Discover the best places to purchase a build advice new build desktop motherboard and CPU combo during Black Friday.
Discover the best places to purchase a build advice new build desktop motherboard and CPU combo during Black Friday.
Thanks for the details,
I'm searching for a more recent economy package.
Previously I had a deal from Frys about 2014 with an Intel G3220 CPU and an ASUS H81M-K motherboard, costing around $60 to $80 plus a $15 rebate.
I need something comparable but updated, roughly 11 years newer.
These ultra-low-end deals are quite uncommon. The latest one is this one, which appears to be inferior compared to your A520 concept if you manage to find a 5500 at a reasonable price.
I should mention that neither the Ryzen 4500 nor 5500 models come with an integrated graphics processor, so you'll need a separate discrete graphics card. Additionally, a tray CPU won't include a built-in cooler like the standard retail version would.
Furthermore, the shift in pricing between DDR4 and DDR5 has picked up speed over the past few months, making a DDR4 configuration more practical if you already have some DDR4 RAM installed, though your current system uses DDR3.
Based on your needs and budget, a micro ATX motherboard seems suitable. It could help you save between 20 to 50 dollars while maintaining the same build quality as a full ATX. You'll need to choose between 16 or 32 RAM and decide whether to use DDR5 or DDR4. I've been using 8 RAM for the past decade and have similar preferences. Some recommend focusing on boosting CPU power with the remaining budget rather than increasing RAM speed, drive speeds, RGB, or power supply wattage. I wouldn't bother installing a graphics card unless you really need it—then you can add one later.
Thanks, I have (4) 16GB DDR4 sticks, so a motherboard with 4 slots is ideal, allowing me to save on memory. The A520 only has two memory slots, which won't work. I didn't realize this when I first posted. I think I'm aiming for a decent budget AM4 MB with four memory slots, micro ATX style, since I plan to reuse the case I already have. Thanks for the in-store price on the 5500. The Santa Clara microcenter is just about 30 minutes away. Do you know how to verify the in-store price?
Visit the Santa Clara store website directly. Stock levels can change unexpectedly.
You own four DDR4 sticks totaling 64 GB; that’s 16 per stick?
That sounds correct.
Were all four purchased together in a single unit?
Based on your needs and budget, it’s unnecessary to buy 64 GB of RAM, but if it fits, there’s no reason not to use the full amount.
Their performance on a new motherboard isn’t guaranteed.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the board had fewer slots than expected at your price point.
I would thoroughly check the spec sheet of any potential motherboard to confirm it matches my requirements.
yes 64GB total, they recently came out of a computer which came that way from the factory new, I think they are micron sticks, I don't have them in front of me. would I be foolish to get a 2 memory slot board and just run 32GB when I have 64GB? i have no other use for the other 2 sticks
Given your situation... the decision to use 64 RAM (4 slots) instead of 32 (2 slots) wouldn't really matter when choosing the board.
I could pick a 4-slot model if I thought it was better for reasons other than just the number of slots. But not because it had four slots.
It's fine to have spare RAM sticks on hand in case something fails.
You're guessing about whether those four sticks would fit on a new board.
It seems you're unsure if they came as a set.
Any board you consider will list a "qualified memory list." Your RAM might not be there, but that doesn't mean it won't work well. You'll only find out for sure when you assemble it.
these four sticks come from the same kit or lot, as shown in the attached photo. I don’t have a use for the other two sticks, so using all four makes sense. It wouldn’t require purchasing a motherboard with two slots. Does this sound reasonable? I’ve always believed more memory is better and if I have it, I should utilize it. I just took a picture of the four sticks but wasn’t sure how to share it properly—it seems like sharing a link would be necessary.
Yes, the available space is adequate for the operating system.
It's sufficient depending on your needs.
For my partner, 512GB is more than enough. For me, it's not enough at all.
What's the model of this device?