Buildapc

I'm trying to make sure a CPU heat sink will fit in the case I'm going to put it in. It says that the heat sink is 158mm tall on their specs page, and the case says their "CPU height clearance" is max 165mm. That means it'll fit, right?

Links below:

https://www.thermalright.com/product/royal-pretor-130/

https://lian-li.com/product/a3-matx/

Hi,
I'm still on the mission to build a low budget gaming PC. For 200 euros I was offered a computer with following specs:

• Intel i5-7400
• 32 GB DDR4
• GTX 1070 Ti (8 GB)

The goal is to play games like The/Sons of the Forest, Cyberpunk 2077 and GTA V on medium to high settings in Full HD at 40+ FPS.

...yeah, it's time. I've finally found games I actually want to play that require a half-decent machine, I make all my money on the computer, and I regularly do video editing as well. I always keep my machines for a long time, so they need to be as future-proof as possible and I can't justify saving up for a PC unless it's going to be good enough for the foreseeable future. So here's where my head is at, I'd be grateful for any advice.

tl;dr https://pcpartpicker.com/list/xjP3yF for the general idea, but I'm open to other ideas. It's going to be a linux machine, and all AMD since I hear the drivers work better/are less fiddly. Aesthetically, I like an all-white motif but looks are secondary to pure power and long life. I would like to be able to emulate PS4, Xbox 360, run S&box so my kid can make games, and render my clip shows at high speed. The budget I'm targeting is about £2k. Will mean saving up for a couple months. Parts I'm considering:

CPU

• Ryzen 9 9950X3D (I'm most excited about having a strong CPU, this one appeals to me even though it's a bit of a splurge)
• Ryzen 9 7950X3D
• Ryzen 9 7900X3D

GPU

Anything AMD, 16gb preferred but at least 12gb. AMD RX 6800XT or higher perhaps. RX 7800 XT or similar would be great.

Memory

16gb preferred, DDR5, not too fussy about brand. Maybe someday another 16gb if it becomes worthwhile.

Storage

1 or 2TB M.2 NVMe SSD, any really who cares. I don't need a lot of storage, most of my games are lightweight indies or backed up on my server.

Power Supply

Anything 850-1000w, preferably modular? I dunno.

Cooling

Possibly an AIO liquid cooler. I'm iffy on that, would be happy with a fan if it's more recommended.

Case

Fractal does a nice white wood effect one (North XL), as does Antec (Flux Pro). Happy with anything that matches, but don't really love showy RGB, prefer understated and clean looks.

cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/60545062

As title suggests.
Coming home the other day I find my PC started to restart out of nowhere, with no warning before or errors afterwards. I haven't changed anything and haven't had this problem before.

Any suggestions on what to do?

Device specs:
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-9900K CPU @ 3.60GHz 3.60 GHz
Installed RAM 64.0 GB
Storage 233 GB HDD ST9250315AS, 112 GB SSD OCZ-VERTEX2, 466 GB SSD Samsung SSD 970 EVO Plus 500GB
Graphics Card NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 (12 GB)
System Type 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor
OS Windows 10

I finally got enough money to get a desktop but I can't seem to find ones that don't have a 4090 or a basic ass video card.

Need like a mid-level that is amazing for cpu games and ok for video as I don't care about visuals

Basically a computer that can run heavily modded Factorio, Minecraft and rimworld.

Anybody have any links or options that are under 800?

I was hyped for the gabecube but the delays and uncertainty around the pricing have left me wanting to build something that fits a similar niche instead. A Linux box (bazzite or steam OS, haven't made my mind up about that yet) that will keep up for the foreseeable future while being repairable, upgradeable, and (preferably) a small-smallish form factor to sit on top of my media center. That's the big picture for me. However, I've never built a PC before and I'm not sure what that looks like in practice.

I'm looking for advice and hardware suggestions on how to achieve this, I haven't set a budget because I'm not sure what's realistic, and having a reliable system is imore mportant to me, but I'm also pragmatic and don't want to overdo things just because. Below is relevant information and performance goals/questions in no particular order

I'm currently using my steam deck on a dock to fill this niche and it does ok, but it struggles with some titles and the graphics aren't always great when blown up on my TV. I have a 4k TV with a 60hz refresh rate. I want to build a system that can hold a stable 60fps on high settings for most games. Not sure about resolution, either 1080p or 1440p. I struggle with small text in a lot of modern titles (especially sitting ~8 ft away on the couch) and I've read that 1440p can help with that. I also do couch co-op fairly regularly and want support for 4 controllers that are a combination of Bluetooth and 2.4g. Since it'll be a Linux machine I know AMD is the way to go, but that's about as far as my hardware knowledge extends. I'm ok with buying second hand, and I'm fine with using framegen and upscaling to smooth things out.

Does 1440p make much of a difference, and is the higher hardware demand worth it? If so, what's the best bang for your buck CPU/GPU that could reliably achieve 1080/1440 @ 60fps, and do so for the next few years?

How much/what kind of RAM do I realistically need?

How on earth do I pick a motherboard? Lol

Thanks for reading!

As a 1080p 21' monitor user, when I got my first Mac laptop seeing it's HiDPI sharp text I was instantly hooked. Thing is, I still need to do my work on a PC. So I started my search for a higher resolution than usual monitor.

Recently, Dell dropped s2725qs which is a steal at 300 euros. It's 4k 27 inch 120hz and 99% SRGB. I set it at 150% scale on KDE Plasma. It works well. Compared to Cinnamon where text was a bit fuzzy at 150% (fractional scaling duh...). Optimal scenario would be 5k so you can use 200%, hence no fractional scaling, but you can't complain at this budget. My eyes are really happy now. I love it. Speakers are surprisingly decent. 120hz is very nice addition, actions like scrolling or playing a game make it so enjoyable.

I know this is technically not a HiDPI monitor, since they start usually at 200+dpi. This Dell is 161dpi, but works for me.

If you have any questions, let me know!

Update: Bad news, I redid the thermal paste on GPU and CPU and still having the crashes.

Good news, I got my tax refund and the OK from my partner to up the budget so I have put together another proposed build with a few comments from my post last week in mind as well as a higher budget.

I like ASUS and it has done me well so I changed the MoBo to another ASUS and changed the GPU and CPU to ones suggested in the comments.

[https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/list/6J2Tcx](higher budget build)

Please let me know what you think of this new proposed build. I figured I would just start fresh with everything new as I really don't know why the system is crashing. It already crashed once just while making this post. I'll only put in my old hard drives for access to all my media files.

Before anyone says it, I already have Fedora in another drive (which I will remove to install windows, dont worry) so no need to suggest linux.

Basically the last time I tried 24H2 was earlier this year from a forced update and it sucked balls, major performance issues in most games. I heard that a fresh install could fix this but I really couldnt be bothered so I reverted and blocked updates. But now thanks to my shitty chinese NVME that died with 30TBW with 2 years of use, I have an opportunity to install windows fresh. Should I even try 24H2 again? Better to install 23H2 offline and block feature updates again?

Hello,

I’ve recently assembled a new PC with the parts listed below and I am having problems with the initial install of Windows 11 Pro.

• MSI B850 Tomahawk Max WiFi
• AMD Ryzen 9 7900
• Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5 64GB
• MSI GEFORCE RTX 5070ti
• NZXT Kraken 360
• Samsung 990 Pro 4TB
• HYTE Y70 Touch Infinite case

I’ve downloaded the .iso and burned it to an USB stick and after booting, I get a window titled “Windows 11 Pro Install Driver to Show Hardware” and the option to browse for the needed driver. At the bottom of this window, it reads “A media driver your computer needs is missing. This could be a DVD, USB, or Hard Disk Driver.”

I’ve downloaded and flashed the BIOS to the version 7C91v29 dated 2025-07-04. It’s been a while since I’ve built a PC and it seems like most of the hardware now comes from the manufacturer’s website with its own exe that would be run to install the driver. This is my only Windows computer so I’m not sure how I can get the drivers installed. Any help or pointers would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Looking to build a new desktop as my current one is nearly 10 years, and hasn't been upgraded (outside of adding more storage) since the original build.

Looking to do an all AMD build, mostly for gaming while running a Linux OS. My knowledge of hardware isn't what it used to be, and I've had a coworker give some recommendations and reviewed a few other builds on a couple building sites for reference.

Was hoping to maybe be capable of 1440 gaming, while also future-proofing myself.

Any recommendations or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

PCPartPicker Part List: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/n6Pkt3

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 9700X 3.8 GHz 8-Core Processor
• CPU Cooler: Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler
• Motherboard: MSI MAG B850 TOMAHAWK MAX WIFI ATX AM5 Motherboard
• Memory: G.Skill Flare X5 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL36 Memory
• Storage: Crucial BX500 240 GB 2.5" Solid State Drive
• Storage: Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 5.0 X2 NVME Solid State Drive
• Video Card: Sapphire PULSE Radeon RX 9070 16 GB Video Card
• Case: Montech AIR 903 MAX ATX Mid Tower Case
• Power Supply: Super Flower LEADEX VII Platinum PRO 1000 W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply
• Case Fan: Noctua F12 PWM 54.97 CFM 120 mm Fan
• Case Fan: Noctua F12 PWM 54.97 CFM 120 mm Fan

Update from https://reddthat.com/post/42659843/19517206

Parts list: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/2GWhpK

First computer built from the ground up. I need to replace my Windows 10 laptop that couldn't be upgraded to Windows 11. Purpose: Watch 4K UHD BluRays and local LLM training.

Goals

• Reuse old chassis in the house. Which means it would be a sleeper build.

• Buy used, if available and in good condition

• Watch 4K UHD BluRay

• Train LLMs locally

• Use a Linux OS (Ubuntu 24.04 LTS)

Notes

Since I'm not good at drilling, the biggest challenge is ensuring good airflow from the stock chassis. The CPU Cooler is meant to be a Noctua NH-D15. Learned too late that the radiator wouldn't fit; the PSU is in the way. Fortunately, the included NF-A15s could be repurposed as chassis fans, thanks to some cable ties that come with the PSU. One is placed in the side, the other in the front near where the original speaker used to be. These are intake fans.

Outtake fans are two blowers that fit in PCI expansion slots. Some slots are effectively blocked by the M2 slot heat sinks.

The built-in WiFi board has no Linux driver. A USB dongle had to be used instead.

Motherboard is chosen to eventually accommodate an RTX5090, if needed.

These parts are bought used

• CPU

• GPU

• Monitor

• SSD

• RAM

• PSU

• Motherboard

Gallery

My main question first: Is my setup incorrect or are the dimming zone based monitors really annoying in day-to-day productivity? For one, the brightness of elements on the screen change too much. I.e. the task bar and cursor brightness change drastically depending on the background, even on low settings. On the medium/high settings of backlight dimming you can clearly see the square backlight behind the cursor. Is this normal and I'm just sensitive to this?

Also general HDR question: SDR white content like documents and websites are insanely bright. Is this also normal or should I play around more with the settings? But I assume I should switch them back when I actually want to consume HDR content?

Would love to hear from someone with some experience with HDR monitors especially LCD with dimming zones.

Backstory

I'm currently upgrading my two ancient 1080p 60Hz monitors. Nowadays I do mostly productivity stuff with my monitors, especially a full-time work from home job. But I do play games occasionally, so I wanted to get something for that aspect too.

I got myself the AOC G27G3XMN because it was recommended by Monitors Unboxed as a good entry level true HDR monitor. I wouldn't mind spending more on a monitor, but OLEDs for productivity don't feel worth it to me.

My 10 year old custom built computer is crashing a lot. I would like to use parts of it so I'm not blowing tons replacing everything.

The link for pc part picker has my current case, power supply, and CPU cooler which should all still be good to reuse. The other parts in that build are just ones I picked at random so are totally up for change.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. I would prefer to keep it under 1000 CAD. If you want to see my actual current build I will put it in a comment.

Edit: I am running Linux Mint Cinnamon as of now. The PSU was replaced in 2021

I have a Dell XPS with a GTX 1080 in it and it's getting a bit dated. I would love to build a machine. I was thinking possibly amd, as it seems better value. I figured I'll keep my 4tb nvme drive and maybe the ram but I should probably buy everything else new.

Any recommendations or should I just mess around on pcpartpicker?

So I've got this 1 liter PC I would like to mount under my desk. I got the compatible vesa kit from lenovo, and would rather use the standard bolts that are provided.

How do I fix them to my particle board desk? Simple holes will not hold the tight thread of the bolts, and I didn't find 'hollow' screws that would hold these, I'm not even sure they exist.

What would be the solution here? Just skip the bolts and put some regular screws? I fear the result won't be very clean...

Thanks

When the postie comes, I'll be building a PC for the first time in years. What are the do's, don'ts and tips nowadays?

Obviously classics like RTFM, plan ahead and retrieve any dropped screws are evergreen.

Things I believe are true: tighten your CPU cooler screws evenly (like putting on a car tyre), all screws should be no more than finger tight, build in a dust-free environment.

What about grounding yourself? I remember reading that the danger of this was way overstated and e.g. anti-static wrist straps were a waste of money. Is building in a case that's plugged in (but powered off) enough?

I've seen recommendations to build outside of the case first to test components - is this good advice?

Anything else?

I've been slow to make an upgrade, and figure what better time to switch to linux?

Did what I could to try to research that the parts were all fairly linux friendly, with a warning about the motherboard's wifi7 maybe not yet supported yet by the kernel.

Looking for a mid-high range build without going crazy on the cost. Build actually came in a bit cheaper than I expected, so feel like maybe I'm missing something here.

My monitor, which I'm planning to keep, does have G-Sync, but I don't know that I'll miss it.

PS: I know i can get more life out of my old hardware, but I want to turn that into a NAS.

EDIT: Fixed link.

Hi, its my 3rd pc build so i'd like to see if there is some kink that I'm unaware of or something else that doesn't really fit.

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/fQrGFZ

I mainly used it for gaming in 1440 or maybe at 4k and it will be on linux.

thank you for your time

I think I'm sort of overspending on the CPU and the monitor. Could anybody offer some advice?

I've been looking to upgrade to something like 64gb of RAM however I'm still using DDR4. So future-proofing to a new motherboard and CPU with DDR5 sounds like a logical plan. However I'm not even sure if that would be worth it. I figure you guys would have a better idea of what I should look at upgrading.

CPU: Intel i7-8700k

Motherboard: ASRock Z390

RAM: 16gb DDR4 3200mhz

GPU: RX 6700XT

Let me know if I'm missing any specs, it's been years since I last looked at my hardware.

Please help! I'm trying to remove this metal plate to get to my GPU for cleaning. From what I saw it had one star pattern bolt at the end of a slope connecting to the chassis, removing it loosened it a little but I don't know how to proceed. Dont want to damage anything.

Edit: I got it figured out! Had to pull a metal tab on the back as I jostled/slid the plate. Thank you!

Recently I asked about a new PC build. I got helpful responses about the topic but also a suggestion of just upgrading my GPU to a 3080 (from 3050). I looked deeper into it and it looks like I can do it easily even right now. Then I saw a 3080 FE for sale and I've always been a fan of how they look so now I want one.

However I also discovered that my CPU (i5-11400F) will be a severe bottleneck in that configuration. I don't really mind decreased GPU utilization and I'm pretty sure my CPU cooler will keep up just fine (tested in benchmarks and UE5) but will it give me any serious issues such as freezes or full on crashes? My resolution is 1080p btw (with the monitor itself actually being 768p but I increase resolution in games beyond that for better quality) but I might as well upgrade it to a 1440p one soon if necessary and use it for the new build when I undoubtedly waste my money on it.

I have a GigaByte AB350M-DASH motherboard.

This motherboard has a M2_WIFI socket, M keyed, if I correctly understood what I've been reading on it.

I have already bought a standard PCI card, as buying an M2 card would end being more expensive, but would an E keyed card work on this motherboard too?

I was looking at an AX200 card, and it keyed as such.

I'm a decently happy owner of a system with an i5-11400F and an RTX 3050. It just barely works for my needs (1080p 60-90 FPS ultra) but next year there will be some new games I'd like to play such as GTA 6 and FH6. With the current trends it's obvious my current system won't handle that on settings higher than low. So I'm thinking of getting a new PC.

For now I'm thinking something like a Ryzen 7 and an RTX 5070 Ti should work. That would be around 2.5-3k USD in my area depending on the components. Also I'd like a large monitor so I'll have to upgrade to a 1440p one which will increase the hardware requirements too.

AMD cards are quite expensive here apparently (9070 XT is significantly more expensive than 5070 lol) and I'm a massive fan of RT so those are not an option (I can remove the RT requirements if there's no way to use it with decent settings at no less than 60 FPS). Also NVidia 40 series is not good value here like at all.

Another interesting option is RTX 5080. It's still within my budget of around 3k but I'm very afraid of the connector melting issues. After all I can't build a PC myself (not an option at all) so a special well known company will handle it instead and nobody knows what connectors they use (I can ask as they're pretty open about this stuff but still). I've already worked with the company btw and it's not shady so that should be fine as long as I don't forget to edit a decent PSU in the specs instead of their common firework ones.

However with my limited knowledge I can't predict how far technology will go in the short term. We already saw that the latest gen showed pretty much no improvement over the previous one. So is it even worth waiting for the next year's tech or will it just be the same but with more AI frame gen slop and zeros in the price tag strapped to it? And will games get so much more demanding in just a year or two that trying to target ultra is already a bad idea?

What makes me even more worried is the slightly unstable financial situation in my country. It's possible that tech will get significantly more expensive here soon.

Yea this post is very long so I guess say gingerbread if you read it till the end lol.