As computer enthusiasts and professionals, we like to build our own desktops. Building a desktop can seem intimidating, but it is not too bad as long as you take things step-by-step by reading the manual and research accordingly. There are tons of resources available to help you reach success, such as parts compatibilities websites, Youtube, etc. Challenges and fear are typical in any hobbies and activities we take on. As an example, Nancy was scared of the computer catching on fire from a faulty wire. This is all part of the fun in hobbies and activities – you learn through experience and various roadblocks as long as you don’t give up.

We recently built a new gaming desktop for Nancy. Her last build was from 2015, and she was overdue for an upgrade to keep up with Call of Duty: Warzone. With a healthier budget and additional resources, Nancy decided on a white build with RGB. Here are the specifications of the new build (running on Windows 10 Pro).

• CPU: Intel Core i7-10700K 3.8 GHz 8-Core Processor
• CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i RGB Platinum Liquid CPU Cooler (White)
• Motherboard: ASUS Prime Z490-A
• RAM: Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200
• GPU: MSI GeForce GTX 1660 Ti (from the previous build – 3080 is out of stock) Update February 15, 2021: Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3080 Vision
• Case: Cooler Master MasterBox TD500 Mesh White Mid Tower Case
• Power Supply: Corsair RMx 750W (White)

challenges are what makes life interesting

Nancy’s desktop ended up turning on and running as intended. The desktop case looks really sleek as an all-white build. Although there is a slight upmark in cost, it is worth every penny. There were some challenges, which was part of the fun! We worked together to make sure everything worked out. Here are some challenges we faced and how we overcame them.

• The desktop didn’t boot the first time. It turns out that the cooler blocked an important port that would’ve powered the CPU.
• We learned that for the fans to light up, a separate RGB hub and hardware controller were needed. Although optional and a bit costly, the result looked amazing with the lighted fans.
• The fear of wires burning up due to incorrect connections is real. However, if you read the instructions and do enough research, you should be fine.
• Wire management the first time wasn’t the easiest. Take things one wire at a time. Don’t be afraid to reconfigure the wires several times until it is neat and makes sense. Utilize the back of the case, if available!
• We had to take the parts out and reinstall them back several times for better placement. It is totally fine to do so. We had to reslot the RAM a few times even though it clicked all the time until it finally worked.

The GPU will be swapped for a 3080 once Nancy is lucky enough to snag one. Otherwise, a 1660 Ti will do for now. This desktop has twice the CPU cores and RAM. With the same Warzone settings, the frames per second (FPS) went from a solid 75 to 100-110. Once a GPU upgrade takes place, the FPS is expected to increase significantly.

monitor refresh rate is everything

PS. When it comes to FPS, you’re limited by the amount of Hz your monitor supports. If your monitor supports 60Hz, you’re capped to 60FPS. You can try to tune your gameplay 15FPS above your Hz, but your FPS will only render as fast as your refresh rate (Hz). You may need to look at gaming monitors that support a higher refresh rate (Hz). If you’re using your desktop for every day, non-gaming use, you don’t need a high refresh rate monitor.

Once you finish an activity, you have all of the rights to feel accomplished. The time spent overcoming the challenges of all magnitudes should be worthwhile. You learn new things along the way, which is always a positive factor towards your growth. You also get a sense of fulfillment when you create something yourself!

update: rtx 3080, baby!

February 15, 2021: After so many visits to Newegg and BestBuy, I (Nancy) finally secured a Gigabyte Vision RTX 3080 via BestBuy! With the type of build I had going on, I wanted to get a silver/white GPU, which limited me to two reasonable choices. This 3080 took two 4×2 PCIe slots, which is new to me. Even though the 3080 costs almost $1,000, it’s worth the money for my situation. I can play Warzone with higher resolution, as well as render multiplayer to 235FPS (I try to set max FPS -5 to the monitor’s refresh rate). I’m excited to run some virtual machines and run some cyber tools.

At this point, my desktop build is pretty much complete. I also added a lighting strip (see right and bottom), which adds to the aesthetics. At this point, the two things I would do is maybe buy another white Corsair fan for the top and two more lighting strips (left and below the GPU). The whole RGB venture can be costly! I had to buy an RGB hub and controller separately to manage my LED, which was almost $100 alone. I tried my best with cable management, but know that I can do better. That’s also on my backlog!

Thanks for joining us on this PC-building adventure!