First Time Builder

[keithngan162]

I plan on buying some PC parts for my very first pc. I have always used a gaming laptop that's connected to an external monitor and keyboard. I just mainly play COD MW and mayb
I've started looking for parts and here is what I have come up with.

CPU: Intel Core i5-10400 2.9 GHz 6-Core Processor
GPU: Asus GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8 GB STRIX GAMING OC Video Card
MOBO: MSI MAG B460 TOMAHAWK ATX LGA1200 Motherboard
RAM: 2x Kingston HyperX Fury 8 GB (1 x 8 GB) DDR4-2666 CL16 Memory
SSD: Crucial BX500 1 TB 2.5" Solid State Drive
CASE: NZXT H510 ATX Mid Tower Case
PSU: not sure yet
Monitor: Acer VG270p 144hz 1080p


I would like some of your suggestions on my build. After some research I found out that the GPU manufacturer suggests I use a 650w PSU but I'm a bit confused on what PSU to choose because there are so many cables and I'm not sure if the PSU will have the necessary cables for my GPU and MOBO. For example the GPU uses a 8+8 pin connector, does that mean I have to choose a 650w PSU that has those specific cables?

Also, how many CPU fans can I connect to this MOBO? According to Newegg, it has 1x4-pin CPU fan connector, does that mean I can only use a cooler that has only one fan?

 

[Dan]

Pretty sure that every modern 'gaming' PSU will come with the power cables you need. I recommend a modular PSU, which means that you plug in the cables you need to the PSU and leave the ones you don't unplugged. (whereas with older style PSUs, all the cables and hard wired into the PSU, and anything you didnt use, you just left hanging in the case and causing a mess)

Your CPU comes with one CPU fan, as you only need one CPU fan. You also have 6x 4-pin system fan connectors for case fans (PMW fans)

 

[keithngan162]

Pretty sure that every modern 'gaming' PSU will come with the power cables you need. I recommend a modular PSU, which means that you plug in the cables you need to the PSU and leave the ones you don't unplugged. (whereas with older style PSUs, all the cables and hard wired into the PSU, and anything you didnt use, you just left hanging in the case and causing a mess)

So for example I use a Seasonic Prime Gold 750w, it says on their website it has 2 cables of 8/6 pins. Does that mean it has 2 sets of 8 pins that can be used as a 6 pin as well? Do PSUs come with guides on what cables go to which ports?

 

[Dan]

So for example I use a Seasonic Prime Gold 750w, it says on their website it has 2 cables of 8/6 pins. Does that mean it has 2 sets of 8 pins that can be used as a 6 pin as well? Do PSUs come with guides on what cables go to which ports?

That is correct. the 8/6 pin cable is a 6 pin that will have an extra 2 pins hanging off the end. you can use both if your GPU is an 8 pin, or if it is a 6pin, you can just use the 6 and leave the 2 pins hanging off the end.

Modular supplies will have it written on the side what each port is for (gpu will be labelled as GPU or pcie)

 

[Oussebon]

I would strongly recommend not buying this.

1) The RTX 2070 Super is about to go obsolete with the RTX 3070 offering significantly more performance for a similar price
2) Either is overkill for 1080p tbh. I'd wait for some of the GPUs lower down the line to launch e.g. RTX 3060, and maybe something from AMD's RDNA2 lineup also being announced in October
3) AMD's Zen 3 CPUs are about to be announced on Oct 8th and may well outcompete Intel's budget i5s.
4) The i5 10400 + B460 combo can be poor value vs existing AMD options


People often say "I'll get a last gen GPU when it's cheap" but in reality they rarely get cheap enough to properly compete with a new gen if that new gen is offering the kinds of performance vs price level this one is.

If this is your first PC, I'd really just waiting a month to see what all the new releases are and then make your choice.

What country and currency are you shopping in?

 

[Zoid]

I plan on buying some PC parts for my very first pc. I have always used a gaming laptop that's connected to an external monitor and keyboard. I just mainly play COD MW and mayb
I've started looking for parts and here is what I have come up with.

CPU: Intel Core i5-10400 2.9 GHz 6-Core Processor
GPU: Asus GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8 GB STRIX GAMING OC Video Card
MOBO: MSI MAG B460 TOMAHAWK ATX LGA1200 Motherboard
RAM: 2x Kingston HyperX Fury 8 GB (1 x 8 GB) DDR4-2666 CL16 Memory
SSD: Crucial BX500 1 TB 2.5" Solid State Drive
CASE: NZXT H510 ATX Mid Tower Case
PSU: not sure yet
Monitor: Acer VG270p 144hz 1080p


I would like some of your suggestions on my build. After some research I found out that the GPU manufacturer suggests I use a 650w PSU but I'm a bit confused on what PSU to choose because there are so many cables and I'm not sure if the PSU will have the necessary cables for my GPU and MOBO. For example the GPU uses a 8+8 pin connector, does that mean I have to choose a 650w PSU that has those specific cables?

Also, how many CPU fans can I connect to this MOBO? According to Newegg, it has 1x4-pin CPU fan connector, does that mean I can only use a cooler that has only one fan?

Congrats on the first build, and welcome!

Have you already ordered these parts or are you waiting to place the order? There's not really anything wrong with this build, but I agree with @Oussebon that there are lots of new components being released in the next month or so, and if you haven't ordered these components I would recommend waiting. Do you have a PCPartPicker list you can link to?

Power supplies can be a confusing landscape. This list should be no means be treated as the complete authority, but it's a good guide to get you started on choosing a good PSU. There are lots of low-quality PSUs out there, and it's hard to tell which they are if you don't know what you're looking for. Use that list as a guideline and then before buying, be sure to find a reputable review or two. In general, a 650W (or similar) semi-modular or fully modular PSU would be the way to go.

And yes, pretty much any PSU you buy should come with two 8-pin (or 8/6 pin) PCIe cables. As far as what to plug in where, everything should be labeled, and usually PC connectors are designed in such a way that they can only fit where they're supposed to fit. As long as you take your time, PC building is actually pretty idiot-proof

 

[keithngan162]

I have not ordered any parts yet, I'm just trying to get an idea on what to choose and how these pieces fit together. I don't plan on buying these anytime soon anyway, right now I guess I'm just trying to understand everything I can before making a decision. The earliest I plan on having a completed build is somewhere February because I will be moving houses around January. I guess the 2070 super was kind of a placeholder to make a theoretical pc for now and study everything I need before spending money. I agree there are newer cards about to release that may have better value currently and I will definitely consider those newer cards and maybe a 1440p monitor in the future.

I shop in the Philippines (PHP).

Here is my PCPartPicker list but as I said nothing is set in stone yet. https://pcpartpicker.com/user/keithngan162/saved/TG6yK8

 

[Zoid]

I have not ordered any parts yet, I'm just trying to get an idea on what to choose and how these pieces fit together. I don't plan on buying these anytime soon anyway, right now I guess I'm just trying to understand everything I can before making a decision. The earliest I plan on having a completed build is somewhere February because I will be moving houses around January. I guess the 2070 super was kind of a placeholder to make a theoretical pc for now and study everything I need before spending money. I agree there are newer cards about to release that may have better value currently and I will definitely consider those newer cards and maybe a 1440p monitor in the future.

I shop in the Philippines (PHP).

Here is my PCPartPicker list but as I said nothing is set in stone yet. https://pcpartpicker.com/user/keithngan162/saved/TG6yK8

If this is your first build then I think it's great that you're researching this far ahead and making yourself familiar with the market. When it comes to actually placing orders though, definitely wait until you're within a few weeks of building. If you bought some of your components now, they would be sitting on your shelf slowly becoming obsolete and being outmoded by new components between now and Q1 2021. For things like power supplies and cases this isn't as applicable because these things aren't updated or superseded as frequently, but it's still best practice to buy all of your components more or less together.

But we are happy to offer feedback in the meantime to help you familiarize yourself with the PC building process! I don't know what the pricing is like in the Philippines I'm afraid, but I'll try my best.

A couple things I'd note about your current parts list: You have two 8GB sticks of RAM listed as separate line items. You'll most likely find it cheaper to buy a single 16GB (2x8GB) package rather than two individually sold sticks. I don't know what prices are like for you, but where I live you can buy 3200MHz RAM for only a few bucks more than 2666MHz. If that's the case for you too, then might as well spec the faster memory.

Also, check out PCIe NVMe SSDs instead of 2.5" ones. The 2.5" SATA SSDs are perfectly fine, but NVMe SSDs have come down in price a lot and offer a lot more potential performance over their SATA cousins.

 

[Oussebon]

I don't plan on buying these anytime soon anyway

In all honesty the best advice is probably to not plan yet then

Because so much new stuff is coming out - and we don't know exactly what pricing or performance. And even if it wasn't coming out, pricing and availability is all over the place at the moment due to global demand and supply issues re: pandemic

I'd think it's unlikely you'll end up buying anything on the list, except maybe the case and the PSU.

Agreed with @Zoid 's points re SSD and RAM. Also, buying the RAM in a kit means each stick is guaranteed to be compatible with the other . If you buy 2 sticks separately there is a chance, however small, that they won't play nicely together.

An AMD Zen 3 CPU, maybe Ryzen 5 model, a B450/550 board, 2 x 8gb 3200MHz / 3600MHz RAM, a sub-$500 GPU from the new releases, an M.2 NVMe SSD model dependent on pricing. Possibly a CPU cooler too if you want something better than the boxed ones. Would be my guess of where to start crafting a build. But it's a guess because we just don't know performance, pricing, and availability.

The build would be a similar 'shape' to yours at similar price points (probably), except the GPU which is likely to be cheaper and a lower tier than xx70. But being specific at this point isn't possible I think.

One thing to take away from this is that PC component choices can change radically in just a few weeks.

 

[keithngan162]

Because so much new stuff is coming out - and we don't know exactly what pricing or performance. And even if it wasn't coming out, pricing and availability is all over the place at the moment due to global demand and supply issues re: pandemic


One thing to take away from this is that PC component choices can change radically in just a few weeks.

With AMD releasing new CPUs and GPUs soon, and NVIDIA releasing new GPUs, I agree that it is best to wait for them to release and for pricing and availability to stabilize.

Thanks to everyone for helping!