cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/35683340
Hey everyone,
I’m looking for feedback on my PC build. My current setup, a Ryzen 5 3700X with 32GB of RAM and an RX 480, has served me well over the past three years. However, it’s driving me nuts lately because of the noise. The high TDP of the 3700X, combined with the cheap Cooler Master N400 case I originally got to accommodate my pile of HDDs, has made it unbearably loud. I’m planning to repurpose that build as a file server, so it’s time for a much-needed upgrade.
Here’s the new build I’m considering:
Type Item Price CPU AMD Ryzen 7 9700X 3.8 GHz 8-Core Processor $447.05$406.82 (Canada Computers Bundle)CPU Cooler Noctua NH-D15S 82.52 CFM CPU Cooler $99.95 @ Amazon Canada Motherboard MSI MAG B650 TOMAHAWK WIFI ATX AM5 Motherboard $249.98$227.48 (Canada Computers Bundle)Memory TEAMGROUP T-Force Vulcan 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory $109.99$100.09 (Canada Computers Bundle)Storage Timetec 35TTFP6PCIE 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive $0 (on hand) Storage Seagate IronWolf 12 TB 3.5" 7200 RPM Internal Hard Drive $0 (on hand) Video Card Asus Dual GeForce RTX 3060 V2 OC Edition GeForce RTX 3060 12GB 12 GB Video Card $0 (on hand) Case Fractal Design Focus 2 ATX Mid Tower Case $79.99 @ Canada Computers Power Supply Corsair RM750e (2023) 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply $114.99 @ Newegg Canada Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts Total $1029.32 A bit about my design decisions:
- Case: I chose the Fractal Design Focus 2 ATX case because of its 140mm fans and the option for a USB-C upgrade. I considered the be quiet! Pure Base 500 for its quieter performance, but I decided against it since the slight noise reduction wasn’t worth sacrificing overall airflow. My main thing is that I can’t stand cases with exposed glass panels, so I was looking for cases that either were fully mesh or had non-glass side panels. I’m okay with mini-ATX cases or getting an mATX board but I’d rather have a larger PC and the option of adding additional expansion cards with an ATX mobo.
- CPU: I opted for the Ryzen 7 9700X over the 7700X for its lower TDP, which I hope will translate to quieter operation and lower temperatures. I ruled out the X3D CPUs since my main use case includes development, virtualization, and some local AI workloads (e.g., Local LLaMA), with gaming as a secondary focus.
- Cooler: I went with the Noctua NH-D15S for its quiet operation and compact design. While its airflow is slightly worse than the standard NH-D15, I felt the trade-off was worth it. A little peace of mind as well for it conflicting with the rest of my build.
- Motherboard: I chose the MSI MAG B650 TOMAHAWK because it has the most USB ports and strong VRMs, which fit my needs since I tend to lag behind the latest GPU generations (e.g., buying prior-gen GPUs for 1080p/1440p gaming). Its lack of a PCIe 5.0 x16 slot could limit future graphics upgrades, but I hope to still upgrade to x4 cards down the line when prices drop. Alternative bundled mobos I considered were the ASUS TUF GAMING B650-E and GIGABYTE B650 EAGLE AX, which I’m open to switching to if the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.
- PSU: I picked the Corsair RM750e because it was the cheapest Tier A option on the PSU Tier List.
- RGB: Not a fan of LEDs and RGB and I’m willing to pay a premium to avoid it.
- Upgrades in mind: I don’t need this build to last five years without upgrades. My plan is to eventually upgrade the GPU (to the best current-gen GPU under $400 USD when prices drop) and bump the RAM to 64GB if I take on heavier virtualization workloads.
Does this look like a balanced build?
Are there areas where I could improve performance or save money? I’d also love thoughts on my motherboard choice and whether my upgrade path assumptions make sense. Thanks in advance for the feedback! 😊
You state your reasoning for the upgrade is high TDP and noise. Wouldn’t these problems are solvable with just upgrading your CPU cooler and switching to quieter fans? Of course if you just want a new PC and are factoring those shortcomings from your current build in to your decision making well then disregard and carry on 😊.
I don’t want to comment on the build itself because I don’t really have my finger on the pulse of new hardware so my advice probably isn’t any good.
+1 here for no LED’s and windowed cases!
I definitely thought about it, especially since people on r/buildapc say they tend to replace every 5-8 years with upgrades along the way, but the truth of it is just that the first time I tried to replace the cooler, I didn’t realize you need to warm up the CPU to loosen the thermal paste to the CPU. As expected, I used a lot of force to get the cooler off and ended up destroying the CPU by accident when the cooler finally gave way. Dumb way to blow $500 CAD.
In general though, the build isn’t optimal for airflow. The case definitely is not great airflow wise and I always had a game plan to turn it into a file server (with some undervolting). Thanks for the advice!
I mostly like your decisions, but 32GB RAM only? C’mon, put in at least 64 if not more. Also why HDD? It buzzes, unless you really need a lot of cheap and slow storage I’d avoid it, perhaps go with a cheaper 4TB SSD. Last note: 750W PSU is a bit of an overkill and will consume more energy than a smaller one.
I’m not convinced my workload will really justify over 32GB of RAM yet, and there’s 2 leftover RAM slots that I can always slot in additional memory down the road.
Point taken on the HDD, I thought that it would be possible to set up the HDD to just spin down when not in use but apparently the HDD I’m considering still has an annoying hum in idle. So that was a fair thing to challenge.
Even if you don’t think you need 64GB (you need), it’s better to have modules from same batch. Otherwise you are calling for troubles. :)
Point taken and I will order a 64gb ram kit and sell the 32gb on FB Marketplace. Thanks for the input.
Check DeepCool and Thermalright for cooling options. I run Noctua too but they’re definitely not the best value.
I’d install all the RAM I’d ever need on this machine because DDR5 is even more sensitive to chip differences than earlier standards. Also I have no idea who Team are. I would use Crucial since they actually make RAM chips. Keep in mind that using 4 DIMMs drops RAM speed dramatically on AM5. I think the AMD docs say 3600 or 3800 for 4 DIMMs. You could run them faster but you won’t get to the rated speed.
Stay away from Gigabyte. Check what ASRock has if it makes more sense than MSI. I recently got their X870 Pro RS and it’s been great so far. Few PCIe slots on this one but there’s 2x USB 4 which seems to work well and it can be broken out to many USB 3 ports if needed. E.g. a 40 Gbps port can be split to 4x 10 Gbps ports or perhaps even to 7x 5 Gbps ports.
Check FSP, Seasonic in case they have something for a PSU in the price range. They both actually make power supplies, rather than marketing like many of the other ones on that list. I have a Seasonic-made Corsair from 2012 still in use. Runs 24/7. Buy overspecced unit. The beefier it is, the cooler it runs, the less the fan spins / the longer capacitors last.
I got a Noctua D12 cooler for my first computer eight years ago. I did a complete upgrade this year, including switching from Intel to AMD. I sent Noctua my receipt for the motherboard and the cooler itself, and the shipped me a brand new bracket for the cooler for free.
Oh I know they’re good like that. However eight years ago you probably spent under $100 for it. Now a D15 is $150+. There’s comparable Thermalrights for $40-60. And the Noctua is also made in PRC. At this price tag I’d expect something made by European or North American labor. I’m no longer sure Noctua’s engineering and customer service is worth the profit margins. They’re not a nonprofit or a worker co-op that adds social value making it worth paying those margins either. Again, I’m saying this as someone running Noctua (from 10 years ago) with Noctua fans, and just purchased some new Noctua case fans. I think I’ll keep buying their fans as I think they’re still worth it, especially when other high-gimmick brands are selling at similar prices while offering worse bearings and acoustics. But if I were to buy a new cooler today, I might opt for a Thermalright. And it’s not like Thermalright is garbage pile stuff. For many years they held the crown for air coolers with the Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme, until Noctua took over from them with their towers.
Check DeepCool and Thermalright for cooling options. I run Noctua too but they’re definitely not the best value.
Check FSP, Seasonic in case they have something for a PSU in the price range. They both actually make power supplies, rather than marketing like many of the other ones on that list. I have a Seasonic-made Corsair from 2012 still in use. Runs 24/7. Buy overspecced unit. The beefier it is, the cooler it runs, the less the fan spins / the longer capacitors last.
I ended up switching my CPU cooler to the Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 EVO, since my PSU choice changed to the RM850x which has a top 29dB noise level. The log calculations made the Noctua D15s less appealing given the price point.
I’d install all the RAM I’d ever need on this machine because DDR5 is even more sensitive to chip differences than earlier standards. Also I have no idea who Team are. I would use Crucial since they actually make RAM chips. Keep in mind that using 4 DIMMs drops RAM speed dramatically on AM5. I think the AMD docs say 3600 or 3800 for 4 DIMMs. You could run them faster but you won’t get to the rated speed.
I also ended up buying a 64GB ram kit and will sell the 32GB kit I already purchased. You’re right in noting that 2x DIMM is the best config.
Stay away from Gigabyte. Check what ASRock has if it makes more sense than MSI. I recently got their X870 Pro RS and it’s been great so far. Few PCIe slots on this one but there’s 2x USB 4 which seems to work well and it can be broken out to many USB 3 ports if needed. E.g. a 40 Gbps port can be split to 4x 10 Gbps ports or perhaps even to 7x 5 Gbps ports.
I was already hesitant about going Gigabyte since I know their brand reputation has tanked and their B650 board has horrible VRM. People on r/bapcsalescanada warned against the Gigabyte boards, even the Eagle AX option.
Thanks for all your input!
Glad to help. Do you look into who makes the RM850x? Just curious.
My understanding is that the 2021 Corsair RM850x variant is manufactured and relabelled from a Channel Well Technology (CWT) PSU with Japanese capacitors from Nippon Chemi-Con (the RM-e variants use Taiwanese capacitors, I think from either Teapo or CapXon).
Back when I worked at CC, CWT was considered okay but definitely not as reliable as Seasonic-made units. We used the Seasonic-made PC Power & Cooling in most builds we did for customers. But that was 15 years ago so I’ve no clue where CWT is today. 🥲
Since noise is a major consideration for you, your main noise sources are: HDD, fans, case fans, CPU coolers, GPU fan as others have identified, those can be mitigated when you don’t use them. Your PSU will also have a cooling fan which can sometimes make annoying sounds. I got a Corsair RMx shift so that at low load, the PSU fan is off and my PC is very quiet, you may want to consider it. I figure it would reduce wear on the fan too.
Get the largest radiators you can fit for coolers so that the fans don’t have to spin as fast. With the right setup it will just be a low droning sound.
In terms of bottlenecks, the GPU is first for gaming, video rendering and AI workloads, RAM first for virtualization and parallel workloads. Your CPU is good and will last you a while.
Thanks for all the input! I’m going to swap out the RM-e with the RM850x. The top dB of that PSU is still 29dB at high load, so I’ll just compromise and swap out the Noctua D15S with the Thermalright Phantom Spirit.
