Looking for views on Build so far (& advice on PSU)

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Hey, working on speccing out a build at the moment.
Games machine primarily built entirely fresh as my existing one from 2014 cannot really be salvaged.

Key questions:
  • Am I missing anything glaring here?
  • Am I leaving money on the table in any particular aspect? (optimisation advice very much welcomed)
  • Will the chosen case be adequate for those components ( finding case choice one of the hardest aspects tbh)
  • would I need any additional cooling?

    & lastly, can anyone recommend a suitable PSU? I literally have no clue at present

    Thx in advance

    - Build thus far:
CPUAMD Ryzen 5 5600X Six Core 4.6GHz (Socket AM4) Processor - Retail
179.99​
GPUAsus RX Radeon 6700 XT Dual 12GB GDDR6 PCI-Express Graphics Card
359.99​
MBGigabyte B550 AORUS Elite AX V2 (AMD AM4) B550 ATX Motherboard
157.99​
RAMLexar Hades 32GB (2x16GB) DDR4 PC4-28800C18 3600MHz Dual/Quad Channel Kit
79.99​
RAMLexar Hades 32GB (2x16GB) DDR4 PC4-28800C18 3600MHz Dual/Quad Channel Kit
79.99​
SSDWD Black SN770 2TB SSD M.2 2280 NVME PCI-E Gen4 Solid State Drive (WDS200T3X0E)
124.99​
CPU Fanbe quiet! Pure Rock LP Low Profile 45mm Height CPU cooler
44.99​
CaseKolink Observatory Y ARGB Midi Tower Gaming Case - Black Window
104.99​
 
Hey my budget is probably between 1200 and 1500.
Its flexible for the right circumstances. But id like to stay south of 1500 if possible.

Resolution-wise i guess I'll be looking at 1440.
Id like to go to 4K, as the machine will be in the living room with my TV (60"), but realistically a well oiled 4K buttery smooth system, might be a little out of reach for now.
 
I squeezed the budget to get you the option of 4K gaming, by fitting a 7900 XT:

My basket at OcUK:

Total: £1,543.84 (includes delivery: £11.98)​

Use of Intel stock cooler assumed.

Thoughts on your build:
CPU: £180 seems like a lot for a 5600X, I'd want a 5700X for that price, or you can get a 5600 for around £120-£130 which performs very similarly to the X.
Motherboard: for AM4 I'd rather spend around £100, e.g. B550 Gaming X (under £115).
Memory: I think you'd get better value for money here by going 32GB and putting the money into the CPU or GPU.
Cooler: if you buy the 5600 non-X you can drop the cooler entirely.
Case: I'd consider the G300A RGB for £65.
 
Thst is mega,
thank you so much for doing that.
Puts my attempt to shame!

What does it mean by "use of Intel stock cooler assumed? "
Does the i5 come with a cooler? Cant see thst listed or it means something else?
 
Thanks again for all the help Yesterday,

Only point from my research, - isn't the 13400F a bit of a sub-par processor?
From the benchmark tests I've seen it's distinctly average & potentially low performing for the price point.
Maybe at these costs, i'm splitting hairs, I just want to be sure that I'm milking it for what I can,

As an alternative for the CPU / MB how would the below compare: ( I appreciate AM4 would lock me to DDR4, but I don't think that's a major issue for me at the moment).
Suggested:
1 x Intel Core i5-13400 (Raptor Lake) Socket LGA1700 Processor - Retail (SKU: CP-6BC-IN)
£229.99​
1 x Gigabyte B760M DS3H AX DDR4 (LGA 1700) DDR4 Micro-ATX Motherboard (SKU: MB-5BZ-GI)
£134.99​
£364.98
alternative:
AMD Ryzen 7 5700X Eight Core 4.6GHz (Socket AM4) Processor - Retail£ 218.99
Asus TUF Gaming B550M-Plus WIFI II (AMD AM4) B550 Micro-ATX Motherboard£ 139.99
£ 358.98

So it comes out ever so slightly cheaper, but would this then necessitate additional cooling (I presume so & if so, to what extent?)
would this be too hefty on a Micro-ATX?

Thx in advance, - DJ.
 
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Upate: ( as I cannot delete prior post) .
doing more research & the 13400F + B760 MB is making more sense to me now. starting to better understand.
 
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Understood thanks.
Only issue if I go AM5 i need to go DDR5 which starts to push the cost up quite a bit.
I might need t think on that, maybe I can push up there if I really need to.

One last question (as have never ordered from OCUK before) - What is the EST for preorder items?
I see from the listed components (from Tetras higher up) they're all in stock (& actually slightly cheaper than yesterday) - except the PSU. that's stated as pre-order.
Just wondering what the turn around time on that is likely to be?
 
Last edited:
Understood thanks.
Only issue if I go AM5 i need to go DDR5 which starts to push the cost up quite a bit.
I might need t think on that, maybe I can push up there if I really need to.

One last question (as have never ordered from OCUK before) - What is the EST for preorder items?
I see from the listed components (from Tetras higher up) they're all in stock (& actually slightly cheaper than yesterday) - except the PSU. that's stated as pre-order.
Just wondering what the turn around time on that is likely to be?
Your looking between £450 to £500 if you go AM5 ,CPU, motherboard and ddr5 so you can at least way up the costs and pros and cons.

Pre orders can take any time really it's either give them a call or get something else.
 
Thx Micky,
starting to refactor it - Budget is creaking upwards ( as I expected!)

How is this shaping up?
My basket at OcUK:

Total: £1,708.87 (includes delivery: £11.98)​







4 Key questions:

  1. Is there anything here that there's potentially better alternatives for as budget goes up?
  2. again, PSU is an unknown for me, any suggestions welcomed!
  3. Heat - as I start to go up in specs, I need to start thinking about more cooling?
  4. Will this case be adequate? (increased to mid-tower as the MB is ATX, not M-ATX)
Again, thanking everyone for their assistance.
 
£120 (incl. VAT)
£108 (incl. VAT)
£300 (incl. VAT)
£140 (incl. VAT)
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Only point from my research, - isn't the 13400F a bit of a sub-par processor?
From the benchmark tests I've seen it's distinctly average & potentially low performing for the price point.
Maybe at these costs, i'm splitting hairs, I just want to be sure that I'm milking it for what I can,

Upate: ( as I cannot delete prior post) .
doing more research & the 13400F + B760 MB is making more sense to me now. starting to better understand.

The i5-13400/13400F is a bit slower than a 12600K, which was a highly recommended gaming CPU not long ago. In modern charts, you'll see it near the bottom, because CPUs like the 13700K or 7800X3D are plenty faster, but those charts are usually at 1080p with a 4090 and that's what you need to show a significance difference between modern CPUs.

Since you were playing at 1440p, I oriented your budget toward the GPU, with a CPU strong enough to keep up.

The i5-12400F and 5600 non-X are the best value right now, since you can get them comfortably under £150. AM5 has the advantage that in 4-5 years time you should have a decent CPU upgrade available, but as you've found out, you'll pay more for the board and memory.
 
How is this shaping up?

1. I wouldn't be spending £240 on an AMD AM4 CPU and AM4 motherboard. If you're prepared to spend that much then go AM5/DDR5 for the future upgradability.

If you do want AM4, then I'd go with tammzy's suggestion of the 5600 non-X with an affordable B550 motherboard. AM4 is the value choice now and it doesn't really make sense to buy into the high-end unless you already have the board.

3. Yes. You'll need more airflow for a 7900 XT than a 6700 XT. The 5800X was also known for running hot and you'll need a cooler since it doesn't include one.
4. 3x 120mm (front), 1x 120mm (rear) should be sufficient, but I haven't seen any thermal testing of this case.
 
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