First Build in the H510 Elite
by Oliver R Posted on: 10/7/2021
Build Description
After spending a couple months in lockdown, I realized my non-gaming laptop with a faulty eGPU wasn't going to last me much longer. I had been interested in PCs for a while and in May 2020 I decided to go for it. I mostly use it for gaming, school work, and some general computer stuff. Turns out the used GTX 970 I got bundled with my eGPU on eBay was the problem so that lasted about two weeks in my build. I found a used RX 470 4G for about $80 in June (just before prices skyrocketed) and unfortunately haven't had the opportunity to pick up a 30-series or RX 6000 GPU, but for now, it gets the job done. I've done a few small upgrades over the last year and a bit including going from the stock Wraith cooler that came with my 3600 to the Noctua U12S, Asiahorse cable extensions, an additional 1TB SSD, 16 to 32GB RAM, and a better PSU. A new GPU is next on my list (just like everyone else), ideally the RX 6800XT Midnight Black.
In the future, I want to try my hand in an ITX rebuild in the FormD T1.
In the future, I want to try my hand in an ITX rebuild in the FormD T1.
Favorite Feature
I absolutely love how the H510 Elite looks when matched with black and white components. I know the airflow sucks, but temps haven't been too bad with my relatively low-end parts.
AMD Ryzen 5 3600 Matisse 3.6GHz 6-Core AM4 Boxed Processor with Wraith Stealth Cooler
Qty: 1
$172.76
Great entry-level/midrange CPU; it was the obvious choice for me at the time of building.
ASUS B450-F ROG STRIX GAMING II AMD AM4 ATX Motherboard
Qty: 1
$129.99
Asus is my go-to for motherboards now. They look great in just about any PC, the BIOS isn't unusable and this model isn't crazy overpriced. Though I wouldn't recommend a B450 for any Ryzen 3000 or 5000 anymore unless you're on an extremely tight budget.
XFX Radeon RX 470 4 GB Black Edition Video Card
Qty: 1
$81.00
Got this card used on eBay after my 970 died out of nowhere. Timing could not have been more perfect as they were going for $200+ a month after I bought it.
Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3600 CL18 Memory
Qty: 1
$162.99
Upgraded from 16gb of Trident Z RGB because I personally like the light bar better, and for futureproofing. For whatever reason, I can't get it to run at the advertised 3600mhz @ CL18, so I'm running it at 3200CL16 for the time being.
NZXT H510 Elite Dual-Tempered Glass RGB ATX Mid-Tower Computer Case - White
Qty: 1
$149.99
Everyone knows this case has bad airflow, even NZXT. I don't think it's too bad for low-end components that don't put out a lot of heat. Also super easy to build in. To me, it's the best looking ATX case on the market but it's definitely not the best value or performance option. I'd say the Phanteks P360A, Corsair 4000D/X series, or Lian Li O11-D mini are all-around better choices.
NZXT C750 750 Watt 80 Plus Gold ATX Fully Modular Power Supply
Qty: 1
$112.99
80+ Gold, 750W, fully modular, silent (at least quieter than everything else in my system). Pretty much all most of us can ask for in a PSU.
Noctua NH-U12S chromax.black CPU Cooler
Qty: 1
$69.95
Perfect cooler for a 65W CPU, really simple installation, looks great with the NA-HC2 heatsink cover. So much quieter coming from the included Wraith Stealth with my Ryzen 5. Not the cheapest option, but it's Noctua.
Samsung 870 QVO 1TB SSD 4-bit MLC V-NAND SATA III 6Gb/s 2.5" Internal Solid State Drive
Qty: 1
$89.99
Honestly never thought I'd see the day, but I used up 1TB fairly quickly. Got this for a pretty good deal around Christmas. I definitely didn't need such a high-end SATA SSD but it was about as cheap as the others.
Crucial P1 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive
Qty: 1
$132.90
Seemingly the best value option for a 1TB NVMe drive at the time. As fast as expected.
Glorious PC Gaming Race Model O Wireless Optical Mouse
Qty: 1
$89.99
Wanted a light, white, wireless mouse and this one delivered. Not the best battery life with RGB on though.
Gigabyte G32QC 31.5" 2560x1440 165 Hz Monitor
Qty: 1
$349.99
Pretty much the cheapest 32" high refresh 1440p monitor at the time. It's good, but the cheapness is obvious at times. A few dead pixels came up almost immediately and Gigabyte doesn't cover under 10 I believe, so I'm stuck with them. The VA panel is alright, but IPS just seems like the better option, unless you absolutely need curved. LG seems to make good flat alternatives (32GP83B / 32GP850) for around $500/$550.
Glorious GMMK TKL White Ice Wired Mechanical Keyboard
Qty: 1
$109.95
Great first mechanical keyboard. Comes in 60%, TKL, and full-size variants for the same price. RGB looks great and switches are hotswappable too.