Building a rig that lasts

[ERosser]

My last desktop lasted me a decade, and all I have done in that time is upgrade the GPU and replace some hard drives. I want to build a new one that will last me a similar time and be relatively future-proof. Don't really have an upper budget, but don't want to waste money. I don't play top-end games that require the latest GPUs and more play strategy games and city builders. The only reason I am upgrading is because my CPU and ram are a little weak for the latest editions of games like cities skylines and my motherboard can't handle a lot of newer parts. Let me know your thoughts, thanks:

Case
CORSAIR FRAME 4000D RS ARGB MODULAR
Promotional Item
Get a discount code for 20% off select peripherals at Corsair.com
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D 12 Core CPU (4.4GHz-5.5GHz/128MB w/3D V-CACHE/AM5)
Motherboard
ASUS® ROG CROSSHAIR X870E HERO (AM5, DDR5, M.2 PCIe 5.0, Wi-Fi 7)
Memory (RAM)
64GB Corsair VENGEANCE RGB DDR5 6000MHz CL40 (2 x 32GB)
Graphics Card
16GB ASUS TUF GEFORCE RTX 5080 OC - 2 x HDMI, 3 x DP
1st M.2 SSD Drive
4TB SAMSUNG 990 EVO PLUS M.2, PCIe 4.0 & 5.0 NVMe (up to 7250MB/R, 6300MB/W)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
4TB SAMSUNG 990 PRO M.2, PCIe 4.0 NVMe (up to 7450MB/R, 6900MB/W)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 850W RMx SERIES™ ATX 3.1, MODULAR, CYBENETICS GOLD
Power Cable
1 x 1.5 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead, 1.0mm Core)
Processor Cooling
CORSAIR ICUE LINK TITAN 360 RX LCD RGB HIGH PERFORMANCE CPU COOLER
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND APPLICATION
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

 

[Ekans2011]

Please read before posting:- Collaboration of Helpful Hints

NB: These forums are not an official support channel. None of us work for PCS, we're all either customers or techies who just like to help out where possible. For any official support, you need to contact PCS directly either through your PCS account, or via the contact details on the main...

www.pcspecialist.co.uk

 

[ERosser]

Realised I didn't copy full spec.

Case
CORSAIR FRAME 4000D RS ARGB MODULAR
Promotional Item
Get a discount code for 20% off select peripherals at Corsair.com
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D 12 Core CPU (4.4GHz-5.5GHz/128MB w/3D V-CACHE/AM5)
Motherboard
ASUS® ROG CROSSHAIR X870E HERO (AM5, DDR5, M.2 PCIe 5.0, Wi-Fi 7)
Memory (RAM)
64GB Corsair VENGEANCE RGB DDR5 6000MHz CL40 (2 x 32GB)
Graphics Card
16GB ASUS TUF GEFORCE RTX 5080 OC - 2 x HDMI, 3 x DP
1st M.2 SSD Drive
4TB SAMSUNG 990 EVO PLUS M.2, PCIe 4.0 & 5.0 NVMe (up to 7250MB/R, 6300MB/W)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
4TB SAMSUNG 990 PRO M.2, PCIe 4.0 NVMe (up to 7450MB/R, 6900MB/W)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 850W RMx SERIES™ ATX 3.1, MODULAR, CYBENETICS GOLD
Power Cable
1 x 1.5 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead, 1.0mm Core)
Processor Cooling
CORSAIR ICUE LINK TITAN 360 RX LCD RGB HIGH PERFORMANCE CPU COOLER
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND APPLICATION
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
Google Chrome™
Headsets
Razer Blackshark V2 Pro Gaming Headset
Mouse Pad
Razer Gigantus V2 XXL Gaming Surface
Cable Management
3 x PCS 1.5M Zip Cable Tidy - Professional Cable Management
Warranty
3 Year Platinum Warranty (3 Year Collect & Return, 3 Year Parts, 3 Year labour)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 6 to 8 working days
Welcome Book
PCSpecialist Welcome Book
Price: £4,202.00 including VAT and Delivery

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am5-pc/JsWD8fzWA9/

 

[Ekans2011]

Realised I didn't copy full spec.

If you can read the above and provide the information requested, we might be able to suggest something far better for your needs.

 

[TonyCarter]

@Ekans2011 is trying to point out that in an effort to save the volunteers' time on here, we have created a forum post with all the questions we require answering before we can offer any help. We've done this to save having to repeat the same questions over and over for each new poster.

Depending how busy they are at any specific time, some volunteers will simply not bother answering, others will keep posting the link for you to read, and others will prompt you for more details.

...and yet here I am, wasting time writing out the reasoning for this very post...time which could have been spent tweaking your build had you read and answered those questions in the linked post.

To quote part of that linked page (which you should really read in full)...

What we need from you :-

When you ask for advice we will ALWAYS need to know the following information. When posting it, if you could include this it would make a world of difference to us. Similar to posting your spec below, you will have far more interested parties taking the time to get involved in your thread if you take the time to offer the information required. Put simply, help us to help you. This information typically includes:

Monitor - Model or Resolution AND refresh rate. If you don't have one, what is the budget you have for one?
Uses - What is the system for. Is it just gaming? What about VR? Streaming? Video processing?
Max Budget - We need to know where to spend and where to cut back. Some items are more important than others so knowing the margins we have to work within we can will always try to accommodate your budget. This is a fixed ceiling you're not willing to go above, it doesn't change.

 

[ERosser]

Am I missing something? Only thing I didn't post was the monitor but as I said I want it to be future proof and have said I have no upper budget so that doesn't matter. My last desktop went through 5 monitors (usually having several at once). Don't want to build this for the monitors I have today (some AOC u2879VF and ASUS VP278). So please don't make recommendations based on the monitors I have.

 

[SpyderTracks]

Am I missing something? Only thing I didn't post was the monitor but as I said I want it to be future proof and have said I have no upper budget so that doesn't matter. My last desktop went through 5 monitors (usually having several at once). Don't want to build this for the monitors I have today (some AOC u2879VF and ASUS VP278). So please don't make recommendations based on the monitors I have.

You match the GPU to the monitor, there is no future proofing with GPU, if you over spec it for future plans by the time it comes to needing that power it will be on outdated technologies and likely struggle at that resolution anyway.

If you’d read the link this is all explained.

And we still need a budget to work to even if it’s 5 Billion

 

[SpyderTracks]

For a gaming system, monitor is arguably the most important aspect as the GPU is matched to the monitor....if you have 1080p monitors, then it's a waste to spec a 5080. However, you have listed your monitors, which includes a 4k one, so we know that the 5080 is an appropriate GPU and can spec accordingly.

That 4k monitor is a basic office monitor, would be a tragedy to pair with a 5080!

Please don’t endorse bad pairings!

 

[Ekans2011]

However, you have listed your monitors, which includes a 4k one, so we know that the 5080 is an appropriate GPU and can spec accordingly.

The AOC U2879VF is unsuitable for gaming because it is a 10-year-old office panel with a 60Hz refresh rate; I would not bother pairing a 5080 to such a monitor. The 1080p ASUS model is also a bad choice for gaming, especially when combined with a £4000 PC.

 

[Ekans2011]

Am I missing something? Only thing I didn't post was the monitor but as I said I want it to be future proof and have said I have no upper budget so that doesn't matter. My last desktop went through 5 monitors (usually having several at once). Don't want to build this for the monitors I have today (some AOC u2879VF and ASUS VP278). So please don't make recommendations based on the monitors I have.

Based on this, assuming you don't plan to upgrade your ASUS monitor, here is what I'd buy right now.

I strongly recommend purchasing a gaming-specific monitor, though.

Case
CORSAIR FRAME 4000D RS ARGB MODULAR
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D Eight Core CPU (4.2GHz-5.0GHz/104MB w/3D V-CACHE/AM5) - Placeholder for the 9800X3D
Motherboard
GIGABYTE X870E AORUS ELITE WIFI7 (AM5, DDR5, M.2 PCIe 5.0, Wi-Fi 7)
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE RGB DDR5 6000MHz CL30 (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
12GB GIGABYTE RADEON™ RX 7700 XT GAMING OC - 2 x HDMI, 2 x DP
1st M.2 SSD Drive
512GB SOLIDIGM P44 PRO GEN 4 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 7000MB/sR, 4700MB/sW)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
4TB CORSAIR CORE XT MP600 NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD (up to 5000 MB/R, 4400 MB/W)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 1000W RMx SERIES™ ATX 3.1, MODULAR, CYBENETICS GOLD
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™
Headsets
Razer Blackshark V2 Pro Gaming Headset
Mouse Pad
Razer Gigantus V2 XXL Gaming Surface
Cable Management
3 x PCS 1.5M Zip Cable Tidy - Professional Cable Management
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 6 to 8 working days
Price: £2,334.00 including VAT and Delivery
Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am5-pc/gtqum84bym/

 

[stegor]

I'm not so sure about recommending a 12GB VRAM GPU for a modern gaming PC.

 

[Ekans2011]

I'm not so sure about recommending a 12GB VRAM GPU for a modern gaming PC.

I agree, however on a 1080p low-end monitor, I don't see the need of going any higher.
The OP claimed that he will play strategic and city-builders games that do not require a lot of VRAM. I can play such games with my three-year-old 3070ti 8GB mobile GPU without issues.

 

[stegor]

I agree, however on a 1080p low-end monitor, I don't see the need of going any higher.
The OP claimed that he will play strategic and city-builders games that do not require a lot of VRAM. I can play such games with my three-year-old 3070ti 8GB mobile GPU without issues.

Fair enough. It's an easy upgrade later on anyway.

 

[SpyderTracks]

Sorry...I just did a quick search and saw 4k but didn't go any further. My bad

It doesn't help either nowadays that google just grabs any semi-related content, so returning accurate models you have to search through each individual return to be sure it's relating to the actual monitor.

Google ain't what it used to be!

 

[ERosser]

Right, seems the entire point of my post was missed here. Wanted to build a future-proof desktop so building it to my current old out-of-data monitor and saying I can then upgrade it with a new GPU in a year or so when I get a new monitor is completely defeating the point of it being future-proof. Yeah, I know a GPU isn't going to last me 10 years, as I said in OP my last PC I did upgrade the GPU (it is now a 3060ti) but making the starting point that low just means more time down the line wasted on upgrading.

Ran into a problem where it is throttled by an outdated i7 that can't be upgraded on my existing motherboard. Upgrading to a new monitor down the line is super easy and likely to happen when I get time which is a bigger barrier than cost as would need to look into them, then adjust office setup with new stands that need to be attached to the wall etc.

I genuinely have no upper budget (if a £10k build will provide me significantly better quality and last a few extra years then I am all good with it) but don't want to waste money on marginal improvements. Hence the 5080 as the 5090 has marginal improvements at what is currently a significantly higher cost.
So my main question is if there is anything on the build I posted where you can see it being the case that either:
a) there is a better alternative that is worth the additional cost
b) will cause problems down the line
(ie the reason I have put in a 4TB SSD is that my current M.2 is 512GB and has run into a problem with being full of work files and I have only 4GB free which means that certain programs that require storing files on the C drive now are running into issues and I have already moved everything easy to move, the effort of replacing it with a large one is immense as transferring data from my C drive, downloading from backup and reinstalling programmes will take ages).

 

[Ekans2011]

Right, seems the entire point of my post was missed here. Wanted to build a future-proof desktop so building it to my current old out-of-data monitor and saying I can then upgrade it with a new GPU in a year or so when I get a new monitor is completely defeating the point of it being future-proof.

but making the starting point that low just means more time down the line wasted on upgrading.

Future-proof is something that no longer exists.

With regards to "Futureproofing"

Hi all Just a note, I've been thinking about this quite a lot recently, this is especially pertinent with those early on in their gaming / computing needs. When I started gaming, I was in a council funded shared house in a derelict part of the country, living on around £25 a week I got from...

www.pcspecialist.co.uk

The only component in my above build that would need to be upgraded is the GPU.
Everything else is more than adequate for the next 5 to 7 years.

the reason I have put in a 4TB SSD is that my current M.2 is 512GB and has run into a problem with being full of work files and I have only 4GB free which means that certain programs that require storing files on the C drive now are running into issues and I have already moved everything easy to move, the effort of replacing it with a large one is immense as transferring data from my C drive, downloading from backup and reinstalling programmes will take ages).

The C: drive should only contain the OS, Windows apps, and game launchers. Everything else will be on your main D: drive.

Why more than one storage drive?

I've been meaning to put something like this together for a while. In recent weeks I've found myself writing this more and more so thought I would just post my thoughts in a thread that I could link to. So the reason for this thread is to try and give insight as to the reasoning behind having...

www.pcspecialist.co.uk

I genuinely have no upper budget (if a £10k build will provide me significantly better quality and last a few extra years then I am all good with it) but don't want to waste money on marginal improvements. Hence the 5080 as the 5090 has marginal improvements at what is currently a significantly higher cost.

Purchasing a 5080 or 5090 with the intention of upgrading your low-end 1080p monitor in a year or so is more than wasting money, it's insane.

 

[SpyderTracks]

Right, seems the entire point of my post was missed here. Wanted to build a future-proof desktop so building it to my current old out-of-data monitor and saying I can then upgrade it with a new GPU in a year or so when I get a new monitor is completely defeating the point of it being future-proof. Yeah, I know a GPU isn't going to last me 10 years, as I said in OP my last PC I did upgrade the GPU (it is now a 3060ti) but making the starting point that low just means more time down the line wasted on upgrading.

Ran into a problem where it is throttled by an outdated i7 that can't be upgraded on my existing motherboard. Upgrading to a new monitor down the line is super easy and likely to happen when I get time which is a bigger barrier than cost as would need to look into them, then adjust office setup with new stands that need to be attached to the wall etc.

I genuinely have no upper budget (if a £10k build will provide me significantly better quality and last a few extra years then I am all good with it) but don't want to waste money on marginal improvements. Hence the 5080 as the 5090 has marginal improvements at what is currently a significantly higher cost.
So my main question is if there is anything on the build I posted where you can see it being the case that either:
a) there is a better alternative that is worth the additional cost
b) will cause problems down the line
(ie the reason I have put in a 4TB SSD is that my current M.2 is 512GB and has run into a problem with being full of work files and I have only 4GB free which means that certain programs that require storing files on the C drive now are running into issues and I have already moved everything easy to move, the effort of replacing it with a large one is immense as transferring data from my C drive, downloading from backup and reinstalling programmes will take ages).

So again, if you read the link in post 2 it clearly asks these individual questions, you need to answer those for us to be able to help out.

It's pointless offering any further advice until you've done that.

 

[ERosser]

Future-proof is something that no longer exists.

That’s an overly broad statement. If you’re suggesting that an entire system needs replacing every year or two, that’s simply not true. Certain components can be future-proofed—particularly the motherboard, which is crucial for long-term upgradeability. While parts will eventually need replacing, choosing the right foundation makes those upgrades much easier and more cost-effective.

With regards to "Futureproofing"

Hi all Just a note, I've been thinking about this quite a lot recently, this is especially pertinent with those early on in their gaming / computing needs. When I started gaming, I was in a council funded shared house in a derelict part of the country, living on around £25 a week I got from...

www.pcspecialist.co.uk

The only component in my above build that would need to be upgraded is the GPU.
Everything else is more than adequate for the next 5 to 7 years.

That means I’m looking at 3–5 years less than my previous build lasted of 10 years, which is exactly what I hope to achieve. My goal isn’t to avoid upgrades entirely, but to minimize unnecessary ones while keeping my system competitive over time.

The C: drive should only contain the OS, Windows apps, and game launchers. Everything else will be on your main D: drive.

Why more than one storage drive?

I've been meaning to put something like this together for a while. In recent weeks I've found myself writing this more and more so thought I would just post my thoughts in a thread that I could link to. So the reason for this thread is to try and give insight as to the reasoning behind having...

www.pcspecialist.co.uk

In theory, that’s a good approach. However, some programs and games force installation or storage on the C: drive, including work-related software and games like Cities: Skylines 2, which requires mods to be stored there with no option to change it. While workarounds exist, relying on third-party apps to fix these limitations is an unnecessary hassle when I could simply get a larger C: drive from the start.

Purchasing a 5080 or 5090 with the intention of upgrading your low-end 1080p monitor in a year or so is more than wasting money, it's insane.

I’m not sure where the assumption that I’m upgrading to a low-end 1080p monitor came from. When I have the time to research properly, I’ll choose a display that fully utilizes my hardware. Even at lower resolutions, a stronger GPU can provide better performance, so it’s not a waste in the meantime. But this sort of advice I do appreciate still as it helps me decide if its worth it over a 5070ti if I am not playing 4K high FPS gaming in the future anyway.

So again, if you read the link in post 2 it clearly asks these individual questions, you need to answer those for us to be able to help out.

It's pointless offering any further advice until you've done that.

I have read through it. I may not know the intricate details of every individual component, but that’s why I’m here—for feedback. If something in my build, like the motherboard, has known issues or limitations for future upgrades, I’d appreciate insight on that.


If you don’t have input on that, no problem. But for those who do, their advice is exactly what I’m looking for. The link in post #2 is helpful for general guidance, but it doesn’t compare specific motherboards, GPUs, or other components—which is what I need feedback on.
Those forums you linked even mention specific parts you need to pay attention to in order to future-proof, but they don't comprehensively cover all the parts available.

 

[Ekans2011]

That’s an overly broad statement. If you’re suggesting that an entire system needs replacing every year or two, that’s simply not true. Certain components can be future-proofed—particularly the motherboard, which is crucial for long-term upgradeability. While parts will eventually need replacing, choosing the right foundation makes those upgrades much easier and more cost-effective.

A well-designed system should last no less than 7-10 years; I never said you needed to replace your PC every 2-3 years, did I?

That means I’m looking at 3–5 years less than my previous build lasted of 10 years, which is exactly what I hope to achieve. My goal isn’t to avoid upgrades entirely, but to minimize unnecessary ones while keeping my system competitive over time.

It is not; this means that you must carefully plan the design to meet your needs over the next 5-7 years.
You cannot avoid future upgrades; technology advances at a far faster rate than in the past: this is what I meant by ''future-proof no longer exists''.

I’m not sure where the assumption that I’m upgrading to a low-end 1080p monitor came from.

The ASUS VP278 is a very low-end 1080p monitor.

Even at lower resolutions, a stronger GPU can provide better performance, so it’s not a waste in the meantime. But this sort of advice I do appreciate still as it helps me decide if its worth it over a 5070ti if I am not playing 4K high FPS gaming in the future anyway.

Your 1080p has a max refresh rate of 75Hz, which means that the frame rate will be capped at max 75 and an overkill GPU will never run at 100% of the load.

 

[ERosser]

Thanks for your input.


On future-proofing, I understand that some people think it doesn’t exist simply because technology moves quickly, but that’s a bit of an oversimplification, isn’t it? The reality is that not all builds age at the same rate, some degrade faster due to poor initial choices (what I was hoping for advice on avoiding) , while others remain viable for much longer because they were planned with actual foresight. The idea that everything becomes obsolete quickly feels more like an excuse for poor planning than an actual argument.


Regarding the monitor discussion, I’m honestly not sure where this obsession with my ASUS VP278 came from. It is an old monitor I have had for 7+ years, was never meant to be a permanent part of the build, yet it keeps getting brought up as if I’m about to pair a £1500+ GPU with a budget display for the next decade. That’s a strange assumption to make, but I suppose some people struggle with nuance and it might be a language barrier. When I get the time, I’ll pick a monitor that actually makes sense for my setup, rather than rushing into something based on forum logic that hasn't considered other practicalities such as my actual physical setup and desk space.


As for GPU performance at 1080p, while I appreciate the bold claim that an RTX 5080/5090 would be "insane" for anything less than 4K, I’ll stick to looking at actual performance data rather than broad, sweeping generalizations. A better GPU doesn’t just impact resolution—it improves frame pacing, minimum FPS, and input lag, which are all critical in CPU-heavy games. And getting a weaker GPU that limits me to 1080p gaming in the future is the exact opposite of building a rig that lasts. But I understand if that level of detail wasn’t considered before making such a definitive statement.


Anyway, thanks again for the insight—if you happen to have any actual component-specific concerns (you know, things that are actually relevant to my build), feel free to chime in. If not, no worries, I’ll survive without another lecture on why a placeholder monitor disqualifies my entire PC