Have I made a mistake?

[DeaconOfTheUK]

I ordered my PC last week and chose a PCS AIO as I assumed it would be fine. But only now I'm seeing posts saying that the PCS AIO coolers arent very good and I'm now panicking that it's too late to change it

The build:
Case PCS LUMIN XC ARGB CURVED TG (PWM)
Promotional Item Get DOOM: The Dark Ages Premium Edition with select GeForce RTX 50
Series
Processor (CPU) AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D Eight Core CPU (Up to 5.2GHz/104MB w/3D
V-CACHE/AM5)
Motherboard ASUS® TUF GAMING B850-PLUS WIFI (AM5, DDR5, M.2 PCIe 5.0, Wi-Fi 7)
Memory (RAM) 32GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR5 6000MHz CL30 (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card 16GB GIGABYTE GEFORCE RTX 5070 Ti WINDFORCE OC - HDMI, 3 x DP
1st M.2 SSD Drive 2TB SAMSUNG 990 EVO PLUS M.2, PCIe 4.0 & 5.0 NVMe (up to 7250MB/R,
6300MB/W)
DVD/BLU-RAY Drive NOT REQUIRED
Power Supply CORSAIR 750W RMe SERIES™ ATX 3.1, MODULAR, CYBENETICS GOLD
Power Cable 1 x 1.5 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling PCS FrostFlow 360 Series ARGB High Performance Liquid Cooler
Thermal Paste STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Card ONBOARD 2.5Gbe LAN PORT
Wireless Network Card NONE OR ONBOARD Wi-Fi (MOTHERBOARD DEPENDENT)
USB/Thunderbolt Options MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT

 

[BlessedSquirrel]

I ordered my PC last week and chose a PCS AIO as I assumed it would be fine. But only now I'm seeing posts saying that the PCS AIO coolers arent very good and I'm now panicking that it's too late to change it

The build:
Case PCS LUMIN XC ARGB CURVED TG (PWM)
Promotional Item Get DOOM: The Dark Ages Premium Edition with select GeForce RTX 50
Series
Processor (CPU) AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D Eight Core CPU (Up to 5.2GHz/104MB w/3D
V-CACHE/AM5)
Motherboard ASUS® TUF GAMING B850-PLUS WIFI (AM5, DDR5, M.2 PCIe 5.0, Wi-Fi 7)
Memory (RAM) 32GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR5 6000MHz CL30 (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card 16GB GIGABYTE GEFORCE RTX 5070 Ti WINDFORCE OC - HDMI, 3 x DP
1st M.2 SSD Drive 2TB SAMSUNG 990 EVO PLUS M.2, PCIe 4.0 & 5.0 NVMe (up to 7250MB/R,
6300MB/W)
DVD/BLU-RAY Drive NOT REQUIRED
Power Supply CORSAIR 750W RMe SERIES™ ATX 3.1, MODULAR, CYBENETICS GOLD
Power Cable 1 x 1.5 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling PCS FrostFlow 360 Series ARGB High Performance Liquid Cooler
Thermal Paste STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Card ONBOARD 2.5Gbe LAN PORT
Wireless Network Card NONE OR ONBOARD Wi-Fi (MOTHERBOARD DEPENDENT)
USB/Thunderbolt Options MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT

You can make any changes up until it's in build, you can even make changes once it's in build, but may incur a small fee.

What's the PC for?

What's the max budget and what did this come to?

What make and model monitor are you pairing it with?

 

[Scott]

Always best to get advice before taking the leap. There may be other areas of concern in your build (The case for starters). Everything will work, the config creator ensures compatibility, but value for money and ideal selections can be easily overlooked or misunderstood.

 

[DeaconOfTheUK]

Always best to get advice before taking the leap. There may be other areas of concern in your build (The case for starters). Everything will work, the config creator ensures compatibility, but value for money and ideal selections can be easily overlooked or misunderstood.

Hiya, so what would be the issue with the case? Or any other choices

I've updated my order to swap out the PCS cooler for a Corsair one

 

[BlessedSquirrel]

Hiya, so what would be the issue with the case? Or any other choices

I've updated my order to swap out the PCS cooler for a Corsair one

Fair enough, ignore me 🤷‍♀️

 

[DeaconOfTheUK]

Fair enough, ignore me 🤷‍♀️

Sorry I've been busy with work and didn't see your reply initially. Not ignoring, thanks

It's for gaming, can't really definitively say what yet but bought RDR2, Cyberpunk and Ready or Not

It came to 2232 for the build, now 2300 with with cooler upgrade.

I'm using 1080p monitors, AOC

 

[DeaconOfTheUK]

I'm just concerned now that I've totally borked the build as at first the cooler was an issue. But now since amending that, I'm now hearing the case is an issue among others

 

[Ekans2011]

I'm using 1080p monitors, AOC

What's the refresh rate or the model? A 5070ti with a 1080p monitor?

It came to 2232 for the build, now 2300 with with cooler upgrade.

So, is £2300 your max budget?

I'm just concerned now that I've totally borked the build as at first the cooler was an issue. But now since amending that, I'm now hearing the case is an issue among others

To be honest, there are a few things I would change about that build.
Once you have answered all of the questions, we will be able to provide you with appropriate advise.

 

[BlessedSquirrel]

I'm just concerned now that I've totally borked the build as at first the cooler was an issue. But now since amending that, I'm now hearing the case is an issue among others

It’s not a well designed system, poor fit for a 1080p monitor, most of the power will never be used, just be wasted

 

[DeaconOfTheUK]

What's the refresh rate or the model? A 5070ti with a 1080p monitor?


So, is £2300 your max budget?


To be honest, there are a few things I would change about that build.
Once you have answered all of the questions, we will be able to provide you with appropriate advise.

180hz

I don't really want to go much higher if I can avoid it.

I just want to know if there's anything that's going to cause issues for the build like overheating etc.

 

[DeaconOfTheUK]

It’s not a well designed system, poor fit for a 1080p monitor, most of the power will never be used, just be wasted

It is with the view of using 1440p or 4k monitors in the future. I just have 1080p monitors currently from my current PC. I'm not on Megabucks so can't justify buying a 4k monitor at the moment. Im only able to justify the cost of the PC as I'm replacing a 10 year old machine and have saved up over time

 

[Ekans2011]

It is with the view of using 1440p or 4k monitors in the future. I just have 1080p monitors currently from my current PC.

When in the future? There's no reason to put a top-tier 1440p GPU with a 1080p monitor unless you plan to replace it very soon. There's no future proof on GPUs anymore.

 

[DeaconOfTheUK]

When in the future? There's no reason to put a top-tier 1440p GPU with a 1080p monitor unless you plan to replace it very soon. There's no future proof on GPUs anymore.

Fairly soon, but I just stated what monitors I currently have.

I get paid 18th of the month. So plan to purchase a 1440p around that time finances permitting as i do have a wedding to go to a few days prior

 

[Ekans2011]

Fairly soon, but I just stated what monitors I currently have.

I get paid 18th of the month. So plan to purchase a 1440p around that time finances permitting as i do have a wedding to go to a few days prior

Okay, here's my idea for a high-end 1440p gaming system.

N.B. Transferring your current OS license to the new PC will save you approximately £110.

Case
CORSAIR 3500X ARGB TEMPERED GLASS MID-TOWER (PCS)
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D Eight Core CPU (Up to 5.2GHz/104MB w/3D V-CACHE/AM5)
Motherboard
GIGABYTE X870E AORUS ELITE WIFI7 (AM5, DDR5, M.2 PCIe 5.0, Wi-Fi 7)
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR5 6000MHz CL30 (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
16GB SAPPHIRE PULSE RADEON™ RX 9070 XT GAMING - 2 x HDMI, 2 x DP
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB CORSAIR ELITE MP600 NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD (up to 7000 MB/R, 6200 MB/W)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
2TB CORSAIR CORE XT MP600 NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD (up to 5000 MB/R, 4400 MB/W)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 1000W RMx SERIES™ ATX 3.1, MODULAR, CYBENETICS GOLD
Power Cable
1 x 1.5 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead, 1.0mm Core)
Processor Cooling
CORSAIR NAUTILUS 360 RS ARGB HIGH PERFORMANCE CPU COOLER
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Card
ONBOARD 2.5Gbe LAN PORT
Wireless Network Card
NONE OR ONBOARD Wi-Fi (MOTHERBOARD DEPENDENT)
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
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
Firefox™
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 6 to 8 working days
Price: £2,309.00 including VAT and Delivery
Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am5-pc/jCVAdQmWpc/

 

[DeaconOfTheUK]

Okay, here's my idea for a high-end 1440p gaming system.

N.B. Transferring your current OS license to the new PC will save you approximately £110.

Case
CORSAIR 3500X ARGB TEMPERED GLASS MID-TOWER (PCS)
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D Eight Core CPU (Up to 5.2GHz/104MB w/3D V-CACHE/AM5)
Motherboard
GIGABYTE X870E AORUS ELITE WIFI7 (AM5, DDR5, M.2 PCIe 5.0, Wi-Fi 7)
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR5 6000MHz CL30 (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
16GB SAPPHIRE PULSE RADEON™ RX 9070 XT GAMING - 2 x HDMI, 2 x DP
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB CORSAIR ELITE MP600 NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD (up to 7000 MB/R, 6200 MB/W)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
2TB CORSAIR CORE XT MP600 NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD (up to 5000 MB/R, 4400 MB/W)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 1000W RMx SERIES™ ATX 3.1, MODULAR, CYBENETICS GOLD
Power Cable
1 x 1.5 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead, 1.0mm Core)
Processor Cooling
CORSAIR NAUTILUS 360 RS ARGB HIGH PERFORMANCE CPU COOLER
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Card
ONBOARD 2.5Gbe LAN PORT
Wireless Network Card
NONE OR ONBOARD Wi-Fi (MOTHERBOARD DEPENDENT)
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
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
Firefox™
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 6 to 8 working days
Price: £2,309.00 including VAT and Delivery
Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am5-pc/jCVAdQmWpc/

Thanks for the example build, really appreciate the help.

Just a quick side question, is there a reason to avoid the Lumin case in my original build?

 

[BlessedSquirrel]

Thanks for the example build, really appreciate the help.

Just a quick side question, is there a reason to avoid the Lumin case in my original build?

What’s your understanding of what a PC case is for?

 

[DeaconOfTheUK]

Rudimentary I suppose? Frame for the components and airflow

 

[BlessedSquirrel]

Rudimentary I suppose? Frame for the components and airflow

You have 2 areas - purely aesthetic, design = pleasing

Actual cases, primary thing above all else is airflow guided to optimise cooling to CPU, motherboard VRMs, GPU and SSDs

A poor mass produced case is purely about aesthetics. They have to keep costs as low as possible and maximise margins by selling large volumes.

A really good case will concentrate primarily on cooling, but also have incredible design, and nowadays even modular upgrade ability for future proofing.

Cooling is hugely important, it increases stability and durability of the entire build.

The one you’d selected is the first criteria, they’re only suitable for very basic builds, certainly not one with the level of components you’re looking at.

 

[DeaconOfTheUK]

You have 2 areas - purely aesthetic, design = pleasing

Actual cases, primary thing above all else is airflow guided to optimise cooling to CPU, motherboard VRMs, GPU and SSDs

A poor mass produced case is purely about aesthetics. They have to keep costs as low as possible and maximise margins by selling large volumes.

A really good case will concentrate primarily on cooling, but also have incredible design, and nowadays even modular upgrade ability for future proofing.

Cooling is hugely important, it increases stability and durability of the entire build.

The one you’d selected is the first criteria, they’re only suitable for very basic builds, certainly not one with the level of components you’re looking at.

Ok, so what would be an ideal case around this price point? The one suggested in Ekans build?

 

[BlessedSquirrel]

Ok, so what would be an ideal case around this price point? The one suggested in Ekans build?

That’s a far better case. If you can I’d push for the 4000d Frame which is the best value case on the market currently while also being an excellent performer.

It can swap out almost any component including the IO panel so if there’s a new version of USB C released that future motherboards support and you wanted to keep the same case, you could just swap it out to the more modern one, or good if you get any damage, just replace the panel or module

You could reduce the cooler to the 240 if you wanted to balance the budget a bit better