Spec check for a newbie

[AnaKad]

Hello guys, please I need your help, so basically I am a software engineering student and time arrived for me to have a stronger pc. This is my first desktop pc ever, as I am not really into hardware that much, and my budget is quite limited as well, so I found this pc where I did some slight changes to have better case, RAM and power supply in case I upgrade my components later, but I am hesitated really. So here is what I will mainly use the pc for:1 heavy programming, 2.photoshop/illustrator and video editing, light to mid range games (I have a ps5, plus I am not into heavy games, I like just games like transport fever 2 and semilar games, also Microsoft flight simulator is big must to me), so pleaaaase guys and PCSPECIALIST, help me check whether the pc with components presented below is good for what I want, it would be much appreciated. Note:the cooling i chose is because I had big issues with my pc 😅😅, and I might upgrade my components as I said before


Case
COOLERMASTER MASTERBOX TD500 MESH ARGB GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™ i7 12-Core Processor i7-12700K (3.6GHz) 25MB Cache
Motherboard
GIGABYTE Z690 GAMING X DDR4 (LGA1700, USB 3.2, PCIe 5.0) - ARGB Ready
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3200MHz (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
12GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 3060 - HDMI, DP, LHR
1st M.2 SSD Drive
500GB SAMSUNG 980 PRO M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 6900MB/R, 5000MB/W)
1st Storage Drive
1TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 64MB CACHE
Power Supply
CORSAIR 750W TXm SERIES™ SEMI-MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1.5 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
Corsair H60 2018 Hydro Series High Performance CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Card
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT
Wireless Network Card
WIRELESS 802.11N 300Mbps/2.4GHz PCI-E CARD
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Windows 11 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KUK-00003]
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10/11 Multi-Language Recovery Image - Unlimited Downloads from Online Account
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft 365® (Operating System Required)
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Microsoft® Edge
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 4 to 7 working days
Price: £1,782.00 including VAT and Delivery

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/intel-z690-pc/4EcREwbUPj/

 

[Scott]

Your core selections aren't too bad at all. I've propped up the supporting cast as, as much as you think you were over-shooting, you were still under-par with the selctions.

Something you need to be aware of. FS2020 is one of the biggest demanding games on the planet so it's going to be a complete hardware hog. The 3060 will be ok for it, but don't be under any illusions that its going to be smashing it out the park.

What resolution monitor are you aiming for? I would probably suggest 1440p for your uses, again it may struggle a little with FS2020 but you don't need heavy frame rates.

Case
COOLERMASTER MASTERBOX TD500 MESH ARGB GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™ i7 12-Core Processor i7-12700K (3.6GHz) 25MB Cache
Motherboard
ASUS® TUF GAMING Z690-PLUS WIFI D4 (LGA1700, USB 3.2, PCIe 5.0) - ARGB Ready
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3200MHz (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
12GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 3060 - HDMI, DP, LHR
1st M.2 SSD Drive
500GB SAMSUNG 980 PRO M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 6900MB/R, 5000MB/W)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB INTEL® 670p M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 3500MB/sR | 2500MB/sW)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 850W RMx SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1.5 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
Corsair iCUE H100i RGB PRO XT Hydro Series High Performance 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
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Windows 11 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KUK-00003]
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10/11 Multi-Language Recovery Image - Unlimited Downloads from Online Account
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft 365® (Operating System Required)
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Microsoft® Edge
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 4 to 7 working days
Price: £1,887.00 including VAT and Delivery

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/intel-z690-pc/JcCTX0k7F8/

 

[AnaKad]

Well, my budget is limited to below £2000 for the time being, taking the fact that I am going through some circumstances right now, but I am willing to upgrade the components later on, that's why I have selected w power supply that offer more than required as well as a big case and w fairly good cooling system. Here is my plans, slowly slowly change to better hardware to include a good graphic card or the best like 3080 or so, and a core I9 processor, so if you could please tell me will the motherboard, or actually all the other components can handle this or no,and yeah this is how noob I am when it comes to hardware, I wish my skills on hardware are as good as my skills when it comes to programming 😅😅😅, so please just bear my ignorance in this field and help me, I am learning slowly slowly

 

[AnaKad]

So, again, this build is mainly chosen to improve later on to higher specs, including RAM, Graphic card, and processor, but since my budget is limited to below £2000,I have lowered the specs, and aim to upgrade slowly slowly, so plz guys, any suggestions or feedback would be much appreciated. BTW, I need my pc for:
1-Heavy programming ;
2-3D design like Blender (not high quality stuff tho), video editing and surely photoshop,
3-light to mid range games like transport fever 2,Planet zoo and semilar games (if possible, Microsoft flight simulator and any simulation game as well, but not necessarily, at least for now). So here's the build :

Case
CORSAIR iCUE 465X RGB GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™ i7 12-Core Processor i7-12700K (3.6GHz) 25MB Cache
Motherboard
ASUS® TUF GAMING Z690-PLUS WIFI D4 (LGA1700, USB 3.2, PCIe 5.0) - ARGB Ready
Memory (RAM)
16GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3600MHz (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
12GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 3060 - HDMI, DP, LHR
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB CORSAIR MP400 NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD (up to 3480 MB/R, 1880 MB/W)
1st Storage Drive
1TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 64MB CACHE
Power Supply
CORSAIR 1000W RMx SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1.5 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
CORSAIR iCUE H100i ELITE LCD Display RGB 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
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Windows 11 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KUK-00003]
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10/11 Multi-Language Recovery Image - Unlimited Downloads from Online Account
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft 365® (Operating System Required)
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Microsoft® Edge
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 4 to 7 working days
Price: £1,888.00 including VAT and Delivery

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/intel-z690-pc/WNbvZqZfyx/


Again thank you guys for the help me, much appreciated

 

[Aza]

Id be a little cautious about the cooler, I think you might want something with a bit more power given what Intel chips can be like for heat output.

I noticed you said you were going through some circumstances right now, so budget was limited.... would it maybe be a better idea not to buy at all? Or to look at a cheaper build to start with as a throw-away for when you can actually afford something specifically suited to what you need?

To be fair, £2000 isnt exactly a small budget anyway, I would think you should be able to get a decent build under that price, but you might have to take previous gen rather than trying to build something using latest release parts like the 12th gen intel and 690 boards.
If you are still studying I would think its still going to be more than able for what you'll actually do on it.

 

[AgentCooper]

Id be a little cautious about the cooler, I think you might want something with a bit more power given what Intel chips can be like for heat output.

I noticed you said you were going through some circumstances right now, so budget was limited.... would it maybe be a better idea not to buy at all? Or to look at a cheaper build to start with as a throw-away for when you can actually afford something specifically suited to what you need?

To be fair, £2000 isnt exactly a small budget anyway, I would think you should be able to get a decent build under that price, but you might have to take previous gen rather than trying to build something using latest release parts like the 12th gen intel and 690 boards.
If you are still studying I would think its still going to be more than able for what you'll actually do on it.

I have to disagree with this school of thought.

If you have a read through the forum you’ll see that recommending outdated processors is not a route that people generally take. Especially with Intel, the 10th and 11th gen are rightfully derided in the tech community.

And buying a cheap throwaway? With a two grand budget? Absolutely not, in the long run it’s going to cost the OP a lot more and with that kind of money they can definitely get something that covers the bases they’re looking at for an extended period of time. Buying cheap and buying twice just doesn’t really make any sense to me.

The system proposed by @Scott is where it’s at 👍

 

[AnaKad]

Thank you guys for the replies really, I mean if you can please @Scott provide a build under £2000, which be fairly good for the tasks I want and upgradable in the future as well like I stated above, that would be much much appreciated, I can also sacrifice some Ram(and Microsoft flight simulator😅, as studies comes first, and obviously I will upgrade the graphics card later), as it looks like it is easy to upgrade through time. And again thank you for the help

 

[Scott]

Thank you guys for the replies really, I mean if you can please @Scott provide a build under £2000, which be fairly good for the tasks I want and upgradable in the future as well like I stated above, that would be much much appreciated, I can also sacrifice some Ram(and Microsoft flight simulator😅, as studies comes first, and obviously I will upgrade the graphics card later), as it looks like it is easy to upgrade through time. And again thank you for the help

I'm really confused..... I already did?

 

[Scott]

To get right inside the budget and guarantee future proof foundations this is what I would opt for:

Case
CORSAIR iCUE 5000X RGB MID TOWER GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™ i7 12-Core Processor i7-12700K (3.6GHz) 25MB Cache
Motherboard
ASUS® TUF GAMING Z690-PLUS WIFI D4 (LGA1700, USB 3.2, PCIe 5.0) - ARGB Ready
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE RGB PRO DDR4 3600MHz (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
12GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 3060 - HDMI, DP, LHR
1st M.2 SSD Drive
500GB SAMSUNG 980 PRO M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 6900MB/R, 5000MB/W)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB INTEL® 670p M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 3500MB/sR | 2500MB/sW)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 1000W RMx SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1.5 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
Corsair iCUE H115i RGB PRO XT Hydro Series High Performance 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
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Windows 11 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KUK-00003]
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10/11 Multi-Language Recovery Image - Unlimited Downloads from Online Account
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft 365® (Operating System Required)
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Microsoft® Edge
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 4 to 7 working days
Price: £1,984.00 including VAT and Delivery

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/intel-z690-pc/sc!PkGkHDt/

 

[Scott]

The above is a GPU away from being whatever you want it to be

 

[AnaKad]

In

The above is a GPU away from being whatever you want it to be

Well, what if I upgrade to 3070TI or 3070,will that be good enough? I think I will manage to work for some extra cash there

 

[Aza]

I have to disagree with this school of thought.

If you have a read through the forum you’ll see that recommending outdated processors is not a route that people generally take. Especially with Intel, the 10th and 11th gen are rightfully derided in the tech community.

And buying a cheap throwaway? With a two grand budget? Absolutely not, in the long run it’s going to cost the OP a lot more and with that kind of money they can definitely get something that covers the bases they’re looking at for an extended period of time. Buying cheap and buying twice just doesn’t really make any sense to me.

The system proposed by @Scott is where it’s at 👍

You've misunderstood my entire point... I wouldnt spend the £2K on a throwaway, i'd deliberately pair back the budget to a minimum and likely go with AMD given previous generations outperform Intel at the same level.

He has said there are factors that mean he isnt really in the position to invest into a high spec system (although he hasnt said what, just "circumstances") so if I were in his shoes, I would either not buy at all, or, if I HAD to buy I would look at spending the minimum on a machine that would be able to do what I needed from it (even if it wasnt great at it).

I wouldnt be looking at £2K on a custom built at all.

Also said that they are a student, meaning it really, really wont need top end professional specs, even at uni level.

So no, I disagree with you, I think you should be looking more at what the budget is and why its restricted or what these "circumstances" are, and if unable to invest in a proper machine (which has a strong sense of being a complete overshoot compared to genune need for a student) then looking at a much lower budget and even using an older generation...which would still do a decent job and be considerably cheaper than £2K.. is a far more sensible and practical approach.

It would also still be more than likely to get them through 3 years of a degree, even if its coughing and wheezing at the end of it, in which time cicumstances may well change and they can also save towards a proffessional level machine ready for going out into the real world having finished their studies.

I may have completely misinterpreted the OP, and if I have I apologise, but if I havent I think its important to stress restraint rather than enabling would could likely be a bad decision.

 

[Scott]

In

Well, what if I upgrade to 3070TI or 3070,will that be good enough? I think I will manage to work for some extra cash there

I wasn't implying you should up the GPU, I was suggesting that the entire build is solid and there's nothing really to upgrade in the future other than the GPU. It's a really high end system that has every level of GPU utilisation covered, so you can simply choose the card you wish at the next upgrade without any concerns about the rest of the system meeting the standard.

I would never over-shoot the GPU at any budget. It's the first thing you are likely to want to upgrade so better to keep any savings in the pocket with an eye of upgrading in the future.

 

[Aza]

AS it turns out, Scott put something together that was still within the £2K and would also get a decent lifespan and upgrade options.

So the only real question is now a personal one for the OP, in that is it a geneuine expense that they can afford and is needed, if circumstances are currently difficult.

I dont expect an answer to that, its entirely personal to them, but I would encourage that they have a proper sit and honest think about it rather than take an unnecessary risk with their situation.

 

[AgentCooper]

You've misunderstood my entire point... I wouldnt spend the £2K on a throwaway, i'd deliberately pair back the budget to a minimum and likely go with AMD given previous generations outperform Intel at the same level.

He has said there are factors that mean he isnt really in the position to invest into a high spec system (although he hasnt said what, just "circumstances") so if I were in his shoes, I would either not buy at all, or, if I HAD to buy I would look at spending the minimum on a machine that would be able to do what I needed from it (even if it wasnt great at it).

I wouldnt be looking at £2K on a custom built at all.

Also said that they are a student, meaning it really, really wont need top end professional specs, even at uni level.

So no, I disagree with you, I think you should be looking more at what the budget is and why its restricted or what these "circumstances" are, and if unable to invest in a proper machine (which has a strong sense of being a complete overshoot compared to genune need for a student) then looking at a much lower budget and even using an older generation...which would still do a decent job and be considerably cheaper than £2K.. is a far more sensible and practical approach.

It would also still be more than likely to get them through 3 years of a degree, even if its coughing and wheezing at the end of it, in which time cicumstances may well change and they can also save towards a proffessional level machine ready for going out into the real world having finished their studies.

I may have completely misinterpreted the OP, and if I have I apologise, but if I havent I think its important to stress restraint rather than enabling would could likely be a bad decision.

There’s been no misunderstanding, hence why I said buy cheap, buy twice. Coughing and wheezing at the end of three years isn’t what we’d suggest doing when buying a new build. Spec it right now, within budget, and that PC will last seven to ten years with the right upgrade path.

We are, however, digressing and in danger of derailing the thread. So let’s leave it at that.

 

[Scott]

You've misunderstood my entire point... I wouldnt spend the £2K on a throwaway, i'd deliberately pair back the budget to a minimum and likely go with AMD given previous generations outperform Intel at the same level.

He has said there are factors that mean he isnt really in the position to invest into a high spec system (although he hasnt said what, just "circumstances") so if I were in his shoes, I would either not buy at all, or, if I HAD to buy I would look at spending the minimum on a machine that would be able to do what I needed from it (even if it wasnt great at it).

I wouldnt be looking at £2K on a custom built at all.

Also said that they are a student, meaning it really, really wont need top end professional specs, even at uni level.

So no, I disagree with you, I think you should be looking more at what the budget is and why its restricted or what these "circumstances" are, and if unable to invest in a proper machine (which has a strong sense of being a complete overshoot compared to genune need for a student) then looking at a much lower budget and even using an older generation...which would still do a decent job and be considerably cheaper than £2K.. is a far more sensible and practical approach.

It would also still be more than likely to get them through 3 years of a degree, even if its coughing and wheezing at the end of it, in which time cicumstances may well change and they can also save towards a proffessional level machine ready for going out into the real world having finished their studies.

I may have completely misinterpreted the OP, and if I have I apologise, but if I havent I think its important to stress restraint rather than enabling would could likely be a bad decision.

I think you are reading into an extreme scenario that doesn't really exist to be honest. I can see the context that you are referring to but I don't think it's quite as bleak as you are interpreting.

With regards to a budget build, Intel would still offer the best bang for buck. AMD doesn't really make headway anywhere now, other than extreme core utilisation (5950X). The best value system right now would typically include a 12400f.

It's a tricky thing to do though as there isn't really any middle ground. You either completely skimp all across the system, knowing fine well that none of it is an investment and it's effectively throw-away.... or you build a decent foundation that has the potential for upgrade down the line. I would never recommend option one, typically none of us would, as it's not a sound selection. The only money saving option I would consider would be second hand.... as you can get a throw away system for really good value on the 2nd hand market.

 

[Aza]

Im a worrier...what can I say....

But yes, back to topic, Scotts build looks great for what the OP wants and theres lots of upgrade options that they can look at later and as their workload demand increases.

One point though, the RGB RAM...wouldnt normal RAM (same speed) be a bit cheaper?
No idea if theres any significant price difference, but even a tenner might mean a slightly better cooler model or something?

 

[AgentCooper]

One point though, the RGB RAM...wouldnt normal RAM (same speed) be a bit cheaper?
No idea if theres any significant price difference, but even a tenner might mean a slightly better cooler model or something?

RAM is the same price, RGB or not 👍

 

[Scott]

Im a worrier...what can I say....

But yes, back to topic, Scotts build looks great for what the OP wants and theres lots of upgrade options that they can look at later and as their workload demand increases.

One point though, the RGB RAM...wouldnt normal RAM (same speed) be a bit cheaper?
No idea if theres any significant price difference, but even a tenner might mean a slightly better cooler model or something?

It's the same price right now and it would fit in well with the rest of the build. With the cooler, any of the Corsair PRO range has most CPU offerings covered. The 100/115/150 are all excellent performers. The 115 is, IMO, the best option overall so I don't think there's really any upgrade to be had. It's not an extreme scenario to warrant every w of coverage that the 150 has, but with the minimal price difference between the 3 models the option for any is there

 

[Aza]

RAM is the same price, RGB or not 👍

Bit of a mind blower.... really?
Id have thought it would be a premium but ignore me!