Associate
I'll be the first to admit that I'm not really into gaming, or overclocking, or trying to eek out the last few numbers on some cinebench test. I just really want machines to work, work briskly enough, and do so consistently.
Over the last while I've been principally using an Alienware r15 laptop as the main machine, and when at the desk its plugged into a 4k TV. The trouble is i've various external drives hanging about and its all just a bit messy. I'm also taking a lot more photographs and videos. Whilst the laptop can/should handle it ( i7 6700HQ, GTX1060, 16Gb), in reality it runs very hot, regularly touching 90-95°C, thermal throttling etc. It even hit 101°C once. Its a known issue, and it needs a strip down and repaste and re-pad. So I'd like to move to a desktop machine of somesort as the main machine for the photoediting / video stuff that I know shouldn't have these thermal issues. Thing is, the project has to get past the wife!
So I sold it to her as needing a 'box' for more hard drives of all the pictures and videos. That passed the test, but with the comment:
"As long as it doesn't look like a black monstrosity!"
So long story short, I've settled on the following build. There are compromises to it... but in essence, its enough to get me going, but with a potential to expand/upgrade it further down the line.
Ryzen 2400G + Wraith Prism RGB Cooler
Asus x470-F Strix
16Gb RAM DDR4-3000
480Gb SSD
2Tb HDD
600W PSU
Corsair ML120 fans
Streacom F12C Case
For some of the reasons on why, see the spoiler below:
The current setup:
(Actually quite tidy for once. The lads lego normally covers the desk! )
The boxes:
So over the next few posts I'll start building it together and commenting on how it goes. I dont plan on doing a full review of the case per say, but there is little out there about it beyond intial impressions. So I'd like to give back some observations and comments from an actual build of an average PC for others if they are considering the same.
Any thoughts or comments welcome.
Thanks!
Donnie.
Over the last while I've been principally using an Alienware r15 laptop as the main machine, and when at the desk its plugged into a 4k TV. The trouble is i've various external drives hanging about and its all just a bit messy. I'm also taking a lot more photographs and videos. Whilst the laptop can/should handle it ( i7 6700HQ, GTX1060, 16Gb), in reality it runs very hot, regularly touching 90-95°C, thermal throttling etc. It even hit 101°C once. Its a known issue, and it needs a strip down and repaste and re-pad. So I'd like to move to a desktop machine of somesort as the main machine for the photoediting / video stuff that I know shouldn't have these thermal issues. Thing is, the project has to get past the wife!
So I sold it to her as needing a 'box' for more hard drives of all the pictures and videos. That passed the test, but with the comment:
"As long as it doesn't look like a black monstrosity!"
So long story short, I've settled on the following build. There are compromises to it... but in essence, its enough to get me going, but with a potential to expand/upgrade it further down the line.
Ryzen 2400G + Wraith Prism RGB Cooler
Asus x470-F Strix
16Gb RAM DDR4-3000
480Gb SSD
2Tb HDD
600W PSU
Corsair ML120 fans
Streacom F12C Case
For some of the reasons on why, see the spoiler below:
Ryzen 2400G
Ryzen holds, to me, far more future potential to upgrade. Its my plan that further down the line I'll change the CPU to a much higher core count / speed, and add GPU card, but that costs too much the now, so the APU will do for me. I've sacrificed in this area a little, to benefit other areas. On paper, CPU is comparable/slightly better to the existing laptop CPU. I'm happy with that performance at the moment, so i should be fine. GPU I accept will be poorer, but it should run the 4K display fine in a desktop environment.
Wraith Prism RGB Cooler
Although the 2400G came with the stealth cooler, I wanted to have plenty of overhead in the cooling department. Found an new Prism cooler for not too much money new (£25), so got that early on, and can easily use it for higher power CPU's further down the line. Its a top down cooler, so with the f12C case, it should be reasonably close to the vents on the top of the case. It should be able to draw some fresher air in from the top vent areas, and blow it down across the VRM's too. A wee bit of RGB might look nice too!
Asus x470-F Strix
Full ATX board, and with the reportedly better VRMs for the CPU over the Prime Pro, which should see me in good stead for when I upgrade the CPU to something higher spec. 2nd generation, so the 2400G should work out of the box. Basically a good balance of spec vs price vs future proof.
16Gb Trident Z RGB DDR4-3000
Its RAM, it'll work .. hopefully. It'll look nice with the Prism cooler + x470 board. I'll not be looking to push it to crazy overclocks. I'll probably add another 16Gb later on as with Adobe After Effects, I was touching 15Gb RAM usage even on a fairly simple task.
A Crucial MX500 480Gb SSD - I had it lying about. System drive + Apps
A 2Tb HDD - I had that lying about too. Bulk storage.
I'll maybe add an m.2 style drive further down the line and move the system onto that.
Streacom F12C case.
Basically an HTPC style case, thats silver, and will sit on a shelf. Can take ATX board, ATX power, full length GPU, and flexible with cooling. Its a little bit different, you dont see much chat about it and the wife approves that it doesn't look awful ... enough said ... its for winners.
2x Corsair ML120 Fans.
2 fans to provide some positive pressure into the case. Non RGB, as I dont really want it blatantly lit up like a christmas tree. I dont mind some RGB deep within, which you'll be able to see through the vents, but not dancing circles of light distracting me right at the edge of the case.
Thermaltake TR2 S 600W ATX power supply.
It was a cheap deal with the motherboard. It'll supply enough power at the moment for my needs at the moment. Nuff said.
Airflow
In terms of airflow. The current plan is to use the 2x 120mm fans to draw air from the right, across the motherboard towards the CPU. CPU will use that plus air it draws in from the top to cool. ATX power supply will draw out the warmer air from near the CPU and exhaust it. The left over air will vent out the case via the openings, including going past the hard drives which will on the PSU side. Adding a GPU later down the line may block that air flow, so it may all need revised further down the line. A benefit of this case is that such things are easily done.
Ryzen holds, to me, far more future potential to upgrade. Its my plan that further down the line I'll change the CPU to a much higher core count / speed, and add GPU card, but that costs too much the now, so the APU will do for me. I've sacrificed in this area a little, to benefit other areas. On paper, CPU is comparable/slightly better to the existing laptop CPU. I'm happy with that performance at the moment, so i should be fine. GPU I accept will be poorer, but it should run the 4K display fine in a desktop environment.
Wraith Prism RGB Cooler
Although the 2400G came with the stealth cooler, I wanted to have plenty of overhead in the cooling department. Found an new Prism cooler for not too much money new (£25), so got that early on, and can easily use it for higher power CPU's further down the line. Its a top down cooler, so with the f12C case, it should be reasonably close to the vents on the top of the case. It should be able to draw some fresher air in from the top vent areas, and blow it down across the VRM's too. A wee bit of RGB might look nice too!
Asus x470-F Strix
Full ATX board, and with the reportedly better VRMs for the CPU over the Prime Pro, which should see me in good stead for when I upgrade the CPU to something higher spec. 2nd generation, so the 2400G should work out of the box. Basically a good balance of spec vs price vs future proof.
16Gb Trident Z RGB DDR4-3000
Its RAM, it'll work .. hopefully. It'll look nice with the Prism cooler + x470 board. I'll not be looking to push it to crazy overclocks. I'll probably add another 16Gb later on as with Adobe After Effects, I was touching 15Gb RAM usage even on a fairly simple task.
A Crucial MX500 480Gb SSD - I had it lying about. System drive + Apps
A 2Tb HDD - I had that lying about too. Bulk storage.
I'll maybe add an m.2 style drive further down the line and move the system onto that.
Streacom F12C case.
Basically an HTPC style case, thats silver, and will sit on a shelf. Can take ATX board, ATX power, full length GPU, and flexible with cooling. Its a little bit different, you dont see much chat about it and the wife approves that it doesn't look awful ... enough said ... its for winners.
2x Corsair ML120 Fans.
2 fans to provide some positive pressure into the case. Non RGB, as I dont really want it blatantly lit up like a christmas tree. I dont mind some RGB deep within, which you'll be able to see through the vents, but not dancing circles of light distracting me right at the edge of the case.
Thermaltake TR2 S 600W ATX power supply.
It was a cheap deal with the motherboard. It'll supply enough power at the moment for my needs at the moment. Nuff said.
Airflow
In terms of airflow. The current plan is to use the 2x 120mm fans to draw air from the right, across the motherboard towards the CPU. CPU will use that plus air it draws in from the top to cool. ATX power supply will draw out the warmer air from near the CPU and exhaust it. The left over air will vent out the case via the openings, including going past the hard drives which will on the PSU side. Adding a GPU later down the line may block that air flow, so it may all need revised further down the line. A benefit of this case is that such things are easily done.
The current setup:
(Actually quite tidy for once. The lads lego normally covers the desk! )
The boxes:
So over the next few posts I'll start building it together and commenting on how it goes. I dont plan on doing a full review of the case per say, but there is little out there about it beyond intial impressions. So I'd like to give back some observations and comments from an actual build of an average PC for others if they are considering the same.
Any thoughts or comments welcome.
Thanks!
Donnie.
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