Get guidance on constructing a new PC?
Get guidance on constructing a new PC?
Hi everyone, I've aged a bit and am not up to speed with PC building lately—especially since GPU prices shot up. My machine is about ten years old, maybe older, and it's been heavily modified over the years. I really need some advice or suggestions on setting up a new system from the ground up without overspending.
I don’t require the latest high-end components; my current setup handles most tasks I use it for. I’m not aiming for 4K gaming or anything intense. I occasionally purchase new games and experiment with software like Gaea and Blender.
Here’s a quick rundown of what I have:
Motherboard: Gigabyte Z170X Gaming 7
Processor: Intel® Core™ i7-6700K @ 4.00GHz (8 CPUs), ~4.0GHz
Memory: 16384MB RAM
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070
Power Supply: Rough estimate, around 700W
Any tips would be greatly appreciated!
Tell me your budget range and location so I can help you find a good store for this project.
What is your budget?
Where do you tend to shop?
Upgrading the CPU requires replacing the motherboard and RAM too.
Your PSU needs to be planned for replacement.
A reliable unit should offer a 7-year warranty or more and support ATX3.0. The strength mainly relies on your graphics card—aim for at least 850W.
Mid-range options include the i5-12600K, which offers four cores and is a solid choice. You can also consider alternatives like the i5-13500, 12700K, 13600K, or 13700K for a bit more performance without breaking the bank. The 14700K is available but only marginally faster and may not justify the cost.
The graphics card is a bit older but still affordable, providing decent bandwidth for most users in this price bracket. Keeping Nvidia ensures compatibility with your rendering needs and avoids vendor changes.
For extra power, the RTX 4070 Super is a viable upgrade at around $600. If you're looking further, increasing the PSU size would be beneficial.
PCPartPicker Part List
CPU: Intel Core i5-12600K 3.7 GHz, 10 cores
Cooler: Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws S5 32 GB DDR5-6000
Storage: Crucial P3 Plus 2 TB M.2-2280
Video Card: Asus Dual GeForce RTX 3060 V2 OC
Case: Fractal Design Pop Air ATX Mid Tower
Power Supply: Thermaltake Toughpower GF A3
Total cost comes to approximately $1085.79, including shipping and taxes.
Generated by PCPartPicker
2024-03-05 16:53 EST-0500
Apologies for the delayed response.
I'm located in the US, Michigan. Based on my understanding, the estimate likely falls between one and two thousand. Since my computer isn't dead yet, I think ordering parts throughout the year would be a good plan so I can secure components that might be slightly more expensive without too much concern.
Thanks! I'll need to review all of this, really appreciate it.
The suggested build remains viable within the budget for most users. For those aiming to invest further, upgrading to an i7 workstation and pairing it with an RTX 4070 or 4070 Super would be a logical progression if targeting a $1500 budget.
PCPartPicker Part List
CPU: Intel Core i7-14700 2.1 GHz 20-Core Processor
($399.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE 66.17 CFM
($35.90 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte B760 AORUS ELITE AX ATX LGA1700
($169.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws S5 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30
($104.85 @ Amazon)
Storage: Crucial P3 Plus 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME SSD
($119.95 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Gigabyte WINDFORCE OC GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER 12 GB
($599.99 @ Best Buy)
Case: Fractal Design Pop Air ATX Mid Tower Case
($79.99 @ B&H)
Power Supply: MSI MAG A850GL PCIE5 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX
($89.99 @ Amazon)
Overall cost comes to $1600.65, covering shipping, taxes, and applicable discounts.
Generated by PCPartPicker
2024-03-19 15:02 EDT-0400
Don't rush yet, man. This should still work for you. If you believe the PSU is going to fail, switch to Corsair RM1000X and that's enough. Put off all other parts. The next generation with a big performance jump is coming soon. The RTX5000 line is expected to offer over 70% improvement on top models. Even in the worst scenario, the lower tier will see a 55-60% boost compared to the current generation – that's impressive. Since you intend to use this PC for a long time, like your old one, I strongly advise waiting another year. Keep increasing your budget as much as possible until then. That way, you'll end up with a high-quality PC that will serve you well for a long time.
If you feel the urge or need it, purchase now. If you delay, you'll be waiting indefinitely. The next generation won't bring any magic. Consider a 15% increase in price or performance with the best products commanding a premium. It's not wise to buy components separately. Eventually, you might look back and regret some early purchases, or the return window may close. For desktop speed and gaming, single-thread performance is crucial. Run the cpu-Z benchmark on your I7-6700K; you should see a score around 464, and higher if you've overclocked. Compare it to a modern $229 i5-13500, which scores 764: https://valid.x86.fr/bench/skb5pt. The I3/i5/i7/i9 specifications no longer reflect their old meaning, such as core count and hyperthreading. Now they mainly indicate performance level. If you need a long-lasting upgrade, consider using two 16GB RAM modules together. Intel doesn't prioritize speed much anymore. Since you're an Intel and Nvidia user, that's enough for now. The price-to-performance ratio is similar for both. In the future, you might plan a graphics card upgrade. 4K wide monitors are excellent. The graphics card is what mainly determines the required power supply. Therefore, invest in a PSU rated at 850W or higher. Without a trustworthy PSU review, the best indicator is the warranty—ideally 7 years or more.
PCPartPicker List of Components
CPU:
*
Intel Core i5-12600KF 3.7 GHz 10-Core Processor
($149.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler:
*
Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler
($35.90 @ Amazon)
Motherboard:
*
MSI B760 GAMING PLUS WIFI ATX LGA1700 Motherboard
($159.99 @ Amazon)
Memory:
*
Silicon Power Value Gaming 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory
($95.97 @ Amazon)
Storage:
*
Acer Predator GM7000 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME SSD
($124.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card:
*
Zotac Twin Edge GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER 12 GB Video Card
($579.99 @ Newegg)
Case:
*
Fractal Design Focus 2 ATX Mid Tower Case
($69.99 @ B&H)
Power Supply:
*
Corsair RM750e (2023) 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply
($89.99 @ Best Buy)
Case Fan:
*
ARCTIC P12 56.3 CFM 120 mm Fan
($8.58 @ Amazon)
Overall Cost: $1315.39
Prices encompass shipping, taxes, and applicable discounts
*Selected lowest-priced items based on specified parameters*
Created by
PCPartPicker
2024-03-19 18:00 EDT-0400