New PC Build - Update

[Tiny Clanger]

I posted a question back in August about a PC upgrade - which turned out to be a brand new build as my existing PC is so outdated. MissChief kindly specc'd me a build which would allow 60 fps performance at 1440p for games like Starfield. However, I now have a new monitor (Dell S3222DGM) so I would like to be able to push a bit beyond 60 fps. Having looked at other recommended builds on the forum, and with a budget of £1,500 - can I do better than this?
My basket at OcUK:

• 1 x AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D Eight Core 5.00GHz (Socket AM5) Processor - Retail (SKU: CP-3DT-AM) = £379.99
• 1 x AMD - Avatar Ryzen Bundle (SKU: DIG-AMD-01185) = £0.00
• 1 x Asus TUF Gaming B650-Plus WIFI (Socket AM5) DDR5 ATX Motherboard (SKU: MB-6K0-AS) = £149.99
• 1 x DeepCool AK500 CPU Cooler - 120mm (SKU: HS-01D-DC) = £49.99
• 1 x TeamGroup Vulcan EXPO 32GB (2X16GB) DDR5 PC5-48000C38 6000MHz Dual Channel Kit - Black (FLABD532G6000HC38ADC01) (SKU: MY-0B2-TG) = £119.99
• 1 x SAPPHIRE PULSE AMD Radeon™ RX 7800 XT Gaming Graphics Card with 16GB GDDR6, AMD RDNA™ 3 architecture (SKU: GRA-SPR-00764) = £475.00
• 1 x AMD - Avatar Radeon Bundle (SKU: DIG-AMD-01186) = £0.00
• 1 x Crucial P5 Plus 2TB M.2 2280 PCI-e 4.0 x4 3D NAND NVMe Solid State Drive with Heatsink (SKU: HD-07N-CR) = £119.98
• 1 x Seasonic Focus GX-750 750W 80+ Gold Modular Power Supply (SKU: CA-06U-SS) = £119.99
• 1 x Lian Li Lancool 216 Mid-tower PC case - Black (SKU: CA-7BG-LL) = £89.99

Total: £1,504.92 (includes delivery: £0.00)​

​

Thanks as always in advance to the good people of OCUK

 

[mickyflinn]

Your on point but mite want to up the PSU for future upgrades

M2 drive you don't need a heatsink would swap it for this.

MSI SPATIUM M480 Pro 2TB SSD PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 Solid State Drive

Order MSI SPATIUM M480 Pro 2TB SSD PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 Solid State Drive now online and benefit from fast delivery.

www.overclockers.co.uk

CPU cooler the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 is the best value to performance but unfortunately Overclockers don't sell them.

 

[Tetras]

Alternative which is reconfigured toward GPU power:

My basket at OcUK:

• 1 x AMD Ryzen 5 7600 Six Core 5.10GHz (Socket AM5) Processor - Retail (SKU: CP-3DW-AM) = £218.99
• 1 x Asus Prime B650-Plus (Socket AM5) DDR5 ATX Motherboard (SKU: MB-6K4-AS) = £124.99
• 1 x TeamGroup Vulcan EXPO 32GB (2X16GB) DDR5 PC5-44800C40 5600MHz Dual Channel Kit - Black (FLABD532G5600HC40BDC01) (SKU: MY-0B3-TG) = £99.95
• 1 x Sapphire Radeon RX 7900 XT Pulse 20GB GDDR6 PCI-Express Graphics Card (SKU: GX-3A7-SP) = £739.99
• 1 x AMD - Avatar Radeon Bundle (SKU: DIG-AMD-01186) = £0.00
• 1 x Crucial P5 Plus 2TB M.2 2280 PCI-e 4.0 x4 3D NAND NVMe Solid State Drive (SKU: HD-075-CR) = £114.95
• 1 x Phanteks Eclipse G300A Mid-Tower High Airflow PC Case - Black (SKU: CA-0C0-PT) = £64.99
• 1 x Seasonic Focus GX-850 850W 80+ Gold Modular Power Supply (SKU: CA-06T-SS) = £139.99

Total: £1,503.85 (includes delivery: £0.00)​

 

[Tiny Clanger]

Blimey - thank you both for such quick replies!

For 1440p am I better prioritising CPU or GPU - or will that vary from game to game?

Also - it’s been years since I last built a pc - have things changed dramatically?

 

[Tetras]

For 1440p am I better prioritising CPU or GPU - or will that vary from game to game?

It'd be game to game.

For Starfield, in HUB's 32 GPU benchmarks @ 1440p native (high details), the 7900 XT hit 81 average and the 6800 XT hit 55.

In their 44 CPU benchmarks @ 1080p native (high details), the 7600 got 84 fps and the 7800 X3D: 98.

My conclusion would be that for 1440p native (high details), you'd get more FPS with the 7600 and 7900 XT.

That's relying on my interpretation of one set of benchmarks though, so...

 

[Noughtboy]

@Tetras is onto a good thing switching you out for an 7900XT...however, I really think you will have problems with the ASUS Prime/TUF series as they were almost guaranteed to overheat the VRM and throttle things most likely. There is a Prime II MATX for about £175 but I would think you would be best served by the ASROCK Riptide ATX (£180 on pre order) or the MSI Pro B650M MATX at £175 (also pre order).

However, I think you are best served by the MSI MAG Tomahawk B650 ATX for £200. It is an extra £75 but you could save a little by switching from the Seasonic Focus (an excellent PSU) for the Gigabyte 850w UD850GM PG5 (not quite as good as the Seasonic but still B-tier rated). This is £110 so you can claw back £30 and sell one of your Avatar Bundles for probably £30/£40 so back on budget.

In the AMD context, owing to be able to upgrade for three generations, the MB is pretty important so as to allow you to bung in a new 9XXX series CPU in a couple years time. I am uncertain you will have that flexibility with the ASUS boards as they struggle on a hardware level.

You can check out the HUB review of the various B650 motherboards over here HUB B650 roundup

 

[Tiny Clanger]

In the AMD context, owing to be able to upgrade for three generations, the MB is pretty important so as to allow you to bung in a new 9XXX series CPU in a couple years time. I am uncertain you will have that flexibility with the ASUS boards as they struggle on a hardware level.

So - just to check - the MSI motherboard you mention above will be more likely to accept an upgraded CPU in a couple of years than the ASUS? If so - that makes a lot of sense to me - I'm assuming that the build Tetras suggested with the upgraded GPU will (in the fullness of time) require a CPU upgrade before it needs a GPU upgrade - and not having to replace the motherboard would make life a lot easier (and cheaper!).

The revised build would look something like this then:
My basket at OcUK:

• 1 x DeepCool AK500 CPU Cooler - 120mm (SKU: HS-01D-DC) = £49.99
• 1 x AMD - Avatar Radeon Bundle (SKU: DIG-AMD-01186) = £0.00
• 1 x MSI MAG B650 Tomahawk WIFI (Socket AM5) DDR5 ATX Motherboard (SKU: MB-375-MS) = £199.99
• 1 x Gigabyte UD850GM PG5 850W 80 PLUS Gold Modular ATX Power Supply (SKU: CA-03K-GI) = £109.98
• 1 x Sapphire Radeon RX 7900 XT Pulse 20GB GDDR6 PCI-Express Graphics Card (SKU: GX-3A7-SP) = £740.00
• 1 x AMD Ryzen 5 7600 Six Core 5.10GHz (Socket AM5) Processor - Retail (SKU: CP-3DW-AM) = £218.98
• 1 x TeamGroup Vulcan EXPO 32GB (2X16GB) DDR5 PC5-44800C40 5600MHz Dual Channel Kit - Black (FLABD532G5600HC40BDC01) (SKU: MY-0B3-TG) = £99.95
• 1 x Crucial P5 Plus 2TB M.2 2280 PCI-e 4.0 x4 3D NAND NVMe Solid State Drive (SKU: HD-075-CR) = £114.95

Total: £1,533.84 (includes delivery: £0.00)​

Would I need any additional fans for the case or would it be good to go as is?

 

[pastymuncher]

Ditch the cooler for the Thermalright Phantom Spirit PS120 which is a better but cheaper cooler at under £35 or the ARGB version for under £32 both with free delivery. There is a review here comparing the Peerless Assassin (the Phantom Spirit is similar but has a extra heatpipe)to some of the best coolers around including the AK500.

 

[Tetras]

than the ASUS?

FYI: I chose that board to keep in your budget and while it is true the prime boards don't perform well in thermal testing (video), I don't think you'd have any problems with this one if you're only gaming. HUB's thermal testing uses a 7950X after 1 hour of Cinebench.

That said, the board you had in your original spec (TUF B650-Plus) did much better.

 

[Tiny Clanger]

Blast - missed out the case in the post above so I've added another £100 to the cost it seems...

 

[Tetras]

Blast - missed out the case in the post above so I've added another £100 to the cost it seems...

My build assumed you would use the stock cooler, so I think it comes from that and the motherboard, though your PSU is cheaper than mine.

 

[Noughtboy]

So - just to check - the MSI motherboard you mention above will be more likely to accept an upgraded CPU in a couple of years than the ASUS? If so - that makes a lot of sense to me - I'm assuming that the build Tetras suggested with the upgraded GPU will (in the fullness of time) require a CPU upgrade before it needs a GPU upgrade - and not having to replace the motherboard would make life a lot easier (and cheaper!).

The revised build would look something like this then:
My basket at OcUK:

• 1 x DeepCool AK500 CPU Cooler - 120mm (SKU: HS-01D-DC) = £49.99
• 1 x AMD - Avatar Radeon Bundle (SKU: DIG-AMD-01186) = £0.00
• 1 x MSI MAG B650 Tomahawk WIFI (Socket AM5) DDR5 ATX Motherboard (SKU: MB-375-MS) = £199.99
• 1 x Gigabyte UD850GM PG5 850W 80 PLUS Gold Modular ATX Power Supply (SKU: CA-03K-GI) = £109.98
• 1 x Sapphire Radeon RX 7900 XT Pulse 20GB GDDR6 PCI-Express Graphics Card (SKU: GX-3A7-SP) = £740.00
• 1 x AMD Ryzen 5 7600 Six Core 5.10GHz (Socket AM5) Processor - Retail (SKU: CP-3DW-AM) = £218.98
• 1 x TeamGroup Vulcan EXPO 32GB (2X16GB) DDR5 PC5-44800C40 5600MHz Dual Channel Kit - Black (FLABD532G5600HC40BDC01) (SKU: MY-0B3-TG) = £99.95
• 1 x Crucial P5 Plus 2TB M.2 2280 PCI-e 4.0 x4 3D NAND NVMe Solid State Drive (SKU: HD-075-CR) = £114.95

Total: £1,533.84 (includes delivery: £0.00)​

Would I need any additional fans for the case or would it be good to go as is?

You have left off your case here. The one @Tetras included was this Phanteks Eclipse G300A for £65.
It does come with 3xARGB 120mm fans so I would just add a 120mm rear fan which can be had for about £5-£10. This black one at £8 is perfect Artic P12 MAX PWN being quiet and very good airflow.

To answer Tetras' comment, the Asus TUF is better than the Prime but lacks a few ports relative to the Tomahawk (also has "only" 12*60A VRM vs 14*80A VRM on Tomahawk). That being said, it is £50 cheaper. I would possibly look for the Asrock Riptide (£175 so splitting the difference) but that is pre order so wasn't sure when it would arrive. And whilst the HUB video was done with a 7950X, it is indicative that if the boards can handle that, then when it comes time to upgrade, it should handle any 9xxx series you want to put on.

And just to add an extra £20, I would use the Teamgroup EXPO 6000Mhz RAM as well. If the budget is more or less fixed, I would rather cut the SSD to 1TB saving £50 and put in a larger second one later on.

To me, if you are going to be able to keep and use the MB for the next 5+ years, you may as well get one that can handle any future upgrades without struggling or skimping. An extra £25 - £50 saves having to buy all the extra cooling and gives you peace of mind that you are not pushing it beyond it's capabilities. Essentially, with the PSU and MB, buy cheap, buy twice!

And finally, you could if you want swop the MSI PSU above for the Corsair Rx850x. In fact, I probably would. Wow, this has rambled. My final answer is:

My basket at OcUK:

 1 x Corsair RMx Series RM850x 80 PLUS Gold Fully Modular ATX Power Supply (CP-9020200-UK) (SKU: CA-267-CS) = £109.99
 1 x Alpenfohn Dolomit Advanced 120mm ARGB CPU Cooler - Black (SKU: HS-05V-AL) = £34.99
 1 x MSI MAG B650 Tomahawk WIFI (Socket AM5) DDR5 ATX Motherboard (SKU: MB-375-MS) = £200.00
 1 x AMD Ryzen 5 7600 Six Core 5.10GHz  (Socket AM5) Processor - Retail (SKU: CP-3DW-AM) = £218.98
 1 x Sapphire Radeon RX 7900 XT Pulse 20GB GDDR6 PCI-Express Graphics Card (SKU: GX-3A7-SP) = £740.00
 1 x AMD - Avatar Radeon Bundle (SKU: DIG-AMD-01186) = £0.00
 1 x TeamGroup Vulcan EXPO 32GB (2X16GB) DDR5 PC5-48000C38 6000MHz Dual Channel Kit - Black (FLABD532G6000HC38ADC01) (SKU: MY-0B2-TG) = £119.98
 1 x Phanteks Eclipse G300A Mid-Tower High Airflow PC Case - Black (SKU: CA-0C0-PT) = £65.00
 1 x MSI SPATIUM M480 Pro 1TB SSD PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 Solid State Drive (SKU: STO-MSI-00814) = £64.99
 1 x Arctic P12 PWM MAX Black Fan - 120mm (SKU: FG-05E-AR) = £7.99

Total: £1,573.91 (includes delivery: £11.98)​
​

£1525 with Asus TUF ATX
£1550 with Asus Riptide MATX
£1575 with MSI Tomahawk ATX

all less about £50 for the Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora bundle

 

[Tiny Clanger]

@Tetras and @Noughtboy - thank you both so much for your help and advice - I really do appreciate it!

Of course - I'm now thinking "Well, if I pushed the budget a bit more I could get the 7800X3D which would come with another Avatar bundle which I could sell so it wouldn't be that much more..." But I suppose that's the curse of PC building - you can always spend 'just that bit more' - and I imagine for my use case (1440p at up to 144Hz) then the 7600 will be sufficient...?

 

[Tetras]

and I imagine for my use case (1440p at up to 144Hz) then the 7600 will be sufficient...?

This doesn't include Starfield, those are here: CPU, GPU, but you may find it useful to decide (it doesn't have the 7600, the comparison is between the 7700 and 7800X3D, but the difference between them will be very similar in almost all games):

Ryzen 7 5800X3D vs. Ryzen 7 7700, Best Value AMD 8-Core CPU in 2023?

Australia, Cloud III: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0C3BV19Q3New Zealand, Cloud III: https://www.mightyape.co.nz/product/hyperx-cloud-iii-gaming-headset-bl...

www.youtube.com

 

[freddie64]

If you are considering the Ryzen 7600, you can get the X version for just £5 more at the moment.

7600 - Base clock 3.80GHz up to 5.10GHz

7600X - Base clock 4.70GHz up to 5.30GHz

My basket at OcUK:

• 1 x AMD Ryzen 5 7600X Six Core 5.30GHz (Socket AM5) Processor - Retail (SKU: CP-3DG-AM) = £199.99

Total: £207.98 (includes delivery: £7.99)​

​

 

[Tiny Clanger]

So .... mulled over this last night - and got to this - a little over-budget but I have two game codes to get rid of and I expect I can get a few pounds for some of my old PC parts (CEX will pay £50 for my old Vega 56 for example). And the 7800X3D has come down in price...

My basket at OcUK:

• 1 x AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D Eight Core 5.00GHz (Socket AM5) Processor - Retail (SKU: CP-3DT-AM) = £329.99
• 1 x AMD - Avatar Ryzen Bundle (SKU: DIG-AMD-01185) = £0.00
• 1 x MSI MAG B650 Tomahawk WIFI (Socket AM5) DDR5 ATX Motherboard (SKU: MB-375-MS) = £199.99
• 1 x Corsair RMx Series RM850x 80 PLUS Gold Fully Modular ATX Power Supply (CP-9020200-UK) (SKU: CA-267-CS) = £109.99
• 1 x Sapphire Radeon RX 7900 XT Pulse 20GB GDDR6 PCI-Express Graphics Card (SKU: GX-3A7-SP) = £739.99
• 1 x AMD - Avatar Radeon Bundle (SKU: DIG-AMD-01186) = £0.00
• 1 x TeamGroup Vulcan EXPO 32GB (2X16GB) DDR5 PC5-48000C38 6000MHz Dual Channel Kit - Black (FLABD532G6000HC38ADC01) (SKU: MY-0B2-TG) = £119.99
• 1 x Phanteks Eclipse G300A Mid-Tower High Airflow PC Case - Black (SKU: CA-0C0-PT) = £64.99
• 1 x Arctic P12 PWM MAX Black Fan - 120mm (SKU: FG-05E-AR) = £8.00
• 1 x MSI SPATIUM M480 Pro 2TB SSD PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 Solid State Drive (SKU: STO-MSI-00815) = £114.94

Total: £1,687.88 (includes delivery: £0.00)​

And then Thermalright Phantom Spirit PS120 SE from 'somewhere else'.

Does this give me a PC which has some degree of future proofing for the next few years - with the capability to upgrade elements over time? With the upgraded CPU would the memory still be a good fit?

 

[Tetras]

Does this give me a PC which has some degree of future proofing for the next few years - with the capability to upgrade elements over time?

Should be fine for 4-5 years, at which point hopefully you can drop in a new CPU and graphics card with the same motherboard.

With the upgraded CPU would the memory still be a good fit?

It is fine. See here for more:

Ryzen 9 7950X3D Memory Scaling Benchmark, Does DDR5 Performance Matter?

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[Tiny Clanger]

@Tetras - brilliant - I can't thank you enough for your help - will go and order the bits now.

One thing I forgot - thermal paste - what would you recommend? The cooler seems to come with some thermal paste - would that be adequate?

 

[Tetras]

One thing I forgot - thermal paste - what would you recommend? The cooler seems to come with some thermal paste - would that be adequate?

There's a recent thread here.

 

[Tiny Clanger]

Fantastic - all ordered

Thank you everyone who replied to this thread for all your guidance and ideas