I'm finally upgrading from my decade-old PC with an i7-4790 and a GTX 960, and I'd love some feedback before I pull the trigger on this new build. Here's my current setup:
1. I saw a post suggesting that the 9800X3D might hit around 95°C under load. Since I live in a warm climate (around 30°C at night), should I be concerned about my CPU temperatures spiking past 95-100°C?
2. Does the Phantom Spirit 120 SE come with thermal paste? Is it pre-applied or will I need to do that myself?
3. My case has three fans. What's the best fan configuration? Should I set it up with 2 intake fans at the front and 1 exhaust fan at the back, with 2 fans on the Phantom Spirit cooler (one intake at the front and the other in the middle between the fins)?
4. Is it worth spending an extra 60 euros to upgrade from the MSI Pro B850-P motherboard to the MSI MAG B850 Tomahawk Max?
5. Is the jump from CL36 to CL30 RAM worth the extra 50 euros?
6. Should I pay an extra 80 euros to upgrade from the 5070 to the Sapphire 9070 XT Pulse?
* I'm planning to game at 1440p and 144hz, with my main game being World of Warcraft. I'm aware it doesn't support DLSS and only supports FSR1, while another game supports DLSS4 but only FSR2.
* I worry about power efficiency with AMD GPUs compared to NVIDIA, and I'm thinking about long-term driver support since my GTX 960 has worked well for 10 years, even with some games released in 2023.
I appreciate any advice or suggestions you have!
1 Answer
1) If your room is 30°C, expect the CPU to run hotter than tests done in cooler rooms. Undervolting might help manage that heat.
2) The Phantom Spirit cooler comes with a tube of thermal paste that you'll need to apply yourself; it's not pre-applied.
3) For fan setup, 2 intake fans at the front and 1 exhaust fan in the back is definitely the way to go to keep dust down. Make sure the CPU fans are directing airflow toward the back of the case.
4) If you're not needing the extra features, you could save your money and stick with the cheaper MSI Pro B850-P.
5) The difference between CL36 and CL30 RAM isn't significant for x3d CPUs, so saving that cash is probably smart.
6) Yes, the 9070 XT will give you a solid performance increase with its 16GB of VRAM. For WoW, though, you might find you're not even using that extra power, but it is worthwhile for future-proofing your setup.
The GPU market is definitely all over the place right now! If you can find the Sapphire at a decent price, it sounds like a solid investment, especially if you're gaming at 1440p. Just remember that for WoW, you might not need all that extra power right off the bat.
Thanks for that info! I get your point about the motherboard, but I want to make sure temp management is solid. I’m a bit concerned about the M.2 slot being blocked by the GPU. What do you think about that? Also, the RAM pricing is wild right now—should I go for a 6000 CL36 kit or settle for a 5600 CL36 kit that's cheaper?