Computer Shopping Advice

[darrelljs]

Another vote for AMD over Intel. I just built a PC with my son and we put together a gaming rig for about $1400 that can get triple digit FPS on Doom Eternal at 1080p with the just below max graphic settings. We did get the RTX 3070.

Darrell

[sunrise089]

What's your screen resolution and refresh rate? Do you use your PC for local archival storage?

This in an excellent time to buy in the broad sense (new stuff has come out from AMD on the CPU side and both GPU vendors very recently) but an arguably terrible time to buy on like a next-few-weeks sense due to availability issues.

For a gaming build also used for general PC usage but not prosumer workstation software, you want: Ryzen 8 core processor (the new 5000 series if possible due to much-improved single thread performance), 16gb memory (cheap!), 512gb-1tb SSD (cheap!), and a video card based on your resolution (expensive ). The 3070 or the new AMD cards would both be good choices at 2560x1400 or ultrawide resolutions, or at 1080p on a 144hz+ display. If you're playing on a common 1920x1080 display at 60/75hz you can get away with a cheaper option.

Your paths to spend more are 12-core CPU (for heavy multitasking), higher-end motherboard (fancier and more advanced connectivity, no real performance change), 32gb memory (for heavy multitasking), more local storage, nicer case, and more efficient power supply. Your main path to save is to drop down to a previous-gen 3000-series Ryzen and a B550 motherboard.

The PC Part Picker build posted above is a fine starting point except the GPU which may be a misclick at that price. The storage in the example is fine for a '1 medium sized application drive + 1 large data drive' setup which is perfectly sensible if you keep your files local and don't do a ton of transferring back and forth between drives.

[Cyneheard]

What's your screen resolution and refresh rate? Do you use your PC for local archival storage?

This in an excellent time to buy in the broad sense (new stuff has come out from AMD on the CPU side and both GPU vendors very recently) but an arguably terrible time to buy on like a next-few-weeks sense due to availability issues.

For a gaming build also used for general PC usage but not prosumer workstation software, you want: Ryzen 8 core processor (the new 5000 series if possible due to much-improved single thread performance), 16gb memory (cheap!), 512gb-1tb SSD (cheap!), and a video card based on your resolution (expensive ). The 3070 or the new AMD cards would both be good choices at 2560x1400 or ultrawide resolutions, or at 1080p on a 144hz+ display. If you're playing on a common 1920x1080 display at 60/75hz you can get away with a cheaper option.

Your paths to spend more are 12-core CPU (for heavy multitasking), higher-end motherboard (fancier and more advanced connectivity, no real performance change), 32gb memory (for heavy multitasking), more local storage, nicer case, and more efficient power supply. Your main path to save is to drop down to a previous-gen 3000-series Ryzen and a B550 motherboard.

The PC Part Picker build posted above is a fine starting point except the GPU which may be a misclick at that price. The storage in the example is fine for a '1 medium sized application drive + 1 large data drive' setup which is perfectly sensible if you keep your files local and don't do a ton of transferring back and forth between drives.

Thanks, this is really helpful.

1080p, probably 60Hz (those monitors are from 2012, same time as the machine). However, if it ends up that:
- Work requires me to go back to the office frequently, but not full-time, and I'd need to bring the monitors that were on my desk there back in.
- But I can't get extra monitors from them for my "home office" (that seems like a given)
Then the existing monitors would likely be repurposed for my home office, and I'd get new monitors for the gaming machine. 

Very little gets archived for storage, I just don't generate that much data that isn't connected with, say, a Steam game already.

[BRickAstley]

Does anyone have specific suggestions for a more budget build, say around $800?

[Gustaran]

The PC Part Picker build posted above is a fine starting point except the GPU which may be a misclick at that price.

PC Part Picker uses dynamic pricing, on Black Friday the build was actually several $100 cheaper.   Of course, at the moment the GPU  is ridiculously overpriced, which is probably due to shortage of that specific model. You should be able to get a cheaper model at $270 instead of $500.

[darrelljs]

Does anyone have specific suggestions for a more budget build, say around $800?

I asked my son to put one together and he said prices were inflated right now.  Are you in a rush?

Darrell

[Gustaran]

Does anyone have specific suggestions for a more budget build, say around $800?

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/vZKm3Z


This isn't optimal, but the best I could do was $905. The graphics card is not the best, but should be enough for 1080p in modern games. An advantage is that you can just upgrade the GPU easily in 1-2 years if you want something faster, because the rest of the system should still be good at that point in time and features components by well known brands.

[sunrise089]

Brick I’d wait a few weeks/a month for some of the Christmas demand to fall off and stock to come back up.

[Gustaran]

Brick I’d wait a few weeks/a month for some of the Christmas demand to fall off and stock to come back up.

I'll second that. Given that at least in Europe a lot of recently released hardware is hardly available, I would expect to see significant price drops for the older generation in early 2021 once general availability has improved.

[BRickAstley]

Yes I am not in a hurry. I'm just in a situation where I don't have a good home computer that I can use for gaming, and I'm trying to consider what all options I have.

Also, I know this would be the opposite of intentions for gaming, but I have been seriously considering just going with one of those new M1 Mac Minis