define 7. Neither of them are ideal as the NZXT is simply OK and the Define 7 is very expensive when quiet is not the focus.

It will come with the OS installed and you can activate it. I personally always wipe the system when I receive it anyway as I like to work from a clean slate. There will have been various softwares loaded and unloaded onto the system for testing and there can be remnants of drivers etc. I just prefer to know I'm working with the latest Windows & Drivers from the outset.

I wouldn't opt for the 5600XT in either scenario to be honest. It would be the 3060Ti that would be recommended with a new monitor. If sticking with the old monitor I would purchase without GPU and source a 1650 Super yourself to fit.
 
D

DoctorFianchetto

Member
Case
NZXT H511 MID-TOWER GAMING CASE (BLACK)
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 5 5600X Six Core CPU (3.7GHz-4.6GHz/35MB CACHE/AM4)
Motherboard
ASUS® TUF GAMING B550-PLUS WiFi (DDR4, USB 3.2, 6Gb/s) - ARGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
16GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3600MHz (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
8GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 3060 Ti - HDMI, DP
1st Storage Drive
3TB SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 64MB CACHE
1st M.2 SSD Drive
500GB SAMSUNG 970 EVO PLUS M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 3500MB/R, 3200MB/W)
Memory Card Reader
USB 3.0 EXTERNAL SD/MICRO SD CARD READER
Power Supply
CORSAIR 850W RMx SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
STANDARD AMD CPU COOLER
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Card
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT (Wi-Fi NOT INCLUDED)
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
NO OPERATING SYSTEM REQUIRED
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
NO RECOVERY MEDIA REQUIRED
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft 365® (Operating System Required)
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Firefox™
Monitor
IIYAMA G-MASTER GB2760QSU-B1 27"
Warranty
3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 16 to 18 working days
Price: £1,851.00 including VAT and Delivery


Had to change the motherboard because the MB I picked in my initial post is unavailable. Apparently the new MB I picked supports WiFi so I don't need an explicit WiFi card? Interesting.

Case is still provisional.

Ended up going for the upgrade in monitor and GPU. Wasn't sure about the monitor - does my choice look good?

Coming close to my budget but still within!

Forgot to order a monitor cable. Which cable would be best? HDMI to DVI?
 
D

DoctorFianchetto

Member
I've had a think about my build and I've decided I want to settle for a 1080p build with the 5600XT.

If the 5600XT is overkill for my current monitor, which monitor would you recommend instead?

I notice the COOLERMASTER MASTERCASE H500M GAMING CASE is available, should I opt for that despite its price? Or is something like the NZXT H511 good enough?
 
Scott

Scott

Behold The Ford Mondeo
Moderator
DoctorFianchetto said:
I've had a think about my build and I've decided I want to settle for a 1080p build with the 5600XT.

If the 5600XT is overkill for my current monitor, which monitor would you recommend instead?

I notice the COOLERMASTER MASTERCASE H500M GAMING CASE is available, should I opt for that despite its price? Or is something like the NZXT H511 good enough?
Click to expand...

It's not a combination that most would recommend so I can't really give a recommendation on something I wouldn't recommend :D
 
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