Intel Gen 11 Rocket Lake Build Guide

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Intel’s brand new Rocket Lake 11th generation processors release today! And if you’re looking for some new build ideas, we’ve got you covered with builds for the new i5-11600k, i7-11700k, and even the high-powered i9-11900k!

Simple but Mighty - the Intel i5-11600k

The i5-11600k is perfect for newcomers to the PC building space, but still want a powerful rig, or for those who are just looking to build on a budget. We’ve put together a part list for a sleek and simple budget build, skipping the RGB to save on cost. Of course, these parts are all just suggestions, so feel free to swap some out if you do want that color splash!

Processor: Intel i5-11600k

The obvious starting point for our i5 build, the 11600k delivers six core power for a budget price. Starting at a base clock speed of 3.9 GHz, you can eke ever more power from it with overclocking or Intel’s Turbo Boost Technology 2.0, bringing it up to 4.9GHz. It’ll handle all your daily and gaming computing needs.

Motherboard: ASRock - B560M PRO4 MicroATX

The ASRock B560 PRO4 is a budget builder’s best friend. Coming in at under $100 but still offering PCIe 4.0 and supporting RAM speeds up to 3200MHz, it’ll do what you need it to do without breaking the bank

Graphics Card: EVGA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti XC

Every recent GeForce generation has been leaps and bounds greater than the previous, and the 30 series is no exception. The 3060 Ti is faster than the high-end 2080 Super of the last-gen, starting at half the cost. Perfect for a budget build.

RAM: Crucial Ballistix Gaming 16GB (2 x GB) DDR4-3200

The secret of this RAM is that, despite looking fairly plain and being pretty inexpensive, it’ll still deliver incredible speed, pushing the B560M motherboard to its limit.

Hard Drives: Samsung 870 EVO 500GB SSD and Seagate BarraCude 2TB HDD

If you’ve read any of our previous buying guides, you know we won’t let you get away with just a standard HDD and this budget build is no exception. We’re using a 500GB Samsung SSD as main storage, with enough room for your OS and any other important files (RE: games) and backing it up with a 2TB HDD for everything else

Power Supply: PowerSpec - 650 Watt 80+ Bronze Semi-Modular

Just because you’re building on a budget doesn’t mean you should skimp on a power supply. Inexpensive power supplies are more likely to short out and potentially damage other components. The PowerSpec we chose is rated at 80+ Bronze, so you’ll avoid shorts and keep your computer powered and safe. And it’s semi-modular, so your case will stay clean without a bunch of loose extra cables floating about.

Heat Sink: ThermalTake Slim X3

Since the i5-11600k doesn’t come with a pack-in heat sink, we’ll need to pick one up. As the i5 is not one of the top-of-the-line, high-power CPUs, we can get by with a smaller, more inexpensive heat sink. The Slim X3 is just that - enough cooling power that you don’t overheat, but not flashy enough to break the bank.

Case: Lian Li 205M mATX Mid-Tower Case

To compliment our MicroATX motherboard, we need a MicroATX case, and for that we turn to Lian Li. The 205M isn’t as flashy as some of their other cases, but it does offer their wonderful cable management tools and a tempered glass window so that any RGB you do budget in shows through, clear and bright.

The full parts list can be found on our Custom PC Builder: https://www.microcenter.com/site/content/custom-pc-builder.aspx?load=d9a14ebb-f1dd-47ae-871d-0f6744a510e9 

The Power Gamer - The Intel i7-11700k

Looking for a little more oomph from your processor? Want to game hard, but keep costs under $2000? The Intel i7-11700k is for you.  The 11700k bumps its processing power up with eight cores and 12 threads, delivering even better speeds for gaming and daily use. So we’ll be building a gaming rig, complete with some RGB, to make the most of it.

Processor: Intel i7-11700k

The obvious choice for an i7-11700k build, it’s a step up from the i5 and delivers greater speed and power for every use. It’s a stellar processor, and the one we used for our benchmarking tests if you need proof!

Motherboard: ASUS Tuf Gaming Z590 Plus

Also used in our benchmarking, the ASUS Tuf Gaming Z590 is a standard ATX board, supporting PCI2 4.0, two M.2 slots for memory, and supports LAN speeds up to 2500Mbps

Graphics Card: EVGA GeForce RTX 3070 FTW3

A step up in CPU power demands a step up in GPU power, so we’re going with the 3070 for some high-quality 4K gaming support. But, like the 3060 Ti above, picking up a 3070 won’t blow out your budget, making affordable 4K gaming a reality. Plus: RGB.

RAM: G.Skill Trident Z RGB 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3200

Let’s keep the RGB rolling right into our RAM with 16 gigs of DDR4-3200 RGB fueled RAM. And while the RGB won’t give you an edge in gaming, the 3200MHz RAM certainly will!

Hard Drives: Samsung 970 EVO SSD 1TB M.2 NVMe and Seagate BarraCude 2TB HDD

We’re taking our storage a step up with this build as well, opting for an M.2 NVMe SSD for even faster speeds. But, since 500gb won’t hold everything and we’re not going all out (yet), we’ll supplement it with a standard 2TB HDD for all your other files.

Power Supply: NZXT C750 750 Watt 80 Plus Gold ATX Fully Modular Power Supply

If we’re building a nice rig, we want it looking nice, right? One of the easiest ways to do that is with a fully modular power supply. With fully modular PSUs, every cable you hook up will be used, and any cable you don’t need can stay in the box. Absolutely no extraneous cables in your case!

Heat Sink: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Black

The more powerful your processor, the more heat it’s going to generate. With an i7, the heat won’t be astronomical, but it does warrant a slightly higher-quality cooler, and the Hyper 212 Black is just that. It’s big, it’s powerful, and it won’t put you over budget.

Case: Lian Li Lancool 205 Mesh Tempered Glass ATX Mid-Tower Black

It’s RGB time. Lian Li makes stellar cases with incredible cable management, as previously noted. What makes the 205 special is the RGB fans all around the case combined with a minimal aesthetic, making a vibrant case that doesn’t feel gaudy.

The full parts list can be found on our Custom PC Builder: https://www.microcenter.com/site/content/custom-pc-builder.aspx?load=491c6eea-787f-445e-aa49-936034e73ba2 

The Do-It-All - The Intel i9-11900K

So, you’re a gamer, video editor, and photoshop whiz. You need a processor that can handle it all and then some. Or maybe you’re just one of those things and will settle for nothing less than the best Intel has to offer. The i9-11900k is that processor. And we’ll be using it as the basis for a no-holds-barred (but still reasonable) rig.

Processor: Intel i9-11900k

The apex of Rocket Lake processors, the 11900k can do everything the i3, i5, and i7 can do, but better and faster. It’s the processor for the hardcore and die-hard enthusiasts, for those who push every computer part to its absolute limit gaming and editing. Basically: it’s powerful.

Motherboard: ASUS Z590-E ROG STRIX Gaming WiFi

Without going too overboard, the Z590-E, is sleek, powerful, and WiFi ready. Plus, it has four M.2 slots, RGB customization, and multiple PCIe 4.0 slots. It’s the whole package, at a lower price. 

Graphics Card: EVGA GeForce RTX 3090 FTW3 Ultra Gaming

A top-of-the-line processor deserves a top-of-the-line GPU, and you can’t go higher than the GeForce RTX 3090. Able to handle 4k gaming with ease, the 3090 is getting you ready for 8k gaming. 

RAM: G.Skill Trident Z RGB 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-3200

What do you add to the 3200MHZ RAM we used in the i7 build? More RAM and RGB, obviously! We’re doubling it to 32 GB of DDR4-3200 RAM while sticking with only two sticks. So if you need even more RAM, you have the option.

Hard Drives: Samsung 970 EVO SSD 1TB M.2 NVMe and Samsung 870 EVO 1TB SSD

Absolutely no HDDs in this build. We’re using a big M.2 NVMe as our main drive, with a standard SSD as the backup for everything else. It’s all about speed and stability, something old-school HDDs won’t deliver!

Power Supply: ASUS ROG Thor 850 Watt 80 Plus Platinum ATX Fully Modular

For our powerhouse build, we need a PSU that’ll deliver the power we need and won’t fail on us. That’s why we’re springing for an 850 watt PSU with an 80 Plus Platinum rating. It’s as solid as they come, and the RGB is a nice bonus!

Water Cooler: NZXT Kraken Z63 280mm RGB CPU Water Cooling Kit

Ultimate power deserves ultimate cooling, so we’ll water cool this processor. The Kraken Z63 delivers top-of-the-line water cooling, RGB lighting, and a customizable LCD screen. Put your temps on it, put your favorite gif on it, put your favorite Micro Center logo on it!

Case: NZXT H510 Elite Dual-Tempered Glass RGB ATX Mid-Tower Case

Let’s cap the whole build off by complimenting our water cooler with an NZXT H510 Elite case. Featuring dual tempered glass windows, you can show off not only your components but how well you did your cable management! Plus two gorgeous front-facing RGB fans make the H510 Elite the perfect case for your new powerhouse

The full parts list can be found on our Custom PC Builder: https://www.microcenter.com/site/content/custom-pc-builder.aspx?load=bde9c6e0-2dfa-464d-9976-08274a974b29 

And if you're looking for even more news, discussions, and reviews on Intel's Gen 11 Processors, be sure to check out our Rocket Lake Benchmarks and Discussion/FAQ posts!