NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Build Guide

(Image Courtesy: NVIDIA)

Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 5800X Vermeer 3.8GHz 8-Core AM4

If you're building with the GeForce RTX 3070 Ti, you're going to want a processor to match that power, and AMD's Ryzen 7 5800 X is a stellar pairing. Delivering high-powered processing and overclocking potential without breaking the bank - just like the 3070 Ti.

Alternate: Intel Core i7-11700K Rocket Lake - Intel's new i7 processor, offering comparable performance from a different company. Note: the selected motherboard for this build is not compatible with an Intel processor.

Motherboard: ASUS B550M-PLUS (WiFi) TUF Gaming AMD AM4 microATX Motherboard

The plot twist of our build: we're building a microATX PC! Offering all the power of a full-size rig, just shrunk down to a much smaller size. And with that in mind, we want to keep all our components to a minimum, so we made sure the ASUS B550M-PLUS has onboard WiFi, so if you're not hooked up via ethernet you can still access the internet without adding anything else to the build.

Alternate: ASUS B560M-PLUS TUF Gaming WiFi Intel LGA 1200 microATX Motherboard - To complement the alternative Intel processor, we picked out an incredibly similar Intel motherboard.

Graphics Card: ASUS NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti TUF Gaming Overclocked Triple-Fan 8GB GDDR6X PCIe 4.0

The centerpiece of our build is, of course, the new ASUS NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti, featuring stellar ray-tracing capabilities, solid 1440p, 144hz gaming performance, and NVIDIA's suite of gaming tools. The 3070 Ti delivers 1.5x the performance of the 2070 SUPER and 2x the frames that the 1070 Ti could deliver. In other words: it's the card for our build.

Processor Cooling: NZXT Kraken M22 120mm RGB Water Cooling Kit

Sure, you could go with a standard air cooler for your processor. But when you're building in a microATX case, space is a premium. Plus, you should really treat that fancy Ryzen 7 nice with a sweet AIO. Hence the NZXT Kraken M22. Featuring a single fan, it'll keep your processor cooler than a standard air cooler and take up less space in the process. Perfect for compact builds!

RAM: Crucial Ballistix RGB 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3600 PC4-28800 CL16 Dual Channel

16GB of RAM is more than enough to handle pretty much anything you could put this little powerhouse through, but we've left two slots open if you decide you need to double your RAM to 32GB. And that splash of RGB will add a nice bit of style to the build.

Alternate: Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-3200 RAM - Worried that 16GB of RAM isn't going to cut it? This'll double that to 32GB and leave space for an additional 32 more gigs of RAM to be added.

Hard Drives: Samsung 970 EVO Plus SSD 1TB M.2 NVMe

Normally we recommend a hybrid of SSDs and HDDs for new builds, but with space such a premium in micro ATX builds, we're going pure M.2. The Samsung 970 EVO Plus M.2 NVMe will offer all the speed you could ever want in a hard drive, all in a sleek form factor that will fit snugly into your motherboard.

Alternative: Inland Platinum 4TB SSD M.2 NVMe - 1TB not going to cut it? Shoot up to 4TB for even more game space!

Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 750 GT 750 Watt 80 Plus Gold ATX Fully Modular Power Supply

I always recommend modular power supplies - the ability to remove cables you don't need in your build is paramount to creating a clean and efficient build. And it's never more important than in a microATX build when space is so much more limited and errant cables can ruin your airflow. EVGA's SuperNOVA 750 GT delivers enough power with an 80 Plus Gold rating to keep your PC running efficiently and is fully modular to keep it clean.

Alternate: Anything Modular - rather than pick out a specific power supply alternative, I'll just recommend anything with sufficient power and fully modular. Keep your case clean!

Case: Corsair Crystal 280X RGB Tempered Glass microATX Mini-Tower

MicroATX builds require a lot of research to ensure that all parts will fit into the case. For the build we've constructed here, the Corsair Crystal 280X is the case that will give us the space we need, with a little bit of breathing room for airflow and any adjustments that might need to be made. And RGB!

Alternate: Whatever case that can fit your components! - Cases are perhaps the most subjective part of any PC build, taking into account both space and personal taste. So head to your local Micro Center, bring a tape measure, and check out our floor models!

The full parts list can be found on our Custom PC Builder: https://www.microcenter.com/site/content/custom-pc-builder.aspx?load=e7d683c1-cd98-4875-8663-8a03888bd05f