Build Advice My first full on custom build.

[PhilCyr]

Good evening everyone. I am currently building my desktop Gaming, Photo studio, design basically a solid performer. Total budget around $4000 Canadian. My current plan is to possibly to run 4 sticks of 32gb ddr5 6000 CL30 if possible. For the GPU I don't need 150+ FPS I would be happy with anything above 30 but I still want one that is capable and doesn't hurt the budget to bad but still a solid performer.

I am stuck between the Ryzen 7950X3D and the 9950X3D. The plan is to run a two main monitor setup with 2 27-32" curved monitor and one or two smaller screens one preferably touch screen for system monitoring. Case wise I am looking at a few different ones that I like, the HAVN HS420 being one of the front runners along withe the Meshify 3 XL Pro Ambiance from fractal. I wish the GPU had more clearance in the lancool 207 digital case as that would eliminate one of the screens.

Time frame is the next couple of months for the build as I will be slowly getting all the parts together over time. Any advice or suggestions for tweaks to the build before I start dropping cash on the parts to avoid any compatibility issues.

It's about time I built my own PC as its been to long since I had a computer of any kind. Last was a Dell Laptop with a Ryzen 7 and I was impressed so I will be going the Ryzen route as I did like the performance and I was only a intel guy for years and I want to avoid potentially frying a $900 intel 13900kf I think the chip is. Main goal is to have easily upgradeable in the future. For now CPU cooling is a AIO 360 rad setup. Any thing I should be looking out for when buying parts and who are good sources to buy the parts in Canada?

 

[dark_globe]

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D 4.3 GHz 16-Core Processor ($959.00 @ Newegg Canada)
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Royal Pretor 130 81.88 CFM CPU Cooler ($72.90 @ Amazon Canada)
Motherboard: Asus TUF GAMING X870-PLUS WIFI ATX AM5 Motherboard ($359.98 @ Amazon Canada)
Memory: G.Skill Flare X5 96 GB (2 x 48 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory ($479.98 @ Newegg Canada)
Storage: Western Digital WD_Black SN850X 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($200.96 @ shopRBC)
Storage: Western Digital WD Blue SN5000 4 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($342.21 @ Amazon Canada)
Video Card: Asus PRIME GeForce RTX 5070 Ti 16 GB Video Card ($1110.99 @ PC-Canada)
Case: Lian Li LANCOOL 217 ATX Mid Tower Case ($193.19 @ Amazon Canada)
Power Supply: NZXT C1200 (2024) 1200 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($255.99 @ PC-Canada)
Total: $3975.20
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2025-06-30 23:29 EDT-0400

 

[Why_Me]

@PhilCyr you don't want to run four sticks of RAM with these AM5 cpu's (same goes for the newer Intel cpu's) due to the memory controller. This MSI SSD includes DRAM cache and this Antec case has received good reviews.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: *AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D 4.2 GHz 16-Core Processor ($929.99 @ Best Buy Canada)
CPU Cooler: *Deepcool LS720S ZERO DARK 85.85 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($105.82 @ Vuugo)
Motherboard: *Asus TUF GAMING B850-PLUS WIFI ATX AM5 Motherboard ($327.99 @ PC-Canada)
Memory: *G.Skill Flare X5 64 GB (2 x 32 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory ($289.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Storage: *MSI SPATIUM M480 PRO 4 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($405.36 @ Amazon Canada)
Video Card: *Asus PRIME GeForce RTX 5070 Ti 16 GB Video Card ($1089.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Case: *Antec FLUX SE ATX Mid Tower Case ($150.99 @ PC-Canada)
Power Supply: *FSP Group VITA-850GM 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($139.99 @ Canada Computers)
Total: $3440.12
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria
Generated by PCPartPicker 2025-07-04 13:00 EDT-0400

A better look at those components.

TUF GAMING B850-PLUS WIFI｜Motherboards｜ASUS USA

ASUS TUF GAMING B850-PLUS WIFI: Military-grade motherboard with AMD Ryzen™ support, PCIe 5.0, WiFi 7, USB 20Gbps, and advanced cooling for peak performance.

www.asus.com

https://www.gskill.com/product/165/396/1691400033/F5-6000J3040G32GX2-FX5

https://www.deepcool.com/products/C...-Liquid-Cooler-1851-1700-AM5/2024/17571.shtml

https://www.msi.com/Storage/SPATIUM-M480-PRO-PCIe-4.0-NVMe-M.2

ASUS Prime GeForce RTX™ 5070 Ti 16GB GDDR7 - Tech Specs

Detailed specification of PRIME-RTX5070TI-16G Tech Specs，Graphic Engine:NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 5070 Ti、AI Performance:1406 TOPs、Bus Standard:PCI Express 5.0、OpenGL:OpenGL®4.6、Video Memory:16GB GDDR7、Engine Clock:OC mode: 2482MHz<br>Default mode: 2452MHz (Boost Clock)、CUDA Core:8960、Memory Speed:28...

www.asus.com

https://www.fsplifestyle.com/en/product/VITAGM850W.html

https://www.antec.com/product/case/flux-se

 

[Flayed]

If I read it right and this will be your first build don't forget to mitigate any static discharge. You could use a wristband or do what I do which is touch a large radiator before handling components.

 

[PhilCyr]

@PhilCyr you don't want to run four sticks of RAM with these AM5 cpu's (same goes for the newer Intel cpu's) due to the memory controller. The 9800x3D is not only the best gaming cpu atm, it's a pretty solid performer in regards to Photoshop not to mention you don't have to deal with parking cores as you do with the Ryzen 9's. This Samsung SSD includes DRAM cache and this Antec case had excellent reviews. Low profile AMD EXPO RAM so that the heatsinks don't impede this dual tower cpu cooler. Keep in mind air coolers have a longer lifespan vs AIO's. The 120mm fan goes inside the back of this case for an exhaust fan.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: *AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D 4.7 GHz 8-Core Processor ($638.95 @ Vuugo)
CPU Cooler: *Thermalright Royal Pretor 130 BLACK 81.88 CFM CPU Cooler ($78.90 @ Amazon Canada)
Motherboard: *Asus TUF GAMING B850-PLUS WIFI ATX AM5 Motherboard ($279.99 @ Amazon Canada)
Memory: *G.Skill Flare X5 64 GB (2 x 32 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory ($284.99 @ Memory Express)
Storage: *Samsung 990 Pro 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($212.38 @ Amazon Canada)
Storage: *TEAMGROUP T-Force Vulcan Z 4 TB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($293.99 @ Amazon Canada)
Video Card: *Asus PRIME GeForce RTX 5070 Ti 16 GB Video Card ($1110.99 @ PC-Canada)
Case: *Antec P20C ATX Mid Tower Case ($137.99 @ PC-Canada)
Power Supply: *FSP Group VITA-850GM 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($154.99 @ Canada Computers)
Case Fan: *ARCTIC P12 PWM PST 56.3 CFM 120 mm Fan ($14.99 @ Amazon Canada)
Monitor: *MSI G272QPF E2 27.0" 2560 x 1440 180 Hz Monitor ($299.99 @ Amazon Canada)
Total: $3508.15
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria
Generated by PCPartPicker 2025-07-01 00:48 EDT-0400

A better look at those components.

https://www.msi.com/Monitor/G272QPF-E2

TUF GAMING B850-PLUS WIFI｜Motherboards｜ASUS USA

ASUS TUF GAMING B850-PLUS WIFI: Military-grade motherboard with AMD Ryzen™ support, PCIe 5.0, WiFi 7, USB 20Gbps, and advanced cooling for peak performance.

www.asus.com

https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/air-cooling/thermalright-royal-pretor-130-review

https://www.gskill.com/product/165/396/1691400033/F5-6000J3040G32GX2-FX5

https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/samsung-990-pro-ssd-review

VULCAN Z QLC SSD 4TB - TEAMGROUP

T-FORCE VULCAN Z QLC SSD adopts the SATA III 6Gb/s transmission interface and rigorously selected QLC Flash. Its continuous read/write speeds reach up to 550/510MB/s, offering gamers smooth and fast gaming experience with quick launch and TB-level storage options. In addition to supporting SLC...

www.teamgroupinc.com

ASUS Prime GeForce RTX™ 5070 Ti 16GB GDDR7 - Tech Specs

Detailed specification of PRIME-RTX5070TI-16G Tech Specs，Graphic Engine:NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 5070 Ti、AI Performance:1406 TOPs、Bus Standard:PCI Express 5.0、OpenGL:OpenGL®4.6、Video Memory:16GB GDDR7、Engine Clock:OC mode: 2482MHz<br>Default mode: 2452MHz (Boost Clock)、CUDA Core:8960、Memory Speed:28...

www.asus.com

https://www.fsplifestyle.com/en/product/VITAGM850W.html

https://www.arctic.de/us/P12-PWM-PST/ACFAN00120A

https://www.antec.com/product/case/p20c

Thank you for that information. I am not sure that cooler will have enough cooling power and I have had system run too hot in the past. For planned upgrade cycle will fit with the life span of the AIO and just make everything all the clean looking. Plus I am going to be adding a few ideas to it down the line.

CPU is one of those things that everyone has a different opinion on. That was one of the first ones I considered and you said why you think its the better choice which I appreciate. There are factors that lead me to the Ryzen 9 9950x3d as my possible choice as that I want to ask it to do very intensive design and R&D work and such and for future proofing the system overall. Still haven't decided the direction there.

I don't need the 5070ti would love that card or a 5080 ti or what ever one has 16tgb vram. I agree that is a great card but for what I would be happy with the 5060ti. It seems like a better bang bang for the performance buck in my case. As long as I can get 60 FPS in flight simulator I will be happy.

Case looks like a revamped model from the early 2000's, I do like it, though it looks too Darth Vader or Borg like and its a look I am tired of as that's all I had for 25 years with all my setups, even in white I would say the same. Don't mind losing a little space for a case that looks like it belongs on Star Trek or Star Wars. Main reason why I am looking at the HAVN HS420 I need to see them in person to decide which case. The Be quiet Light case https://www.canadacomputers.com/en/...t-light-base-600-dx-atx-case-black-bgw65.html actually caught my eye seems like it would be easier to build in.

Ram is the one area that drives me crazy at all the different things that need to be considered. I want as much ram as I possibly put in capacity wise and it sounds like I should stick with the 64gb.

I should add I was a Maintenance tech in aviation so I have and am considering everything you are suggesting

 

[Why_Me]

Thank you for that information. I am not sure that cooler will have enough cooling power and I have had system run too hot in the past. For planned upgrade cycle will fit with the life span of the AIO and just make everything all the clean looking. Plus I am going to be adding a few ideas to it down the line.

CPU is one of those things that everyone has a different opinion on. That was one of the first ones I considered and you said why you think its the better choice which I appreciate. There are factors that lead me to the Ryzen 9 9950x3d as my possible choice as that I want to ask it to do very intensive design and R&D work and such and for future proofing the system overall. Still haven't decided the direction there.

I don't need the 5070ti would love that card or a 5080 ti or what ever one has 16tgb vram. I agree that is a great card but for what I would be happy with the 5060ti. It seems like a better bang bang for the performance buck in my case. As long as I can get 60 FPS in flight simulator I will be happy.

Case looks like a revamped model from the early 2000's, I do like it, though it looks too Darth Vader or Borg like and its a look I am tired of as that's all I had for 25 years with all my setups, even in white I would say the same. Don't mind losing a little space for a case that looks like it belongs on Star Trek or Star Wars. Main reason why I am looking at the HAVN HS420 I need to see them in person to decide which case. The Be quiet Light case https://www.canadacomputers.com/en/...t-light-base-600-dx-atx-case-black-bgw65.html actually caught my eye seems like it would be easier to build in.

Ram is the one area that drives me crazy at all the different things that need to be considered. I want as much ram as I possibly put in capacity wise and it sounds like I should stick with the 64gb.

I should add I was a Maintenance tech in aviation so I have and am considering everything you are suggesting

 

[logainofhades]

https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/a...toKRrI1Iu1Gm5b1BIW5HEEryWcVjPanWZvK0grSSfui4Y

Whether the 9950x3d makes sense, or not, depends on software you are using. If it can't make use of those extra cores, you are wasting money. Being on AM5, you have an easy upgrade path, should you need to beef up the CPU down the road. Many editing softwares can take advantage of GPU, which would be faster than using CPU anyway, so I would go with the fastest GPU you can afford.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D 4.7 GHz 8-Core Processor ($638.95 @ Vuugo)
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Royal Pretor 130 BLACK 81.88 CFM CPU Cooler ($78.90 @ Amazon Canada)
Motherboard: Gigabyte B850 GAMING X WIFI6E ATX AM5 Motherboard ($264.99 @ Memory Express)
Memory: G.Skill Flare X5 96 GB (2 x 48 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory ($479.98 @ Newegg Canada)
Storage: Western Digital WD_Black SN850X 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($112.96 @ shopRBC)
Storage: Western Digital WD_Black SN850X 4 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($377.96 @ shopRBC)
Video Card: PNY ARGB EPIC-X RGB OC GeForce RTX 5080 16 GB Video Card ($1669.99 @ Best Buy Canada)
Case: Montech AIR 903 MAX ATX Mid Tower Case ($109.95 @ Vuugo)
Power Supply: Montech CENTURY II 1200 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($179.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Total: $3913.67
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2025-07-01 11:19 EDT-0400

 

[PhilCyr]

https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/a...toKRrI1Iu1Gm5b1BIW5HEEryWcVjPanWZvK0grSSfui4Y

Whether the 9950x3d makes sense, or not, depends on software you are using. If it can't make use of those extra cores, you are wasting money. Being on AM5, you have an easy upgrade path, should you need to beef up the CPU down the road. Many editing softwares can take advantage of GPU, which would be faster than using CPU anyway, so I would go with the fastest GPU you can afford.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D 4.7 GHz 8-Core Processor ($638.95 @ Vuugo)
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Royal Pretor 130 BLACK 81.88 CFM CPU Cooler ($78.90 @ Amazon Canada)
Motherboard: Gigabyte B850 GAMING X WIFI6E ATX AM5 Motherboard ($264.99 @ Memory Express)
Memory: G.Skill Flare X5 96 GB (2 x 48 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory ($479.98 @ Newegg Canada)
Storage: Western Digital WD_Black SN850X 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($112.96 @ shopRBC)
Storage: Western Digital WD_Black SN850X 4 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($377.96 @ shopRBC)
Video Card: PNY ARGB EPIC-X RGB OC GeForce RTX 5080 16 GB Video Card ($1669.99 @ Best Buy Canada)
Case: Montech AIR 903 MAX ATX Mid Tower Case ($109.95 @ Vuugo)
Power Supply: Montech CENTURY II 1200 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($179.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Total: $3913.67
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2025-07-01 11:19 EDT-0400

Thank you for the link to the review on the 9800x3d. Seems like more of a better fit for my needs. My only concern is how it handles a AutoCAD like program that is capable of 3d modeling. You have done the near impossible had me reconsider something I was set on. I will say not sure the atower cooler would be enough cooling . Honestly Some of the cases that people suggest look like they have been around and are too 1980's.

 

[dark_globe]

if you are doing 3D modeling in auto cad than your GPU will be doing most of the work .
generally speaking auto cad can use only limited number of cpu cores so
the single core performance and clock speed are the most important factors .

 

[PhilCyr]

if you are doing 3D modeling in auto cad than your GPU will be doing most of the work .
generally speaking auto cad can use only limited number of cpu cores so
the single core performance and clock speed are the most important factors .

I guess its been longer than I thought since I been out of the game. Especially when it comes to desk top kit. My Ryzan 7 Laptop served me well in most of my work. I will very likely be going with the Ryzen 7 9800x3d or the R9 7950x3d. Now I have to re look at GPU Cards to find one that fits my budget and not a PNY or gigabyte card and one that will fit in the case I decided on. Is it normal to change your mind so much when planing a build, I would love a 5090 but that is just outside of the budget by a large factor. I am now lost in juggling the GPU debate on what would best work for a all around unit that isn't over $900 Canadian by that much I am not sure that the 5060ti is the right card. But I am not needing super high frame rates for flight simulator in 4k or anything, just want a system that can handles what I throw at it which is why I was looking at the 9950x3d and the 5060 ti as I thought the pairing would balance the overall system out.

 

[dark_globe]

5060Ti is not a balanced video card for a high end processor and a system with 96-128gb of ram .
take the rtx 5070 as a base line and go from there .
ideally you should be getting a 5070Ti - anything above that is already at diminishing returns unless
you have the money for rtx 5090 in which case you would not be looking at anything else really .
radeon cards are more or less out of the question for creativity purposes
(of course there are some applications where they will do just fine , but in the ones they don´t
they are significantly slower than their nvidia equivalents)

 

[logainofhades]

Thank you for the link to the review on the 9800x3d. Seems like more of a better fit for my needs. My only concern is how it handles a AutoCAD like program that is capable of 3d modeling. You have done the near impossible had me reconsider something I was set on. I will say not sure the atower cooler would be enough cooling . Honestly Some of the cases that people suggest look like they have been around and are too 1980's.

AutoCAD is not a highly threaded program, so 8 cores is plenty. The cooler is plenty too.

https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/air-cooling/thermalright-royal-pretor-130-review

 

[PhilCyr]

AutoCAD is not a highly threaded program, so 8 cores is plenty. The cooler is plenty too.

https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/air-cooling/thermalright-royal-pretor-130-review

Who can I trust company wise that I wont get a dud GPU . Does it matter what 5070ti I get and so they all perform generally the same? What the hell are cuda cores as that is what I thin k you lads are talking about as I just install the damn cards that is the wire pullers in Avionics job to know that stuff. I just want to have all the info to make the best decisions for the build. Thankfully I still have a month before I start ordering parts . What the hell is up with the way above MSRP on most of the cards out there. Last GPU I bought I paid 100 bucks for. What are the performace differences between the 5070 and the 5070ti and is the Ti worth 1200 bucks?

 

[dark_globe]

the main difference between the aftermarket models is the VRM design ,
noise levels of the cooler under load and also its thermal performance .
of course there are better or worse models out there but thankfully
these days i´m not aware of any model that would be insufficient for the job .
and since the prices are already pretty high usually it is acceptable
to sacrifice a bit of silence and get some cheaper model .

generally speaking when it comes to new 5xxx series nvidia video cards asus has some good models ,
also MSI with its gaming trio or vanguard (but they are pricey)
as it happens asus prime is actually the cheapest right now (tuf would be better but prime is also decent) :
PCPartPicker Part List

Video Card: Asus PRIME GeForce RTX 5070 Ti 16 GB Video Card ($1089.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Total: $1089.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2025-07-02 23:19 EDT-0400


when it come to rtx 5070 vs 5070Ti the main benefits of the Ti model
are the extra 4gb of VRAM which comes in handy
especially in higher resolutions and
also its stronger rasterization performance featuring a slightly cut down chip of the rtx 5080 .
overall it is around 20% faster in 1440p and 25% faster in 4K compared to vanilla rtx 5070
it is also faster in productivity:
https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/a...rqcbsH9w5K16V0r75HlYD421Nvrvvu8XcXQJv4KqgVemi

cuda cores are processing units within NVIDIA GPUs
they have better/wider software support compared to AMD equivalent
thus are better to use (in most cases) for productivity purposes .

 

[geofelt]

I have always had good results from Newegg in the US, Newegg.ca is likely to be good also.

Some thoughts:
Many on this forum are gamers and will suggest the X3D processors.
The huge cache does wonders for for the single master thread that games need.
But, the down side is that other multitasking does not do as well as the underlying base chip.
For your use, pick the R9-9950X vs. the 9950X3d version. $799 vs. 959.
On the Intel side, look at the Ultra 285K $789.
The new Intel ultra chips are power efficient and have integrated ram controllers which allow maximum ram at higher speeds.

As a plus, Intel will include integrated graphics that can get you started.
It will include the quick sync capability if that is useful to you.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Quick_Sync_Video
Do not discount the I9-14900K at $639.
FUD abounds. Discount reports that are a year old.
Intel has found and fixed the voltage issues.
Here is the most recent status:
https://community.intel.com/t5/Mobi...-Vmin-Shift-Instabilty-Update-New/m-p/1686948

I do not see a 4 x 64gb DDR5 ram kit on Newegg.ca.
To get 256gb you would need two 128gb kits and therein is a potential problem.
Ram to perform as advertised must be from a single matched kit.


Try to buy all of your parts at the same time. If you need to return a part bought earlier, the return window may have closed or you found the part at a lower price.
One exception might be the case which will not change much over time.
Your case selections seem to me to be a bit of overkill.
But will work just fine. There are some less expensive options.
OTOH, it is important to buy a case that you love. It will be with you for a long time.

Buy a sufficiently strong quality psu.
One way to gauge quality is by the warranty. Look for 7 years minimum, 10 or 12 year warranty is better.
Look for a stronger psu. The price differential between 750w, 850w and 950w is usually not that great.
A extra strong psu will only use the power demanded of it, regardless of the max capability.
It can handle power spikes from modern graphics cards and will run quietly in the middle third of it's range.

Unless you will attempt overclocking, a good air cooler in a good case is all you need.
AIO coolers do not last forever.
In time the mechanical pump fails or gets clogged. Air will enter the tubes and the unit must be replaced.
Think of an AIO as a 5 year rental.
The Puget tests mentioned below used a Noctua NH-U12s air cooler.
Not even the strongest in the noctua line.

FWIW as a first time builder

MY build process:

Before anything, while waiting for your parts to be delivered, download
and read, cover to cover your case and motherboard manual.
Buy a long #2 magnetic tip philips screwdriver.
A small led flashlight is also useful.

I find it handy to buy a power switch like this for testing.
https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16812119009?Description=power switch&cm_re=power_switch-_-12-119-009-_-Product&quicklink=true
1. I assemble the critical parts outside of the case.
That lets me test them for functionality easily.
A wood table or cardboard is fine.
2. Plug in only the necessary parts at first. Ram, cpu, cooler, psu.
Do not force anything. Parts fit only one way.
Attach a monitor to the integrated motherboard adapter if you have one, otherwise to the graphics card.
3. If your motherboard does not have a PWR button, momentarily touch the two pwr front panel pins with a flat blade screwdriver.
4. Repeatedly hit F2 or DEL, and that should get you into the bios display.
5. Boot from a cd or usb stick with memtest86 on it. memtest will exercise your ram and cpu functionality.
They boot from a usb stick and do not use windows.
You can download them here:

MemTest86 - Official Site of the x86 Memory Testing Tool

MemTest86 is the original self booting memory testing software for x86 and ARM computers. Supporting both BIOS and UEFI, with options to boot from USB.

www.memtest86.com

Memtest86+ | The Open-Source Memory Testing Tool

Memtest86+ is an advanced, free, open-source, stand-alone memory tester for 32- and 64-bit computers (UEFI & BIOS supported)

www.memtest.org

If you can run a full pass with NO errors, your ram should be ok.

Running several more passes will sometimes uncover an issue, but it takes more time.

Probably not worth it unless you really suspect a ram issue.
Opinions vary on updating the bios.
Normally, one does not update a bios unless there is a fix for something that is impacting you. I violate this rule on a new build and will update to currency up front.
Use the usb option, not the windows option.
If there is a severe problem, the impact is small.


6. Install windows.
7. Install the motherboard cd drivers. Particularly the lan drivers so you can access the internet.
Do not select the easy install option, or you will get a bunch of utilities and trialware that you don't want. Drivers only.
7. Connect to the internet and install an antivirus program. Microsoft defender is free, easy, and unobtrusive.
8. Install your graphics card and driver if you tested with integrated graphics.
You will need to remove the graphics card later to install your motherboard in the case.
As a tip when screwing the motherboard into the posts, give the screw a small counterclockwise turn until you feel a click.
That lets you know that the screw will engage properly.
Make a note of how the graphics card latches into the pcie slot.
The mechanism will be hidden under the card and may be difficult to work if you have not previously checked how.
9. Update windows to currency.
10. Only now do I take apart what I need to and install it in the case.
11. Now is the time to reinstall your graphics card.

 

[logainofhades]

Some thoughts:
Many on this forum are gamers and will suggest the X3D processors.
The huge cache does wonders for for the single master thread that games need.
But, the down side is that other multitasking does not do as well as the underlying base chip.

Not the case with the 9800x3d vs 9700x. It is just as fast, if not faster.


https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/a...toKRrI1Iu1Gm5b1BIW5HEEryWcVjPanWZvK0grSSfui4Y

 

[PhilCyr]

I have always had good results from Newegg in the US, Newegg.ca is likely to be good also.

Some thoughts:
Many on this forum are gamers and will suggest the X3D processors.
The huge cache does wonders for for the single master thread that games need.
But, the down side is that other multitasking does not do as well as the underlying base chip.
For your use, pick the R9-9950X vs. the 9950X3d version. $799 vs. 959.
On the Intel side, look at the Ultra 285K $789.
The new Intel ultra chips are power efficient and have integrated ram controllers which allow maximum ram at higher speeds.

As a plus, Intel will include integrated graphics that can get you started.
It will include the quick sync capability if that is useful to you.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Quick_Sync_Video
Do not discount the I9-14900K at $639.
FUD abounds. Discount reports that are a year old.
Intel has found and fixed the voltage issues.
Here is the most recent status:
https://community.intel.com/t5/Mobi...-Vmin-Shift-Instabilty-Update-New/m-p/1686948

I do not see a 4 x 64gb DDR5 ram kit on Newegg.ca.
To get 256gb you would need two 128gb kits and therein is a potential problem.
Ram to perform as advertised must be from a single matched kit.


Try to buy all of your parts at the same time. If you need to return a part bought earlier, the return window may have closed or you found the part at a lower price.
One exception might be the case which will not change much over time.
Your case selections seem to me to be a bit of overkill.
But will work just fine. There are some less expensive options.
OTOH, it is important to buy a case that you love. It will be with you for a long time.

Buy a sufficiently strong quality psu.
One way to gauge quality is by the warranty. Look for 7 years minimum, 10 or 12 year warranty is better.
Look for a stronger psu. The price differential between 750w, 850w and 950w is usually not that great.
A extra strong psu will only use the power demanded of it, regardless of the max capability.
It can handle power spikes from modern graphics cards and will run quietly in the middle third of it's range.

Unless you will attempt overclocking, a good air cooler in a good case is all you need.
AIO coolers do not last forever.
In time the mechanical pump fails or gets clogged. Air will enter the tubes and the unit must be replaced.
Think of an AIO as a 5 year rental.
The Puget tests mentioned below used a Noctua NH-U12s air cooler.
Not even the strongest in the noctua line.

FWIW as a first time builder

MY build process:

Before anything, while waiting for your parts to be delivered, download
and read, cover to cover your case and motherboard manual.
Buy a long #2 magnetic tip philips screwdriver.
A small led flashlight is also useful.

I find it handy to buy a power switch like this for testing.
https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16812119009?Description=power switch&cm_re=power_switch-_-12-119-009-_-Product&quicklink=true
1. I assemble the critical parts outside of the case.
That lets me test them for functionality easily.
A wood table or cardboard is fine.
2. Plug in only the necessary parts at first. Ram, cpu, cooler, psu.
Do not force anything. Parts fit only one way.
Attach a monitor to the integrated motherboard adapter if you have one, otherwise to the graphics card.
3. If your motherboard does not have a PWR button, momentarily touch the two pwr front panel pins with a flat blade screwdriver.
4. Repeatedly hit F2 or DEL, and that should get you into the bios display.
5. Boot from a cd or usb stick with memtest86 on it. memtest will exercise your ram and cpu functionality.
They boot from a usb stick and do not use windows.
You can download them here:

MemTest86 - Official Site of the x86 Memory Testing Tool

MemTest86 is the original self booting memory testing software for x86 and ARM computers. Supporting both BIOS and UEFI, with options to boot from USB.

www.memtest86.com

Memtest86+ | The Open-Source Memory Testing Tool

Memtest86+ is an advanced, free, open-source, stand-alone memory tester for 32- and 64-bit computers (UEFI & BIOS supported)

www.memtest.org

If you can run a full pass with NO errors, your ram should be ok.

Running several more passes will sometimes uncover an issue, but it takes more time.

Probably not worth it unless you really suspect a ram issue.
Opinions vary on updating the bios.
Normally, one does not update a bios unless there is a fix for something that is impacting you. I violate this rule on a new build and will update to currency up front.
Use the usb option, not the windows option.
If there is a severe problem, the impact is small.


6. Install windows.
7. Install the motherboard cd drivers. Particularly the lan drivers so you can access the internet.
Do not select the easy install option, or you will get a bunch of utilities and trialware that you don't want. Drivers only.
7. Connect to the internet and install an antivirus program. Microsoft defender is free, easy, and unobtrusive.
8. Install your graphics card and driver if you tested with integrated graphics.
You will need to remove the graphics card later to install your motherboard in the case.
As a tip when screwing the motherboard into the posts, give the screw a small counterclockwise turn until you feel a click.
That lets you know that the screw will engage properly.
Make a note of how the graphics card latches into the pcie slot.
The mechanism will be hidden under the card and may be difficult to work if you have not previously checked how.
9. Update windows to currency.
10. Only now do I take apart what I need to and install it in the case.
11. Now is the time to reinstall your graphics card.

First off, What does FWIW, OTOH mean? Thank you for that valuable information. This is my first full on scratch build done several upgrades over the years, the assembly doesn't worry me its more what happens on first time it gets fired up and that is nothing wrong or I missed something or not take something into account at this stage of the build which is where many over think the problem. Wasn't much of a selection when I bought my last desk top 22 years ago and after 5 years I was sick of it as they looked the same sense the early days of the Tower desktop. If I am building it myself I want to see what I put together.
On the AIO Taken that into account as it does fit with current upgrade plans down he road, replace it at that point. Looked at MTBF numbers on the units and crunched a few numbers on how long it will last. Looking at about a 4 year upgrade cycle on the short end of the scale. Its more for the aesthetics and that I want to be sure it stays as cool as possible. Honestly Noctua and be quiet do have good kit for tower coolers and actually don't look too bad.
I considered Intel and use to sware by them but got a Ryzen 7 Laptop and I was loving the performance I got from a mid budget Dell Laptop with touch screen. Wasn't impressed with the I7 HP laptop I had which died due to a drive failure I am thinking. May repair it eventually and do a couple upgrades while I am at it. The reason why I am looking at Ryzen is that they seem to be better received and didn't have as many issues. Some of the Intel features would be nice to have. Also I and looking at Adding VR to my setup down the road and the Ryzen seems to perform better according to some reviews.
The biggest questions that keep me awake surround Ram which would be what set to get for best performance, what spec is best for my needs and is it worth USing XMP or other ram optimizers. Right now Thinking 6000 CL30 spec but 64 or a 128gb set or even a 96gb set as that will be the set for the MB until the Ram fails oe the MB dies.
On the GPU What I want is the 5080 or 5090 ti but those are just at unatanium level currently so I only have 2 or 3 options that are feasible and somewhat affordable. Now if MSi would send me one of either 5090 ti or the 5080 ti I would be a very happy man but I am still undecided on that though its looking like the 5070ti may be what I go with. I am not a Frame rate nut I just want something that runs smooth with the frame generation and other settings plus I will likely limit the frame rates to 60 FPS and would be at 1080p settings regardless .

 

[geofelt]

FWIW=For what it's worth
OTOH= On the other hand.

Ryzen depends on ram for performance.
Not all seemingly correct ram will work.
To avoid issues, pick a kit listed on the motherboard ram QVL list for your processor.
The QVL list will list all the ram that has been tested and found to work.
The list may not be updated after motherboard launch.
An alternative is to pick a favored ram vendor and use their ram support app to pick a kit.
XMP is a set of ram settings embedded in the stick that allow the ram to operate at it's advertised speed.
EXPO is the rough equivalent for amd ram.

 

[stuff and nonesense]

Thank you for that information. I am not sure that cooler will have enough cooling power and I have had system run too hot in the past. For planned upgrade cycle will fit with the life span of the AIO and just make everything all the clean looking. Plus I am going to be adding a few ideas to it down the line.

CPU is one of those things that everyone has a different opinion on. That was one of the first ones I considered and you said why you think its the better choice which I appreciate. There are factors that lead me to the Ryzen 9 9950x3d as my possible choice as that I want to ask it to do very intensive design and R&D work and such and for future proofing the system overall. Still haven't decided the direction there.

I don't need the 5070ti would love that card or a 5080 ti or what ever one has 16tgb vram. I agree that is a great card but for what I would be happy with the 5060ti. It seems like a better bang bang for the performance buck in my case. As long as I can get 60 FPS in flight simulator I will be happy.

Case looks like a revamped model from the early 2000's, I do like it, though it looks too Darth Vader or Borg like and its a look I am tired of as that's all I had for 25 years with all my setups, even in white I would say the same. Don't mind losing a little space for a case that looks like it belongs on Star Trek or Star Wars. Main reason why I am looking at the HAVN HS420 I need to see them in person to decide which case. The Be quiet Light case https://www.canadacomputers.com/en/...t-light-base-600-dx-atx-case-black-bgw65.html actually caught my eye seems like it would be easier to build in.

Ram is the one area that drives me crazy at all the different things that need to be considered. I want as much ram as I possibly put in capacity wise and it sounds like I should stick with the 64gb.

I should add I was a Maintenance tech in aviation so I have and am considering everything you are suggesting

Unless you are chasing high frame rates the 9950x would be a better choice for your build.
The x3d parts will fill up a Nvidia xx80 or a xx90 card. The 5060 will not benefit from the x3d cache.

Memory : 4 sticks puts a lot of load on the memory controller. You could look at 2x48GB 6000 memory. For example https://www.overclockers.co.uk/cors...-48000c30-6000mhz-dual-cha-mem-crs-03746.html