A bit of a late addition to the blog, as this was done in February, but I didn't want to leave this out as this build was a memorable one. I had been itching to build a PC for ages, and with the release of Elden Ring on the horizon, I knew the time had come.
My last build was in 2016, and while she still ran great with an RTX 1070 for most games, it was time to start thinking about the future. And besides, I had to finally scratch that PC building itch right?
This was built during the chip / supply shortage of the 2020's, so it cost a pretty penny, but given how well it performs and the fact that I got to play Elden Ring on release in crisp 4k quality, it was well worth the price of admission. Now, onto the build.
Materials:
Internals:
Component | Description / Product Link |
CPU | |
Motherboard | |
GPU | |
CPU Cooler | |
RAM | |
Hard Drive(s) | |
PSU |
Case & Aesthetics:
The Build:
Just a few notes about my thoughts behind this build. Chiefly, performance is my concern over aesthetics, of course, but that doesn't mean that aesthetics take a complete backseat.
I tend to be a minimalist when it comes to RGB and color, so I opted for a mostly black & gray aesthetic when designing this build with mild RGB accents which could be customized to fit whatever theme I am feeling at the time. Techy looking, but also refined and clean.
Another thing to note. I purchased the GPU before anything else and that decided a few things for me. Chiefly, and I'm sure this thing is an absolute behemoth. I'm sure it's quite apparent, but it only barely managed to fit inside the case I chose, and I opted for a mid tower on the larger end. Thankfully it fit, but it was close!
Building the thing:
First and foremost, I wanted to get the motherboard lined up and everything seated nicely. The first thing I actually did was seat the RAM since that's easy (and satisfying). After taking the pic, I actually realized that I slotted my ram incorrectly as well, so I got to do it twice.
Next, I seated my SSDs beneath the two shrouds. My brand new 2TB M.2, which would be my primary and my older 1TB one below.
Normally, I would work on mounting the cooler next, but with this absolute behemoth of a GPU, I opted to get that slotted in as maneuvering around the tubes would be fairly annoying. Thankfully, decision ended up saving me some additional headache.
I knew my GPU was massive, but it was EVEN MORE massive than I originally intended and barely fit inside the case with the cooler. In order for it to even fit I had to mount the radiator fans on the outside and direct my airflow accordingly. I worried about a single fan being enough to push air within the case itself, but it runs quite cool so it seems to be enough.
Before I committed to cable wrangling, I wanted to make sure the thing actually turned on of course. It was time to get the PSU in and everything hooked up to power. After a bout of quick n' dirty cable managing, I got it hooked up to a display and the wall. I flicked the switch and she fired right up, lights and all. I inspected fan connections and the cooler to make sure everything was functioning as intended. We were in the green. Success!
Cable Rodeo:
After my monster was proven to be alive, I knew it was time to start working on cable managing this beast. This is always the longest, but the most satisfying part of the build for me. I was working with some aesthetic cable extensions, so I wound up having more cable that needed hiding. It was worth it in the end though for a clean look. Not to mention the 24 pin that came with my GPU was absolutely hideous to look at.
I made liberal use of the PSU shroud when hiding those meaty PSU cables and connections, but I also had to wrestle with the fact that where my cooling tubes sat would be partially visible. As a result, I prioritized black braided cables near the opening and mesh to avoid eyesores.
Finally, I finished the cable management and everything looked pretty spiffy. It was time to move into the desk.
Housewarming
When I say this thing fit like a glove, I mean that to the fullest extent. The allowance in my desk barely allowed her to fit comfortably, which I was thankful for. I measured of course prior to buying the case, but I didn't know it would be THIS close.
Still, it looks great sitting there and hooks up well to my KVM switch. And my build was complete just in time for the Elden ring release...
Final Thoughts
All in all, I'm very happy with how this build turned out. My games run like a dream and I got to scratch that ever burning PC building itch I have. It was a memorable, and important build for me to be able to do in these weird times we're living in.
As for my old PC - I helped give one of my closest friends a home for her 3060 she managed to snag :-)
Some additional photos from the build, feat. obligatory selfies, my desk setup & GAMER (TM) stickers that came with my motherboard.
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