Advice on PC configuration (for both gaming and simulation use)

[nephron]

My concern really draws from the conclusion from 6:32 onwards in this video:

Where it's stated that the US tariffs are going to have a knock on effect on global supply chains so costs are set to increase across the board.

Most of the third party manufacturers for Nvidia (Zotac/Palit etc.) used by PCS are based in China. I read Zotac moved their headquarters out of there very recently for that reason.

In my mind, I have a few options floating around on the GPU:

- get a build with a 4070 ti super now (stable part/drivers now with the caveat that its Linux driver performance is not that great), or
- wait till AMD releases the 8800 XT which might match above and have much better ray tracing than the 7000 series for a better price than the 4070 (but new part always comes with early adopter hiccups)

I take your point about the endless waiting game

 

[TonyCarter]

We don't know the price/performance of the next gen GPUs, or when they'll be released...or in what order.

AMD have said they won't be competing with Nvidia at the high-end, but not sure if that just means the RTX5080/5090 consumer-level GPUs or in the professional-level GPU area.

If it was that was building one for delivery before the new GPUs come out, then I'd be using either the built-in iGPU for now and have no discrete GPU installed, or buying the lowest I think I can stand for the next few months (a 1080p GPU 4060/7600 can be had for less than £250).

 

[nephron]

Okay after giving it some thought and seeing a few cases have disappeared, I think I might buy this sooner rather than later. Any suggestions on changes?

Also what does 'KIT' mean here on the ram?

Cheers!

Case
CORSAIR 5000D AIRFLOW TEMPERED GLASS GAMING CASE
Promotional Item
Buy select GeForce RTX 40 Series*, get Indiana Jones & The Great Circle
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D Eight Core CPU (Up to 5.2GHz/104MB w/3D V-CACHE/AM5)
Motherboard
ASUS® TUF GAMING X870-PLUS WIFI (AM5, DDR5, M.2 PCIe 5.0, Wi-Fi 7)
Memory (RAM)
64GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR5 6000MHz (2 x 32GB) KIT
Graphics Card
16GB PALIT GEFORCE RTX 4070 Ti SUPER GAMEROCK OMNIBLACK - HDMI, 3 x DP
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB CORSAIR ELITE MP600 NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD (up to 7000 MB/R, 6200 MB/W)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB CORSAIR ELITE MP600 NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD (up to 7000 MB/R, 6200 MB/W)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
2TB SOLIDIGM P41+ GEN 4 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 4125MB/sR, 3325MB/sW)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 1200W RMx SHIFT SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1.5 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead, 1.0mm Core)
Processor Cooling
CORSAIR iCUE H115i ELITE CAPELLIX XT RGB 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
ONBOARD 2.5Gbe LAN PORT
Wireless Network Card
NONE OR ONBOARD Wi-Fi (MOTHERBOARD DEPENDENT)
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
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10/11 Multi-Language Recovery Image - Unlimited Downloads from Online Account
Office Software
Microsoft® 365 Family (12 Month Subscription - Digital Key)
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Firefox™
Warranty
3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
SATURDAY DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (BEFORE 2PM)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 4 to 7 working days
Welcome Book
PCSpecialist Welcome Book
Logo Branding
PCSpecialist Logo
Packaging
PCS Corsair Carton Upright
Price: £0.00 including VAT and Delivery
Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am5-pc/krEsKFsRfx/

 

[TonyCarter]

The 'kit' is just referring to the fact that the 2 RAM sticks come as a kit of 2 sticks, rather than PCS assembling the RAM from 2 individual sticks from their stocks. Means both will be exactly the same SKU.

 

[nephron]

Thanks!

I just got off a call with PCS to try get some questions I had off my chest for my build. Thought it would help everyone else if I share the details:

- the configurator currently lists the Gigabyte X870E Auros Elite Board as potentially not being in stock till the 29th. Apparently PCS made an order for these boards recently direct to Gigabyte, and they have not actually replied to PCS's order yet. This suggests it could be delayed beyond that date. I will probably stick with the Elite, and I can still swap it with the TUF x870 after ordering in case of a delay.
- Most of the Corsair RGB cases seem to be going out of stock. It does not seem they will come back soon as they cost double the price on Amazon vs PCS's offering. The PCS sales rep I spoke to actually couldn't see them on their internal list (which had more options than the public config). I am personally going to stick with the 5000D
- their Corsair Vengeance RAM tends to be CL38 or CL40 (dependent on stock). Their Dominator 6400 MHz ram tends to come at CL32 or 34. They did give the option to procure specific RAM models on request, however they would not know regarding its stability until they do their quality control testing after building. The listings they give are pretty much guaranteed stable.

 

[nephron]

Quick question folks, if I get a case that comes with RS120 ARGB fans, will i be able to control the lighting on a build together with an iCue Link Titan 360 RX AIO? If not, then which AIO would you suggest that pairs well with these case fans if I did not want to replace them?

Cheers!

 

[TonyCarter]

They’re both controllable from within iCUE, it’s just that they’re slightly different fans…e.g. usually number/config of LEDs and connection method (iCUE Link vs daisy-chained), and are cheaper as they don’t have the embedded temp sensor (could be wrong about that last bit, but I’m sure mine have them).

 

[nephron]

Thanks? Can I presume PCS will install Windows on the first 1 TB drive specified here? Or will I have to specify some partitions?

Planning to order this spec today/tomorrow.

Case
CORSAIR 3500X ARGB TEMPERED GLASS MID-TOWER (BLACK)
Promotional Item
Buy select GeForce RTX 40 Series*, get Indiana Jones & The Great Circle
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D Eight Core CPU (Up to 5.2GHz/104MB w/3D V-CACHE/AM5)
Motherboard
GIGABYTE X870E AORUS ELITE WIFI7 (AM5, DDR5, M.2 PCIe 5.0, Wi-Fi 7)
Memory (RAM)
64GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR5 6000MHz (2 x 32GB) KIT
Graphics Card
16GB PALIT GEFORCE RTX 4070 Ti SUPER GAMEROCK OMNIBLACK - HDMI, 3 x DP
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB CORSAIR ELITE MP600 NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD (up to 7000 MB/R, 6200 MB/W)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB CORSAIR ELITE MP600 NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD (up to 7000 MB/R, 6200 MB/W)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
2TB CORSAIR CORE XT MP600 NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD (up to 5000 MB/R, 4400 MB/W)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 1200W RMx SHIFT SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1.5 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead, 1.0mm Core)
Processor Cooling
CORSAIR ICUE LINK TITAN 360 RX RGB 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
ONBOARD 2.5Gbe LAN PORT
Wireless Network Card
NONE OR ONBOARD Wi-Fi (MOTHERBOARD DEPENDENT)
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
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
Firefox™
Warranty
3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Insurance
Simplesurance Purchase Protection inc. Accidental Damage & Theft
Delivery
SATURDAY DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (BEFORE 2PM)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 6 to 8 working days
Welcome Book
PCSpecialist Welcome Book
Price: £2,756.00 including VAT and Delivery
Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am5-pc/g66yZUdgcx/

 

[nephron]

Pulled the trigger on above build. PCS confirmed they install on 1st drive in config.

Thanks everyone for your input!

 

[nephron]

This build should arrive in a day or two.

Meanwhile I've been trying out the peripherals and unfortunately the Keychron K4 Pro I got on Black Friday through Amazon has a nonfunctional bluetooth connection. Keychron support so far has stalling a bit & not been very helpful. Debating returning it, a pity because it really was a nice piece of kit otherwise in wired mode!

Steering clear of Keychron for now, can anyone suggest some decent wireless mechanical keyboard options for under £120? The ARGB function is quite nice so would like that too if possible.

 

[SpyderTracks]

This build should arrive in a day or two.

Meanwhile I've been trying out the peripherals and unfortunately the Keychron K4 Pro I got on Black Friday through Amazon has a nonfunctional bluetooth connection. Keychron support so far has stalling a bit & not been very helpful. Debating returning it, a pity because it really was a nice piece of kit otherwise in wired mode!

Steering clear of Keychron for now, can anyone suggest some decent wireless mechanical keyboard options for under £120? The ARGB function is quite nice so would like that too if possible.

This seems a bit of a steal, this is the Corsair K70 Core RGB, it does have RGB lighting, I've got an earlier RGB model of this and @TonyCarter does too, great keyboards.

Every key is individually programmable, and a little hot switch layout in the top right including a volume wheel. Includes Red switches

Fantastic keyboard, can't recommend enough, especially at this price

https://www.currys.co.uk/products/corsair-k70-core-rgb-mechanical-gaming-keyboard-black-10257421.html?

 

[nephron]

This seems a bit of a steal, this is the Corsair K70 Core RGB, it does have RGB lighting, I've got an earlier RGB model of this and @TonyCarter does too, great keyboards.

Every key is individually programmable, and a little hot switch layout in the top right including a volume wheel. Includes Red switches

Fantastic keyboard, can't recommend enough, especially at this price

https://www.currys.co.uk/products/corsair-k70-core-rgb-mechanical-gaming-keyboard-black-10257421.html?

Thank you very much for linking this - will definitely keep it in mind!

Is there another suggestion which would be wireless though?

 

[SpyderTracks]

Thank you very much for linking this - will definitely keep it in mind!

Is there another suggestion which would be wireless though?

Not sure you'd be able to find anything wireless and full size at that budget, even wired, they're normally around £150, wireless is quite a premium.

 

[nephron]

That's a real shame. Thanks for your input 🫡

 

[SpyderTracks]

'Ang on, ang on ang on......

I stand corrected! No idea this existed.

This is a Ducky, one of my all time favourite brands, superb keyboards

This is unusually cheap for them especially as it's wireless, but reviews are a little hit and miss, some saying connectivity flakiness over the 2.4GHz dongle, others saying it's rock solid, so it may be the case you have to return a faulty one. You do have the option to connect over Bluetooth and reviews state it's just as responsive on Bluetooth. You may find battery life isn't as good on bluetooth. It also has an optional USB cable if you want to cable it.

With Brown switches

Ducky Zero 6108 Classic Black Wireless Mechanical Keyboard Cherry MX2A Brown

Order Ducky Zero 6108 Classic Black Wireless Mechanical Keyboard Cherry MX2A Brown now online and benefit from fast delivery.

www.overclockers.co.uk

With Red switches

Ducky Zero 6108 Classic Black Wireless Mechanical Keyboard Cherry MX2A Red

Order Ducky Zero 6108 Classic Black Wireless Mechanical Keyboard Cherry MX2A Red now online and benefit from fast delivery.

www.overclockers.co.uk

With Silver switches

Ducky Zero 6108 Classic Black Wireless Mechanical Keyboard Cherry MX2A Silver

Order Ducky Zero 6108 Classic Black Wireless Mechanical Keyboard Cherry MX2A Silver now online and benefit from fast delivery.

www.overclockers.co.uk

With Blue switches

Ducky Zero 6108 Classic Black Wireless Mechanical Keyboard Cherry MX2A Blue

Order Ducky Zero 6108 Classic Black Wireless Mechanical Keyboard Cherry MX2A Blue now online and benefit from fast delivery.

www.overclockers.co.uk

In case you need it this is the Cherry M2XA colour guide:

 

[nephron]

I would say I'm shocked I'd need to pay more to get something reliable, but that would seem to be an oxymoron

Got until end of Jan to return this Keychron one - will keep looking but consider these thanks!

 

[SpyderTracks]

I would say I'm shocked I'd need to pay more to get something reliable, but that would seem to be an oxymoron

Got until end of Jan to return this Keychron one - will keep looking but consider these thanks!

With that Keychron keyboard, normally how it works is that for an early window, the warranty is with the seller, not the manufacturer, so the people responsible for faults are where you bought it from. The seller will state what the window period is. Normally they'd just swap it out for a new replacement.

That I suspect is why Keychron may be standoffish cos from what I've heard, they're very good at support, a few guys at work have keychrons and swear by them. I've not got any direct experience though.

If you bought it from amazon, just raise a return and they'd replace it. I'd give that a go first if it's just a fault, if it's that you don't like the keyboard, I'd just return it earlier rather than later.