My first build ever!

[Interstellar]

First of all, I would like to say I'm grateful I found this site. After searching for hours on end for PC building sites in the ROI, this one seems to offer the best knowledge & prices.

Secondly, I have very minimal knowledge when it comes to PC's. I've spent the last week or so attempting to understand what each part means, which CPU/GPU I should buy, what cooler is the best, motherboard, etc etc. However, whenever I open up that build-a-pc page, my brain gets overwhelmed... So, I'm wondering if any of you well-educated members on the forum could assist me with my first ever build!

This is what I need the PC to be able to do:
- Able to handle screen recording & streaming while gaming at 1080p (QHD would be a nice bonus)
- Effortlessly edit 1080p video on Davinci Resolve or Premiere Pro

I don't want to be upgrading right away either. If it's able to play a variety of 2021 releases in Full HD or even QHD (I'm looking at you Kerbal Space Program 2), that would be wonderful. I've also never understood how RGB works, but it seems really cool and wouldn't mind to colour-code the setup!

My budget is no more than €2500 for everything, including monitor, mouse, and keyboard. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks

 

[supersunny]

I do video editing as well and use dual screen so. I am not really expert in this but did some research.
For 4k videos you need you can manage with 8GB but 16GB will do better job without any problems. I got 32GB so the no need to expand in the future or I can open loads of apps at a time.

 

[supersunny]

Case
CIT DARK SOUL BLACK CASE
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™ i7 Eight Core Processor i7-9700 (3.0GHz) 12MB Cache
Motherboard
ASUS® TUF H310M-PLUS GAMING R2.0: Micro-ATX, DDR4, LGA1151, USB 3.1 - RGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 2400MHz (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
1GB NVIDIA GEFORCE 710 - DVI, HDMI, VGA
1st Storage Drive
256GB PCS 2.5" SSD, SATA 6 Gb (500MB/R, 400MB/W)
1st Storage Drive
2TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 256MB CACHE
DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
24x DUAL LAYER DVD WRITER ±R/±RW/RAM
Power Supply
CORSAIR 350W VS SERIES™ VS-350 POWER SUPPLY
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
PCS FrostFlow 100 V2 Series High Performance CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Extra Case Fans
2x 120mm Black Case Fan (configured to extract from rear/roof)
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Wireless/Wired Networking
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 10 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KUK-00001]
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10 Multi-Language Recovery Image - Unlimited Downloads from Online Account
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft 365® (Operating System Required)
Anti-Virus
BullGuard™ Internet Security - Free 90 Day License inc. Gamer Mode
Browser
Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)
Monitor Cables
1 x 2 METRE HDMI (M) to DVI (M)
Keyboard & Mouse
PCS S300 USB MEDIA KEYBOARD
Keyboard & Mouse
PCS M400 USB OPTICAL MOUSE
Surge Protection
6 Socket 2m Surge Protector

 

[Interstellar]

Hey everyone!

Just looking to see if anyone can give me some advice. I've decided to dive into the gaming world, and would like to know if this build would be good for a high-end 1440p gaming, streaming, and video editing workstation. My budget is around €2300; however, would it be worth it spending the extra cash on the RTX 3070 when that's available later this week? I'm also planning on using this 31.5in curved 144hz QHD monitor: https://eu.aoc.com/en/gaming-monitors/cq32g1

Any help would be appreciated. Cheers!

Case
COOLERMASTER MASTERBOX MB530P RGB GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 9 3900X 12 Core CPU (3.8GHz-4.6GHz/70MB CACHE/AM4)
Motherboard
ASUS® ROG STRIX X570-F GAMING (USB 3.2 Gen 2, PCIe 4.0) - ARGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE RGB PRO DDR4 3200MHz (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
8GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 2060 SUPER - HDMI, DP - VR Ready!
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB SAMSUNG 970 EVO PLUS M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 3500MB/R, 3300MB/W)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 750W RMx SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
Corsair H100i RGB PLATINUM 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)
Wireless/Wired Networking
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
Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KUK-00001]
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10 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 (Windows 10 Only)
Warranty
3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
2 - 3 DAY DELIVERY TO REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 10 to 12 working days
Price: €2,167.00 including VAT and Delivery

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.ie/saved-configurations/amd-am4-gen3-pc/GuVwf3w5hQ/

 

[ProEnigma]

First of all, I would like to say I'm grateful I found this site. After searching for hours on end for PC building sites in the ROI, this one seems to offer the best knowledge & prices.

Secondly, I have very minimal knowledge when it comes to PC's. I've spent the last week or so attempting to understand what each part means, which CPU/GPU I should buy, what cooler is the best, motherboard, etc etc. However, whenever I open up that build-a-pc page, my brain gets overwhelmed... So, I'm wondering if any of you well-educated members on the forum could assist me with my first ever build!

This is what I need the PC to be able to do:
- Able to handle screen recording & streaming while gaming at 1080p (QHD would be a nice bonus)
- Effortlessly edit 1080p video on Davinci Resolve or Premiere Pro

I don't want to be upgrading right away either. If it's able to play a variety of 2021 releases in Full HD or even QHD (I'm looking at you Kerbal Space Program 2), that would be wonderful. I've also never understood how RGB works, but it seems really cool and wouldn't mind to colour-code the setup!

My budget is no more than €2500 for everything, including monitor, mouse, and keyboard. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks

the build that NuresMorph said but with a 3080 if you can wait with the que for it, I have that card and a 1440p 144hz (QHD) monitor, playing high demanding games with max settings if you like to play multi player games as well, while recording and streamig using hardwear encoding. it should also last you a fare few years as games ask for more from the GPU.
If you are wanting 1080p still then the 3070 should be a good fit as well.

 

[SpyderTracks]

the build that NuresMorph said but with a 3080 if you can wait with the que for it, I have that card and a 1440p 144hz (QHD) monitor, playing high demanding games with max settings if you like to play multi player games as well, while recording and streamig using hardwear encoding. it should also last you a fare few years as games ask for more from the GPU.
If you are wanting 1080p still then the 3070 should be a good fit as well.

The 3070 embargo is still in effect and there haven't been any official benchmarks released, so it's not possible to advise it for 1080p.

Always wait for 3rd party reviews.

 

[ProEnigma]

The 3070 embargo is still in effect and there haven't been any official benchmarks released, so it's not possible to advise it for 1080p.

Always wait for 3rd party reviews.

Fair point.

 

[Interstellar]

You have nailed the basic spec as well as any of us would have done....impressive given it's your first build

CPU: I would swap that out for the 5900x when it comes out on the 5th to give you more longevity

GPU: I would definitely be going for the 3070. The 2060 Super, whilst a good GPU, is more a low end 1440p card. When I played Forza Horizon 4 on my 75Hz monitor, if it was running at uncapped fps (in this instance 150fps), it was using 96% capacity....capped at 60fps it drops to around 50%. The demand is going to be more on a 144Hz monitor so, unless you want to be limited, it wouldn't be a prudent choice. Outside of that, the 3070 is just a much better card anyway with massive improvements on the ray-tracing side of things.

Thanks! I've been reading this forum extensively these past 24 hours, so it's actually a combination of the information you guys have been giving everyone that lead me to this.

Also, I read somewhere that I need to have an HDD in the build. Is this true? Or can I just stick with the M.2 SSD? Additionally, would there really be much of a noticeable difference between Intel's NVMe's and Samsung's? It would be nice to get a 2TB storage for the price of 1.

 

[moosEh]

If you are streaming and recording to the system at the same time then I'd probably recommend a HDD as well for storage as its quite easy to fill up a 1TB drive if you aren't keeping on top of it.

As for the drives its just speed changes depending on the models you are looking at. For ultimate performance the new Gen4 drives are the fastest currently on the market, but I would make sure you pair that with a storage HDD.

 

[Interstellar]

HDD: It's up to you really. Primary reason for the HDD is just for storage as it doesn't need to be a quick drive and a SATA HDD is more likely to give warning of impending failure. Also keeping documents, files etc on a seperate drive makes it easier if Windows needs reinstalling for whatever reason

I'd avoid Intel's if I was you..they aren't the best drives longer term. You could always go with the 1TB PCS M2 drive as your primary and a second 1TB one which is about the same price as the Samsung. The PCS M2s are very good drives...I have an equivalent speed one in my system and it is really quick

I have a SATA SDD on my current laptop and honestly don't think I could ever go back to HDD again, even if it was just for storage.

So, if I went for a 1TB PCS M2 drive (as primary/start-up) and a 2TB PCS SATA drive (for storage/additional games), do you think that would be okay? Staying away from HDD if possible would be oh so good.

 

[Scott]

For the primary a 500GB and FAST M2 drive would be nice paired with either a 1TB PCS M2 drive or a 2TB SSD offering.

I still use old fashioned SATA HDDs for my storage, they honestly do just fine at around 200MB/s.

Having said that, most things I use have all 3...

1 fast primary
1 fast storage
1 "Slow" storage.

Bang for your buck the old fashioned platter drives are untouchable

 

[ubuysa]

I still use old fashioned SATA HDDs for my storage, they honestly do just fine at around 200MB/s.

I very much agree. The main advantage of an HDD is that as long as the disk still spins you can usually recovery the data - and they're a sight cheaper than an equivalent sized SSD too. Most user data gets no noticeable benefit from being on an SSD in any case....

 

[Mugenjin]

I have a SATA SDD on my current laptop and honestly don't think I could ever go back to HDD again, even if it was just for storage.

So, if I went for a 1TB PCS M2 drive (as primary/start-up) and a 2TB PCS SATA drive (for storage/additional games), do you think that would be okay? Staying away from HDD if possible would be oh so good.

Storage drives aren’t as frequently accessed in comparison to OS/boot drives, so your system would still load very quickly and feel snappy in everyday use. The benefits of a large capacity HDD would be the extra storage space for the same cost (or cheaper), useful for various backups and videos/pictures. As already mentioned, HDDs are also more likely to warn of their impending failure (noisy clicks etc.) so data recovery is more of a possibility. If an SSD (suddenly) fails, it’s far more difficult/expensive to recover. Backups right? HDDs are perfect for those large backups (that you hopefully never need).

The only major slowdown you may notice with a storage HDD is if your OS is set to turn off hard disks after a period of inactivity (e.g. 20 minutes); you will have to wait a few seconds for the drive to spin up again whenever you do access it. You can disable the turning off of hard disks though to avoid this issue.

 

[Interstellar]

Alright, so before I place my order tomorrow, I just want to make sure this build should be okay. Please let me know if I should be making any amendments:

- The 3080 is a placeholder, as I will be getting the 3070 instead
- I picked a 500GB Fast M.2 for boot, 1TB standard M.2 for games, and 2GB HDD for storage
- This is the monitor I hope to purchase: https://eu.aoc.com/en/gaming-monitors/cq32g1

Case
COOLERMASTER MASTERBOX MB530P RGB GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 9 3900X 12 Core CPU (3.8GHz-4.6GHz/70MB CACHE/AM4)
Motherboard
ASUS® ROG STRIX X570-F GAMING (USB 3.2 Gen 2, PCIe 4.0) - ARGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
16GB Corsair VENGEANCE RGB PRO DDR4 3200MHz (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
10GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 3080 - HDMI, DP (placeholder for 3070)
1st Storage Drive
2TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 256MB CACHE
1st M.2 SSD Drive
500GB SEAGATE FIRECUDA 520 GEN 4 PCIe NVMe (up to 5000MB/R, 2500MB/W)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB PCS PCIe M.2 SSD (2000 MB/R, 1100 MB/W)
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
Corsair H100i RGB PLATINUM 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)
Wireless/Wired Networking
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
Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KUK-00001]
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10 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 (Windows 10 Only)
Surge Protection
6 Socket 2m Surge Protector
Warranty
3 Year Standard Warranty (1 Month Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
2 - 3 DAY DELIVERY TO REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 10 to 12 working days
Price: €0.00 including VAT and Delivery

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am4-gen3-pc/Bb8RyrXdWd/

 

[Interstellar]

I'd add in the Silver Warranty option..only 6 Euros more but gives an extra 11 months on carriage costs if it needs returning for any reason

That spec combined with a 5900x on the 5th will be an excellent machine

I read somewhere on the forums that the silver warranty doesn't apply to purchases from outside the UK. Is that still true?

The 5900x would be killer for sure, but I'm worried if I wait to place my order until that's out, the 3070's will be all gone. Ugh, first world problems

 

[Interstellar]

It applies to Ireland...I believe it is different on the European mainland....if I recall they just have either standard or gold option. I just checked and you can select Silver from your config.

As to the 5900x, just order with the 3900x and then, on the 5th, edit your order for the 5900x...of course, that assumes there is not a long wait for the 5900x

Ah, brilliant. That's good to know.

And yeah, I guess I'm not too bothered if I can't get my hands on the 5900x. If I don't have to upgrade anything until 2022, I'll be happy out.

 

[Interstellar]

Finally ordered! So excited for this to arrive!

Case
COOLERMASTER MASTERBOX MB530P RGB GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 9 3900X 12 Core CPU (3.8GHz-4.6GHz/70MB CACHE/AM4)
Motherboard
ASUS® ROG STRIX X570-F GAMING (USB 3.2 Gen 2, PCIe 4.0) - ARGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
16GB Corsair VENGEANCE RGB PRO DDR4 3200MHz (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
8GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 3070 - HDMI, DP
1st Storage Drive
1TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 64MB CACHE
1st M.2 SSD Drive
500GB SEAGATE FIRECUDA 520 GEN 4 PCIe NVMe (up to 5000MB/R, 2500MB/W)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB PCS PCIe M.2 SSD (2000 MB/R, 1100 MB/W)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 750W RMx SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
Corsair H100i RGB PLATINUM 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)
Wireless/Wired Networking
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
Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KUK-00001]
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10 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 (Windows 10 Only)
Surge Protection
6 Socket 2m Surge Protector
Warranty
3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
2 - 3 DAY DELIVERY TO REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 10 to 12 working days
Promotional Item
Get 1-Year Founders Membership to GeForce Now w/ select RTX Cards
Welcome Book
PCSpecialist Welcome Book - United Kingdom & Republic of Ireland
Price: €2,312.00 including VAT and Delivery

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am4-gen3-pc/Ej38CAbva5/

 

[Interstellar]

I actually need some monitor suggestions if anyone is interested in giving a hand?

I had one in mind in my first post, but now I'm doubting it. I understand I need a 1440p 144hz monitor, but do I go for ultrawide or no? Plus, given the FPS on my build, is it okay if I have slightly less FPS than my refresh rate?

 

[Scott]

It really depends in your style of gaming and how much number chasing you want to go for. The 3080 is marketed at being a true 4k card (up to 144hz), the 3070 is marketed at being at 2080Ti levels, which was opening the door to 4k gaming (Up to 60hz). For 1440p the 3060Ti, soon to be released, will be marketed at extreme 1080p gaming with more mainstream 1440p gaming in mind (I believe).

The 3070 will be the main player in the market I think. It should cover just about every base going. It'll smash any 1080p super speed requirements people are looking for, it'll max out most 1440p screens at reasonable settings, it'll manage over 100hz/fps at super ultrawide in just about every scenario and it will happily run 4k at around 60hz+.

When choosing your system the main thing is to get the base right. That covers any level of gaming you want to do. From there you want to pair the GPU and Monitor to what you are aiming for. The main thing, IMO, is the monitor. The monitor is VERY likely to last you a number of years if you purchase wisely. I would genuinely spend more on the monitor and take a slight hit on the GPU, knowing that when I purchase the next upgrade the monitor isn't going to be my bottle neck. You should get 10yrs + out of a good base system paired with a good monitor. All I would want to change for gaming is the RAM and the GPU going forward.

Has that helped you? Probably not. All I would say is consider the PC purchased. The GPU I would consider paired with the monitor. What is the budget for the GPU and monitor combined? The3070 would be looking for an approx spend of £1200 IMO. I would be aiming for high refresh (144hz) ultrawide or possibly even 144hz 4k (Aiming for 60fps but planning for the future). The GPU is known to be around £500 and the monitor will be around £600-£800.

It's a tough spend and a bitter pill to swallow, I genuinely get that. But rather than spending a few hundered every couple of years, just get a stonking monitor now.

 

[Interstellar]

@Nursemorph You mentioned upgrading to a 5900x. Since my build contains a 3070, it's most-likely going to be delayed a bit; however, this also gives me a chance to upgrade to a 5900x on the 5th.

What kind of performance gains could I see if I did this? And would it be worth it from a gaming & video editing perspective?