PC Build Guide: Parts you will need to build a gaming PC in 2021
If you have also decided to finally build your own gaming PC, here’s a suggestion on which parts you should pick right now.
With the COVID-19 pandemic in place and many of the companies announcing permanent work from home culture, many people are now looking to build their own gaming PC. Even with the silicone shortage, there is nothing that has stopped enthusiasts from getting their gaming rig up and running.
So, if you have also decided to finally build your own gaming PC, here’s a suggestion on which parts you should pick right now.
What you should know before we begin?
The build that we have recommended here is not constraint by a price bracket. However, it is more of a suggestion that could lead to a powerful gaming/streaming PC setup. The setup recommended here could cost you up to Rs. 2 lakhs. We have not mentioned the prices down below as the prices keep fluctuation and they also seem to vary depending on where you pick them from.
Now keeping that out of the way, here's what we would suggest for your next gaming PC build:
CPU - Intel Core i7-11700K
Many of the other parts that we are going to select will depend on which CPU you decide to go in with. For this build, I have decided to go in with the Intel Core i7-11700K. It is an 8-core, 16-threads CPU and comes with a base frequency of 3.6Ghz which can go all the way up to 5Ghz with Turbo Boost. The processor has a TDP of 125W and supports a max memory size of 128GB.
The 11th Gen Intel CPU also brings support for PCIe Gen 4 support, which means you will be able to gain full performance out of high-performance SSDs and RTX 30-series graphics cards. Furthermore, the 11700K comes with overclocking capabilities, which means you can choose to draw even more performance than it offers out of the box.
Motherboard - Gigabyte Aorus Z590 Pro AX
In order to use an Intel Core i7-11700K, you will need a compatible motherboard that comes with an LGA1200 socket. We chose the Gigabyte Aorus Z590 Pro AX as it offers just the right amount of features without burning a hole in your pocket. The motherboard comes with over 10 USB ports, WiFi 6 support, BlueTooth 5.0, 2.5G LAN port, PCIe Gen 4 support and much more.
Memory - Corsair Dominator RGB 32GB kit (8GB x4)
Corsair’s Dominator RGB 32GB kit comes with 4 sticks of 8GB RAM modules. I chose this over a 16GB x2 kit as Intel processors are said to run better with quad-channel memories. So, all four sticks when stuck together should give you the maximum performance. Since we are not going with a Ryzen processor, I feel the 3200Mhz speed of this RAM should be sufficient and give us good real-world performance.
Graphics Card - Nvidia RTX 2070 Super
While the RTX 2070 is not the latest and greatest, it will certainly get the job done. Given the situation right now, it is much more difficult to find a RTX 30-series graphics card at a reasonable price. Moreover, the RTX 2070 Super sits at a sweet spot and it should serve most of your gaming as well as streaming needs. The graphics card comes with 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM. It also boasts a boost clock of up to 1.77 GHz.
CPU Cooler - Corsair H100i Elite Capellix Liquid CPU cooler
Since we chose to go in with a K-series processor, you have to make sure that you have enough cooling to support your PC even when you decide to overclock your CPU. For this, we chose the Corsair H100i Elite Capellix AIO cooler as it comes with a Low-Noise Centrifugal Pump, two 120mm fans, and the RGB goodness. It also comes with a iCUE Commander Core controller to control other fans inside your case.
Boot Drive - Samsung 980 Pro 500GB
Coming to the storage devices, the Samsung 980 Pro NVMe M.2 SSD should be able to give you blazing-fast performance as it will be able to take advantage of the PCIe Gen 4 lanes. We decided to go in with a 500GB version as it should be enough for your Windows and all your primary softwares. However, if your budget allows you to splurge a bit more, you can get the 1TB or 2TB version.
Secondary Drive - Seagate Barracuda 2TB (optional)
The secondary drive is more of an optional thing or it is something that you can choose to add later. In order to accumulate most of your games, movies and other files, you can add a 2TB Seagate Barracuda mechanical drive. While it will not give you SSD like performance, it will at least offer massive storage space without really shelling out too much.
Power Supply - Corsair RM1000X
We decided to opt for the RM1000X 1000W power supply from the house of Corsair. This might trigger many PC nerds out there as they will think that this is overkill for the setup that we are going with. It is true that even an 850W power supply should be able to serve the purpose. However, spending a little more on the 1000W will give you future-proofing. As for why we chose Corsair, it offers an 80 Plus Gold rating and it comes with several protection features like over voltage protection, overpower protection and more.
Case - Corsair 5000D AirFlow
Considering the weather conditions in India, I would prefer to go in with something like the Corsair 5000D AirFlow. As the name suggests, it will offer a good airflow to your components keeping them cool. The cabinet can accumulate up to 10 120mm fans, which would be more than sufficient to keep this setup cool. Also, it comes with a tempered glass side panel, which will allow you to show off your RGB-lit components. The ATX case also sports a 2x USB 3.0 ports, one USB 3.1 Type-C port and a headphone/microphone combo jack. The case is available in both Black and White colour options.