Computer build

[Mordt]

Never built a PC before so I was wondering if anyone could double check this build.

I think it's good, but as said never built one before so I don't know if I'm missing something.

 

Ryzen 5 7600

GIGABYTE B650M K

Radeon RX 6700 XT

Dominator Platinum RGB 32 GB DDR5-5600

Western Digital 960GB WD Green SN350

Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 CPU cooler

Thermaltake Toughpower GX2

MasterBox Q300L Micro-ATX

 

Not looking for best price to performance, just want to make sure there's no glaring issues.

Thanks in advance. 

Edited November 13, 2023 by Mordt

[I_cant_Swim_]

 @Mordt looks good, though I'd have 3 minor niggles:

1. The WD drive will fill up real fast. I'd consider a 2TB drive, or add a standard HD for data.

2. The power unit is 600W? It'll do the trick, but if you want to upgrade anything later it might be better with an 800W or more.

3. You didn't mention RAM, but I assume you'll use 16-32GB? Go for 32 if you can, if the board allows.

But if you don't need your PC for too many games/image processing, and you don't foresee that need in the near future, then your build (with RAM) is good.

Just don't forget to disperse static and apply cpu paste...

 

[Mordt]

4 hours ago, I_cant_Swim_ said:

3. You didn't mention RAM, but I assume you'll use 16-32GB? Go for 32 if you can, if the board allows.

 Whoops. Thanks for catching that, I thought I missed something. Edited to add that.

Thanks for the other advice btw.

[HogHammer]

You should have two M2 connections on that motherboard.  One is going to be filled with the WD drive.  With the costs of these drives coming down, it may be to your advantage to fill the second M2 slot with another drive just for games.  It really depends on how you use the PC and how many games you may have.

[Admiral_Karasu]

And don't forget about cabling. I don't know if there are any old PSU's still floating in stock out there, but I recommend a fully modular PSU. Also, opt for flat cables and not round ones. As for cabling in general, make sure you have a PC case with enough space in the back to do the cabling nicely, and well placed openings around the MB area. What's also important is cooling.

Air cooling is less risky than water cooling, but you will need enough of the airflow in the case to keep your components cool. Pay attention to the CFM* and pressure specs, and think in advance if you want to pay premium for the more silent fans. Needless to say, all intakes should be filtered, and if possible, those filters easily removed and/or cleaned. A lot of cases have the front filter inside the plastic panel, so that's an extra hassle particularly if you have any wires attached to the front panel.

My most recent rig is still unfinished, I'm all thumbs so I got a friend doing the installation for me. I have a Phanteks Enthoo Pro case which is pretty good but not without its own issues (like front filter), and the stock 200 mm front fan is not adequate any more, the case being essentially a ten year old design. I'm going to have that replaced with two 140 Phanteks fans with a lot more airflow, because I've had issues with my GPU in this build.

Since I am all thumbs I'm also telling you to be careful when plugging in and out stuff on your MB. I've seen that friend of mine having to use a table knife to yank out a stuck connector off my MB because the tolerances are sometimes a little off.

*CFM is cubic feet per minute. Some websites/manufacturers may only state the airflow in CMH, cubic meters per hour which means you need to do the conversions in order not to be fooled by incomparable figures.

[I_cant_Swim_]

Yeah, though when on a budget, the modular PSUs (Power Supply Units) has less appeal. Although @Mordt did not state what else he wants the PC for, a unit for WoWs primarily will not need water cooling. A big case is definitely nice, especially for us 10-thumb folks. The wife will also definitely not agree.

Now, although I'm not in my age bracket, for those of us that are, I recommend what I did for my last build, which is to buy a pre-mounted cooler+CPU+motherboard upgrade kit. Mine was just 15 bucks more for assembly, so a no-brainer. Also the good stores (even online, as mine) test the mounted CPU, and provide warranty, of course.

[Admiral_Karasu]

A big case has more room, but where you need that room is around the motherboard, and potentially for one of the longer triple fan GPU's but on a budget that's unlikely to be a case. Most even fairly powerful GPU's tend to be nice and compact with two fans. Mine is a 3060 and fits without issues even with a HDD rack installed (which I don't have because I have dedicated slots for SSD's and my 2.5 'data storage' HDD). Though, mine is a full tower case. One disadvantage of a large case is that the intake fans are further away from the components, though.

If @Mordt is not planning on having ODD's, there are I think even budget cases with reasonably good airflow out there. The net and YouTube are full of very good reviews which I recommend reading/watching. Obviously, for a gaming rig I'd rule out those glass front panels that suck air in through the side vents.

I don't know how much more cheaply you could get a non-modular PSU. I'm looking at my own 'supplier', and the non-modular better sort of 750W PSU's seem to hover around the 100 euro mark. My old C70 Vengeance still has, I think, an older Corsair 650W PSU. My newer rig PSU is a couple of years old, a modular Cooler Master 750W with a ten year warranty. No clue how much that set me back then. Currently fully modular 750W's seem to be around the 150 euro mark.

Looking at the current price of my Cooler Master, it's around 125 euros or so, whereas the non-modular CM 750W is priced at 115 euros. Depending on the available stock, the price difference may be negligible. If you have to choose, I'd go for the better quality one, but the modular one would be nicer.

[Tpaktop2_1 NA]

You can use these two sites to test build the new PC system. you can get a pricing idea too.

https://pcpartpicker.com/
https://buildredux.com/?utm_source=Linus Tech Tips&utm_medium=Social Media&utm_campaign=Launch

Remember about a 1/3 of your budget is for your GPU in the PC. And don't trust PSU older than 4 to 6 years old working with new GPUs. I learned the lesson and fried both the PSU and GPU that way. The PSU needs to be current with the GPU in wattage and cabling. You may have three power cables running to the GPU instead of two. It does not hurt to do some research in cabling either.

[Efros]

As an old fogey with failing eyes, amongst other things, I will offer up some advice from my point of view. Avoid black on black on black builds. Black motherboards on black cases with black screws, it will "do yer nut in"!  The next build I do will be all white I swear!

[Admiral_Karasu]

23 minutes ago, Efros said:

As an old fogey with failing eyes, amongst other things, I will offer up some advice from my point of view. Avoid black on black on black builds. Black motherboards on black cases with black screws, it will "do yer nut in"!  The next build I do will be all white I swear!

Ah.. the good old days, I remember when all PC cases were metal color inside.

[AdmiralThunder]

On 11/12/2023 at 2:55 PM, Mordt said:

Never built a PC before so I was wondering if anyone could double check this build.

I think it's good, but as said never built one before so I don't know if I'm missing something.

 

Ryzen 5 7600

GIGABYTE B650M K

Radeon RX 6700 XT

Dominator Platinum RGB 32 GB DDR5-5600

Western Digital 960GB WD Green SN350

Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 CPU cooler

Thermaltake Toughpower GX2

MasterBox Q300L Micro-ATX

 

Not looking for best price to performance, just want to make sure there's no glaring issues.

Thanks in advance. 

Some comments and tips for you OP FWIW...

TIP - learn to use the Specification and Support pages on the websites of the various part MFG's you want to use. They provide a TON of useful info you will want and need. I favor those sites over the info given on 3rd party sites for the parts.

Processor (CPU) & Cooler:

Not a big AMD fan but the Ryzen 5 7600 has decent reviews so if you like AMD then it will probably do ok for you. Always make sure what RAM speed (MHz) and type (DDR3, DDR4, DDR5) the CPU supports. Not all CPU's support the highest RAM speed of the RAM type they use (you can get away with using faster RAM if the Motherboard supports RAM overclocking). Sometimes a CPU will support 2 RAM types (like Intel's 12th & 13th Gen CPU's that support DDR4 and DDR5) while other times it will only support 1 type of RAM like the one you listed (DDR5 only). 

As far as the Cooler goes, if you are getting the Ryzen 5 7600, and not the 5 7600X, you do not need the Thermalright Peerless Assassin CPU Cooler. The 5 7600 comes with a decent cooler (AMD Wraith Stealth). Unlike Intel's stock coolers that are pretty bad the newer AMD ones are decent (not amazing but decent and good enough for average use). The factory cooler that comes with that CPU should do the job fine as the CPU has a low wattage draw (65W) and doesn't generate a lot of heat like the 5 7600X (which is why it doesn't come with a cooler and you use an aftermarket one). Save the money on this and put it toward better quality parts elsewhere. The only caveat I would add to that is if you plan to overclock the CPU which will increase the wattage draw and heat generated then you would want to get an aftermarket cooler (the one you list is ok). "IF" you go with an aftermarket air cooler like the one listed above you NEED to check 4 things...

• RAM clearance for that cooler. It will be listed on the cooler mfg's website for that specific one or you can contact the cooler mfg's support and ask. Same for the RAM. Check the RAM mfg's site for the spec's on the height or contact their support to find out. I actually think you would run into clearance issues with that selected RAM and Cooler combo. That RAM is TALL (like 56-57MM) and that Cooler only has like a 44-45MM clearance for RAM height on the front fan unless you slide the fan up and even then I don't think you can slide it high enough (see below). Check with Corsair and Thermalright for exact spec's before ordering to make sure there are no clearance issues. 
• Case clearance for the Cooler. This is another thing to check on. Check the Cooler mfg's site to see how tall the Cooler is and then check the Case mfg's site to see what clearance it has. The mfg's site for the case says it has a max Cooler height clearance of 159MM. The Cooler mfg says it's Cooler is 157MM tall. So it will fit; barely. However, getting back to the RAM clearance issue ^^^ this means you would only be able to slide the fan up about 2MM max (really 1.5MM to keep it away from the glass side panel) and that wouldn't be enough to allow that extra tall RAM with the Cooler. Also take into account you picked a massive 2 fan Cooler and have a small Micro ATX case - it will be a snug/tight fit. 
• TDP rating. You need to get a Cooler with a high enough cooling capacity for the CPU you are using. The 5 7600X, if that is the one you are going with, has a 105W draw but can draw more under max load (around 140-150W) so you want a Cooler with at least a 150 TDP. Thermalright doesn't give this spec but that Cooler is enough to cool it. But keep this in mind as something you need to account for and that really high draw CPU's like Intel's i9 13900K for instance may require liquid cooling to keep cool with TDP's reaching 250-300+. The 5 7600 at 65W draw (like 80W max - so 100 TDP is enough) does not need the Cooler you picked (it's overkill - a smaller single 120MM fan model is plenty) and as said the included stock cooler is all you need (unless you will overclock and then an aftermarket cooler would be called for).
• Mounting. Make sure the Cooler you pick has mounting hardware that supports the CPU socket. The 5 7600 and 5 7600X use the AM5 socket (AMD's newest) so make sure any aftermarket cooler you pick supports this mounting spec. Check the mfg's site and if it isn't listed contact them and ask. Many times when a new socket comes out the Cooler mfg will provide the new mounting hardware free if you buy a Cooler that doesn't have it yet (ie; older stock that hasn't had it added to the packaging yet) if you can show proof of purchase.

Motherboard (MB):

Seems like that MB will be ok, fits, etc.... For future reference however here are some things to keep in mind...

• Make sure the MB supports the CPU socket type of the CPU you will use. In this case the CPU listed uses AMD's AM5 socket and the MB listed does support it.
• Make sure of the RAM type the MB uses. In this case the MB listed supports DDR5 and that is the RAM type you listed. 
• Make sure the BIOS supports the CPU. In this case it looks like there is only one BIOS version available (F1) and it supports your selected CPU so you are good. However, sometimes the CPU is not supported at all OR will require the BIOS to be updated (flashed) to support the CPU. This is very important because if the MB requires the BIOS to be flashed to support the CPU it has to be done before you can use the system with that CPU. Sometimes MB's come with a feature called BIOS Flashback which lets you use a USB stick and you can flash the BIOS with an unsupported CPU. This MB actually has the feature (called Q-Flash I believe from that mfg) but many don't. When they don't you need to install a CPU that is supported first, update the BIOS, and then install the new CPU. It's a pain and I will only get MB's now with BIOS Flashback (or whatever name the MB mfg uses - I am an MSI guy so Flashback it is LOL).
• If you want to overclock your RAM make sure the MB has support for it (XMP for Intel and EXPO for AMD if using DDR5) AND that it can support the overclocked RAM speed (MHz) you want.
• General tip - make sure the MB is mountable in your case. Don't get a full sized ATX MB if you have a Micro ATX case for example. Case mfg's will tell you what MB sizes a case supports on their website>specifications page for that case. Your selected Case supports Micro ATX and Mini ITX MB's so you are ok.

Storage Drives (SSD/HDD):

• WD's Green line of drives, be they HDD's or SSD's, are not the greatest and frankly are pretty cheap and crappy in my experience. I like WD as a rule but not the Green ones. They are definitely a budget low end line from WD. The WD Blue line is their midrange offering (not the greatest but not horrible and are serviceable - but better quality available elsewhere for the same or less $$$). WD's Black line is their premium line and they are very good although pricey vs competitor's equal offerings. If you want to go WD at least go Blue although I personally would suggest a Black. Avoid the Greens though.  
• If you want a really good SSD that won't break the bank check out Crucial. They are my go to brand for SSD's (NVMe and 2.5") on budget/mid range systems and really they even good for top end stuff. Really good product at really good prices. For top of the line stuff though I generally use Kingston (Fury Renegade line currently) or Samsung. You won't go wrong with Crucial though for performance and reliability vs $$$ spent. 
• Don't go cheap on your SSD you will regret it is the bottom line.
• Also, if you will only have 1 drive total on the machine, and you will load a lot of software and games, save a lot of files on the PC (music, pictures, video, large data, etc...), you save every email you ever get, and such you might want to upgrade from that 1TB drive to a 2TB. If you won't load a ton of stuff and save most of your files on USB sticks or an external drive then 1TB is plenty. I personally run a 256GB 2.5" SSD for my Operating System boot drive (nothing else on it) and then a 1TB NVMe SSD for all my programs and what little I do store on the system (most stuff I save to USB sticks). I have tons of room available and my system (Windows 11) boots from power off to fully running and operational with everything loaded in about 12-15 sec.
• Make sure the MB supports the SSD you want to use. If your MB only supports a Gen 3 NVMe for instance don't waste money and buy a Gen 4 as it doesn't support it and will default to Gen 3 speeds. If you want to run a 2.5" SSD make sure the MB has enough SATA slots so you can power it.

Graphics Card (GPU):

Honestly, I am not a huge AMD fan for CPU's as said but especially GPU's. However, the one you picked has a good reputation for price vs performance. It has had some issues, like AMD has always suffered with (hence why I dislike them so much), with driver stability but otherwise should be a decent pick. Just make sure it fits your case and you have enough power for it (see below).

System Memory (RAM):

AMD can be very finicky with RAM at times and especially if you plan to overclock it. When possible try and select a RAM that is AMD Optimized and/or that the MB mfg lists as compatible with that board (check mfg's site for the specific MB and on the Support page you should find a compatible RAM list - or just contact support and ask). The RAM you picked from Corsair is decent and would probably work ok (other than the clearance issues) but check and see if they offer an AMD Optimized (might be called an EXPO version now as it is DDR5 - AMD Optimized was a thing for DDR3 and DDR4). Also, you have selected 5600MHz RAM and your CPU only supports up to 5200MHz RAM without overclocking (via EXPO in your BIOS - this is AMD's version of XMP for and DDR5). If you don't want to mess with EXPO then you can still run that 5600MHZ RAM but it will default to 5200 MHz. So if you don't plan to overclock it drop down to 5200MHz RAM and save a little $$$.

Power Supply (PSU):

• Thermaltake is not really a good brand for PSU's. They have some that are ok'ish but they have a lot of issues overall. I would look for one from another brand that offers quality across their lines. PSU brands like Corsair, SeaSonic, EVGA, and MSI offer quality units across their lines as a rule (even the low end ones are generally decent for what they are). My personal pick for PSU's is Corsair. Like SSD's this is a PC item you don't cheap out on. Spend some $$$ for a good PSU. Shop around and wait until you find one you can afford if needed.
• Get a fully modular PSU. You will be glad you did. That way you only have to use the wires you need and don't end up with a huge ball of extra ones. At a minimum go semi-modular. Don't mess with the ones that come with all the wires permanently attached as it is so much harder on you to cable manage. The one you list above is a standard PSU with all the wiring permanently attached and those suck to work with. Don't do it trust me.
• Make sure you get an 80+ Certified PSU that is Bronze rated at a minimum. NO WHITES!!!!! Silver would be a bit better than the Bronze but aren't always offered. Gold is always a good pick. You don't need Platinum/Titanium really. I find them overkill and very $$$. I tend to go Gold on budget, mid range, and top end builds. The PSU you listed is an 80+ Gold I believe so that is good but it has another issue besides the mfg's overall questionable build quality (see below).
• Be sure that your PSU is large enough (ie; wattage). This is very important. You don't want to overburden the PSU as it can cause premature failure in it, can cause other parts to fail, and it can even in rare cases lead to fires. Also, draw too much and it will cause performance issues or even shut the PC down. A good rule of thumb is to leave yourself at least 150W of headroom. This ensures the PSU is not over burdened and allows for some upgrades down the road that might call for more watts then what you have currently. One of the safest and easiest ways to determine the PSU wattage needed is to see what the GPU mfg recommends. AMD recommends a minimum of a 650W PSU for that GPU. I personally would go with a 750W-800W PSU for it. I believe the PSU you selected is only 600W. It might work ok as you don't have a ton of high draw components but a lot of its capacity would be used and it would limit you upgrade wise down the road. JMHO but 750W minimum for the system you list above.
• When mounting a PSU in the case make sure that the PSU fan goes towards where it can draw air. If the bottom of the case is perforated and has a filter put the PSU with the fan down. If the bottom of the case is solid and there is a shelf/shield over the PSU that is perforated, or it is just open into the case, the PSU fan goes up.

Case:

Micro ATX cases are small(er) and hard(er) to build in. They also can be hard to get good airflow in which can lead to them being hot. The one you show looks ok but I do have a few things to point out if you go with it that you should keep in mind/check into.

• Check all the clearance specs. I have gone over some already but this is important. Check to be sure the PSU fits (some small cases won;t take a full sized PSU), the aftermarket Cooler you want to use fits if applicable, and that the GPU will fit.
• Some of the 3 fan models of the GPU you picked can be very long. The Case you list has a max GPU length of 360MM (14"). You should be good with any 2 fan card but check the length anyway and as an added bonus they will/should weigh less and put less stress (sagging) on the PCI slot vs a 3 fan.
• Expansion slots, Make sure the case has enough expansion slots (those perforated removable metal strips on back of the case) to accommodate the thickness of your GPU (can be 1, 2 or even 3 slots worth depending on GPU chosen) and any other items (sound card, wifi card, etc...) you need to add (make sure MB has enough slots for it all too).
• Standard Air flow. This is always important. The case listed seems to have good flow ability with the mesh panels/filters top, front, and bottom.
• Fans. When buying a case an important thing to check is how many, IF any, fans it comes with and how many in total it supports. From what I can see the case listed only comes with a single 120MM fan mounted at the rear as an exhaust fan. I would increase that as it just isn't enough IMO. The cooler your CPU and GPU run the better the system will perform. Fans are cheap so get a few extra. You aren't building some huge power house system so you don't need to go nuts. That case supports 2X 120MM or 2X 140MM at the front and 2X 120MM on top. You don't need any on the top for that configuration really but if I were you I would add 2 to the front as intakes. I personally would go with 2X 140MM over the 120MM's. It will flow more air, at a lower RPM, and thus be quieter. A good choice for price, quality, performance, and noise is Arctic fans. I would go with 2X Arctic P14 PWM PST there at the front. They are cheap, work really well, and are quiet. They are also a static pressure design which works well moving air through filters, mesh panels, and AIO radiators. Also, if you have the budget, I would replace the rear 120MM exhaust fan it comes with. It will be a cheap, poor quality, fan that probably is loud. Grab a matching 120MM version of the Arctic fan (P12 PWM PST) and swap it out for the one that comes with it. The motherboard you picked will support the extra fans up front as it has multiple fan headers (you can even daisy chain the 2 front fans together - the wiring from Arctic allows for this with no extra cables to buy - and go to 1 MB header). Don't believe you are going with RGB or ARGB fans so should be an easy add on and swap. Should only cost you about $30 on Ebay for the 3 fans. Very worthwhile investment. Also, this setup will provide positive pressure inside the case (more airflow in @ 280MM vs out @ 120MM) which helps keep dust intrusion down (that helps it run cooler too).

Sorry for all the rambling. I enjoy building and working on PC's and I was bored tonight so, well, you got the full on novel.

 

Edited November 19, 2023 by AdmiralThunder

[Admiral_Karasu]

I have a 750W PSU + EVGA RTX 3060 GPU and it's sufficient, and I think I could upgrade to something like a 4060 without issues too (PSUwise, that is, the budget is another thing). I'd get at least a 750W myself, although with older GPU's 650 might be enough, a good PSU will last several years so better plan ahead. I'm not sure if I would go for a 1000W PSU quite yet, I haven't checked the pricing, though. 1000W PSU's will probably have three power sockets for those GPU's that need them, but I think we are then looking at a 4k resolution compatible territory. I too think the 750W fully modular option might be optimal.

 

[Tpaktop2_1 NA]

18 minutes ago, Admiral_Karasu said:

I have a 750W PSU + EVGA RTX 3060 GPU and it's sufficient, and I think I could upgrade to something like a 4060 without issues too (PSUwise, that is, the budget is another thing). I'd get at least a 750W myself, although with older GPU's 650 might be enough, a good PSU will last several years so better plan ahead. I'm not sure if I would go for a 1000W PSU quite yet, I haven't checked the pricing, though. 1000W PSU's will probably have three power sockets for those GPU's that need them, but I think we are then looking at a 4k resolution compatible territory. I too think the 750W fully modular option might be optimal.

 

It is surprising how cheap people will go with their PSU purchase. You want at least a 80 Plus Bronze, or a 80 Plus Gold rated power rating. 80 Plus Titanium is top of the heap, but it can be pricey. I have an 80 Plus Gold rated PSU that is over provision by 300 watts. It is built for some expansion for the future if needed.

[Admiral_Karasu]

33 minutes ago, Tpaktop2_1 NA said:

It is surprising how cheap people will go with their PSU purchase. You want at least a 80 Plus Bronze, or a 80 Plus Gold rated power rating. 80 Plus Titanium is top of the heap, but it can be pricey. I have an 80 Plus Gold rated PSU that is over provision by 300 watts. It is built for some expansion for the future if needed.

Yes, I prefer to go 80 Plus Gold myself too. In all these years, I've only suffered one PSU failure, but I can't remember how that one was rated any more.

[I_cant_Swim_]

I've had one PSU blow up (well, there was a bang and it began smoking) in the late 90s. Bad habit, that, smoking. Since then I've put a bit of effort in getting a good PSU. One 80 plus gold failed. The others (mostly gold, platinum) have been good. Modular is just so nice to have, esp if you ever intend on opening the case again.

[Admiral_Karasu]

21 minutes ago, I_cant_Swim_ said:

I've had one PSU blow up (well, there was a bang and it began smoking) in the late 90s. Bad habit, that, smoking. Since then I've put a bit of effort in getting a good PSU. One 80 plus gold failed. The others (mostly gold, platinum) have been good. Modular is just so nice to have, esp if you ever intend on opening the case again.

Well, where there's a will there's way, even with round cables and stuff. I've seen some videos where they only barely stop short of jumping on the case like it were a suitcase.

[I_cant_Swim_]

what irked me most in my builds was the lack of vertical support for (big) graphics cards. In many builds, you'd find an unsightly sag at the unsupported corner . Even with good brands. As I basically always used big cases, I'd build some sort of support to rest the edge on. You'd think they'd deliver some form of telescopic support with heavy cards, but alas.

[Admiral_Karasu]

5 minutes ago, I_cant_Swim_ said:

what irked me most in my builds was the lack of vertical support for (big) graphics cards. In many builds, you'd find an unsightly sag at the unsupported corner . Even with good brands. As I basically always used big cases, I'd build some sort of support to rest the edge on. You'd think they'd deliver some form of telescopic support with heavy cards, but alas.

Well, there are options you can buy, if you have a card that is long enough to need it. Otherwise it's probably mostly cosmetic.

[I_cant_Swim_]

Oh for sure, the card worked fine anyway. Although they worked with a sigh of relief (unless that was me) when supported properly. Bit like seeing a frame hanging crooked in a room. Drives me nuts.

[Admiral_Karasu]

2 minutes ago, I_cant_Swim_ said:

Oh for sure, the card worked fine anyway. Although they worked with a sigh of relief (unless that was me) when supported properly. Bit like seeing a frame hanging crooked in a room. Drives me nuts.

You can buy a windowless case, you know. Just saying. 😎

[I_cant_Swim_]

But that's not the point. They were ALL windowless cases. Didn't help me forget what I knew I would find if I opened the case again. Ugh. I'd probably feel the same sitting next door to the room with the crooked picture frame.

[AdmiralThunder]

7 hours ago, Admiral_Karasu said:

I have a 750W PSU + EVGA RTX 3060 GPU and it's sufficient, and I think I could upgrade to something like a 4060 without issues too (PSUwise, that is, the budget is another thing). I'd get at least a 750W myself, although with older GPU's 650 might be enough, a good PSU will last several years so better plan ahead. I'm not sure if I would go for a 1000W PSU quite yet, I haven't checked the pricing, though. 1000W PSU's will probably have three power sockets for those GPU's that need them, but I think we are then looking at a 4k resolution compatible territory. I too think the 750W fully modular option might be optimal.

 

Minimum PSU wattage recommended by Nvidia with the 4060 and 4060TI is just 550W so your 750W would be fine. 750W is bare minimum (which for me is not enough - I like minimum 150W headroom as said ^) or even below minimum spec for the 4070/4080/4090's.

[AdmiralThunder]

5 hours ago, I_cant_Swim_ said:

what irked me most in my builds was the lack of vertical support for (big) graphics cards. In many builds, you'd find an unsightly sag at the unsupported corner . Even with good brands. As I basically always used big cases, I'd build some sort of support to rest the edge on. You'd think they'd deliver some form of telescopic support with heavy cards, but alas.

Many top end case mfg's are now doing that with it built into the case. There are also a lot of aftermarket GPU supports sold that range from screw on (they go on where the GPU bracket screw attaches to frame) to ones that sit on the PSU shield and can be moved around. Many of them can even come with RGB lighting.

I keep one of these on hand in case I get a heavy/long GPU that will stress the PCI slot and make it sag. They work pretty good and can be positioned as needed for best support. Cheap, stable, and does the job.

https://www.amazon.com/Antec-Graphics-Anodized-Aerospace-Aluminum/dp/B08S2RWY9F?th=1

Edited November 19, 2023 by AdmiralThunder

[I_cant_Swim_]

35 minutes ago, AdmiralThunder said:

There are also a lot of aftermarket GPU supports sold that range from screw on (they go on where the GPU bracket screw attaches to frame) to ones that sit on the PSU shield and can be moved around. Many of them can even come with RGB lighting.

Now you gone and dunnit. Just ordered two.

[AdmiralThunder]

43 minutes ago, I_cant_Swim_ said:

Now you gone and dunnit. Just ordered two.

What ones did you get?