My first PC Build

drewehart

Budget - No limit, though not insane

Use - video editing and creation, simulator games mostly

Note I am a minimalist, not concerned with looks at all - just functionality.

Will probably never overclock, etc., but I wouldn't mind the option.

So here are my proposed parts:

i9-12000k

Asrock z690 steel legend WiFi 6E DDR4 LGA 1700 ATX motherboard

GSkill trident z neo series rgb 128g (4x32) ddr4-3600

Lian Li PC-011 Dynamic Tempered Glass ATX mid-tower

EVGA SuperNOVA 850 Watt 80 plus gold fully modular

GeForce RTX 3080 FTW3 12gb (anyone know what FTW means?)

main drive - samsung 980 pro ssd 2tb (I have plenty of external drives, etc.)

MSI - MAG coreliquid 280mm all in one colling kit for CPU

3 lian li 120 fluid dynamic bearing case fans

(not sure if I need compound - if it is included with the cooling kit - but if so, probably just thermal grizzly or whatever is available - but let me know if I should get a specific product)

Thanks so much for taking a look and any recommendations and/or comments are greatly appreciated in advance,

Drew

JeromeMicroCenter

Hey Drew!

You have put together quite the build list, that would make any builder drool. The harmony between your parts is very well-executed, I have no major qualms with anything except for the cooler - the first iteration of it had an issue with the pump, this is supposed to have been fixed with this new version but I just wanted you to be aware of that. One small suggestion, or rather, discussion topic (?) I wanted to bring up; Do you have a realistic workflow that would benefit from 128GB of memory vs 64GB?

You say the one of your main uses is video editing, this is one possible idea: Cut down to 64GB as this is something that is much easier to upgrade in the future should the need arise, keep the 3600MHz CL16 (or CL14 if you can find it, the Marietta store has Ripjaws at CL14, not sure what capacity) spec and use the savings to upgrade to the 3090, 24GB gives you quite a bit of breathing room if your application/rendering method is VRAM intensive. But hey, if it's system memory intensive then you are good to go. You've obviously done a lot of research, good job!

A first build can be scary, keep these 2 things in mind;

1) A good build guide video can be a lifesaver, try and follow the same steps they take. Linus does a few very basic builds if you want to get a quick grasp on the general process, and he also has a decades worth of advanced builds as well. Watch a few, I find them entertaining and have personally learned a lot from his channel.

2) Your local Micro Center offers build services! The price is tiered based on part selection (usually between $199.99-$249.99 for a build with a standard set of components), If you decide you're not quite comfortable yet but still want a well built machine, stop in to your local BYO department and one of the associates can get you squared away.

Good luck!

-Jerome T.

drewehart

Thanks for the advice - I do think I am going to cut down to 64g - I have 32g now and noticed it gets maxed out in After Effects sometimes, but I imagine 64 will get rid of that - while I don't mind spending the money, cutting the cost a little would be nice and RAM, as you note, is a good place to do it as I can easily upgrade in the future. Thanks again,

Drew

magarity

You have top end CPU and GPU (meaning "hot") in an all glass case. I recommend you look for a "Mesh" or "Airflow" version such as this: Corsair 5000D Airflow Tempered Glass Mid-Tower ATX Computer Case - White - Micro Center or this: Lian Li Lancool II MESH Type C RGB Tempered Glass ATX Mid-Tower Computer Case - Snow White - Micro Center

"FTW3" Stands for "For The Win 3" and is EVGA's gaming series with LED lights and triple fans.

Oh, and you said you'd rather have function over good looks. That MSI cooler is flashy LEDs and mediocre performance. For performance over lighting, consider something like this: Corsair iCUE H100i RGB Pro XT 240mm Water Cooling Kit - Micro Center or this: NZXT Kraken X53 240mm Water Cooling Kit - Micro Center