9mo ago

I'm planning on finally getting a Gaming PC but I mainly have two questions

After having a good talk with a few folks, I've decided to buy a gaming PC and build it myself. I have everything I need, including all of the necessary equipment and accessories. I don't want to buy anything from NVIDIA because of some of its controversial decisions, its drivers' poor performance on Linux, and its high price. I'm going full red (AMD). Keep in mind that I will not be using Windows on this PC at all and will be running Pop OS on it as my primary operating system. I am also buying all the parts from Bestbuy. My budget is not to go completely over $2000

Two questions

Will everything work properly with all of the PC accessories I'm getting, and is there anything I should replace? (not including the CPU or GPU)
Do you think it will be enough with three fans, or do I need five for extra cooling?

Everything is linked here: https://pcpartpicker.com/user/Crafted_104/saved/XcZCrH

The current price for everything is $1716.78

59 comments

If you're primarily going to be playing games I would recommend a 5800X3D over the 5900X. Maybe also look for a used 6700XT/6750XT/6800XT instead of the 7600. Everything you have will work just fine with Linux. You don't need more fans.
- Thank you! I'll change it to a 5800X3D, the reason why I chose the 5900X is because a friend recommended me to buy it.
  
  If you are not doing heavy productivity tasks, using a 5700x3d will be $100 more to spend on a stronger GPU, for a negligible drop in gaming performance.
  
  My friend has a 5800x3d and generally it runs better in games that "favor strong single core," ie a horribly unoptimized game like Tarkov where even $5k brand new hardware will be unable to run it on certain maps and updates. I have a 5900x and have gotten better performance than him in a game like Kingdom come, even with a marginally weaker gpu. I would get whichever is cheaper unless you specifically have something in mind that you know would benefit from one or the other.
  I only have 4 fans and currently have a reference blower card atm and the temperatures are fine, however this will depend on the ambient temperature in your room to a degree as well. The Thermalright Peerless assassin 120 is also a very cheap cpu fan that rivals the ~$100 Noctua ones.
  The "general standard" for a lack of a better term for psu's is to get an 80+ gold certified. I wouldn't cut corners on it but I also wouldn't go deep on the other end and get an extremely expensive one. I have a 750w Powerspec one that most people consider mediocre I haven't had any noticeable issues with it. Cables can be a pain in the ass so if you're able to I would get a semi or fully modular one.
  To my knowledge Logitech mice frequently have a ton of problems but they all do to a degree. When I was looking for a new mouse while back, it generally seemed like Logitech had a ton of complaints and Razer's quality dropped significantly around 2014. I have 32gb of ram which has been way more than enough for every game I have played so far, I wouldn't get 64 unless you know you need it or plan on using it.
- I can second the suggestion for the x3d, I have one and it's wonderful.

Are you using pcpartpicker? That site is pretty good about flagging potential issues in a build. They have measurements and power ratings and slot configurations for basically everything so they'll flat a build that has incompatibilities
- I'm currently doing that right now, everything will be updated on this post once I choose all the parts

Noooooo!!!!! Your motherboard is not compatible with CPU and RAM. I will edit this post once I have formulate my reasoning, I want you to hold off buying this system based on ptevious comments
- I didn't even notice they had an AM5 motherboard in there. Yeah, you'll have to at the very least switch that to something else.
- I changed it to a AM4 lmao
  You can check the updated images
  
  An AM4 motherboard is ok and cheap but entirely un-updateable. If that is ok go with it queen but if you want tonfiture-proof your system you should go with an am5 cpu, mobo and ram.
- oh lord i didn't even check

https://pcpartpicker.com/
Right up until the day they're bought out by shitheads, that's the place to go for setting up a home build.
It verifies compatibility to a level you'd never even think of, including heatsink and graphics card dimensions.
- It really is rare to see something that works and does exactly what you want on the internet of today...
- It works fantastic
  I had a lot of parts that were incompatible with other parts I plan on getting

Why are you getting a 5900x CPU? Are you going to be doing a lot of CPU heavy work? The 5900x isn’t really a gaming CPU it’s more of a productivity CPU. Because of some quirks about how it’s made the 5800x (8 core) can typically perform better on games and be cheaper.
Also the 5800x3D is a beast. I’d highly suggest going for that if it’s close enough in price.

Another anecdotal comment. I got a curved monitor and IMO it was not worth the extra cost vs. a flat one. I think these things are kind of gimmicky unless you are buying several of them and building a simulator (I do flight sim and I don't see any benefit with just one, even).
- I really enjoy how they take up slightly less desk space than an equivalently sized flat panel.
- Yeah I think Curved Monitors would be a great choice for me rather than flat
- I got a big ass curved ultra wide, I was skeptical and thought it was a gimmick but decided to try it. My monitor arm let's me get up close and create an Imax like view and it blows my mind.

Damn RAM has gotten cheap, I really should get a motherboard that accepts DDR4
- It's because ddr5 is already a thing

Only one big problem here: the Ryzen 9 5900X is an AM4 Socket CPU but the motherboard you have selected has an AM5 socket. This board will not work with the AM4 CPU or the DDR4 RAM. The DDR4 RAM is correct for the CPU though.
The CPU requires a dedicated cooler, typically an all-in-one liquid cooling kit (though fan kits exist as well). If you do not already have one, you will need to obtain one. Intel CPUs typically include a basic fan and heatsink, but recent AMD CPUs have more intense cooling requirements and these are left to the aftermarket. AIO kits usually come with a handful of adapters for both Intel and AMD, but you want to make sure a bracket for the AM4 socket is among them. I had an old AIO system when I built my new AM5 machine, but AM5 didn't even exist when this AIO kit was manufactured.
Not a major problem, but worth consideration depending on your intended workloads: With 16GB DIMMs you will max out at 64GB of ram, which is A LOT, but with 24 threads, that's a bit over 2.5GB per thread. With two DIMMs (as shown), that's a bit over 1GB per thread. You will struggle to use that CPU to its full potential when it comes to doing things like compiling somewhat complex software. In practice, I have found 4GB/thread to be required when compiling things like Chromium (QtWebEngine), and about 2GB/thread for things like Firefox. If you are not compiling (major) software from source code or running Gentoo this likely isn't a problem, and you can always limit the number of jobs to work with the amount of memory you have available in the odd case where you end up doing things like this.
That said, I can't seem to figure out definitively what the maximum RAM limit is for this CPU or chipset. If it is not greater than 64GB, there is no point of getting DIMMs any larger than 16 GB. The X570 chipset (fanciest, among several in the AM4 family) apparently supports at least 128GB, but this will also depend on hardware support in the motherboard. Just because a motherboard has this chipset doesn't mean it supports all of its maximum capabilities (i.e. PCIe lanes, memory, overclocking, etc)
I never used DDR4 personally, but from what I hear, the difference between DDR4 and DDR5 is marginal, but DDR5 comes with the added headaches of "training." It can take upwards of 15 minutes for a DDR5 machine with a lot of memory to boot for the first time. I was nearly ready to RMA my memory before I figured out this was happening, and I had to flash a UEFI firmware update to ultimately get 128GB working.

So far I would say everything should be good. Your pictures are just missing one really important component, which is the PSU.
Edit: As others have pointed out the CPU is actually an AM4 socket so it wouldn't fit or work with the mobo you have there. Kinda missed that, sorry.
- I'll be getting this, thanks for reminding me!
  
  1000w is way overkill for your cpu & gpu. 750w would give you plenty of headroom, honestly maybe even 500w. it's fine if you plan on upgrading to something beefier in the future though
  
  Cool, that should be plenty reliable and powerful for this system.

I'd bump up the PSU from 650 to 750. Everything else looks good
- Is that really necessary? I'm using a new CPU and motherboard with multiple drives, (and an older GPU) and my computer maxes out at around 350 W.

One thing you need to keep in mind in case you didn't already know is that this is an older AM4 system, and if you want to upgrade in the future, you'll have to get a whole new motherboard, CPU and memory (AM5 doesn't support DDR4 RAM).
If you want to save some money, you could go with a weaker CPU, that one is overkill for gaming which is more GPU dependent anyway.

The infinity fabric speed, the stuff between chiplets wants to run in a 1:1 ratio with ram, so you can squeeze a little more out of that cpu if you get 3600 ram.
Ddr4 runs at half the rate is says (double data rate) so 3600 runs at 1800mhz which will match 1800mhz of the infinity fabric. Some chips can go higher but it's not guaranteed
- Can the 5th gen memory controllers consistently support 3600? Tightly timed 3200 was the way to go for 3xxx ryzen 7.

You don't seem to have a CPU cooler (the CPU in your screenshot says cooler not included) which is mandatory. A Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 EVO will almost assuredly be the move, thermalright is KILLING it right now in the air cooler scene. I'd question going for the 5900x when something like the 5800x3d exists and can be had for fairly cheap if you live near a microcenter, but it seems like you're dead set?
On NVIDIA vs AMD, I don't begrudge you for avoiding NVIDIA due to controversial decisions, but on the other two points:
the price difference isn't that crazy in my experience, and in exchange for the NVIDIA premium you get killer apps like DLSS, frame gen, Reflex, superior raytracing, while the AMD counterparts lag noticeably behind. the slight edge in raster performance from AMD doesn't seem super worth it currently IMO, but that could always change!
PopOS specifically actually has great compatibility with NVIDIA from what I've read, although I believe it depends on the proprietary drivers which may not be your cup of tea

Are you in the USA? You should be able to get something much better balanced for $1.6k, let me cook.
- I live in the US
  
  https://pcpartpicker.com/list/CsTqFs
  More cores, a stronger GPU, 64gb of ram for youe compilation needs, and a higher refresh monitor!

You probably need to buy front intake fans for the chassi as those aren't included. In that price class there's phanteks p400a, lian li lancool 214 or 216, fractal meshify c, that have all done well in tests and have some included fans.

drivers' poor performance on Linux
Not necessarily true. If you have an older card (older than the 1650/older than 2020) you're fucked but newer cards should actually be supported. By the end of the year Nvidia should not be an automatic downgrade of an experience compared to AMD. But yeah they're expensive, ruled by the richest capitalists in the world, and their power efficiency is hot garbage.
Pop OS on it as my primary operating system.
If you're getting primarily a gaming PC then I would recommend checking out Bazzite because it's all batteries included with support for Steam's gaming mode (basically getting the Steam deck functionality onto your PC) with minimal setup required. POP!_OS is still going through a heavy transition right now into COSMIC so I wouldn't recommend it right now until POP!_OS 24.04 drops. I've used it on my own gaming pc with an nvidia card and it worked flawlessly (minus the green company problems).
- Anecdotally, I never had performance problems with Nvidia on Linux. Just other annoyances, like it taking a very long time for them to properly support Wayland (historically poor performance in XWayland, moot for several years now, but the workaround of just sticking with XOrg was workable), needing to compile out-of-tree kernel modules (usually managed by the distribution, but annoying if you need to run bleeding kernels for other reasons), and having it's own proprietary OpenGL / Vulkan implementations instead of running Mesa3D at full performance.
  When I switched to AMD, I noticed little things, like the screen doesn't flicker when I activate a second monitor, and having monitors with different refresh rates worked. Gains from Wayland working as intended, mainly.
  
  I feel this. The first time I loaded the 555 driver onto my NixOS system it felt amazing to just have all my games run smoothly using Vulkan.
  But my sleep/suspend was broken in the process. Fuck green company.

I went AMD first a while ago, be prepared for some games not to work (R6 SIEGE... years ago though, not sure how it is now) without some workarounds and stuff.
Also, I don't know, but you could consider Bluetooth in the MOBO as well. My PC is just general use and gaming (built for like £800 5 years ago) and I regret not having Bluetooth without using an extra chip and all that.
Also I'm not seeing a case on there. When I was new to this stuff I bought the wrong sized case initially and had to send it back. Make sure it fits before you buy.

I have a 5800x3D and it's a beast. I'm very happy with it. 5700X3D is about 10% less beefy on the compare charts.
5600x3D vs 5700x3D vs 5800x3D
I HIGHLY recommend a good AIO. 2x 280 or better setup. The 3D Vcache generates extra heat. (Heat that goes in your case. An AIO pumps that heat out via a radiator keeping your board and your CPU cooler)
Along with that don't cheap out on your thermal paste! I got the Corsair XTM70 it's like $20.
comparison test
It is a very THICC paste that comes with it's own # type stencil (put stencil on CPU. spread paste over stencil . Remove stencil. Perfect application.) Used Arctic Silver in my previous build it was fine...for an Athalon II.
Gaming Jesus took some issue with the H5 case

Ugh I need to stop drinking so i can afford a new cpu so i can keep up with how much they keep slowing down Victoria 3 in every update

Spending $1.7k for a 7600xt is not the way, anything below 12gb vram is going to be very quickly unable to run new releases at 60fps. You ideally wanna allocate between 40 and 60% of build cost to the GPU.
CPU: fine
Cooler: Phantom spirit will be LOUD with an x3d under full load, swapped to a 360mm aio
Mobo: unneccessarily expensive, there are b550 boards wih the same features for less. RAM: Picked a cheaper kit with the same timings
Storage: Don't pay extra for "performance ssd", the only thing that has the potential to impact perf is cache and interface. Cache will only matter when the drive is nearly full, which you should avoid for other reasons.
GPU: 7900 gre should last at least two gens before it starts to feel long in the tooth. Don't buy 8gb cards new.
Case: Swapped to one with better airflow, I had the meshify mini and it was a joy
PSU: Be Quiet! Is cheaper and a top tier brand.
Headset: Don't spend 140 USD on a gaming headset under any circumstances lmao. You will have much better incoming and outgoing fidelity with midrange headphones and a desktop mike. In lieu of that, the Hyperx cloud series are well reviewed and half the price.
Mouse: for FPS the sensor on what you chose will be quite frustrating. I chose a wireless one from the same brand for less with a perfect tracking sensor.
Keyboard: entirely taste, what you chose is fine.
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/r8JWh3
- I appreciate you finding cheaper versions of items such as the power supply and graphics card, but the major point is that I am not trying to purchase anything from Amazon, HP, or NVIDIA because I am following a boycott list. I am only buying parts from Bestbuy, and several of the brands you mentioned in your PC listing were either not available or out of stock. However, I was able to find cheaper items such as the CPU cooler, and I was surprised that the 7900 was the same price as the 7600.
  Here's my updated version https://pcpartpicker.com/user/Crafted_104/saved/XcZCrH
  
  In my experience, the convenience of buying everything from one vendor is rarely worth it unless you are taking advantage of bundle discounts.
  The silicon is the same, and stock issues mean that you could easily end up paying $30+ premiums on every part.
  A 120mm AIO is only worth it for tiny PCs, they generally have cooling power a little worse than a high end air tower.
  For an x3d chip you would want 280mm or 360mm to have acceptable noise levels. Later in the day I can do some price hunting with the vendor set to Best Buy only.

59 comments