Building a ~1500€ gaming PC - final decisions

sparaj

Aim: heavy gaming (multiplayer, AAA...), Youtube, Netflix. Free-time stuff.

Not-aiming: Overclocking, video editing, 3D-modeling, other CPU heavy processes.

Price range: around 1500€.

Important: will use 1440p 144 Hz monitor and sometimes connect PC to a 4K TV over HDMI (movies, maybe games).

I'm from Germany, so prices will be in euros taken from Geizhals.eu ("European Newegg").

Any and all tips, recommendations, directions or just general impressions are welcome

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 with boxed cooler AMD Wraith Stealth (price: 170€).
  Alternative: AMD Ryzen 7 3700x with boxed cooler AMD Wraith Prism (price: 300€).
  Questions: I know R5 3600 is much better bang4buck for mostly gaming, but is R5 3600 good enough for 1440p 144 Hz gaming and especially for futureproofing, since it has 6 cores against 8 cores of 3700x? Will I notice the difference in FPS between those two? I would really like to hit at least 140 FPS since I'm buying a 144 Hz monitor. Furthermore, is Wraith Stealth good enough cooler? I've read some forums which state that R5 3600 needs a better cooler (like Be Quiet Pure Rock, 30€).
• Motherboard: MSI B450 Tomahawk Max (price: 110€).
  Alternative: X570 models (price: 150+€).
  Questions: Do I need a better models, like X570? I'm not planning on overclocking, dual-GPUs or anything related. B450 should be a sweet spot and the best deal for 3700x and R5 3600.
  
• GPU: NVIDIA RTX 2080 Super (price: 730€).
  Alternative: NVIDIA RTX 2070 Super (price: 530€).
  Questions: Again, since I'm buying a 1440p 144 Hz monitor, I would really like to hit that 140+ FPS and am also planning on connecting the PC to a 4K TV for movies, which can be quite heavy on GPU. I know the 2070 super is the best bang4buck, but how much of a difference are we talking, is the 10-15% of performance boost worth the price difference of 2080 Super?
• RAM: G.Skill RipJaws V DIMM kit, 16 GB (2x8 GB), 3600 MHz, CL16-19-19-39 (price: 100€).
  Alternative 1: G.Skill Aegis DIMM Kit, 16 GB (2x8 GB), 3200 MHz, CL16-18-18-38 (price: 80€).
  Alternative 2: G.Skill Aegis DIMM Kit, 32 GB (2x16 GB), 3200 MHz, CL16-18-18-38 (price: 140€).
  Alternative 3: G.Skill RipJaws V DIMM kit, 16 GB (2x8 GB), 3600 MHz, CL16-16-16-36, Samsung B-Die (price: 130€).
  Questions: how important it is to have a 3600 MHz kit rather than 3200 MHz (alternative 1)? Is 32 GB really overkill for gaming (alternative 2)? I've read that 16 GB is more than enough. Furthermore, is samsung B-Die RAM worth the price difference (alternative 3)? Note: I am planning on using DOCP (or XMP) profile so that I take full advantage of clock speed of RAM.
  
• SSD: Crucial MX500 1TB SATA (price: 120€).
  Alternative: WD Blue SN550 1TB NVMe M.2 (price: 135€).
  Questions: Crucial MX500 has a very good reputation, but WD Blue SN550 doesn't have DRAM (just SRAM). How important is to have a DRAM? Is NVMe even necessary over SATA? And which of these do you prefer or do you have other recommendations?
• HDD: Seagate BarraCuda 2TB, 7200 RPM, 3,5" (price: 56€).
  Alternative: /.
  Questions: I'm pretty much decised on that one.
• Case: Phanteks Eclipse P400A digital white with tempered glass (price: 90€)
  + extra rear fan: be quiet! Pure Wings 2 PWM High-Speed 120mm (price: 10€).
  Alternative 1: Fractal Design Meshify C White with tempered glass (price: 90€) + same extra fan.
  Alternative 2: SilverStone Redline RL06 white (price: 90€) without extra fan.
  Questions: In terms of airflow, SilverStone RL06 should perform the best, is that right? But I really don't like the looks of it, so I would rather go with P400A digital. I've heard that FD MeshC had some issues regarding the tempered glass (breaking without any reason?). Also, is rear fan necessary, how much of a temperature effect are we looking here?
• PSU: Corsair RMx RM650X 2018, 80 Plus GOLD, ETA-A, Lambda-A++ (price: 110€).
  Alternative 1: Corsair RMx RM550X 2018, 80 Plus GOLD, ETA-A, Lambda-A++ (price: 105€).
  Questions: Online calculator states, that a 550W power unit would be enough, but I think extra 5€ for 100W is a good and safe deal. Do you agree?
  
• Monitor: LG 27GL83A-B, IPS, 27", 1440p, 16:9, 144 Hz, G-sync compatible & FreeSync Premium (price: 400€).
  Alternative 1: LG 27GL850-B, Nano-IPS, 27", 1440p, 16:9, 144 Hz, G-sync compatible & FreeSync Premium (price: 480€).
  Alternative 2: ViewSonic VX2758-2KP-mhd, IPS, 27", 1440p, 16:9, 144 Hz, FreeSync Premium (price: 380€).
  Alternative 3: Acer Nitro VG270UP, IPS, 27", 1440p, 16:9, 144 Hz, FreeSync Premium, AHVA / Innolux display  (price: 380€).
  Alternative 4: VA displays? Asus TUF VG26WQ, MSI Optix MAG272CQR...? (price: 300-400€).
  Questions: LG 27GL850-B (alternative 1) is supposedly not worth the price difference over 27GL83A-B (extra USB ports and wider color gamut), but nevertheless, both are supposed to be extremely good monitors, with good colors and refresh rate (low overshoot). VX2758 is a very good competitor to 27GL83-B (slightly lower refresh rate and higher overshoot, but better contrast), but if I get a <400€ deal, I think I should go for 27GL83A-B. What about Innolux IPS panels on some Acer Nitro models? I hear they have quite a lot issued with flickering. AHVA panels not so much (different models), but Nano-IPS of LG should outperform both. Or do you think I should go for VA displays? I know the contrast is a lot better, but when it gets to 144 Hz, I really don't want ghosting or other performance issues. Smooth 144 FPS gameplay is of essence here.
• Peripherals:
  Keyboard: Cooler Master CK550 (80€). Is it a good gaming keyboard? Based on reviews, I think I like Gateron better than Cherry, and I want RED switches. Furthermore, do you think I need a wrist rest? For example, like CK750? Is the 40€ price bump justified?
  Mouse: BenQ Zowie EC2-B (70€) vs Logitech G403 Hero (40€). Any other recommendations?
  Mousepad: SteelSeries QcK Heavy 4mm (20€). Is 6mm thickness worth over 4mm? Any other recommendations?

Total price of bolded items: only PC = 1496€, with monitor and peripherals = 2066€.

Let me know what you think about my concerns, even if only for a single hardware piece. Any other comments, tips? All the help is appreciated. Thanks!

TSTonyV

The Ryzen 5 3600 is a fantastic processor and great bang for your buck. In terms of pure gaming performance, the 3700x is only marginally better.  For "future proofing" the 3700x obviously has an advantage with two extra cores. The Wraith Stealth is "enough" in the sense that if you're not overclocking, you won't have any problems with overheating, but it's always nice to have a better cooler.

My primary question here is when you say multiplayer and AAA gaming, which titles do you have in mind specifically?

For example, I have a Ryzen 7 3700x and an RTX 2080 Super, very similar to your targeted system. In Monster Hunter World: Iceborne I can run at about 120FPS consistently with the high resolution texture pack enabled at 1080p. But for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare I can hit a rock solid 144FPS+ with no problems at max settings, again at 1080p.

This is just something to keep in mind. The Ryzen 5 3600 is definitely capable of 144 FPS on a lot of games, but this is going to depend on your settings and the exact games you're playing. Not all titles will be doable at 1440p/144FPS without compromise. Even the Intel i9-9900k, which is the best gaming CPU on the market, isn't capable of 144FPS in every game at max settings even at 1080p. But there are lots of ways to optimize framerate in games without sacrificing visual quality, or only making light sacrifices on visual quality. 

Playing movies and videos at 4K is very different from gaming at 1440p and 4k. Your GPU will not be stressed in at all for video playback. The 10-15% performance uplift of the 2080S over the 2070S isn't worth it if you consider that the price is 30% more, but it sounds like every single frame matters a lot to you, so you may find it to be worthwhile. 

For your motherboard, the B450 Tomahawk is a great choice if you go with the 3600. If you go with a 3700x, I'd personally make the jump to an X570 just because the B450 BIOS can sometimes not play nicely with the higher end third gen CPUs, but it's not a requirement by any stretch. 

32GB of RAM is definitely overkill for gaming. Go with 16GB. 3600 is the sweetspot for Ryzen third gen and can have a pretty significant effect on gaming and minimum framerates. Samsung B-die is only important if you're really set on manually overclocking your RAM and squeezing every bit of performance out of it that you possibly can. 

Crucial makes fine drives. NVMe is better with sequential read/write but that only applies in some scenarios. For booting the system, opening applications and gaming, it won't make a noticeable difference. 

Tempered glass, no matter what case it's in, always has the risk of potentially shattering. It's rare, but it comes with the territory unfortunately. A rear fan is helpful but won't make a massive temp difference if you have good airflow otherwise. 

Go with the 650W PUS. It costs hardly anything extra and an extra 100W is nice for comfort. With a gold PSU 550W is probably fine, but the 2080 Super does recommend 650W. 

IPS panels are best for applications relying on color accuracy and viewing angles. They're not as great for high refresh rate/low response required work like FPS gaming. For you, I'd probably go with VA panel as it is better in terms of refresh rate and response times but doesn't sacrifice as much picture quality as a TN panel would. 

For peripherals, it's completely up to personal preference. The "best" keyboard and mouse are the ones that are comfortable for you to use.  I had a keyboard with Cherry Red switches but I prefer clicky tactile switches. I don't use a wrist-rest with mine and it's not caused me any issues, but you might like to have one. My advice is try to test different keyboards and mice if they're available to you before making that decision. 

TSPhillipT

Hello sparaj!  Welcome to the Micro Center Community!  You posted a lot of questions, let's see if I can answer them all!

Is the Ryzen 5 3600 Good for 1440p Gaming?
The Ryzen 5 3600 combined with a 2080 Super should be able to handle most games at 1440p assuming there isn't a large amount of Ray-Tracing involved since it is a giant FPS hog (though looks nice!).  The stock coolers are designed for their processors to reach their normal temperatures and performance without overclocking.  You can consider adding a CPU cooler later if you do feel like your processor is beginning to thermal throttle in the games you are playing.  

Should I get a B450m Motherboard?
The B450m is a perfect fit for the Ryzen 5 3600 processor.  Hits a great price while providing the support needed for the processor!  I would only consider the X570 motherboards for when you go with the higher end Ryzen chips like the Ryzen 7 3800.  

Is the 2080 Super Worth It?
I personally have a 2080 Super and have had no issues with the games I play at 1440p (although I am using a 9900k).  Do I think the 10-15% gain is worth the $200-$250 increase compared to the 2070 Super is worth it?  Not really, especially if you are looking for saving money on your budget build.  The 2070 Super is perfect for 1440p Gaming, and will still handle playing movies at 4K.  If you believe that you will be gaming at 4K however, I would consider doing the 2080 Super.  

Is There a Difference Between 3600Mhz and 3200Mhz RAM?  Should I do 32GB of RAM?
There isn't a large difference between 3600Mhz and 3200Mhz, especially with Ryzen 3rd generation processors.  The speed mattered a lot more with the first two generations, but you won't see that same jump between 3600Mhz and 3200Mhz RAM.  16GB RAM is the perfect amount for gaming at this moment, though more and more games are using RAM and can get hogged if you are planning to multitask like having Chrome up while gaming.  On the plus side, RAM is super easy to upgrade, and you can easily tell if you need more.  If you see your system reaching 100% Memory usage or close to that amount and noticing your system isn't performing well, a RAM upgrade would be simple to do.  When it comes to 32GB of RAM, 4x8GB sticks is better than 2x16GB sticks due to the ability to upgrade it from 16GB to 32GB.  
I don't think Samsung B-Die RAM are worth it.

How Important is DRAM SSD?  Is NVMe Worth It over Sata?
DRAM SSDs are better than DRAMless SSD when the SSD needs to access the same data over and over again.  If you plan on putting your OS and important documents on an SSD, you would want to have it on an SSD with DRAM.  NVMe is not a super large jump over SATA compared to SATA SSD over HDD.  Less cable management if you do go with an M.2 Drive, which is nice.  

Airflow, Cases and Tempered Glass
I don't think it's super important to worry about which has the better airflow.  As long as you get a case with solid airflow and you don't plan on overclocking, most cases should do fine.  A rear fan is no necessary, but it is one of the main ways for exhausting hot air out.  You want to keep positive air pressure so that it reduces dust that can get inside the case through all the cracks.  Positive Airflow is when you have more air coming into the system then you do exhausting, all that extra air will go through the cracks and small areas in the case.  You can do this with fans exhausting air through the top of your case if your case has that option.  A common setup would be two fans in taking and one rear fan.  Tempered Glass can just break randomly, it's the design of the class.  To keep it solid and a lot more resistant, there is a lot of pressure on the glass keeping it all together, and one small break will usually shatter the entire glass.  I personally had one break in my hand as I was just taking it off, but most case companies sell replacement and can be claimed under warranty.  Cleaning it is a mess however.

Monitors
I don't have a large expertise here, but based off my experience, I think LG monitors have been look great lately.  I am unfamiliar with the panel issue flickering, I do know some gaming monitors implement Backlight Strobing that can be mistaken for flickering in a bright room.  I am a big IPS fan for the colors, and if you plan on watching movies on your monitor, I think IPS is the way to go over VA.

Peripherals
Most of this is mainly personal preferences since peripherals are all pretty similar at the high end.  I'm unfamiliar with switches outside of Cherry since all my keyboards have been Corsair keyboards that use Cherry Reds/Speeds.   I think the Cooler Master Keyboard is great, I don't think there is a big difference between most high end gaming keyboards.  Wristrest is a personal opinion, I always need a wristrest and I feel comfortable typing with it.  I have friends who refuse to use it and rather float there hands/fingers.  I think you can definitely test how you type right now and if your wrists are laying on the edge of your keyboard of not.  
Mice are similar to keyboards, besides shape and the amount of buttons, it's mainly personally preference.  Big Corsair Scimitar fan, like all the buttons and feels super nice.  
I don't really know the difference between the mousepads besides the height?  I think a 6mm will definitely be heavier and not "curl" compared to thinner mousepads.