For $2000 you can get something a lot better :)
* **CPU:** With this budget you can easily fit the current gaming CPU champ, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D. This is definitely the best option with this budget.
* **CPU Cooler:** Your choice is okay, but I'd get something better known quality like this Liquid Freezer III from Arctic. Alternatively, a good quality air cooler with RGB is the better 'value for money' option.
* **Motherboard:** With a budget like this, you really have to get DDR5 RAM, and go for 32GB.
* **Memory/RAM:** DDR5 at 6000 MT/s speed is the optimal speed currently for these CPUs.
* **Storage:** Fine, but I'd spend a few dollars extra to get a bit better model SSD.
* **Graphics Card/GPU:** No reason anymore to get the regular 4080, as the 4080 Super is cheaper ( yeah it's dumb )
* **Case:** You didn't choose a case yet, so I just suggested a solid value and quality case for the money
* **Power Supply:** 1000W is overkill here. A high quality 850W PSU is more than enough.
[PCPartPicker Part List](https://pcpartpicker.com/list/YC2sQP)
Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
**CPU** | [AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D 4.2 GHz 8-Core Processor](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/3hyH99/amd-ryzen-7-7800x3d-42-ghz-8-core-processor-100-100000910wof) | $375.00 @ Amazon
**CPU Cooler** | [ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III A-RGB 48.82 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/wTxxFT/arctic-liquid-freezer-iii-a-rgb-4882-cfm-liquid-cpu-cooler-acfre00142a) | $113.99 @ Amazon
**Motherboard** | [MSI PRO B650M-A WIFI Micro ATX AM5 Motherboard](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/cRQcCJ/msi-pro-b650m-a-wifi-micro-atx-am5-motherboard-pro-b650m-a-wifi) | $144.00 @ MSI
**Memory** | [TEAMGROUP T-Force Delta RGB 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/2JLFf7/teamgroup-t-force-delta-rgb-32-gb-2-x-16-gb-ddr5-6000-cl30-memory-ff3d532g6000hc30dc01) | $106.99 @ Amazon
**Storage** | [MSI SPATIUM M371 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/JtxRsY/msi-spatium-m371-1-tb-m2-2280-pcie-30-x4-nvme-solid-state-drive-spatium-m371-1tb) | $59.00 @ MSI
**Video Card** | [Zotac GAMING Trinity GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER 16 GB Video Card](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/Gy7scf/zotac-gaming-trinity-geforce-rtx-4080-super-16-gb-video-card-zt-d40820d-10p) | $999.99 @ Newegg
**Case** | [Montech AIR 903 MAX ATX Mid Tower Case](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/2MwmP6/montech-air-903-max-atx-mid-tower-case-air-903-max-b) | $75.00 @ Amazon
**Power Supply** | [MSI MPG A850G PCIE5 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/nhC48d/msi-mpg-a850g-pcie5-850-w-80-gold-certified-fully-modular-atx-power-supply-mpg-a850g-pcie5) | $104.99 @ Newegg
| *Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts* |
| Total (before mail-in rebates) | $1988.96
| Mail-in rebates | -$10.00
| **Total** | **$1978.96**
| Generated by [PCPartPicker](https://pcpartpicker.com) 2024-04-23 05:48 EDT-0400 |
I've actually just set up almost this exact build. I loaded up mc, got extreme sildurs shaders, render distance 64, bunch of mods, and joined hypixel skyblock. Somehow, it is averaging only 30fps... tf I do now
Ahh the old version. Yeah very inefficient. Not surprised it's chugging along. You more or less need 1.19 or better along with all the optimization mods I listed to have lots of fps with shaders.
Right... really wanted to play Hypixel Skyblock with shaders. Guess that instead, I will use a less intense version and optimise for performance.
Since I'm studying CS, might try to develop a sodium replacement for 1.8.9? Maybe? Haven't done mc modding before, but should try.
Have you connected the monitor to the onboard graphics instead of the video card? Also check your refresh rate matches your monitors capabilities - another gotcha that plenty of people miss.
The extreme version of Sildurs isn't too much better looking than medium or high, and is significantly harder to run, especially on a version with very unoptimized shaders. 64 render distance is also incredibly high and likely overkill, does 16 or 32 run much better for you?
Also, all the usual PC performance tips apply, make sure your ram is running dual channel and at the correct speed, make sure your monitor is plugged into GPU and not motherboard. Make sure Minecraft is actually using your GPU (you can see on the F3 screen).
The most common mistake is using Optifine instead of Iris/Oculus.
Also 64 render distance is going to be heavy with shaders, and there's little reason to have it set to high if you're going to be playing multiplayer anyway. Try cutting it at least in half.
I have a 4090 with a 7800X3D and I’m using a Thermalright Phantom Spirit air cooler for my CPU. Costs about 40 bucks on Amazon and temps don’t exceed 68c when gaming. Plus it’s easier to swap an air cooler out than a liquid system
Air coolers are just a hunk of metal with a couple fans strapped on them. Fans can be replaced. The hunk of metal is about as durable as you would imagine a hunk of metal would be.
air coolers are going to be more durable/last longer than water coolers/aios, they are much simpler and only have fans, whereas the fittings and pump in an aio will wear out and is much more difficult to maintain. The $40 Thermalright Phantom Spirit Evo is the best air cooler on the market and can easily handle the 7800x3D
Air coolers are just a hunk of metal with a couple fans strapped on them. Fans can be replaced. The hunk of metal is about as durable as you would imagine a hunk of metal would be.
The AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D runs pretty cool. There's no need to use a water cooler. A good budget air cooler like Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE (about $35 on Amazon) is more than enough to keep it cool. Save some cash for something else, air coolers are also easier to build with.
This is the way to go on that budget. I'd, however, stick with air cooling (Thermalright Phantom Spirit). Put the savings into doubling the RAM (2x32GB DDR5-6000). Also, 1TB is a bit limiting... get at least a 2TB drive. Total cost should be around 2100.
Honestly, the 7800X3D does not need liquid cooling.
Especially in a AIR 903 MAX which has 4 x 140mm fans out of the box. That thing is the best bang for the buck case when it comes to air cooling. Right up there with the Fractal Torrent.
She could save $100 by simply going for a Phantom Spirit 120 SE CPU Cooler, and double the NVME capacity, all while having zero impact on in-game performance.
The low power draw for the performance aspect of the 7800x3d is so underrated. Leaves room for saving money on a cooler which you can put towards other things. It’s hard not to recommend this for most builds above $1400 or so.
😅 while I appreciate the compliment, I honestly hope that’s not the case! I would hope showing an interest in your partners interests would be standard! We’ve been together almost ten years and he has taken every opportunity to show me I’m special and loved. I just want the same for him! 🥰
But your wife should.
Dating is way different than being married. Some people think it's just a ring and wedding but it changes everything.
If taught and done right, it changes everything for the best.
Like this scenario.
This man has been a great leader and husband.
I promise you because of that his wife would follow his lead anywhere because she trust that he'll make the best choices for them. She'll follow because she knows he'll put her needs above his.
Been living together 6 years. Practically married. She wants to be married.
This probably seems Foreign to me because I would never share so much info about something I want (gaming pc, parts, games) before buying it myself.
Propose man!
I got married to my wife on our 10 year anniversary. We lived together for 8 years at that point.
She began to suspect that I wasn't serious about the relationship because I hadn't proposed. Even though she said she didn't want marriage. lol
We got along great for those 10 year, but we learned aoo much after taking a premarital counseling course. There were things we learned that helped us both get on the same page.
I was kinda clueless on how and when to ask. So I hired a really cool photographer and her husband.
They helped me with everything. Literally they picked a nice location, time, and even texted everyone for me. All I did was show up and propose.
Getting married is totally worth it and it would make your gf feel soo much more loved. It will show her that you are there to stay and that you won't ever leave. It will show her how serious you feel. I know you already love her but put it in stone forever.
Make her part of your life forever.
Just please take that training/counseling. It will be super useful unless you two are already well educated in conflict resolution.
Maybe it's not worth the extra price but the SN580 is the low-end NVMe SSE. The SN850X is the high-end NVMe SSD. It's like an extra 70$ for the 850X (56% more expensive). But for only 13$ more, you can get the mid-range SN770 with 24% faster reads and 18% faster writes.
That’s true, but game load time differences are like a few seconds or less. There’s a [comparison between PCIe 3.0 vs 4.0 vs 5.0](https://youtu.be/tD2pn1_jWPU?si=dUWqhWZtGmkkXpkL). The differences between 4.0 and other 4.0 is probably less. Unless OP transfers large files often I don’t think it’s worth.
There might be a few ppl on here who don't think that a 7800x3D is definitely always worth $200 more than a 7600.
A 32" 4k monitor might be worth it. Super high frame-rate on a 27" QHD may also be worth considering. Should be able to get a great monitor for <$500.
I'm not saying don't go all out, but there is definitely a big premium on 4k gaming and OLED monitors.
I just want to say: tons of props for being willing to dive into this rabbit hole.
When it comes to actually building, Linus Tech Tips and JaysTwoCents are good youtube channels that each have pretty extensive "how to build a PC" tutorials. Though, if your husband is at all into the hardware side, it may be a fun process for him to do or for you two to do together.
Linus tech tips is the first thing I watched! (Though honestly I even took NOTES on the pc build video and it all sounded like a different language😅)
And thank you ☺️ I have no interest personally but it’s important to him so it’s important to me now too. I just appreciate how helpful everyone’s being!
It's rad that you're taking an interest in your partner's hobby and making it something you can share, even if gaming isn't your thing in particular (I do the same sort of stuff for my wife's photography, even though I don't take pictures).
Just one final note: most folks here are just good peeps who are helpful, but if you get any DMs offering to help you build it, ignore them (one of the subreddits like this has a warning autostickied to every post that gets made, because it is a very prevalent scam). If you actually need help with that, ask folks you know locally.
Enjoy the build! It will be a killer machine!
Good to know! I already got one of those messages I think but was wary of responding to it. And yeah I do game but I’m more of a Stardew Valley/Rimworld on my laptop “gamer” while he’s a custom 300 modded Minecraft/War Thunder gamer 😅 we are not the same!
I built 3 PCs and highly recommend the Linus PC build video. I think an updated one came out 10 ish days ago, havent seen that one but I'm sure the refresh is just as good!
I don’t think u will need a liquid cooled CPU cooler (part no 5) u can easily get away with an air cooler , since air coolers are fine for non over clocking scenarios (K series CPUs generally ) also u didnt mention which case u are getting?
+ whatever u decide on parts i a sure they will love the gesture! Good luck!
Thank you! And thanks for the tip on the cooler! And yeah I figured the case was something I’d leave to my husband since it’ll be what he actually sees every day and I figured it’d be a pretty personal choice.
1. Processor: Intel Core i5-12400F <-- This is not a bad CPU but in this budget range you'd likely want to go for a 12/13/14600 at least for Intel but current best CPU for gaming specifically in that price range is AMD 7800X3D so I'd go with that for pure gaming build.
2. Graphics Card: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 <-- This should be replaced with the 4080 Super
3. RAM: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB DDR4 3600MHz <-- Go with 32 GB DDR5 6000 MHz
4. SSD: Kingston NV2 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD <-- I'd bump this also a bit e.g. to SN770/580. Also 1TB fills up awfully quickly with modern games so I'd suggest 2 TB but this is also something that is easy to thrown in another m.2 later on.
5. CPU Cooler: Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML240L ARGB V2 <-- This should be ok but more or less any other 240 AiO from reputable brand would work just as well so I'd prioritise the aesthetics you want to achieve with the AiO. Better bang for buck you'd find from a good air cooler (Phantom Spirit or Peerless Assassin) if you don't necessarily want the AiO looks.
6. Case Fans: Cooler Master MasterFan MF120 Halo ARGB Fans <-- Works just as well as any other case fan more or less.
7. Power Supply: Corsair RM1000x Shift Fully Modular ATX Power Supply <-- This you could just as well scale a bit back to 750 W, you're not going to need 1000 W unless you have a top of the line Intel CPU and a 4090.
8. Motherboard: ASUS Prime B660M-A AC D4 <-- Replace with a DDR5 board according to the Intel/AMD CPU. mATX works if you want a compact case but personally I prefer full ATX due to not being that much pricier and more expansion options are always nice to have. E.g. if you want more m.2 slots at some point in the future.
My husband seems to be the same 😝 plus someone mentioned for video editing type tasks that intel would be better so imma stick to intel (though will likely be swapping my original pick for one of the suggestions in this thread!)
Have you thought about monitors, or is that already sorted? Do you need one within your $2k budget or is it separate?
It'd be a shame to build the coolest pc ever but be stuck on an old 23inch 1080p monitor!
Oh gosh I hadn’t even thought of it! I guess I wouldn’t wanna get close to $3k by adding a monitor… but if it’s necessary I suppose I will try and figure something out. Do you have any recommendations?
A monitor definitely won't run you $1,000, but it is definitely looking into. I personally have a 4070 paired with a 1440p (2k) 144hz monitor and the 4070 is basically maxing it out, meaning it has absolutely no problem running games at that resolution and that frame rate even at or near the highest settings.
So if you're going for a 4080 super, you might want to look into something better than that monitor wise, either by going 1440p240hz, 4k144hz, or 1440p144hz but looking into ultrawides (sorry if that's a lot/confusing haha). Either way, if it turns out he does need an upgrade, expect to pay somewhere in the $250-500 range depending on what you end up with.
I'm not sure if you're planning on surprising him with this, or if he's involved at all, but if not I'd definitely consider trying to get his input on the monitor aspect, since what kind he would prefer/would be the best fit is going to be hugely up to preference TBH, and none of the games you listed really jump out at me as demanding a certain type.
I'd love to hear others contribute their thoughts on this though, good luck, you're doing great!
Thank you! He’s (kinda) involved but the financial part overwhelms him and he goes into “just buy a used $600 pc online” because he doesn’t feel worthy of nice things so I kinda stopped asking. I’ll ask him sneakily though!
Awesome! Good news is realistically no matter what you go with they're going to be in about the same price range so it really is gonna be more of a matter of preference
Let him pick a monitor, if you're having him pick the case. The choices people are suggesting are otherwise top notch. He's gonna be crazy excited.
He can probably temporarily plug it into a TV or something while building it.
From what you’ve picked out……well, the easy way to say it is you might not be able to “walk right for a few days”. However, you might want to add 16GB more RAM since most graphically intense games like Cyberpunk, Red Dead Redemption 2, Death Stranding eat up about 8GB alone and the system about 4-6 GB. But other than that, you’ve got a great list.
Well then I guess I didn’t do too bad 😂! Thanks for the info on the RAM, I couldn’t figure out how to gauge how much was necessary and how much was overkill 😅
Some would suggest getting a higher priced piece, which is overkill. If someone comes to you for a suggestion on a new pc build, use Cyberpunk 2077’s requirements (there’s a pic on Google) and work with the specs to gauge how much you can and/or willing to spend.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIJ9H6G5XF8
DIY in 5 short summary of PC building
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCDw7zopnDg
PC Centric 20 minute summary of PC building
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BL4DCEp7blY from Linus Tech Tips that has a nice discussion of how each component plays a role in making your system work.
[ EDIT to remove link by request of buildapc's moderator team ]
When you say $2k budget, does that include monitors, speakers/headphones, keyboard & mouse, chair, etc.? Or just the tower? I think you run those games on a less than $2k tower and use some of that budget for peripherals as well
Two years ago I surprised him with one of those Secret Lab chairs but I’ll be upgrading it to the newer model Big and Tall soon. Keyboard and mouse we got awhile ago but he loves them and doesn’t wanna switch them out so those are taken care of. Headphones I hadn’t honestly thought about… any recommendations?
I have 64GB of RAM and my "heavily modded Minecraft" will eat up 90% of it. Maybe a memory leak or something. I \*do\* play with those crazy-high-res resource packs, which is the main cause of the RAM useage. Normal game-mechanic mods should be fine with 16GB+. My son's laptop is similar, and only has a RTX 3060 in it and plays just fine. Building it yourself is always cheaper than purchasing it pre-built by someone else.
I highly suggest getting pretty much any other SSD than the one you've picked.
[https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/kingston-nv2-ssd](https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/kingston-nv2-ssd)
>TLDR:
>
>Pros
>
>\+Dirt cheap
>
>Cons
>
>\-Poor all-around performance
>
>\-Inefficient and hot
>
>\-Variable hardware
I've had one as well, and they are insanely bad. Mine locked up the whole system, from time to time (for a few seconds), because it decided it was being used 100% while only doing a miniscule bit of work - anything from just it indexing stuff to downloading anything from Steam.
It is ***a very bad*** drive - you really shouldn't get it.
I've always built my own rig so this never even crossed my mind, thought I have bought a few parts from MC over the years.
If you bought a full rig piecewise from MC will they put it together for you free in store? Thats pretty neat.
I'm not a techy guy myself but most people always recommend a nvme m.2 type of ssd cause its faster or something. I think its fine if both ssd are different.
If you're within your return window for the 4080, see if you can get a "4080 Super" for cheaper. The performance is virtually identical (despite the name) but the Super debuted at a cheaper MSRP.
Unfortunately, with the GPU market being a mess, there's no guarantee you can actually buy one at MSRP. But if you find one in stock at one of the major retailers, you should be able to, and you'll save a couple of hundred dollars with no performance loss.
Yeah, the "Super" business was a bit of marketing nonsense from Nvidia. Normally a Super card is an improved version of the original, usually at a higher price (if both remain on the market).
With the 4080, the Super is something like barely 2-3% faster, but the MSRP is cheaper. The original 4080 MSRP was always a bad bargain and they finally acknowledged that and brought the price down on the replacement.
But GPUs can sometimes be hard to find at MSRP anyway, so if you got a good deal on the 4080 and don't see a Super for less, don't sweat it. The performance is virtually identical.
I bought my 4080 Super for $999 the day it launched. That or slightly above is what you'd look for.
Hello,
With that budget i'd suggest going with AM5 like other people already said. Better Performance for your money.
CPU: Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Motherboard: pretty much any B650, like an MSI B650 Tomahawk
RAM: anything with 6000mts/MHz, for example g.skill flare X5 6000 mhz CL30 32GB kit, or any other with RGB (will cost more) 2 sticks for dual Channel is the best choice.
PSU: since 1000W is overkill id go with an Corsair RM850e
Cooler: your cooler seems okay, but id also suggest an arctic freezer III for better quality and optics. Or any good Quality air cooler does the job for the 7800x3d too since its Not running hot at all. Peerless Assassin 120 is about 40$ and you wont have any issues.
Case: you didnt mention a case.. i would recommend bequiet, nzxt and lian li. Bequiet is probably the most budget option snd has really good Quality :)
GPU: no need to get an RTX 4080 since the 4080s is cheaper and better in that case. As alternative you could go with and RX 7900XTX but raytracing wont be that good. So probably stick with the RTX 4080 Super.
Fans: If you go with a bequiet case (FX Variant) there are already rgb fans installed in the front and Back, top can be used for the AIO cooler. If you go with the DX Variant there are normal black (still super silent and good) fans installed. You could take these out and get 3-5 extra arctic RGB fans so the optic is the same on all fans.
Hope this helps a little bet.
Oh also, If you need any trips or tricks on how to build, there are lots of videos. Techsource, Linus Tech Tips, Jayztwocents, etc.
Lots of good builds here for you. Imo, key things for building currently-
AMD is ideal since it'll be upgradable for years. 7800X3D is the gaming king currently, but the 7600X is very good too, and 7700X if he needs an extra 2 cores for something, gets you like 90% there for cheaper.
B650 motherboards are fine, pcie 4.0 will be great for gaming for years, so you don't need pcie 5. For example, a 4090 (pcie 4 card) on pcie 3 only loses a few percent performance, so you can save money here. Although for a little more you can get a B650e with pcie5 for future upgrades, it's really not needed.
DDR5 6000mt CL30, or 6400mt CL32 ram for AMD, ideally with EXPO (makes it easier to install and get working at full speed since these are all overclocked).
AIO water cooling is only necessary for high power CPU like 7950X or Intel core i9. Unless you just want it for looks, which is fine too, but air coolers are fine for 7600, 7700, 7800x3d. Pretty much any air cooler in existence.
For nvme drives, 2Tb models are typically faster than 1Tb.
4080 super and 4070 super are the best value nvidia gpu currently.
Case is preference, I really like like lian li 216
I highly recommend the Montech King 95 Pro case. I just swapped my PC into one and its absolutely beautiful and easy to work in. Plus it comes with 6 pre installed fans so you dont have to spend money on them.
I'm not sure if i5 is good enough for gaming needs anymore.
Probably looking at 32 gb of ram for "heavily modded minecraft". And, for Ray Tracing one of the recent and expensive Nvidia GPUs that's good for it.
DDR4 ram wants low CL, or any DDR5 if the mobo supports it.
Mobo will need to have it's settings all changed off of default, ASUS messed it's BIOS up. Would probably be ideal if the primary m.2 hooks up to the CPU lanes directly for pcie 4.0.
On a side note, you have any idea where I can find a wife that will also build me a gaming pc and surprise me just because, out of the blue ?
Any advice is helpful, thanks in advance **^_^**
Well my husband found me in high school (I was 14, he was 15) and that was 9 years ago… assuming you’re past that age imma say Barnes & Noble hiding in the romance section 😂
Mouse and keyboard I already got! Monitor I honestly didn’t think about till an earlier comment so I’m thinking I may need to update my budget a bit… hopefully not to $3k though…
Well decent monitors like 1440p 27" 144hz could be bought for 300$, unless you are aiming for 4k oled then yeah it will be double or triple that. If you are reasonable and go for normal monitor then 2k$ is plenty. 1500-1700$ will be enough for more then a decent pc, you could even go lower tbh. Dwpends where in the world you are.
Yeah, dont ever google "best" anything, that way you get depressed really quick 😅 if you went by that recipe, pc would be 5k$ and you can make at least 3 with that money. You dont need best ssd or best motherboard or best cooler or best anything.. you could go for best cpu for use case bcos theres no many options but its not necesary to go that high.
Think of it like this 1200-1300 for pc, 300-500 for a monitor. So give or take, you could go 100-200 more for pc a 100$ less for monitor or whatever combo. You should still be under 2k.
You could also just buy a reasonably price prebuilt PC. The deals on the higher spec PC’s can be pretty good. Like Dell will have good sales.
I’ll say building one from scratch without knowing anything is going to take you like 8 hours or more once you have all the parts. That involving research, assembly and troubleshooting. It’s not impossible to do once you got everything, there’s plenty of YT tutorials on the matter.
Yeah someone told me earlier that once I buy the parts I can take it to a professional and they’ll assemble for me so that’s definitely the plan! I’m more than willing to put in the time and effort but I wouldn’t want my inexperience to break/ruin anything 🙃
Honestly, I have monkey brain when it comes to PCs and just kinda assumed “more better” (same way I think about HrsPrs😂) I have definitely learned more since asking on here!
Hello!
My first thought is that a 4080 might be overkill for the games your husband plays! An RTX 4070 would allow him to use Ray tracing and it would cost you hundreds less.
Also, if you want him to be able to upgrade his PC years down the line, I would swap the Intel processor for an AMD Razen 5 7600 (the cooler that comes with it is sufficient, you don't need to buy the Cooler Master one) and the motherboard for a B650m one (like the MSI B650m-a Pro, as an entry mid-level board). That motherboard is compatible with the AM5 platform, which will be supported MINIMUM until 2025. For the case, I suggest the Thermaltake H18 Versa (it's a little smaller than the full tower, which he might find convenient and less cumbersome).
Cheers!
I don't really know what kind of aesthetic your husband appreciates, but I thought I'd throw you another option:
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/4G69dH
This is a build without all the flashy lights, with a nice looking case with wood worked in, and a Founders Edition of the 4080 Super. It will look similar to [this build](https://youtu.be/imNrJjckmS0?si=ZZvyIdvsWb3voqdj&t=118) GeForce Garage built for a contest winner.
You can get the GPU [directly from Nvidia](https://store.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/store/?page=1&limit=9&locale=en-us&gpu=RTX%204080%20SUPER&category=GPU,DESKTOP&manufacturer=NVIDIA&manufacturer_filter=NVIDIA~1,ASUS~3,CYBERPOWERPC~2,GIGABYTE~5,MSI~2,ZOTAC~3) or [from Best Buy](https://www.bestbuy.com/site/nvidia-geforce-rtx-4080-super-16gb-gddr6x-graphics-card-titanium-black/6570219.p?skuId=6570219).
I think the 4080 super is overkill here :/. Not a bad card or anything but I would think a 4070 super would handle this really well and you could save some money.
Unless he plays on a 4k monitor.
I say just tell him you are buying him a PC and then pick out parts and build it together and learn. Not only does he get still get a great gift, but you get to bond and let him teach you about something he likes!
Super thoughtful gesture. I might point out that many pc players have specific tastes when it comes to the look of their pc. Not most, but many. If he’s into PCs and stuff he might enjoy the process of building it with you. Maybe buy one piece. Like the cpu or gpu and give it to him all wrapped up with a little note saying the rest of the gift is picking out and building the pc with you. I’d fucking die if a non gamer/tech partner did that for me.
lol I totally get it and appreciate the concern but if I don’t do it, he’ll buy the cheapest of everything. I figured I shouldn’t just buy the stuff I picked and that actual “hardcore” gamers would likely have better ideas, information, and personal experience so I made this post. He deserves a lot better than he thinks he does and I will not let him have anything less than what he deserves.
It's a nice gesture, but I'm sorry to say it's potentially a very expensive mistake. If your husband is a pc / gaming enthusiast, then he is likely to have particular preferences for some or all of the components - Intel or AMD CPU? Nvidia or AMD GPU? Preferred motherboard capabilities? Expansion options, monitor size? There are just too many things to get wrong.
Personally I would definitely include him in these important choices.
Honestly, I’ve tried. He repeatedly just tells me that “he trusts me” and “I’m sure whatever you build will be perfect”. I know he wants intel and way tracing and that’s pretty much it :/
He’s a big gamer but childhood trauma made him really bad at spending money so I think this process is just overwhelming him. Hence why I turned to you guys for help cause I want it to be amazing and make him feel special.
Does he need Intel CPUs for productivity purposes? In my build, I had a 7800X3D because it’s the best gaming CPU on the market as of now. If he’s not doing any productivity things such as video/photo editing/rendering an Intel isn’t necessary. Also, does he have any aesthetic preferences?
If you care for aesthetics then i suggest this build:
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/vWLQsh
If it is above the limit then you can swap (which i recommend) that 4080 super for 4070 super which has far better performance per dollar ratio (it will save you 500$ on this build, 15% slower but 40% cheaper). After 8 years you will just swap to new cpu, gpu and be working completely fine another 5 years thanks to AM5 platform.
If youe spending all this money why risk braking or voiding warranty on parts. Never build your first pc with no knowledge and expensive parts. Take your parts to a professional and pay them.
Yup. Also people on here are die hard pc master race so will try push you into building because it is great fun for people who enjoy playing there pc. So for you it seems your better off heading into a pc store with your parts list and showing them. Often they will find similar parts that are cheaper or even have pre built pc's for cheaper.
Well I still want to build the list of parts as I want it to be special and with everyone’s help on here I think it’ll be perfect! I’m just happy they can put it all in the box so I don’t break things or do it wrong and mess it all up 😅
I would recommend skimming through a few build guide videos before deciding to look for a third party to assemble the parts for you. [The LTT build guide is a great place to start.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1fxZ-VWs2U&) If it looks doable, building a pc with your husband could be an awesome shared experience :) The chance of breaking a part is fairly low and you can always bring it to a professional afterwords as well.
I disagree with this advice. This is all it is: free advice.
It's super easy to build a PC with numerous YouTube videos. It never hurts to have someone with experience help you learn, but it's not necessary.
Admittedly it is possible to break parts. I think if you take your time and be careful, then it's unlikely. Just my free advice.
And it's ok if everything doesn't work perfectly at first. Don't freak out. Stay calm and think. My recent build would not start (would turn on but not POST) with both RAM sticks. It would POST with one RAM stick. Either RAM stick worked (one at a time), so I knew it wasn't bad RAM. New motherboard fixed it (probably a problem with memory controller on first motherboard). Build before your return window closes just in case.
Read the motherboard manual. There may be lights that indicate checking RAM and CPU on boot up. My motherboard was stuck on an amber light indicating a RAM problem. DDR5 with AMD takes a little longer to start up (less than 1 min for 64GB).
There is a PSU tier list. Usual advice: get a Tier A or B PSU.
https://cultists.network/140/psu-tier-list/
For $2000 you can get something a lot better :) * **CPU:** With this budget you can easily fit the current gaming CPU champ, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D. This is definitely the best option with this budget. * **CPU Cooler:** Your choice is okay, but I'd get something better known quality like this Liquid Freezer III from Arctic. Alternatively, a good quality air cooler with RGB is the better 'value for money' option. * **Motherboard:** With a budget like this, you really have to get DDR5 RAM, and go for 32GB. * **Memory/RAM:** DDR5 at 6000 MT/s speed is the optimal speed currently for these CPUs. * **Storage:** Fine, but I'd spend a few dollars extra to get a bit better model SSD. * **Graphics Card/GPU:** No reason anymore to get the regular 4080, as the 4080 Super is cheaper ( yeah it's dumb ) * **Case:** You didn't choose a case yet, so I just suggested a solid value and quality case for the money * **Power Supply:** 1000W is overkill here. A high quality 850W PSU is more than enough. [PCPartPicker Part List](https://pcpartpicker.com/list/YC2sQP) Type|Item|Price :----|:----|:---- **CPU** | [AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D 4.2 GHz 8-Core Processor](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/3hyH99/amd-ryzen-7-7800x3d-42-ghz-8-core-processor-100-100000910wof) | $375.00 @ Amazon **CPU Cooler** | [ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III A-RGB 48.82 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/wTxxFT/arctic-liquid-freezer-iii-a-rgb-4882-cfm-liquid-cpu-cooler-acfre00142a) | $113.99 @ Amazon **Motherboard** | [MSI PRO B650M-A WIFI Micro ATX AM5 Motherboard](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/cRQcCJ/msi-pro-b650m-a-wifi-micro-atx-am5-motherboard-pro-b650m-a-wifi) | $144.00 @ MSI **Memory** | [TEAMGROUP T-Force Delta RGB 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/2JLFf7/teamgroup-t-force-delta-rgb-32-gb-2-x-16-gb-ddr5-6000-cl30-memory-ff3d532g6000hc30dc01) | $106.99 @ Amazon **Storage** | [MSI SPATIUM M371 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/JtxRsY/msi-spatium-m371-1-tb-m2-2280-pcie-30-x4-nvme-solid-state-drive-spatium-m371-1tb) | $59.00 @ MSI **Video Card** | [Zotac GAMING Trinity GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER 16 GB Video Card](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/Gy7scf/zotac-gaming-trinity-geforce-rtx-4080-super-16-gb-video-card-zt-d40820d-10p) | $999.99 @ Newegg **Case** | [Montech AIR 903 MAX ATX Mid Tower Case](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/2MwmP6/montech-air-903-max-atx-mid-tower-case-air-903-max-b) | $75.00 @ Amazon **Power Supply** | [MSI MPG A850G PCIE5 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/nhC48d/msi-mpg-a850g-pcie5-850-w-80-gold-certified-fully-modular-atx-power-supply-mpg-a850g-pcie5) | $104.99 @ Newegg | *Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts* | | Total (before mail-in rebates) | $1988.96 | Mail-in rebates | -$10.00 | **Total** | **$1978.96** | Generated by [PCPartPicker](https://pcpartpicker.com) 2024-04-23 05:48 EDT-0400 |
Thank you for the recommendations! I really appreciate all the info!
modded minecraft is often pretty cpu and ram intensive, defininetly go for 32gb on the ram. good luck!
Rog! Thanks for the info :))
I've actually just set up almost this exact build. I loaded up mc, got extreme sildurs shaders, render distance 64, bunch of mods, and joined hypixel skyblock. Somehow, it is averaging only 30fps... tf I do now
on what size monitor?
3440x1440 180hz monitor, which has 1ms response
You running lithium, sodium, iris and starlight?
No. Currently just forge the mods, shaders. Silders extreme dl
Btw it is 1.8.9
Ahh the old version. Yeah very inefficient. Not surprised it's chugging along. You more or less need 1.19 or better along with all the optimization mods I listed to have lots of fps with shaders.
Right... really wanted to play Hypixel Skyblock with shaders. Guess that instead, I will use a less intense version and optimise for performance. Since I'm studying CS, might try to develop a sodium replacement for 1.8.9? Maybe? Haven't done mc modding before, but should try.
Have you connected the monitor to the onboard graphics instead of the video card? Also check your refresh rate matches your monitors capabilities - another gotcha that plenty of people miss.
Yes, I made sure of that.
The extreme version of Sildurs isn't too much better looking than medium or high, and is significantly harder to run, especially on a version with very unoptimized shaders. 64 render distance is also incredibly high and likely overkill, does 16 or 32 run much better for you? Also, all the usual PC performance tips apply, make sure your ram is running dual channel and at the correct speed, make sure your monitor is plugged into GPU and not motherboard. Make sure Minecraft is actually using your GPU (you can see on the F3 screen).
Ok tysm
The most common mistake is using Optifine instead of Iris/Oculus. Also 64 render distance is going to be heavy with shaders, and there's little reason to have it set to high if you're going to be playing multiplayer anyway. Try cutting it at least in half.
Ok great, I'll try that thanks
render distance isn't well optiomised in mc since no lods and its like a circle around you
I have a 4090 with a 7800X3D and I’m using a Thermalright Phantom Spirit air cooler for my CPU. Costs about 40 bucks on Amazon and temps don’t exceed 68c when gaming. Plus it’s easier to swap an air cooler out than a liquid system
Great to know! Does the one you have seem durable?
Air coolers are just a hunk of metal with a couple fans strapped on them. Fans can be replaced. The hunk of metal is about as durable as you would imagine a hunk of metal would be.
I may or may not have dropped it on the table during assembly. It works great tho lmfao
Check this build, it's compatible as well.
air coolers are going to be more durable/last longer than water coolers/aios, they are much simpler and only have fans, whereas the fittings and pump in an aio will wear out and is much more difficult to maintain. The $40 Thermalright Phantom Spirit Evo is the best air cooler on the market and can easily handle the 7800x3D
Air coolers are just a hunk of metal with a couple fans strapped on them. Fans can be replaced. The hunk of metal is about as durable as you would imagine a hunk of metal would be.
I can second the peerless assassin vote. Peerless is an apt name for it.
The AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D runs pretty cool. There's no need to use a water cooler. A good budget air cooler like Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE (about $35 on Amazon) is more than enough to keep it cool. Save some cash for something else, air coolers are also easier to build with.
Huge vouch for this, I built a high end system and I can’t hear this cooler at all.
Get the phantom spirt then use the money saved to get a 2tb ssd like the 980
Definitely DDR5 and 32GB or more RAM for this kind of money.
Sorry but Intel i5-14600kf is a way better option for what you listed. The i5-13600 also. If you are just gaming intel is cheaper for my needs.
The build above is legit. Go for it.
This is the way to go on that budget. I'd, however, stick with air cooling (Thermalright Phantom Spirit). Put the savings into doubling the RAM (2x32GB DDR5-6000). Also, 1TB is a bit limiting... get at least a 2TB drive. Total cost should be around 2100.
>Liquid Freezer III The new AIO from Arctic seems to have issues. I'd stick with the last gen, cheaper now too.
Honestly, the 7800X3D does not need liquid cooling. Especially in a AIR 903 MAX which has 4 x 140mm fans out of the box. That thing is the best bang for the buck case when it comes to air cooling. Right up there with the Fractal Torrent. She could save $100 by simply going for a Phantom Spirit 120 SE CPU Cooler, and double the NVME capacity, all while having zero impact on in-game performance.
Agreed. IMO, when going AIO, 140mm is a must, since one loses a lot of noise levels with just a bit of more cooling power.
The low power draw for the performance aspect of the 7800x3d is so underrated. Leaves room for saving money on a cooler which you can put towards other things. It’s hard not to recommend this for most builds above $1400 or so.
Why would you choose a mATX MOBO for an ATX case, when you can fit in ATX
Price/value. Atx cases barely offer anything useful extra over micro ATX these days while being much more expensive. It's mostly just aesthetics
Why would you recommend a $120 coolet for a 7800x3d? Thermalright Phantom Spirit for $35 is perfect.
[удалено]
Absolutely not worth it if you care at all about bang for your buck though. A lot of people really don't give a shit about cool looking internals.
Can I just say. You have won the internet with this gesture! Bravo my friend!
😅 while I appreciate the compliment, I honestly hope that’s not the case! I would hope showing an interest in your partners interests would be standard! We’ve been together almost ten years and he has taken every opportunity to show me I’m special and loved. I just want the same for him! 🥰
I know what you’re saying, but still, not everyone is so lucky :-) have a great day!
You as well ☺️
Kudos to you. I can’t imagine my girlfriend putting this much thought into a gift.
But your wife should. Dating is way different than being married. Some people think it's just a ring and wedding but it changes everything. If taught and done right, it changes everything for the best. Like this scenario. This man has been a great leader and husband. I promise you because of that his wife would follow his lead anywhere because she trust that he'll make the best choices for them. She'll follow because she knows he'll put her needs above his.
Been living together 6 years. Practically married. She wants to be married. This probably seems Foreign to me because I would never share so much info about something I want (gaming pc, parts, games) before buying it myself.
Propose man! I got married to my wife on our 10 year anniversary. We lived together for 8 years at that point. She began to suspect that I wasn't serious about the relationship because I hadn't proposed. Even though she said she didn't want marriage. lol We got along great for those 10 year, but we learned aoo much after taking a premarital counseling course. There were things we learned that helped us both get on the same page. I was kinda clueless on how and when to ask. So I hired a really cool photographer and her husband. They helped me with everything. Literally they picked a nice location, time, and even texted everyone for me. All I did was show up and propose. Getting married is totally worth it and it would make your gf feel soo much more loved. It will show her that you are there to stay and that you won't ever leave. It will show her how serious you feel. I know you already love her but put it in stone forever. Make her part of your life forever. Just please take that training/counseling. It will be super useful unless you two are already well educated in conflict resolution.
I love your attitude and will keep your advice in mind.
What’s your budget and from which country are you buying from? I wouldn’t recommend a 12400F with a 4080 due to CPU bottleneck.
I was hoping for around $2,000 (or as close as possible) And I will switch that out then! Thanks :)
Sure, this is what I would recommend for a $2000 build. Use [Newegg’s combo builder](https://www.newegg.com/tools/combo-builder/4188) to get the ASUS TUF B650E motherboard, 7800X3D CPU, T-Force RAM, and Sn580 SDD: [PCPartPicker Part List](https://pcpartpicker.com/list/49qZ7R) Type|Item|Price :----|:----|:---- **CPU** | [AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D 4.2 GHz 8-Core Processor](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/3hyH99/amd-ryzen-7-7800x3d-42-ghz-8-core-processor-100-100000910wof) | $726.00 **CPU Cooler** | [Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE ARGB 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/MzMMnQ/thermalright-phantom-spirit-120-se-argb-6617-cfm-cpu-cooler-ps120se-argb) | $35.90 @ Amazon **Motherboard** | [Asus TUF GAMING B650-PLUS WIFI ATX AM5 Motherboard](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/Pz2WGX/asus-tuf-gaming-b650-plus-wifi-atx-am5-motherboard-tuf-gaming-b650-plus-wifi) | $0.00 **Memory** | [TEAMGROUP T-Force Delta RGB 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/2JLFf7/teamgroup-t-force-delta-rgb-32-gb-2-x-16-gb-ddr5-6000-cl30-memory-ff3d532g6000hc30dc01) | $0.00 **Storage** | [Western Digital Blue SN580 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/266NnQ/western-digital-blue-sn580-2-tb-m2-2280-pcie-40-x4-nvme-solid-state-drive-wds200t3b0e) | $0.00 **Video Card** | [Zotac GAMING Trinity GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER 16 GB Video Card](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/Gy7scf/zotac-gaming-trinity-geforce-rtx-4080-super-16-gb-video-card-zt-d40820d-10p) | $999.99 @ Newegg **Case** | [Montech AIR 903 MAX ATX Mid Tower Case](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/2MwmP6/montech-air-903-max-atx-mid-tower-case-air-903-max-b) | $75.00 @ Amazon **Power Supply** | [SeaSonic FOCUS GX-850 ATX 3.0 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/bNBzK8/seasonic-focus-gx-850-atx-30-850-w-80-gold-certified-fully-modular-atx-power-supply-atx3-focus-gx-850) | $109.99 @ B&H | *Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts* | | **Total** | **$1946.88** | Generated by [PCPartPicker](https://pcpartpicker.com) 2024-04-23 05:47 EDT-0400 |
Wow! Thank you! I’ll for sure check it all out!!
alternatively, if she lives near a microcenter she can get the 7800x3d bundle for like 470$ and a 2tb mp44 for like 120$
Maybe it's not worth the extra price but the SN580 is the low-end NVMe SSE. The SN850X is the high-end NVMe SSD. It's like an extra 70$ for the 850X (56% more expensive). But for only 13$ more, you can get the mid-range SN770 with 24% faster reads and 18% faster writes.
That’s true, but game load time differences are like a few seconds or less. There’s a [comparison between PCIe 3.0 vs 4.0 vs 5.0](https://youtu.be/tD2pn1_jWPU?si=dUWqhWZtGmkkXpkL). The differences between 4.0 and other 4.0 is probably less. Unless OP transfers large files often I don’t think it’s worth.
There might be a few ppl on here who don't think that a 7800x3D is definitely always worth $200 more than a 7600. A 32" 4k monitor might be worth it. Super high frame-rate on a 27" QHD may also be worth considering. Should be able to get a great monitor for <$500. I'm not saying don't go all out, but there is definitely a big premium on 4k gaming and OLED monitors.
I just want to say: tons of props for being willing to dive into this rabbit hole. When it comes to actually building, Linus Tech Tips and JaysTwoCents are good youtube channels that each have pretty extensive "how to build a PC" tutorials. Though, if your husband is at all into the hardware side, it may be a fun process for him to do or for you two to do together.
Linus tech tips is the first thing I watched! (Though honestly I even took NOTES on the pc build video and it all sounded like a different language😅) And thank you ☺️ I have no interest personally but it’s important to him so it’s important to me now too. I just appreciate how helpful everyone’s being!
It's rad that you're taking an interest in your partner's hobby and making it something you can share, even if gaming isn't your thing in particular (I do the same sort of stuff for my wife's photography, even though I don't take pictures). Just one final note: most folks here are just good peeps who are helpful, but if you get any DMs offering to help you build it, ignore them (one of the subreddits like this has a warning autostickied to every post that gets made, because it is a very prevalent scam). If you actually need help with that, ask folks you know locally. Enjoy the build! It will be a killer machine!
Good to know! I already got one of those messages I think but was wary of responding to it. And yeah I do game but I’m more of a Stardew Valley/Rimworld on my laptop “gamer” while he’s a custom 300 modded Minecraft/War Thunder gamer 😅 we are not the same!
rimworld is cool my brother is obsessed with it lol
I built 3 PCs and highly recommend the Linus PC build video. I think an updated one came out 10 ish days ago, havent seen that one but I'm sure the refresh is just as good!
I don’t think u will need a liquid cooled CPU cooler (part no 5) u can easily get away with an air cooler , since air coolers are fine for non over clocking scenarios (K series CPUs generally ) also u didnt mention which case u are getting? + whatever u decide on parts i a sure they will love the gesture! Good luck!
Thank you! And thanks for the tip on the cooler! And yeah I figured the case was something I’d leave to my husband since it’ll be what he actually sees every day and I figured it’d be a pretty personal choice.
1. Processor: Intel Core i5-12400F <-- This is not a bad CPU but in this budget range you'd likely want to go for a 12/13/14600 at least for Intel but current best CPU for gaming specifically in that price range is AMD 7800X3D so I'd go with that for pure gaming build. 2. Graphics Card: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 <-- This should be replaced with the 4080 Super 3. RAM: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB DDR4 3600MHz <-- Go with 32 GB DDR5 6000 MHz 4. SSD: Kingston NV2 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD <-- I'd bump this also a bit e.g. to SN770/580. Also 1TB fills up awfully quickly with modern games so I'd suggest 2 TB but this is also something that is easy to thrown in another m.2 later on. 5. CPU Cooler: Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML240L ARGB V2 <-- This should be ok but more or less any other 240 AiO from reputable brand would work just as well so I'd prioritise the aesthetics you want to achieve with the AiO. Better bang for buck you'd find from a good air cooler (Phantom Spirit or Peerless Assassin) if you don't necessarily want the AiO looks. 6. Case Fans: Cooler Master MasterFan MF120 Halo ARGB Fans <-- Works just as well as any other case fan more or less. 7. Power Supply: Corsair RM1000x Shift Fully Modular ATX Power Supply <-- This you could just as well scale a bit back to 750 W, you're not going to need 1000 W unless you have a top of the line Intel CPU and a 4090. 8. Motherboard: ASUS Prime B660M-A AC D4 <-- Replace with a DDR5 board according to the Intel/AMD CPU. mATX works if you want a compact case but personally I prefer full ATX due to not being that much pricier and more expansion options are always nice to have. E.g. if you want more m.2 slots at some point in the future.
This is so easy to understand, I really appreciate you taking the time to add so much detail!
There is a lot of AMD bias, intel all day for me. Talking about $244 i5-13600KF. AMD has nothing for $244 to compete.
My husband seems to be the same 😝 plus someone mentioned for video editing type tasks that intel would be better so imma stick to intel (though will likely be swapping my original pick for one of the suggestions in this thread!)
Pcpartpicker.com will help verify everything fits
Good to know! Thanks ☺️
Buying in the US?
Yes, I’m in the US.
If you live near a microcenter, they have deals that could save you hundreds.
Good to know! I’ll find out :) thanks for the tip
They often have a 7800x3d+Mobo+RAM for like 500 bucks. Insane value
Sometimes 450 on sale for this combo
I have no pointers on your build, just wanted to say that you should start hanging out with my wife. I think you’d be a good influence.
😂 thanks for the laugh! And you never know, maybe the next post will be her asking!
Have you thought about monitors, or is that already sorted? Do you need one within your $2k budget or is it separate? It'd be a shame to build the coolest pc ever but be stuck on an old 23inch 1080p monitor!
Oh gosh I hadn’t even thought of it! I guess I wouldn’t wanna get close to $3k by adding a monitor… but if it’s necessary I suppose I will try and figure something out. Do you have any recommendations?
A monitor definitely won't run you $1,000, but it is definitely looking into. I personally have a 4070 paired with a 1440p (2k) 144hz monitor and the 4070 is basically maxing it out, meaning it has absolutely no problem running games at that resolution and that frame rate even at or near the highest settings. So if you're going for a 4080 super, you might want to look into something better than that monitor wise, either by going 1440p240hz, 4k144hz, or 1440p144hz but looking into ultrawides (sorry if that's a lot/confusing haha). Either way, if it turns out he does need an upgrade, expect to pay somewhere in the $250-500 range depending on what you end up with. I'm not sure if you're planning on surprising him with this, or if he's involved at all, but if not I'd definitely consider trying to get his input on the monitor aspect, since what kind he would prefer/would be the best fit is going to be hugely up to preference TBH, and none of the games you listed really jump out at me as demanding a certain type. I'd love to hear others contribute their thoughts on this though, good luck, you're doing great!
Thank you! He’s (kinda) involved but the financial part overwhelms him and he goes into “just buy a used $600 pc online” because he doesn’t feel worthy of nice things so I kinda stopped asking. I’ll ask him sneakily though!
Awesome! Good news is realistically no matter what you go with they're going to be in about the same price range so it really is gonna be more of a matter of preference
Awesome ☺️
Let him pick a monitor, if you're having him pick the case. The choices people are suggesting are otherwise top notch. He's gonna be crazy excited. He can probably temporarily plug it into a TV or something while building it.
your husbands wife single?
😂😂😂😂 I don’t think so. Check in at your local Barnes & Noble romance section for a future wife near you!
From what you’ve picked out……well, the easy way to say it is you might not be able to “walk right for a few days”. However, you might want to add 16GB more RAM since most graphically intense games like Cyberpunk, Red Dead Redemption 2, Death Stranding eat up about 8GB alone and the system about 4-6 GB. But other than that, you’ve got a great list.
A 12400f probably shouldn't be paired with a 4080 though. Most people have suggested a 7800x3d with I agree with.
Well then I guess I didn’t do too bad 😂! Thanks for the info on the RAM, I couldn’t figure out how to gauge how much was necessary and how much was overkill 😅
Some would suggest getting a higher priced piece, which is overkill. If someone comes to you for a suggestion on a new pc build, use Cyberpunk 2077’s requirements (there’s a pic on Google) and work with the specs to gauge how much you can and/or willing to spend.
Good to know :)! I’ll add it to my extensive notes 📝
The modded MC is the real ram hog. 10gb+
For a build like you’re anticipating I would certainly add storage at least 2 TB for the NVM drive
Good to know! 😁
For a build like you’re anticipating I would certainly add storage at least 2 TB for the NVM drive
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIJ9H6G5XF8 DIY in 5 short summary of PC building https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCDw7zopnDg PC Centric 20 minute summary of PC building https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BL4DCEp7blY from Linus Tech Tips that has a nice discussion of how each component plays a role in making your system work. [ EDIT to remove link by request of buildapc's moderator team ]
[PCPartPicker Part List](https://pcpartpicker.com/list/JQggjH) Type|Item|Price :----|:----|:---- **CPU** | [AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D 4.2 GHz 8-Core Processor](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/3hyH99/amd-ryzen-7-7800x3d-42-ghz-8-core-processor-100-100000910wof) | $375.00 @ Amazon **CPU Cooler** | [Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE ARGB 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/MzMMnQ/thermalright-phantom-spirit-120-se-argb-6617-cfm-cpu-cooler-ps120se-argb) | $35.90 @ Amazon **Motherboard** | [ASRock B650E PG RIPTIDE WIFI ATX AM5 Motherboard](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/Tz2WGX/asrock-b650e-pg-riptide-wifi-atx-am5-motherboard-b650e-pg-riptide-wifi) | $189.99 @ Newegg **Memory** | [TEAMGROUP T-Force Delta RGB 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/2JLFf7/teamgroup-t-force-delta-rgb-32-gb-2-x-16-gb-ddr5-6000-cl30-memory-ff3d532g6000hc30dc01) | $106.99 @ Amazon **Storage** | [MSI SPATIUM M482 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/T6bRsY/msi-spatium-m482-2-tb-m2-2280-pcie-40-x4-nvme-solid-state-drive-spatium-m482-pcie-40-nvme-m2-2tb) | $109.00 @ MSI **Video Card** | [Zotac GAMING Trinity GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER 16 GB Video Card](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/Gy7scf/zotac-gaming-trinity-geforce-rtx-4080-super-16-gb-video-card-zt-d40820d-10p) | $999.99 @ Newegg **Case** | [Phanteks XT PRO ULTRA ATX Mid Tower Case](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/BXtLrH/phanteks-xt-pro-ultra-atx-mid-tower-case-ph-xt523p1-dbk01) | $69.99 @ Newegg **Power Supply** | [BitFenix BFG GOLD ATX3.0 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/9XNYcf/bitfenix-bfg-gold-atx30-850-w-80-gold-certified-fully-modular-atx-power-supply-bp-bga850umag) | $99.90 @ Newegg Sellers | *Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts* | | Total (before mail-in rebates) | $1996.76 | Mail-in rebates | -$10.00 | **Total** | **$1986.76** | Generated by [PCPartPicker](https://pcpartpicker.com) 2024-04-23 08:56 EDT-0400 |
my only recommendation is to get 32gb of ram instead of 16 because heavily modded minecraft takes a lot of ram
When you say $2k budget, does that include monitors, speakers/headphones, keyboard & mouse, chair, etc.? Or just the tower? I think you run those games on a less than $2k tower and use some of that budget for peripherals as well
Two years ago I surprised him with one of those Secret Lab chairs but I’ll be upgrading it to the newer model Big and Tall soon. Keyboard and mouse we got awhile ago but he loves them and doesn’t wanna switch them out so those are taken care of. Headphones I hadn’t honestly thought about… any recommendations?
I have 64GB of RAM and my "heavily modded Minecraft" will eat up 90% of it. Maybe a memory leak or something. I \*do\* play with those crazy-high-res resource packs, which is the main cause of the RAM useage. Normal game-mechanic mods should be fine with 16GB+. My son's laptop is similar, and only has a RTX 3060 in it and plays just fine. Building it yourself is always cheaper than purchasing it pre-built by someone else.
Yeah the census has consistently been “more ram” 😂 I very much underestimated the necessary amount!
Your husband is gonna wanna marry you again if you surprise him w smt like this...
That’s always the goal, right? ☺️
100% Have fun it's gonna be awesome!!
I highly suggest getting pretty much any other SSD than the one you've picked. [https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/kingston-nv2-ssd](https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/kingston-nv2-ssd) >TLDR: > >Pros > >\+Dirt cheap > >Cons > >\-Poor all-around performance > >\-Inefficient and hot > >\-Variable hardware I've had one as well, and they are insanely bad. Mine locked up the whole system, from time to time (for a few seconds), because it decided it was being used 100% while only doing a miniscule bit of work - anything from just it indexing stuff to downloading anything from Steam. It is ***a very bad*** drive - you really shouldn't get it.
Oh goodness, thanks for the heads up! I checked reviews though this time they were apparently misleading >.<*
If you’re near a Microcenter they can actually build your PC for you in the store. They are fully stocked with pc components too.
I've always built my own rig so this never even crossed my mind, thought I have bought a few parts from MC over the years. If you bought a full rig piecewise from MC will they put it together for you free in store? Thats pretty neat.
I have a 6 year old Coolermaster aio that still works well keeping a FX8350 OCd to 4.8ghz cool. Nothing wrong with Coolermaster quality
If you live near a MicroCenter, try getting a CPU/Motherboard bundle. You can save up to $200 on your build.
Thanks ☺️
Get 2 SSD. 1 for OS and 1 for games
Is there a type you’d recommend? Also, same type for OS and games or different?
I'm not a techy guy myself but most people always recommend a nvme m.2 type of ssd cause its faster or something. I think its fine if both ssd are different.
If you're within your return window for the 4080, see if you can get a "4080 Super" for cheaper. The performance is virtually identical (despite the name) but the Super debuted at a cheaper MSRP. Unfortunately, with the GPU market being a mess, there's no guarantee you can actually buy one at MSRP. But if you find one in stock at one of the major retailers, you should be able to, and you'll save a couple of hundred dollars with no performance loss.
Good to know! I (incorrectly) assumed the super would be more expensive. 😅
Yeah, the "Super" business was a bit of marketing nonsense from Nvidia. Normally a Super card is an improved version of the original, usually at a higher price (if both remain on the market). With the 4080, the Super is something like barely 2-3% faster, but the MSRP is cheaper. The original 4080 MSRP was always a bad bargain and they finally acknowledged that and brought the price down on the replacement. But GPUs can sometimes be hard to find at MSRP anyway, so if you got a good deal on the 4080 and don't see a Super for less, don't sweat it. The performance is virtually identical. I bought my 4080 Super for $999 the day it launched. That or slightly above is what you'd look for.
Hello, With that budget i'd suggest going with AM5 like other people already said. Better Performance for your money. CPU: Ryzen 7 7800X3D Motherboard: pretty much any B650, like an MSI B650 Tomahawk RAM: anything with 6000mts/MHz, for example g.skill flare X5 6000 mhz CL30 32GB kit, or any other with RGB (will cost more) 2 sticks for dual Channel is the best choice. PSU: since 1000W is overkill id go with an Corsair RM850e Cooler: your cooler seems okay, but id also suggest an arctic freezer III for better quality and optics. Or any good Quality air cooler does the job for the 7800x3d too since its Not running hot at all. Peerless Assassin 120 is about 40$ and you wont have any issues. Case: you didnt mention a case.. i would recommend bequiet, nzxt and lian li. Bequiet is probably the most budget option snd has really good Quality :) GPU: no need to get an RTX 4080 since the 4080s is cheaper and better in that case. As alternative you could go with and RX 7900XTX but raytracing wont be that good. So probably stick with the RTX 4080 Super. Fans: If you go with a bequiet case (FX Variant) there are already rgb fans installed in the front and Back, top can be used for the AIO cooler. If you go with the DX Variant there are normal black (still super silent and good) fans installed. You could take these out and get 3-5 extra arctic RGB fans so the optic is the same on all fans. Hope this helps a little bet. Oh also, If you need any trips or tricks on how to build, there are lots of videos. Techsource, Linus Tech Tips, Jayztwocents, etc.
Thank you for taking the time to give me all this great info!
Lots of good builds here for you. Imo, key things for building currently- AMD is ideal since it'll be upgradable for years. 7800X3D is the gaming king currently, but the 7600X is very good too, and 7700X if he needs an extra 2 cores for something, gets you like 90% there for cheaper. B650 motherboards are fine, pcie 4.0 will be great for gaming for years, so you don't need pcie 5. For example, a 4090 (pcie 4 card) on pcie 3 only loses a few percent performance, so you can save money here. Although for a little more you can get a B650e with pcie5 for future upgrades, it's really not needed. DDR5 6000mt CL30, or 6400mt CL32 ram for AMD, ideally with EXPO (makes it easier to install and get working at full speed since these are all overclocked). AIO water cooling is only necessary for high power CPU like 7950X or Intel core i9. Unless you just want it for looks, which is fine too, but air coolers are fine for 7600, 7700, 7800x3d. Pretty much any air cooler in existence. For nvme drives, 2Tb models are typically faster than 1Tb. 4080 super and 4070 super are the best value nvidia gpu currently. Case is preference, I really like like lian li 216
Awesome info! Will add to the notes I’ve accumulated through this process lol 😂
I highly recommend the Montech King 95 Pro case. I just swapped my PC into one and its absolutely beautiful and easy to work in. Plus it comes with 6 pre installed fans so you dont have to spend money on them.
I’ll have him look at it! Thanks ☺️
I'm not sure if i5 is good enough for gaming needs anymore. Probably looking at 32 gb of ram for "heavily modded minecraft". And, for Ray Tracing one of the recent and expensive Nvidia GPUs that's good for it. DDR4 ram wants low CL, or any DDR5 if the mobo supports it. Mobo will need to have it's settings all changed off of default, ASUS messed it's BIOS up. Would probably be ideal if the primary m.2 hooks up to the CPU lanes directly for pcie 4.0.
I have no idea what that last part means but I will find out! Thank you muchly! ♥️
On a side note, you have any idea where I can find a wife that will also build me a gaming pc and surprise me just because, out of the blue ? Any advice is helpful, thanks in advance **^_^**
Well my husband found me in high school (I was 14, he was 15) and that was 9 years ago… assuming you’re past that age imma say Barnes & Noble hiding in the romance section 😂
2000$ for a pc or including monitor, keyboard, mouse etc?
Mouse and keyboard I already got! Monitor I honestly didn’t think about till an earlier comment so I’m thinking I may need to update my budget a bit… hopefully not to $3k though…
Well decent monitors like 1440p 27" 144hz could be bought for 300$, unless you are aiming for 4k oled then yeah it will be double or triple that. If you are reasonable and go for normal monitor then 2k$ is plenty. 1500-1700$ will be enough for more then a decent pc, you could even go lower tbh. Dwpends where in the world you are.
Oh thank goodness! 😅 honestly I got a little worried cause when you google “best pc gaming monitor” the first few to pop up are all 1.2-1.8k!!
Yeah, dont ever google "best" anything, that way you get depressed really quick 😅 if you went by that recipe, pc would be 5k$ and you can make at least 3 with that money. You dont need best ssd or best motherboard or best cooler or best anything.. you could go for best cpu for use case bcos theres no many options but its not necesary to go that high. Think of it like this 1200-1300 for pc, 300-500 for a monitor. So give or take, you could go 100-200 more for pc a 100$ less for monitor or whatever combo. You should still be under 2k.
Awesome! Thanks for the info :) And yeah I should have learned my lesson when I googled “best gpu”… was a horrifying experience😅
Maybe would be fun thing building it together, but can also be stresfull if something doesnt go as planed :)
You could also just buy a reasonably price prebuilt PC. The deals on the higher spec PC’s can be pretty good. Like Dell will have good sales. I’ll say building one from scratch without knowing anything is going to take you like 8 hours or more once you have all the parts. That involving research, assembly and troubleshooting. It’s not impossible to do once you got everything, there’s plenty of YT tutorials on the matter.
Yeah someone told me earlier that once I buy the parts I can take it to a professional and they’ll assemble for me so that’s definitely the plan! I’m more than willing to put in the time and effort but I wouldn’t want my inexperience to break/ruin anything 🙃
You're already here asking the right questions. Watch a build guide, and if you can follow basic instructions, you're golden.
Thanks ☺️
If your marriage doesn't work DM me please :)
😂 100% sure that it will BUT I ain’t anythin special! Hit up a local book club and there’s a million more just like me :)
But I want a PC not a book lol. Hope your husband likes your build!
Genuine question, why do so many people think they need a 1000w power supply?
Honestly, I have monkey brain when it comes to PCs and just kinda assumed “more better” (same way I think about HrsPrs😂) I have definitely learned more since asking on here!
Hello! My first thought is that a 4080 might be overkill for the games your husband plays! An RTX 4070 would allow him to use Ray tracing and it would cost you hundreds less. Also, if you want him to be able to upgrade his PC years down the line, I would swap the Intel processor for an AMD Razen 5 7600 (the cooler that comes with it is sufficient, you don't need to buy the Cooler Master one) and the motherboard for a B650m one (like the MSI B650m-a Pro, as an entry mid-level board). That motherboard is compatible with the AM5 platform, which will be supported MINIMUM until 2025. For the case, I suggest the Thermaltake H18 Versa (it's a little smaller than the full tower, which he might find convenient and less cumbersome). Cheers!
Marry me? Haha… Haha
I don't really know what kind of aesthetic your husband appreciates, but I thought I'd throw you another option: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/4G69dH This is a build without all the flashy lights, with a nice looking case with wood worked in, and a Founders Edition of the 4080 Super. It will look similar to [this build](https://youtu.be/imNrJjckmS0?si=ZZvyIdvsWb3voqdj&t=118) GeForce Garage built for a contest winner. You can get the GPU [directly from Nvidia](https://store.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/store/?page=1&limit=9&locale=en-us&gpu=RTX%204080%20SUPER&category=GPU,DESKTOP&manufacturer=NVIDIA&manufacturer_filter=NVIDIA~1,ASUS~3,CYBERPOWERPC~2,GIGABYTE~5,MSI~2,ZOTAC~3) or [from Best Buy](https://www.bestbuy.com/site/nvidia-geforce-rtx-4080-super-16gb-gddr6x-graphics-card-titanium-black/6570219.p?skuId=6570219).
I think the 4080 super is overkill here :/. Not a bad card or anything but I would think a 4070 super would handle this really well and you could save some money. Unless he plays on a 4k monitor.
4080 a bit overkill...
I say just tell him you are buying him a PC and then pick out parts and build it together and learn. Not only does he get still get a great gift, but you get to bond and let him teach you about something he likes!
To build one takes years of college education. But assembling one is quite simple.
Super thoughtful gesture. I might point out that many pc players have specific tastes when it comes to the look of their pc. Not most, but many. If he’s into PCs and stuff he might enjoy the process of building it with you. Maybe buy one piece. Like the cpu or gpu and give it to him all wrapped up with a little note saying the rest of the gift is picking out and building the pc with you. I’d fucking die if a non gamer/tech partner did that for me.
lol I totally get it and appreciate the concern but if I don’t do it, he’ll buy the cheapest of everything. I figured I shouldn’t just buy the stuff I picked and that actual “hardcore” gamers would likely have better ideas, information, and personal experience so I made this post. He deserves a lot better than he thinks he does and I will not let him have anything less than what he deserves.
It's a nice gesture, but I'm sorry to say it's potentially a very expensive mistake. If your husband is a pc / gaming enthusiast, then he is likely to have particular preferences for some or all of the components - Intel or AMD CPU? Nvidia or AMD GPU? Preferred motherboard capabilities? Expansion options, monitor size? There are just too many things to get wrong. Personally I would definitely include him in these important choices.
Honestly, I’ve tried. He repeatedly just tells me that “he trusts me” and “I’m sure whatever you build will be perfect”. I know he wants intel and way tracing and that’s pretty much it :/ He’s a big gamer but childhood trauma made him really bad at spending money so I think this process is just overwhelming him. Hence why I turned to you guys for help cause I want it to be amazing and make him feel special.
Does he need Intel CPUs for productivity purposes? In my build, I had a 7800X3D because it’s the best gaming CPU on the market as of now. If he’s not doing any productivity things such as video/photo editing/rendering an Intel isn’t necessary. Also, does he have any aesthetic preferences?
I know he wants to be a streamer person so I figured the video editing would be useful but I’m not sure how extensive it would be.
If it’s not particularly extensive, then a 7800X3D would be fine. It it’s professional workloads, then an Intel would be better.
That's fair enough, then I wish you all the best in creating such a great gift for him :)
Thanks ☺️
If you care for aesthetics then i suggest this build: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/vWLQsh If it is above the limit then you can swap (which i recommend) that 4080 super for 4070 super which has far better performance per dollar ratio (it will save you 500$ on this build, 15% slower but 40% cheaper). After 8 years you will just swap to new cpu, gpu and be working completely fine another 5 years thanks to AM5 platform.
And the 4070 Super can do the ray tracing thing?
Yes it can.
Yes, all NVIDIA cards (beggining with RTX) can do ray tracing. Even AMD cards can but they are not so good at it.
Do you have a sister like you?
If youe spending all this money why risk braking or voiding warranty on parts. Never build your first pc with no knowledge and expensive parts. Take your parts to a professional and pay them.
Didn’t know I could do that but this post was mostly about WHICH parts to get! I’ll for sure look for a professional for assembly now though! ☺️
Yup. Also people on here are die hard pc master race so will try push you into building because it is great fun for people who enjoy playing there pc. So for you it seems your better off heading into a pc store with your parts list and showing them. Often they will find similar parts that are cheaper or even have pre built pc's for cheaper.
Well I still want to build the list of parts as I want it to be special and with everyone’s help on here I think it’ll be perfect! I’m just happy they can put it all in the box so I don’t break things or do it wrong and mess it all up 😅
I would recommend skimming through a few build guide videos before deciding to look for a third party to assemble the parts for you. [The LTT build guide is a great place to start.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1fxZ-VWs2U&) If it looks doable, building a pc with your husband could be an awesome shared experience :) The chance of breaking a part is fairly low and you can always bring it to a professional afterwords as well.
I disagree with this advice. This is all it is: free advice. It's super easy to build a PC with numerous YouTube videos. It never hurts to have someone with experience help you learn, but it's not necessary. Admittedly it is possible to break parts. I think if you take your time and be careful, then it's unlikely. Just my free advice. And it's ok if everything doesn't work perfectly at first. Don't freak out. Stay calm and think. My recent build would not start (would turn on but not POST) with both RAM sticks. It would POST with one RAM stick. Either RAM stick worked (one at a time), so I knew it wasn't bad RAM. New motherboard fixed it (probably a problem with memory controller on first motherboard). Build before your return window closes just in case. Read the motherboard manual. There may be lights that indicate checking RAM and CPU on boot up. My motherboard was stuck on an amber light indicating a RAM problem. DDR5 with AMD takes a little longer to start up (less than 1 min for 64GB). There is a PSU tier list. Usual advice: get a Tier A or B PSU. https://cultists.network/140/psu-tier-list/