TL;DR: First build — balanced hybrid workstation + MSFS + gaming rig + custom hot-swap redundancy system (thanks to mentor who pushed me toward 7900X3D).
I want to dedicate this post to \[MrTonySM\], who guided me through the 7800X3D vs 7900X3D vs 7950X3D decision. His advice completely shaped this build:
[https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/planning-on-buying-7800x3d-for-msfs-consider-the-7900x3d](https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/planning-on-buying-7800x3d-for-msfs-consider-the-7900x3d)
I’m not an engineer, I’m an organizational psychologist. This is my first PC build — and I was shocked it actually worked. But more than that, it exceeded all expectations: a balanced hybrid workstation that does MS Flight Simulator, heavy workstation tasks, and as it ends up… gaming. Plus, a custom carbon-fiber hot-swappable redundancy system. It’s not the most specialized at anything, but it’s unusually potent with everything.
\—– Why 7900X3D —–
I almost bought the 7800X3D (famous for MSFS) or the 7950X3D (the workstation monster).
With Tony’s guidance I landed on the 7900X3D (the “middle child”) that’s not the absolute best in ANY domain, but balanced across MANY.
That choice is a big part of why this PC feels unusually smooth, efficient, and versatile.
\—– The Build Concept: Form and Function —–
My goal was reliability, redundancy, and power for work… but also wanted to run MSFS at 4K Ultra Maxed 60fps.
Carbon fiber rod system: 3 movable quick-releases that don’t block air flow (currently have 2 hot-swappable clone drives and 1 ProArt RGB). I can open the case & yank drives in under 5 seconds, giving me enterprise-style instant recovery in a consumer tower.
Cooling & airflow: Open mesh case, 7 fans, 360mm liquid cooling, over-provisioned PSU. This keeps temps low and clocks stable… no hidden throttles.
Form meets function: Custom ProArt GPU brace and plaque, etched glass door, & RGB lighting. 100% function, 100% form, even if my photos don’t do it justice.
\—– PHOTOS —–
Build Shots (8 PC shots) – These photos honestly don’t capture it well. But they show the structure: the carbon-fiber rods, the removable drives, and the airflow paths.
Performance Proof (7 AIDA64 shots) – I included AIDA64 telemetry while running 4K Ultra Maxed, in multiple games.
• Temps stay cool (CPU \~65–70 °C, GPU \~55 °C).
• Utilization looks low (NOTE: capped at 60 fps, not throttled)
• The point is not raw benchmarks — it’s how balanced and stable the system runs under heavy load.
This isn’t the most powerful gaming rig, the most extreme workstation, or the prettiest showcase. But it is a rare hybrid: balanced, redundant, cool, and smooth as butter… with everything I throw at it.
I built it with help from the community, and I’m sharing it back in case others benefit — especially for anyone considering building something a little ‘different.’
Huge thanks again to MrTonySM — you changed the course of this build.
Parts List Link: [https://pcpartpicker.com/user/2realist4u/saved/#view=t28zZL](https://pcpartpicker.com/user/2realist4u/saved/#view=t28zZL)
\- AMD Ryzen 9® 7900X3D 4.4 GHz 12-Core Processor
\- Asus ProArt® GeForce RTX 4070 Ti 12 GB OC Video Card
\- Asus ProArt® X670E-CREATOR WIFI ATX AM5 Motherboard
\- G.Skill® Trident Z5 Neo RGB 64 GB (2 x 32 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory
\- Samsung 980 Pro 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive
\- ASUS ROG STRIX Arion Aluminum Alloy M.2 NVMe SSD External Portable Enclosure
\- Asus ROG THOR P2 Gaming 850 W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply
\- Phanteks ECLIPSE G500A DRGB (Fanless) ATX Mid Tower Case
\- Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML360 Illusion
\- Cooler Master MasterFan MF120 Halo Duo-Ring Addressable RGB Lighting 120mm Fan
À moins que vous n’ayez une configuration qui le prend en charge, c’est-à-dire un RAID ou ZFS, les baies à changement à chaud n’apportent pas vraiment d’avantage en soi.
Là où je trouve qu’elles sont le plus bénéfiques, c’est lorsqu’on a besoin de retirer un disque sans avoir à subir le casse-tête des baies à changement à froid (oui, Rosewill, c’est à toi que je pense).
J’ai décidé d’utiliser Macrium Clone, une fois par jour. Cela fonctionne en arrière-plan mais m’affiche une fenêtre pop-up de 10 secondes au cas où je souhaiterais annuler.
À quelques reprises, cela m’a sauvé, en récupérant un fichier de la veille que j’avais supprimé.
Mais principalement, ce n’est pas pour la redondance en temps réel. Pour cela, j’ai une sauvegarde en cloud en direct, une sauvegarde sur site et une sauvegarde hors site. Je remplace rapidement celles sur site et hors site environ une fois par mois. Trois disques M.2 identiques.