AdviceHelp a Novice spec a system Please.
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AdviceHelp a Novice spec a system Please.Posted:

paulmapp8306
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OK - Im 52.... I havent spec'd a PC for 20 years (I ran my last tower for 10 years, then bout a first gen i5 and console when kids were young - that was 10 years ago).

This build is primarily for general household stuff and music recording/processing. However as I intend to get 10 years out of the build (with some mid life upgrades if possible/appropriate) is will be quite high level so makes sense to have it gaming capable and ditch the console.

I want a balanced system, and have one in mind - however some components Im really not up on - not the benefits of slightly upgrading parts v cost. The system I have in mind is £100 under my max budget - so theres room to improve it where possible (value) or change a few bits here and there. As its primary "work" role is music - having a quiet system is a priority for me. Also Im restricted in size - I cant go over 445mm tall or 225mm wide. Depth isnt an issue.

As a side - Id like Wifi support (as a backup to Ethernet in case my switch goes down) and Bluetooth enabled (so I can use my PS4 controlers and the like). I also need a DVD drive, as a lot of my music drivers/software are still disc based.

I need a 32" monitor (for the music production - yes I know its not the best for gaming) and intend to use QHD resolution.

As a guide to games I intend to/like to play: Total War 3 Kingdoms, Divinity Original Sin 2, Crusader Kings 2, Anno 1800, A Plague Tale, Cyberpunk (wen released), Elite Dangerous - and the like.

So:

Case - Corsair R100 Silent
CPU - AMD Raxon 3700x
Motherboard MSI - X570 Gaming Edge Wifi (wireless and Bluetooth built in)
CPU Cooler - Be Quiet Dark Rock Pro 4
GPU - Nidia RTX 2070 super
Memory - 2 x 8gb 3200 Corsair LPX
1 x M2 drive (OS/gaming/general) - 1TB ADATA SX8200 NVMe (3500/300)
1 x M2 500 GB (Music recording/production only) Samsung 970 Evo Plus (3500/3200)
PSU - Corsair RM650x 80 plus Gold
generic DVD RW drive
1 x extra intake fan - Be Quiet Silent wings 3 120mm
Keyboard - Logitech G512
Mouse - Logitech G903 hero
Moitor AOC CQ321G1

So - some of the choices/concerns on this.

1. The GPU. I could save a little with the Radeon 5700XT which Im guessing will play nicer with an AMD CPU, and also the monitor as its Freesync not G-Sync (yes Im aware the GPU will work with Freesync kind of). The downside is it runs hotter - and key is a lot more noise. How much will that be noticeable in a quiet case and with the other fans etc??

2. CPU. I could JUST stretch to the 3900x chip. A little over (or on budget with the GPU swap) but is it worth it? thinking more future proofing that actual usage at present. Is this where the extra money should be spent or not.

3. Motherboard. No idea at all here. Its a "mid tier" board apparently but most other things are more top tier. Am I better off spending a little more here - if so on what. I do want X570 (despite the cooling fans) as I Intend to make use of PCIe 4 in future.

4. Memory. Is it worth a little more on 3600 over the 3200 - and is it worth pumping the spare £100 into 32GB at the start (rather than having that as an upgrade route). Im guessing no to the latter as dropping another couple of memory sticks in a coupe of years down the line is the easiest/cheapest upgrade route.

5. SSDs. Should I get 2 x 1TB at build - or a better quality main drive? should I save a it and get a lower speed drive for the OS/General drive? (I do want the 3500/3200 speeds for the music drive).

6. The Monitor. Ive spent a lot of time agonising over this. I want 32", 144hz, QHD - not bothered about HR400 (its useless anyway). Not bothered if its curved or not (in fact I think Id prefer it based on distance and location I will use it). I think Id prefer VA over the other options as well. G-Syncs are more expensive and no idea if there worth it. As for brands.... Not used AOC, or Ben-Q, or MSI all of which have options. Ive used Acer in the past, LG/Samsung are what they are but you tend to pay a premium. Asus again, I know there great but expensive. Maybe this is where I spend the extra £ ??

ANYWAY - Lots of thoughts and questions as you can see. I THINK its fairly balanced as is - but advice on where to pump the extra £100 (or indeed dont bother if theres no value in it) or what to change (if there are cheaper but just as good or better options) is most welcome.

Thanks on advance.
#2. Posted:
-Deano
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1. I would just stick with the 2070 Super.

2. 3900X isn't really worth the premium over a 3700X considering the increase in price compared to the performance gain.

3. Nothing to add really, the motherboard suits what you want it for.

4. 3600MHz vs 3200MHz isn't going to be a big deal but if you have the spare money to spend then it won't hurt but it is spending for the sake of it really.

5. Dependent on how much storage you think you need, I do think it would be worth getting a HDD to store additional data on. Especially if you are going to be storing a lot of different music stuff; it can fill up a 500GB SSD quite quickly.

6. I can't find the model monitor you are looking at. A google for it just points me to your post on another forum

Just for a quick search, I found this Samsung monitor at a similar price point
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