Assembling a gaming PC for Call of Duty Modern Warfare, Borderlands 3, DOOM Eternal and The Outer Worlds

The Ryzen 5 3600 is currently the youngest member of the AMD Matisse 7nm processor family (while the even more economical 3200G and 3400G hybrid processors belong to the 12nm Raven Ridge family). The 3600 has six physical cores of the Zen 2 architecture and twelve virtual SMT threads, as well as a little, no small amount, 32 MB of L3 cache.

The frequency formula of the Ryzen 5 3600 is 3.6 - 4.1 GHz. The first number means the base, that is, the guaranteed frequency for all cores, and the second - the maximum frequency of auto-overclocking when only one core is loaded. Most of the time, the frequency is kept somewhere in the middle - 3.8 - 3.9 GHz. A simple cooler is supplied with the boxed version of the processor, but it is not enough to even boost the processor to the maximum, not to mention manual overclocking.

The unlocked multiplier allows you to raise the frequency of the Ryzen 5 3600 to the level of $ 50 more expensive AMD Ryzen 5 Matisse 3600X BOX or even slightly higher (up to 4.2 - 4.3 GHz for all cores). But only if you have a motherboard with good power stabilization (Load-Line Calibration), and these are usually mid-price and flagship models based on the X570 chipset.

Definitely, AMD Ryzen 5 3600 was a success. The increased number of instructions processed per cycle compared to Zen +, as well as an increase in the frequency of several hundred megahertz, led to the fact that the newcomer is faster than its predecessor 2600 by about a quarter. Well, in the future, if desired, it will be possible to upgrade to twice as powerful AMD Ryzen 9 Matisse 3900X BOX with 12 cores and 24 threads.

Core Frozr S is MSI 's smallest CPU cooler, weighing only 715 grams. Tower coolers up to 800 grams are considered small-sized and do not bear the risk of bending the printed motherboard. The Core Frozr S is 152mm tall (which is even smaller than the typical 155mm), so you don't have to worry about it not fitting into a PC case.

The Core Frozr S is based on four copper heat pipes that are in direct contact with the processor. The heat-dissipating fins are made of aluminium and are covered with a decorative casing with a well-recognized "dragon" MSI logo on top. The array of fins is slightly shifted towards the radiator of the motherboard power zone, so as not to block the first PCI-E slot into which the video card is installed. The first RAM slot also does not overlap at all.

The bundled 12-cm MSI Torx fan deserves special attention (brackets are provided for attaching a second one of the same kind). The high density of the blades paired with the hydrodynamic bearing makes this spinner extremely quiet and durable. At a rotation speed of 500 - 1800 rpm, the noise level does not exceed 17 - 34 dBa, and the uptime is up to 150 thousand hours.

The MSI Core Frozr S comes with mounts for all modern processor platforms, including Intel LGA1151/1150, LGA2066/2011 and AMD AM4/AM3, as well as some obsolete ones. The only exception is the highly specialized AMD Threadripper processors with a TR4 socket, but they just need a massive supercooler or dropsy - they are painfully hot.

The Apacer Panther product line includes both SSDs and RAM. RAM sticks can be simply with metal radiators ( Panther model), with fixed ( Panther Rage) or customizable backlighting - Panther Rage RGB. Given the desire of modern gamers and PC enthusiasts to synchronize the backlight of all PC components, it is the latest model that is of the greatest interest.

There are several modifications of Panther Rage RGB to choose from: with black and gold radiators, with a frequency of 2400 to 3200 MHz, individual brackets for 8-16 GB and paired sets for 16-32 GB (but there are no quadruple whales). Simply put, everyone will be able to choose the right amount of RAM for themselves, depending on the task at hand - games or serious work.

Optimal, in our opinion, is the frequency of 2666 MHz. Firstly, such RAM sticks are only a little more expensive than the simplest DDR4 2133/2400 MHz. Secondly, it is the frequency of 2666 MHz that is the maximum, which is supported by modern motherboards with chipsets without overclocking (younger Intel 300-series chipsets).

Finally, thirdly, memory with a base frequency of 2666 MHz with almost one hundred percent probability will be able to overclock to 2993, and if you get a good copy, then up to 3200 MHz (with timings 16-18-18-38). This will increase the speed of reading, writing and copying data inside RAM by about 15 percent, and vice versa will reduce memory latency (that is, delays) by 20 percent. Well, if you don’t want to bother with manual overclocking, then immediately take the Apacer Panther Rage DDR4 RGB at 3200 MHz.

MSI MPG X570 Gaming Plus is one of the most affordable full size ATX motherboards based on the AMD X570 chipset. And this is not a “gray mouse” at all, but a beautiful and functional motherboard with Mystic Light RGB backlight synchronization. At the moment, only the X570 chipset is guaranteed (without flashing the BIOS) to support Ryzen 3000-series processors and devices with a PCI-E 4.0 bus, and also allows you to overclock RAM over 3733 MHz.

And the X570 chipset turned out to be hotter than the previous X470, which forced motherboard manufacturers to resort to active cooling. Fortunately, the MPG X570 Gaming Plus has a proprietary MSI Torx fan with double ball bearings, which runs almost silently and will last for many years. The MPG X570 Gaming Plus power circuit is equipped with large metal heatsinks, which allow you to experiment with CPU overclocking to your heart's content.

Another M.2 Shield Frozr heatsink is designed to cool the SSD. If classic SSDs with a PCI-E 3.0 bus can still somehow do without a heatsink, then the latest PCI-E 4.0 (with a theoretical speed of up to 64 GB / s) definitely need a cooler. The video card connector of the MPG X570 Gaming Plus is also a PCI-E 4.0 version (required for the Radeon RX5700 and 5700XT), and even reinforced with metal so that a heavy video card does not accidentally break it out.

A second video card connector is also provided, which allows you to create a bundle of AMD CrossFire, but not NVIDIA SLI. However, both NVIDIA and AMD have almost completely abandoned support for bundles for their new series of video cards, which makes the technology of little relevance. But there is only one built-in video output - HDMI. However, it is unlikely that many will assemble a PC with such a functional motherboard and a frankly budget Ryzen 3400G / 3200G processor with an integrated Vega graphics core.

If earlier the line of Seagate FireСuda devices included only 2.5 and 3.5-inch SSHD hybrid drives, now it has been replenished with a full-fledged M.2 SSD - FireCuda 510. This is one of the fastest SSDs with PCI-E 3.0 x4 interface and volume 1 or 2 TB. Whereas the smaller (256 and 512 GB), slower and correspondingly cheaper versions of Seagate's M.2 SSDs were dubbed the Barracuda.

The heart of the FireCuda 510 (like the BarraCuda 510) is the Phison E12 controller. This is a flagship solution with two cores and eight channels, as well as support for external buffered RAM chips. Due to this, the FireCuda 510 sequential read and write speed of large files is 3450 and 3200 MB / s, respectively (at the peak speed of the PCI-E 3.0 x4 interface is 3500 MB / s).

It goes without saying that such speeds will only last until the virtual SLC array (up to 28 GB) is exhausted, after which drawdowns will begin, and the disk will take a little time to restore its previous performance. The speed of random access to small 4K blocks can reach 485 - 620 thousand IOPS (input-output operations per second). Only a few SSD models on the market can boast such a high result.

I am glad that the FireCuda 510 is not only fast, but also hardy. Despite the use of 3D TLC flash memory in it instead of MLC (you won’t find the latter now with fire), the guaranteed rewriting resource is 1300 and 2600 TB for the 1 and 2 TB versions, respectively. Time between failures is declared at the level of 1.8 million hours. Instead of the typical three-year warranty, the FireCuda 510 SSD is given an extended five-year warranty (for the younger BarraCuda 510 model, the warranty is exactly the same).

Inno3D GeForce RTX 2070 Super Twin X2 OC is a bright representative of NVIDIA's new Super line of graphics cards. Unlike the regular RTX 2070, which is built on the junior TU106 chip, the Super version is based on the older TU104, which was previously only used in the RTX 2080. The transition to a new graphics chip added more stream processors and other micro-cores to the RTX 2070 Super.

So, the number of stream processors has grown from 2304 to 2560, the number of texture filtering units - from 144 to 184, tensor cores - from 288 to 320, and RT cores - from 36 to 40, and only the number of rasterization units remained the same - 64. However , even after manual overclocking, the RTX 2070 Super still falls short of the performance level of the original INNO3D GeForce RTX 2080 X2 OC .

The volume, type, frequency and video memory bus of the RTX 2070 Super have not changed - all the same 8 GB GDDR6 with a frequency of 14000 MHz and a 256-bit bus (but in the case of INNO3D GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER TWIN X2 OC Price from 6 270 up to 9 750 ₴ the main changes have affected just the same memory). The frequency of the graphics core has increased, but slightly: from 1410 - 1620 MHz to 1605 to 1770 MHz. In any case, the real frequency will be higher thanks to NVIDIA GPU Boost auto-overclocking.

As for the dual-fan Inno3D GeForce RTX 2070 Super Twin X2 OC, it uses a more advanced evaporation chamber instead of the usual heat pipes for cooling. The metal backplate on the back of the PCB further contributes to heat dissipation. And this is clearly not superfluous, given that the heat dissipation of the RTX 2070 Super has increased from 175 to 215 watts. All in all, the Inno3D GeForce RTX 2070 Super Twin X2 OC is a great graphics card for gaming at ultra settings at 2K or high settings at 4K.

Seagate IronWolf is a hard drive for RAID arrays and NAS servers, as well as just a fast and reliable HDD as a second drive that complements the SSD in a gaming or work computer. The volume varies from 1 to 16 TB (functionality may differ slightly depending on the volume). For the 6 TB version, the manufacturer claims sequential read and write speeds of up to 210 MB/s, but our own tests showed that it is even slightly higher - 220 MB/s.

IronWolf models up to and including 4TB have a low-speed 5900rpm spindle, and 6TB and above have a standard 7200rpm. Also, starting from 6 TB, drives are equipped with an increased RAM cache by 256 MB (for younger versions - 64 MB). Also, 4TB models have RV sensors to reduce the harm from vibration in multi-drive systems.

Two proprietary Seagate technologies deserve special attention: AgileArray and Health Management. The former evenly distributes the load across multiple drives in a RAID array to improve performance and reduce power consumption. The second, in the case of using a compatible NAS server (Synology, QNAP or Asustor), monitors the health of the disk and the safety of data in real time, and instantly informs about it in case of a potential problem.

IronWolf is designed to work 24 hours 7 days a week. In this mode, the drive can work up to 1 million hours and up to 600,000 on-off cycles with a recommended overwrite of no more than 180 TB per year. The Seagate IronWolf HDD comes with a three-year warranty, and an even more durable Seagate IronWolf Pro ST6000NE0023 6 TB NE0023 (1.2 million hours, 300 TB/year) - five years, plus the opportunity to use the professional data recovery service directly from Seagate specialists.

Pure Power 11 is an updated budget series of power supplies from the German brand be quiet!, which has become even more energy efficient (certificate 80 PLUS Gold instead of the previous Silver). At the same time, the warranty period has increased from 3 to 5 years. Pure Power 11 is divided into two sub-series: conventional with fixed cables and semi-modular CM (all cables are disconnected except for CPU and motherboard).

The optimal, in our opinion, is the 600-watt non-modular version of Pure Power 11, which is built on the "gold" FSP platform and Taiwanese Teapo capacitors. On two separate +12 volt lines, it produces up to 576 watts of power. Even up to 140 watts is supplied through the +3.3 and +5 volt lines. It turns out that the real total power of Pure Power 11 is even higher than the declared one. To this it is worth adding a high efficiency - 92% at half load on the PSU.

The 4+4-pin processor cable is as long as 60 cm, which allows you to neatly hide it behind the motherboard tray. Thick cables (processor and motherboard) are braided with fabric, while the rest of the thin wires are made in the form of a flat "noodle" to make it easier to lay them in the PC case. There are four video card 6 + 2-pin connectors available, which is enough to power a bundle of two, if not flagship, then pre-flagship video cards for sure.

Naturally, be quiet! Pure Power 11 has all the important levels of electrical protection: SCP against short circuit, OVP and UVP against power surges, OPP and OCP against overload, OTP against overheating. By the way, the proprietary 12-cm be quiet! fan is responsible for cooling. based on a screw bearing (a more advanced version of a conventional plain bearing). The noise level under full load is a moderate 23 dBa, and at less than half load it is generally indistinguishable by ear 10 dBa.

MSI MPG GUNGNIR 100 is a rare nowadays computer case, strict in appearance, but at the same time equipped with the latest technological trends. The first thing that commands respect is the thick steel construction (weight 9.3 kg) and even thicker (as much as 4 mm) tempered tinted glass of the side viewing window. In addition, the case is raised on 3-centimeter legs for better intake of cool air by the power supply located below.

The MPG GUNGNIR 100 has two slots for 3.5-inch hard drives (with vibration-absorbing rubber pads), and four for 2.5-inch SSDs. From the useless archaic 5.25-inch slots, MSI engineers decided to get away, thanks to which it became possible to install a video card of any length - up to 40 cm (although video cards longer than 33 cm were never made).

The processor tower cooler will fit up to 170 cm high, which is even with a margin. The case is equipped with four 12 cm fans, but only one of them is backlit, but with addressable ARGB (each LED can be controlled separately). There is also an LED hub with MSI Mystic Light sync for connecting up to eight independently configurable ARGB devices, such as additional fans, LED strips, or liquid cooling. By the way, as many as two LSSs will fit in the case, and three-section ones (one at the top and one at the front).

And on the front panel there are two triangular cutouts with backlight. There you can install decorative plates printed on a 3D printer with any image, for example, your nickname in your favorite computer game, or the name of the eSports team you support. There are two more case modifications in MSI assortment MSI MPG GUNGNIR 100P black without highlighting and MSI MPG GUNGNIR 100D without PSU with a dragon image.

The AOC Agon AG273QCX is a stylish 27" Quad HD (2K) edge-to-edge monitor designed for eSports gaming. It is built on the basis of a VA-matrix, which boasts the same wide viewing angles as those of IPS, but even deeper blacks. In IPS, the black color often gives off a little purple.

In addition, VA matrices have a higher response time - only 1 ms (against 4 - 8 ms for IPS), which made it possible to endow the Agon AG273QCX with a refresh rate of 144 Hz. And this is an undeniable advantage in ultra-dynamic multiplayer games running at 120+ FPS instead of the usual 60. Simply put, increased hertz is the ability to see the opponent a split second earlier and ahead of his actions. And so that the FPS in the game perfectly matches the screen refresh rate, FreeSync 2 technology is implemented.

In addition to all of the above, the Agon AG273QCX screen is curved. This enhances the immersion effect not only in games, but also in films. The HDR color correction technology further contributes to the pleasant pastime of watching movies. And the 5W stereo speakers built right into the monitor make it possible to do without external speakers. Other nice bonuses that enhance ergonomics are a height-adjustable stand, a four-port USB 3.0 hub and a headphone hook.

In general, the AOC Agon AG273QCX is a very worthy 27-inch monitor with, in our opinion, the optimal resolution of 2560x1440 pixels for this diagonal, pleasing to the eye not only of a gamer, but also of a cinephile. It is not suitable, perhaps, only for professional photographers - they definitely need an IPS-matrix with ultra-accurate color reproduction according to the AdobeRGB standard. By the way, the AOC range has monitors similar in functionality: a relatively compact 25-inch AOC G2590PX 25 " and even more responsive 165Hz AOC AGON AG273QCG 27 " black .

Redragon Titanoboa 2 is an asymmetric gaming mouse with the ability to fine-tune for a specific user. In addition, it stands out for its increased reliability and durability of the design: a metal base, a rubberized coating with the addition of fine sand Sand Rubber Skin, Omron microswitches for 10 million clicks and a braided cable that can withstand a pull load of up to 10 kg.

The legs are Teflon, sliding well on any surface (there are spare ones in the kit). The weight of the Titanoboa 2 can be adjusted as desired in 5 gram increments using five weights. An elegant case is provided for storing extra weights. The adjustable weight makes this mouse equally well suited for shooters, MOBAs and real-time strategy games.

The focus on fans of eSports games is also confirmed by the PixArt 3360 optical sensor with a resolution of up to 12000 DPI (software increased to 24000 DPI). Such a large number, although not in demand in practice, expressively speaks of the high accuracy of the sensor and protection from accidental cursor failures. By the way, DPI is adjusted vertically and horizontally (X and Y axes) independently.

There are five customizable buttons on the top of the Titanoboa 2, and three more thumb buttons on the left, which is why the mouse is purely for right-handers. They can be assigned both to change the DPI and the color of the RGB backlight (the glow is soft, deep, without excessive variegation), or to emulate keystroke sequences in games or, more simply, macros (moreover, they are stored directly in the mouse memory). But if you need an even more multi-button mouse, for example for MMORPG games, then take a look at with as many as 21 additional keys. Left-handed people would be wiser to choose a symmetrical with side buttons on both sides.

Redragon Indrah is a full-size mechanical keyboard with a range of additional media and macro keys, and a detachable wrist rest. It has a solid and weighty anodized aluminium base that prevents unwanted slipping on the table, as well as drainage holes to protect against accidental spills. The cable is in a fabric braid and with anti-corrosion gilding of the USB connector.

Thanks to Full Anti-Ghost technology, Indrah is able to simultaneously read at least all 104 keystrokes, while budget keyboards sometimes begin to “jam” programmatically after five buttons are pressed. If you doubt that there may be a need to press so many keys at the same time, apparently you have never played the MOBA genre: Dota 2, LoL, Smite and others.

Under easily removable caps (for example, for cleaning from crumbs of cookies eaten directly at the PC), the main 104 keys hide Outemu Blue mechanical switches with a pronounced tactile and sound response, or, more simply, a loud click. The pressing force is 50 grams, the key stroke before actuation is 2 millimeters, and all the way is 4 mm. But the multimedia and programmable macro keys are made of ordinary membrane keys (they are rarely pressed, there is no need for expensive mechanics).

And in the case of Indrah, you can prudently block the Win key so as not to accidentally turn off the game in the midst of a multiplayer battle. In addition, using the proprietary Redragon application, you can configure not only macros for quick "casting" of spells in games, but also the brightness, color and intensity of the RGB backlight. Also in the Redragon assortment there are compact mechanical claves Redragon Usas RGB and Redragon Dark Avenger without the number block on the right.