Sales advice needed

[p0t3nt1al]

Im at a point now where most of the build I have discussed, got advice and nearly ready to order. Not looking for advice on the rest at this point.

The only real part I am looking for advice on is coolers + extra case fans.

I find the budget/which monitor question an interesting one because I wouldn't think they would matter in relation to coolers + extra case fans.

I am just looking to be pointed in the right direction to what would be the minimum recommended cooler and why? And also are extra case fans needed, if so are the cheapest ones sufficient?

 

[Rakk]

Btw, I have merged your threads together, it is best to stick to one thread cos then stuff doesnt get re-asked and answered multiple times

 

[SpyderTracks]

Hi,

I read through the tips and guide for choosing specs.

On this it recommends an AIO cooler. By this I assume a liquid cooler.

I am looking at the following build.

Case
FRACTAL NORTH TG GAMING CASE (WHITE)
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D Eight Core CPU (4.2GHz-5.0GHz/104MB w/3D V-CACHE/AM5)
Motherboard
ASUS® TUF GAMING X670E-PLUS WIFI (AM5, DDR5, PCIe 5.0, Wi-Fi 6E)
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR5 6000MHz (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
16GB AMD RADEON™ RX 7900 GRE - HDMI, DP - DX® 12
Graphics Card Support Bracket
NONE (BRACKET INCLUDED AS STANDARD ON 4070 Ti / RX 7700 XT AND ABOVE)
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
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
PCS FrostFlow 100 V3 Series High Performance CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Extra Case Fans
3 x 120mm PCS Black Case Fan
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Card
ONBOARD 2.5Gbe 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
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™
Warranty
3 Year Standard Warranty (6 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 6 working days
Price: £2,043.00 including VAT and Delivery

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

For a cooler, what would be the recommended one without paying a fortune for it.
Also, I have selected extra case fans. Are these required and are the basic PCS ones okay? They are the cheapest ones available and worried they are not good.

Regards
Steve

You’d need a minimum of the H100i whichever variety you want, it’s simply the RGB that improves with each tier.

Why? Because that’s the minimum pump power and radiator size required to maintain full boost clocks on the 7800x3d

Those fans are loud and not very effective. You don’t need them anyway. With a properly designed case, having too many fans actually reduces airflow as it creates black spots. but you’ll have 2 fans on the AIO extracting, plus the front fans bringing in, if you want an extra, have 1 x 120 on the rear, just not a PCS fan, the corsair AF120 are good noise vs performance

The monitor is important as it dictates the GPU, all you’ve said so far is 1440p, but nothing about panel type or refresh rate, so we still don’t know if the 7900GRT is a good pairing. Your confusion over 1440p vs 4k also suggests you don’t understand the marriage of gpu to monitor. If you’re sure you know what you’re doing then fine, but it’s amazing how many people have no clue of what refresh rate is, or how much panel type affects the overall output.

 

[p0t3nt1al]

You’d need a minimum of the H100i whichever variety you want, it’s simply the RGB that improves with each tier.

Why? Because that’s the minimum pump power and radiator size required to maintain full boost clocks on the 7800x3d

Those fans are loud and not very effective. You don’t need them anyway. With a properly designed case, having too many fans actually reduces airflow as it creates black spots. but you’ll have 2 fans on the AIO extracting, plus the front fans bringing in, if you want an extra, have 1 x 120 on the rear, just not a PCS fan, the corsair AF120 are good noise vs performance

The monitor is important as it dictates the GPU, all you’ve said so far is 1440p, but nothing about panel type or refresh rate, so we still don’t know if the 7900GRT is a good pairing. Your confusion over 1440p vs 4k also suggests you don’t understand the marriage of gpu to monitor. If you’re sure you know what you’re doing then fine, but it’s amazing how many people have no clue of what refresh rate is, or how much panel type affects the overall output.

Hey,

Monitor wise I have been recommended this as it has decent refresh rate 170hz, is an IPS panel and 1ms response time.

Hope this helps answer the question.

One other thing - why do PC specialist strongly push liquid coolers? I was speaking to some other people who said most people don't really benefit from a AIO and a decent air cooler would likely be do.

 

[TonyCarter]

Hey,

Monitor wise I have been recommended this as it has decent refresh rate 170hz, is an IPS panel and 1ms response time.

Hope this helps answer the question.

One other thing - why do PC specialist strongly push liquid coolers? I was speaking to some other people who said most people don't really benefit from a AIO and a decent air cooler would likely be do.

Can you see a 'decent' air cooler on the PCS configurator

We were recommending the DeepCool options when they were available (usually the larger AK620) for almost anything below the 7800X3D (we didn't recommend anything other than 360mm AIOs for Intel i7/i9 though).

A liquid cooler usually means you can keep the CPU in it's sweet spot without having to ramp up its fans to max to sustain this temp (with the correct profile selected or custom made of course).

 

[p0t3nt1al]

One of the earlier replies stated

"PSU is 'enough' for what you currently have, but it's the old ATX2.4 spec, so doesn't handle power spikes as gracefully as the newer ATX3.1 spec PSUs. Unfortunately the only lower power ATX3.1 PSU is the 750w RMe which is fine for the lower-end CPUs and GPUs, but I'd say you'd want higher than that...but the next ATX3.1 spec PSU is the 1200w RM Shift."

One of my issues is that this going for the 1200w RM shift costs £175. The cost isn't an issue in regards to not being able to afford it but it does feel like an overpayment for something I should be able to get cheaper (ie I don't really need 1200w).

Can you give some more details on what you mean when you say ATX2.4 spec doesn't handle power spikes as gracefully? Is there any significant downside to choosing one like this? If I give the 20% buffer on top of the wattage I can't see me needing more than 850w which may force me into a 2.4spec with PC specialist due to a lack of options.


Also, when it comes to Motherboards can someone help me understand if there would be a significant disadvantage to choosing one with PCIe 4.0 instead of 5?


Lastly, if I went for a different graphics card such as a 4070 ti Super would this change certain requirements for the rest of the build?

 

[SpyderTracks]

One of my issues is that this going for the 1200w RM shift costs £175. The cost isn't an issue in regards to not being able to afford it but it does feel like an overpayment for something I should be able to get cheaper (ie I don't really need 1200w).

But you do need 1200w, that’s why it’s been recommended. What’s making you think you don’t? The 1000w would just about scrape it but doesnt give headroom should you upgrade to a 4k GPU in the future. You’re not speccing the build for your needs now, but for what you may need in 10 years time.

Can you give some more details on what you mean when you say ATX2.4 spec doesn't handle power spikes as gracefully? Is there any significant downside to choosing one like this? If I give the 20% buffer on top of the wattage I can't see me needing more than 850w which may force me into a 2.4spec with PC specialist due to a lack of options.

2.4 doesn’t account for transient spikes which can be up to double the power rating of the GPU, also, the 7900XTX requires a 1000w PSU ( your needs and budget may change in the future)

Also, when it comes to Motherboards can someone help me understand if there would be a significant disadvantage to choosing one with PCIe 4.0 instead of 5?

it would bottleneck you now for SSDs and certainly into the future. GPUs isn’t so much of a concern

If you really have the budget available, investing in the platform is paramount (motherboard, PSU, Case) because they dictate the upgrade potential 10 or more years down the line).

It sounds like you’re not confident of your budget?

 

[p0t3nt1al]

"But you do need 1200w, that’s why it’s been recommended. What’s making you think you don’t?".

I wasn't really recommended it. The post basically said they don't have something in between thats not 2.4 so the only one on offer would have to be the 1200.

Its not that I am not confident in the budget, the money isn't an issue actually. But that being said - I don't spend my money foolishly and want to make the best decisions and get the best value for each pound spent. I understand the opinion of "its not necessarily what you need now but its about not limiting future upgrade potential" however at the same degree I am quite unlikely to upgrade it. My last PC specialist setup has lasted for a long time and I am now buying new and not upgrading.

 

[SpyderTracks]

I wasn't really recommended it. The post basically said they don't have something in between thats not 2.4 so the only one on offer would have to be the 1200.

If you read it back, that states for your needs now, as said, you're not designing the PC for your needs now, that's how you get a poor build and end up having to spend 100s more than you need to replacing parts just to fit upgrades in 2 or 3 years time when you have to upgrade the GPU. Upgrading the GPU is the first requirement, no matter what you fit now.

I am looking for a mid range machine, capable of playing pretty much any game on decent settings. My current computer lags so bad and freezes constantly. It is quite old now.

From what you've said your needs are, you are absolutely going to be upgrading the GPU if you want a decent lifetime of the system.

 

[Ekans2011]

"But you do need 1200w, that’s why it’s been recommended. What’s making you think you don’t?".

I wasn't really recommended it. The post basically said they don't have something in between thats not 2.4 so the only one on offer would have to be the 1200.

Its not that I am not confident in the budget, the money isn't an issue actually. But that being said - I don't spend my money foolishly and want to make the best decisions and get the best value for each pound spent. I understand the opinion of "its not necessarily what you need now but its about not limiting future upgrade potential" however at the same degree I am quite unlikely to upgrade it. My last PC specialist setup has lasted for a long time and I am now buying new and not upgrading.

I'm afraid this isn't how Custom PCs work: you should create a system that's good now and could be good for the rest of its life.
Limiting this capability voluntarily for no obvious reason is not the most forward-thinking decision.

You are saying you do not wish to upgrade? The GPU will bottleneck sooner or later; at that point, you must have a platform capable of handling the next generations. Changing PSUs when you can avoid it is not the way to go, IMHO.

 

[Martinr36]

Changing PSUs when you can avoid it is not the way to go, IMHO.

Especially seeing that they are one of the worst parts to have to change in a system

 

[Ekans2011]

Especially seeing that they are one of the worst parts to have to change in a system

True, replacing any critical component is equivalent to a rebuild for me. It's an illogical choice without valid reasons.

 

[TonyCarter]

If you want to do your own PSU calciulation, then please take note of the transient power spikes (of different durations) in the article/chart below.

Then, add in the peak power consumption of all the other components (120w CPU, 5w per RAM stick, 5w per RGB fan, 5w AIO pump, 10w per m.2, any USB devices, any add-in cards, etc.) then take into account that the efficiency of these PSUs drop off (slowly) after 60% of max capacity, and then consider that this is only for the build AS IT IS TODAY.

---

This is a detailed review of a Sapphire version of the 7900GRE, as I don’t know what version PCS supply, and the partner boards will be very similar.

Sapphire Radeon RX 7900GRE Pure 16GB review - A quiet, white hot bunny? | Page 10 | igor´sLAB

Sapphire had already launched a white Radeon RX 7900GRE Pure 16GB shortly after the launch of the GRE in Germany, which I will test again today. Now that availability, prices and drivers have…

www.igorslab.de

 

[p0t3nt1al]

Question.
On the builder for the luna / white only machines it doesn't specifically say the power supplies are white. Can you please confirm this?
If they are only available in black - do you know if they are simply unavailable for a short while and if there are any plans to increase offerings here?
Also, with processor cooling - as discussed its mainly only liquid coolers available and very little options at standard air coolers. Do you know if PC specialist are going to be increasing their offering in this area or if this is simply the range for the forseeable?

 

[Ekans2011]

Question.
On the builder for the luna / white only machines it doesn't specifically say the power supplies are white. Can you please confirm this?
If they are only available in black - do you know if they are simply unavailable for a short while and if there are any plans to increase offerings here?
Also, with processor cooling - as discussed its mainly only liquid coolers available and very little options at standard air coolers. Do you know if PC specialist are going to be increasing their offering in this area or if this is simply the range for the forseeable?

None of us work for PCS; for these kind of questions, I suggest to contact them directly.

The colour is typically black, unless otherwise specified.

 

[p0t3nt1al]

Another question.

If I get the case - CORSAIR 4000D RGB AIRFLOW and the cooler - CORSAIR ICUE LINK H100i RGB - WHITE, will the ICUE Link software sync up with the case fans, or do the case fans need to specifically be the Icue Link ones too?

 

[TonyCarter]

Another question.

If I get the case - CORSAIR 4000D RGB AIRFLOW and the cooler - CORSAIR ICUE LINK H100i RGB - WHITE, will the ICUE Link software sync up with the case fans, or do the case fans need to specifically be the Icue Link ones too?

They'll all link up in iCUE...it'll just be that an iLINK AIO will have different fans (QX120) & LED (34 LEDs) configurations to the AF120 fans (8 LEDs) that come with the case.

The biggest benefit of the iLINK system is the reduced rat's nest of cables that normal fans come with (one per fan for power & RGB). The iLINK system has a thick, USB-type cable to one end of the chain, and all the other fans click together without any further cables.

The AF fans are fluid bearings, the newer QX fans are 'magnetic dome' bearings, so can be a bit quieter at the same speed - although you probably won't notice the difference.

It's probably not worth swapping the case fans out for matching QX fans...but if you're considering doing so, then simply for for the non-RGB version of the 4000D or 5000D and add a 4 x QX120 fan kit.

 

[p0t3nt1al]

Okay next question. I tried googling this but not finding too much concrete info.

What are the reasons that it is often recommended that a build has 2 storage options? I know that you would store your operating system etc on the 1st, and then something like all your games etc on the 2nd.

Can someone help me understand the measurable benefits to a setup like this, and not just having 1 high speed large memory SSD drive?

 

[TonyCarter]

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

 

[ThyThy]

Tony was faster than me.

Having two disks saved me so much time and hassle a few times when changing of system.
Also, once it really helped when the motherboard of my laptop failed while I was in remote desktop from home on a workstation at work. I took the data drive out (it was in a caddy at the place of the optic drive so even easier), slapped it in the 10 yr old laptop I had kept, and in 5-10 minutes I was connected back and working.

The only downside, if any, is that you have to get used to using two drives. It's actually easy but I know it troubles some people. Windows made it a easier recently by helping move images, documents and similar folders to another drive.
Basically, just do not forget that when you move something from one drive to another, by default it copies it rather than move ("cut"). Usually you want it moved. So if, you drag and drop, just press "MAJ" to switch from copy to move mode.

Edit: I forgot. A winning combo if you use a data drive is if you like to use "portable" software when possible rather than traditionally installed software. I have a large set of small or not so small free software regrouped in a folder. They will work even from a USB key.
I personally use "Liberkey" to organize that, but there are other options such as PortableApps: https://www.liberkey.com/en.html ; https://portableapps.com/
So, when you change your OS, you do not have to reinstall these software.