[Disclaimer: if this isn’t the right subreddit to post this, please tell me which one is. Thank you.]

Hi there! I’ve been out of the loop of PC building and all the newer components for a few years, so I would like to request the community’s help in putting together the best possible build.

Allow me to share my perspective and current level of knowledge on each component, and I’ll add my queries in each section that you can address to help me figure out the best parts for me.

I absolutely am seeking specific recommendations for each component so please provide your recommendations along with your answers for my queries.

Thank you for participating. Here goes nothing!

Motherboard:

So according to my (albeit very limited) research, apparently all X870E motherboards have this “lane sharing issue” that affects PCIE 5.0 speeds except for the AsRock X870E Nova WiFi. As much as I would like to not face this issue, my use case is limited to a maximum of one GPU and two NVME SSDs.

So that being said,

1. Are there any boards other than the Nova WiFi that does not have this lane sharing issue? If yes, what are they?

2. If I’m limited to one GPU and two SSDs, need I even worry about the notorious lane sharing issue?

3. If no, what is the absolute best X870E board I can get? Priorities include maximum overclocking capability, and all the bells and whistles such as USB4, Thunderbolt, WiFi 7, etc.

CPU:

This is pretty much the only component I’m somewhat decided on so far. So my queries are pretty basic with this one.

1. Is this the absolute best CPU for gaming on the market right now?

2. If not, what other options should I look at and consider?

I would appreciate benchmarks if you disagree with my choice of CPU, but it’s not a necessity as long as you somewhat justify your answer.

GPU:

The 5090 is the absolute best single GPU solution for gaming right now, and I don’t think that’s a matter of opinion. So my questions pertain mainly to aftermarket models of this card.

1. Is there a particular aftermarket model of 5090 that is better binned than other models? If yes, which one?

2. I know nothing about the thermal performance of these cards. So which aftermarket model would be the best to keep temperature as low as possible to maximise overclocking potential? (I’m not going the route of custom loops or waterblocks, so please only recommend the card with the best thermal performance out of the box. I’ve only seen one MSI card that has water cooling out of the box and I’m wondering if that is the best option).

3. Speaking of overclocking, are there particular models that allow for higher/unlocked voltage control (like the MSI Lightning used to have)? If yes, which ones are they?

4. Also on the note of overclocking, which card(s) have the highest clocks out of the box?

RAM:

Again, very limited knowledge on this one and it feels like RAM as a whole has changed a lot recently. You’ll get why I say this when you read my questions below.

1. Is it true that kits beyond 6000MHz can run unstable on AM5 systems?

2. If yes, would I be better off just getting a 6000MHz kit with the lowest latencies instead of trying to get to speeds like 8000Mhz+?

3. What does it mean in terms of RAM when it’s said that “you lose 1:1” when going above 6000MHz?

4. What is FCLK and BCLK? What role do they play in terms of gaming?

5. What on earth is an Infinity Fabric, and what role does it play in terms of gaming? Need I concern myself with this at all?

6. How much of a difference does 6000MHz at CL26 make versus the same speed at CL30?

7. The 9950X3D is officially rated to run memory at a maximum speed of 5600MHz. Does that mean I would need to overclock the RAM straight away to get speeds of 6000MHz?

8. Last but not least, what is the absolute best memory kit I can (or should) get for this intended system?

If I’m not wrong, the Gskill Royal Neo has lower latencies than Corsair Dominator Titanium which is rated to run at 6000MHz at CL30. The latter is available in my market whereas the former is not. If the Corsair kit is not the best I can get, please do tell which one is (and I’ll check if it’s available to me).

PSU:

If I’m not wrong, a 1200W unit should suffice for this build (and please do tell if it’s not accounting for overclocking both the CPU and the GPU). I was hoping to use my Corsair 80+ rated 1200W unit from my former build from 2019.

1. Is there any reason as to why I should not use such an old PSU?

2. I was reading somewhere that newer builds can benefit from (if not outright require) a specific type of pin connector (I forgot exactly what it was I read). Is there any such concern that I should be bothered about? If yes, please explain in as much detail as you possibly can so I may learn exactly what PSU I would need (assuming my old one doesn’t make the cut).

Storage:

I already have 2 16TB Seagate Exos HDDs in my former build that I plan on using. I’m planning on adding two more NVME SSDs with that - a 1TB for the OS, and another 4TB for games.

1. Is the Samsung 990 Pro the fastest drive available for both the OS drive and the game drive?

2. If not, which is a better option that I should look into?

Case:

I was hoping to use my Corsair Crystal Series 680X from my former build.

1. Any reason why it might be incompatible with the rest of the system?

2. Should I get a bigger case to avail some benefits that I’m not aware of?

Mind you, I’m planning on using an AIO cooler on my CPU for overclocking benefits, and the GPU might end up being one that comes with an AIO.

CPU Cooler:

I’ve absolutely no idea about this one. Please simply recommend the best AIO cooler I can get for overclocking my CPU to its maximum capacity.

I think that’s pretty much it from my side.

Have I missed any component in my research? If yes, please do tell.

A massive thank you for reading till the end, and hopefully responding with your valuable information and knowledge. I really appreciate your time and effort in trying to help me.