Question Build Advice - Gaming/flight sim/VR New Build ~$3000 for Tower, mostly complete, LOTS of questions - Updated 7/21

[athrowaway2242]

Hey Friends - new build time

I will post in the reddit format, and then will also post numbered questions (footnoted in the template for relevant section as well). If anyone can answer any of them please reply with question number and your thoughts!

• New build or upgrade?
  • New!
• Existing parts/monitors to reuse? (List with models/links)
  • I have a logitech M500 mouse (wired) and also a razer basilisk v3 (wireless)
  • i have an oculus quest 2 (Q1)
• PC purpose? (Gaming, editing, etc. List apps/games)
  • Gaming - have gamepass ultimate, have steam.
    • mostly planning to play large open world RPG style games
    • Also will play games like flight sim, and sim racing games
  • video editing - occasional, rare, adobe premiere, but mostly do on my MBP
  • work - pretty much none planned, i have a MBP i use for daily work, this is basically all gaming build
  • VR - have an oculus quest to connect
• Purchase country? Near Micro Center?
  • USA - prefer to order online, but admittedly I dont know much about microcenter. There is one not far away. If this is some magic place that saves money I could make a drive! (Q2)
• Monitors needed? (Number, size, resolution, refresh rate)
  • Yes - Do not include in the budget, I have separate budget for this - but would like recs for monitors.
  • Ideally something wide screen that would be good for a flight simulator or racing similar. was looking at samsung G9 ultra wide, but opposed to a dual or tri monitor setup if that makes more sense. (Q3)
• Budget range? (Include tax considerations)
  • flexible but hoping to spend ~$3000+tax for the tower. can spend whatever is needed on accessories/monitor.
  • Im not opposed to saving money if there is reason to go with cheaper parts without sacrificing either build quality or future planning (Q4)
• WiFi or wired connection?
  • would like wifi capability - but have ethernet available
  • I have FIOS 300 wifi at the moment
• Size/noise constraints?
  • none - but quieter is better
• Color/lighting preferences?
  • Fell in love with the 'reddit' case - O11D Evo RGB in white
  • clean cable management preferred. both inside the tower, and out - would take recs for ways to do that, cable ties or sleeves? (Q5)
• Any other specific needs?
  • Would like recs for flight controllers and racing wheels/pedals/chairs (Q6)
  • tower/monitor will likely be on a desk against a window, so tips for protecting the electronics from sun are appreciated, or am I crazy and should I move this
  • suggestions for peripherals appreciated, will buy whatever makes sense (keyboard, controllers, speakers, headset). dont need to include them in the budget. (Q7)
  • Primary and pretty much only job is gaming - want to be VR capable, and handle flight sim/racing sims.
• timeframe - planning to buy within the month
  • New AMD CPUs coming out? (Q8)

any questions for me that you need to know feel free to ask!

thank you!

List of Questions - sorry there are so many!! Please answer whichever you might be able to help with

1. What is the relationship between an oculus quest 2 and a gaming PC. Can I get any benefit connecting my oculus to the gaming PC? will that allow me to play VR games with my PC? I am not that familiar with what this will allow me to do
2. I see Microcenter referenced a lot. Is it better to buy from them in person when possible vs online? I have access ti 3-4 microcenters within ~1 hour drive so if theres compelling reasons to go - I will
3. I dont know anything about monitors/resolution/etc - with my current build, would I be best going 4K or 1440p? Refresh rates? Better to have smaller monitor(s) that are higher quality, vs something like the G9? What happens if a game cannot utilize the entire width of the G9 49" is that space wasted? Am I wasting money getting an ultra wide if it only is supported by a handful of games? Is there benefit with this for flight sim/racing sim games
4. I recognize that I expanded my budget to accommodate the white build so saving money by using other color components is probably something I wont do now that Ive committed
5. Do cases and such come with cable management or do I need to buy any accessories/ties/sleeves for this purpose?
6. Any recommendations from those who play flight or racing sims for peripherals?
7. How do I decide what keyboard to get. Ive never owned a 'gaming' keyboard.
8. I know new AMD CPUs come out 7/31. does waiting for them make sense? will it lower price of my current build? Or if I should get one of those CPU instead, will my current motherboard choice support that? I went with Gigabyte X670 Aorus Pro X - will it be as simple as a BIOS flash for the new CPU support?
9. Motherboard - chose x670e chipset for PCIe5 and future compatibility. is there a reason not to?
10. CPU Cooler - I chose Lian Li Gallahad because I heard that fan controllers are a mess right now, and figured keeping everything the same brand simplifies things. My understanding is this comes in the 'exhaust' style fans, but I would be using this as an intake actually. So I will swap these 3 fans for Lian Li Infinity REVERSE fans. This is what I need to do correct? Then I will use the three fans that come with the AIO as exhaust fans on the top of case. How will these fans be controlled? by the AIO fan controller? Also, is the Lian Li as prone to failure as the internet seems to think? I was looking at EK Nucleus 360 but got scared when the fans from that are not Lian Li and thought that would become a nightmare compatibility
11. GPU - 4080 Super. I am so tempted to get the Aero instead of AORUS Master because of the white build....but my sense from online is AORUS Master is a much higher quality product for ~40$ more in terms of its heat management and coil whine. Does anyone have thoughts on this?
    1. GPU- currently picked the 4080 super aorus master- was planning to vertical mount. Will this fit in the O11D Evo or do I need the XL? It seems like some people have fit it online but officially I don’t think it fits per the website. O if true one option is to get the XL case for 100$ more, or switch to a smaller card like the Aero 4080 super…not sure how much I sacrifice from the aorus master to the aero.
12. PSU - 1000W seems to be enough? The white cabling of the Corsair Shift is what sold me away from the original seasonic 1000W I was looking at. Unless theres a true need for more power...Id prefer to keep the color theme. Also, PC part picker throws an error with this PSU but the Corsair website insists its compatibile. - EDIT - switched to corsair RM1000x and will get cable extensions in white
    1. PC Parts Picker gave this error - "Note: The video card PCIe 16-pin power connector adapter is being supplied by three 6+2-pin power connectors. Please ensure that the three 6+2-pin power connectors are not daisy-chained and do not share the same power cable." Is this PSU an issue?
13. SSD - I went with the Samsung 990 Pro 4Tb. Does anyone feel strongly about the WD Scorpio Black instead? Or should I shell out for a PCIe5 SSD? Will that matter at all in the near future?
14. Fans - I grabbed a 3 pack of the LL INF Reverse fans - this comes with the controller. Does this controller control all of the fans? Planned setup - place 3 reverse fans on the AIO. then have this controller control the 3 reverse intake fans on bottom, the 3 exhaust fans (taken from the AIO) on the top, and the 140mm exhaust rear fan. Will this work?
    1. what is best way to control all the case fans (assuming AIO is controlled by system/CPU thermals) and minimize use of the USB Headers - see question below
15. USB Headers - PC Part Picker notes compatibility issues here
    1. says for the fan will need "USB 3.2 Gen 1 to USB 2.0 header adapter" - what is that, and will it take away one of my USB 3.2 headers. Should I get a 3rd party fan controller instead?
    2. says for USB 3.2 gen 2 header need an adapter for the case since its Gen 1 - will I lose speed here? what does this mean? should I replace the USB port on the case and make it Gen 2? is that possible?
16. RAM - is 32Gb enough? Should I go to 64Gb?

Thank you in advance for all the help and any questions you might be able to answer!

~A


PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D 4.2 GHz 8-Core Processor ($384.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Lian Li Galahad II Trinity SL-INF 61.3 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($158.95 @ Adorama)
Motherboard: Gigabyte X670E AORUS PRO X ATX AM5 Motherboard ($279.99 @ B&H)
Memory: G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo RGB 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory ($124.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 990 Pro 4 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($291.57 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Gigabyte AORUS MASTER GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER 16 GB Video Card ($1199.99 @ B&H)
Case: Lian Li O11D EVO RGB ATX Mid Tower Case ($149.97 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair RM850x SHIFT 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular Side Interface ATX Power Supply ($124.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 11 Pro Retail - USB 64-bit ($185.00 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: Lian Li Uni Fan SL-Infinity 72.7 CFM 140 mm Fan ($34.98 @ Adorama)
Case Fan: Lian Li UNI FAN SL-INF Reverse Blade 63.6 CFM 120 mm Fan ($29.32 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: Lian Li UNI FAN SL-INF Reverse Blade 63.6 CFM 120 mm Fan ($29.32 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: Lian Li UNI FAN SL-INF Reverse Blade 63.6 CFM 120 mm Fan ($29.32 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: Lian Li UNI FAN TL LCD 120 Reverse Blade 83.4 CFM 120 mm Fans 3-Pack ($136.60 @ Amazon)
Monitor: Samsung Odyssey G9 G93SC 49.0" 5120 x 1440 240 Hz Curved Monitor ($979.99 @ Amazon)
Custom: top i/o adapter ($18.00)
Total: $4157.97
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-07-20 09:08 EDT-0400

---

Edit 7/21
PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D 4.2 GHz 8-Core Processor ($385.00 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Lian Li Galahad II Trinity SL-INF 61.3 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($158.95 @ Adorama)
Motherboard: Gigabyte X670E AORUS PRO X ATX AM5 Motherboard ($279.99 @ B&H)
Memory: G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo RGB 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory ($124.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 990 Pro 4 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($291.57 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Gigabyte AORUS MASTER GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER 16 GB Video Card ($1199.99 @ B&H)
Case: Lian Li O11D EVO RGB ATX Mid Tower Case ($149.97 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair RM1000x (2021) 1000 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($123.49 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 11 Pro Retail - USB 64-bit ($198.99 @ Newegg)
Case Fan: Lian Li Uni Fan SL-Infinity 72.7 CFM 140 mm Fan ($34.98 @ Adorama)
Case Fan: Lian Li UNI FAN SL-INF Reverse Blade 63.6 CFM 120 mm Fan ($29.27 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: Lian Li UNI FAN SL-INF Reverse Blade 63.6 CFM 120 mm Fan ($29.27 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: Lian Li UNI FAN SL-INF Reverse Blade 63.6 CFM 120 mm Fan ($29.27 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: Lian Li UNI FAN TL LCD 120 Reverse Blade 83.4 CFM 120 mm Fans 3-Pack ($136.60 @ Amazon)
Monitor: Samsung Odyssey G9 G93SC 49.0" 5120 x 1440 240 Hz Curved Monitor ($979.99 @ Amazon)
Custom: AsiaHorse Power Supply Sleeved Cable, 16 AWG PSU Extension Cable Kit of White Connector, 1x24Pin/2x4+4 EPS/3x6+2 PCI-E, 30cm Length with Combs-White ($34.99 @ Amazon)
Custom: top i/o adapter ($18.00)
Total: $4205.31
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-07-21 12:07 EDT-0400

 

[In2Photos]

Microcenter is like the Nirvana for PC parts! Definitely go there as you can get bundle deals for CPU/motherboard/RAM and save a good bit. Supposedly you can choose your own parts even for bundle pricing.

You don't need 9 reverse blade fans. Only 6. Side and bottom. The top will use standard blades for exhaust. You can connect up to 4 sets of 4 fans to one controller and that will use 1 USB port on the motherboard. Edit: I see now you're only buying 6 and using the AIO fans for the top. That's fine. I got the 3 pack for the same price as 3 individual fans so I have backup controllers if one dies

For the PSU buy the one you want, don't fret over white cables. Instead buy some cable extensions in white to finish it off.

Here's my build if you want to see an O11D EVO in all white.

https://pcpartpicker.com/b/krYgXL

I also did a build thread here. https://forums.anandtech.com/threads/new-build-finally.2609994/

 

[manly]

1. As you know, Quest 2 is standalone VR; its games are typically more casual like mobile games because its SoC isn't as powerful as PCs can be. PC VR is a variant where your graphics card provides the muscle, and is just sending video off to the Quest 2 for display. A high end gaming build is almost by definition also a good PC VR gaming build.

2. Micro Center isn't killing it right now, but you can play around with their configurator. The deals depend on local inventory, and will require in-store pickup. (They do ship orders but not the coveted bundle deals.) So in effect online for in-store pickup, or going to the store should be the same. You'll see they have a nice $500 7800X3D combo but you'd have to drop down to a B650-E motherboard to get the full "savings." There's even a $10 upsell to 48GB RAM, but it's out of stock and that RAM kit is slow. Their build configurator is relatively new; if you swap in different components, you lose some of the discount.

6. You'll want a flight stick/HOTAS. Perhaps a racing wheel if you're a serious simmer.

8. I would wait until 7/31 but it is unlikely to make much difference. AMD hasn't announced Ryzen 9000 X3D variants yet, so your choice is between the 7800X3D or the new 9700X. The rumor is these perform pretty much the same for gaming, and I suspect price will be similar as well. In the context of a $4000 purchase, I would not expect much discounting of the older CPUs in 2 weeks (because some of this has already been happening). AMD will support the AM5 socket until 2027, and a BIOS flash will enable support for the new Zen 5 CPUs (most likely future Zen 6 as well, TBD).

13. For me, the SN850x and 990 PRO are both excellent; some others don't like Samsung. Right now, there doesn't seem like much benefit for PCIe 5.0. IMO it won't matter in the near future.

 

[athrowaway2242]

Microcenter is like the Nirvana for PC parts! Definitely go there as you can get bundle deals for CPU/motherboard/RAM and save a good bit. Supposedly you can choose your own parts even for bundle pricing.

You don't need 9 reverse blade fans. Only 6. Side and bottom. The top will use standard blades for exhaust. You can connect up to 4 sets of 4 tabs to one controller and that will use 1 USB port on the motherboard. Edit: I see now you're only buying 6 and using the air fans for the top. That's fine. I got the 3 pack for the same price as 3 individual fans so I have backup controllers if one dies

For the PSU buy the one you want, don't fret over white cables. Instead buy some cable extensions in white to finish it off.

Here's my build if you want to see an O11D EVO in all white.

https://pcpartpicker.com/b/krYgXL

I also did a build thread here. https://forums.anandtech.com/threads/new-build-finally.2609994/

Thanks for the reply! And congrats on your build - it was definitely hard to find white parts, youve got a lot of skill (and guts that i dont have) to repaint or plasti dip some of those parts

So seems like I can check off the fans question - thank you!

For the cable extensions, if I buy the ones you bought, would that be enough for my build as it stands? Just buy that and any PSU I want? - Ill update my parts list to Corsair RM1000x PSU and the cable extensions. Seems like enough power?

I called a few Micro Centers and it seems like they wont do any bundles with the x670e at the moment and wont allow mix and match but the bundles are good deals it seems if the parts work!

I noticed you used multiple SSDs - is there any benefit to using say 2x2Tb SSD vs 1x4Tb SSD, i remember RAID was a very common thing many years ago with all the complicated risk/benefit calculations, but with modern SSD is that necessary? If not in RAID, I have admittedly always been confused about how to install software/games/etc with multiple drives going.

I also noticed you added on a vertical GPU bracket - if I wanted to vertically mount my GPU, would I need a bracket/adapter for that? does the GPU/case come with this stuff?

1. As you know, Quest 2 is standalone VR; its games are typically more casual like mobile games because its SoC isn't as powerful as PCs can be. PC VR is a variant where your graphics card provides the muscle, and is just sending video off to the Quest 2 for display. A high end gaming build is almost by definition also a good PC VR gaming build.

2. Micro Center isn't killing it right now, but you can play around with their configurator. The deals depend on local inventory, and will require in-store pickup. (They do ship orders but not the coveted bundle deals.) So in effect online for in-store pickup, or going to the store should be the same. You'll see they have a nice $500 7800X3D combo but you'd have to drop down to a B650-E motherboard to get the full "savings." There's even a $10 upsell to 48GB RAM, but it's out of stock and that RAM kit is slow. Their build configurator is relatively new; if you swap in different components, you lose some of the discount.

6. You'll want a flight stick/HOTAS. Perhaps a racing wheel if you're a serious simmer.

8. I would wait until 7/31 but it is unlikely to make much difference. AMD hasn't announced Ryzen 9000 X3D variants yet, so your choice is between the 7800X3D or the new 9700X. The rumor is these perform pretty much the same for gaming, and I suspect price will be similar as well. In the context of a $4000 purchase, I would not expect much discounting of the older CPUs in 2 weeks (because some of this has already been happening). AMD will support the AM5 socket until 2027, and a BIOS flash will enable support for the new Zen 5 CPUs (most likely future Zen 6 as well, TBD).

13. For me, the SN850x and 990 PRO are both excellent; some others don't like Samsung. Right now, there doesn't seem like much benefit for PCIe 5.0. IMO it won't matter in the near future.

Thanks for the reply!
1- so for quest, I will be able to play VR games with the PC powering them, and the quest displaying it? That seems kind of neat! I have a 30foot long USB cable I think that is used for that

2- I did spend a lot of time, but the B650 vs X670 i feel is something i dont want to compromise one. Perhaps the deals will change August 1st (I am planning to purchase around 8/10) and will keep eye on that!

6- Got it - I will probably investigate this more then once I have the build complete as some brief research shows its possible to get crazy with the sim hardware as well

8- From the reading I did, i think people are suggesting ~2% gain in the 9700X vs the 7800X3d - i am not sure that will justify the price difference, and the extra cache on the X3d models seems to still be thought to be better though obviously nobody has the zen 5 yet to really show that for sure. Ill probably stick with 7800X3d and hopefully save a few sheckles from the new drop.

13- got it, ill stick with 990 PRO then - ive used a lot of samsung SSDs in the past and have always been happy with them. PCIe5 support will be part of the x670e chipset, so if i need to in the future i can always upgrade to that.


As always - all the input is appreciated thank you so much, looking forward to more thoughts!!

~A

Updated 7/21 - questions answered were strikethrough, left remaining open

New update to Q12 about PSU added
Added RAM question

 

[athrowaway2242]

And added another bit to Q11 about the video card…after carefully reading specs I am concerned if the card will even fit in the case I picked…

 

[In2Photos]

Thanks for the reply! And congrats on your build - it was definitely hard to find white parts, youve got a lot of skill (and guts that i dont have) to repaint or plasti dip some of those parts

So seems like I can check off the fans question - thank you!

For the cable extensions, if I buy the ones you bought, would that be enough for my build as it stands? Just buy that and any PSU I want? - Ill update my parts list to Corsair RM1000x PSU and the cable extensions. Seems like enough power?

I called a few Micro Centers and it seems like they wont do any bundles with the x670e at the moment and wont allow mix and match but the bundles are good deals it seems if the parts work!

I noticed you used multiple SSDs - is there any benefit to using say 2x2Tb SSD vs 1x4Tb SSD, i remember RAID was a very common thing many years ago with all the complicated risk/benefit calculations, but with modern SSD is that necessary? If not in RAID, I have admittedly always been confused about how to install software/games/etc with multiple drives going.

I also noticed you added on a vertical GPU bracket - if I wanted to vertically mount my GPU, would I need a bracket/adapter for that? does the GPU/case come with this stuff?

Cable Extensions - You'll need to check the cable extension kit. The one I bought will work for the 24 pin and 2 EPS, but your GPU uses the new 12VHPWR connector and not the older 8 pin PCI connectors that mine used. So you'll need a slightly different kit. Something like this should work: https://www.amazon.com/AsiaHorse-12...8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

I used multiple SSDs just because of personal preference. I like to keep things separate. So my OS is on a smaller 512GB drive. Then I have photos only on a 2TB drive. And games on the second 2TB drive. No RAID. You could use partitions to keep things separate too, but having multiple drives means a drive failure only loses 1 of the 3, not everything. Again, it's just how my brain works.

The vertical GPU bracket is purchased separately. I was very particular about the one I used. I wanted one that wasn't too bulky. The one I got doesn't stick out towards the front of the GPU as much as some others. Only problem was I couldn't find that one in white so I had to paint it. Most of the mounts work just fine though. Make sure you find one that is PCIe4 for the riser cable as some are PCIe3.

 

[In2Photos]

And added another bit to Q11 about the video card…after carefully reading specs I am concerned if the card will even fit in the case I picked…

If it didn't fit PCPartpicker would tell you. But, with the 12VHPWR connector on the GPU you may have to put a hard bend on the cable to get it to fit which is not recommended. On PCPartpicker go to your GPU and scroll down to the bottom of the page. There are builds that have the GPU. You can look through them to see if anyone used the same case.

 

[athrowaway2242]

Cable Extensions - You'll need to check the cable extension kit. The one I bought will work for the 24 pin and 2 EPS, but your GPU uses the new 12VHPWR connector and not the older 8 pin PCI connectors that mine used. So you'll need a slightly different kit. Something like this should work: https://www.amazon.com/AsiaHorse-12VHPWR-Extension-Braided-Supply/dp/B0C4KCWLTC/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=1C62HXVY1DAQY&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.cbwsGpDg5Kxeri7CIW5DCmfLgnrCvLwd_dI-pXiO8LW3Se2Js2O9DAB_3MqEFs-f3mJ1qru8K_U59j0iAIoRleafpMxRBsC4aXVMHnDhoJgzK2OvyF6NOI1Eu3IdPo8R.pDFlsbdGF4VTpulApTtD3pH0KYX-kIl7j2wg9bEVGik&dib_tag=se&keywords=asia+horse+extension+cables+12vhpwr&qid=1721651756&sprefix=asia+horse,aps,238&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

I used multiple SSDs just because of personal preference. I like to keep things separate. So my OS is on a smaller 512GB drive. Then I have photos only on a 2TB drive. And games on the second 2TB drive. No RAID. You could use partitions to keep things separate too, but having multiple drives means a drive failure only loses 1 of the 3, not everything. Again, it's just how my brain works.

The vertical GPU bracket is purchased separately. I was very particular about the one I used. I wanted one that wasn't too bulky. The one I got doesn't stick out towards the front of the GPU as much as some others. Only problem was I couldn't find that one in white so I had to paint it. Most of the mounts work just fine though. Make sure you find one that is PCIe4 for the riser cable as some are PCIe3.

If it didn't fit PCPartpicker would tell you. But, with the 12VHPWR connector on the GPU you may have to put a hard bend on the cable to get it to fit which is not recommended. On PCPartpicker go to your GPU and scroll down to the bottom of the page. There are builds that have the GPU. You can look through them to see if anyone used the same case.

Thank you - so you did not use the Lian Li vertical mount kit from their website?
https://lian-li.com/product/vg4-4/ is the vertical mount kit which does not mention anything about size constraints
https://lian-li.com/product/o11d-evo-upright-gpu-bracket-for-40-series-gpu/ is the upright GPU bracket which specifically mentions size constraints that i dont think the 4080super aorus will fit based on this

I guess upright and vertical are different mounts? Now I need to figure out if either fits.
I saw some people mentioned about getting a right angle adapter to solve this hard bend problem?

 

[Tech Junky]

There's an easier solution.... Put the case on its side.

 

[athrowaway2242]

There's an easier solution.... Put the case on its side.

I dont get it

 

[Tech Junky]

I dont get it

If you put the case on its side then the weight is pushing down on the slot instead of pulling the slot off the board. Thus no need to weld the GPU into place.

 

[athrowaway2242]

If you put the case on its side then the weight is pushing down on the slot instead of pulling the slot off the board. Thus no need to weld the GPU into place.

I see - I was not concerned about the weight of the GPU but rather the length/width/depth of the GPU physically fitting. Though it seems I didnt realize upright and vertical were different mounts - upright seems to not fit, but vertical does I think. the bracket/GPU/case have supports for the weight I dont think the case needs to be sideways.

 

[Tech Junky]

https://pcpartpicker.com/builds/by_part/Ksgrxr#g=567

Looks like there's 4 builds using that case / 4080 super cards.

3/4 of them have the card installed "normal" position with the odd ball out going the other direction and taking stress off the slot.

https://pcpartpicker.com/b/rBnLrH

2 of them are using the AERO version.

The specs in the case manual should give you the mounting options though and max dimensions.

 

[athrowaway2242]

https://pcpartpicker.com/builds/by_part/Ksgrxr#g=567

Looks like there's 4 builds using that case / 4080 super cards.

3/4 of them have the card installed "normal" position with the odd ball out going the other direction and taking stress off the slot.

https://pcpartpicker.com/b/rBnLrH

2 of them are using the AERO version.

The specs in the case manual should give you the mounting options though and max dimensions.

I found a 3 builds with the specific aorus master and O11D EVO case - 2 horizontal, 1 vertical, 0 upright. So i think itll fit. check that box! thank you!

 

[In2Photos]

Thank you - so you did not use the Lian Li vertical mount kit from their website?
https://lian-li.com/product/vg4-4/ is the vertical mount kit which does not mention anything about size constraints
https://lian-li.com/product/o11d-evo-upright-gpu-bracket-for-40-series-gpu/ is the upright GPU bracket which specifically mentions size constraints that i dont think the 4080super aorus will fit based on this

I guess upright and vertical are different mounts? Now I need to figure out if either fits.
I saw some people mentioned about getting a right angle adapter to solve this hard bend problem?

Correct I did not use the Lian Li version. I used this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B42ZR28W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

The upright bracket allows for the GPU to be installed on the side of the case next to the motherboard.

There are 90 degree adapters. Note that CableMod recently recalled all of their adapters. https://cablemod.com/adapterrecall/ I don't believe any of the other companies have done so.

 

[athrowaway2242]

Correct I did not use the Lian Li version. I used this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B42ZR28W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

The upright bracket allows for the GPU to be installed on the side of the case next to the motherboard.

There are 90 degree adapters. Note that CableMod recently recalled all of their adapters. https://cablemod.com/adapterrecall/ I don't believe any of the other companies have done so.

Got it- so vertical mount I think should be okay then, just might need the right angle adapter - edit, seems like right angle adapter is for horizontal mount, vertical seems ok

Any particular reason you didn’t use the lian li bracket?

 

[In2Photos]

Got it- so vertical mount I think should be okay then, just might need the right angle adapter

Any particular reason you didn’t use the lian li bracket?

If you use the vertical mount you don't have to use the right angle adapter. The cable will come out of the card going up instead of towards the side glass when using the horizontal mount.

The Lian Li bracket is fine, but the bottom portion just stuck out too far for my liking. It extended past the GPU and covered more of the bottom fans than I liked. Your card is a little bigger than mine so the Lian Li bracket may be less obtrusive.

 

[athrowaway2242]

List of Questions - sorry there are so many!! Please answer whichever you might be able to help with

1. What is the relationship between an oculus quest 2 and a gaming PC. Can I get any benefit connecting my oculus to the gaming PC? will that allow me to play VR games with my PC? I am not that familiar with what this will allow me to do
2. I see Microcenter referenced a lot. Is it better to buy from them in person when possible vs online? I have access ti 3-4 microcenters within ~1 hour drive so if theres compelling reasons to go - I will
3. I dont know anything about monitors/resolution/etc - with my current build, would I be best going 4K or 1440p? Refresh rates? Better to have smaller monitor(s) that are higher quality, vs something like the G9? What happens if a game cannot utilize the entire width of the G9 49" is that space wasted? Am I wasting money getting an ultra wide if it only is supported by a handful of games? Is there benefit with this for flight sim/racing sim games
4. I recognize that I expanded my budget to accommodate the white build so saving money by using other color components is probably something I wont do now that Ive committed
5. Do cases and such come with cable management or do I need to buy any accessories/ties/sleeves for this purpose?
6. Any recommendations from those who play flight or racing sims for peripherals?
7. How do I decide what keyboard to get. Ive never owned a 'gaming' keyboard.
8. I know new AMD CPUs come out 7/31. does waiting for them make sense? will it lower price of my current build? Or if I should get one of those CPU instead, will my current motherboard choice support that? I went with Gigabyte X670 Aorus Pro X - will it be as simple as a BIOS flash for the new CPU support?
9. Motherboard - chose x670e chipset for PCIe5 and future compatibility. is there a reason not to?
10. CPU Cooler - I chose Lian Li Gallahad because I heard that fan controllers are a mess right now, and figured keeping everything the same brand simplifies things. My understanding is this comes in the 'exhaust' style fans, but I would be using this as an intake actually. So I will swap these 3 fans for Lian Li Infinity REVERSE fans. This is what I need to do correct? Then I will use the three fans that come with the AIO as exhaust fans on the top of case. How will these fans be controlled? by the AIO fan controller? Also, is the Lian Li as prone to failure as the internet seems to think? I was looking at EK Nucleus 360 but got scared when the fans from that are not Lian Li and thought that would become a nightmare compatibility
11. GPU - 4080 Super. I am so tempted to get the Aero instead of AORUS Master because of the white build....but my sense from online is AORUS Master is a much higher quality product for ~40$ more in terms of its heat management and coil whine. Does anyone have thoughts on this?
    1. GPU- currently picked the 4080 super aorus master- was planning to vertical mount. Will this fit in the O11D Evo or do I need the XL? It seems like some people have fit it online but officially I don’t think it fits per the website. O if true one option is to get the XL case for 100$ more, or switch to a smaller card like the Aero 4080 super…not sure how much I sacrifice from the aorus master to the aero.
12. PSU - 1000W seems to be enough power? switched to corsair RM1000x and will get cable extensions in white
    1. PC Parts Picker gave this error - "Note: The video card PCIe 16-pin power connector adapter is being supplied by three 6+2-pin power connectors. Please ensure that the three 6+2-pin power connectors are not daisy-chained and do not share the same power cable." Is this PSU an issue?
13. SSD - I went with the Samsung 990 Pro 4Tb. Does anyone feel strongly about the WD Scorpio Black instead? Or should I shell out for a PCIe5 SSD? Will that matter at all in the near future?
14. Fans - I grabbed a 3 pack of the LL INF Reverse fans - this comes with the controller. Does this controller control all of the fans? Planned setup - place 3 reverse fans on the AIO. then have this controller control the 3 reverse intake fans on bottom, the 3 exhaust fans (taken from the AIO) on the top, and the 140mm exhaust rear fan. Will this work?
    1. what is best way to control all the case fans (assuming AIO is controlled by system/CPU thermals) and minimize use of the USB Headers - see question below
15. USB Headers - PC Part Picker notes compatibility issues here
    1. says for the fan will need "USB 3.2 Gen 1 to USB 2.0 header adapter" - what is that, and will it take away one of my USB 3.2 headers. Should I get a 3rd party fan controller instead?
    2. says for USB 3.2 gen 2 header need an adapter for the case since its Gen 1 - will I lose speed here? what does this mean? should I replace the USB port on the case and make it Gen 2? is that possible?
16. RAM - is 32Gb enough? Should I go to 64Gb?

Thank you in advance for all the help and any questions you might be able to answer!

~A

---

Edit 7/21
PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D 4.2 GHz 8-Core Processor ($385.00 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Lian Li Galahad II Trinity SL-INF 61.3 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($158.95 @ Adorama)
Motherboard: Gigabyte X670E AORUS PRO X ATX AM5 Motherboard ($279.99 @ B&H)
Memory: G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo RGB 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory ($124.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 990 Pro 4 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($291.57 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Gigabyte AORUS MASTER GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER 16 GB Video Card ($1199.99 @ B&H)
Case: Lian Li O11D EVO RGB ATX Mid Tower Case ($149.97 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair RM1000x (2021) 1000 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($123.49 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 11 Pro Retail - USB 64-bit ($198.99 @ Newegg)
Case Fan: Lian Li Uni Fan SL-Infinity 72.7 CFM 140 mm Fan ($34.98 @ Adorama)
Case Fan: Lian Li UNI FAN SL-INF Reverse Blade 63.6 CFM 120 mm Fan ($29.27 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: Lian Li UNI FAN SL-INF Reverse Blade 63.6 CFM 120 mm Fan ($29.27 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: Lian Li UNI FAN SL-INF Reverse Blade 63.6 CFM 120 mm Fan ($29.27 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: Lian Li UNI FAN TL LCD 120 Reverse Blade 83.4 CFM 120 mm Fans 3-Pack ($136.60 @ Amazon)
Monitor: Samsung Odyssey G9 G93SC 49.0" 5120 x 1440 240 Hz Curved Monitor ($979.99 @ Amazon)
Custom: AsiaHorse Power Supply Sleeved Cable, 16 AWG PSU Extension Cable Kit of White Connector, 1x24Pin/2x4+4 EPS/3x6+2 PCI-E, 30cm Length with Combs-White ($34.99 @ Amazon)
Custom: top i/o adapter ($18.00)
Total: $4205.31
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-07-21 12:07 EDT-0400

Thanks for all the help so far - was advised to post new reply rather than edit the first post (kicks it into a approval queue it seems)
Ive updated the above quote within this post (just expand) with the remaining questions/strikethrough for the answered ones and updated build below

I appreciate everyones time and ideas!!

i replaced the Lian Li cooler with the EK nucleus. there are just way too many reports of pump failures. hopefully the fan controls wont be terrible to swap. anyone know if I can just plug the Lian Li reverse fans into the EK nucleus fan controller?

---

Edit 7/22
PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D 4.2 GHz 8-Core Processor ($384.98 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: EK EK-Nucleus AIO CR360 Lux D-RGB 72 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($163.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte X670E AORUS PRO X ATX AM5 Motherboard ($279.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo RGB 64 GB (2 x 32 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory ($219.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 990 Pro 4 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($299.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Gigabyte AORUS MASTER GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER 16 GB Video Card ($1199.99 @ B&H)
Case: Lian Li O11D EVO RGB ATX Mid Tower Case ($149.97 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair RM1000x (2021) 1000 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($123.49 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 11 Pro Retail - USB 64-bit ($198.99 @ Newegg)
Case Fan: Lian Li Uni Fan SL-Infinity 72.7 CFM 140 mm Fan ($34.98 @ Adorama)
Case Fan: Lian Li UNI FAN SL-INF Reverse Blade 63.6 CFM 120 mm Fan ($29.27 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: Lian Li UNI FAN SL-INF Reverse Blade 63.6 CFM 120 mm Fan ($29.27 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: Lian Li UNI FAN SL-INF Reverse Blade 63.6 CFM 120 mm Fan ($29.27 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: Lian Li UNI FAN TL LCD 120 Reverse Blade 83.4 CFM 120 mm Fans 3-Pack ($136.74 @ Amazon)
Monitor: Samsung Odyssey G9 G93SC 49.0" 5120 x 1440 240 Hz Curved Monitor ($999.99 @ Amazon)
Custom: AsiaHorse 12VHPWR Cable Extension Kit, 16AWG 16Pin PSU Cable Extension Kit Soft Braided Sleeved Cables for 24pin ATX /4+4pin EPS /12+4pin, 30CM Length with Cable Combs (White) ($29.99 @ Amazon)
Custom: Lian-Li Universal 4- Slots Vertical GPU kit (White, VG4-4-V2W) ($60.00)
Total: $4370.89
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-07-22 12:03 EDT-0400

 

[In2Photos]

You can get a WIndows 11 license for much less than that. There are third party sellers that offer them for about $30. Check out Youtubers like Greg Salazar or TechSource for these sites and promo codes.

 

[athrowaway2242]

You can get a WIndows 11 license for much less than that. There are third party sellers that offer them for about $30. Check out Youtubers like Greg Salazar or TechSource for these sites and promo codes.

Thanks - I put that in as a placeholder, but I think Ive actually got a license through work so thatll drop 200$ off it!

 

[athrowaway2242]

Update after some more research - appreciate all the help!

Thanks all for the help - only remaining questions are
Q3 - monitor
Q7 - keyboard
Q11 - GPU
Q12 - PSU

1. What is the relationship between an oculus quest 2 and a gaming PC. Can I get any benefit connecting my oculus to the gaming PC? will that allow me to play VR games with my PC? I am not that familiar with what this will allow me to do
2. I see Microcenter referenced a lot. Is it better to buy from them in person when possible vs online? I have access ti 3-4 microcenters within ~1 hour drive so if theres compelling reasons to go - I will
3. I dont know anything about monitors/resolution/etc - with my current build, would I be best going 4K or 1440p? Refresh rates? Better to have smaller monitor(s) that are higher quality, vs something like the G9? What happens if a game cannot utilize the entire width of the G9 49" is that space wasted? Am I wasting money getting an ultra wide if it only is supported by a handful of games? Is there benefit with this for flight sim/racing sim games
4. I recognize that I expanded my budget to accommodate the white build so saving money by using other color components is probably something I wont do now that Ive committed
5. Do cases and such come with cable management or do I need to buy any accessories/ties/sleeves for this purpose?
6. Any recommendations from those who play flight or racing sims for peripherals?
7. How do I decide what keyboard to get. Ive never owned a 'gaming' keyboard.
8. I know new AMD CPUs come out 7/31. does waiting for them make sense? will it lower price of my current build? Or if I should get one of those CPU instead, will my current motherboard choice support that? I went with Gigabyte X670 Aorus Pro X - will it be as simple as a BIOS flash for the new CPU support?
9. Motherboard - chose x670e chipset for PCIe5 and future compatibility. is there a reason not to?
10. CPU Cooler - I chose Lian Li Gallahad because I heard that fan controllers are a mess right now, and figured keeping everything the same brand simplifies things. My understanding is this comes in the 'exhaust' style fans, but I would be using this as an intake actually. So I will swap these 3 fans for Lian Li Infinity REVERSE fans. This is what I need to do correct? Then I will use the three fans that come with the AIO as exhaust fans on the top of case. How will these fans be controlled? by the AIO fan controller? Also, is the Lian Li as prone to failure as the internet seems to think? I was looking at EK Nucleus 360 but got scared when the fans from that are not Lian Li and thought that would become a nightmare compatibility
11. GPU - 4080 Super. I am so tempted to get the Aero instead of AORUS Master because of the white build....but my sense from online is AORUS Master is a much higher quality product for ~40$ more in terms of its heat management and coil whine. Does anyone have thoughts on this?
    1. GPU- currently picked the 4080 super aorus master- was planning to vertical mount. Will this fit in the O11D Evo or do I need the XL? It seems like some people have fit it online but officially I don’t think it fits per the website. O if true one option is to get the XL case for 100$ more, or switch to a smaller card like the Aero 4080 super…not sure how much I sacrifice from the aorus master to the aero.
12. PSU - 1000W seems to be enough power? switched to corsair RM1000x and will get cable extensions in white
    1. PC Parts Picker gave this error - "Note: The video card PCIe 16-pin power connector adapter is being supplied by three 6+2-pin power connectors. Please ensure that the three 6+2-pin power connectors are not daisy-chained and do not share the same power cable." Is this PSU an issue?
13. SSD - I went with the Samsung 990 Pro 4Tb. Does anyone feel strongly about the WD Scorpio Black instead? Or should I shell out for a PCIe5 SSD? Will that matter at all in the near future?
14. Fans - I grabbed a 3 pack of the LL INF Reverse fans - this comes with the controller. Does this controller control all of the fans? Planned setup - place 3 reverse fans on the AIO. then have this controller control the 3 reverse intake fans on bottom, the 3 exhaust fans (taken from the AIO) on the top, and the 140mm exhaust rear fan. Will this work?
    1. what is best way to control all the case fans (assuming AIO is controlled by system/CPU thermals) and minimize use of the USB Headers - see question below
15. USB Headers - PC Part Picker notes compatibility issues here
    1. says for the fan will need "USB 3.2 Gen 1 to USB 2.0 header adapter" - what is that, and will it take away one of my USB 3.2 headers. Should I get a 3rd party fan controller instead?
    2. says for USB 3.2 gen 2 header need an adapter for the case since its Gen 1 - will I lose speed here? what does this mean? should I replace the USB port on the case and make it Gen 2? is that possible?
16. RAM - is 32Gb enough? Should I go to 64Gb?

Thank you in advance for all the help and any questions you might be able to answer!

~A

---

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D 4.2 GHz 8-Core Processor ($384.98 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: EK EK-Nucleus AIO CR360 Lux D-RGB 72 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($163.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte X670E AORUS PRO X ATX AM5 Motherboard ($279.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo RGB 64 GB (2 x 32 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory ($219.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 990 Pro 4 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($299.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Gigabyte AORUS MASTER GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER 16 GB Video Card ($1199.99 @ B&H)
Case: Lian Li O11D EVO RGB ATX Mid Tower Case ($149.97 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair RM1000x (2021) 1000 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($123.49 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 11 Pro Retail - USB 64-bit ($198.99 @ Newegg)
Case Fan: Lian Li Uni Fan SL-Infinity 61.3 CFM 120 mm Fans 3-Pack ($66.84 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: Lian Li Uni Fan SL-Infinity 72.7 CFM 140 mm Fan ($34.98 @ Adorama)
Case Fan: Lian Li UNI FAN TL 120 Reverse Blade 83.4 CFM 120 mm Fans 3-Pack ($99.99 @ Adorama)
Case Fan: Lian Li UNI FAN TL LCD 120 Reverse Blade 83.4 CFM 120 mm Fans 3-Pack ($136.74 @ Amazon)
Monitor: Samsung Odyssey G9 G93SC 49.0" 5120 x 1440 240 Hz Curved Monitor ($999.99 @ Amazon)
Custom: AsiaHorse 12VHPWR Cable Extension Kit, 16AWG 16Pin PSU Cable Extension Kit Soft Braided Sleeved Cables for 24pin ATX /4+4pin EPS /12+4pin, 30CM Length with Cable Combs (White) ($29.99 @ Amazon)
Custom: Lian-Li Universal 4- Slots Vertical GPU kit (White, VG4-4-V2W) ($60.00)
Total: $4449.91
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-07-22 18:22 EDT-0400

 

[In2Photos]

For keyboards try to go to a store to test out the different key types. I found that I don't like "clicky" keys. Then decide what form factor. 60%, TKL, or full size. From there you can find one in the price range you're after.

GPU- the aero gets good reviews on Newegg. So does this MSI. Check this out on @Newegg:MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER 16GB GDDR6X PCI Express 4.0 ATX Video Card RTX 4080 SUPER 16G GAMING X SLIM WHITE https://www.newegg.com/msi-video-ca...m_mmc=snc-social-_-sr-_-14-137-884-_-07222024

If you don't get a white card for an all white build you might regret it. Look at my before pics with the grey card.

1000 watt is fine.

 

[athrowaway2242]

For keyboards try to go to a store to test out the different key types. I found that I don't like "clicky" keys. Then decide what form factor. 60%, TKL, or full size. From there you can find one in the price range you're after.

GPU- the aero gets good reviews on Newegg. So does this MSI. Check this out on @Newegg:MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER 16GB GDDR6X PCI Express 4.0 ATX Video Card RTX 4080 SUPER 16G GAMING X SLIM WHITE https://www.newegg.com/msi-video-ca...m_mmc=snc-social-_-sr-_-14-137-884-_-07222024

If you don't get a white card for an all white build you might regret it. Look at my before pics with the grey card.

1000 watt is fine.

Thank you-

I’m torn on the white card vs aorus master. On one hand I see your point- but on the other hand the aorus master just seems to be a significantly better built card for such a small difference. It’s hard to justify a “downgrade” just for color but I really don’t know how much the performance matters real world

 

[igor_kavinski]

I’m torn on the white card vs aorus master. On one hand I see your point- but on the other hand the aorus master just seems to be a significantly better built card for such a small difference. It’s hard to justify a “downgrade” just for color but I really don’t know how much the performance matters real world

MSI Expert says hello: https://www.amazon.com/MSI-Gaming-Expert-Graphics-256-Bit/dp/B0CSZBBQ9B

 

[athrowaway2242]

MSI Expert says hello: https://www.amazon.com/MSI-Gaming-Expert-Graphics-256-Bit/dp/B0CSZBBQ9B

Hello

Thanks- can I ask why you suggest this particular card? It’s not white but it is cheaper than both the aero and aorus master. Which card is this comparable to? Why this over aero or aorus master?

Thank you