Need Some Help Building a PC - Need Advice with Components

Pornboy69er on 13/05/2021 - 10:41
Last edited 13/05/2021 - 10:42

I've decided to build a PC considering how even TechFast deals have stopped being great.

Anyway, the CPU and Motherboard that I have in mind are:

  • AMD Ryzen 5 3600 AM4 CPU OEM With Wraith Stealth Cooler
  • MSI B450 TOMAHAWK MAX II ATX Motherboard

I have very little knowledge about computer components, so I don't know what's compatible with what. The CPU and MB come bundled together so I assume they are compatible.

But for the other parts here are what I had in mind:

  • Corsair VENGEANCE LPX 16GB (2x8GB) 3600MHz DDR4 Desktop Memory Kit - $128
  • Corsair RM750x (2018) 750W 80+ Gold Fully Modular ATX PSU - $139

I'm considering ordering the Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Eagle OC 8GB GDDR6 from PLE.

I need some suggestions for Case and SSD. And some general advice on whether these components are compatible with each other or if I am better off spending money on something else.

EDIT: I'll be playing on a 1440p monitor - mainly AAA games.

Computing Computer Desktop Computer

Comments

  • Simoneee on 13/05/2021 - 10:44

    Check out these cases that was recently posted

    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/622894

    • Pornboy69er on 13/05/2021 - 10:59

      Offt. That shipping cost destroys the deal

  • YeemaiI on 13/05/2021 - 10:45
    +5

    Would recommend brushing up on your computer knowledge first, e.g. what each part does, before you even start ordering parts.

    • CrispyChrispy on 13/05/2021 - 10:54

      +1, once you know your parts, you'll know what the best deals and choices are.

      • Pornboy69er on 13/05/2021 - 11:00

        Replied to Yeemail after you commented. But I perhaps underestimated my knowledge. I know what each part does.

    • Pornboy69er on 13/05/2021 - 10:57

      Maybe I underestimated my knowledge. I definitely know more than the average person. But for example does since my MB is an ATX size, does the PSU need to ATX also?

      I lack knowledge in those specific knowledge that PC builders have or else I've been using computers since I was a child so I certainly know "what each part does".

      • wiipantz on 13/05/2021 - 11:58

        Most consumer based PSU's will be ATX sized and you needent worry too much. Unless you are going for a SFX system ect which by the looks you aren't. In saying all that the case will dictate terms for some componentry. Using some of the compatibility sites is certainly a help, partpicker, scorptech ect. You could always go through a place that puts the build together if you are unsure also? Lastly, it's quite fun building them and you can post your build in many online forums to use the crowd to help, good luck.

        • Pornboy69er on 13/05/2021 - 14:52

          Is partpicker really that accurate? Everyone seems to be suggesting that but surely it seems to good to be true.

          • wiipantz on 13/05/2021 - 15:03

            @Pornboy69er: as a guide it's better than not using I suppose, the few times over the years I've used it's been bang on. ymmv. there is usually a RAM checker tool with most Mobo info pages you can check memory ect. Also there is a few PSU calc's that can assist what PSU to get but yours seems fine if not overkill

            Oh While I'm at it, you don't meantion any OS(have you considered this?) and you mention SSD for it… please for the love all that is wholy, I ahven't bothered to check that board but get the fastest m.2 you can and not a Sata one I hope so you aren't bottle necked, SSD is kinda old hat but once again better than nothing.

        • Chandler on 13/05/2021 - 16:48
          +1

          You could always go through a place that puts the build together if you are unsure also?

          This. Most places don't charge that much to do the build for you. They have the experience, they have the tools, they have the consumables, they have the time…

          And if anything (profanity)s up, they have the warranty on the completed build, rather than you having to go through the whole troubleshooting and RMA process with individual component/s.

          Got a couple of PC's built a few years back for work. The $80 was easily worth it given all of the above.

          IMO the only reason to not get someone to do the build for you is if you're doing it for the experience: whether that's the "I built my own PC! quiet squeal moment" experience, or literally "practising building PCs" experience.

          • wiipantz on 14/05/2021 - 07:50

            @Chandler: I've built too many computer to bother counting professionaly and personally, I too will leverage warranty and builders to do my next one. Even with my customisations ect and the added cost. Worth it.

  • Caped Baldy on 13/05/2021 - 10:55
    +3

    use pcpartpicker.com.au to check compatibility.

    • Pornboy69er on 13/05/2021 - 11:00

      Thank you, I'll give that a go.

  • Fergy1987 on 13/05/2021 - 11:32

    seems like a lot of PSU for a 3060 ti

    • Pornboy69er on 13/05/2021 - 14:53

      Honestly I just went off most positively reviewed PSU

    • TilacVIP on 14/05/2021 - 08:02

      750w is more than enough but its not a lot. That extra 100 - 200 w will come in handy when the 3060 Ti is no longer cutting it for 1440p gaming & card supply return to normal.

      I put in a Corsair HX 850 watt in a build back in 2012 [i5 2500K / HD 7970 GPU] and have since upgraded 2 times. The PSU & case have been the only components that are still around.

      I say 750w is definitely a sweet spot & don't go any less.

  • knobbs on 13/05/2021 - 11:40

    Unless you are ordering an expensive 3060ti the cheaper ones haven't had stock come in for months @ PLE. You will be waiting a few before you get a GPU I think.

    Also if you are only running a 3060ti and 3600 the 750w is overkill for a PSU. It would be safe even for a 600w and possibly lower if you stick to a quality one like you have here.

    • Caped Baldy on 13/05/2021 - 11:53
      +1

      It's not bad if OP wants a quiet build and it leaves the door open for a future upgrade.

      • Pornboy69er on 13/05/2021 - 14:55

        Does PSU correlate with noise?

        • Caped Baldy on 13/05/2021 - 15:07

          The PSU has a fan that will kick in when your system wants more power. Normally, if you're not gaming the fan won't start so less noise.

    • Pornboy69er on 13/05/2021 - 14:55

      Oh yeah no I'm definitely looking at the cheaper 3060TI's. 😬 a few months and no stock….that sucks.

  • garetz on 13/05/2021 - 11:57
    +2

    Looks fine, enter those parts in pcpartpicker and you can check other slots you need for the computer and available options/recommendations.

    • Pornboy69er on 13/05/2021 - 14:56

      Thank you for helpful!

  • michaelsk on 13/05/2021 - 12:08

    Buying a 3060ti would take months now…maybe consider other gpus if you can

    • Pornboy69er on 13/05/2021 - 15:58

      Oh boy, apparently the 3060TI has excellent value but I guess that's why everyone is buying it and now its price has sky rocketed.

  • freefall101 on 13/05/2021 - 12:15
    +2

    The 3060ti isn't a great choice. The same process is used by nVidia when making both the 3060ti and the 3070, so they're producing far more of the 3070 because it has better margins. The 3060ti is also incredibly popular with miners because it's about as good as the 3070 at a lower price, so it has the most inflation over RRP at the moment. At retail price the 3060ti is a great card, but retail is $530.

    Considering 6700xts are coming in under $1000 when in stock, I'd hold out for one of those. Much better value for money. Also works well with AMD chips (read about Smart Access Memory). Sure, it doesn't have DLSS and sucks at ray tracing, but at 1440p it'll perform better in most games and it's $500 cheaper than any 3060ti I've seen in stock. Unless you're planning on mining to pay off your system would be my only thought.

    If you're buying a motherboard and CPU bundle, check if it comes with a heatsink or not.

    For SSD, pretty much any nvme SSD is more than fast enough these days, you won't notice the difference unless you're farming chia or something (don't farm chia on your OS ssd though). 970 Evo is a great balance of price, speed and reliability.

    For the PSU, IMO that's a decent price. Yes the 750W is overkill but you're not going to save much going down to 650W and it futureproofs you if you decide to get a 3080 when prices normalise and go to 4k gaming at some point.

    In terms of systems, they're still out there. This one from BPC isn't bad for the price and in stock right now - https://www.bpctech.com.au/kp-promo-3070systemv2-kraken-powe… or https://www.mwave.com.au/product/mwave-mgp-gaming-pc-rtx-307…

    Yes, they're more than the techfast systems. But they're available right now (not 3 months from now) and have some great bonuses in there (the 5600x, 1TB nvme and guaranteed windforce GPU is a pretty good bonus on the mwave one).

    If you go the build it yourself route, check on Fridays for GPUs. That seems to be the day that stock comes in.

    • Pornboy69er on 13/05/2021 - 12:49

      Thanks for the help. I'm not in such a hurry to be honest. But those two builds you sent are definitely tempting, albeit a bit overkill for what I'm after I think and a bit over my price budget (1500-2000).

      I am no intentions on mining, it'd be purely for gaming.

      I know its hard to predict the future but do you reckon prices will get better or worse by July?

      • freefall101 on 13/05/2021 - 13:21
        +1

        No idea, comes down to what models come in stock. You can preorder a GPU now that will get here in July, so presumably not much.

        nVidia is saying stock will be tied up until year end, AMD is saying it's getting better but they also supply both Sony and Microsoft for consoles and are releasing their notebook GPU soon, I suspect they're in the same boat. That said, the markup on the 6700xt isn't too bad, more like 50% than 200% on nVidia chips.

        Biggest problem is $350 for the mb/cpu combo, $270 for your PSU/RAM, $150 storage, $100 case, $30 wifi, you're at $900 already. $600 won't buy you a new GPU (maybe a used 2070 if you're really lucky, most likely a 2060/1070/1080), $1100 puts you squarely in the 3060/6700XT price bracket, I haven't seen a 3060ti under $1400 in recent months. Thus 3070 bundles become pretty attractive and you don't need to build it yourself.

        • Pornboy69er on 13/05/2021 - 15:02

          Until the end of the year? Woah. Things are grim.

          How does the 6700xts compare to the nVidia cards? Is it comparable to the 3060 or 3060ti?

          Yeah my biggest concern is that I spend essentially $900 on a GPU-less build and spend the same amount on the GPU when I could've spend roughly the same on a pre build (assuming they can build it better than me).

          • TilacVIP on 14/05/2021 - 08:08

            @Pornboy69er: 6700 xt is a notched behind a RTX 3070, so if you can get your hands on one sooner rather than later, go for it. They perform a bit better than a 3060 Ti

  • smashman42 on 13/05/2021 - 14:28
    +1

    I see you've been warned about the GPU shortage

    For PSUs your choice is a popular one that reviews well, so you could either shop around on pricing for it or perhaps consider other Gold PSUs from reputable brands like Seasonic

    For the RAM your choice is fine, though if you were into RAM overclocking you can get Patriot or Crucial sticks from Amazon US for similar money to get B Die/Rev-E respectively - the Crucial option is pretty safe for just working out of the box if you buy a 3600 kit, but the Patriot one has some pitfalls, like you have to get at least XMP 3733 or maybe 3800 to get B-Die, and then neither of those will work for XMP on a R5 3600 - I bought 4x8GB 4400 sticks when they were on sale a while back and I'm dialling in 3800c14 manually atm (Intel 10600KF on Z490 though)

    For cases, if you have Prime there are some decent airflow cases with free shipping (the biggest killer on value when buying a case, many retailers charge $40-70 to ship them!)

    If you follow Gamers Nexus on YouTube, you'll see mesh front cases with fans in your face often end up quieter for a given thermal level than boxed in silence focused ones where the fans have to work harder

    I just bought a second Coolermaster TD500 mesh (black for myself after getting a white one for my daughter's build a while ago - IMO best bang for buck atm if it suits your needs as comes with 3x 120mm intake fans at these prices)
    Black A-RGB $129 - https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B0839Y7933/ref=ppx_yo_d…
    Black D-RGB $108 - https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B07D5WBRM3/ref=ppx_yo_d…

    The white variants are only left in stock at terribad prices, so if you want white maybe look at….

    Corsair 4000D Airflow - Black or white $129 - https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08C7BGV3D/ref=twister_B08TCPYG…

    This one doesn't come with bling fans though, just two plain black 120mm fans one front one rear (not even the cheap fans are in white for the white case), so if you've bought an air cooler rather than AIO (or are using the stock fan on the 3600 mentioned in your first post) you might need to factor in some more fans or reposition them to suit whatever gets hotter out of your CPU and GPU

    Another slightly more expensive black only option with bling fans is…
    Lian Li Lancool 215 (black only) - $143 (only one left, next seller $144) - https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08LG6LGP8/?coliid=INCK3O0YQGQW…

    This one having 200mm fans in the front gives plenty of airflow for non-water cooler builds, though the majority of the value ends up wasted if you water cool and have to toss out those 200mm fans cause I mean, how many 200mm wide radiators do you see? Yes they exist, but not cheap or common.

    Hope this helps. Honestly with the way GPU prices are, a prebuilt from a reputable seller is a lot easier. Hope you have an older GPU to use with the build while you wait for your new one to finally arrive

    • Pornboy69er on 13/05/2021 - 16:14

      Honestly it seems like most people are pointing me towards pre builds anyway.

      I was just concerned that I'd be able to build something of higher quality for the same cost, but it seems that the opposite is true.

      Thank you so much for your suggestions though. I don't have a spare GPU at all, I've been exclusively Mac for a few years now.

      Hey can I ask another question, do you have any tips on comparing motherboards? They don't seem to be categorised like GPUs are. For example why are some of them B, Z and H?

      • smashman42 on 13/05/2021 - 16:38

        ok, the numbers generally are the chipset family, so age of the chipset, and the letters are the code for the low end/mid range/high end.

        So for AMD 400 series is the last of the ones made for Zen+/Ryzen 2000 series that can support 3000 and 5000 CPUs with a BIOS flash. Your MSI MAX series board supports 3000 series out of the box where most 400 series need the BIOS to be flashed, and 500 series is the current latest and greatest.

        For AMD boards…

        A is budget no CPU overclocking (I think RAM OC is unlocked? Not sure, hardly any savings over a B series board so why bother?)
        A320 is the old one and A520 is current. There was no A420, they kept A320 going.

        B is the midrange that does 99% of what gamers want, very little to be gained in the higher boards unless you have a specific use case.
        B350 old superseded
        B450 is PCIe Gen 3 only but as above supports better CPUs with a BIOS update - the old bang for buck champ and still perfectly fine, especially that Tomohawk MAX II you have, pretty much the best B450 board there is.
        B550 is the current with Gen4 PCIe for the GPU and primary M.2 SSD slot - the current bang for buck champ with PCIe Gen 4

        X is the AMD flagship board (not counting Threadripper) - has more USB and SATA ports than the B series boards, and other PCIe extras on X570
        X370 old superceeded
        X470, basically the same as B450 so fine if you get cheap but no real gain over B450 unless you love USB/SATA ports.
        X570 - the big daddy with PCIe Gen 4 on the chipset PCIe slots as well (gen 4 x4 link from CPU to chipset, everything below this in AMD's line up is Gen3 x4 or worse) - not half PCIe Gen 4 like B550, full PCIe Gen 4. Useful for content creators needing more fast SSD speeds but useless for gamers over a B550 99% of the time.

        Intel is similar with numbers for generation and letters for tier…

        400 series is 10th gen, can do 11th gen on Z series with BIOS update
        500 series is 11th gen, backwards compatible with 10th gen

        H410/510 - povo media centre or your mum's web browser, only two RAM slots so not upgradable down the track, all overclocking locked - run, do not buy unless you have a specific use case and know what you're doing

        B460 - bit better than H series but munted RAM limited to 2666 or some crap, avoid unless really poor
        B560 - supports RAM OC but not CPU OC, so actually useful as OC is fairly useless and they can still unlock power limits for an "auto OC" for all core turbo all the time. Though beware the VRM quality! Lots of the cheaper ones are super shit.

        H470 - same as B460 but more USB/SATA ports etc
        H570 - same as B560 but more USB/SATA ports etc

        Z490 - Gen 3 PCIe and generally no CPU attached SSD support, all off the chipset link (some boards supposedly support it with 11th gen CPUs and a BIOS update but YMMV) Full overclocking unlocked, intended for K SKU CPUs
        Z590 - Gen 4 PCIe, though only on the primary slot like AMD's B550 but it has more bandwidth to the chipset like X570 so kinda in between them for PCIe support, better for multiple fast SSDs like X570 (has a PCIe Gen 3 x8 link, which is effectively the same as X570's Gen 4 x 4 in bandwidth, but can only connect Gen 3 devices)

        Hope this helps

        • smashman42 on 13/05/2021 - 16:42

          actually, an important detail I left out is the VRM quality - that is a large reason why a $300 board might be better than a $200 board, though diminishing returns of course and only really matters if you have a high core count CPU or want to be able to upgrade to one later. You're set with the Tomahawk, and this is a big pitfall with prebuilds cause to hit a budget target they often use cheapo motherboards and PSUs

  • lew380 on 14/05/2021 - 08:42

    If you live in Perth, I have an r5 3600 cpu, mobo and ram for sale, all good parts only 1.4 years old

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