Build AdviceNew build to replace an i7 930 system
Build AdviceNew build to replace an i7 930 system
In my view, this is the top choice right now for building a new computer. The 265k processor will do just as well as any non-9950x chip and beat it even in some jobs. Also, those X890 boards are way better than the older AMD B850 or X870 ones. I would pick a solid 2TB NVMe SSD for now and buy more storage later if you need it. You can always move files from your main drive to a bigger one when you get something new. Having 64 GB of fast RAM will make sure your computer stays useful for many years. I also hit the budget pretty hard, spending less than 1000 bucks total. Here is what I bought:
CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 265K running at 3.9 GHz with 20 cores ($359.99 from B&H)
Cooler: Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE (66.17 CFM, $35.90 from Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock Z890 LiveMixer WiFi ATX LGA1851 ($239.99 from Amazon)
RAM: Patriot Viper Venom with 64 GB total (2 sticks of 32 GB each at DDR5-6400, $159.99 from Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Black SN770 2TB M.2 NVMe drive ($119.99 from Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master HAF X ATX full tower case (bought for free)
Power Supply: Thermaltake Toughpower GF A3 Premium Edition 750W ($79.98 from Amazon)
Total cost: $995.84 (includes shipping, taxes, and discounts)
My only worry is making enough room for the cooler in my case, but since the cooler fits easily inside the case with some wiggle room, I don't need to move anything. I will buy this SSD on its own because it comes with a six-year warranty and has RAM cache. Here is what PCPartPicker says about buying this SSD: Inland Performance Plus 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive, which costs $129.99 at Amazon. The total comes to $129.99, and the prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts if they are available right now. This was generated by PCPartPicker on January 17, 2025, at 14:03 EST-0500.
That patriot viper kit looks pretty low profile. I've actually been using it with this cooler and it fits snuggly underneath the phantom spirit cooler fan. I don't know exactly what that SSD is, but this seems like a no-brainer deal for another 10 bucks. It has a lot of DRAM cache, which usually makes sense. For my next step up in an SSD, I normally suggest the Crucial T500, which costs around $140 in the 2TB version. That one might be my new pick at about $10 less if prices stay steady. Thanks for the heads-up!
That's precisely what I did with my PC setup. Every single part here is ready and waiting to be put together when the time comes.
i live in the uk so i can't check us prices right now, but i found some suggestions here and you can use them to compare. let's talk about a CPU upgrade since your current setup is over three years old. You need an AMD Ryzen 7000 series (either AM5 socket) with at least a 240mm fan cooler. For the motherboard, pick any B650 chip that has four RAM slots and includes a good power supply unit. Since you're upgrading soon, I recommend adding DDR5 memory running at speeds of 32GB x 2 (about 6000MT/s) to your case. Don't throw away your old case unless it's absolutely necessary; if the new parts fit, they will work fine. For storage, consider buying a large NVMe SSD or even an extra hard drive with Windows 10 installed. Just clone that copy of Windows 10 onto the new drive, and you might get free updates to move up to Windows 11 on the next computer. If your GPU is already old enough, buy a mid-range card like the RTX 3060 or even a cheaper 2060 for now. Or save your money for when prices come down later and grab an RX 6600 or 5700 XT instead to start upgrading sooner. All of this can be done for under $900 if you check Amazon in the USA.
This processor comes with built-in picture quality features. You don't need a separate graphics card if you don't actually want one. Here is the link to see more about how it handles memory and speed: https://www.intel.com/content/www/u...-3...tions.html
Not looking for the latest and greatest here. Music production and casual gaming. The cards coming out soon are half the budget up to double the budget. Replacing a 560Ti, yeah, AMD APU or integrated graphics is enough to do that. But Photoshop can actually take advantage of GPU power for filters and the like, so it is a nice to have. Not a perfect comparison: https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/...00...l-Arc-B580 But you can see that 3060 has a bit more compute power than the others. Coupled with 12GB of VRAM. Not sure how well the B580 plays with software just yet, and they are hard to come by right now. RTX 4060 has even more compute but with only 8GB of VRAM, and quite a high price of $300. If I was getting 8GB, probably get an RX 7600 for the money ($250)