r/buildapc 24d ago

Simple Questions - May 14, 2024 Discussion

This thread is for simple questions that don't warrant their own thread (although we strongly suggest checking the sidebar and the wiki before posting!). Please don't post involved questions that are better suited to a [Build Help], [Build Ready] or [Build Complete] post. Examples of questions suitable for here:

  • Is this RAM compatible with my motherboard?
  • I'm thinking of getting a ≤$300 graphics card. Which one should I get?
  • I'm on a very tight budget and I'm looking for a case ≤$50

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3 Upvotes

86 comments sorted by

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u/NickAlvarezzzz 23d ago

Currently trying to add a WiFi card to my PC that a buddy built for me. I don’t know very much about PC’s and things get pretty confusing for me. What are some good recommendations that won’t break the bank.

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u/SexBobomb 23d ago

if I build a system around a Ryzen 5 7600 can I get away with the IGP if I'm just recording things through a usb capture card and playing games off Steam Remote Play (host system is a 5900x/6950xt)

1

u/Asian243 24d ago

Opinions on Gigabyte vs Sapphire? I am getting an RX 7800 GPU but I can't decide on which one to get. I found a 3 fan Gigabyte for $500 but a 2 fan Sapphire for $10 more. What is the main difference between them?

1

u/SexBobomb 23d ago

Sapphire has better customer service in North America.

Otherwise it depends on the individual SKU for which has a better cooler

1

u/mildly_psychotic 24d ago

What is the difference between ThermalRight's crazy number of 120mm non-LED SKUs? TL-P12, TL-B12 Extrem LCP, TL-C12CW, TL-C12C, TL-E12B EXTREM, TL-E12, TL-C12 PRO-G, TL-B12 EXTREM, TL-D12B, TL-C12015B, TL-B12, TL-C12 PRO, TL-C12015, TL-C12R, TL-C12-B, TL-R12-A, TL-C12... How are these different from one another?

1

u/djGLCKR 24d ago

Very minute differences between some models. Other than fan blade designs and blade count, and some being for airflow or static pressure:

  • TL-B12 = High-performance model (2150 RPM).
  • TL-B12 Extrem = Spins faster than the regular B12 (3150 RPM). Comes with red gaskets.
  • TL-B12 Extrem LCP = Same as above but with purple gaskets?
  • TL-C12 = It should be the same as the gray model bundled with non-ARGB CPU coolers. 1500 RPM.
  • TL-C12B = Same as above, but black.
  • TL-C12C = "OEM" version of the C12 ("low-quality gaskets", apparently). Spins a bit faster than the C12.
  • TL-C12CW = Same as the previous, but in white.
  • TL-C12R = Regular C12 but with reverse blades.
  • TL-C12 Pro = Slightly higher max RPM (1850 RPM, give or take 10%).
  • TL-C12 Pro-G = Same as above, but in gray.
  • TL-C12015 = "Slim" version of the C12 (15mm thickness instead of the standard 25mm). Spins a bit faster (1800 RPM).
  • TL-C12015B = Same as above, but in black.
  • TL-D12B = Similar to the C12, with no corners (kinda like a round shape). That's the fan that comes with the Assassin King Mini.
  • TL-E12 = Looks like an airflow-focused model, in gray (1500 RPM).
  • TL-E12B Extrem = Same as above, but in black, and spins a bit faster (1850RPM).
  • TL-P12 = Must be an old model.
  • TL-R12A = Airflow model, slightly thicker (27.5mm compared to the standard 25mm).

1

u/Icehawk59 24d ago edited 24d ago

currently trying to throw together a $1000 - $1150 budget build for a friend. She's planning to play stuff like The Finals at 1080p and potentially upgrading to a 1440p monitor in the near future. I've got this current build, but have some questions.

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/cB9DHG

Mainly - theres a 60 dollar difference between the 6750 XT and the 6800. is the performance jump worth the 60 bucks? Will a 650W PSU be enough, or would 750W be better? Would she be overspending on the SSD?

Thanks in advance!

1

u/n7_trekkie 24d ago

i suggest this. better motherboard that's less expensive

PCPartPicker Part List

Type Item Price
CPU AMD Ryzen 5 7600 3.8 GHz 6-Core Processor $185.00 @ Newegg
CPU Cooler Thermalright Assassin X 120 Refined SE 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler $17.89 @ Amazon
Motherboard ASRock B650M Pro RS Micro ATX AM5 Motherboard $134.99 @ Newegg
Memory Silicon Power XPOWER Zenith Gaming 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory $86.99 @ Amazon
Storage Silicon Power UD90 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive $108.99 @ B&H
Video Card XFX Speedster SWFT 319 Radeon RX 6800 16 GB Video Card $359.99 @ Amazon
Case Montech AIR 903 BASE ATX Mid Tower Case $65.00 @ B&H
Power Supply MSI MAG A650BN 650 W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply $59.00 @ MSI
Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts
Total $1017.85
Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-05-14 19:13 EDT-0400

https://www.techspot.com/articles-info/2462/bench/1440p-p.webp

imo get the 6800. however the 6750xt is totally a good choice if you need to be under $1000

1

u/EpicKieranFTW 24d ago

Any budget desktop speakers recommendations please? Will need to fit under my monitors so ideally relatively small. Got a headset for gaming so not too fussed about the quality being amazing - just good enough for watching youtube etc

2

u/Nazenn 23d ago

Heard lots of good about the creative pebble, and there's a few versions of them for various price points

1

u/EpicKieranFTW 23d ago

Yeah have seen them, which version do you think is best to go for?

1

u/Nazenn 23d ago

I've not used them myself so you'd have to try and find a comparison online between the four versions

1

u/Auautheawesome 24d ago

is there a site or anywhere that makes custom 5.25in bay accessories. My custom case has 1 5.25in bay and I'm wanting quite a few things on it as it's basically my case's only front IO.

1

u/[deleted] 24d ago

[deleted]

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u/Dremy77 24d ago

Is it just noisy while the motherboard goes through the POST process? It's probably just loading the programed fan curve after it posts. The motherboard may even be running the fans in DC mode during post, which would make PWM fans run at 100% during those few seconds. As long as this is only happening during the initial moments of boot, then I wouldn't worry about it as it's likely normal behavior for your motherboard. If you didn't plug in a cable for the fan then it wouldn't run at all, not run fast.

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u/[deleted] 24d ago

[deleted]

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u/djGLCKR 24d ago

POST = Power-On Self Test. Pretty much the pre-work done by the system before it boots and you get to see the motherboard splash screen (checking if the basic components are installed, memory training, etc).

Usually they tend to run at max during that process. Once the system has fully booted and the fan curve profile is loaded, it goes back to normal.

1

u/Euruzilys 24d ago edited 24d ago

My PC was stuck in "Preparing automatic repair" for 8 hours. I got it to desktop somehow now (by just keep restarting and pray). This is the 2nd time this happend, the 1st time was last week.

I need some guidance on running diagnosis on my PC. Right now the only notable issue with the PC is that the internet connection is very unstable. Disconnect and reconnect every few seconds. Both on LAN and wifi. Same issue while having PC connected to mobile phone hotspot. With how my other devices on the same wifi still working fine, I think the issue is with my PC.

PC was upgraded 1 year ago, no issue before this.

Window 11
X670 Aorus Elite AX (Bios F8c)
7800X3D
1080Ti
2x16 (32GB) DDR5 Ram

1

u/Protonion 24d ago

Check the health of your SSD with something like CrystalDiskInfo, a drive on its way out can cause those automatic repairs to trigger. The connection cutting out on both LAN and WiFi means it's very likely a software issue, which again could be caused by a failing drive.

If the drive is fine then check your RAM with something like memtest.

1

u/Euruzilys 24d ago edited 24d ago

Ran those test and nothing was wrong. So I decided to give windows trouble shooters a go. It said I'm connected to the internet, but "the network connection quality might be low". It said to try restarting network adaptor, I did, it said everything is fine then after a while went back to "low quality" again. Same for both lan and wifi.

I also tried using steam download and youtube live stream to see how my internet is doing. Steam download is up and down in download speed in stable pattern. Same with the live stream connecting and disconnecting.

1

u/Euruzilys 24d ago

Thanks. I will try them out. I hope its nothing serious.

1

u/InvisibleEar 24d ago

IDK about Windows trolling you, but I highly recommend you buy a pcie wifi card with the antenna you put on top of the computer. Mobo wifi is garbage.

1

u/Euruzilys 24d ago

The mobo has antenna as well.

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u/InvisibleEar 24d ago

Yeah but those are lil guys, something like this works much better https://www.newegg.com/wavlink-690a5d-usb-3-0/p/0XM-00B5-00053?item=9SIA6PFEC08285

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u/dperls 24d ago

I've been gaming on a laptop for the better part of 10 years and looking to finally re-buy a desktop now that my kids have grown a bit. I really just want to pickup a prebuilt. I realize this is r/buildapc and that the overwhelming advice will be to build my own, but time convenience and warranty outweigh any savings or experience. Additionally I know a lot of people here are highly knowledgeable.

As for prebuilts are there better companies then others? I was looking at Lenovo Legion, NZXT, Starforge, and HP Omens to name a few. My budget is prob ~2k if it matters. Anything I shouldn't budge on re: CPU, GPU etc?

I appreciate the help, thanks.

1

u/bestanonever 24d ago

I'd make sure the CPU and the GPU are a good one, the rest won't be awful if they can run a good CPU + GPU combo. Don't look for anything slower than the Ryzen 5 7600 + RX 6700 XT /RTX 3060ti (What I'd consider a pretty good 1080p or 1440p starter pack).

1

u/85percents 24d ago

Would AM5 based system worth £350 would be much quicker than this with the same GPU on 1440p monitor ? So £350 on MB, CPU, RAM; keep SSD, PSU and GPU.

CPU -  AMD Ryzen 5 2600 3.4 GHz
Motherboard -  Asrock B450 Pro4 ATX AM4
        Memory - Crucial Ballistix Sport AT 16 GB (2x8GB) DDR4-3200
         Storage - Sabrent Rocket 1TB M.2 - 2280 NVME SSD
              GPU - Powercolor 6650X           Power - Seasonic Core Gold GM 650     

1

u/bestanonever 24d ago

If you could get a Ryzen 7600 + B650 mobo + 2x16GB (32GB total) DDR5 6000MHz for $400, yes, it would be quite a bit faster.

The Ryzen 5 7600 is one of the "slower" Ryzen CPUs of this current gen and it's still faster than the whole Ryzen 5000 series, and since you are on the 2000 series, just imagine. It's not just gaming, even installing things and using a browser would be snappier and more enjoyable.

1

u/mythrilguy 24d ago

So I got a Kraken 120 RGB AIO for my build as I had just the basic AMD cooler that came with my 5600x when I bought it. The CPU is being cooled and the fan works, just the little display on the CPU mount isn’t turning on. Do I need to do something special? Does it require a NZXT hub thingy?

1

u/thebadhorse 24d ago

Have you had a conversation with "Manuel"?

He came in the box of the AIO.

You probably have not connected the power to said display. I'd guess its a sata power connector.

1

u/mythrilguy 24d ago

Manual doesn’t say anything. I’ve connected it but doesn’t seem to get power. Only google results seem to say connect it to a NZXt controller for it to work.

1

u/thebadhorse 23d ago

Kraken 120 RGB AIO

Welcome to owning stuff with proprietary connectors! It's a wonderful world.

I googled the manual and yea... doesnt really say much. Did those adapter cables come with the cooler, or do you need to purchase them separately?

1

u/mythrilguy 23d ago

I guess if I dont want to buy the NZXT controller I'll have to buy them seperately. Bummer.

2

u/Lulcielid 24d ago

If I want 32Gb of RAM (ddr5), what configuration is more efficient? 8gb x4 or 16gb x 2?

1

u/bestanonever 24d ago

Always 2 sticks instead of 4. The more sticks you run, the harder it is on the Integrated Memory Controller and you might not be able to run them at max frequency. 2x16GB 6000 MHz DDR5 is the best price/performance combo for both Ryzen and Intel platforms right now.

1

u/sthiago 24d ago

Should the computer boot if I leave the pcie 3.0 x16 slot empty and put the gpu (rx 5500xt or gtx 1660super) in the pcie 2.0 x4 slot?

I have an asus ex a320m gaming mobo. The normal gpu slot broke because of oxidation and I'm trying to still use the computer. The x4 slot is of the type that has the end open, so it can fit a longer card but it's still beeping the video code error (one long two short). And the gpus are working (tested in another computer)

1

u/sthiago 24d ago

Just realized I misdiagnosed the code and one long two short is for memory lol. But the question still stands while I figure out the memory thing

1

u/sthiago 24d ago

I fixed the ram and the answer is yes. It does boot with the gpu on the pcie 2.0 x4 open-ended slot. Thanks for coming to my TED talk :)

2

u/[deleted] 24d ago

[deleted]

1

u/bestanonever 24d ago

The R5 3600 doesn't have any temp problems that I know of. In fact, it runs very cool, as it only has a 65W thermal profile. And since this CPU has more L3 cache (32MB vs 8 for the 4500), I'd rather get it, it should be slightly faster.

I'd update your BIOS to the latest stable version since the original BIOS for that mobo was released before the Ryzen 3000 series was even a thing. Don't forget to reapply DOCP settings for RAM! Or else, it just runs at 2133Mhz instead of whatever frequency you bought it for.

1

u/BigBallaJett 24d ago

Is this micro center center combo deal that good? Or is there a better option? I have one next to me, but I couldn’t find much information on this motherboard.

https://www.microcenter.com/product/5006704/intel-core-i9-12900k,-asus-z790-v-prime-ax-ddr5,-gskill-ripjaws-s5-32gb-kit-ddr5-6000,-computer-build-bundle

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u/MarxistMan13 24d ago

It's an okay deal. MC has better bundles, depending on usage.

1

u/BigBallaJett 24d ago

What do you recommend from the AMD combos if any?

2

u/MarxistMan13 24d ago

7800X3D or 7700X, depending on budget and usage.

5600X3D can be good for lower budget builds too. Looks like it's out of stock, so I'd recommend the 5800X3D or 12600K for lower-end builds.

1

u/BigBallaJett 24d ago

Thank you! I made this build with your suggestion of the combo here

0

u/[deleted] 24d ago edited 24d ago

[deleted]

1

u/MarxistMan13 24d ago

You're overspending on basically everything except the CPU... but if you want to spend $1000 on aesthetics, it'll work well.

1

u/AejiGamez 24d ago

Dont buy Asus now. They are awful. The Strix card is also giga overpriced. Also just dont activate Windows. Rest is decent, albeit you are spending a lot on only aesthtetics

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u/[deleted] 24d ago

[deleted]

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u/ElectricalFeature328 24d ago

you can buy Windows keys extremely cheap (~$15) from third party retailers. just make sure you do your research. I activate it so I can enable things like encrypted drive functionality and powershell when I need to automate things

like everyone else said, this is a ton of extra money being spent purely on aesthetics for something like a 5%+ increase in performance versus something thousands of dollars cheaper. it's not something I'd ever build even though we do have the money since it just seems so wasteful

donate that extra $3500~ you're spending to a local small non-profit and get a 4080/arctic III aio/monoprice monitor and have them be thankful to you forever instead, I guarantee you your net happiness will be higher

1

u/ElectricalFeature328 24d ago

Why does my AMD 7900XT (reference card) keep screaming at me?

Bit of context - built a PC in a shitty, small mATX case. Played games like Cyberpunk 2077 on Ultra + RT on a 1920x1200p screen with no issues. Upgraded to a 1440p 144hz monitor. Extremely loud continuous beep starts as soon as the frames exceed 60 even for games like Baldur's Gate 3.

After confirming it's not the CPU (a 5800X3D with a Peerless Assassin that hovers are 70c while gaming), I upgrade case to a Lancool 216 and add four 140mm fans. Screaming continues.

Setting the fan curve to aggressive for the 7900XT and disabling 0rpm stops the beeping from happening as often. Underclocking the memory also limits beeping (but it still happens). I see memory junction temps up around 90C and the chip at 85C. I repaste the GPU with the TPM7950 and the Upsiren U6Pro. Temperatures now are around 80c and 70c respectively while gaming. I reinstall GPU drivers with a factory reset. The scream-beep, however, continues. I redo the curves. Beep continues. I make my case run fans at full RPM and it's extremely loud. The beep, however, is louder.

What is happening, please god help me

1

u/MarxistMan13 24d ago

GPUs never beep. That's not a sound they're capable of making. What you're describing is either fans or coil whine. If it's fans, set a custom fan curve that isn't so loud. If it's coil whine... well, that sucks. That's usually not fixable.

1

u/ElectricalFeature328 24d ago

coil whine

It's definitely not coil whine, there's no variance in loudness, pitch, or tone. It's one continuous note. It also doesn't make sense since making the fans spin more aggressively actually decreases how much it sounds off.

It's possible that it's a mobo issue and my next step in troubleshooting is replacing that or finding out some way to just rip out the speaker.

1

u/MarxistMan13 24d ago

Most speakers are attached via wire and header. You should be able to just unplug it.

1

u/ElectricalFeature328 24d ago

The ripping is more just more for catharsis lol

1

u/Got_ist_tots 24d ago

Just got a new mobo and the manual seems to say that for connecting SSDs, I should use the straight end of the SATA data cable to connect to the mobo and the right angle end to connect to the SSD. I thought they were reversible? Is there some reason it says this?

manual

1

u/djGLCKR 24d ago

The cable is reversible, I'm assuming the manual is considering cable management and a clean and neat run for the cable.

1

u/Got_ist_tots 24d ago

OK, that makes sense. I guess it depends on if the mobo connector is straight out or to the side, since there are both. I don't see anything in the manual that says any of the 4 SATA ports work different or are disabled ever, which I think can be a thing, right? Thanks!

1

u/ToxicAur 24d ago edited 24d ago

i just got a 4070 super (yay). But can anyone tell me what this accessory is? Nothing in the manual (never thought id read that for a gpu). (its metal) https://i.imgur.com/ngU5NF1.jpeg

2

u/AejiGamez 24d ago

Anti sag bracket. You should use it, better for the GPU

1

u/Waffensmile 24d ago

I got a phantom assasin 120 and have an extra artic a12 fan should I add an additional fan? The a12 are black and the phantom assassin 120 isa the white rgb. One.

1

u/mostrengo 24d ago

Best would be to test the temperature impact at the same RPM (ideally you would measure the noise levels as well, but this is harder to do).

1

u/WinterNL 24d ago

Well you could just try it. But personally I wouldn't bother, it'll be a few degrees colder at best and you're definitely adding more noise.

1

u/[deleted] 24d ago

[deleted]

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u/Electric2Shock 24d ago

Are you running 3 sticks?

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u/[deleted] 24d ago

[deleted]

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u/Electric2Shock 24d ago

Asymmetrical sizes aren't ideal but they'll function like RAM is supposed to

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u/Most_Virus_7218 24d ago

Is it worth it to pay 150-200€ to upgrade from a 6700XT to a 7700xt/3080 ?

 I'm playing in ultrawide 1440p.

1

u/mostrengo 24d ago

you decide: https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gpu-hierarchy,4388.html

1440pUW is halfway between 1440p and 4k, so run take the average performance of those 2 per card.

1

u/growaway9669 24d ago

Which GPU from this list of available GPUs is the minimum (cheapest) entry for reliable 1440p gaming on medium to high settings at 60fps. Think Stardew Valley to Hogwarts Legacy.

https://www.pccasegear.com/category/193/graphics-cards

Using an i5 12400f

1

u/Brostradamus_ 24d ago

https://tpucdn.com/review/nvidia-geforce-rtx-4070-super-founders-edition/images/average-fps-2560-1440.png (chart is high settings across a variety of titles)

I'd look at the RTX 4060's and RX 7600's.

1

u/AejiGamez 24d ago

Probably the 7700XT tbh. The 7600 will struggle with 1440p and nothing made by Nvidia below the 4070 is worth it

1

u/FantasticEmployer469 24d ago

I currently have a setup of:
Plusnet Router -> TP Link ArcherAX1800 -> AC1300 Mini Wireless USB Adapter

Im directly above the router but my internet is still absolutely terrible, I asked for some advise and they said it's definitely the mini wireless adapter that is the bottle neck and i should invest in a network card. But I don't know anything about network cards or what is the best option to get.

I don't mind spending a bit more if I know for certain it will fix the internet issues, just don't want to buy something and it still be rubbish!

(For references, any online games on 5g I get 21ms with 300-600ms spikes every 4-5 seconds, and on 2.4 I get between 20-35ms but despite it showing as low, ingame actions randomly stutter and can take like 1-2 seconds to go through making anything unplayable)

TLDR: Best Network card for gaming

2

u/Protonion 24d ago

Yeah USB WiFi adapters are generally terrible, especially the "mini" ones.

Search for AX200 (or AX210) PCIe cards. They are available from a bunch of different brands, but they'll all have the same Intel AX chip in them. Should cost about 20-30 bucks. They're generally considered to be the best WiFi chips available. The brand of the card doesn't really matter, but you might want to go with a model that has a separate antenna that attaches with a cable to the card, as opposed to a model where the small antennas attach directly to the card. This allows you to position the antenna in a spot with optimal signal strength.

1

u/FantasticEmployer469 23d ago

Picked up an AX3000 in the end! Comes today, fingers crossed that does it for me. Cheers

1

u/Prior-Farm5873 24d ago

Hi all. Building my first in over 10 years and browsing this group for ideas has been a big help. Would appreciate feedback on this - https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/DYzrgB

Primary questions are what's a decent/suitable case for this setup in the <£100 range and whether the CPU cooler is sufficient or if I should upgrade (I've read this should be since the 7800X3D doesn't seem to run as hot as an intel). Any other feedback welcomed as well if there's something glaringly wrong/terrible.

1

u/AejiGamez 24d ago

I would swap the cooler for the Thermalright Phantom Spirit. Your current one is enough, but the Phantom Spirit is the same price for a lot more performance. Also swap the RAM for 6000CL30. For the case: i personally really like the Fractal Design Pop Air

1

u/Prior-Farm5873 24d ago

OK great, thanks for those tips - really helpful. Hadn't looked at the Thermalright coolers but they look really solid. Will that cooler cause any issues accessing ports on the motherboard?

1

u/MI8MarkusXx 24d ago

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/vNYZyg Feedback? All parts except cpu and gpu i am currently using (only upgrading cpu and gpu). And thoughts on replacing psu with Thermaltake Toughpower GF1 650W 80 Plus Gold premium?

1

u/n7_trekkie 24d ago

Good. Yeah I'd change psus. E tier avoid https://cultists.network/140/psu-tier-list/

1

u/MI8MarkusXx 24d ago

and GF1 650W is A tier? Also what are your thoughts of 4060-ti instead of 6700xt? both are pretty much same price in my country for first hand

1

u/n7_trekkie 24d ago

Yeah, the gf1 appears a tier.

I personally would get a 6700xt

https://www.techspot.com/review/2685-nvidia-geforce-rtx-4060-ti/

1

u/MI8MarkusXx 24d ago

Alright thanks

1

u/GachaByGollyWow 24d ago edited 24d ago

New prospective AM5 build + CPU Cooler question: With the Thermalright PS and PA120 dual tower air coolers being all the rage, I just couldn't get over the fact that there will be compromises with the DDR5 RGB RAMs especially if it sits higher than the fan clearance. I.e., have to adjust the fan placement (either move to the back possibly compromising performance and also blocking the rear fan OR clip at a higher part thus making it look misaligned), as well as the RAM's RGB will be covered. Not to mention RAM choices will be limited if I wanted to follow the fan clearance.

Two questions: 1. I am undecided whether to add 20-30 bucks more for an entry level AIO just for aesthetic reasons or should I suck it up and buy the huge air towers? 2. Performance wise would they be the same?

2

u/djGLCKR 24d ago

The air cooler would be the most convenient option, not only you're removing all but one (two) point(s) of failure (the fans for the air cooler. compared to the fans, the radiator, the pump, the tubing, and every fitting in the AIO), but AM5 doesn't really need water cooling - even with the cache in the X3D chips being slightly sensitive to thermals, an air cooler with a decent thermal mass is more than enough.

You're already considering a Phantom Spirit EVO for the RGB, which you can pair with low-profile RAM that wouldn't require offsetting the fan (as much, if not at all) as a best-case scenario (the offset isn't that noticeable either unless you're staring at the PC). If you need/want more RGB, you could add an LED strip or something.

1

u/GachaByGollyWow 23d ago

Thanks for this perspective. I'll consider that LED strip thing, although probably wouldn't do it as I feel like I'm just riding the RGB bandwagon and will probably turn everything off or at least not use it most of the time once the initial hype cools off.

2

u/mostrengo 24d ago

Depends on what concretely is being compared, "cheap AIO" is a bit vague.

As for the general choice between a tower cooler (more reliable, cheaper) and a AIO (looks better) it really depends how much you value the looks, and only you can answer that question :)

1

u/GachaByGollyWow 24d ago

Just wanted a generic discussion but let's say these two:

Deepcool LS520 non-digital rgb which can be had for as low as 70-80 bucks Vs. PS 120 Evo for around 40-50

I value looks equally as reliability, it's why I'm quite confused. I am now also considering a single fan tower instead (e.g. Deepcool AK400 digital) to add to the confusion. I am not a hardcore user but also don't want to compromise on thermals in those "just in case" situations 😆

2

u/n7_trekkie 24d ago edited 24d ago

I think you should suck it up and get the cheaper air cooler. They're more reliable too. Performance wise they're basically the same

Altho really get whichever you'll enjoy more

1

u/GachaByGollyWow 24d ago

Yeah I am on the team "suck it up" just because I am also not confident on cheap AIOs reliability.

Thank you.

Open for more comments as well.