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General Category => Off the Record => Computer Affairs => Topic started by: sbr on August 23, 2012, 06:08:11 PM

Title: Building New PC
Post by: sbr on August 23, 2012, 06:08:11 PM
I am starting to think about replacing my PC.  I will be getting the parts and putting it together myself.  I am not too worried about being absolute top of the line now, but I would like it to be as future proof as is reasonable.  I'm not too worried about price at the moment, though money is always a Top 2-3 concern.  Also I likely won't be able to afford the whole thing until later this year, early next so I may buy a piece here and there for the next few months.

I have monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers and know I need a new OS (Win 7).  I will more than likely keep my GPU(GTS 450)for now and upgrade it in 24-36 months.  After reading some things this is my starting point:

COOLER MASTER HAF 912 RC-912-KKN1 Black SECC/ ABS Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119233&Tpk=COOLER%20MASTER%20HAF%20912%20RC-912-KKN1%20Black%20SECC%2f%20ABS)

ASUS M5A97 AMD 9 Series AM3+ Motherboard (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131767)

Intel Core i5-3570K Quad-Core Processor 3.4 GHz 4 Core LGA 1155 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116504&Tpk=Intel%20Core%20i5-3570K%20Quad-Core%20Processor%203.4%20GHz%204)

Western Digital AV-GP WD10EURX 1TB IntelliPower 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136941)

Crucial M4 CT064M4SSD2 2.5" 64GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148441)

I am thinking I am going to go with 8GB RAM.  How does one chose a specific product here, I assume there are some that are better than others?  How useful is the jump to 16GB or more here?  I don't do much more than gaming.

I will need a power supply I think, I wanted to replace it a year or two ago but didn't.  Recommendations on brands?  My GPU is the GTS 450, how much power should I plan on needing?

Any reason to buy a new DVD drive?  Any reason not to?  Mine is a few years old and has almost no use, most all of my games are downloaded, not installed from disk.

So how does that look?  Will all the LEGO pieces fit together?
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: DGuller on August 23, 2012, 07:29:21 PM
Be careful with SSD size if you use Steaming Pile.  Steam can only install games on the Windows drive, which is going to be your SSD.  You can run out of space in a hurry that way.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Grey Fox on August 23, 2012, 07:45:13 PM
Quote from: DGuller on August 23, 2012, 07:29:21 PM
Be careful with SSD size if you use Steaming Pile.  Steam can only install games on the Windows drive, which is going to be your SSD.  You can run out of space in a hurry that way.

:huh:

Steam is a fully copy paste able executable. Just move the entire steam folder somewhere else.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: DGuller on August 23, 2012, 09:13:07 PM
Quote from: Grey Fox on August 23, 2012, 07:45:13 PM
Quote from: DGuller on August 23, 2012, 07:29:21 PM
Be careful with SSD size if you use Steaming Pile.  Steam can only install games on the Windows drive, which is going to be your SSD.  You can run out of space in a hurry that way.

:huh:

Steam is a fully copy paste able executable. Just move the entire steam folder somewhere else.
Have you actually done it?
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Grey Fox on August 24, 2012, 05:52:50 AM
Quote from: DGuller on August 23, 2012, 09:13:07 PM
Quote from: Grey Fox on August 23, 2012, 07:45:13 PM
Quote from: DGuller on August 23, 2012, 07:29:21 PM
Be careful with SSD size if you use Steaming Pile.  Steam can only install games on the Windows drive, which is going to be your SSD.  You can run out of space in a hurry that way.

:huh:

Steam is a fully copy paste able executable. Just move the entire steam folder somewhere else.
Have you actually done it?

Yes. Multiple times.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Vricklund on August 25, 2012, 12:28:24 PM
Quote from: sbr on August 23, 2012, 06:08:11 PM
ASUS M5A97 AMD 9 Series AM3+ Motherboard (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131767)

Intel Core i5-3570K Quad-Core Processor 3.4 GHz 4 Core LGA 1155 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116504&Tpk=Intel%20Core%20i5-3570K%20Quad-Core%20Processor%203.4%20GHz%204)

So how does that look?  Will all the LEGO pieces fit together?
Your choice of motherboard has AMD's AM3+ socket and your processor is from Intel, that won't work.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: sbr on August 25, 2012, 03:32:19 PM
Quote from: Vricklund on August 25, 2012, 12:28:24 PM
Quote from: sbr on August 23, 2012, 06:08:11 PM
ASUS M5A97 AMD 9 Series AM3+ Motherboard (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131767)

Intel Core i5-3570K Quad-Core Processor 3.4 GHz 4 Core LGA 1155 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116504&Tpk=Intel%20Core%20i5-3570K%20Quad-Core%20Processor%203.4%20GHz%204)

So how does that look?  Will all the LEGO pieces fit together?
Your choice of motherboard has AMD's AM3+ socket and your processor is from Intel, that won't work.

Yeah, I copied the wrong piece over when I was writing the post. :blush:  But thanks.

I am doing some more research and will make another post sometime soon.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Vricklund on August 26, 2012, 03:02:44 AM
Heh, ok. The processor sounds very competent on paper, so if it's not too expensive, stick with it.

On a side note I wouldn't go for 16GB of ram, it's easy to upgrade over time anyways and probably cheaper too. Don't bother getting a new optical drive unless you want to play bluray discs.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on August 26, 2012, 10:07:54 AM
Quote from: sbr on August 23, 2012, 06:08:11 PM
I am starting to think about replacing my PC.  I will be getting the parts and putting it together myself.  I am not too worried about being absolute top of the line now, but I would like it to be as future proof as is reasonable.  I'm not too worried about price at the moment, though money is always a Top 2-3 concern.  Also I likely won't be able to afford the whole thing until later this year, early next so I may buy a piece here and there for the next few months.

I have monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers and know I need a new OS (Win 7).  I will more than likely keep my GPU(GTS 450)for now and upgrade it in 24-36 months.  After reading some things this is my starting point:

COOLER MASTER HAF 912 RC-912-KKN1 Black SECC/ ABS Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119233&Tpk=COOLER%20MASTER%20HAF%20912%20RC-912-KKN1%20Black%20SECC%2f%20ABS)

ASUS M5A97 AMD 9 Series AM3+ Motherboard (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131767)

Intel Core i5-3570K Quad-Core Processor 3.4 GHz 4 Core LGA 1155 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116504&Tpk=Intel%20Core%20i5-3570K%20Quad-Core%20Processor%203.4%20GHz%204)

Western Digital AV-GP WD10EURX 1TB IntelliPower 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136941)

Crucial M4 CT064M4SSD2 2.5" 64GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148441)

I am thinking I am going to go with 8GB RAM.  How does one chose a specific product here, I assume there are some that are better than others?  How useful is the jump to 16GB or more here?  I don't do much more than gaming.

I will need a power supply I think, I wanted to replace it a year or two ago but didn't.  Recommendations on brands?  My GPU is the GTS 450, how much power should I plan on needing?

Any reason to buy a new DVD drive?  Any reason not to?  Mine is a few years old and has almost no use, most all of my games are downloaded, not installed from disk.

So how does that look?  Will all the LEGO pieces fit together?

Intel is overpriced.  And that board you chose ain't that good if you go the AMD way.

Try this:
Asus Sabertooth 990FX (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131736R)

AMD 6100 (6 cores) (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103962)

Don't with 16gb RAM, unless you intend to run a server on a virtual machine.
Lots of games barely use memory above 4gb., though that's changing.

As for memory, go with 8gb of this:
AMD Performance edition (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820103008)[/url]
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Baron von Schtinkenbutt on September 29, 2012, 09:34:15 PM
Quote from: viper37 on August 26, 2012, 10:07:54 AM
Intel is overpriced.

Two points on this:

1) Based on the discounts I see from MicroCenter, Intel processors have a higher margin for retailers than AMD processors.  The two processors mentioned in this thread, from MicroCenter:  FX-6100 (http://"http://microcenter.com/product/375766/FX_6100_Black_Edition_33GHz_Six-Core_Socket_AM3_Boxed_Processor") vs. i5 3570K (http://"http://microcenter.com/product/388577/Core_i5_3570K_34GHz_LGA_1155_Processor").  Their discount on the I am buying (http://"http://microcenter.com/product/383144/Core_i7_3820_36GHz_LGA_2011_Boxed_Processor") is even more significant.

2) The 3570K is a much more capable processor than the FX-6100, arguably twice the processor for twice the price.  If the FX-6100 is all you need, of course, the 3570K is a waste of money, but it is not overpriced.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on September 30, 2012, 10:24:28 AM
Quote from: Baron von Schtinkenbutt on September 29, 2012, 09:34:15 PM
2) The 3570K is a much more capable processor than the FX-6100, arguably twice the processor for twice the price.  If the FX-6100 is all you need, of course, the 3570K is a waste of money, but it is not overpriced.
no argument there, Intel offers the best performance.  AMD offers the best price/performance :)
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Baron von Schtinkenbutt on September 30, 2012, 01:37:39 PM
Quote from: viper37 on September 30, 2012, 10:24:28 AM
Quote from: Baron von Schtinkenbutt on September 29, 2012, 09:34:15 PM
2) The 3570K is a much more capable processor than the FX-6100, arguably twice the processor for twice the price.  If the FX-6100 is all you need, of course, the 3570K is a waste of money, but it is not overpriced.
no argument there, Intel offers the best performance.  AMD offers the best price/performance :)

My point is the price/performance ratio is roughly the same.  AMD has decided to shoot for the lower end of the market, while Intel shoots for the higher end.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on October 02, 2012, 09:02:06 AM
Quote from: Baron von Schtinkenbutt on September 30, 2012, 01:37:39 PM
My point is the price/performance ratio is roughly the same.  AMD has decided to shoot for the lower end of the market, while Intel shoots for the higher end.
considering what I have seen so far, AMD has the best price/performance ratio, Intel doesn't offer 3 times the performance for 3x the price.
You got to figure the higher priced ram, the higher priced board and everything.

Imho, Intel high CPUs are overkill for most machines, except for FPS players on 3 monitors.

Looking at this benchmark:
http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=AMD+FX-8100+Eight-Core
i7 2600k is 28% faster than FX-8120.

i7 = 319$
FX-8120= 150$

2.12x the price for 28% performance gain on the CPU.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: sbr on November 23, 2012, 03:26:46 PM
Back to dreaming about building a new PC.

What do people think of this bundle I just accidentally stumbled upon?

http://www.tigerdire...5884&CatId=4910


Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H I5-3570K QUAD CORE BUNDLE
This Bundle Includes:
GIGABYTE GA-Z77X-D3H Intel 7 Series Motherboard - ATX, Socket H2 (LGA1155), Intel Z77 Express, 1600MHz DDR3, SATA III (6Gb/s), RAID, 7.1-CH Audio, Gigabit LAN, USB 3.0, PCIe 3.0, SLI/CrossFireX
Intel Core i5-3570K BX806237i53570K Processor - Quad Core, 6MB L3 Cache, 3.40GHz (3.80GHz Max Turbo), Socket H2 (LGA1155), 95W, Fan, Unlocked, Retail
Kingston HyperX Red KHX16C9B1RK2/8X 8GB Memory Module Kit - 1600MHz, 9-9-9, DDR3, 2x4GB, CL9, 1.65V, Unbuffered
EVGA GeForce GTX 650 01G-P4-2650-KR Video Card - 1GB GDDR5, PCI-Express 3.0(x16), 1x Dual-link DVI-I, 1x Dual-link DVI-D, 1x Mini-HDMI, DirectX 11, Dual-Slot
Toshiba HDKPC03 DT01ACA100 1TB Hard Drive - 1TB, 7200 RPM, SATA, 3.5"
Thermaltake W0388RU TR2 Series Power Supply - 600 Watts, ATX
Kingwin CFBL-012LB LED Case Fan - 120mm, Blue
Thermaltake V3 Black Edition Mid Tower Case - ATX, Micro ATX, 120mm LED Fan, 4x 5.25 Bays, 5x 3.5 Bays
Samsung SH-224BB/BEBE Internal 24X DVD Burner -Tray, SATA, 1.5MB Buffer Memory, 16x DVD-R Read, 48x CD-R Write (OEM
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on November 26, 2012, 01:21:15 PM
The link is not working, can't see the price :)

Anyway, generally, it's a good build if you insist on going the Intel way :)
I don't know about Toshiba hard drive, I'm now a Western Digital fan myself :)

You might want to consider adding a SSD, 128 or 256gb for your main partition.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: DGuller on November 26, 2012, 03:26:13 PM
SSD is definitely the single biggest bang for the buck.  Having an SSD eliminates the biggest bottleneck in performance every computer has:  hard drive.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: HVC on November 27, 2012, 12:25:14 AM
I just bought a laptop. Never really like laptops, but i got the urge to buy something and picked that. this way i can be even more lazy at home. it's somewhere in alaska right now, so if it goes missing i blame Katmai :contract:
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Faeelin on December 26, 2012, 10:58:15 AM
Rather than start my own thread, I have a more general question.  I haven't followed pc specs in detail for  years, but since my computer died I'm interested in building a computer of my own.  What sites do people trust to give a good overview of what's out there in the market nowadays?
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: DGuller on December 26, 2012, 01:29:56 PM
Newegg is pretty much the shit.  Not only is it a rich depository of computer stuff, but it's also a rich depository of user ratings.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: sbr on December 26, 2012, 09:32:58 PM
What are people's opinions of TigerDirect?  I always end up there for some reason.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on December 27, 2012, 12:23:14 AM
Quote from: sbr on December 26, 2012, 09:32:58 PM
What are people's opinions of TigerDirect?  I always end up there for some reason.
I've bought from them a few times.  A good reliable site, sometimes on the mark price-wise, other times way overpriced.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: sbr on December 27, 2012, 02:45:44 AM
Quote from: viper37 on December 27, 2012, 12:23:14 AM
Quote from: sbr on December 26, 2012, 09:32:58 PM
What are people's opinions of TigerDirect?  I always end up there for some reason.
I've bought from them a few times.  A good reliable site, sometimes on the mark price-wise, other times way overpriced.

In my very limited experience they seem to be just a tad cheaper than Newegg.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Scipio on December 27, 2012, 01:59:32 PM
Upgrading.  My mobo's on the fritz (gotta reset the BIOS every three days or so, with no obvious shorts or interference).  It is four years old, though.  I went Ivy Bridge and i3.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: DontSayBanana on December 29, 2012, 09:35:16 AM
Quote from: sbr on December 27, 2012, 02:45:44 AM
In my very limited experience they seem to be just a tad cheaper than Newegg.

Generally, I go price-fishing between TigerDirect, Newegg, and Micro Center.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Liep on February 02, 2013, 07:58:43 AM
CPU:  Intel Core i5-3570 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/intel-cpu-bx80637i53570)  ($199.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler:  Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/cooler-master-cpu-cooler-rr212e20pkr2)  ($33.24 @ Amazon)
Motherboard:  Gigabyte GA-Z77-D3H ATX  LGA1155 Motherboard (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-motherboard-gaz77d3h)  ($120.99 @ Amazon)
Memory:  G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gskill-memory-f312800cl9d8gbxl)  ($47.99 @ Newegg)
Storage:  Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/western-digital-internal-hard-drive-wd1002faex)  ($89.99 @ Microcenter)
Storage:  Samsung 840 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/samsung-internal-hard-drive-mz7td120bw)  ($92.66 @ Amazon)
Video Card:  Gigabyte GeForce GTX 660 2GB Video Card (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-video-card-gvn660oc2gd)  ($209.99 @ Microcenter)
Case:  Corsair 400R ATX Mid Tower Case (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/corsair-case-400r)  ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply:  SeaSonic 620W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/seasonic-power-supply-m12ii620bronze)  ($79.99 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive:  Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/asus-optical-drive-drw24b1stblkbas)  ($19.99 @ Microcenter)
Total: $994.82

Any comments on this one? It's been a while since I've had a desktop computer and I've been wanting to try out Skyrim and the like for months now. :P

EDIT: Without the parts I've already got (HDD, optical drive) it's $1250 in Denmark, which maybe is a little more than I'd like.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: DGuller on February 02, 2013, 01:19:02 PM
CPU cooler is not necessary if you're not going to overclock your CPU.  And I think the age of SSDs has come, so while it's not the cheapest option, the performance boost from it is huge.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Vricklund on February 02, 2013, 02:54:22 PM
Damn ugly case, I'm guessing you're still single? ;)

You could check out the i5-2500. Older but probably cheaper. Same socket, overclocks better and runs cooler. Only downside is the integrated graphics but you won't be using it.

If you're not totally bent on an intel rig, then check out the amd advice in this and DSB's dirt cheap thread. You will get away alot cheaper that way.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Liep on February 02, 2013, 05:55:37 PM
Haha, try and find a case that's not ugly or filled with weird LED lighting. :P I've no preference to Intel, so I've tried to look for an AMD build, how's this? I'm fortunate enough to be employed by the state so money isn't really an issue, I just need a good gaming computer without any flash or unused power.


CPU:  AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/amd-cpu-hdz965fbgmbox)  ($94.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard:  Asus M5A97 R2.0 ATX  AM3+ Motherboard (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/asus-motherboard-m5a97r20)  ($94.99 @ Newegg)
Memory:  Corsair 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/corsair-memory-cmv8gx3m2a1600c11)  ($39.00 @ Amazon)
Storage:  Samsung 840 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/samsung-internal-hard-drive-mz7td120bw)  ($92.66 @ Amazon)
Video Card:  XFX Radeon HD 7850 2GB Video Card (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/xfx-video-card-fx785acdfc)  ($194.99 @ Newegg)
Case:  Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/corsair-case-200r)  ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply:  XFX 550W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/xfx-power-supply-p1550sxxb9)  ($65.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $617.61

Which is $899 converted to Danish prices and then to dollars.

Or:
CPU:  AMD A10-5800K 3.8GHz Quad-Core Processor (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/amd-cpu-ad580kwohjbox)  ($123.79 @ Amazon)
Motherboard:  ASRock FM2A85X Extreme6 ATX  FM2 Motherboard (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/asrock-motherboard-fm2a85xextreme6)  ($99.98 @ Outlet PC)
Memory:  Corsair 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/corsair-memory-cmv8gx3m2a1600c11)  ($39.00 @ Amazon)
Storage:  Samsung 840 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/samsung-internal-hard-drive-mz7td120bw)  ($92.66 @ Amazon)
Video Card:  Gigabyte Radeon HD 7870 2GB Video Card (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-video-card-gvr787oc2gd)  ($239.99 @ Microcenter)
Case:  NZXT Tempest 210 ATX Mid Tower Case (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/nzxt-case-catp21001)  ($54.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply:  XFX 550W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/xfx-power-supply-p1550sxxb9)  ($65.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $716.39

~$978
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on February 03, 2013, 01:33:51 AM
Quote from: Liep on February 02, 2013, 05:55:37 PM
CPU:  AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/amd-cpu-hdz965fbgmbox)  ($94.99 @ Newegg)
Try the new FX instead.  It's faster, and if you take the 4 cores version (there are models with 6 and 8 cores), it will be about the same price.

Quote
Motherboard:  Asus M5A97 R2.0 ATX  AM3+ Motherboard (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/asus-motherboard-m5a97r20)  ($94.99 @ Newegg)
Ideally, you would need a board withe the 990X chipset.  From Asus these:
SABERTOOTH 990FX; M5A99X EVO R2; CROSSHAIR V FORMULA; M5A99X EVO; M5A99FX PRO R2

I have the first one, and I really like it.  Anyway, the performances are the same, but the features are different, so pick the cheapest of the bunch, unless there are features you absolutely need.

Quote
Video Card:  XFX Radeon HD 7850 2GB Video Card (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/xfx-video-card-fx785acdfc)  ($194.99 @ Newegg)

Quote
Power Supply:  XFX 550W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/xfx-power-supply-p1550sxxb9)  ($65.99 @ Amazon)
Imho, 550w is on the low side for a gaming rig.  Try 650w-750w.

Quote
Or:
CPU:  AMD A10-5800K 3.8GHz Quad-Core Processor (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/amd-cpu-ad580kwohjbox)  ($123.79 @ Amazon)
Not good for a gaming rig.  It's a great idea for office computers, but there's not enough power in there for games

QuoteVideo Card:  Gigabyte Radeon HD 7870 2GB Video Card (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-video-card-gvr787oc2gd)  ($239.99 @ Microcenter)
If you can get this card for 40$ more than the 7850, I'd go for it :)   Of course, if every $$ counts, the 7850 is still pretty damn good.  If you can, try to find one, either 7850 or 7870 that comes with an upgraded fan&heat sink.  The default one can be problematic.

Also, a CPU cooler is not absolutely necessary, but it's nice for 2 things: it is usually quieter than stock CPU coolers and it will last longer.  I'd say wait until your CPU cooler stops working, than buy a good one.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Liep on February 03, 2013, 04:53:22 AM
Thanks! The 7870 is only 300kr more, so went with that.

CPU:  AMD FX-4170 4.2GHz Quad-Core Processor (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/amd-cpu-fd4170frgubox)
Motherboard:  Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD3 ATX  AM3+ Motherboard (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-motherboard-ga990fxaud3)  (Cheapest 990FX with USB 3.0 in Denmark)
Memory:  Corsair 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/corsair-memory-cmv8gx3m2a1600c11)
Storage:  Samsung 840 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/samsung-internal-hard-drive-mz7td120bw)
Video Card:  Gigabyte Radeon HD 7870 2GB Video Card (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-video-card-gvr787oc2gd)
Case:  NZXT Tempest 210 ATX Mid Tower Case (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/nzxt-case-catp21001)
Power Supply:  Corsair Enthusiast 650W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/corsair-power-supply-cmpsu650txv2)
Total: DKK5664 ($1050)

All components seem to have good reviews on pcpartpicker and newegg, so unless Vick has more complaints about the looks of this (:P) I'll be ordering this evening after I've emptied my mothers old desktop (she bought a laptop) which apparently should have a 2TB 7800RPM and 8gb of RAM according to the specs.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Vricklund on February 03, 2013, 07:38:08 AM
:shutup:

I'd say it's a toss up between the fx4170 and a phenom 965be. Get whichever is cheaper. Other than that it looks like a good build.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Liep on February 03, 2013, 08:26:04 AM
965 was 200kr cheaper. Ordered and thanks!
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Liep on February 08, 2013, 11:08:46 AM
Building a computer yourself isn't nearly as fun as I imagined, all I'm thinking is: "this'll never work." :P
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Grey Fox on February 08, 2013, 11:14:19 AM
Have you installed the CPU yet?
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Liep on February 08, 2013, 11:17:54 AM
Yeah, that went in fairly smoothly, but I had to use a bit more pressure to get the fan to click in that I'd like. Anyhoo, it's installing windows 7 now on the SSD.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Grey Fox on February 08, 2013, 11:18:52 AM
Everybody expect the things to just slid in. You have to press down HARD!
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: sbr on February 08, 2013, 01:22:03 PM
That's what she said.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Liep on February 08, 2013, 01:26:30 PM
Everything went fine until the Windows Update. Stuck at 107/136. :bleeding:
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Liep on February 08, 2013, 03:02:10 PM
It's updated, but there's defintely something wrong. There's random delays on the mouse and keyboard input.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: DontSayBanana on February 08, 2013, 09:39:19 PM
Quote from: Liep on February 08, 2013, 03:02:10 PM
It's updated, but there's defintely something wrong. There's random delays on the mouse and keyboard input.

Run dxdiag.  If you're using USB mouse and keyboard, chances are that Windows is taking input via DirectInput, so dxdiag should log any errors there.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Liep on February 09, 2013, 05:49:45 AM
Quote from: DontSayBanana on February 08, 2013, 09:39:19 PM
Quote from: Liep on February 08, 2013, 03:02:10 PM
It's updated, but there's defintely something wrong. There's random delays on the mouse and keyboard input.

Run dxdiag.  If you're using USB mouse and keyboard, chances are that Windows is taking input via DirectInput, so dxdiag should log any errors there.
Thanks, but turns out the unify receiver weren't too happy about being close to the wireless card, moved 'em up and it's now fine.

It's sort of pleasing to have Skyrim recommend the Ultra High Settings on the cheapest computer I've ever bought. Fuck you Dell and Compaq! :P
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: DontSayBanana on February 09, 2013, 09:28:05 AM
Quote from: Liep on February 09, 2013, 05:49:45 AM
Thanks, but turns out the unify receiver weren't too happy about being close to the wireless card, moved 'em up and it's now fine.

It's sort of pleasing to have Skyrim recommend the Ultra High Settings on the cheapest computer I've ever bought. Fuck you Dell and Compaq! :P

Indeed.  I was having a conversation the other day where the other person simply refused to believe me that Dells are insanely overpriced and always have been.  I think the only thing that's kept them afloat is their willingness to supply volume orders for schools and companies at cost.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Liep on February 11, 2018, 06:46:23 PM
Quote from: Liep on February 03, 2013, 04:53:22 AM
CPU:  AMD FX-4170 4.2GHz Quad-Core Processor (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/amd-cpu-fd4170frgubox)
Motherboard:  Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD3 ATX  AM3+ Motherboard (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-motherboard-ga990fxaud3)
Memory:  Corsair 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/corsair-memory-cmv8gx3m2a1600c11)
Storage:  Samsung 840 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/samsung-internal-hard-drive-mz7td120bw)
Video Card:  Gigabyte Radeon HD 7870 2GB Video Card (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-video-card-gvr787oc2gd)
Case:  NZXT Tempest 210 ATX Mid Tower Case (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/nzxt-case-catp21001)
Power Supply:  Corsair Enthusiast 650W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/corsair-power-supply-cmpsu650txv2)

It's been 5 years so I ask thee Languishites: what cheap upgrades can be made to have EU4/CK2/FM run a little faster? And if possible be able to run new-ish shooters at an acceptable fps (such as mass effect 2 and 3).
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: crazy canuck on February 22, 2018, 01:24:44 PM
This might be the worst time ever to upgrade your video card.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Josquius on March 27, 2018, 03:00:47 PM
Quote from: crazy canuck on February 22, 2018, 01:24:44 PM
This might be the worst time ever to upgrade your video card.
How so?
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: ulmont on March 27, 2018, 04:44:51 PM
Quote from: Tyr on March 27, 2018, 03:00:47 PM
Quote from: crazy canuck on February 22, 2018, 01:24:44 PM
This might be the worst time ever to upgrade your video card.
How so?

Bitcoin miners making rigs with nothing but video cards (the GPUs work well for the mining), driving prices up.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Josquius on March 28, 2018, 11:49:57 AM
Interesting.
Why doesn't someone make a specialised bitcoin mining card? Surely it must be better than something designed to be a gpu?
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Grey Fox on March 28, 2018, 12:03:31 PM
It kind of happen & then the software guys making GPU mining software stepped up their game & the GPU got back on top again.

Also, supply.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: frunk on March 28, 2018, 12:05:12 PM
Quote from: Tyr on March 28, 2018, 11:49:57 AM
Interesting.
Why doesn't someone make a specialised bitcoin mining card? Surely it must be better than something designed to be a gpu?

There are for Bitcoin, and gpus are not optimized for Bitcoin.  However other crypto-currencies can be effectively mined with gpus.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: crazy canuck on April 03, 2018, 06:06:26 PM
Quote from: frunk on March 28, 2018, 12:05:12 PM
Quote from: Tyr on March 28, 2018, 11:49:57 AM
Interesting.
Why doesn't someone make a specialised bitcoin mining card? Surely it must be better than something designed to be a gpu?

There are for Bitcoin, and gpus are not optimized for Bitcoin.  However other crypto-currencies can be effectively mined with gpus.

Yep, this.

However, someone has now developed specialized hardware for Etherium so the GPU miners are going to drop out of that as well.  With that drop in demand GPU prices may come back to earth.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Grey Fox on July 26, 2018, 07:19:30 AM
I think my gaming pc needs a new CPU. My 7 years old i5-2500 seems to be a bottle neck even with old games now.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on August 01, 2018, 06:42:51 PM
Quote from: Grey Fox on July 26, 2018, 07:19:30 AM
I think my gaming pc needs a new CPU. My 7 years old i5-2500 seems to be a bottle neck even with old games now.
Go for the Ryzen.  More cores, more speed for most games (DX12 and Vulkan; DX11 are slower than with Intel).

And one of those video cards that cost as much as a used car.  With some DDR4 memory similarly priced.

You might need to remortgage your house.
Ok, serious advice:Look at Newegg's Ebay Store, they sometimes have interesting deal on open box hardware.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Berkut on November 26, 2018, 02:14:16 PM
Well, I am finally pulling the trigger on a new PC.

AMD Ryzen 7 2700X Processor
MSI X470GPLUS Performance Gaming AMD X470 Ryzen 2 AM4 DDR4 Onboard Graphics CFX ATX Motherboard
16GB 3200 DDR4 Memory
GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 2070 DirectX 12 GV-N2070WF3-8GC 8GB 256-Bit GDDR6 PCI Express 3.0 x16 ATX Video Card

All to go with:

https://www.costco.com/LG-43UD79-B-43%22-Class-Ultra-HD-4K-IPS-Monitor.product.100378322.html
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Grey Fox on November 26, 2018, 02:21:19 PM
I am jealous of your budget.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Barrister on November 26, 2018, 02:27:48 PM
Wait - you're getting an AMD processor and pairing it with a Nvidia graphics card?
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Berkut on November 26, 2018, 03:07:04 PM
Quote from: Barrister on November 26, 2018, 02:27:48 PM
Wait - you're getting an AMD processor and pairing it with a Nvidia graphics card?

Yes. Why not?
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Barrister on November 26, 2018, 05:12:13 PM
Because AMD makes graphics cards too?  I mean - I guess it should work, but it just seems like neither company would really try to optimize such a configuration.

Anyways - let us know how the build goes, and how it turns out!
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Grey Fox on November 27, 2018, 07:06:49 AM
AMD is going to be making the onboard graphics of intel chips, so who knows.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on November 27, 2018, 02:13:01 PM
Quote from: Barrister on November 26, 2018, 05:12:13 PM
Because AMD makes graphics cards too?  I mean - I guess it should work, but it just seems like neither company would really try to optimize such a configuration.
They tried it at one point, but it never really worked (Spider platform).  Too advanced for their time (FX processors), gaming APIs (DirectX) did not follow, so it was wasted potential.

With Vulkan and DX12, manufacturers are taking a different approach, so AMD gpu don't provide anymore benefits on an AMD cpu than on an Intel CPU.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: DGuller on November 27, 2018, 08:59:11 PM
Quote from: Berkut on November 26, 2018, 02:14:16 PM
Well, I am finally pulling the trigger on a new PC.

AMD Ryzen 7 2700X Processor
MSI X470GPLUS Performance Gaming AMD X470 Ryzen 2 AM4 DDR4 Onboard Graphics CFX ATX Motherboard
16GB 3200 DDR4 Memory
GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 2070 DirectX 12 GV-N2070WF3-8GC 8GB 256-Bit GDDR6 PCI Express 3.0 x16 ATX Video Card

All to go with:

https://www.costco.com/LG-43UD79-B-43%22-Class-Ultra-HD-4K-IPS-Monitor.product.100378322.html
Do you think 16 GB is going to be comfortably enough?  My Google Chrome right now is using 6.5 GB.  :rolleyes:
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on November 28, 2018, 10:23:18 AM
yeah, better go for 32 right now.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Berkut on November 30, 2018, 01:07:10 PM
16GB of RAM was not cheap, over $200. Do I really need 32?
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on December 01, 2018, 12:21:21 AM
Quote from: Berkut on November 30, 2018, 01:07:10 PM
16GB of RAM was not cheap, over $200. Do I really need 32?
It really depends on your gaming habits for now and the foreseeable future.

Modern 64 bit games will rely heavily on the GPU.  Except strategy games where the AI is a lot more complex than simply moving a scripted character to the left or to the right, up or down, like in shooters.

This is where RAM comes in to play.  It allows the game to store more AI behavioral patterns in regards to the map you play on.  A large scale RTS game like Ashes of the Singularity consumes a lot of memory, apparently, because the battles are massive.  I know Galciv 3 requires a lot of memory for the AI when you play very large maps, otherwise it takes forever to play (it's also possible the game is badly optimized, I'm not totally sure).

Other games, like say, Skyrim or Fallout series, only require large amount of RAM when you play with many graphically intensive mods (there are patches available to make a 32bit game use more than 2gb RAM), but even then, with an 8gb video card, you might be just allright. I haven't gotten around to play any of these games with my newer card, so I'm not really sure.  I know that with my previous 4gb card I needed 32gb to play, otherwise I had lots of CTDs.

Basically, strategy games and some RPGs: yes. 
Shooters, action RPGs like the Mass Effect series (even modded): no.
Also, CIV VI AI is braindead, it doesn't use any memory at all, I guess...  Only explanation I found as to why it's so bad.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Berkut on December 02, 2018, 01:49:12 PM
Stupid Amazon sent the motherboard late, so it arrivedf about 3 hours before I left to spebnd nearly three weeks watching my nieces in Atlanta.

So now, sitting back at home, are all the pieces to an awesome new PC that I cannot put together for weeks!
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on December 04, 2018, 12:07:33 PM
 :console:
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Berkut on December 23, 2018, 02:47:59 AM
Wow.

My son was giving me shit about my PC. He started playing some games on the PC, and looked up my old processor, and was giving me crap about it being from when he was in elementary school.

So I got that giant monitor, and how I ahve a new processor and Ram, and spent more on a graphics card than I ever have before.

Holy.
Shit.

This thing looks gorgeous. WoWS on full everyting at 4k and 80FPS. POE on full everything just looks incredible.

I want to try something really graphics intensive.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on January 09, 2019, 10:46:34 AM
Quote from: Berkut on December 23, 2018, 02:47:59 AM
I want to try something really graphics intensive.
Ashes of the Singularity. I believe it scales to your hardware.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Grey Fox on January 29, 2019, 01:07:20 PM
I've priced out a new computer for work.

CPU: Intel - Core i9-9900K 3.6 GHz 8-Core Processor  ($697.08 @ Vuugo)
CPU Cooler: Corsair - H55 57 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler  ($69.99 @ Canada Computers)
Motherboard: Asus - WS Z390 PRO ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($519.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Memory: Corsair - Vengeance LPX 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-2666 Memory  ($268.99 @ Amazon Canada)
Storage: Samsung - 970 Evo 500 GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive  ($169.99 @ Canada Computers)
Storage: Samsung - 860 Evo 1 TB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($209.99 @ Amazon Canada)
Video Card: Asus - GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4 GB STRIX Video Card  ($249.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Case: Cooler Master - MasterBox Pro 5 ATX Mid Tower Case  ($89.99 @ Canada Computers)
Power Supply: EVGA - SuperNOVA G3 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($139.75 @ Vuugo)
Total: $2415.76

*IT policies forces me to buy Samsung storage.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on January 30, 2019, 11:26:47 AM
Quote from: Grey Fox on January 29, 2019, 01:07:20 PM
I've priced out a new computer for work.

CPU: Intel - Core i9-9900K 3.6 GHz 8-Core Processor  ($697.08 @ Vuugo)
CPU Cooler: Corsair - H55 57 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler  ($69.99 @ Canada Computers)
Motherboard: Asus - WS Z390 PRO ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($519.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Memory: Corsair - Vengeance LPX 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-2666 Memory  ($268.99 @ Amazon Canada)
Storage: Samsung - 970 Evo 500 GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive  ($169.99 @ Canada Computers)
Storage: Samsung - 860 Evo 1 TB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($209.99 @ Amazon Canada)
Video Card: Asus - GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4 GB STRIX Video Card  ($249.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Case: Cooler Master - MasterBox Pro 5 ATX Mid Tower Case  ($89.99 @ Canada Computers)
Power Supply: EVGA - SuperNOVA G3 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($139.75 @ Vuugo)
Total: $2415.76

*IT policies forces me to buy Samsung storage.
Do you get to bring this home on the week-ends?


If you have that kind of budget, why settle for the Samsung EVO and not PRO?
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Grey Fox on January 30, 2019, 12:08:12 PM
I do not :( I'd need a better video card for gaming thru it too, I guess.

What would I gain with a Pro vs Evo?

I'll look it up.

Edit : Yeah, updated to a 970 Pro.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Grey Fox on February 25, 2019, 10:03:39 PM
Bought at 2600X & a Asus ROG B450 motherboard for my personal use.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on February 26, 2019, 07:47:52 PM
I didn't like the B350 line.  I hope the B450 is better :)
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Grey Fox on February 27, 2019, 06:45:48 AM
X470 boards are too expensive. Money I save on CPU/mobo/RAM gets me a better video card.

I don't cheap out on the PSU.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Grey Fox on March 14, 2019, 07:43:10 AM
I have a new computer :)

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 5 2600X 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor
Motherboard: Asus - ROG STRIX B450-F GAMING ATX AM4 Motherboard 
Memory: G.Skill - Aegis 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3000 Memory with aftermarket Heat spreaders
Storage: Western Digital - Black NVMe 500 GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive 
Storage: Toshiba - 3 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
Video Card: MSI - GeForce GTX 1660 Ti 6 GB VENTUS XS OC Video Card 
Case: Cooler Master - MasterBox MB511 ATX Mid Tower Case  + 3 Noctua 120 mm case fans
Power Supply: Corsair - CXM 650 W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply 
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on March 14, 2019, 09:40:12 AM
Good choice, imho.

The Ryzen 5 is a solid CPU.  I don't think you would have any problems with any game at 1920x1080. :)
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Grey Fox on June 10, 2019, 10:15:38 AM
After sporting the i5-9600k for a couple of months. It is simply not powerful enough for my requirement.

Got a i9-9900k, still in the box, that is on insane box for a CPU. 12 sided dice look.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on June 10, 2019, 04:31:24 PM
yeah, I had an i5 for a little while.  Wasn't powerful enough.  Crappy cpu.  Anything below i7 in Intel is not powerful enough.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Liep on September 08, 2020, 02:40:49 PM
Time to upgrade the 2013 PC. Anyone care to comment on this? (I assume Vricklund will rise from the dead to call the case ugly).

Crucial 16 GB, DDR4, 3600 MHz - DKK628,00
Seasonic S12III Series SSR-650GB3 - DKK578,00
Corsair Carbide 275R, Black - DKK556,00
Cooler Master Hyper 212 Black Edition - DKK343,00
AMD Ryzen 5 3600X - 3rd Gen - DKK1.694,00
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER OC 6GB GDDR6 - DKK1.789,00
Team Group SSD GX2 1TB 2.5 SATA III - DKK706,00
MSI B460M PRO-VDH WIFI Socket 1200 - DKK755,00

Total: €1003,76

I'm aiming for mid-range able to play CK3, Red Dead Redemption 2, GTA6 when it arrives in a few years, Flight Simulator, and the new FP shooter games whatever they may be.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Grey Fox on September 08, 2020, 02:49:52 PM
At 1080p, this will run on high.

That's basically my system & run FS2020 on high.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on September 08, 2020, 05:26:28 PM
Quote from: Liep on September 08, 2020, 02:40:49 PM
Time to upgrade the 2013 PC. Anyone care to comment on this? (I assume Vricklund will rise from the dead to call the case ugly).

Crucial 16 GB, DDR4, 3600 MHz - DKK628,00
Seasonic S12III Series SSR-650GB3 - DKK578,00
Corsair Carbide 275R, Black - DKK556,00
Cooler Master Hyper 212 Black Edition - DKK343,00
AMD Ryzen 5 3600X - 3rd Gen - DKK1.694,00
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER OC 6GB GDDR6 - DKK1.789,00
Team Group SSD GX2 1TB 2.5 SATA III - DKK706,00
MSI B460M PRO-VDH WIFI Socket 1200 - DKK755,00

Total: €1003,76

I'm aiming for mid-range able to play CK3, Red Dead Redemption 2, GTA6 when it arrives in a few years, Flight Simulator, and the new FP shooter games whatever they may be.
Ryzen 7 3700x is 75 GBP more, might be worth it.  Although the R5 is plenty powerful on its own :)

The retail version of the Ryzen "X" CPU come with their own excellent Wraith cooler.  Unless you plan on overclocking like crazy, it ain't necessary.  The fan you have will not be quieter anyway, if that was the goal.

Avoid MSI board like the plague.  Go with Asus, Asrock, Gigabyte.
Also, you have a CPU cooler for overclocking, but the B450 lines of chipset are not that decent for overclocking, most options are locked.  Aim for X570 chipset if that is the case.
Keep in mind that your video card cooler is barely better than stock cooler and again, might be inadequate for overclocking.

So, I'd drop the extra fan and keep the B460 for mid-rig gaming kit, take the RYzen 7 with the money saved.  Or keep the fan and invest in a better motherboard and another edition of the card with triple fans or an aftermarket cooler.

For 10 GBP more, you get a much more decent SSD drive in the Western Digital SN750, also 1TB.  It's a NVMe M.2280 drive so make sure the board you pick will have such a slot.  At the top of the line Samsung is still king with it's 970Pro, though, much pricier (likely double).  The Western Digital SN550 can also be a decent budget SSD.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Liep on September 09, 2020, 02:38:41 AM
Thanks!

WD Black SN750 SSD M.2 1TB
Corsair Carbide 275R
Gigabyte Radeon RX 5700 XT Gaming OC
Gigabyte B550 GAMING X Socket AM4, ATX
Crucial 16 GB, DDR4, 3600 MHz
EVGA SuperNOVA 650 G5
AMD Ryzen 7 3700X CPU, 8x 3.60GHz, boxed

Total €1443,61

A somewhat upgraded build I guess and my question would be is it worth €400?
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Grey Fox on September 09, 2020, 07:39:46 AM
Can you hold off on the video card a little? Let AMD react to the Nvidia 30XX series bombshell. May be able to get the 5700 for cheaper.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Liep on September 09, 2020, 11:00:47 AM
Quote from: Grey Fox on September 09, 2020, 07:39:46 AM
Can you hold off on the video card a little? Let AMD react to the Nvidia 30XX series bombshell. May be able to get the 5700 for cheaper.

I could, I've also considered waiting for the new Xbox and getting that instead. But I really can only play with a mouse and keyboard, I hate controllers.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Liep on September 10, 2020, 03:42:40 AM
I have horrible self control.

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 3.6 GHz 8-Core Processor (https://pcpartpicker.com/product/QKJtt6/amd-ryzen-7-3700x-36-ghz-8-core-processor-100-100000071box)
Motherboard: Gigabyte B550 AORUS PRO AC ATX AM4 Motherboard (https://pcpartpicker.com/product/FMxbt6/gigabyte-b550-aorus-pro-ac-atx-am4-motherboard-b550-aorus-pro-ac)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 CL20 Memory (https://pcpartpicker.com/product/7CZzK8/corsair-vengeance-lpx-16-gb-2-x-8-gb-ddr4-3600-memory-cmk16gx4m2c3600c20)
Storage: Samsung 970 Evo 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive (https://pcpartpicker.com/product/JLdxFT/samsung-970-evo-10tb-m2-2280-solid-state-drive-mz-v7e1t0baw)
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon RX 5700 XT 8 GB GAMING OC Video Card (https://pcpartpicker.com/product/6kdrxr/gigabyte-radeon-rx-5700-xt-8-gb-gaming-oc-video-card-gv-r57xtgaming-oc-8gd)
Case: Corsair 275R Airflow ATX Mid Tower Case (https://pcpartpicker.com/product/sY9tt6/corsair-275r-airflow-atx-mid-tower-case-cc-9011181-ww)
Power Supply: Corsair RMx (2018) 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply (https://pcpartpicker.com/product/79tQzy/corsair-rmx-2018-750w-80-gold-certified-fully-modular-atx-power-supply-cp-9020179-na)
Monitor: Asus TUF Gaming VG27AQ 27.0" 2560x1440 165 Hz Monitor (https://pcpartpicker.com/product/pGqBD3/asus-tuf-gaming-vg27aq-270-2560x1440-165-hz-monitor-vg27aq)

So I ended up getting a new monitor too as the 10 year old Dell didn't really seem worthy of this new PC, besides a friend wanted to buy it and the old PC. Total price €1887. I tell myself it's fine as my iPhone 7 still doesn't really need an upgrade and this is roughly the same price as a new iPhone. And if it lasts 7 years as the old one did then it's only €22/month. :P

Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on September 10, 2020, 01:00:35 PM
Well, like GF, I would have waited a little for the new video card, but you bought it, so it's ok, no buyer remorse on this.

I recently bought this monitor (it was half price when I bought it:)
Link (https://www.dell.com/en-ca/shop/dell-32-curved-gaming-monitor-s3220dgf/apd/210-atyt/monitors-monitor-accessories)
I would have recommended this one too, had the price been similar to what I've paid.
But curved vs flat is mostly a matter of preference :)
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Grey Fox on September 10, 2020, 01:16:08 PM
#jealous.

Instead of buying a 400$ monitor, I bought 300$ of keyboard & mouse.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Liep on September 10, 2020, 04:43:45 PM
So I guess I didn't have this problem the last time as I installed windows by dvd. I have a flash drive now but I can't boot it because my keyboard isn't working and I can't press f12
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Grey Fox on September 10, 2020, 05:27:26 PM
Use a different USB port. Your bios doesn't recognize all of them on boot up.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on September 10, 2020, 06:24:09 PM
Quote from: Grey Fox on September 10, 2020, 01:16:08 PM
#jealous.

Instead of buying a 400$ monitor, I bought 300$ of keyboard & mouse.
well, I had no choice, my MSI monitor died on me.  2 years and 2 month.  With a warranty of 2 years. :(

But I always hated the colors on the MSI, wanted to change it sometime next year though :(
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on September 10, 2020, 06:26:10 PM
Quote from: Liep on September 10, 2020, 04:43:45 PM
So I guess I didn't have this problem the last time as I installed windows by dvd. I have a flash drive now but I can't boot it because my keyboard isn't working and I can't press f12
If GF trick does not work, an old PS/2 keyboard would assuredly work.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Liep on September 11, 2020, 04:19:41 AM
I had just tried plugging it in with the usb power cable, once I put in the unify receiver it worked. Also there's RGB lighting on the stock cpu heat sink. I blame you viper for that mess. :D
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on September 14, 2020, 11:12:21 AM
Quote from: Liep on September 11, 2020, 04:19:41 AM
I had just tried plugging it in with the usb power cable, once I put in the unify receiver it worked. Also there's RGB lighting on the stock cpu heat sink. I blame you viper for that mess. :D
:goodboy:
My gaming board has RGB lighting and I can shuffle the colors with an app  :blush:
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Grey Fox on September 14, 2020, 11:20:27 AM
My motherboard, ram, mouse & keyboard can be coordinated.

I only coordinate the mouse & keyboard.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Saladin on October 19, 2020, 02:10:29 AM
Thinking of buying a new pc, what do you guys think of this setup?

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Black Edition 42 CFM CPU Cooler   
Motherboard: ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming 4/ac ATX AM4 Motherboard
Memory: Crucial Ballistix 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 CL16 Memory
Storage: Kingston A2000 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive 
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon RX 5700 XT 8 GB GAMING OC Video Card
Case: be quiet! Pure Base 500DX ATX Mid Tower case
Power Supply: SeaSonic CORE GM 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-modular ATX Power Supply
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on October 22, 2020, 04:06:53 PM
Quote from: Saladin on October 19, 2020, 02:10:29 AM
Thinking of buying a new pc, what do you guys think of this setup?

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Black Edition 42 CFM CPU Cooler   
Motherboard: ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming 4/ac ATX AM4 Motherboard
Memory: Crucial Ballistix 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 CL16 Memory
Storage: Kingston A2000 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive 
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon RX 5700 XT 8 GB GAMING OC Video Card
Case: be quiet! Pure Base 500DX ATX Mid Tower case
Power Supply: SeaSonic CORE GM 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-modular ATX Power Supply
AMD coolers are more than decent, unless you want to push the system toward its overclocking unit.  just make sure it's the retail version of the CPU, though (boxed one).
Check the price difference between the 3600x and the 3600.  At 10% or less price difference, it's worth it.  up to 15%, it might be a toss up. above that, might not be worth it.  Although apparently their auto-overclock mechanism is much better in these 3rd generations cpus.
And if you want to overclock, the B550 series is not that great, better lean toward their X series of motherboard chipset.
SSD is okayish, Samsung EVO Plus are faster, but likely pricier.
Power supply: good choice, but I have a personal preference for full modular.  But it's a very good unit. :)
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Liep on October 23, 2020, 01:22:01 AM
I invested in a different cpu cooler - the stock amd might be fine for cooling but it's loud in a high pitch sort of way.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on October 24, 2020, 04:16:00 PM
Quote from: Liep on October 23, 2020, 01:22:01 AM
I invested in a different cpu cooler - the stock amd might be fine for cooling but it's loud in a high pitch sort of way.
Hmm, I have the default cooler at work, Ryzen 5 1500x, and I don't hear it...

But it's a matter of preference, so go for it, Cooler Master has some good coolers, but I don't know this specific model, but I'm sure it's a good one.  If noise is important for you, just check the reviews online to make sure the db level under load compares favorably to stock cooler, if you haven't done it already :)
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Saladin on October 27, 2020, 05:08:10 AM
I'm probably not going to overclock the system but I'm still undecided about the motherboard, these are the choices:

Asrock:
X570 Phantom Gaming 4
B550 Phantom Gaming 4/ac
B550M Pro4
B550 Pro4

MSI:
MSI B550-A Pro
MSI B550M Pro-VDH WiFi
MSI MAG B550M Bazooka
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on October 27, 2020, 06:30:30 PM
Quote from: Saladin on October 27, 2020, 05:08:10 AM
I'm probably not going to overclock the system but I'm still undecided about the motherboard, these are the choices:

Asrock:
X570 Phantom Gaming 4
B550 Phantom Gaming 4/ac
B550M Pro4
B550 Pro4

MSI:
MSI B550-A Pro
MSI B550M Pro-VDH WiFi
MSI MAG B550M Bazooka
I had bad experiences with MSI motherboards, but others swear by it.

B550 is B550, no matter what the trailing laters are.  And nowadays, most of the chipset functions are integrated into the CPU instead of the motherboard, so it won't actually matter much which model or brand you pick, by I had reliability problems and deficient bios upgrades compared to ASUS' mbs.

The x570 main difference is the number of PCI-E 4.0 slots, 3, compared to 1 for the B550.  So, PCI-E for B550 is 1 Gen4 and 2 Gen3 instead of 3 Gen4.  The Gen 4 would be useful if you intend to use more than one video card and that is pretty much dead with recent games and never worked really well in older games.  Or if you have need of another PCI-E 4.0 slot for another card.

The x570 may also be easier to overclock, but I think the B550 has more options compared to the B350 and the B450, so totally unsure.

I'd recommend to stick with a B550, unless you really need the extra PCI-E 4.0 lanes.

Now, B550M series are Micro-ATX boards.  They will fit in an ATX case, they are just of a smaller form.  Could be problematic with some video cards, so use www.pcpartpicker to make sure everything you have fits in there.  If you use an after market CPU cooler, you may run into some problems fitting everything in there, so triple check your measurements.

B550 is the regular ATX board.

ac or wi-fi simply indicates the board has wifi 802.11ac capabilities. If you already have an adapter, it's not important to invest in that, even if the difference is minimal.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Saladin on November 16, 2020, 03:16:50 PM
Waiting for the last part but I hope I will be able to build my new PC on Friday:

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor  (€197.99 @ Mindfactory)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-U12S SE-AM4 CPU Cooler  (€57.69 @ Amazon Deutschland)
Motherboard: MSI B550-A PRO ATX AM4 Motherboard  (€120.79 @ Computeruniverse)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 CL16 Memory  (€71.90 @ Amazon Deutschland)
Storage: Kingston A2000 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive  (€102.76 @ Alza)
Video Card: PowerColor Radeon RX 5700 XT 8 GB Red Devil Video Card  (€406.99 @ Mindfactory)
Case: be quiet! Pure Base 500DX ATX Mid Tower Case  (€102.70 @ Computeruniverse)
Power Supply: SeaSonic FOCUS Plus Gold 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply
Monitor: Samsung C32JG56 32.0" 2560x1440 144 Hz Monitor
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on November 16, 2020, 05:49:37 PM
You should enjoy gaming with that PC :)
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Liep on November 21, 2020, 10:44:26 AM
Another challenge for the Languish experts, a cheap PC for my nephews so they can play Fortnite and Minecraft and whatever else kids age 9-10 play these days but also suitable for any games they'll play at age 12-13.

Budget including all except monitor is €400.

Or will it be easier/better to just go buy a no-name PC with some shiny LED fans and hope for the best?
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Barrister on November 21, 2020, 01:16:34 PM
Fortnite and Minecraft are not graphically intensive.

Best bet is to buy the best laptop you can buy for the money.  It'll take up less space, they can bring it over to friends to game, and can be useful for schoolwork.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: crazy canuck on November 21, 2020, 02:06:32 PM
Quote from: Barrister on November 21, 2020, 01:16:34 PM
Fortnite and Minecraft are not graphically intensive.

Best bet is to buy the best laptop you can buy for the money.  It'll take up less space, they can bring it over to friends to game, and can be useful for schoolwork.

Agreed, laptops are definitely the way to go these days and they can be acquired for cheap.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Syt on November 24, 2020, 11:56:08 AM
My four year old system runs fine, but it's starting to show its age, so I ordered a new setup today:

CPU :Intel Core i9-10900X 10x 3.70GHz Cascade Lake-X (BX8069510900X)
Mainboard:ASUS Prime X299-A II (90MB11F0-M0EAY0)
GPU:ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 3080 OC RTX3080 10GB 2x HDMI 3x DP (90YV0FB1-M0NM00)
RAM:32GB Corsair Vengeance RGB PRO Kit DDR4 2.666 MHz (CMW32GX4M4A2666C16)
SSD:500GB Samsung 970 EVO Plus M.2 NVMe (MZ-V7S500BW)
SSD:1000GB Samsung 970 EVO Plus M.2 NVMe (MZ-V7S1T0BW)
HDD:Seagate IronWolf Pro NAS HDD +Rescue 4TB, SATA 6Gb/s

Comes in this case: be quiet! Midi Silent Base 801 Window black

I thought about going with liquid cooling this time, but I'm too paranoid about leakages. I feel more comfortable cleaning good old fans. :lol:

My old PC will remain as backup. If I was still streaming, I would use the old one as streaming/encoding PC while the new one would run the games.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on November 25, 2020, 03:10:39 PM
Quote from: Syt on November 24, 2020, 11:56:08 AM
My four year old system runs fine, but it's starting to show its age, so I ordered a new setup today:

CPU :Intel Core i9-10900X 10x 3.70GHz Cascade Lake-X (BX8069510900X)
Mainboard:ASUS Prime X299-A II (90MB11F0-M0EAY0)
GPU:ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 3080 OC RTX3080 10GB 2x HDMI 3x DP (90YV0FB1-M0NM00)
RAM:32GB Corsair Vengeance RGB PRO Kit DDR4 2.666 MHz (CMW32GX4M4A2666C16)
SSD:500GB Samsung 970 EVO Plus M.2 NVMe (MZ-V7S500BW)
SSD:1000GB Samsung 970 EVO Plus M.2 NVMe (MZ-V7S1T0BW)
HDD:Seagate IronWolf Pro NAS HDD +Rescue 4TB, SATA 6Gb/s

Comes in this case: be quiet! Midi Silent Base 801 Window black

I thought about going with liquid cooling this time, but I'm too paranoid about leakages. I feel more comfortable cleaning good old fans. :lol:

My old PC will remain as backup. If I was still streaming, I would use the old one as streaming/encoding PC while the new one would run the games.
A Ryzen 7 3700x would cost you less than half the price for the same single-threaded and multi-threaded performance.  Even if the i9 has 10 cores/20threads, the Ryzen 7 performs better.

For 2/3 of the price, you can have a Ryzen 9 3900x that will perform better and will have 12 cores/24 threads.

Alas, the newest 5900x seems to be back-order everywhere.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Caliga on November 27, 2020, 04:29:53 PM
My 7 year old monitor started misbehaving this morning--basically, it wasn't liking switching between my work laptop and personal desktop.  I was thinking about getting a new monitor anyway to go along with the new build I'm planning for next year, so I just went ahead and pulled the trigger on this monitor:

https://www.newegg.com/black-asus-tuf-gaming-vg27bq-90lm04z0-b013b0-27/p/N82E16824236991?Item=N82E16824236991 (https://www.newegg.com/black-asus-tuf-gaming-vg27bq-90lm04z0-b013b0-27/p/N82E16824236991?Item=N82E16824236991)
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on November 30, 2020, 05:48:36 PM
it has a lot of good reviews, I checked it out before buying the new one.  :)
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Darth Wagtaros on December 01, 2020, 08:58:30 AM
Nice.

I need to redesign my entire computer area, as I should have done months ago.  OK for a few hours here and there, but not not entirely comfortable for working all day.

But then I'd have to clean up everything, get a new table, clean again, figure out how to make everything better...  I'd like my monitors to be on arms, but they don't have the fittings.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Caliga on December 04, 2020, 03:39:02 PM
Quote from: viper37 on November 30, 2020, 05:48:36 PM
it has a lot of good reviews, I checked it out before buying the new one.  :)
It got here today and I set it up.  Seems great so far.  24 to 27 inch is a much bigger change than I thought it would be.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Darth Wagtaros on December 12, 2020, 11:03:08 AM
Thinking about replacing the storage in my Synology with SSDs to save power.  But I'd have to invest in 5 1Tb SSDs.  So I'd spend more than I'd be saving.  But it'd run quieter. 
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on December 13, 2020, 07:57:25 PM
Quote from: Darth Wagtaros on December 12, 2020, 11:03:08 AM
Thinking about replacing the storage in my Synology with SSDs to save power.  But I'd have to invest in 5 1Tb SSDs.  So I'd spend more than I'd be saving.  But it'd run quieter. 
WD Red aren't really noisy for hard drives.  Noisier than a SSD, but won't cost an arm and a leg like these 5 1TB ssds.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Pedrito on January 02, 2021, 06:29:08 PM
My old PC has decided to almost leave me during the festivities, I suspect the video card as the main culprit. Actual specs of the ten years old creature:

case CoolerMaster CM690II ATX
MB AsRock P67 Pro3
CPU Intel Core i5 2500K, socket LGA1155, default cooler
RAM Kingston DDR3, 2x4GB
video card Nvidia GeForce GTX760
main storage OCZ Vertex3 SATA SSD 128gb
data storage 1x WD 1.5 Tb SATA HDD, 1x WD 3 Tb SATA HDD;
PSU Corsair 750W Bronze

It served faithfully in everything I used it for: games (although not very heavy, I don't like FPS or super-GPU intensive games), photo editing, home-, work- and school-related activities.

Now, being that I don't build a pc since ten years ago and I'm really not up to date about PC parts, I come to seek your help to better understand what can I do with it:

- Is it possible to substitute only the video card with a fresher one, or do I risk a severe bottleneck because the other parts are too old? Are there other newish parts (newer CPU, fresher RAM) that can be used to update the build, that are still on the market?

- Which old parts could I cannibalize and transfer to a new, fresher build? I think the case, the PSU and storage can be salvaged for sure, plus all the peripherals; so I could replace only MB, CPU, RAM and video card, or am I wrong?

- Or, throw away everything and get a completely new build?

I'm willing to spend no more than 800/900 euros, so I think that the Cannibalize option is the best; but I need your expertise to help me sort out possible bottlenecks or issues that could arise with this option. I'm open to every kind of suggestion, I'm no partisan for Intel or AMD either.
I was looking at an i5-10400 (and following socket 1200 Mobo) or AMD equivalent, but being out of the arena since ten years, I'm at a complete loss about the RAM sticks (what are all the numbers? I suppose the higher the frequency the better, but all the 18-22-22-42 thingy is giving me headaches); and I don't want to spend absurd monies on the video card, so a GTX 1060 or Radeon 580 should be about right for my necessities, am I right?  Consider the games I play most are Elite:Dangerous, XCom 1&2, Skyrim (although in a nearish future I would like to try Elite in VR, so I'm keeping an eye on the HTC Vive or Valve Index, so a VR-proof card could be advisable).

Thank you,

L.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Grey Fox on January 02, 2021, 07:23:00 PM
Do you want to upgrade performances or just have a working computer? Cause you could by a RX 570 or a GTX 1650 video cards & call it a day.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Darth Wagtaros on January 02, 2021, 08:14:38 PM
Dude, you're getting a Dell!
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Pedrito on January 03, 2021, 02:56:25 AM
Quote from: Grey Fox on January 02, 2021, 07:23:00 PM
Do you want to upgrade performances or just have a working computer? Cause you could by a RX 570 or a GTX 1650 video cards & call it a day.
Well, I forgot to mention that it has some boot problems that I've been unable to resolve : more often than not, when starting it, it hangs up, so I have to restart it, enter the boot menu and manually choose the boot disc. It's a minor inconvenience, because after this procedure the pc works perfectly, but replacing the motherboard could resolve this too, so I'm leaning towards replacing MB, CPU, RAM and video card.

L.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Grey Fox on January 03, 2021, 01:47:36 PM
Get a nvme SSD for your OS disk.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on January 04, 2021, 05:21:22 PM
Quote from: Pedrito on January 03, 2021, 02:56:25 AM
Quote from: Grey Fox on January 02, 2021, 07:23:00 PM
Do you want to upgrade performances or just have a working computer? Cause you could by a RX 570 or a GTX 1650 video cards & call it a day.
Well, I forgot to mention that it has some boot problems that I've been unable to resolve : more often than not, when starting it, it hangs up, so I have to restart it, enter the boot menu and manually choose the boot disc. It's a minor inconvenience, because after this procedure the pc works perfectly, but replacing the motherboard could resolve this too, so I'm leaning towards replacing MB, CPU, RAM and video card.

L.
Start by upgrading your BIOS to the latest version.
Use beta 3.4 and follow the instructions with their tool.
See if the problem disapears.  If it does, you can upgrade the CPU.

An Intel Core i7-3770K 3.5 GHz Quad-Core Processor would be a good choice.
Then a GTX 1650 like GF suggested.

If you find DDR3 memory, another 8gb would be nice for modded Skyrim.  Forget VR unless you change the whole system, it recommends a 4790 as minimum CPU, you need to change your board.  If you change your board, you obviously have to change the CPU.  And your memory because it will be DDR4 (I think DDR5 boards have begun too). 

My recommendation on the cheap: upgrade CPU, upgrade video card, add 8gb more RAM, play Skyrim modded but forget about VR.
You could check E-bay for some good deals.
- CPU: Intel core I7 3770k (overclockable). (https://www.ebay.it/itm/Intel-Core-i7-3770K-SR0PL-Ivy-Bridge-4-Core-LGA1155-Clock-3-5-3-9GHz-CPU/203000343314?hash=item2f43c36b12:g:tRUAAOSwARdeyfe9) 136 E
- Video card: AMD Rx Vega 56 (https://www.ebay.it/itm/PowerColor-Radeon-RX-Vega-56-DirectX-12-AXRX-VEGA-56-8GBHBM2-3DH-8GB-2048-Bit-HB/264918133433?hash=item3dae59eab9:g:U38AAOSw6K1fnAfm). 320 E
- Or this one here: Nvidia GTX 1080 (https://www.ebay.it/itm/MSI-NVIDIA-GTX-1080-Sea-Hawk-X-Grafikkarte-HDMI-DP-DL-DVI-D-2-Slot-Afterburn/274629695008?hash=item3ff1349620:g:QoEAAOSwk2lfxR5d) 281 E
- Corsair Vengeance 8gb DDR3 (https://www.ebay.it/itm/Corsair-Vengeance-DDR3-8GB-1600Mhz/133623845589?hash=item1f1c9a12d5:g:D~gAAOSwqHNf7e9r): 11 euros.
The Vega 56 provides better Vulkan and DX12 performance than the GTX 1080.
The GTX 1080 provides better performances with DX9 through 11.
Skyrim is DX11, IIRC, including the VR version.

That's about 400-450 euros, depending on what you find.


If you want to change everything...
https://it.pcpartpicker.com/list/QGYsvf (https://it.pcpartpicker.com/list/QGYsvf)

It barely fits your 900 euros limit.  Of course, these prices are aproximatives.  Outside of US&Canada, this site does not seem that reliable to find the best prices*; it's mostly useful to check for compatibility. 


*I've noticed in the French forums the guys had their own local suppliers with much better prices, so it's worth cheking it out, before buying everything from Amazon. :)
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: grumbler on January 05, 2021, 12:26:25 AM
Viper, you've given a lot of terrific advice in this forum!  It's much appreciated. :cheers:
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Pedrito on January 05, 2021, 08:25:21 AM
Viper, thanks for the excellent advice  :)  .

The Mobo BIOS was already updated, so the problem won't go away. I think I will follow your (and GF's) advice and update the build by changing mobo, cpu, ram and GPU. I'm still unsure about the SSD, because right now I'm using an OCZ SATA SSD as my main drive, and it works quite well, although it's becoming a bit old (it's up since at least five/six years) and small (it's a 128 gb only), so maybe going for a M.2 SSD could be an option.

Considering that I won't do any kind of overclocking, is there a reason to buy an aftermarket CPU cooler, or the one coming with the CPU is enough?

What's the meaning of the 6-12-12-23 (or such) numbers for the RAM sticks?

And last question, the PSU: I've a Corsair TX750, non-modular, 80+ Bronze, and it's there since ten years: I've read somewhere that after some time the PSU tend to lose efficiency, is it true? Should I change this, too?

Oh, and one more thing: is there some kind of GPU shortage going on? On italian sites it's impossible to get a video card, I've found all the other possible parts but video cards are out of stock everywhere, on Amazon.it too (and I've tried the sister sites from France, Germany, UK, Spain. Turkey, too...)

L.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on January 06, 2021, 03:56:53 PM
Quote from: Pedrito on January 05, 2021, 08:25:21 AM
Viper, thanks for the excellent advice  :)  .

The Mobo BIOS was already updated, so the problem won't go away. I think I will follow your (and GF's) advice and update the build by changing mobo, cpu, ram and GPU. I'm still unsure about the SSD, because right now I'm using an OCZ SATA SSD as my main drive, and it works quite well, although it's becoming a bit old (it's up since at least five/six years) and small (it's a 128 gb only), so maybe going for a M.2 SSD could be an option.

Considering that I won't do any kind of overclocking, is there a reason to buy an aftermarket CPU cooler, or the one coming with the CPU is enough?

What's the meaning of the 6-12-12-23 (or such) numbers for the RAM sticks?

And last question, the PSU: I've a Corsair TX750, non-modular, 80+ Bronze, and it's there since ten years: I've read somewhere that after some time the PSU tend to lose efficiency, is it true? Should I change this, too?

Oh, and one more thing: is there some kind of GPU shortage going on? On italian sites it's impossible to get a video card, I've found all the other possible parts but video cards are out of stock everywhere, on Amazon.it too (and I've tried the sister sites from France, Germany, UK, Spain. Turkey, too...)

L.

You're welcome, Grumbler too :)

QuoteI'm still unsure about the SSD, because right now I'm using an OCZ SATA SSD as my main drive, and it works quite well, although it's becoming a bit old (it's up since at least five/six years) and small (it's a 128 gb only), so maybe going for a M.2 SSD could be an option.

There's something funny about these SSDs.  Technically speaking, a newer M.2 drive will be faster than your old drive, there is no doubt about it.  But can you notice it?  Ahh. The question. :)

There's a guy I casually follow on Youtube, Linus Tech Tips.  He made the tests, 3 computers, nearly exactly the same, except for the SSDs.  One had a SATA interface, the other one M.2 and the last the newer technology.  Out of 3 guys who blindtested games on these rigs, the newest standard was seen as the slowest for them, and the old SATA one came out first for 2 of them. :D

So bottom line, do not change the SSD for better speed, you would be limited by other factors. Change the SSD IF you think it is too small for your needs. Then it's worth going for a newer one.

Quote


Considering that I won't do any kind of overclocking, is there a reason to buy an aftermarket CPU cooler, or the one coming with the CPU is enough?
Some people here found the Ryzen cooler to be noisy and they disliked it.  I didn't find it noisy in my office (Ryzen 5 and 3s) but at home I had liquid cooling prior to buying my Ryzen CPU, so I don't really know how it behaves for gaming.

I tend to recommend to use the default cooling solutions, it is quite ok for most users.  If you find it too noisy in your games, you can still have it changed later.  My guess is that if you find your actual cooler allright sound-wise, the Ryzen's Wraith cooler will be quieter than this.  If it's driving you insane currently, than yeah, maybe a much better cooler than the default one is required.

If it's cooling you are worried about, there is no need to worry, it is an excellent cooler, and even with moderate overclocking it would still work pretty well.

I found this nice video where it compares older AMD coolers to their new ones:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqMychnXSrw

QuoteWhat's the meaning of the 6-12-12-23 (or such) numbers for the RAM sticks?
Latency.
Rather than retyping everything, here's a very good text about it:
https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/cas-latency-ram-cl-timings-glossary-definition,6011.html

Technically, the lower, the better.  But again, the same problem as with the SSDs: will you notice a difference while gaming? The answer is no.  Clock speed is more important here, but don't go overboard either.  3000-3200 is allright for an AMD gaming computer.  Depending on specials, sometimes, I have seen 3200mhz cheaper than 3000mhz kits.  While 4000mhz RAM would be theoritically better, the only practical advantage is for those who want to achieve higher overclocking.  I'm not really sure it is noticeable in most games.  I expect you will be playing, not actively benchmarking :P 

They usually recommend 15 (the last number) CAS latency for modern CPUs with DDR4.  Mine is 16 or 17 and works pretty well.

As for manufacturers, G. Skill is good, so are Crucial and Corsair, and a few others.  In my case, if they happen to be defective (and it did happen), all three require me to have them returned in the US for warranty repairs.  It might be worth looking at, before buying, in your case, if they can be serviced in the EU for cheaper shipping costs.  Same goes for the motherboard.  These are probably the two components that get defective the most over time or on arrival.

I like dram sticks that come with some form of "cooler" design, they tend to dissipate heat better, something that has a similar look to this:
(https://www.gskill.com/_upload/images/156283730010.png)
compared to the "plain" old green stick.  I have had far lesser problems with these than other sticks in gaming computers, as heat increases inside the case while gaming, sometimes.


Quote

And last question, the PSU: I've a Corsair TX750, non-modular, 80+ Bronze, and it's there since ten years: I've read somewhere that after some time the PSU tend to lose efficiency, is it true? Should I change this, too?
It's not a false statement. ;)

However, you have to look at what they define efficiency for.  Will you risk destroying your CPU or other component?  No, unless it is defective (which I assume it is not).  What could happen is that to give you 750w, it will actually draw 900w or 1000w from the wall because it has diminished efficiency.

And I will again stress the could.  These PSUs are actually very good, and to pass certifications like 80+bronze, Gold, Platinum,etc, it means they have to be built with very good components to resists the stress tests.  Will they diminish efficiency over time?  Yes, but not by very much.  It's possible that when you first bought it, it required to draw 860w from the wall to give you 750w and now it needs 862w.  Not enough to be worth the costs, and that is only if it was the worst case scenario, which is unlikely.

With your current config, you have room to spare if you want to add extra devices/components, so there's no need to change it, even if it was a little bit less efficient than on your first day.

If it is defective, it's another matter entirely, of course, but since it is not...

Energy savings are something to consider, but it's also negligeable.  There's a good text about the energy savings here between 80+ up to 80+Platinum:
https://appuals.com/gold-vs-bronze-psu/
It's for the US market, but still, it gives you a good idea.  The difference between your current PSU and a new 80+ Platinum 750w amount to 10$ a year.  Figure how much time it takes to recuperate your investment ;)

For now, keep it.  It can last maybe another 10 years with no problem.  I figure it's not always running at 100% load all day long, so it's like a car run by a priest only for his Sunday mass ;)

Quote
Oh, and one more thing: is there some kind of GPU shortage going on? On italian sites it's impossible to get a video card, I've found all the other possible parts but video cards are out of stock everywhere, on Amazon.it too (and I've tried the sister sites from France, Germany, UK, Spain. Turkey, too...)
Yes :(  Both AMD and Nvidia have released excellent new cards late this fall and covid is not helping manufacturing...

There's a rush of people suddenly wanting to upgrade their computers, not just gamers.  Many parts seem hard to get by.  Some of the newest AMD Ryzen cpus are also hard to find.  I think the newest Threadripper is back order in many places.

You might want to look at a generation or two behind the latest ones, or look for used cards on E-bay.  Sometimes, there are deals on open box, products that were returned to the store within a couple of weeks.  But man, this year, it's crazy.  The prices are insanely high, there's been barely no specials on computer parts for Black Friday and Boxing Day, yet CPUs and GPUs are flying off the shelves.  1000-1500$CAN for a GPU is excessive for my personal tastes.  I'd have thought with the death of Crossfire and SLI the prices would have diminished a little, but no, still to the roof.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Pedrito on January 07, 2021, 06:29:30 PM
As always, super helpful answers  :)

One more question:
Should I decide to buy a new SSD, while my older one is still in good working order (only issue is the size, it's a 128 gb), what would you do:

- keep the old SSD as master disk, for OS and Office suite, and use the new one for games and photo editing software (while all the data and backup will be in an older, larger HDD);
or
- clone the older SSD to the newer one, and effectively use only one (and marginally faster) SSD for everything (with data in the HDD, as above)? What's the headache level for cloning a SSD content to a newer one? What are the best (and simplest!) applications to clone a disc? Windows 10 will accept the hardware swap or will it be a riotous, malevolent piece of software? (This last question can be asked for a new Mobo-CPU combo, too).

Thanks,

L.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on January 08, 2021, 01:49:16 PM
Quote from: Pedrito on January 07, 2021, 06:29:30 PM
As always, super helpful answers  :)

One more question:
Should I decide to buy a new SSD, while my older one is still in good working order (only issue is the size, it's a 128 gb), what would you do:

- keep the old SSD as master disk, for OS and Office suite, and use the new one for games and photo editing software (while all the data and backup will be in an older, larger HDD);
or
- clone the older SSD to the newer one, and effectively use only one (and marginally faster) SSD for everything (with data in the HDD, as above)? What's the headache level for cloning a SSD content to a newer one? What are the best (and simplest!) applications to clone a disc? Windows 10 will accept the hardware swap or will it be a riotous, malevolent piece of software? (This last question can be asked for a new Mobo-CPU combo, too).

Thanks,

L.
I would clone the SSD to the new one and discard the 128gb one.  128gb is low for storage.  Use your SSD.

as for cloning, it ain't too hard to do with the proper software.

AOEMI Backupper does it for free:
https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/how-to-copy-your-windows-installation-to-an-ssd

The PC Mag instructions require you to buy a USB to SATA adapter, but you don't need it.  Just plug your old SSD on your new board and boot from it when everything is installed.  Windows might ask to be re-activated, but wait until the copy is done.

It's well detailed, but if you need clarification, do not hesitate :)
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on January 08, 2021, 01:51:23 PM
I forgot.  The first time you will boot, Windows may ask for re-activation, you can do it right there, it shouldn't be much of a hassle.  Make sure you have your Windows license nearby before switching motherboard&hardware, in case you have problems and need to phone Windows license support.  It is unlikely to be a problem, even then, it is unlikely you will need your license#, but better safe than sorry. :)
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Pedrito on January 10, 2021, 05:23:33 PM
 :cheers: :cheers:

Next week parts will be arriving, I'll keep you updated on the operations. Thank you!

L.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Barrister on January 11, 2021, 02:02:20 PM
Quote from: viper37 on January 08, 2021, 01:51:23 PM
I forgot.  The first time you will boot, Windows may ask for re-activation, you can do it right there, it shouldn't be much of a hassle.  Make sure you have your Windows license nearby before switching motherboard&hardware, in case you have problems and need to phone Windows.  It is unlikely to be a problem, even then, it is unlikely you will need your license#, but better safe than sorry. :)

I had a brand-new build 4 1/2 years ago, but I went to try and re-use my copy of Windows.

I called up Microsoft and they had no problem giving me a new activation code.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on January 12, 2021, 11:51:04 AM
Quote from: Barrister on January 11, 2021, 02:02:20 PM
Quote from: viper37 on January 08, 2021, 01:51:23 PM
I forgot.  The first time you will boot, Windows may ask for re-activation, you can do it right there, it shouldn't be much of a hassle.  Make sure you have your Windows license nearby before switching motherboard&hardware, in case you have problems and need to phone Windows.  It is unlikely to be a problem, even then, it is unlikely you will need your license#, but better safe than sorry. :)

I had a brand-new build 4 1/2 years ago, but I went to try and re-use my copy of Windows.

I called up Microsoft and they had no problem giving me a new activation code.
Yes, it's usually not a problem.  Only once did I need to look up for my license numbers and give them to MS until I got the right one (I had 5 Windows 8 licenses).
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on January 12, 2021, 11:51:19 AM
Quote from: Pedrito on January 10, 2021, 05:23:33 PM
:cheers: :cheers:

Next week parts will be arriving, I'll keep you updated on the operations. Thank you!

L.
Looking forward to it! :)
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Caliga on January 16, 2021, 10:44:55 AM
I'm now leaning toward doing an AMD build for my next PC, but of course the Ryzen 5 CPUs are out of stock everywhere on account of their excellent price point vs. performance....
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Darth Wagtaros on January 16, 2021, 11:04:35 AM
Quote from: Caliga on January 16, 2021, 10:44:55 AM
I'm now leaning toward doing an AMD build for my next PC, but of course the Ryzen 5 CPUs are out of stock everywhere on account of their excellent price point vs. performance....
Not a Threadripper?  I had AMD for the longest time.  This last time I found a (suspiciously) good deal on a late model i9, so I'm back to Intel. 

Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Caliga on January 16, 2021, 03:37:07 PM
Nah, I'm not paying that much for a CPU. :wacko:
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Darth Wagtaros on January 17, 2021, 08:47:06 AM
Quote from: Caliga on January 16, 2021, 03:37:07 PM
Nah, I'm not paying that much for a CPU. :wacko:
I guess if you don't care about having lot's of cores.  All the cores.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Caliga on January 18, 2021, 09:23:15 AM
I like lots of cores, but I don't think I have any apps (even FS2020) that would make use of them.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Darth Wagtaros on January 18, 2021, 12:06:27 PM
Quote from: Caliga on January 18, 2021, 09:23:15 AM
I like lots of cores, but I don't think I have any apps (even FS2020) that would make use of them.
I dont think there are many at all.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Pedrito on January 18, 2021, 01:27:50 PM
Quote from: viper37 on January 12, 2021, 11:51:19 AM
Quote from: Pedrito on January 10, 2021, 05:23:33 PM
:cheers: :cheers:

Next week parts will be arriving, I'll keep you updated on the operations. Thank you!

L.
Looking forward to it! :)

Build completed in a couple hours (including a complete dusting of case and fans)!
But more important, the link you gave me about cloning the HDD was an absolute blessing: not only the cloning program, AOMEI Backupper, is fast, safe and dumb-proof, but in the article they suggest using AOMEI Partition Assistant to manage the partitions: well, this one is even easier to use, and partition managing, that the last time I installed a new HD was an absolute headache, has become a breeze.
Thank you so much, Viper, much appreciated help! :cheers:

L.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Caliga on January 19, 2021, 10:40:09 AM
I always buy Samsung SSDs, and Samsung's drive clone program has worked flawlessly for me when I've used it, just FYI.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on January 19, 2021, 04:18:04 PM
Quote from: Caliga on January 18, 2021, 09:23:15 AM
I like lots of cores, but I don't think I have any apps (even FS2020) that would make use of them.
I don't think any games use more than 6-8 cores.

Threadrippers are useful for video editing and video upscaling to 4k, where there are applications that uses all these cores (Topaz, there's a great tutorial/demonstration out there where the author uses a Threadripper and a GTX 2080 to upscale DS9 DVDs to near Blu Ray quality; it takes about 12hrs/video hr to process...)
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on January 19, 2021, 04:19:55 PM
Quote from: Pedrito on January 18, 2021, 01:27:50 PM
Quote from: viper37 on January 12, 2021, 11:51:19 AM
Quote from: Pedrito on January 10, 2021, 05:23:33 PM
:cheers: :cheers:

Next week parts will be arriving, I'll keep you updated on the operations. Thank you!

L.
Looking forward to it! :)

Build completed in a couple hours (including a complete dusting of case and fans)!
But more important, the link you gave me about cloning the HDD was an absolute blessing: not only the cloning program, AOMEI Backupper, is fast, safe and dumb-proof, but in the article they suggest using AOMEI Partition Assistant to manage the partitions: well, this one is even easier to use, and partition managing, that the last time I installed a new HD was an absolute headache, has become a breeze.
Thank you so much, Viper, much appreciated help! :cheers:

L.

I really like AOEMEI backupper, I use the free version at home, and the professionnal one in the office and it works much better, for a fraction of the price, than most other softwares I've tried.

I haven't worked yet with the Partition Manager, but it'll be my next software when I need to move my stuff :)

I'm glad it helped :)
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Caliga on January 20, 2021, 10:54:42 AM
Quote from: viper37 on January 19, 2021, 04:18:04 PM
Threadrippers are useful for video editing and video upscaling to 4k, where there are applications that uses all these cores (Topaz, there's a great tutorial/demonstration out there where the author uses a Threadripper and a GTX 2080 to upscale DS9 DVDs to near Blu Ray quality; it takes about 12hrs/video hr to process...)
Yeah, I don't do any of that shit.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Darth Wagtaros on January 22, 2021, 12:06:25 PM
Quote from: Caliga on January 20, 2021, 10:54:42 AM
Quote from: viper37 on January 19, 2021, 04:18:04 PM
Threadrippers are useful for video editing and video upscaling to 4k, where there are applications that uses all these cores (Topaz, there's a great tutorial/demonstration out there where the author uses a Threadripper and a GTX 2080 to upscale DS9 DVDs to near Blu Ray quality; it takes about 12hrs/video hr to process...)
Yeah, I don't do any of that shit.
Maybe virtualize the shit out of your massive home server setup?
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Caliga on February 12, 2021, 12:27:24 PM
Quote from: Caliga on January 16, 2021, 10:44:55 AM
Ryzen 5 CPUs are out of stock everywhere
:glare:
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on February 12, 2021, 07:03:54 PM
Quote from: Caliga on February 12, 2021, 12:27:24 PM
Quote from: Caliga on January 16, 2021, 10:44:55 AM
Ryzen 5 CPUs are out of stock everywhere
:glare:
Amazon.com shows 3600 and 5600 in stock.  No idea on the price, though, I haven't compared anywhere.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Caliga on February 15, 2021, 04:29:01 PM
Yeah, those are price gougers.  I only pay MSRP for stuff.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on February 24, 2021, 10:04:50 PM
Quote from: Caliga on February 15, 2021, 04:29:01 PM
Yeah, those are price gougers.  I only pay MSRP for stuff.
ugh.  I just checked the prices on Newegg Canada for a Ryzen 5 5600x,  559$ CAN.  My office system in whole, with a 1st gen Ryzen 5 costed me less than that, I think :P
But, hey, they got one in stock, so you might rush and pay the price  gouger while it lasts :P
Alternatively, I would suggest watching E-bay for older generation Ryzen 7.  There might be people insane enough to buy a CPU at such a price and willing to offload their old one.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Caliga on February 27, 2021, 12:14:48 PM
At this point I'm going to wait for the Rocket Lake launch and see how that goes.  No matter what I want PCIe 4.0, so I wouldn't do a Comet Lake build, and like I said the supply of the Zen 3 chips is total shit right now so can't proceed with an AMD build. :glare:
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Caliga on March 08, 2021, 10:45:24 AM
Early Rocket Lake reviews are crap.

I finally just went ahead and preordered a Ryzen 5 5600X on Amazon.  It will supposedly ship on April 1st.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Caliga on March 09, 2021, 12:38:47 PM
Quote from: Caliga on March 08, 2021, 10:45:24 AM
Early Rocket Lake reviews are crap.

I finally just went ahead and preordered a Ryzen 5 5600X on Amazon.  It will supposedly ship on April 1st.
...and it'll apparently be here tomorrow. :wacko: :wacko: :wacko:
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Caliga on March 10, 2021, 02:08:01 PM
..and it's here. :)

Ok, tonight I'm going to finish a draft buildout and I'll post it here, and then start working to acquire the other parts.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Grey Fox on March 11, 2021, 06:49:44 AM
You gotta love shipping departments not giving a shit about what marketing or procurement thinks.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Darth Wagtaros on March 11, 2021, 08:43:22 PM
I hope you are ricing it up with LED's and some cool logos!
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Caliga on March 11, 2021, 10:12:48 PM
Here is my draft hardware list:

CPU:  AMD Ryzen 5 5600X 3.7 GHz 6-Core Processor
Board:  Asus TUF GAMING X570-PRO (WI-FI) ATX AM4 Motherboard
RAM:  Team T-FORCE DARK Za 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3600 CL18 Memory
Storage: Samsung 980 Pro 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive*
GPU:  Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2070 8 GB WINDFORCE 2X Video Card**
Case:  Fractal Design Define 7 ATX Mid Tower Case
PSU:  EVGA G3 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply

Edit: changes made to RAM (based on MB QVL review) and Storage (upgraded from 970 Evo to take advantage of PCIe 4.0)




* I am also moving over a 1 Tb SATA SSD from my prior PC.
** Also will be moving over from my prior PC.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on March 14, 2021, 07:21:12 PM
the PCIE 4.0 SSD will not make any noticeable difference.  But I guess at this point, it's not the priciest piece of hardware in your kit, so why not? :D

don't forget to upgrade the bios when you get your computer.  Although board manufacturers have adapted since the early days of Ryzens, they still tend to lag a bit behind with memory compatibility.  It's possible you may have to temporarily downclock your memory speed to 3000-3200mhz the first time you boot. :)
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Caliga on March 15, 2021, 08:03:14 AM
I will need to flash the BIOS from USB prior to anything else, because the current BIOS on the board doesn't support the CPU I got.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on March 15, 2021, 01:40:48 PM
A USB 2.0 might be needed.  It's unsure if the board will support a USB 3.0/3.1 key.  Asus recommends USB 2.0, at least.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Caliga on March 16, 2021, 09:29:30 AM
Quote from: viper37 on March 15, 2021, 01:40:48 PM
A USB 2.0 might be needed.  It's unsure if the board will support a USB 3.0/3.1 key.  Asus recommends USB 2.0, at least.
Right, the manual said 'USB 2.0 recommended' so I dropped $5 and bought one off Amazon which will be here today.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Caliga on March 16, 2021, 10:09:40 PM
Got as far as testing the PSU with an included tester cap tonight, and, well, it's alive. :)  I've got two USB drives sitting on my workbench, one for the BIOS flash and the other with the Windows 10 installer.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Caliga on March 17, 2021, 11:08:25 AM
Just ran BIOS Flashback on the board and it looks like it ran successfully (blinking indicator LED for like five minutes, then it went out, as opposed to turned solid).  I will continue with the build tonight.  I'm also taking pics and will post them here.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on March 17, 2021, 01:15:54 PM
Quote from: Caliga on March 16, 2021, 09:29:30 AM
Quote from: viper37 on March 15, 2021, 01:40:48 PM
A USB 2.0 might be needed.  It's unsure if the board will support a USB 3.0/3.1 key.  Asus recommends USB 2.0, at least.
Right, the manual said 'USB 2.0 recommended' so I dropped $5 and bought one off Amazon which will be here today.
it will provide you with minutes of pure bliss while it is used to upgrade your bios flawlessly :P

QuoteJust ran BIOS Flashback on the board and it looks like it ran successfully (blinking indicator LED for like five minutes, then it went out, as opposed to turned solid). 
I think it's expected behavior.  I can't remember any lights on the back after using this method on mine.

QuoteI will continue with the build tonight.  I'm also taking pics and will post them here.
Great! :)
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Caliga on March 17, 2021, 01:53:25 PM
Right, ASUS says it will stay lit if there's a problem, and shut off if it's completed successfully, which it did.  I left power to the board for a few minutes after, just in case, and then shut the PSU off.

Next step of course is to install the CPU, memory, and GPU.  I was annoyed to discover that this board doesn't have an inline power switch... most ASUS boards I've built on before do.  I REALLY don't want to install the core system to the case unless it will POST, so I think I'm going to jump the power switch with a screwdriver after I put those parts on it. :sleep:
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Caliga on March 17, 2021, 08:50:55 PM
(https://www.berriart.com/blog/2016/09/its-alive/images/its-alive-og_hue59a81005f417dd23607580e311e0464_132040_900x0_resize_q75_box.jpg)
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Caliga on March 17, 2021, 08:51:53 PM
For whatever reason I couldn't get the board's power pins to jump, so I ended up busting out the case and just hooking the power wire up, and from there it booted right to BIOS, and everything in there checks out. :)
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on March 18, 2021, 06:38:41 PM
Quote from: Caliga on March 17, 2021, 08:51:53 PM
For whatever reason I couldn't get the board's power pins to jump, so I ended up busting out the case and just hooking the power wire up, and from there it booted right to BIOS, and everything in there checks out. :)
Great! Enjoy your work now!

What is going to be your first game played on this new toy? :)
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Caliga on March 19, 2021, 05:02:21 PM
Flight Simulator.  Duh  :P

I'm posting from it now; build is done.  I just need to swap my 1 TB SATA SSD into it, as well as video card, from my old build and I'll be good to go.

Also, Windows doesn't seem to give a shit at all that I didn't put a license key in.  I knew Microsoft had lightened up but I didn't realize by how much they had.  I'm going to swap my old PC license key in eventually (it's Retail, so I should be able to do that).
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: mongers on March 19, 2021, 05:38:19 PM
Quote from: Caliga on March 19, 2021, 05:02:21 PM
Flight Simulator.  Duh  :P

I'm posting from it now; build is done.  I just need to swap my 1 TB SATA SSD into it, as well as video card, from my old build and I'll be good to go.

Also, Windows doesn't seem to give a shit at all that I didn't put a license key in.  I knew Microsoft had lightened up but I didn't realize by how much they had.  I'm going to swap my old PC license key in eventually (it's Retail, so I should be able to do that).

Glad the builds going well, interesting read but a bit beyond my abilities.

Cal, where do you get the Window 10 installers from, as I've a couple of family win 10 budget laptops that need fresh installs and the SSC fixed storage isn't big enough because of all of the crud Win 10 normal operations has deposited on them.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Caliga on March 19, 2021, 08:33:36 PM
I have a 128 GB SSD and I downloaded Windows directly from Microsoft.  They have something called Windows Media Creation Tool on their website, and you just tell it what edition of Windows 10 you want and that you want to install it from USB, and it gives you a downloader that literally does all the work for you.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: mongers on March 19, 2021, 10:12:00 PM
Quote from: Caliga on March 19, 2021, 08:33:36 PM
I have a 128 GB SSD and I downloaded Windows directly from Microsoft.  They have something called Windows Media Creation Tool on their website, and you just tell it what edition of Windows 10 you want and that you want to install it from USB, and it gives you a downloader that literally does all the work for you.

Excellent, thanks Cal I'll go sort it them out. Though at the moment our Broadband is all but dead and buried until an telco engineer comes on Sunday or Monday, currently I'm experiencing a whole 30KB per second!
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: Caliga on March 20, 2021, 02:58:21 PM
I just moved my Windows license from my old PC to my new one.  Easy as hell, just logged into the Microsoft Store and selected my old PC and told Windows I "had a hardware change".  Didn't even need to give it the key.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on March 23, 2021, 12:10:08 AM
Quote from: mongers on March 19, 2021, 10:12:00 PM
Quote from: Caliga on March 19, 2021, 08:33:36 PM
I have a 128 GB SSD and I downloaded Windows directly from Microsoft.  They have something called Windows Media Creation Tool on their website, and you just tell it what edition of Windows 10 you want and that you want to install it from USB, and it gives you a downloader that literally does all the work for you.

Excellent, thanks Cal I'll go sort it them out. Though at the moment our Broadband is all but dead and buried until an telco engineer comes on Sunday or Monday, currently I'm experiencing a whole 30KB per second!

This is the link for Canada:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/software-download/windows10

Don't worry it's the same Windows and you can change regional settings after that to recognize the Queen's english.
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: mongers on March 23, 2021, 09:41:53 AM
Quote from: viper37 on March 23, 2021, 12:10:08 AM
Quote from: mongers on March 19, 2021, 10:12:00 PM
Quote from: Caliga on March 19, 2021, 08:33:36 PM
I have a 128 GB SSD and I downloaded Windows directly from Microsoft.  They have something called Windows Media Creation Tool on their website, and you just tell it what edition of Windows 10 you want and that you want to install it from USB, and it gives you a downloader that literally does all the work for you.

Excellent, thanks Cal I'll go sort it them out. Though at the moment our Broadband is all but dead and buried until an telco engineer comes on Sunday or Monday, currently I'm experiencing a whole 30KB per second!

This is the link for Canada:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/software-download/windows10

Don't worry it's the same Windows and you can change regional settings after that to recognize the Queen's english.

Thanks Viper, I'll try it when the broadband is repaired, still waiting for the engineer to turn up, currently I'm restricted to about 0.2mbps !
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: viper37 on March 24, 2021, 02:36:32 PM
 :wacko: That's a fate worst than death!
Title: Re: Building New PC
Post by: mongers on March 24, 2021, 05:40:19 PM
Quote from: viper37 on March 24, 2021, 02:36:32 PM
:wacko: That's a fate worst than death!

And yet Netflix still works on a 12" screen, only occasionally going blocky.  :hmm:

Just for the hell of it, to test the fault, I downloaded a 4.4GB steam game, probably took about 45 hours :ccr: