First build gaming PC

pegdrums

Hi all, how are ye?

As title says I am looking to build a gaming PC.
My 2012 13" MBP won't last forever and as much as I'd like to I can't afford to replace it with another one. Looked at Mac mini for a while before realising a gaming PC would be awesome.

I have looked at various sites and videos on what parts to choose and how to choose parts. For example:

Another example is taken from a website that shows final totals on Amazonwhich is handy.

My main question is ports.
A major drawback of Apple computers is their lack of ports so I'd like my build to have several USB 3.0, type C and 2 x HDMI ports at least. Is this motherboard related or something else?

Also the case......How do I match the case with the number of chosen ports? Are there standards that govern this or is it random?

Many thanks for reading, hope it makes sense.

Samuel T. Cogley

GPU (Grapahics Card) for extra HDMI ports, generally you would get 3 x Displayport and 1 x HDMI. The nVidia 30 Series ASUS TUF Gaming cards feature an extra HDMI port. The 2080ti and AMD 6800 series both have type C's IIRC. Most motherboards feature a type C, but not all. There may also be a header on the motherboard for Type C's on the case but it can be quite difficult to find the right case.

In short there are quite a number of factors.

Your motherboard choice will dictate how many 'standard' USBs you get - sometimes quite a few and they I/O cut out on the case is covered over by something called an I/O shield.

JoyPad

I did a build in Fractal Design Define 7, which is a great case for ports.
It provides 4 type A (2x USB 2.0, 2x USB 3.0) and one type C (USB 3.1 gen2) at the front of the case. For these to work, you need 3 connectors on the motherboard, one for USB 2.0, one for USB 3.0 and one for 3.1 gen 2.

I had initially purchased a B550 motherboard, and it turned out not to have the necessary 3.1 connector. Then, when I got the CPU with a X570-F motherboard, this one had all the needed ports to connect all the case ports.

Like the poster above said, motherboard will also give you additional ports, at the back of your PC.

The best way to research this is to look up the manuals online. For example, this is the manual for the Define 7 case. It shows on page 19 the front I/O and the required sockets on the motherboard for them.

Same goes for the motherboard. Find the manual and check what connectors it offers. As an example, here's the manual of my B550 board. It does not have a USB 3.1 Gen 2 connector. Here's the manual of the X570 board. It does have that extra USB connector.

If you can't handle this yourself, post here what case you like, what board you like, and we can double-check the manuals for you.

UPDATE: just noticed your build there, and had a look at the books.
First, this is the manual of that NZXT case. You can see under Cable Connections that the case has 2 cables that need to be plugged into the motherboard, for those front ports to work: one 3.2 gen 1 and one 3.2 gen 2.
Next, look at the manual of the motherboard. Albeit this board offers two USB 3.2 Gen 2 (type A) at the back, there's no Gen 2 connector on the board. This means you will not be able to plug the cable from the case, and the type C at the front will not work.

Makes sense?


ONE MORE THING: you can still connect the front USB Type C to that motherboard by using something like this. If you've already purchased a case and a motherboard, this might be the only solution, and the only impediment would be the length of that internal cable (must reach the unusual position inside your case). But, if you haven't bought your motherboard yet, you're better off spending the extra money on a better motherboard that has all the ports you need.

minitrue

In that build the power supply (EVGA BR) is barely acceptable and wildly overpriced, you can get something much better for a good bit less (Corsair TXM perhaps). You could also get faster ram for just about the same price (3200CL16 is the sweet spot). You also need a graphics card in there instead of the second processor

pegdrums

minitrue wrote: »

In that build the power supply (EVGA BR) is barely acceptable and wildly overpriced, you can get something much better for a good bit less (Corsair TXM perhaps). You could also get faster ram for just about the same price (3200CL16 is the sweet spot). You also need a graphics card in there instead of the second processor

There is no second processor in there.

pegdrums

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

In short there are quite a number of factors.

.

So it sounds. I'm happy to take my time and soak it all up. My current 2012 MBP probably has a good year left in it.
There is no rush on this and I want to do it right and enjoy the reading I have to do so thanks for the recommendation on reading motherboard manuals, I'd only been looking at the spec summary.

I like the sound of the fractal design case and it's plentiful ports. Duly noted about the I/O shield.

I have installed Windows 10 on my MBP to try and smooth the transition and I already hate Windows but I'll get there

I really like the look of the new Mac Mini @ around €700 as a solid replacement for a home computer......building a gaming PC for the same seems like a challenge though and a cool learning process.....Ideally I'd have both

So......as a starting point should I build from the motherboard up or the case?

Thanks for all your replies.

Samuel T. Cogley

I think get a case you like with the right connections on the front panel, then pick a motherboard with the right header and rear I/O would be my advice. You can always also add in an expansion card for more I/O.

pegdrums

Sounds like a solid game plan to go with. Cheers