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[chk071]

The PSU is the first thing you should overspec, and a bunch of higher-end models only come in modular variants anyway.

That is only reasonable if you plan to buy power hungry video card for example, which probably isn't happening anytime soon. For budget builds 500-600ish watts is more than enough.

I saw two HP Pavillion gaming PC's, one had a 400W PSU for a i7-10700 and a RTX 3060, and the other had a 500W PSU for a i7-10700 and a RTX 3060 Ti. I was pretty surprised about that low layout. They obviously think it's enough...

[Super Piano Hater 64]

Well, the worst thing that could happen is a few hanging cables, which doesn't actually hurt anything, other than your aesthetic feelings.

Nah. The worst that could happen is that you need to drill holes in the case (or add extension cables) just to be able to assemble the computer. Dangling cables are liable to happen even with a modular PSU, and not something I personally care about, as long as they're tied down so they don't get caught in a fan.

That is only reasonable if you plan to buy power hungry video card for example, which probably isn't happening anytime soon. For budget builds 500-600ish watts is more than enough.

You're right about wattage, but I'm not just talking about wattage here. The least you can do is look over the PSU tier list and see whether you're buying a bomb. Brand reputation is not a reliable indicator of the quality of a particular model.

[2DaT]

Nah. The worst that could happen is that you need to drill holes in the case (or add extension cables) just to be able to assemble the computer. Dangling cables are liable to happen even with a modular PSU, and not something I personally care about, as long as they're tied down so they don't get caught in a fan.

I've built like 7 pcs without modular PSUs without any problems other than dangling cables. Maybe a particular case could have a problem with it, I don't know. Either way, it's not a PSU problem at all.

You're right about wattage, but I'm not just talking about wattage here. The least you can do is look over the PSU tier list and see whether you're buying a bomb. Brand reputation is not a reliable indicator of the quality of a particular model.

Well, unless these tier lists are made by working professionals, who service PSUs and know the internals very well, I wouldn't trust them. You may just aswell buy an expensive "S-tier" 1000w bomb made with cheap components.

[2DaT]

Don't get me wrong, I've had a lot of dirt cheap chinese no-name PSUs back in the days. Usually the main problem with these is that they don't give the rated power. And they don't last long - I've seen some of these die in 3 to 5 years. Never had any of these damage any component though. Had 1 PSU that had overheat problems due to dust buildup over the years that turned itself off (guess that's a good thing - safety measure was working). Also had 1 not so cheap 600W PSU die - was really disappointed at the time. I guess I just bought an expensive turd of a PSU - didn't even last 1 year.

But all anecdotes aside - of you can definitely buy a great PSU for 60$ these days, no need to overpay.

[newjunkcity]

Others have got most points already, namely:

1. You need 16 GB RAM minimum these days to enjoy the experience. Particularly once you've got a modern DAW fired up. (Less so for gaming.)
2. You're spending too much on the PSU and case for a budget build. Yes, don't skimp on the PSU quality, but you don't need an 850W modular unless you're planning on getting a 3080 card (which would currently cost more than your entire build).

I also can potentially agree what others have said about the cooler - it's a budget build, use the cooler that comes for free with the CPU. I would however add the stipulation that if (and only if):

• you're going to be recording via microphone
• you don't have any way to move the computer far away
• you've already got room treatment (e.g. noise absorption panels)

...the Noctua might be worth it to avoid fan noise. You should definitely invest in room treatment first, though. You can always upgrade a cooler later on.

I'd add a particular point to be careful with the B450 motherboard: make sure it's got a BIOS update.

B450s weren't originally going to support Ryzen 5000, AMD only back-pedalled due to user backlash. It certainly won't be upgradable with the next generation processor (Ryzen 7000), so it's a non-upgradeable system (apart from the RAM/graphics card). Additionally, most B450 boards require a BIOS upgrade before you can install a 5000 series processor. You can do this yourself if you have a Ryzen 2000 series hanging around, but I highly doubt you do; or some boards have been factory updated, but you need to make sure it's the case before buying.