I'm building my first PC after nearly 20 years of using Macs and would appreciate a sanity check on compatibility and component choices. My budget is over $5,000, and I'll be purchasing in the United States.
The main use will be day trading, where strong single-core performance is important. I plan to use an ultrawide non-OLED monitor, possibly with one additional display. I'll also be playing Arma Reforger.
My current parts list is:
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- Motherboard: ASUS TUF Gaming X870-PRO WIFI7 W NEO
- GPU: XFX Swift Radeon RX 9070 XT
- CPU cooler: Noctua NH-D15 G2 Chromax, using the AM5 offset mounting bars. The LBC version is unavailable in Chromax.
- Storage: Samsung 990 Pro 2TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD
- Memory: TeamGroup 32GB, 2x16GB, DDR5-6000 CL30
- Case: Not chosen yet
- Power supply: Not chosen yet
- Case fans: Noctua Chromax models
I'm especially unsure about CPU cooler and memory clearance with the motherboard, since I've seen reports of NH-D15 clearance issues on some AM5 boards. The RX 9070 XT is also fairly large, so I'd appreciate case recommendations with plenty of GPU and cooler clearance. I'm open to changing any component if there's a better option for this use case.
2 Answers
An X3D processor could be worth considering if reducing latency in games matters. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D is a strong option, although the 9900X still makes sense if your trading software benefits more from additional cores and general productivity performance. An 850W Gold power supply should be plenty for this system.
For a case, the NZXT H5 Flow is a reasonable option, but check the exact GPU length and cooler-height specifications before buying. A 360mm liquid cooler is another possibility and can offer strong cooling with a cleaner-looking build, though sticking with the NH-D15 is perfectly reasonable if you prefer to avoid pumps and liquid components.
The NH-D15 G2 should work with a standard ATX AM5 motherboard, since the socket and mounting dimensions are standardized. Clearance problems are more common with compact or unusual boards, so the ASUS board should be fine as long as the case supports the cooler’s height and front-fan position.
You may not see much real-world benefit from the premium Samsung 990 Pro for normal operating-system and application loading. A less expensive PCIe 4.0 SSD would perform similarly unless you regularly move very large files between fast drives. The Lian Li Lancool 217 is worth considering because it has excellent airflow, a fairly understated design, and capable stock fans, so replacing them with Noctua fans may not be necessary.
A quality 750W unit such as the be quiet! Pure Power 13M would be sufficient, though an 850W Gold model would also provide extra headroom. If you regularly keep many browser tabs and applications open, 48GB or 64GB of RAM could be more useful than spending extra on the SSD.
Since the budget is above $5,000, saving money on the SSD or fans may not be a major concern, but it’s still worth knowing that those upgrades won’t necessarily improve everyday responsiveness.
I had mainly seen cooler-clearance complaints with smaller ITX-style AM5 boards. I’ll double-check the motherboard’s memory-slot and front-fan clearance before ordering.
I’ve considered a liquid cooler, but I’d rather keep the system simple and avoid water components. The NH-D15’s reliability is more important to me than having the best-looking cooler.