Need advice about new pc

[Customizer171]

Hello, new member here!

 

I am going to buy or build a new pc, to play IL-2 and maybe some DCS. 

Yes, I do understand this is not the best time, but I am tired of waiting and I have plenty of time right now, so I have decided to do it, even if it will be expensive. However, I don´t want to spend an unlimited amount of money, but I want good stuff.

 

Have already bought a nice stick and rudder pedals, but have not yet decided on my throttle, maybe it will be something from GVL.

 

I wanna play in VR, with something like a Reverb G2, but will probably start on a monitor until I get used to the game.

 

From what I understood, the most important is a good GPU, CPU and RAM.

 

GPU: 3070, 3070 Ti, 3080 or 3080 Ti are the cards I been looking at, Some of these are really expensive and I want your advice what to get. I understand the 3080 Ti is the best, but is it really THAT much better than a 3080. Same with the 3070 vs 3070 Ti. What would you recommend?

OR sould I even buy a 3060Ti and use that for a start and then upgrade when the new Nvidia 4000 series arrives?

I have read that Radeon cards don´t match Nvidia cards in IL-2, therefore I have not looked at them. Is that statement still true?

 

CPU: I am leaning toward a Ryzen cpu, 5600X, 5800X or a 5900X. Will it make any difference in IL-2, which one I choose? It´s not that big difference in price between them. My idea was to get the 5800X, will that be a good choice?

 

RAM: I read that the Ryzen CPU like fast ram and I been looking at Gskill, 32 gb, 3600 cl 16, will that be ok or do recommend something else?

 

I will also get a good SSD. Can I put the OS and the games on the same SSD or is it better to separate them on different SSD:s?

 

How about motherboards?  B550 or B570, does it matter for IL-2? Do you have any specific brand and model you recommend or any models I should stay away from?

 

Am I right that the issues with Reverb G2 on many motherboards is solved now with the new cable? 

 

When I look at prebuilds, I can find the "right" GPU:s and CPU:s but they often miss some of the other things I THINK  is needed.

If I build it myself, the problem will be to find a GPU at a decent price, all other parts will not be a big problem as it looks right now. I prefer to buy once and cry once.  I am a noob on computers and that´s why I ask you guys for advice.

 

It was many questions at once but I will be gratefull for any help I can get.

 

Take care and fly safe

[cardboard_killer]

I'd recommend starting at Tom's Hardware's Best Picks page.

[Customizer171]

1 hour ago, cardboard_killer said:

I'd recommend starting at Tom's Hardware's Best Picks page.

 

Thanks for your reply, but as I understood it these are recommendations in general gaming and sims like IL-2 and DCS  dont behave in the same way.

Maybe I am wrong on this?

[DBCOOPER011]

I would recommend the below with an EVGA FTW3 Ultra. I built the below system and just sold it for cost. It would set you back including tax maybe $2,100 or so, but it played everything in VR just as good as my 3090/5800X setup. I also believe woot routinely has sales for the corsair 5000d for around $90. The DDR4/5600X ran at 4000Mhz and 2000FSB with no problems or errors on my system as well, I was really impressed with it..

 

Also, check out Build APC sales at reddit. They do the homework for the sales that occur..

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/buildapcsales/new/

 

 

Edited August 29, 2021 by DBCOOPER011
add link

[RAAF492SQNOz_Steve]

Re: HP Reverb G2

Believe that the issue with X570 motherboards is finally resolved. I would note that I own a MSI Tomahawk X570 Wifi, that now works fine,  so it is definitely fixed for that board. Also, I own a G2 and am very impressed with the visual improvements/ resolution over my Rift S.

 

The HP Reverb G2 is one of the most demanding consumer grade VR headsets, currently available, so I personally would recommend a 3080 or above spec GPU. It very much depends on what performance compromises you are prepared to accept. IL2 graphics setting compromises will still need to be made even with "the best of everything" PC for the Reverb G2.

[Customizer171]

7 hours ago, DBCOOPER011 said:

I would recommend the below with an EVGA FTW3 Ultra. I built the below system and just sold it for cost. It would set you back including tax maybe $2,100 or so, but it played everything in VR just as good as my 3090/5800X setup. I also believe woot routinely has sales for the corsair 5000d for around $90. The DDR4/5600X ran at 4000Mhz and 2000FSB with no problems or errors on my system as well, I was really impressed with it..

 

Also, check out Build APC sales at reddit. They do the homework for the sales that occur..

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/buildapcsales/new/

 

 

 

Thank you very much!

 

This is what I was hoping for, getting info about cheaper parts (5600x vs 5800x) that will still give the same (or almost the same) performance in IL-2.

I understand it as you are happy with 16gb of ram, would you say it is a waste of money to go for 32 gb?

Just one more question, you recommend EVGA FTW3, is it the 3070 or 3080 model?

 

Many thanks

1 hour ago, RAAF492SQNOz_Steve said:

Re: HP Reverb G2

Believe that the issue with X570 motherboards is finally resolved. I would note that I own a MSI Tomahawk X570 Wifi, that now works fine,  so it is definitely fixed for that board. Also, I own a G2 and am very impressed with the visual improvements/ resolution over my Rift S.

 

The HP Reverb G2 is one of the most demanding consumer grade VR headsets, currently available, so I personally would recommend a 3080 or above spec GPU. It very much depends on what performance compromises you are prepared to accept. IL2 graphics setting compromises will still need to be made even with "the best of everything" PC for the Reverb G2.

 

Thank you!

Are you happy with your motherboard? Would you buy it again if you would buy a new pc today or do you recommend something else?

 

I understand that "graphics setting compromises will still need to be made even with "the best of everything" thats why I want to find the "sweet spot" so I dont spend lots of money for minimal gains.

This is going to get expensive anyway, hahaha. 

[chiliwili69]

11 hours ago, DBCOOPER011 said:

The DDR4/5600X ran at 4000Mhz and 2000FSB with no problems or errors on my system as well, I was really impressed with it..

 

In IL-2 in VR, it is important the RAM speed and latency. I built my rig about 10 months ago with the 5600X and I am pleased with that. Maybe, one thing I would do differently now is to go to a Motherboard which is in the QVL of the faster memory speeds like 3800 or 4000.

 

I choose Gigabyte B550 Aorus Pro, but that Mobo is not in the QVL of the RAM with 3800 or 4000. Of course, I can do my own manual tunning of the RAM, but it requires a bit of time. I prefer to just go to default XMP profiles which are guaranteed for a particular mobo.

 

The brands that have more options with memories are MSI and Asus. 

 

If you finally get the 5600x/5800X I would pick these sticks (for IL-2 VR you don´t need more than 16Gb):

 

https://www.gskill.com/qvl/165/326/1565147987/F4-3800C14D-16GTZN-Qvl

 

So better to go to a X570 rather than B550.

 

Regarding 5600X/5800X question, I think that the performance in IL-2 VR is very similar. You don´t need more cores for IL-2 VR. I would put that extr money in the Mobo and RAM rather than picking the 5800X.

 

 

4 hours ago, Customizer171 said:

would you say it is a waste of money to go for 32 gb?

 

Yes, just for IL-2 VR it is waste of money going to 32Gb. If you want DCS that a diferent story as I have heard. IF you go initially for 2x8Gb, you can always get another 2x8Gb if you need 32Gb in the future.

17 hours ago, Customizer171 said:

Can I put the OS and the games on the same SSD or is it better to separate them on different SSD:s?

 

SSD drives will only affect the loading time, but not the actual performance while you play. I don´t think it influences if it is on the same SSD than OS or not.

I just got a 2Tb SSD M2 (but sata3 to save money) and it goes perfect.

Edited August 30, 2021 by chiliwili69

[DBCOOPER011]

9 hours ago, Customizer171 said:

 

This is what I was hoping for, getting info about cheaper parts (5600x vs 5800x) that will still give the same (or almost the same) performance in IL-2.

I understand it as you are happy with 16gb of ram, would you say it is a waste of money to go for 32 gb?

Just one more question, you recommend EVGA FTW3, is it the 3070 or 3080 model?

 

 

 

I don't thinks it's a waste of money for 32GB, but like Chiliwil69 stated, there's no noticeable benefit for more in IL2, at least that I have seen. Other games may be different though.  I also don't see any noticeable performance increase going from lets say 3600Mhz CL16 to 3800Mhz CL14 ram in gaming, as long as the FSB is set 1 to 1. In benchmarks there is, but gaming I haven't seen any at all. I also have an X570 Tuf Wifi and I had to get a separate powered USB card in order to get my reverb G2 to work. The budget B550M board I recommended was plug/play and ran the reverb without a separate USB card just fine. However, it is a budget motherboard and extreme overclocking on it would not be recommended.

The main problem your going to have is getting a reasonably good graphics card for a decent price. I believe the 3080 is rated as the best overall graphics card for price/performance, if you can get it. Because of the mining/chip shortage it has also been very difficult to find, but because most of the newer cards are produced as LHR, they are not as desired as the non-LHR models. LHR models tend to be a little cheaper on the re-sale market, but gaming performance is the same. If your just gaming this shouldn't be an issue, but if your also mining then a non-LHR card would be preferred.

The FTW3 Ultra is EVGA's 3080 flagship card and has a higher power limit, clock speed, and a few other amenities then their other 3080's. It's a little more expensive in cost, but worth it in my opinion. EVGA also has a reputation for the best warranty/customer service for their graphics cards and should be a little cheaper due to the tariffs. I purchased my 3080 FTW3 after a 10 month wait for a little under $1,000 after taxes/shipping. However, I have seen LHR 3080 cards advertised as brand new on the secondary market for as low as $1,200 or so..  

If you shop around, you will probably find sales for a majority of the parts you need. I know HP also has sales for the G2 from time to time for $450..

 

 

[dburne]

Yeah I would not build a system today with less than 32 GB of ram. 

IL-2 may be the only game played today but then one could always pick up other games that may use more in the time one owns that system.

Course you can add it, but why not go ahead and build it with it.

Also I myself prefer using two banks of ram modules rather than four.

[Customizer171]

10 hours ago, chiliwili69 said:

 

In IL-2 in VR, it is important the RAM speed and latency. I built my rig about 10 months ago with the 5600X and I am pleased with that. Maybe, one thing I would do differently now is to go to a Motherboard which is in the QVL of the faster memory speeds like 3800 or 4000.

 

I choose Gigabyte B550 Aorus Pro, but that Mobo is not in the QVL of the RAM with 3800 or 4000. Of course, I can do my own manual tunning of the RAM, but it requires a bit of time. I prefer to just go to default XMP profiles which are guaranteed for a particular mobo.

 

The brands that have more options with memories are MSI and Asus. 

 

If you finally get the 5600x/5800X I would pick these sticks (for IL-2 VR you don´t need more than 16Gb):

 

https://www.gskill.com/qvl/165/326/1565147987/F4-3800C14D-16GTZN-Qvl

 

So better to go to a X570 rather than B550.

 

Regarding 5600X/5800X question, I think that the performance in IL-2 VR is very similar. You don´t need more cores for IL-2 VR. I would put that extr money in the Mobo and RAM rather than picking the 5800X.

 

 

 

Yes, just for IL-2 VR it is waste of money going to 32Gb. If you want DCS that a diferent story as I have heard. IF you go initially for 2x8Gb, you can always get another 2x8Gb if you need 32Gb in the future.

 

SSD drives will only affect the loading time, but not the actual performance while you play. I don´t think it influences if it is on the same SSD than OS or not.

I just got a 2Tb SSD M2 (but sata3 to save money) and it goes perfect.

 

Thanks a lot for that information, I really appreciate it!

4 hours ago, DBCOOPER011 said:

 

I don't thinks it's a waste of money for 32GB, but like Chiliwil69 stated, there's no noticeable benefit for more in IL2, at least that I have seen. Other games may be different though.  I also don't see any noticeable performance increase going from lets say 3600Mhz CL16 to 3800Mhz CL14 ram in gaming, as long as the FSB is set 1 to 1. In benchmarks there is, but gaming I haven't seen any at all. I also have an X570 Tuf Wifi and I had to get a separate powered USB card in order to get my reverb G2 to work. The budget B550M board I recommended was plug/play and ran the reverb without a separate USB card just fine. However, it is a budget motherboard and extreme overclocking on it would not be recommended.

The main problem your going to have is getting a reasonably good graphics card for a decent price. I believe the 3080 is rated as the best overall graphics card for price/performance, if you can get it. Because of the mining/chip shortage it has also been very difficult to find, but because most of the newer cards are produced as LHR, they are not as desired as the non-LHR models. LHR models tend to be a little cheaper on the re-sale market, but gaming performance is the same. If your just gaming this shouldn't be an issue, but if your also mining then a non-LHR card would be preferred.

The FTW3 Ultra is EVGA's 3080 flagship card and has a higher power limit, clock speed, and a few other amenities then their other 3080's. It's a little more expensive in cost, but worth it in my opinion. EVGA also has a reputation for the best warranty/customer service for their graphics cards and should be a little cheaper due to the tariffs. I purchased my 3080 FTW3 after a 10 month wait for a little under $1,000 after taxes/shipping. However, I have seen LHR 3080 cards advertised as brand new on the secondary market for as low as $1,200 or so..  

If you shop around, you will probably find sales for a majority of the parts you need. I know HP also has sales for the G2 from time to time for $450..

 

 

 

Thanks!

Biggest problem is finding a 3080, not very easy at the moment where I live (Europe). I have also been considering buying a prebuilt pc and then it is easier with the gpu:s. Problem then is to find a set with the parts you want. The prebuilds with 3080:s usually have unnecessarily strong cpu:s, but I guess it dont hurt. I found one that looks good, 

 

AMD Ryzen 9 5900X / 3.7-4.8 GHz, GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3080 GAMING OC 10 GB, GIGABYTE X570 AORUS ELITE, Corsair Vengeance RGB PRO SL DDR4-3200 DC 16 GB, 240mm Corsair iCUE H100i ELITE CAPELLIX RGB AIO, WD Black SN750 M.2 NVMe 1 TB, Corsair iCUE 4000X TG, Corsair RM750x 750W 80+ Gold certified, 

 

I think that should work, maybe except the ram, but I can easily upgrade that if I need.  

2 hours ago, dburne said:

Yeah I would not build a system today with less than 32 GB of ram. 

IL-2 may be the only game played today but then one could always pick up other games that may use more in the time one owns that system.

Course you can add it, but why not go ahead and build it with it.

Also I myself prefer using two banks of ram modules rather than four.

Hello, thanks for your recommendations. I think I would prefer 32 GB of ram since I also would like to try DCS and maybe MSFS 2020 in the future.

[Jaws2002]

Get 32GB of ram. It makes a big difference in DCS and FS2020. 

2 hours ago, Customizer171 said:

AMD Ryzen 9 5900X / 3.7-4.8 GHz, GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3080 GAMING OC 10 GB, GIGABYTE X570 AORUS ELITE, Corsair Vengeance RGB PRO SL DDR4-3200 DC 16 GB, 240mm Corsair iCUE H100i ELITE CAPELLIX RGB AIO, WD Black SN750 M.2 NVMe 1 TB, Corsair iCUE 4000X TG, Corsair RM750x 750W 80+ Gold certified, 

 

That is a good start, but I'd upgrade the power supply. Twelve core CPU + AIO + overclocked 3080,  you want to be on the safe side and get a more powerful PSU. At least 850W.

   

 Look for bundles as well, since you need a whole PC. I wasn't able to find a graphics card but I managed to find a 3080Ti bundled with a  Ryzen 5800X. 

 I sold the CPU and kept the graphics card. Most store have this kind of bundles and it's easier to score a graphics card that way. 

Edited August 30, 2021 by Jaws2002

[Customizer171]

9 hours ago, Jaws2002 said:

Get 32GB of ram. It makes a big difference in DCS and FS2020. 

That is a good start, but I'd upgrade the power supply. Twelve core CPU + AIO + overclocked 3080,  you want to be on the safe side and get a more powerful PSU. At least 850W.

   

 Look for bundles as well, since you need a whole PC. I wasn't able to find a graphics card but I managed to find a 3080Ti bundled with a  Ryzen 5800X. 

 I sold the CPU and kept the graphics card. Most store have this kind of bundles and it's easier to score a graphics card that way. 

 

Thanks for your reply!

I will probably go for 32 GB of ram. I also found another prebuild that is configurable, this one. It is too expensive as it is now, but if I change the GPU to a regular 3080 I save a lot of money and I can then use some of that to upgrade the ram.

Decisions decisions!!! I will probably get crazy before this is over, hahaha.

 

• GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3080 Ti GAMING OC - 12GB GDDR6X RAM
• GIGABYTE X570 AORUS ELITE Moderkort
• AMD Ryzen 7 5800X CPU - 8 kärnor 3,8 GHz
• Corsair iCUE H100i ELITE CAPELLIX
• DUTZO Sleeved Power Extension Cable Kit
• 2 stk. G.Skill TridentZ Neo DDR4-3600 C16 DC (AMD)..
• Samsung 970 EVO Plus SSD M.2 2280 - 1TB
• Corsair 4000D AIRFLOW TG
• Corsair RM850x (2018) Strömförsörjning - 850 Watt
• Corsair LL120 RGB Dual Light 3-pack + Node PRO
• Microsoft Windows 10 Home (OEM) ESD - 32/64bit Mul..
• DUTZO Fushi Edged Gaming Mousepad

 

[chiliwili69]

12 hours ago, Customizer171 said:

Biggest problem is finding a 3080, not very easy at the moment where I live (Europe)

 

In this page you can track online shops with stock of any graphic card:

 

https://geizhals.eu/?cat=gra16_512&xf=9816_03+05+16+-+RTX+3080

 

In Spain you have PCComponentes which delivers to Sweden as well

 

https://www.pccomponentes.com/tarjetas-graficas/geforce-rtx-3080-series

 

Prices is another story

1 hour ago, Customizer171 said:

I also found another prebuild that is configurable

 

Also, in PCComponentes you have prebuilt:

 

https://www.pccomponentes.com/sobremesa/amd-ryzen-7/geforce-rtx-3080-series/sobremesa-gaming

 

 and also fully configurable PCs (I made this config based in your specs above, but with 16Gb (2x8Gb)):

 

https://www.pccomponentes.com/configurador/A6CdC1558

 

 

 

 

[Customizer171]

2 hours ago, chiliwili69 said:

 

In this page you can track online shops with stock of any graphic card:

 

https://geizhals.eu/?cat=gra16_512&xf=9816_03+05+16+-+RTX+3080

 

In Spain you have PCComponentes which delivers to Sweden as well

 

https://www.pccomponentes.com/tarjetas-graficas/geforce-rtx-3080-series

 

Prices is another story

 

Also, in PCComponentes you have prebuilt:

 

https://www.pccomponentes.com/sobremesa/amd-ryzen-7/geforce-rtx-3080-series/sobremesa-gaming

 

 and also fully configurable PCs (I made this config based in your specs above, but with 16Gb (2x8Gb)):

 

https://www.pccomponentes.com/configurador/A6CdC1558

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for the links.

Availability of 3080 cards was definetly better, than from the sites here in Sweden. Price is what it is these days ?

Prebuilds was actually more expensive in Spain, and I also prefer to buy a prebuilt locally, if there should be any problems.

Many thanks for your help!

 

 

[Customizer171]

I am getting crazy of this!! I decided to get a prebuilt computer because of the relative ease of getting a good GPU, but it was not as easy to get the other parts I wanted!

Anyway, I just got tired of trying to find the perfect setup and I made an order last evening. It´s not perfect but I hope it will be good enough to give me a nice experience in IL-2

This is the specs, I hope I didn´t screw up too much?

 

• GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3080 GAMING OC - 10GB GDDR6X RAM
• ASUS ROG STRIX X570-F GAMING Moderkort
• AMD Ryzen 7 5800X CPU - 8 kärnor 3,8 GHz
• Noctua NH-D15 chromax.black
• DUTZO Sleeved Power Extension Cable Kit
• G.Skill TridentZ Neo DDR4-3600 C16 DC (AMD) - 16GB
• Samsung 970 EVO Plus SSD M.2 2280 - 500GB
• Samsung 870 QVO 2.5" SSD - 1TB
• Corsair 4000D AIRFLOW TG
• Corsair RM850x (2018) Strömförsörjning - 850 Watt
• Corsair LL120 RGB Dual Light 3-pack + Node PRO
• Microsoft Windows 10 Home (OEM) ESD - 32/64bit Mul.

 

It should arrive after 2 weeks, I hope that is true, hahaha.

Edited September 2, 2021 by Customizer171
spelling

[cardboard_killer]

17 minutes ago, Customizer171 said:

It´s not perfect but I hope it will be good enough to give me a nice experience in IL-2

 

That will give you an outstanding experience. I bought a much less robust box about a year ago, and I do fine, albeit without VR, and for about $1,000 USD.

[Jaws2002]

23 hours ago, Customizer171 said:

I am getting crazy of this!! I decided to get a prebuilt computer because of the relative ease of getting a good GPU, but it was not as easy to get the other parts I wanted!

Anyway, I just got tired of trying to find the perfect setup and I made an order last evening. It´s not perfect but I hope it will be good enough to give me a nice experience in IL-2

This is the specs, I hope I didn´t screw up too much?

 

• GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3080 GAMING OC - 10GB GDDR6X RAM
• ASUS ROG STRIX X570-F GAMING Moderkort
• AMD Ryzen 7 5800X CPU - 8 kärnor 3,8 GHz
• Noctua NH-D15 chromax.black
• DUTZO Sleeved Power Extension Cable Kit
• G.Skill TridentZ Neo DDR4-3600 C16 DC (AMD) - 16GB
• Samsung 970 EVO Plus SSD M.2 2280 - 500GB
• Samsung 870 QVO 2.5" SSD - 1TB
• Corsair 4000D AIRFLOW TG
• Corsair RM850x (2018) Strömförsörjning - 850 Watt
• Corsair LL120 RGB Dual Light 3-pack + Node PRO
• Microsoft Windows 10 Home (OEM) ESD - 32/64bit Mul.

 

It should arrive after 2 weeks, I hope that is true, hahaha.

 

 

Looks good.   Down the road, if you have issues in DCS/FS2020, you can get another stick of memory, but for Il-2 it's plenty.

Congrats! 

 

[Gambit21]

On 8/29/2021 at 10:45 PM, Customizer171 said:

...so I dont spend lots of money for minimal gains.

 

 

That’s generally what happens where IL2 is concerned. The new Ryzen CPU’s represent the first time where this is less the case. However bottlenecks are still apparent, especially when you compare performance relative to say DCS.

 

You get less upgrade bang for the buck with IL2 unfortunately.

[ZachariasX]

On 9/2/2021 at 10:00 PM, Customizer171 said:

G.Skill TridentZ Neo DDR4-3600 C16 DC (AMD) - 16GB

For MSFS, this is not enough, you‘ll need 32GB minimum. The most recent sim update helped a lot here, but if you use some community mods and detailed aircraft, you‘ll quickly run out of memory. For a new rig, personally I‘d put in 64GB, but 32 will do for now.

[Customizer171]

On 9/2/2021 at 10:18 PM, cardboard_killer said:

 

That will give you an outstanding experience. I bought a much less robust box about a year ago, and I do fine, albeit without VR, and for about $1,000 USD.

 

Thank you!, I plan to go VR so I hope it will handle that well too.

 

 

14 hours ago, Jaws2002 said:

 

 

Looks good.   Down the road, if you have issues in DCS/FS2020, you can get another stick of memory, but for Il-2 it's plenty.

Congrats! 

 

 

Thank you!

 I wanted to have 32 GB of ram but it was not possible to get in my configuration for some reason. Anyway I think I will be busy a long time learning IL-2 so no big problem right now. It will probably take a while before I will start looking at DCS and FS2020.

2 hours ago, ZachariasX said:

For MSFS, this is not enough, you‘ll need 32GB minimum. The most recent sim update helped a lot here, but if you use some community mods and detailed aircraft, you‘ll quickly run out of memory. For a new rig, personally I‘d put in 64GB, but 32 will do for now.

 

Thank you, I understand that, but it will probably take some time before I try my luck in MSFS.  I will go IL-2 , DCS and last MSFS.