Part Recommendations

[Ardjin]

Hi there,

I'm putting together my first build, and getting the majority of the components between now and April. Basically I've got the case, a Fractal North (black with tempered glass), and the XFX RX 6950 XT, as I got them both on sale recently.

The rest of the build consists of a 7600X, ASUS TUF X670-E, DeepCool AK620, 16gb x 2 of 6000mhz RAM, 2tb NVMe 4.0, and the Cooler Master V850 Gold V2 850W PSU.

As I said, it's my first desktop build, coming from a Dell G5 laptop with a GTX 1650 mobile, so I'm trying to educate myself with the build and setup as much as possible. My budget is rigid, and fits the above perfectly with compromises here and there (the CPU prices scale dramatically in South Africa, so the 7700x is about 25% more expensive than the 7600x).

I'll mainly be using the build for gaming, and just want to see check whether there's any glaring errors or room for improvement. I've also had conflicting feedback from the suppliers on whether an 850w PSU will be enough for the build, so if someone has firsthand experience, I'd appreciate the advice.

Thanks!

[goodplay]

XFX has minimum 850W recommended..

And use two separate pcie cables from psu to graphics card (not just one into two split).

[Ardjin]

Hi there. I saw the minimum spec on the XFX product page, but would that handle any power spikes, etc?

Will do on the separate cables.

[elstaci · Accepted solution]

This CPU/GPU tech site that shows the minimum PSU you need using those two components mentions you only need a 650 Watt PSU:

I believe when AMD and OEM mentions the minimum PSU needed it includes the PSU to be able to withstand large Power spikes from the GPU.

If a PSU can't handle GPU power spikes it will probably crash the computer or shut down which is why XFX states a minimum of 850 Watt PSU even though according to the above PSU Tech site it suggests you only need a 650 Watt PSU.

[Justifier]

I'm on a 13900k and a 6900xt with an 850w Platinum Be Quiet Straight Power 11

OP just has to get a well reputed brand that was well made and they'll be fine.

A crap 1000w psu < a good 850w psu

[mandrakeblackstone]

This information is wrong,  you would need at least a 850 watt PSU as I have 750watt PSU and recently installed a 6950 xt, and it shut down when trying to play RDR 2 now I haven't tried undervolting that might make a différance but to be safe I wont be gaming until I install a 1000 watt PSU . But that could be because I have a sound card so that may make a difference or it could just be the game but for safety sake I would go with something more powerful then recommend 

[Sam_AMD]

Hi, @Ardjin Welcome to the Red Team! 

Your gaming rig is gonna be awesome! Great choices. By the way, before I forget, we're working on publishing a few "How to" articles, which I believe could come in handy to you: check them out.

I agree with @goodplay and @elstaci ,meaning, to play it safe, go with an 850w PSU. Also, you can use a Power Supply Calculator: https://www.makeuseof.com/best-online-power-supply-calculators/

Also, I see that you're working with a rigid budget, but since this is a new build, and thinking you'll probably have the rig for at least 3 years (and may upgrade some of the components), you could go with a 1000w CPU to future-proof your rig. I believe the extra dollars justify your "long-term" investment. I'm making this suggestion because replacing a PSU is not hard, but complex and "intense". Believe me, I"ve been there before! 🙂

[elstaci]

@Sam_AMD 

Good point on using a stronger PSU than 850 watts for future-proofing the PC.

That way if the OP decides to get an ever stronger GPU or CPU in the future he won't have any power issues to worry about.

The PSU is probably one of the most important hardware to purchase since it powers your entire PC. So the OP should get, within his budget, a Platinum, Silver or Gold rated high quality PSU.

[Ardjin]

Thanks very much for the insight, everyone, I really appreciate it. I'll see if I can fit a good 1000w into my budget, unfortunately the prices seem to spike quite dramatically locally above 850w. Looking forward to the build though. I'll share pics when it's done!

[Sam_AMD]

I'd love to see pictures! And I'm sure the rest of the folks will enjoy them too! 

[Vynski]

Your goals are quite impressive for your first build.

Wish you all the luck in a successful venture.  Just take the advice of these members with a lot of experience.