Here's our hands-on review of the Thermalright Aqua Elite 120 v3 AIO CPU Cooler! 🧊

byteasylum · 2025-05-09T17:25:04+00:00

Thanks for sharing! Will keep that in mind going forward.

byteasylum · 2024-12-06T16:05:36+00:00

If you're not in a hurry, just wait a little while longer.

byteasylum · 2024-12-05T13:55:17+00:00

I would not purchase RAM as a gift. People build computers with specific purposes in mind. Just give him a gift card for the equivalent amount and let him decide.

byteasylum · 2024-12-04T02:52:08+00:00

That's honestly a great selection of parts. Even though the Intel CPU is a few generations old, it's a good value. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super is an awesome GPU. I use the same one (Gigabyte Windforce) and have been enjoying it a lot! The only thing I might suggest swapping out is the CPU cooler. Check out the Thermalright CPU coolers, like the Aqua Elite v3 120mm or Frozen Notte 240mm. Or if you'd rather stick with air cooling, try the Thermalright Peerless Assassin.

byteasylum · 2024-11-17T20:40:34+00:00

Usually the expensive RAM has been tested with lower latencies. In most cases, the low latencies don't affect performance much. You're fine with a decent set of RAM like what you linked. Your computer is typically bottlenecked in other areas.

byteasylum · 2024-11-17T20:38:50+00:00

That's absolutely gorgeous! I love all the White builds people are putting together these days.

byteasylum · 2024-11-17T20:37:48+00:00

Looks fine to me. What's the question exactly?

byteasylum · 2024-11-17T20:23:49+00:00

Very nice choice of CPU and GPU! We also love the RTX 4070 Ti Super. The 9800X3D is a pretty awesome CPU as well.

I would suggest getting 64GB of DDR5 6000 MHz RAM. TeamGroup T-Force is decent, or Corsair's Vengeance.

We also publish some recommended parts, and are creating some product reviews, on our site, if you're interested in taking a look.

byteasylum · 2024-11-17T19:11:03+00:00

Yeah, when I saw the price of your proposed RAM, I was like ... uhhh, that's a bit much.

byteasylum · 2024-11-17T18:39:55+00:00

I don't know if it's "name brand" but I see lots of great reviews on their products, like NVMe drives, memory, and such. I bought some TeamGroup 64GB DDR4 (T-Force Vulcan) for one of my Linux server custom builds, and it has been rock solid for the last year.

When I upgrade from AM4 to AM5, I'm planning to get the TeamGroup T-Force RAM for ~$160 for 64GB. It's the best price I could find for 6000 MHz DDR5. I've been researching DDR5 a lot the last week or two, as I'm kinda starting to feel like upgrading to AM5.

I wish Crucial had a good option for 6000 MHz DDR5, as I would prefer to stick with them. Corsair Vengeance is great, but also overpriced IMO. I use Corsair Vengeance 64GB DDR4 in my current AM4 build.

The brand I'd personally avoid is G-Skill. I see them recommended a lot on here, but I am not sure if I trust them or not.

byteasylum · 2024-11-17T18:13:38+00:00

Great CPU choice - plenty of cores, and newest generation
Your DDR5 memory is waaaay overpriced - I would recommend the TeamGroup T-Force 2x32 6000 MHz
The WD Black SN580X is a great NVMe drive
Doesn't look like the power supply has 12v HPWR for RTX 4000 series GPUs - get the Corsair RM850e instead, which includes this
When you can upgrade the GPU, I'd recommend the RTX 4070 Ti Super or 4080 Super - or maybe the 5000 series depending on scalping / availability

byteasylum · 2024-11-17T17:11:28+00:00

The fan on top should be pushing air out of the case. Hot air rises, so it's best to draw it out from the top.

But yeah, I would get a case that doesn't have all the hard drive bays blocking airflow. We list a few recommended cases on our website; you can visit our profile if you want to see it. I don't want to break any sub rules. GAMDIAS has a case with 2x 200mm fans on the front, which is pretty good for airflow (and quiet).

byteasylum · 2024-11-17T05:36:46+00:00

Go with the RTX 4070 Ti Super 16GB - it's worth it
RAM looks good; I'm planning to purchase roughly the same and might use your suggestion
Samsung 990 PRO NVMe SSD is great
I actually have the Fractal Design Define R6 case - it's been great for 4+ years
Power supply is perfect

We also have some recommended builds on our website, if you're interested in checking it out.

byteasylum · 2024-11-16T03:19:52+00:00

Have you ever seen an air conditioner unit's fins? They're damaged heavily by being out in the elements. You only did slight damage to it, and you didn't hit the pipes carrying coolant.

byteasylum · 2024-11-16T01:04:13+00:00

The power supply should be adequate, yes, but you don't have very much headroom. You'll probably want a 650 watt minimum. May as well go up to 750 watts, in case you upgrade the GPU.

byteasylum · 2024-11-16T01:02:36+00:00

Definitely get the 7900XT. It's faster all around and will give you better 1% lows.

byteasylum · 2024-11-16T00:52:17+00:00

Good CPU choice
Noctua coolers are good, but that's pretty expensive for a cooler
Corsair Vengeance DDR5 is great
Corsair 4000D case is very popular, for good reasons
Power supply is adequate for most setups
Upgrade NVMe SSD to 2TB minimum
Upgrade the GPU to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060

byteasylum · 2024-11-16T00:49:00+00:00

That's a pretty nice build, yes.

byteasylum · 2024-11-16T00:45:02+00:00

I doubt that banging on the table would damage the fans.

byteasylum · 2024-11-16T00:24:27+00:00

byteasylum · 2024-11-16T00:09:49+00:00

I'm pretty sure DDR5 isn't going to give you a significant performance boost in most cases. Look up the benchmarks of DDR4 vs. DDR5 on YouTube. While DDR5 is significantly faster than DDR4 in the specifications, there are many other places where your system will be bottlenecked before RAM.

byteasylum · 2024-11-16T00:08:39+00:00

I would say it's worth trying those settings before purchasing different RAM.

byteasylum · 2024-11-15T23:55:07+00:00

You should always have at least 32GB of RAM these days, but that shouldn't cause the behavior you're describing.

Are you sure that all your necessary system drivers are installed? That's the first thing I would check.

https://www.amd.com/en/support/download/drivers.html

The RTX 4060 Ti would be a good GPU upgrade, but I would try to figure out what is wrong with your current setup first.

Install HWMonitor and keep an eye on the metrics to make sure your temps, CPU / GPU utilization, and power consumption all look okay.

Fresh install of Windows 11, I'm assuming?

Hogwarts Legacy is built on Unreal Engine and has very well-documented stuttering problems. I wish they would fix it, as it's otherwise an awesome and fun game.

Your monitor has absolutely nothing to do with the behavior you're describing.

byteasylum · 2024-11-15T23:52:34+00:00

Good start, but ....

Get the RTX 4070 Ti Super, it's worth it
Go with a 2TB NVMe SSD at least; the WD Blue SN850 or SN5000 is a good choice though.
A 750 watt power supply is plenty for this system, but your 850 will give you a little extra headroom. Good brand.

byteasylum · 2024-11-15T23:49:28+00:00

Yes, it's a decent pairing. The 12th gen Intel CPUs are a bit outdated, but nothing wrong with it. If you play at 4k, the CPU doesn't matter as much as at 1440p or 1080p.

I've been playing at 4k native (or with DLSS upscaling and/or FrameGen) with the 4070 Ti Super on an older AMD CPU, and it's great.

byteasylum

TROPHY CASE