F5F Stay Refreshed Hardware Desktop Question Digital Artist, Ai fan, Should I upgrade? mATX to Itx SFF?

Question Digital Artist, Ai fan, Should I upgrade? mATX to Itx SFF?

Question Digital Artist, Ai fan, Should I upgrade? mATX to Itx SFF?

M
MikHaven
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54
06-10-2023, 06:44 PM
#1
Hello, I have a 5700g B450 mATX with 16gb RAM and recently added a dual fan RX 3060 12gb. I’m considering an upgrade path. I don’t play a lot of games, but I’ve been focusing more on AI. I’m thinking about downsizing to a compact custom case, using an SFX PSU and just one fan for the 3060 12gb. Eventually, I hope to get a 4060 Ti 16gb when prices drop, and I’m also looking at used options.

My question is whether to keep this setup since it functions well, or should I switch to a smaller build as AM5 ITX motherboards become more affordable. Should I consider replacing the dual fan with a single fan now? Also, would it make sense to buy a B550 motherboard for around $160 and swap the dual fans for a single one? Would it be beneficial to get a B550 that supports DDR5 for AI purposes?

My ultimate goal is to shrink this computer as much as possible because I travel often. Either I keep it small enough for future use—perhaps as a server down the line—or sell it whole in five years, making it easy to ship thanks to its compact size. Then I could upgrade to a new AM5 system or other high-end SFF builds when they become available.

Another reason to move to a B550 now is that my gigabyte monitor needs a B550 to run the software for this ultrawide display I bought. Plus, having Wi-Fi 6 on a B550 would be nice to try.

All opinions are greatly appreciated.
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M
MikHaven
06-10-2023, 06:44 PM #1

Hello, I have a 5700g B450 mATX with 16gb RAM and recently added a dual fan RX 3060 12gb. I’m considering an upgrade path. I don’t play a lot of games, but I’ve been focusing more on AI. I’m thinking about downsizing to a compact custom case, using an SFX PSU and just one fan for the 3060 12gb. Eventually, I hope to get a 4060 Ti 16gb when prices drop, and I’m also looking at used options.

My question is whether to keep this setup since it functions well, or should I switch to a smaller build as AM5 ITX motherboards become more affordable. Should I consider replacing the dual fan with a single fan now? Also, would it make sense to buy a B550 motherboard for around $160 and swap the dual fans for a single one? Would it be beneficial to get a B550 that supports DDR5 for AI purposes?

My ultimate goal is to shrink this computer as much as possible because I travel often. Either I keep it small enough for future use—perhaps as a server down the line—or sell it whole in five years, making it easy to ship thanks to its compact size. Then I could upgrade to a new AM5 system or other high-end SFF builds when they become available.

Another reason to move to a B550 now is that my gigabyte monitor needs a B550 to run the software for this ultrawide display I bought. Plus, having Wi-Fi 6 on a B550 would be nice to try.

All opinions are greatly appreciated.

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I
Impwing
Junior Member
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5
06-16-2023, 05:12 PM
#2
Alternative choices include purchasing a laptop or a dedicated mini PC.
For more information on mini PCs, visit: https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-windows-mini-pcs
Choosing a mini PC is much simpler than reducing your micro-ATX configuration to mini-ITX.
If you aim even further down the line, consider a top-tier smartphone. Modern high-end phones are powerful enough to function as personal computers, offering CPU, RAM, GPU, storage, and OS capabilities. They are compact, often include built-in displays (touchscreens), and it makes sense to leverage AI development on such devices since most already incorporate significant AI functionality.
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I
Impwing
06-16-2023, 05:12 PM #2

Alternative choices include purchasing a laptop or a dedicated mini PC.
For more information on mini PCs, visit: https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-windows-mini-pcs
Choosing a mini PC is much simpler than reducing your micro-ATX configuration to mini-ITX.
If you aim even further down the line, consider a top-tier smartphone. Modern high-end phones are powerful enough to function as personal computers, offering CPU, RAM, GPU, storage, and OS capabilities. They are compact, often include built-in displays (touchscreens), and it makes sense to leverage AI development on such devices since most already incorporate significant AI functionality.

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