The Best All-Out AMD Build

Buying guide
/ By Andrej

With AMD coming back to strength in terms of their CPUs in the past couple of years, a lot of people are switching over after long years on Intel’s platform. However, AMD’s strength is usually the bang-for-the-buck segment. Well, what if you wanted to do an all-out AMD build with no budget limitations? One that can run all modern games at high resolutions and refresh rates, and handle more intense workloads?

That’s exactly what we have for you – an all-out AMD build that’s perfect for high refresh rate gaming if your budget isn’t being limited. We did also stick to some more reasonable components where it made sense because even though you aren’t limited by your budget, that’s not a reason to waste your money, is it?

Oh, and one more thing. What you’ll find below isn’t just the build itself – we also made sure to cover the possibilities of the build itself, as well as a list of things that you could upgrade down the line if you feel like it. We did try to keep it as futureproof as possible, though, so let’s get into it.

What can you expect from this all-out AMD build?

To begin with, this is a gaming-oriented build. And with this combination of CPU, GPU, and RAM, this PC can handle pretty much any modern game you’d want to play. We’re not just talking competitive titles, but AAA ones as well. You can enjoy 4K gaming at high refresh rates, and at high to ultra settings.

But it’s not just about gaming, is it? The PC is an absolute beast when it comes to day to day tasks, and things like the high core count and memory will allow it to be a strong performer if you want to use it for intense workloads like video editing or 3D modeling, or anything similar.

All things considered, this is a very powerful overall PC, so let’s not waste any more time and take a look at the all-out AMD build and what it’s made of.

The all-out AMD build

CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
CPU cooler: NZXT Kraken Z73
Motherboard: ASUS ROG X570 Crosshair VIII Formula
RAM: 2x G.Skill TridentZ RGB 32GB DDR4-4000
GPU: ASUS ROG Strix RTX 3090 OC Edition
Storage: 2x Samsung 980 PRO 1TB
Power supply: Corsair HX1000 80+ Platinum
Case: Lian Li O11 Dynamic XL ROG
Case accessories: 4x NZXT Aer RGB 2 120mm fans & NZXT Hue 2 RGB controller

CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 5900X

AMD Ryzen 9 5900X 12-core, 24-Thread Unlocked Desktop Processor

The world's best gaming desktop processor, with 12 cores and 24 processing threads
Can deliver elite 100+ FPS performance in the world's most popular games
Cooler not included, high-performance cooler recommended

You might notice that this isn’t the most powerful CPU AMD released recently, but the Ryzen 9 5950X comes with insignificant gains in games, with a not-so-insignificant price hike, so we went with the 12-core, 24-thread Ryzen 9 5900X. This behemoth of a CPU is perfectly capable of running anything you throw at it, with ease. And we aren’t just talking about games – demanding applications will run effortlessly, too.

Not only does it have a high core count, but it also runs at 3.7GHz, and can boost up to 4.8GHz which is quite impressive. And yeah, it has a TDP of only 105W which is pretty neat, too. It is unlocked for overclocking, so if you want to, you can easily push it even higher without any problems.

CPU cooler: NZXT Kraken Z73

NZXT Kraken Z73 360mm - RL-KRZ73-01 - AIO RGB CPU Liquid Cooler -...

Customize Your Battlestation: With a bright, 2.36” LCD screen capable of displaying 24-bit color, you can now completely customize the look of your...
Stay In Control: CAM’s elegant, user-friendly software makes you the master of your PC with simple-to-use, intuitive controls, you can manage your...
Incredible Performance: Featuring a chamfered intake and fluid dynamic bearings, they deliver silent operation, long-term reliability, and powerful...

Even though the included cooler that comes with the Ryzen 9 5900X is perfectly capable, if you’re going to overclock or push it hard, you’ll want something better. NZXT’s Z73 AIO is a 360mm liquid cooler with a display on the pump that you can customize and some incredible performance.

The chamfered intake and fluid dynamic bearings make sure the Kraken Z73 remains quiet even when you’re pushing it, and the three Aer P fans do a great job at cooling the massive radiator. They’re optimized for static pressure, and they push massive amounts of air.

The display isn’t really a functionality, but it’s a neat addition that allows you to rotate the pump as you see fit. It can display 24-bit colors, so you can have pretty much anything you want on it – including temperatures for the CPU.

Motherboard: ASUS ROG X570 Crosshair VIII Formula

ASUS ROG X570 Crosshair VIII Formula AM4 Zen 3 Ryzen 5000 & 3rd Gen Ryzen...

AMD AM4 Socket and PCIe 4. 0: The perfect pairing for Zen 3 Ryzen 5000 & 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen CPUs
Comprehensive thermal design: integrated cross Chill EK III, active PCH heatsink, M. 2 aluminum heatsink, and ROG cooling zone.
High-performance networking: on-board Wi-Fi 6 (802. 11Ax) with MU-MIMO support, 5G and Gigabit Ethernet courtesy of aquatic and Intel, both with Asus...

A high-end CPU does deserve a suitable motherboard, and ASUS’s ROG Crosshair VIII Formula is the perfect match. Built upon the X570 chipset, it takes advantage of things like PCIe Gen4 and it gets you Wi-Fi 6, RGB lighting, and a few other nice-to-haves.

In terms of performance, you get excellent cooling on the VRM, which even allows you to connect it to a custom loop if you want, thanks to EKWB. There’s an active PCH heatsink, as well as heatsinks on the M.2 slots. You also get four DIMM slots, which is standard, and another neat thing – Gigabit ethernet.

If you’re looking for a feature-full motherboard that does everything you need, and then some, this is it.

RAM: 2x G.Skill TridentZ RGB 32GB DDR4-4000

G.Skill 32GB DDR4 TridentZ RGB 4000Mhz PC4-32000 CL19 1.35V Dual Channel...

DDR4 4000 (PC4 32000)
Timing 19-19-19-39
CAS Latency 19

AMD’s CPUs are known to benefit from fast RAM, which is why G.Skill’s 4000MHz TridentZ RGB kit is just perfect. Getting two of these kits will get you a total of 64GB of RAM, which should be enough for all your needs. It will also populate all four DIMM slots, which does look nice when you turn on the RGB lights.

The TridentZ RGB kits have been around for a good while, and they’ve received a lot of praise from users. Yes, they’re C19, but they’re 4000MHz, which makes them perfectly suitable for use with AMD CPUs. You can control the RGB lights through G.Skill’s software, and you have a lot of effects to choose from.

GPU: ASUS ROG Strix RTX 3090 OC Edition

ASUS ROG STRIX NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Gaming Graphics Card- PCIe 4.0, 24GB...

NVIDIA Ampere Streaming Multiprocessors: The building blocks for the world’s fastest, most efficient GPU, the all-new Ampere SM brings 2X the FP32...
2nd Generation RT Cores: Experience 2X the throughput of 1st Gen RT Cores, plus concurrent RT and shading for a whole new level of ray tracing...
3rd Generation Tensor Cores: Get up to 2X the throughput with structural sparsity and advanced AI algorithms such as DLSS. Now with support for up to...

You might be noticing a bit of a ROG theme already, but ASUS’s ROG Strix RTX 3090 is one of the best partner boards at the moment. The RTX 3090 is the most powerful gaming GPU at the moment, and it comes with things like ray tracing, tensor cores, and AI with DLSS 2.0 support. Oh, and did we mention the 24GB of GDDR6X memory? That too.

In terms of the design, you get three Axial-Tech fans with the middle one having a reversed direction for less turbulence. You do get RGB lights as well, and this is overall an excellent GPU. In terms of performance, you can run AAA titles at 4K and still get high frames per second, even at high or ultra settings. It’s the best there is – no doubt.

Storage: 2x Samsung 980 PRO 1TB

Sale

SAMSUNG 980 PRO 1TB PCIe NVMe Gen4 Internal Gaming SSD M.2 (MZ-V8P1T0B)

NEXT-LEVEL SSD PERFORMANCE: Unleash the power of Samsung 980 PRO PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD for next-level computing
MAXIMUM SPEED: 980 PRO is raising the bar for NVMe SSDs, delivering read speeds up to 7,000 MB/s
A WINNING COMBINATION: Designed for hardcore gamers and tech-savvy users, the 980 PRO offers high-performance bandwidth and throughput for heavy-duty...

The CPU supports PCIe Gen4, and so does the motherboard, so why not take advantage of that with Samsung’s 980 PRO drives in a 1TB capacity? Of course, one isn’t enough, so you should get two. Or if you think 1TB is sufficient, just put them in RAID and enjoy even higher speeds (or better data safety – your call).

The drives can get up to 7,000 MB/s read speeds, which is blazing fast, and the nickel coating helps keep temperatures down. The motherboard does have shields, though, so not much to worry about in terms of temps. This is an excellent storage solution that gets you not just great speeds, but quite a lot of room for apps and games, too.

Power supply: Corsair HX1000

Corsair HX Series, HX1000, 1000 Watt, 80+ Platinum Certified, Fully Modular...

80 Plus Platinum: Runs cooler and uses less power than less efficient power supplies
Fully Modular: Allows user to only use the cables they need for a cleaner looking build with better airflow
10-year warranty: Backed by Corsair's legendary technical support and customer service

Make no mistake, this build could do with a cheaper PSU. But Corsair’s HX1000 is an 80+ Platinum rated beast of a PSU that’s going to last quite a bit, and it’s going to be capable of handling any upgrades you might be thinking about making.

This fully modular power supply will allow easier cable management, and at 1000W, it’s more than enough to run this build, plus upgrades like more storage or a more powerful CPU or GPU. The 135mm fan has a Zero RPM mode, which means it’s pretty much silent when you aren’t pushing the PC hard. And a thing that a lot of people love is the 12V rail switch, which lets you choose between a single 12V rail or multiple. Neat!

Overall, while some might say it’s overkill, the PSU is one of those components you don’t want going out because they might take other things with them, which makes the HX1000 perfect.

Case: Lian Li O11 Dynamic XL ROG

Lian Li O11 Dynamic XL ROG Certified (White) ATX Full Tower Gaming Computer...

Case Type: ATX full tower
Front: tempered glass+aluminum
Side: Tempered glass

Remember when we mentioned the ROG theme? Well, while not intentional, the O11 Dynamic XL by Lian Li does have a ROG edition, and it fits perfectly with our build. This is an incredible case, with a white and black design that has RGB and all the convenient things you’d need.

You can fit any type of motherboard in it, and it has excellent cable management throughout, with plenty of rubber grommets to hide the cables. The tempered glass at the front and side give you a stunning look of your entire build, allowing you to showcase it in its entirety, and there are plenty of vents for airflow, too.

Overall, with the addition of things like an RGB strip at the front and all the drive bays you could ever need (11 2.5” bays and 4 3.5” hot-swap bays), it’s easy to see why the O11 Dynamic XL ROG is just perfect for this build.

Case accessories: 4x NZXT Aer RGB 2 120mm fans & NZXT Hue 2 RGB Controller

NZXT AER RGB 2 - HF-28120-B1 - 120mm - Advanced Lighting Customizations -...

Performance engineered: These PWM static pressure fans are designed with a chamfered-intake and exhaust that boost overall airflow and pressure
Uniquely Shaped: Custom engineered light guide creates stunning visual effects, with uniform light dispersion
Winglet tips: Winglet designed fan blades minimize drag and further enhance fan performance

NZXT RGB Lighting Kit - AC-HUEP2-M1 - Four Magnetic LED Strips -...

FASTER, SMARTER, BETTER SYNC: Featuring an advanced microprocessor, the HUE 2 delivers an amazing array of RGB lighting effects, synchronized across...
MORE ACCESSORIES: The HUE 2 has a wide range of accessories you can mix-and-match on any lighting channel for amazing PC lighting effects.
Quad channel illumination: Supports up to six accessories and upto 40 leds per channel

The case of choice has room for the NZXT Kraken Z73 at the top, but aside from that, you can add 7 more fans. We don’t think the three at the bottom are necessary, but adding three on the side as intakes, and another at the rear as an exhaust is a good idea. NZXT’s Aer RGB 2 fans are perfect for this, with great airflow and neat RGB lighting.

You can also get NZXT’s Hue 2 RGB Controller, which lets you use NZXT’s CAM software to control the RGB lights on the fans, and on any other additional compatible RGB lights you might be adding to your build as a simple, centralized solution. It’s just great, and a case with so much tempered glass does deserve all the RGB you can add for a flashy display of your build.

What can you upgrade on the all-out AMD build?

You might think that a build like this doesn’t really need upgrades, but if we’re being honest, you can always do more, right? With that in mind, here are a few suggestions.

First things first, if you think that you’ll be using your build for demanding productivity tasks, and not just gaming, it might be worth considering the Ryzen 9 5950X instead of the Ryzen 9 5900X. It gets you more cores, more threads, and a higher boost clock, all at the same TDP. The gains in gaming are marginal, though, so unless you really need it, it’s not worth it.

Next, you can always add some cheap storage in the shape of a conventional hard drive, so here are a few options you can take a look at. While the 980 PRO drives should be plenty fast, if you don’t want to spend too much on more of them, you can just get a conventional hard drive, or any of the other suggested SSDs on the list.

Last but not least, if you think you’d like a bit more cooling at the expense of a louder system, you can add three more of NZXT’s Aer RGB 2 fans at the bottom. While you’re at it, replace the ones on the Kraken Z73 with Aer RGB 2, too. That way all your fans are RGB, and they do look neat.

Wrapping things up

Sure, you could probably make this PC even more expensive by just adding things like 128GB of RAM, a second GPU, or even a higher-end CPU. But at the end of the day, the build above is more than sufficient to run all modern AAA titles at high refresh rates, which is what modern gaming is about. Any higher, and you’re reaching the point of diminishing returns, so why waste your money?