Rob's Alder Lake Windows 11 Rig Build Log

Here's a confession: I haven't built a PC from scratch in most a decade. Sure, I've replaced RAM, added solid-land drives, a new libation, and several graphics cards, simply the concluding time I sat downwards with a load of boxed components ready to put together was in 2022 when I built the Core i5-4670K powered rig that'due south lasted so long.

While my Haswell-era processor has served me incredibly well over the years, it's starting to show its historic period. Like a punch-drunk boxer who should accept retired years ago, the chip grunts and heaves as tasks that it in one case chewed through accept now go a struggle: browsing, booting, and multitasking particularly. And and then there are the games.

My GeForce RTX 2070 Super was purchased soon later on the refreshed Turing line arrived. Asus offered a merchandise-in on older cards, so I took advantage and waved goodbye to my GTX 1070. The upgrade brought considerable gains to 2022 titles and older. Sadly, the i5-4670K clogging is becoming ever more credible in mod games, specially Forza Horizon v, which often experiences terrible prophylactic banding, hitching, and other issues, non to mention the measly 55 fps @1440p with medium settings. My PC'south GPU/CPU combo makes it comparable to a Porsche 911 just with a ready of wheels from a child's cycle.

My old PC, complete with optical drive and Cyberpunk 2077 sticker. The shame.

Equally we owners know, when upgrading a PC, specially the motherboard and processor, there's also a temptation to overhaul the whole rig, so what better time to do it than on Cyber Monday and using an upcoming birthday as an excuse.

Picking Components, The Purchase

The first question is i that every PC architect must face. The conundrum that will decide whether nosotros're on Lisa's Team Red or Gelsinger'due south Squad Blue: AMD or Intel? I've owned both in the past and accept loyalties to neither. The but affair that matters is the best option for my employ instance. The Steam survey reflects merely how far AMD has come in recent times -- it currently sits at a good for you 32% user share -- so a Ryzen 5000 series with its big number of cores and lanes is a tempting offer. However, Alder Lake and its hybrid design is an absolute beast for gaming, which, being honest, is very important to me. Moreover, as we wrote in our review: "Alder Lake is for new PC builders, those doing away with their existing platform for something completely new."

Thankfully, my favorite online PC retailer, Scan, had listed some twelfth-gen Intel CPUs during Cyber Monday sales. I opted for the same Core i7-12700K that we praised with a score of 90, looking frontward to trying those 12 cores consisting of eight performance cores with four efficiency cores for 20 total threads.

Worth it

Next comes the choice of motherboard. I chose a parcel that included both CPU and mobo to relieve some money, meaning my options were slightly limited. The one matter I did know was that it was going to be DDR4 rather than DDR5, given how picayune extra operation the latter offers in most tasks. At that place's also the availability/price issue of DDR5 that's nigh as bad as what graphics cards are experiencing.

There are a few boards in my price range, just the Asus ROG Strix Z690-A Gaming Wi-Fi D4 stood out: lots of features and connectivity, it's got some nifty reviews (it won OC3D's Gamers Choice laurels), and I've always liked the thought of a white build.

An impressive number of features for a 'mid-range' board

The CPU/mobo bundle is priced at £700 with the Cyber Monday discount. It translates directly to $925, but electronics goods in the UK are often a lot more expensive, non least because of the twenty% sales tax.

Now for the retention.

I opted for 16GB of Corsair DDR4 Vengeance RGB Pro SL White (3600). Over again, I don't experience the extra price of buying 32GB will exist worth it for me. And while it doesn't offer the best performance, the combination of price (£81, or $61), low height, and color make it a compelling buy. It also has RGB lighting with iCue integration, leading me nicely onto the choice of case.

What's your nigh of import cistron when because RAM? Other than RGB, of course

I've had my Corsair Carbide Series 300R for a very long fourth dimension, but it is looking similar a relic of the past. I checked out a few options earlier deciding to stick with the same maker and go for the Corsair iCUE RGB 5000X.

The case has been well received and offers many positives; a 4.8 out of 5 user rating from almost 10,000 Amazon reviews is encouraging. It comes with plenty of room, good airflow, a USB Type-C port on the font, PSU shroud, lots of cable management options, and 3 RGB fans. It'southward a scrap pricey at £149 ($200), simply that'due south still considerably cheaper than its UK MSRP of £184 ($243).

At this point I realize that I've committed to what is essentially a dual-brand build. Wanting more than iCue integration and blinding whiteness, I take hold of a Corsair H100i Elite Capellix AIO cooler that ticks all the boxes. It's the same £149 ($200) price as the case, bringing feelings of guilt, shame, and mild excitement.

Every bit expensive as the case it sits within

Next upward is the storage. The plan is to eventually motility some of my 2.v-inch SATA SSDs from the old PC into this new rig, but not before installing something that takes advantage of the motherboard'south iv M.2 slots with heatsinks and PCIe 4.0 support. The reply is a 1TB Samsung 980 Pro. The drive is rated at 7000 MB/s read and 5000 MB/south write speeds, which is something I'm unlikely to need that often, but information technology'south on offering (£125 or $165) and will doubtlessly come in handy at some indicate. No white version, simply the mobo'south heatsink covers it anyway.

The kind of speeds I will rarely need

Finally, comes the beating centre of the PC: the PSU. The well-nigh unglamorous office of the reckoner is the component many people skimp on, leading to problems further down the line. After years of struggling with messy cables, I know a modular model is a must, as is something with enough power and efficiency. I'm tempted by the Corsair (naturally) RMx Series RM650x but decide to pay actress for RMx White Series 750 Watt 80 Plus Gold. Yes, it is white, even though the shroud volition hide it.

Thank God for modular PSUs

Of course, there is one vital element missing; this build lacks a graphics carte du jour. No, I'm certainly not using the Core i7-12700K'south UHD Graphics 770, and a lovely new Asus ROG Strix RTX 3070 White Edition would be the perfect pièce de resistance of the whole build. Merely we all know why that isn't going to happen.

The scrap shortage/scalpers/miners/etc. have given new graphics cards an almost mythical quality -- nobody can find them, and then are they even real anymore? My particular favorite card was out of stock on every site. In that location was a non-white version on eBay for £1,299 ($ane,717), almost the same price every bit all the other components combined, pregnant my older but even so powerful RTX 2070 Super is getting a new dwelling house.

A couple of days later and my new PC arrived. At present would usually be the fourth dimension to start the build, but sadly not. Having already checked, the Corsair H100i Elite Capellix AIO cooler doesn't come with the correct standoffs for Alder Lake's LGA 1700 socket, and I'm still waiting for them to become here from Corsair, which, unlike another companies, accuse for the privilege.

Component	Price in UK pounds	Toll without UK VAT	Price in U.s.a. dollars (no UK VAT)
Corsair iCUE H100i Elite Cooler	£149.99	£124.99	$165.60
Corsair Vengeance RGB PRO SL 3600 (16GB)	£81.70	£68.08	$xc.20
ASUS Z690-A WIFI motherboard & Core i7-12700K	£699.98	£583.32	$772.85
Corsair iCUE 5000X RGB Case	£149.99	£124.99	$165.sixty
Corsair RM750x PSU	£99.98	£83.32	$110.39
Samsung 980 Pro M.2 SSD	£124.99	£104.xvi	$165.threescore
Extra Corsair RGB case fan	£14.99	£12.49	$xvi.55
Corsair AL libation standoffs	£2.99	£2.39	$3.17
Total	£ane,315.61	£i,103.74	$1,462.36

The Build

A day later and the standoffs and the actress fan I bought for the rear of the case are here. Everything is fix. I go out all my tools, articulate the desk-bound, and begin. After setting upwardly my anti-static mat and wrist connector, I start with the CPU seating -- retention arm lifted, line up arrows, slot the processor in place, lower bracket, start pushing arm back down, hold jiff, and information technology'south in without whatever tum-churning bully sounds. A good commencement.

At present for the cooler. I know that, simply similar my previous Corsair AIO, the H100i comes with pre-applied thermal paste, but I do have a tube of Arctic MX-4 thermal compound sitting unopened. Unfortunately, a lack of both rubbing alcohol and time leaves me with little option other than to utilise the pre-installed goop, though I hope to remove it and apply the good stuff at a later date if the temperatures aren't satisfactory.

Attached - after the Alder Lake standoffs arrived

Adjacent is the memory, probably the most straightforward component of all to install. A simple click and push do the trick.

Volition I ever get to employ it?

Over to the G.2 SSD. Cheers to my ancient old board, this is a new experience for me. Removing the heatsink is the first step, followed by confirming the drive's physical size. It'south then a matter of twisting the correct latch, slot in the 980 Pro, and turning the latch back into place. Easy.

So much easier than messing around with two.five" SSDs

Right, the fun part. The Corsair iCUE RGB 5000X is past far the largest and virtually modern instance I've always worked in, which makes the whole process and so much easier than I think. The board standoffs fit smoothly, screws are tightened, and I praise whoever thought of pre-mounted I/O shields.

I remember from experience that it's better to attach all the cables and wires to the mobo before screwing the radiator to the case'south roof, lest it gets in the way and makes life difficult. The case has a congenital-in fan hub and 4 fans, all with carve up RGB connections. Combined with the AIO cooler'south command core unit, the two radiator fans, and the forepart panel I/O cables, there are a lot of wires to fence with, and that'south before adding the PSU.

The rear of the example. It does not expect like this anymore

It is nice to meet, withal, that the many cables and motherboard ports are so clearly labeled these days -- the system panel header is much easier to navigate -- while the 5000X'due south numerous straps, funnels, grommets, and holes make routing everything so much easier!

Power supply time. I one time over again feel elated at buying a modular unit, having come from a non-modular PSU in my previous build that looked like an aroused, dusty octopus. Firstly, I connect the 24-pivot ATX cablevision. I've decided to keep the cover on the right side of the instance to make everything cleaner, which it does, but getting the thick cable to bend dorsum on itself without popping out of the mobo socket is no easy task. Next is the viii-pin EPS connector; there'south something else that's new to me: this board has two of them. Both are used equally I practise intend to overclock it.

It'south ordinarily at this point when I realize something needs removing

With the Yard.2 being the 1 drive currently in place, merely 1 SATA power cablevision is needed for the fan header and Corsair Command Core Unit of measurement.

I open my sometime case and am appalled at the grit levels, though I reason that I'll exist able to come across debris building up in the new one. The Asus ROG 2070 Super pops out, and it'southward given a blast from the air canister before existence put into its new setting.

Yes, I grit my PC components, it's merely been a while...

After a bit of cable tidying, information technology'south ready. More could be done to make information technology all cleaner and tighter, which I'll do later, simply I'm happy that this took effectually an hour. Assuming it volition Postal service.

Finished, though information technology needs more than work on the cablevision management

I connect it to the mains, click the PSU switch from O to I, hold my breath for what feels like the third fourth dimension since starting this projection, and hit the power push button. It seems that my silent prayer to gigabytus, the God of PCs, worked. I striking delete to enter the BIOS and cheque everything is okay before resetting with the Windows 11 install USB inserted.

"Yes, I wanted something subtle and understated."

In improver to the AMD or Intel CPU conclusion, many people putting together a new build today might have to decide whether to likewise upgrade to Windows 11. Our own testing shows at that place isn't as well much of a difference betwixt the two operating systems in terms of application and gaming performance -- with a few outliers -- when used with Alder Lake. Nigh all the games that had been listed with twelfth-gen DRM bug are now patched, and the update that addresses slower SSD speeds has too arrived, so information technology's a matter of personal preference. I've picked the latest Os partly considering of work reasons and partly considering I want a fresh install anyway.

The Benchmarks

After the quicker than expected installation process, the PC boots upwardly with a speed that takes me by every bit much surprise every bit the blinding light show emanating from the case. As for the initial Windows 11 impressions, I'd telephone call information technology different but familiar in many means.

It's now time to reboot, enter the BIOS, enable XMP, and stick on the AI overclock; again, I intend to tinker with the settings at a later date to squeeze out more performance.

Groovy temps

Information technology's at present time to download a slew of apps and programs: Asus GPU Tweak Two, iCUE, Core Temp, and all the gaming platforms, to name a few. I'm impressed to observe that Core Temp is reading around 26 - 27 degrees centigrade (78 - lxxx F) while idle, and that's what all the fan profiles set to "counterbalanced." I set up my GPU Tweak II user profile and start with the game that prompted me to upgrade: Forza Horizon 5.

It'southward… it's amazing. The game detects my PC and auto-selects Ultra settings (1440p); no more piddling Medium @ 55fps for me. I run a benchmark and feel a single tear when the result comes back with 86fps and cipher stutter count. Playing with no safety banding combined with the smoothness/high refresh rate of my Asus PG279 monitor has brought a new lease of life to the game, and I suspect it will do the same with many others.

Overclocking the RTX 2070 Super really adds to the FPS count

Next up is Assassin's Creed. Bizarrely, Intel all the same lists this as 1 of the games affected by DRM issues when running on Alder Lake machines, nonetheless it works fine. I make up one's mind to meet how far I can button it by selecting the Ultra Loftier option, not expecting it to exist playable on something lower than an RTX 3070. The effect? An astounding 62 fps, an comeback of around 20 fps. A game that was already beautiful looks incredible and runs equally smooth as butter. Where will I notice the fourth dimension to play all these titles?

Valhalla is a stunningly beautiful game

Finally, I kick up Watch Dogs: Legion and go for the Very Loftier preset; that's no DLSS with the GPU-intensive shadows and reflections turned quite loftier. I still go an impressive 71 fps. Once again, that's well-nigh twenty fps more than than what my one-time rig could manage. Turning DLSS to Quality, knocking the shadows and reflections to Medium, and pushing geometry, environment and texture up to Ultra makes the game look stunning and still returns 99 fps.

The Lesser Line

Sadly, as near people know, there's likely never been a worse fourth dimension to build a new gaming PC from scratch, just I had picayune option given how much of a hindrance my current computer had become. Paying around $1,740 (with shipping and United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland VAT) for a PC without a graphics card is a kick to the crotch, even when considering the loftier price of a new Alder Lake chip and the Z690 motherboard.

However, the justification is that the fleck shortage is probable to last a long time -- at least 2023, according to Intel's CEO -- so when would be a good time to upgrade? And the departure it has made to gaming operation is astounding, much more than than I expected from a CPU bottleneck. I've already reinstalled The Witcher 3: Wild Chase aslope several visual mods, with Cyberpunk 2077 and Metro Exodus side by side on the listing, and I look forwards to tweaking the settings to tease a bit more than power out of the components. It'due south these moments when you can actually sympathize why the PC was voted the greatest slice of hardware of all fourth dimension.

It's a shame virtually the lack/price of graphics cards, just, if you lot're upgrading from an aboriginal CPU and already have a decent GPU, the gaming performance improvement is potentially just as expert.