First PC Build [AMD Ryzen 5 3600] [EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti]

by gyeung743 Posted on: 3/11/2021

Build Description

This is my first PC build/setup that I've ever done. I've been looking around and waiting for the right time to make a build for about 2 years and it has come to this. I wanted to make a nice looking but not too vibrant PC, so I chose the Lian Li Lancool 205m. I saw this at Microcenter once and I really liked the way it looked. It was Micro ATX, which I wanted because a mid tower ATX case would just be too big for my desk. I added 3 120mm RGB fans from Deepcool which would add for better airflow and better lighting. For the CPU, I had to choose the Ryzen 5 3600 as it was the best choice I had for the budget. Got it for under $200 along with the ASRock B450m Pro4 at Microcenter for $60. Great performing CPU and a great binned CPU too IMO (the Ryzen 5 3600's rated all core clock boost is 4.2Ghz). I managed to overclock it to 4.3Ghz stable at 1.35 volts or 4.425Ghz at 1.375 - 1.4 volts. I only use the 1.35v OC as it is probably better for 24/7 use than 1.375. With the Enermax Liqfusion III 240mm AIO, it can cool it like it wasn't even being overclocked. Temperatures were amazing, which I had expected from a liquid cooler. One thing I wanted to do but couldn't was that I couldn't put the AIO on the top mount as it would not fit because the RAM was just barely in the way of the radiator, so I ended up using the 2 case fans that came with the case and put it on the other side of the radiator in the front of the case to get a push/pull configuration. I think the temperatures are probably better like that, but can't say for sure. The GPU I used was the NVIDIA RTX 2080 Super. I was really looking hard to find a 3070 for a good price, but couldn't, so I just found the 2080 Super for $500. Only downside to this was that it is only the factory Dell 2080 Super blower style card, so that means no lights and the worst of all, a loud fan when playing games. I'm pretty sure this fan gets to 70% fan speed evertime and it is pretty loud. I'm looking right now for a 2080 or a 2080 Super non blower style just because of that. Although, I did manage to get a decent stable overclock on it at +150 on the core and +500 on the memory. The RAM I chose was the PNY XLR8 2x8 16GB kit. I found it on Amazon and it seemed like a decent deal for $85. The brand is good and I didn't want to risk spending $10 less on a cheap brand (Oloy). Last but not least, I chose the Inland Platinum NVME M.2 SSD. I wasn't even planning on getting it (but good thing I got it) as I was looking at the Crucial P2. Since Microcenter had it in stock, I bought it. Not only was it cheaper, but it was way faster. For a non PCIE Gen4 NVME, this performs great. The read write speeds are 3,400MB/S Read/1900 MB/S Write. Overall, I think this build is great. I am only using a 1080p 144hz monitor setup, but in the future, I will most likely bump it up to a 1440p 144hz or a 1080p 240hz. I probably ended up spending a total of $1200 including tax and shipping, which is amazing nowadays. Microcenter really helped out with getting my parts quicker and at the best price.

Favorite Feature

I really liked the case as it was the case I had been looking at forever when I saw it at Microcenter. The fan support and radiator support was good too. I was pretty happy that I ended up with a push/pull configuration for the AIO in the front of the case even though I wanted to put the radiator on the top of the case. Speaking of AIO, I was also looking at the Enermax Liqmax III forever too and it just happened to be on sale for $30 off from Newegg (rebate) and I bought it for $49.99 technically. That AIO really held my standards. I was thinking about getting a 5600x at the time, but it was out of stock and I ended up getting the Ryzen 5 3600 which is still a great processor from AMD. I found the RTX 2080 Super on Offerup nearby and got it for $500. Even though it was a loud blower style cooler, it performs amazing compared to what I used to have with my laptop with the MX 150 graphics card. I am for sure getting an RTX 3060 Ti or RTX 3070 as that was my original plan.

Parts contained in build

AMD Ryzen 5 3600 Matisse 3.6GHz 6-Core AM4 Boxed Processor with Wraith Stealth Cooler
AMD Ryzen 5 3600 Matisse 3.6GHz 6-Core AM4 Boxed Processor with Wraith Stealth Cooler
Qty: 1 $199.99
From Microcenter
ASRock B450M Pro4 AMD AM4 microATX Motherboard
ASRock B450M Pro4 AMD AM4 microATX Motherboard
Qty: 1 $79.99
From Microcenter
Rtx 2080 Super
Qty: 1 $500.00
Bought locally
PNY XLR8 16GB 2 x 8GB DDR4 3200 Mhz
Qty: 1 $85.00
From Amazon
Lian Li 205M mATX Mid-Tower Computer Case
Lian Li 205M mATX Mid-Tower Computer Case
Qty: 1 $59.99
From Microcenter
EVGA SuperNOVA 650 GT 650 Watt 80 Plus Gold ATX Fully Modular Power Supply
EVGA SuperNOVA 650 GT 650 Watt 80 Plus Gold ATX Fully Modular Power Supply
Qty: 1 $109.99
Bought this locally
Enermax Liqmax III ARGB 240MM AIO Liquid Cooler
Qty: 1 $50.00
From Newegg
Inland Platinum 1TB NVME M.2 SSD
Qty: 1 $95.00
From Microcenter
Black Sleeved Braided PSU Cable Extensions
Qty: 1 $25.00
I got these because I wanted to get my build the cleanest look possible at the cheapest price (on Amazon). I really like them.
Deepcool RF120 120MM RGB Fans [3 Pack]
Qty: 1 $39.99
I bought these on Amazon as I wanted to get a complete RGB build look and to get better airflow for the GPU and CPU. Great fans. They're quiet and effective, as well as inexpensive. Was originally looking St the Inwin Siriis Loop fans, but wanted a full array of LEDs instead of a ring.

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