Absolute noob's attempt at a custom Gaming PC. Help me please.

[MaCh]

Hello there fellas,

I'm looking for experienced set of eyes and gaming rig professors to help me out by checking on a custom PC build that I have quoted for the time being.
Since Intel prices are a bit of a stretch, I switched on to AMD's system where I could game for at least 5 years for the latest titles. Now, I am no over the top gaming enthusiast wanting insane numbers for playing modern titles, but I would like to game at a better quality than your average pc/console gamer.

I aim to play at 1080p with acceptable temperature ranges.
My biggest fear is a component burning out due to high temperatures. I had a gaming laptop that burned out due to the high temperatures so, please understand my fear on experiencing high temperatures.

The build below amounts to about £3k
Let me know if I missed something guys.

Case
LIAN LI LANCOOL 215 GAMING CASE - I read that this case is great for cooling needs. I assume this should work well for 1080p gaming with temperatures not exceeding 80c (fingers crossed). Do let me know if this case is garbage/or something else out there is better.
Overclocked CPU
Overclocked AMD Ryzen 9 5950X 16 Core (3.4GHz @ up to 4.55GHz) - A good processor that can handle gaming and multitasking. Will probably need to undervolt in summer as I do not want to use it to fry eggs. Not sure if I can use a tool like afterburner or so.
Motherboard
ASUS® ROG STRIX B550-F GAMING (DDR4, USB 3.2, 6Gb/s) - ARGB Ready! - I keep reading this motherboard is good, although Type port C is not available on it. Though I doubt that matters unless you lot know something I dont.
Memory (RAM)
16GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3600MHz (2 x 8GB) -Standard recommended RAM for gaming. I did however see spiderman going over 16GB RAM but that it was with 4k I think with ultra settings. A screen I wont be using as Im just going to go 1080 or
Graphics Card
16GB AMD RADEON™ RX 6900 XT - HDMI, DP - DX® 12 -I wanted to go for 6950XT but the card size requirement meant that I needed to get one of the bigger case models and Id break my back just carrying it in to my house. Since the 6900 is not much different than the 6950XT, I guess this should do. But the main thing I would like is to game titles for a few more years which i hope this card will handle.
Graphics Card Support Bracket
PCS ARGB GRAPHICS CARD SUPPORT BRACKET -Not sure I need this, does a support bracket help with cooling needs or maybe some other way?
1st M.2 SSD Drive
2TB CORSAIR FORCE MP600 NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD (up to 4950 MB/R, 4000 MB/W) - Im gunning for as much space as I can. This is also where I have requested the OS to be installed. Now I could go for a higher space, but the insane price jump meant that I probably need to sell my kidney for it.
1st M.2 SSD Drive. By the way please give me your thoughts if the storage brand is not good/ something else is better etc.
2TB CORSAIR FORCE MP600 NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD (up to 4950 MB/R, 4000 MB/W)
1st Storage Drive
2TB Samsung 870 QVO 2.5" SSD, SATA 6Gb/s (up to 560MB/sR | 530MB/sW)
1st Storage Drive
2TB Samsung 870 QVO 2.5" SSD, SATA 6Gb/s (up to 560MB/sR | 530MB/sW)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 1000W RMx SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET -Probably overkill since I might just need an 850w PSU but I like to be sure. Yes, you can stop laughing at my anxiety and you can see how much of a noob I am at this.
Power Cable
1 x 1.5 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead, 1.0mm Core)
Processor Cooling
PCS FrostFlow 200 Series High Performance CPU Cooler -A cooler is important for handling hot temparatures.
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND -Slap this on and I hope its like the polar circle
Extra Case Fans
3x Corsair LL120 RGB LED Fan + Controller Kit -All important fans. Let me know if there are better selections or if you lot have bad experiences with this set.
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD) -I hope this works. Not sure how this will behave with a 1080p monitor (bad quality sound etc?)
Network Card
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT -I aim to game with a wired connection, will this do?
Wireless Network Card
WIRELESS 802.11N 300Mbps/2.4GHz PCI-E CARD - Like above, will this do if I need to game on wifi?
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS -Last thing I want is to find out I am lacking a port slot. I hope this standard setting is okay.
Operating System
Windows 11 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KUK-00003]
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10/11 Multi-Language Recovery Image - Unlimited Downloads from Online Account
Surge Protection
6 Socket 2m Surge Protector -
Warranty
3 Year Standard Warranty (1 Month Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)

 

[MrWilson]

For £3k you could definitely make some optimisations.
Firstly it would be nice to clarify your uses. The bulk of your post suggests this is purely a gaming system, but you have also mentioned multitasking a couple of times, so it would be handy if you could specify additional uses for the PC besides gaming.
The other questionable point is why you’re looking to remain at 1080p with a £3k budget. With a £1600 budget this makes sense, with £3k you can get a well rounded 4k gaming system with a 4k 144hz monitor to match. The 6900XT is a 4K card, it makes zero sense to use it just to game at 1080p.
Ironically your largest concern about cooling also needs to be addressed, as you’ve opted for top end components that need a hefty amount of cooling, so this would be an area to be improved, and you have a questionable set of storage, with 8TB firstly being a hell of a lot and also the distribution being slightly haphazard.
If you could please help answer the above it will give us some more information to make some informed adjustments, and we’ll be happy to explain the choices that we make.

 

[MaCh]

For £3k you could definitely make some optimisations.
Firstly it would be nice to clarify your uses. The bulk of your post suggests this is purely a gaming system, but you have also mentioned multitasking a couple of times, so it would be handy if you could specify additional uses for the PC besides gaming.
The other questionable point is why you’re looking to remain at 1080p with a £3k budget. With a £1600 budget this makes sense, with £3k you can get a well rounded 4k gaming system with a 4k 144hz monitor to match. The 6900XT is a 4K card, it makes zero sense to use it just to game at 1080p.
Ironically your largest concern about cooling also needs to be addressed, as you’ve opted for top end components that need a hefty amount of cooling, so this would be an area to be improved, and you have a questionable set of storage, with 8TB firstly being a hell of a lot and also the distribution being slightly haphazard.
If you could please help answer the above it will give us some more information to make some informed adjustments, and we’ll be happy to explain the choices that we make.

Hello Wilson, thanks for your comment

I had a feeling my build was not optimised.

For multitasking, I meant normal activities like just using the net while switching between gaming. Perhaps I used the wrong term, but primarily, gaming is what I am going for.


"The other questionable point is why you’re looking to remain at 1080p with a £3k budget. With a £1600 budget this makes sense," -> I guess the core parts like the processor, GPU all push the cost up to £3k. My aim was to get higher end parts so that the pc could handle newer games well into a couple of years time. I think if I went for a lower end component, it might not handle newer titles well. how could I go for a lower budget 1080p gaming rig? What build would you recommend?

"The 6900XT is a 4K card, it makes zero sense to use it just to game at 1080p."->I aimed for newer cards like 6900XT as I would like to game the latest titles and the newer ones within a comfortable frame rate for at least a few years with this rig.
Now, in terms of going for 4K, I fear that the system might overheat. As I mentioned, I have had bad experiences with overheating and my room's ambient temperature especially during summer times is concerning. Gauging from various benchmarks around, it is obvious that 4K gaming would strain and demand more of the core components hence, I do not mind a 1080p setup. Also considering the W usage would increase with a more demanding setup like it. So you could say I am trying to find quality in both Watts and temps. But I guess I could technically go for a 4k screen first in the future if all turns out well.

Also, considering I am going for fan cooling instead of water cooling since I read over various posts that it would need maintenance overtime and nothing makes me more nervous than water near electronic components and inexperience with its handling.

"Ironically your largest concern about cooling also needs to be addressed, as you’ve opted for top end components that need a hefty amount of cooling, so this would be an area to be improved," -> What changes do you reckon I can make? Are there any components you can pinpoint out for me that you know are heat heavy? Would the selected fans not suffice?

"with 8TB firstly being a hell of a lot and also the distribution being slightly haphazard." -> Yeah, I figured games can be a huge sizes hence I went for more space. I found out, the bigger 8TB sizes are more expensive. But do you think I should reduce that and just go for one 4TB instead of two 2TBs? The knowledge of my setup being potentially hazardous is new knowledge to me since I dont know what it would look like.

Hope this answers what you sought of me.

 

[MaCh]

Here is the specs without all my added comments in OP.
URL to reconfigure- https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am4-overclocked/Ue6VQ6hfV8/

Case
LIAN LI LANCOOL 215 GAMING CASE
Overclocked CPU
Overclocked AMD Ryzen 9 5950X 16 Core (3.4GHz @ up to 4.55GHz)
Motherboard
ASUS® ROG STRIX B550-F GAMING (DDR4, USB 3.2, 6Gb/s) - ARGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
16GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3600MHz (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
16GB AMD RADEON™ RX 6900 XT - HDMI, DP - DX® 12
Graphics Card Support Bracket
PCS ARGB GRAPHICS CARD SUPPORT BRACKET
1st M.2 SSD Drive
2TB CORSAIR FORCE MP600 NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD (up to 4950 MB/R, 4000 MB/W)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
2TB CORSAIR FORCE MP600 NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD (up to 4950 MB/R, 4000 MB/W)
1st Storage Drive
2TB Samsung 870 QVO 2.5" SSD, SATA 6Gb/s (up to 560MB/sR | 530MB/sW)
1st Storage Drive
2TB Samsung 870 QVO 2.5" SSD, SATA 6Gb/s (up to 560MB/sR | 530MB/sW)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 1000W RMx SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1.5 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead, 1.0mm Core)
Processor Cooling
PCS FrostFlow 200 Series High Performance CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND
Extra Case Fans
3x Corsair LL120 RGB LED Fan + Controller Kit
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Card
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT
Wireless Network Card
WIRELESS 802.11N 300Mbps/2.4GHz PCI-E CARD
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Windows 11 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KUK-00003]
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Surge Protection
6 Socket 2m Surge Protector
Warranty
3 Year Standard Warranty (1 Month Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)

 

[sck451]

Hello Wilson, thanks for your comment

I had a feeling my build was not optimised.

For multitasking, I meant normal activities like just using the net while switching between gaming. Perhaps I used the wrong term, but primarily, gaming is what I am going for.

Those tasks are pretty easy for a system to deal with. Things like video editing, 3D rendering and gaming at the same time would be the much more demanding option.

"The other questionable point is why you’re looking to remain at 1080p with a £3k budget. With a £1600 budget this makes sense," -> I guess the core parts like the processor, GPU all push the cost up to £3k. My aim was to get higher end parts so that the pc could handle newer games well into a couple of years time. I think if I went for a lower end component, it might not handle newer titles well. how could I go for a lower budget 1080p gaming rig? What build would you recommend?

The parts will (mostly) be working just as hard at 1080p as they would be at 4K. In fact, you want them to be: if you're not running your GPU at 100%, you aren't getting value for money. The only difference is that you can play at a higher quality setting (up to a point, obviously) and get more frames per second, though ultimately the number of frames you'll see per second is limited by your monitor. So you want to get a balanced system, rather than getting a super-powerful system that won't be running anywhere near its potential.

The 6900XT is a 4K card, it makes zero sense to use it just to game at 1080p."->I aimed for newer cards like 6900XT as I would like to game the latest titles and the newer ones within a comfortable frame rate for at least a few years with this rig.
Now, in terms of going for 4K, I fear that the system might overheat. As I mentioned, I have had bad experiences with overheating and my room's ambient temperature especially during summer times is concerning. Gauging from various benchmarks around, it is obvious that 4K gaming would strain and demand more of the core components hence, I do not mind a 1080p setup. Also considering the W usage would increase with a more demanding setup like it. So you could say I am trying to find quality in both Watts and temps. But I guess I could technically go for a 4k screen first in the future if all turns out well.

The 6900XT may be "new" (well, it's actually two years old now), but so is the 6400XT, and that's terrible. So "new" isn't the only point to bear in mind: you also need to get the right tier, the right card, for the specific tasks you have in mind.

As above, the 6900XT will produce the same amount of heat at 1080p as at 4K (unless you limit the framerate, which is pretty silly because you might as well get a cheaper card at that point). In fact, at 1080p you will in some situations be putting more strain on your system, as with very high framerates the CPU has to work much harder to keep up.

The better option is to aim for the right balance.

 

[sck451]

Also, considering I am going for fan cooling instead of water cooling since I read over various posts that it would need maintenance overtime and nothing makes me more nervous than water near electronic components and inexperience with its handling.

Modern AIO water cooling (as opposed to full open loop water cooling) needs next to no maintenance and is very reliable. PCS doesn't really stock any high quality air coolers. (I myself fitted my NH-D15S some time after my PC was delivered.) You don't really need to worry about the liquid these days; certainly you don't need to do any maintenance of it beyond occasionally giving the fans/radiator a dust like with any system.

"Ironically your largest concern about cooling also needs to be addressed, as you’ve opted for top end components that need a hefty amount of cooling, so this would be an area to be improved," -> What changes do you reckon I can make? Are there any components you can pinpoint out for me that you know are heat heavy? Would the selected fans not suffice?

Fans aren't the be all and end all: the best option is to get a well balanced system with good airflow and inherent cooling. Also, it's best to choose the right profile to run things. There's no sense in getting the overclocked systems: they run microscopically faster while being way hotter. Modern CPUs don't really need overclocking at all.

"with 8TB firstly being a hell of a lot and also the distribution being slightly haphazard." -> Yeah, I figured games can be a huge sizes hence I went for more space. I found out, the bigger 8TB sizes are more expensive. But do you think I should reduce that and just go for one 4TB instead of two 2TBs? The knowledge of my setup being potentially hazardous is new knowledge to me since I dont know what it would look like.

Games can be huge sizes, but 8TB of SSD is a ridiculous amount. If you want it and are willing to spend the cost, go for it. It doesn't seem worth it to me: personally, I think 2-3TB of SSD and maybe a 2TB HDD for backup would be as much as I could countenance including in a gaming system.

With all that said, I'll post some specific suggestions in a second.

 

[sck451]

So, my advice.

Start by choosing the right display. At your budget, 1080p is not a good choice. 4K is a definite option, but frankly I don't think it's terribly worthwhile. I think the best option is 1440p or UWQHD (1440p but "wider"). So I'd go either for something 1440p and very good (e.g. the MSI MAG274QRF-QD for £499) or something ultrawide (e.g. the LG 34GN850 for £699) and then design a system to match.

Here's something for the same kind of price as your current system. You could do something for the same kind of price, a little faster but with less upgradability on an Intel platform. You could also do something cheaper and less upgradable, also on an Intel platform. If it would be helpful to see either of those builds, I'd be more than happy to put it together for you: just ask!

Case
LIAN LI LANCOOL 215 GAMING CASE Good case, but honestly I'd prefer something better: I'd do a "send in your own case" myself if this were my build
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 7 7700X Eight Core CPU (4.5GHz-5.4GHz/40MB CACHE/AM5) Going Ryzen for future upgradability. This is an awesome gaming chip
Motherboard
ASUS® ROG STRIX X670E-E GAMING WIFI (WIFI 6E, DDR5, PCIe 5.0) - ARGB Ready! V. powerful motherboard
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR5 6000MHz (2 x 16GB) Modern DDR5 RAM - expensive but v powerful
Graphics Card
10GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 3080 - HDMI, DP, LHR Probably overkill for 1440p, but not totally stupid
1st M.2 SSD Drive
500GB SAMSUNG 980 PRO M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 6900MB/R, 5000MB/W) V. fast boot drive
1st M.2 SSD Drive
2TB CORSAIR FORCE MP600 NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD (up to 4950 MB/R, 4000 MB/W) Fast SSD for game storage
1st Storage Drive
2TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 256MB CACHE For bulk/archive storage
Power Supply
CORSAIR 1000W RMx SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET Definitely a good plan
Power Cable
1 x 1.5 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead, 1.0mm Core)
Processor Cooling
Corsair iCUE H115i RGB PRO XT Hydro Series High Performance CPU Cooler High quality and reliable AIO water cooler
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Card
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Windows 11 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KUK-00003]
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10/11 Multi-Language Recovery Image - Unlimited Downloads from Online Account
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft 365® (Operating System Required)
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Microsoft® Edge
Warranty
3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 5 to 7 working days
Price: £2,942.00 including VAT and Delivery
Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am5-pc/nXVxPRnSdN/