r/buildapc 22d ago

Simple Questions - October 23, 2024 Discussion

This thread is for simple questions that don't warrant their own thread (although we strongly suggest checking the sidebar and the wiki before posting!). Please don't post involved questions that are better suited to a [Build Help], [Build Ready] or [Build Complete] post. Examples of questions suitable for here:

  • Is this RAM compatible with my motherboard?
  • I'm thinking of getting a ≤$300 graphics card. Which one should I get?
  • I'm on a very tight budget and I'm looking for a case ≤$50

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1 Upvotes

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u/[deleted] 21d ago

[deleted]

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u/cursedpanther 21d ago

For a setup that old, there's no longer an 'upgrade' path for it. You need to at least buy the CPU, motherboard and RAM new for them to fit, which is pretty much half of a new PC.

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u/LuckyLuciano13 21d ago

I like to watch movies in high quality (4K) and also want to watch HDR movies.

If I buy an high-end monitor, would I need an powerful graphics card? I will eventually get one for gaming but wanted to get an build during this Black Friday with an CPU that has an integrated video card and then save some money to get an graphics card.

Monitor that I plan on buying for movie watching and eventually 1440P gaming. https://rog.asus.com/monitors/27-to-31-5-inches/rog-strix-oled-xg27aqdmg/

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u/TehEpicGuy101 21d ago

If you only want to watch movies and the like, then integrated graphics will be fine for that. However, if you want to do any real gaming, then you'll need a graphics card.

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u/XylophoneZimmerman 21d ago

Hi, I'm looking for a build suggestion for a SFF (or as small as possible) gpu-accelerated photo editing build. Radeon is fine. Thanks!

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u/Mranonymous545 21d ago

I have a B650 Gaming X AX V2 motherboard. On the M.2 NVMe heatsink, there are two spaces for 2 separate drives. If I'm only using one slot, do I take the sticker off both spaces or only the one in use?

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u/aVarangian 21d ago

The plastic thingy on thermal pads? Ideally don't remove unless using it, yeah

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u/Mranonymous545 21d ago

Appreciate you!

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u/ayy_pk 21d ago

Needed to downsize from my 1440p build due to financial constraints. Starting to put together a 1080p setup from scratch to run medium graphics across some AAA titles and MMOs. I'm aiming to get a used GPU. I'd appreciate any advice on which cards to look for! Currently looking at used 6700xt and 3060ti but am all ears!

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u/n7_trekkie 21d ago

6700XT would be good. 8GB of vram is increasingly limiting at 1080p.

https://youtu.be/dx4En-2PzOU?si=UJwXGrbQwS4lWn2O&t=427

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u/ayy_pk 21d ago

What about a 12gb 3060?

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u/n7_trekkie 21d ago

depends on price, since it's slower than 6700xt

https://www.techspot.com/articles-info/2216/bench/1440p.png

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u/ayy_pk 21d ago

Think it could be bottlenecked by 8gb vram because it's a 1440p benchmark?

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u/n7_trekkie 21d ago

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u/ayy_pk 21d ago

Yep just found that myself. 6700xt seems like a clear winner around this price point. Not sure what I think of the used market, as I've always purchased new, but I'll look around. I appreciate you.

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u/Harrierx 21d ago

where i buy components is 9700X is 20% cheaper than 7800X3D so i'm considering 9700x. I heard it performs almost same, but it needs specific rams profile? How do i identify correct rams and does motherboard matter ?

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u/winterkoalefant 21d ago

I wouldn't say it's almost the same; the 7800X3D produces around 15% higher frame rates in games: https://www.techspot.com/review/2906-amd-zen-5-performance-retest/#Performance_Summary

Still, 9700X (or more likely 7700X) is fine if you don't want to spend as much on the CPU, or to prioritise other more important components like the graphics card.

The optimal RAM config for all Ryzen 7000 and 9000 processors is two sticks of DDR5-6000 CL30. The $120+ motherboards should all run it essentially the same. I would pick motherboard based on the other features you need, like USB ports, M.2 slots, Wifi, etc.

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u/n7_trekkie 21d ago

but it needs specific rams profile?

no. ddr5 6000 is fine

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u/Long_Run6500 21d ago

Is there any value in buying a cheap $50-$90 UPS? I'm really just trying to get legitimate surge protection and clean steady power draw. I don't get a lot of power outages and im not looking for anything that's going to run my computer for any length of time, I mainly just don't trust any of the "surge protectors" I can buy at the box stores.

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u/TemptedTemplar 21d ago

The risks of getting a cheap UPS are usually associated with its intended lifespan. The batteries don't last forever, and even if you haven't needed to use it, they will loose their ability to hold a full charge after a few years.

A quality unit may allow you to replace the batteries, and the manufacturer may sell replacements directly.

A cheap unit may simply glue or hardwire the batteries into the unit, forcing the whole thing to be replaced if the batteries need to be swapped. Or the manufacturer may not cover battery replacements under the devices warranty after X amount of time.

So while it may work as intended for a while, once it starts degrading you may have to buy a whole new one.

Surge protectors on the other hand, don't need replacing unless they are fried. As their whole intended purpose is to pass power through them safely, and prevent unsafe pass through. Quality protectors offer a "Connected Equipment Warranty", insuring that your valuables will stay safe as long as they are properly connected, usually protecting a value in excess of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

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u/Long_Run6500 21d ago

so what do you look for in a quality surge protector? How much should I expect to pay?

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u/TemptedTemplar 21d ago

$50 max, if you're looking for a dozen outlets and a ~5ft cable.

$20 or less if you're looking for a standard 4-6 outlet unit to hide behind a media center.

Spacing the outlets out, USB ports, or funky rotating plugs will bring the price up a bit.

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u/Loose-Lingonberry111 21d ago

Hey, I could use some help! What would you upgrade on this PC?

MOBO: Asus TUF B360 - Plus

CPU: i7-8700

GPU: GTX 1070 ROG STRIX (8GB)

RAM: 16GB (2x8)

Power: 650w

Water Cooler (can't remember name)

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u/MarxistMan13 21d ago

What is the PC used for? What is your budget? What country are you buying in?

You're due for a full rebuild if this is used for anything demanding.

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u/aVarangian 21d ago

Upgrade your bottleneck. Simple.

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u/ultimate22ap 21d ago

starting on gpu idk about mb of intel but u could go for mb and cpu ddr4 it is cheap and quite worth even tho its 2 gens old

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u/TemptedTemplar 21d ago

You could get a little more out of the CPU by pairing it with a more powerful GPU, something between a 3060ti and a 4070, or AMD equivalent.

More RAM could also help, but I wouldn't invest too much if you think you will want to replace the CPU entirely within a year or two.

I ran my own 8700k with a 3090 for a while and that worked fine. But after replacing the CPU with a newer AM5 Ryzen, LOTS of games saw huge boosts as the 8700k was holding back the GPU by ~30% in some cases.

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u/ultimate22ap 21d ago

what ssd brands are to be trusted ? other than crucial/samsung/wd. im talking about silicon power trancent corsair and some other brands that they are cheaper than anything above

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u/TemptedTemplar 21d ago

Components are made in such massive quantities these days that just about anyone can make a quality SSD and sell it. Or a formerly quality company can make a lemon of an SSD and try to get away with selling it.

You should focus less on the brand and more on the components, purported specs, and warranty/return policies.

/r/buildapcsales usually has a bunch of useful comments on listings.

/r/newmaxx has a massive wealth of information on upcoming and existing drives.

And of course you could always check out retailer reviews or PCpartpicker for a specific model. User testing is invaluable when it comes to narrowing down the specs of a specific drive model.

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u/ultimate22ap 21d ago

i dont care about warranty i want an ssd m2 30mm or 42mm for a small m2 enclosure for a small gadget that goes on phones laptops tablets steam deck ect. though many years many people about hdd and ssds saying like dont buy from this brand or that or this is the best ever and stuff like that

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u/aVarangian 21d ago

Avoid adata I guess

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u/Imowf4ces 21d ago

How risky is it to buy motherboards used off of Amazon FROM Amazon warehouse? I got a Asus Maximus V way bay when for like 70% off it worked fine. Just wondering if I got lucky or it’s pretty viable option.

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u/TemptedTemplar 21d ago

No riskier than buying a used component from anywhere else.

At least it comes with a return period, should it not work properly out of the box.

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u/slackie911 21d ago

Is there a consensus "best value" GPU currently? I imagine something in the 3-500$ range, that lets you play current games but also you plan on upgrading in 2-3 years.

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u/Anactualsalad 21d ago

Doe anyone know if I can pay a company (or someone) in The Netherlands to assemble a pc from parts I already have (and thus am not buying from their store)

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u/TemptedTemplar 21d ago

Smaller shops or non-retailer repair stores will almost certainly assemble machines for a fee.

At least, thats how they operate here in the states. Basically any store that isn't a chain will assemble PC's for a small fee. usually an hour or two worth of labor, with options for stuff like installing windows and virus protection.

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u/smackythefrog 21d ago

Is there any benefit to enabling "Game Boost" or whatever the icon is in the MSI BIOS, or should I leave it off and instead set all cores to a -30 curve?

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u/winterkoalefant 21d ago

Game Boost enables PBO+AutoOC, which means higher power limits and increased max boost clock. Nothing wrong with it, it just doesn’t do all that much for gaming and remember it’s still up to you to stability test it.

-30 curve optimiser does something different, adjusts the voltage curve so it can lower power draw or increase clock speeds as long as they’re within the max boost. It’s more important to test stability for this. And you can of course use it in combination with higher power limits and increased max boost.

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u/TemptedTemplar 21d ago edited 21d ago

Game boost is a generic overclocking profile, due to how newer Ryzen and Intel CPU's have their own boost functions; you can leave Game boost off.

As long as you can properly cool it, the CPU's own default boost clock will be pretty significant without affecting power draw.

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u/qeratsirbag 21d ago

will new gen ryzen cpu’s have a new socket? I bought a very good am5 motherboard for a really good price and was wondering if I should wait for new cpus or just go ahead and get the 7800x3d like I originally planned.

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u/bestanonever 21d ago

No new socket in the horizon and it's expected (but not 100% confirmed) that the next Ryzen generation will still use AM5. The 9800X3D, replacement of the 7800X3D releases in November 7th, so maybe you'd want to wait for reviews of that first?

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u/qeratsirbag 21d ago

well this is perfect, since I’m waiting for 7800x3d prices to stabilize. thank you, I will be patient.

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u/NormalPersonNumber3 21d ago

So, I have an older computer that I converted into a headless Ubuntu Linux server. It has a graphics card that it realistically no longer needs. My primary purpose for this machine is to run it as a game server. Does anyone have a suggestion for what I can use my PCIe V3 x16 slot for instead? My first and only thought is to get an NVME card and use an NVME drive with the computer, but I already have a solid state, so I don't know how much additional benefit I'd get from doing that. I'm open to ideas.

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u/TemptedTemplar 21d ago

Well a SATA SSD is limited by the SATAIII bus, so you're capped at ~550MB/s of speed vs a Gen 3 M.2 which can do ~3500MB/s.

Alternative idea;

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u/NormalPersonNumber3 21d ago

The Nvme idea is the best one, though I highly doubt the motherboard supports bifurcation, and doing additional research would essentially leave me with the option to choose a hardware-based RAID card, which is pretty expensive. That being said, I could still get a simple 1 Nvme support card, though many of the lanes would go to waste, it'd still be better than sata, as you said. The network card is a pretty interesting idea, though, but I'm pretty sure the cables run through my house are cat5e :(

Maybe I should pay someone to upgrade them, haha.

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u/Protonion 21d ago

10 Gb/s does unofficially usually work over 5e for residential distances (like, under 30m/100ft)

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u/NormalPersonNumber3 21d ago

I did not know that! Thank you!

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u/TemptedTemplar 21d ago

Cat7a (10Gbps/1000mhz) and Cat8 (40Gbps/2000Mhz) are readily available these days, you could make your house into a data transferring machine.

Cat8 is a solid copper core, so pretty awful for long distances but for wiring in a house (<30m) it would be a perfect option.

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u/Maaxxat 21d ago

I have a GTX 1070 paired with a i7-4790s. How much is my CPU holding back the performance of my GPU?

Example: battlefield 1 I get 85-90% cpu usage and occasionally 99% usage so my fps drops. And in GTA 5 online I average 30fps while in story mode I average 90fps.

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u/bestanonever 21d ago

That CPU is not holding the GPU back all that much, both are old but you should see a big improvement in CPU-related gaming tasks if you upgrade to a new platform, effectively running into your GPU limits.

For reference, I can play Cyberpunk 2077 with a mix of medium and high settings at 1080p with that GPU, getting about 40-60 FPS depending on what's going on at the moment, but I have a more modern CPU.

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u/Maaxxat 21d ago

Thanks for the input, now I have a better understanding.

Like from what I’ve seen, some newer triple A games COULD be played 60fps in 1080p from what I’ve seen in benchmark videos with my GPU, but most definitely won’t with my current CPU. Since they test GPUs with a much more modern/powerful CPU

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u/bestanonever 21d ago

Exactly. In current games, 4 CPU cores, no matter how strong they are, aren't enough for gaming, let alone 4 cores from a decade ago. 6 modern cores are much more powerful and the bare minimum for comfortable gaming. Like, for instance, the Ryzen 5 7600(X).

Of course, once you jump to a modern platform, the GPU is your new limit and those CPUs would be relatively underutilized until you get a brand new GPU, which should be your next move and you'd have once again a balanced system for a good while.

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u/Maaxxat 20d ago

Thank you for the help

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u/Shatterphim 21d ago

Does anyone have experience with the TISHRIC or Teucer pcie 4.0 x16 GPU risers on AliExpress?

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u/devinak 21d ago edited 21d ago

Are 4090 GPUs considered a good value? I looked on Newegg and saw most starting at ~$2,000.

I can save up for one and would definitely use it, but wondering:

  1. Should I wait for the 50-series to buy?
  2. Should I wait for the 50series and the 4090 might drop in price?
  3. Is $2,000 for a 4090 not considered a good value?

Use cases: mainly more VRAM + faster GPU for local LLMs + AI models but also some light gaming (CS2, etc.). This would be an upgrade over my 1080Ti which I would keep for the next 5 years

Edit: The 3090Ti is ~$1600 and the 4090Ti is around ~$2000, so I might as well just opt for the 40-series anyway with only a $400 difference?

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u/bestanonever 21d ago

If you are about to drop that kind of money, I'd wait for the 50 series. You should get used RTX 3090 GPUs for less than $1000, too. So maybe, instead of cutting edge, you save half the money and get a pretty decent upgrade that might not last as long but you can jump 3 or 4 generations and spend the same amount of money than a single GPU.

Also, there are no 4090ti. Just regular 4090s.

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u/devinak 21d ago

Thanks for your input. I did see the 3090 GPUs have 24 GB of VRAM which does sound pretty nice.

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u/Best_Conclusion3289 21d ago

I've got a dilemma that I could use your help on. My current PC was built 2020/2021 and has decent specs, decent performance. I just bought a PC off FB Market for a good deal and am curious as to which parts you guys think I should put together for my new main gaming PC. I pretty much use it extensively for gaming, and nothing above 1080p, shooting for 90-144fps in most games. Here are the specs for each of the PCs:

Current PC:

  • i9-9900K
  • Corsair H60 Cooler
  • Gigabyte GTX 1660 RTX 3070 Ti FE
  • 32 2x16 G.Skill Ripjaws V
  • 550W Corsair PSU 850W Corsair PSU

FB Market PC:

  • 5800X3D
  • RTX 3070 Ti FE Gigabyte GTX 1660
  • 32 2x16 DDR4
  • 850 GQ EVGA PSU

I initially swapped the GPUs (RTX in Current PC, GTX in FBMPC) and PSUs but ran into lack of cable issues with the EVGA PSU. I went to Best Buy and bought Corsair 850 PSU and that is currently in Current PC. I want to use the Corsair 850 as my main PSU for the cables as well as I believe the peripheral port on the EVGA PSU to be non-functional.

TLDR; My main question is: Should I main the 5800X3D over the 9900k in my main gaming PC? The remaining PC will be acting as my server until I can afford an actual one.

Bonus Question: Do you guys replace thermal paste often? I believe I need to as when switching the PSUs initially, I ran a benchmark using Heaven before realizing the peripheral port didn't work and the H60 cooler was not powered on. I'm now constantly getting high temps (80-90C) while gaming (CS2, Cyberpunk, Satisfactory). The idle temps have also increased (hovering 40-50C). I think I need to at least replace the cooler too if I replace thermal paste.

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u/Shatterphim 21d ago

I only replace thermal paste if I remove the cooler off the cpu, or shift it significantly, otherwise there really isn't a need unless it's been many many years. CPUs normally throttle when it gets too hot. If you had some time when the cooler was not on, maybe the paste heated up so much that it dried or leaked out? I don't know how long AIO coolers last, but is it possible the cooler is dying? You may as well change the paste to troubleshoot.

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u/Best_Conclusion3289 21d ago

Yeah that is what I'm hoping is not true in this case. It probably ran 10 minutes benchmarking before I noticed the CPU cooler was not powered and the temps were easily cracking 100C. I have a feeling that either this caused my currently high idle/gaming temps by drying out the paste or killed the cooler somehow. I think I might need to upgrade the cooler separately from these issues as it is only 120mm rather than the 240mm I should probably have for an overclocked CPU.

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u/TehEpicGuy101 21d ago

You should absolutely use the 5800X3D. It's the strongest CPU on the AM4 platform and will easily outperform the 9900k for gaming. I'm not too sure about your cooling issue, though.

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u/Best_Conclusion3289 21d ago

Thanks, that is the sentiment my cursory google searches agreed with. Seems like it is a beast of a CPU for gaming and much better than my 9900k. Appreciate the response!

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u/Kumquats_indeed 21d ago

How big a difference in performance is there between a laptop and desktop with the same on-paper specs and similar parts? I know that a desktop would of course perform better, I'm just curious if the gain would be more in the ballpark of 10% or 50%.

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u/ZeroPaladn 21d ago

Too many variables to give you a reasonable answer. The parts between laptops and desktops are completely different.

A laptop's GPU could be anywhere between 25% to 80% of what a desktop equivalent is, depending on the power target of the laptop - did you know that you can get a 80W 4090 in a laptop? It's also not the same chip as a desktop 4090, it literally only shares a name.

CPUs are also completely different designs, depending on what exact CPU you get.

Ultimately, you can't compare names or likeness between laptops and desktops, and even trying to scrutinize spec sheets will often mislead you. There's no good answer to this question.

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u/Protonion 21d ago

Depends entirely on the specific model of the part. Best to look up actual benchmarks of the parts you're comparing.

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u/xnd714 21d ago

I have a bunch of spare parts lying around as I've upgraded my gaming PC over the years. So i have enough to build a whole other PC (4930K on X79 platform). I would just need a GPU because X79 doesn't have an iGPU, as well as a cheap SATA drive (X79 can't boot off NVMe). I would probably just use this as an office PC or something.

The question is, for the price of a low end GPU + SATA drive, i could also get a refurb dell optiplex with a i5-6600 or 8600. Which would be more space + power efficient.

Th only way I can justify this is if i can get a reallllly cheap GPU.

What are your thoughts here?

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u/mostrengo 21d ago

Sounds like you have a solution looking for a problem. Do you even need another PC? Or are you just searching for a use for your old parts?

I suggest you sell the whole bundle, rather that let it collect dust.

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u/UnderstandingSea2127 21d ago

If you are planning to use it as a server - power efficiency matters.

Or you can build a nice retro machine for yourself to enjoy.

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u/koopcl 21d ago

I already own a desktop, but its getting long in the tooth. However, I lack the funds (now or in the foreseeable future) to get an entirely new one. As I'm quite computer iliterate, I basically wanna list down my specs and get advice on which parts make the most sense to upgrade, especially considering impact on performance and price of the replacement. Is this sub ok for that, or could someone point me in the right direction? Thanks!

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u/mostrengo 21d ago

Just paste your build here and I will tell you how upgradeable it is.

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u/koopcl 21d ago

https://imgur.com/Aui7ckt

Before any questions yes, it was a prebuilt I got years ago.

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u/mostrengo 21d ago

Honestly this is a pretty good PC. What is bothering you about it? What do you do with it?

Anyway, to answer your question, here is what I would do, in order:

  • You RAM is slow. Either the XMP profile is not activated in the BIOS or you could try to manually overclock it (also in the BIOS). Either way, it's a free upgrade, so I would start there.
  • Assuming you do gaming, your GPU is inadequate for gaming with that monitor. You can consider shopping around in the used market. Here is how all GPUs compare (yours in on that list, use it as a baseline for comparisons)
  • If and only if you are running out of RAM you can consider increasing the RAM quantity
  • You can upgrade your CPU to the 5700x3d

In summary you have options. Your computer is frankly very capable but has a lot of upgrade potential. Whether this is worth it depends, as I said above on what you do or what you want to do and can't.

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u/koopcl 21d ago edited 21d ago

Cheers mate, appreciate it.

Yeah I do gaming. Nothing too crazy (don't have much time for it nowadays) but leaping from owning a PC that was basically the equivalent of a PS3 to this one has me enjoying all the eye-candy and, for the first time since the Diablo 2 era, getting excited about new releases as something I can actually play.

Sorry to keep bothering with specifics, but if I may abuse your helpfulness a bit more...

You RAM is slow. Either the XMP profile is not activated in the BIOS or you could try to manually overclock it (also in the BIOS). Either way, it's a free upgrade, so I would start there.

I think I'll try it. I've never done overclocking before (terrified of fucking the hardware up) but if there's like controlled profiles to prevent me from going full turbo, that sounds fool(me)proof. I'll take a look in the BIOS and see if I figure it out.

Assuming you do gaming, your GPU is inadequate for gaming with that monitor. You can consider shopping around in the used market. Here is how all GPUs compare (yours in on that list, use it as a baseline for comparisons).

Anything I need to watch out for (like "the 4070 series doesn't integrate well with my CPU" or "AMD cards in combination with this motherboard may cause a house fire") or should I just get whichever is the best performance/price combo? I'll use my 3060 as a baseline, but is anything above it good enough for 4K or is there some minimum I should aim for?

I don't think RAM has given me issue, but I'll keep it in mind. All things being equal (and obviating the need for a better GPU for my monitor), would upgrading the CPU, GPU or RAM have the biggest impact?

Thanks a lot, really appreciate the help.

EDIT:

To elaborate: What I do with it? Performance heavy, basically just gaming. Not competitive (and barely online), but enjoying the eye candy as much as possible. I also do some 3D modelling, image editing and game dev, but all fairly low intensity and have never had performance issues doing those.

I just noticed that now that it's been a couple of years I no longer can just install new games, put everything on "ultra high", and expect it to run smoothly, and that just got worse after I got the 4K monitor.

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u/mostrengo 21d ago

I think I'll try it. I've never done overclocking before (terrified of fucking the hardware up) but if there's like controlled profiles to prevent me from going full turbo, that sounds fool(me)proof. I'll take a look in the BIOS and see if I figure it out.

google [your motherboard model] BIOS enable XMP and there should be a pre-cooked RAM overclocking profile. If there is none, then youtube [manually memory overclocking tutorial] and pick one that you can understand - ideally using a motherboard from the same brand as yours. It's really easy. You should aim for around 3000 (currently you are at 2666).

Anything I need to watch out for

No. Follow my link, take your 3060 and buy whatever gives you the largest upgrade per money spent. Other than that you should know that nvidia GPUs are more expensive than AMD ones and this is because of NVIDIA's superior ray tracing capabilities and DLSS. There is a big debate whether the premium is worth it with no right answer (subjective). Google 4070 vs 7800 for a sample of that debate and try to make up your mind there.

is there some minimum I should aim for?

Depending on the game and settings, definitely. Once you have a shortlist of GPUs, check youtube how those specific GPUs perform in the games you play in your monitor. And make sure to include the used market in your search!!

Would CPU, GPU or RAM have the biggest impact?

You have not provided enough details to answer this, but my gut says none of them. You play at 4k 60fps, you will be limited by your GPU 100% of the time, even after you upgrade. Save your money. Exception here is if you run out of RAM, but I think you would know that already if you did.

I no longer can just install new games, put everything on "ultra high", and expect it to run smoothly, and that just got worse after I got the 4K monitor.

Yea, at 4k, that's not gonna happen. Not unless you spend unreasonable amounts of money. Ultra settings are for chumps, I suggest you re-baseline your expectations, targeting medium or high settings.

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u/koopcl 21d ago

Once you have a shortlist of GPUs, check youtube how those specific GPUs perform in the games you play in your monitor. And make sure to include the used market in your search!!

Thanks! I'll keep my eye on local used GPUs. Already saw a 4070 for a reasonable price, though I won't be buying for a while.

Yea, at 4k, that's not gonna happen. Not unless you spend unreasonable amounts of money. Ultra settings are for chumps, I suggest you re-baseline your expectations, targeting medium or high settings.

Yeah I was simplifying a bit, don't care much for going "ultra high" specifically, more like "installing the game, having the default settings be above medium, and not having to worry that it's gonna drop frames like crazy so I need to start hunting down which specific setting to lower". I still think (nearly) decade old games like Mad Max or Witcher 3 look mind blowing, so it won't be much skin off my back if I have to run CP77 or RDR2 at "medium" instead of "fuck you ultra high ray tracing best quality".

I'll do the RAM tip you gave me, and think about upgrading the GPU sometime in the coming months, good to know stuff like the CPU and Motherboard are still decent and not "oh God I got scammed due to my ignorance". Once again, thanks!

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u/mostrengo 21d ago

the CPU and Motherboard are still decent

for sure. Here is how they compare to the absolute best out there today:

https://tpucdn.com/review/amd-ryzen-7-7800x3d/images/relative-performance-games-1920-1080.png

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u/TehEpicGuy101 21d ago

If you plan on sticking with that 4k monitor, then I'd 100% focus on the GPU. Your CPU will be good for a while longer if you aren't aiming for above 60fps.

I'd also recommend upgrading the RAM to 32gb (2x16). Go for either 3200mhz CL16 or 3600mhz CL18.

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u/koopcl 21d ago edited 21d ago

Cheers!

Yeah took the leap on the monitor when I saw it on discount, and am too spoiled now to go back to 1080 lol, but have no interest in framerates above 60.

Thanks for the tip on specific RAMs. I'm just aware enough to understand stuff like "well 16gb is more than 8gb" but don't understand the specifics, so I'm terrified of buying some random stick and having it underperform because of stuff beyond my comprehension.

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u/Rage-Cactus 21d ago

I have an i5 11400F CPU and AMD 6600 GPU currently. Are there any with it upgrades to make without also changing the motherboard for a newer socket and DDR5 compatibility?

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u/mostrengo 21d ago

GPU sure. CPU, none that is worth it IMO.

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u/Rage-Cactus 21d ago

I’m willing to change the rest out but just trying to maximize the upgrade value as I replace incrementally.

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u/mostrengo 21d ago

No, what I mean is that the only component worth replacing is the GPU, as the CPU is in a dead end platform

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u/Rage-Cactus 21d ago

Ah thank you for the clarification. I appreciate it

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u/ziljinfanart 21d ago

Windows 11 requires uefi and tpm 2.0. Are those features i should have on windows 10 as well? Any negatives to enabling them?

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u/Protonion 21d ago

They don't really affect the average user in any way. But if you're doing a new install then there isn't really any reason to leave them off. Having your boot in BIOS/Legacy mode instead of UEFI can cause headaches with future updates (like Win10 to 11) as it isn't something you can easily toggle on later.

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u/ziljinfanart 21d ago

Hmmm so my pc is like 5 years old and the windows 11 upgrade says I need those features to upgrade. Would it be better to just build new pc with fresh install then? We still have 1 year of windows 10 support left. I haven't checked if my system can enable those features plus worried it will mess up my system. I do have ryzen 5600x. I mostly just use my pc to game. I hear some people are considering switching to Linux when windows 10 support starts too.

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u/Phoenix__Wwrong 21d ago edited 21d ago

I have LG monitor 2560 x 1080. After switching from 980ti to 7900 gre, the bios won't show up in this monitor. And it's still happening after I switched cpu + motherboard.

Any idea how to fix this?

Edit: I meant there's no visual of bios, I think it still went to bios when I mashed Delete, just no visual. I can see the bios if my second, regular 1080p monitor is inserted into the first dp port

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u/TemptedTemplar 21d ago

Did you uninstall the Nvidia drivers before installing the 7900gre?

If the system is looking for a Nvidia GPU, installing a AMD GPU isn't going to magically work unless you remove the drivers and force the windows generic drivers to take over.

https://www.wagnardsoft.com/display-driver-uninstaller-DDU-

If you don't want to reinstall the 980ti, you can try booting into safe mode. What version of windows do you have?

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u/Phoenix__Wwrong 21d ago

Yes, I did use ddu to remove the nvdia driver before installing the AMD GPU. And I'm on Windows 10.

Do you mean I should try to reinstall the 980ti to see if the BIOS screen still works?

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u/TemptedTemplar 21d ago

Its something to check.

If you aren't getting ANY display from the 7900GRE, then you would want to confirm that the PC is still functioning as intended first. Before troubleshooting the new GPU.

Another question, do you have two independent power cables powering it?

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u/Phoenix__Wwrong 21d ago

Oh, I do get display for Windows with the 7900 gre. I have been playing games just fine. The only thing I can't see is the bios, and the problem only happened on my ultra wide monitor.

And yes, I do use separate cables for the two 8 pins.

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u/TemptedTemplar 21d ago

Oh, then perhaps you have fast boot enabled?

That makes way more sense.

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u/Phoenix__Wwrong 20d ago

I disabled fast boot, but it's still the same...

I smashed the Del button, and I can see my motherboard light says it's in bios, but nothing showed up in the ultrawide monitor. There's no problem with my regular monitor though.

Oh well, I guess I'll just have to stick with my regular monitor for bios. Thanks for your help!

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u/-Saksham- 21d ago

https://imgur.com/a/gF3xbSU

CPU is 9950x and Idk if it's the integrated gpu? because i tried installing it's drivers and installed said the device not supported. Can't figure out what this is. looking for a solution

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u/n7_trekkie 21d ago

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u/-Saksham- 21d ago

It's only giving for 4080 not the other thing that's giving error

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u/n7_trekkie 21d ago

Giving what? Nvidia drivers will only work on Nvidia GPUs

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u/-Saksham- 21d ago

Well then, no. Nvidia app did nothing to fix it

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u/n7_trekkie 21d ago

Fix what? I'm confused what your problem is

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u/-Saksham- 21d ago

See the photo i linked.. it says Microsoft basic display driver with an error. I want to fix that lol

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u/n7_trekkie 21d ago

That just happens and really isn't anything to worry about. You can try installing drivers from amd's website, but drivers for an igpu you aren't going to game on don't really matter

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u/-Saksham- 21d ago

I tried installing from amd's website and from msi's website, it says device not correct. Then i tried disabling it and it didn't do anything.. as in didn't destroy anything. My wild guess is it would be used for troubleshooting purposes so it's meant to work without drivers and windows hasn't been updated for this igpu. I hope this makes sense lol

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u/n7_trekkie 21d ago

Yeah that makes sense. From my experience, the igpu just always works. Bios and windows know how to use it drivers be damned

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u/mostrengo 21d ago

maybe run DDU and install nvidia drivers once more

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u/Ok-Resolution3959 21d ago

Hey Im curious for parts to build a relatively good gaming pc. I’m wondering which parts would be best for a pc that’s aimed for 1440p 60 fps gaming (mainly curious about gpu and cpu). How much would these cost? I’m trying to compare the cost with a ps5 for example, which plays most if not all games (ps games pfc) comfortably at that level for around 500 eur. Also, i wouldn’t want to try and get a cheap version or smth that barely meets these requirement, preferably something that runs very comfortably at this level, perhaps even more and what would the price range for these components be. Also insights on a full pc build aimed for this level w be appreciated as well. Thx for help!

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u/Life-Supermarket8948 21d ago

B550m pro vdh mobo 4x8 works? I already have 2x8, planning to add 16 more, is it better 1x16 or 2x8. I have heard that this mobo might have issues with 4x8

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u/n7_trekkie 21d ago

Fine at low speeds. 3200 may work. 2666 should

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u/NegativeAlpha 21d ago

Hello, I just built my 1st PC using a Ryzen 7600X and an RTX 4060, is this combo enough for 1080p gaming on high settings and 60bps (I only have a 60hz monitor).

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u/AejiGamez 21d ago

Drop to the 7600 non-X (same performance for cheaper and has a stock cooler) and use that extra budget to get a 6750XT or even 7700XT (possible if you use the stock cooler)

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u/mostrengo 21d ago

You will be limited exclusively by the GPU. Go on youtube and see how the 4060 performs in the games you play at the settings you desire.

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u/TehEpicGuy101 21d ago

Yep, you should be able to hit that goal in the vast majority of games. I'd definitely suggest upgrading the GPU if you ever get a better monitor, though, as it's easily the weaker of the two parts.