AMD Ryzen 5 1600 AF Simple Overclock Build: Which Motherboard, Case, PSU?

Scrooge McDuck on 11/05/2020 - 21:27
Last edited 11/05/2020 - 21:30

I want to build a new PC based on the Ryzen 5 1600 AF and an RX570 which I won in a competition 18 months ago. I have a basic plan for the components but I'm open minded and keen for advice from fellow OzBargainers.

Component Model Price Link
CPU AMD Ryzen 5 1600 AF $158.15 Out of stock: https://www.eyo.com.au/605796_amd-yd1600bbafbox.html  
Motherboard ? ? ?
RAM Team T-Force Vulcan Z (2x8GB) 3200 $123.01 Is this OK? https://www.eyo.com.au/601975_team-t-force-vulcan-z-16gb-2x8…  
SSD Crucial P1 500GB 3D NAND NVMe $105 Is this OK? https://www.ijk.com.au/branch/ijk/product/161795p27_553/CT50…  
Case (+PSU) ? ? ?
GPU RX570 $0 Won in a competition

Usage
This will be my main PC for gaming, web browsing, watching videos and productivity. I'm only pushing a 1080p 75 Hz monitor; I'm quite happy with it for the moment but may upgrade if a good deal comes up in a few years time. Similarly, I may upgrade the GPU and storage in the future.

Motherboard
A320 doesn't support overclocking (bar a few exceptions with BIOS updates), so I'm looking at B450. I'm not planning on upgrading the standard CPU cooler so I'm only looking to overclock the 1600 AF to 2600 specifications. However I'm only running an RX570 so the merit of overclocking this CPU is debatable.
Fast USB technology would be nice but isn't essential.

  1. Is a 4 DIMM board worthwhile? I may upgrade the core system before I add more RAM.
  2. Is a crossfire board worthwhile? An updated GPU may always make more sense than an additional RX570.
  3. Are expansion slots likely to be useful?
  4. How important are heatsinks on the motherboard?

Case and PSU
I care much more for function over form and don't want to spend too much here. So I just need good airflow and an adequate and reliable PSU. I don't care too much for the portability of a smaller case. I'll be installing 2 x 3.5" HDDs to have access to the data from my previous PC and possibly a 2.5" drive when I upgrade the new storage.

Potential candidates:

Antec VSK4500E-U3 with 500W PSU $95 https://www.umart.com.au/Antec-VSK4500E-U3-Mid-Tower-ATX-Cas…
CoolerMaster CMP 501 with 600W PSU $109 Out of stock: https://www.ijk.com.au/branch/ijk/product/160709p492_87/CMP-…

  1. Does an ATX case run cooler than a micro-ATX?
  2. Is dust filtration achievable or just a lost cause? My previous PC is in an Antec Sonata III (with front and rear 120 mm fans) which has a dust filter, but it still accumulates a lot of dust inside.

I'm open minded and flexible on the rest of the build too, so any reasoned advice and directions to bargains will be appreciated.

Computing

Comments

  • NotAnAudiophile on 11/05/2020 - 22:01
    +2

    Instead of the 1600 af why not wait for the 3300X? Better in gaming all round and out soon.B450 board is fine for these builds, provided you don't want to upgrade to Zen 3 (AMD doesnt support it). Your other questions:

    Is a 4 DIMM board worthwhile? I may upgrade the core system before I add more RA : Not really IMO.
    Is a crossfire board worthwhile? An updated GPU may always make more sense than an additional RX570 : Crossfire is irrelevant now, too few games support it.
    Are expansion slots likely to be useful? : Might be, if you want to upgrade to wireless AX.

    • Scrooge McDuck on 12/05/2020 - 01:47
      +2

      I looked into the 3300X, it looks better for current games more dependent on clock speed. But the 1600 AF still looks better for everything else including future proofing and overclocking headroom. It's also $165 vs $205 for the 3300X. And I've always found that the right time to buy a new system is whenever I need it. Waiting for new releases and price drops is an endless roundabout.

  • User2049 on 11/05/2020 - 22:08

    Go an Asus b450 board with 4 DIMM slots, m.2 and X2 16x slots

  • User2049 on 11/05/2020 - 22:10

    For case and power supply you can cheap out on case but not on power supply.

  • NotAnAudiophile on 11/05/2020 - 22:11
    +1

    1 thing i would add is : DON'T SKIMP ON THE POWER SUPPLY. A good one lasts years and is well worth the cost, powering up all your other components.

    • Scrooge McDuck on 12/05/2020 - 01:53

      My Antec Sonata III which comes with an EarthWatts 500W PSU has been faultless. So I'm inclined to continue with a name brand Case + PSU combo for best value.

  • MagicMushroom on 11/05/2020 - 22:14
    +1
    1. Yes if it does not cost you much
    2. 99% no, pretty useless feature.
    3. There's probably enough for any board out there for the typical consumer

    4. Very important if you're overclocking, but most board will be fine for 1600 AF OC

      1. No, depends how well its designed
      2. Dust filtration does work but not 100%. If you see dust collected on the filter, then it's somewhat working. Alternatively, you can get some HEPA filter for a maximum filtration, turning your PC into an air purifier :P
  • jasonbon818 on 11/05/2020 - 22:20
    +1

    If u want to achieve high overclock..The current mid tier favorite is MSI b450 tomahawk max..To answer your question,
    Is a 4 DIMM board worthwhile? No..Most people don't add ram before they upgrade into a new one, they thought they would, but they don't

    Is a crossfire board worthwhile? No..Crossfire is a thing in the past already..

    How important are heatsinks on the motherboard? If your case has no air/restricted air flow, and u want to achieve high overclock then the heat sink actually will help
    What is important, nvme m.2 slot, some lowest tier motherboard only has sata some only has nvmeonly, personally think nvme m.2 slot is a must..

    8 pin CPU power is a must for overclock or even better 8+4
    motherboards have different max ram speed, be sure to check what speed of ram u going to use and the motherboard max ram speed

    Does an ATX case run cooler than a micro-ATX..Fans and airflow are more important factor then size, but if both has no fan then yes..Bigger case run cooler

    Is dust filtration achievable or just a lost cause? Dust filter do help, but there are other factors, positive air pressure with all intake having filters will definaly have less dust than negative pressure,the build quality of the case, whether it got holes and cracks between panels, if live in a dusty environment, own a pet etc, doesn't matter how good the dust filtee, dust will always find the way to go in..Cleaning frequently is the key

    Hope I can help u ..Happy building

    • Scrooge McDuck on 12/05/2020 - 01:55

      Thanks!

      Cleaning frequently is the key

      What's your routine for this?

      • jasonbon818 on 12/05/2020 - 12:29

        Back in my gaming day I have a highly overclocked Intel CPU with amd graphic card, so u can imagine how hot it can go,
        I cleaned once one month ..
        Take out the filter and clean them with water and toothbrush ..make sure it is dry before u put it back on ,using can of air and vacuum for inside of the case to get as much as possible dust out,

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