Spec check: Debating upgrading my setup and moving to a build that will allow easier customisation/upgrades moving forward (5+ years)

[NatalieHarreld203]

Currently have older Alienware R10 build, and tired of not being able to tinker with it easily, as well as thermal performance. Been doing research and decided on this build. Would love any insight from you all!

I have an Alienware OLED 34” widescreen. I often like to run with a nvidia DSR with dlss when possible. Great AA solution. 7800X3D seems to be the best gaming solution. I have a work laptop, so this is purely for gaming, modding, and some smaller side projects. Not sure going to the 7950x3D is justified. Tried to prioritise energy efficiency (other reason to moving to new gen). Going 4090 since seems best value for performance this gen. 4080 isn’t worth it at all. 4070 is fine, but have the funds to go up so figured it offers a minor amount of future proofing as far as GPUs go.

Looked at doing a liquid system with new cards, but I think this is more than good enough for temps and performance balanced with ease of care.

Case
CORSAIR iCUE 5000X RGB MID TOWER GAMING CASE
Promotional Item
Get Alan Wake 2 with Select GeForce RTX 40 Series!
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D Eight Core CPU (4.2GHz-5.0GHz/104MB w/3D V-CACHE/AM5)
Motherboard
GIGABYTE X670 AORUS ELITE AX (WIFI 6E, USB 3.2, PCIe 5.0) - ARGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE RGB DDR5 6000MHz (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
24GB ASUS TUF GEFORCE RTX 4090 OC EDITION OG - 2x HDMI, 3x DP
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB SAMSUNG 990 PRO M.2, PCIe 4.0 NVMe (up to 7450MB/R, 6900MB/W)
2nd M.2 SSD Drive
2TB SAMSUNG 990 PRO M.2, PCIe 4.0 NVMe (up to 7450MB/R, 6900MB/W)
3rd M.2 SSD Drive
2TB SAMSUNG 990 PRO M.2, PCIe 4.0 NVMe (up to 7450MB/R, 6900MB/W)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 1000W RMx 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 H150i ELITE CAPELLIX XT RGB High Performance CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND
LED Lighting
2 x 50cm UV LED Strip
Extra Case Fans
3 x Corsair ICUE LINK QX120 RGB PWM Fan + Controller Kit
Sound Card
ASUS Xonar SE 5.1-Channel Gaming Audio Card
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 [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 6 to 8 working days
Price: £0.00 including VAT and Delivery

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am5-pc/UJtsy0dyVE/

 

[TonyCarter]

Not a bad start for a beast of a machine

Case
CORSAIR iCUE 5000X RGB MID TOWER GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D Eight Core CPU (4.2GHz-5.0GHz/104MB w/3D V-CACHE/AM5)
Motherboard
ASUS® ROG STRIX X670E-A GAMING WIFI (WIFI 6E, DDR5, PCIe 5.0)
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE RGB DDR5 6000MHz (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
24GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 4090 - HDMI, DP - you definitely don't need the Asus 4090...unless you're happy to pay a 25% premium for looks and an extra 1% FPS. The other option would be the 7900XTX at £500 cheaper and performs similar to the 4080 (but £200 cheaper).
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB SOLIDIGM P44 PRO GEN 4 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 7000MB/sR, 6500MB/sW) - I'd probably stay away from the Samsung 990 Pro SSDs, due to historic issues with firmware, and not particularly good endurance.
1st M.2 SSD Drive
2TB SOLIDIGM P41+ GEN 4 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 4125MB/sR, 3325MB/sW) - a pair of 2TB Solidigm P41+ will suffice for storage/installs
1st M.2 SSD Drive
2TB SOLIDIGM P41+ GEN 4 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 4125MB/sR, 3325MB/sW) - a pair of 2TB Solidigm P41+ will suffice for storage/installs
Power Supply
CORSAIR 1200W RMx SHIFT SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS GOLD, ULTRA QUIET - the 4090 can be a hungry beast, and I'd want to play safe
Power Cable
1 x 1.5 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead, 1.0mm Core)
Processor Cooling
CORSAIR iCUE H150i ELITE CAPELLIX XT RGB High Performance CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING - You don't need the Arctic thermal compound as the Corsair AIO comes pre-applied with its own.
LED Lighting
2 x 50cm UV LED Strip
Extra Case Fans
3 x Corsair ICUE LINK QX120 RGB PWM Fan + Controller Kit - not sure where these are going to go, as you have 3 at the front and 3 up top already
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD) - You probably don't need the Asus Sonar sound card, as the motherboard has built-in audio.
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 [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 6 to 8 working days
Price: £3,396.00 including VAT and Delivery

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am5-pc/EJa0X4tqBs/

 

[NatalieHarreld203]

Took your advice on board, made some changes. Opted for a different case, as not too fussed about lights, and read good reviews for the Meshify. Love the look of the North but doesn't work well with 4090 it seems.

Case
FRACTAL MESHIFY 2 LIGHT TEMPERED GLASS
Promotional Item
Get Alan Wake 2 with Select GeForce RTX 40 Series!
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 (DDR5, PCIe 5.0) - RGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE RGB DDR5 6000MHz (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
24GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 4090 - HDMI, DP
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB SOLIDIGM P44 PRO GEN 4 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 7000MB/sR, 6500MB/sW)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
2TB SOLIDIGM P44 PRO GEN 4 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 7000MB/sR, 6500MB/sW)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
2TB SOLIDIGM P44 PRO GEN 4 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 7000MB/sR, 6500MB/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 H150i ELITE LCD XT 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
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 [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 6 to 8 working days
Welcome Book
PCSpecialist Welcome Book - United Kingdom & Republic of Ireland
Logo Branding
PCSpecialist Logo
Price: £0.00 including VAT and Delivery
Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am5-pc/sXdZ5KnhfN/

 

[NatalieHarreld203]

I was thinking of using the Meshify 2 (previous post), but the North has my heart. Keep thinking about it. But could use some advice. My one concern is they are only allowing me to put in an air cooler, or a one fan AIO solution (H60X), but I'd prefer at least two fans (eg 100i). The case should support two fans up top, one rear, with the two included 140mm aspect fans in the front. I have seen builds with the 4090 with top mounted radiator. I suspect they are thinking of front mounting the radiators with the included fans up top to fit the 4090? If anyone has experience or insight. Other option is to build myself, which I can, but cost isn't hugely different and I don't particularly want the hassle at the moment. Thanks!!

Monitor: Alienware OLED 34” widescreen.
use case: gaming
budget: 3-4k (closer to 3 if possible)

Case
FRACTAL NORTH TG GAMING CASE (WHITE)
Promotional Item
Get Alan Wake 2 with Select GeForce RTX 40 Series!
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 (DDR5, PCIe 5.0) - RGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE RGB DDR5 6000MHz (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
24GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 4090 - HDMI, DP
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB SOLIDIGM P44 PRO GEN 4 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 7000MB/sR, 6500MB/sW)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
2TB SOLIDIGM P44 PRO GEN 4 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 7000MB/sR, 6500MB/sW)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
2TB SOLIDIGM P44 PRO GEN 4 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 7000MB/sR, 6500MB/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 H60x RGB ELITE HIGH PERFORMANCE CPU COOLER
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Extra Case Fans
1 x 120mm Thermaltake TOUGHFAN 12 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

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am5-pc/rFFQZ3P7rd/

 

[TonyCarter]

Larger cooler may not fit due to the extra height of the RGB RAM, and the narrowness of the case. The smaller AIO can be moved to accommodate the fixed RAM positioning.

Looks like they're also saying you won't get away with fitting a H100/H115i at the front of the case...as the 4090 then won't fit!

 

[NatalieHarreld203]

Ah so it may be the RAM that's the issue. Hmm. The two front fans and one rear exhaust with the H60X radiator/AIO up top. Do you think that would be sufficient? AMD shouldn't be as much of a heat issue as a modern intel, and the 7800x3d is pretty efficient.

 

[TonyCarter]

I have no experience of the H60X at all, so can't comment on it's performance.

However, even changing the to non-RGB won't let me configure a H100i AIO in cases that I know it fits...including my Corsair iCue 220T where I have it in the top (no RGB RAM) so don't know why it won't fit at the top of the Fractal North considering it's the almost the same hight/depth as the Corsair 4000D which the configurator says can fit it on top???

You may have to call PCS to double-check, as we've seen plenty of configurator errors in the past saying something won't work when it clearly will.

 

[SpyderTracks]

I wouldn't touch the H60 in any build save a SFF where it's the only thing that would fit and you're thermally limited no matter what you do. The H80 is the lowest I'd recommend on any lower tier CPU, but the 7800X3D really does benefit from the H100 upwards.

 

[NatalieHarreld203]

I'll give them a ring before I order. I also feel the H60 is a deal breaker. Worst case I may order with cheapest available and put in my own custom part, as I know 280mm should fit after some further research and your comments. Cheers both!