Request for a mostly-new build to upgrade or replace the i7-920 processor system.
Request for a mostly-new build to upgrade or replace the i7-920 processor system.
Approximate Purchase Date:
ASAP - see "Why Are You Upgrading?" below
Budget Range:
$500-$2000 (cheaper is better, I'm currently unemployed - but capability is important, I'll potentially use the system to start/run my own business)
System Usage from Most to Least Important:
general web browsing, remote meetings (e.g. Zoom, Teams, WebEx), productivity apps (e.g. Excel, Visio, PowerPoint, Project, maybe some accounting and/or tax package in the near future), audio (audiobook-level) and video (YouTube-HD-level) recording, editing, and processing, (for audiobooks and online audio and video), video streaming (YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, Prime), casual gaming (e.g. World of Warcraft, Portal/Portal 2, Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor)
Are you buying a monitor:
Probably not
Parts to Upgrade:
Probably all except peripherals and maybe secondary storage - though I'd be interested in a modern recommendation for affordable, quiet, & reliable higher-capacity secondary storage.
Do you need to buy OS:
Probably yes (OEM license)
Please note that if you're using an OEM license of Windows, you will need a new one when buying a new motherboard.
Preferred Website(s) for Parts:
newegg.com, amazon.com, anything U.S.-based with fast shipping and low prices (I do
not
have a Microcenter near me)
Location:
Folsom, California, U.S.A.
Parts Preferences:
Historical preference for Intel CPU and ASUS or Gigabyte motherboard, but those preferences are based on information that's >14 years old, so I'm open; had a bad experience with Cyrix CPUs in the very very distant past, bad luck with old and low-end AMD CPUs but presume the newer, higher-end are top notch. I tend to shy away from MSI motherboards, but don't know/remember why. I've had good luck with WD hard drives, but that was for quiet & reliability in the past.
Overclocking:
No
SLI or Crossfire:
Maybe - I like extra power in case I want to play higher-end games in the future, but TBH it's very unlikely to be required for my current (and probable near future) use cases
Your Monitor Resolution:
currently two 1920x1080, I wouldn't mind the option to upgrade in the future if it doesn't substantially increase cost; it would be great (but not required) to add a 3rd monitor later
Additional Comments:
I'm noise-sensitive, and strongly prefer quiet components. Quiet case fans, quiet secondary hard drives, etc.
I'd like to maintain at least 6 USB ports, without an intermediary hub (a lot of USB peripherals want to be directly connected).
I have & use 3.5mm jacks for speakers and some audio input, including recording voicemail from my wife's phone for archival when she wants to clear her voicemailbox.
I'd like to comply with FAR 52.204-25 & DFARS 252.204-7018 for potential federal contract work on the same network, i.e. no "telecommunications equipment" (like network interface) built directly in China [or Russia] without substantial modification in a friendlier country (e.g. integration into a Korean logic circuit or motherboard would make it OK, I think, as long as it doesn't use the unmodified Chinese [or Russian] device driver).
And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading:
My current 2010-built PC is crashing frequently, and I don't want to take time to diagnose and fix it right now, because I'm trying to study/cram for a professional certification by end of year; and honestly, for an i7-920, it's probably time and many (most?) of the components will probably need to be replaced anyway. I need a reliable PC quickly, and later I can take time to repair and pass my current existing system or components down to my wife…
Current system:
CPU:
Intel® Core™ i7-920 Processor (4 core, 8 thread) 8M Cache, 2.66 GHz, 4.80 GT/s Intel® QPI
CPU Cooler:
Noctua NH-D14, Premium CPU Cooler with Dual NF-P14 PWM and NF-P12 PWM Fans (Brown)
Motherboard:
ASUS P6X58D Premium LGA 1366 Intel X58 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
Memory:
G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9Q-16GBXL
Video Card:
PNY GeForce GT 710 2GB Single Fan
(does not necessarily indicate preference - it was an emergency replacement for a dead
XFX Radeon HD 5870 1GB DDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity HD-587X-ZNFC
)
Primary Storage:
SAMSUNG 860 Pro Series 2.5" 2TB SATA III V-NAND 2-bit MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) MZ-76P2T0BW
(because current motherboard can only handle a 2TB boot drive)
Secondary Storage:
WD Green WD60EZRX 6TB IntelliPower 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive
Optical Storage:
Sony Optiarc DVD/CD Rewritable Drive 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM Black SATA Model AD-7240S-0B - OEM
Case:
Antec P183 Black Aluminum / Steel / Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
Power Supply:
Antec CP-850 850W Continuous Power CPX SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC "compatible with Core i7" Power Supply
Primary Monitor:
HP 27VX 27inch IPS LED Backlit Monitor
Secondary Monitor:
Acer H277H smidx 27.0" 1920 x 1080 60 Hz Monitor
Webcam:
Logitech BRIO Ultra HD Pro Webcam
Microphone:
Blue Microphones - Yeti 10th Anniversary Edition USB Multi-Pattern Electret Condenser Instrument and Vocal Microphone
Wife's (underpowered) current system:
CPU:
AMD Athlon II X3 435 - Athlon II X3 Rana Triple-Core 2.9 GHz Socket AM3 95W Processor - ADX435WFGIBOX
Motherboard:
GIGABYTE GA-MA785GM-US2H AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 785G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
Memory: 2 sets (8GB) of
G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-6400CL5D-4GBNT
Video Card: N/A (built-in to motherboard)
Storage:
Western Digital WD20EZRZ 2TB BLUE SATA 5400 RPM 64MB 6GB/S 3.5IN PC HARD DRIVE
(I have a
WD Green 2TB Internal SSD Solid State Drive - SATA 6Gb/s 2.5 Inch - WDS200T2G0A
but never got around to installing it)
Optical Storage:
Sony Optiarc DVD/CD Rewritable Drive 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM Black SATA Model AD-7240S-0B - OEM
Case:
Antec SX830
(I think?)
Power Supply:
Antec Earthwatts Green 380 W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply
Monitor:
ASUS VE278Q 27 Inch Full HD 1920 x 1080 2ms DisplayPort HDMI DVI VGA Monitor - Black
Webcam:
Logitech - 4K Pro 4096 x 2160 Webcam with Noise-Canceling Mic - Black
Logitech - C270 720 Webcam with Noise-Reducing Mics - Black
Microphone:
Blue Microphones - Blue Yeti Professional Multi-Pattern USB Condenser Microphone
this approach helps maintain a low budget. you might also consider the newer Intel B580 instead of this card—it's cheaper but newer than both the A770 and the AMD 7600. I would suggest it over the A770 since it performs better. pcs below will make older components obsolete https://pcpartpicker.com/list/6qKj2x https://pcpartpicker.com/list/dnQkXR
Would you also suggest the B580 instead of the RX 7600 XT? I notice the RX 7600 XT performs less well in artificial tests, but I’m more concerned about its real-life speed and driver reliability. My previous experience with Intel GPUs suggested their drivers often didn’t perform very well. On another point, looking inside the case to check available parts gave me a clue as to why my system keeps restarting—sometimes with a blue screen, kernel dump linked to the display driver, or just a sudden shutdown. Is it problematic if your GPU fan stops working completely?
in terms of driver stability i haven’t had the chance yet
first generation a770 needed some adjustments from drivers, but remember intel hasn’t released a solid gpu in years.
now they entered the market and caught up swiftly.
the b580 could be seen as a more polished version of what we learned with the a770.
you need to enable s.a.m on the bios or smart access memory for it to function properly.
amd drivers often have issues, they can take days to fix problems with newer versions.
nvidia drivers tend to perform well, though it depends on your budget—4060 on a budget or 3060 12gb are good choices.
compared to the rx 7600xt, the b580 offers better graphics and is more recent, which could mean better performance.
the 7600xt has been out for a while and is nearly finished.
so it seems the b580 stands out over amd in reliability and updates, possibly giving you an edge.
i’m planning to buy a b580 for two new projects because i’m confident it will keep improving.
to be honest, i haven’t owned an intel lga 1366 before, but it’s quite outdated.
i’ve used am3 for about 10-15 years and ryanz is a big upgrade.
and the nvme drive will boot your system in seconds, no hassle.
The review highlights the arrival of the new USD249 GPU Champion. Various components are listed, including a CPU model, cooling solutions, motherboard, memory, storage, case, power supply, and operating system. Prices are noted with shipping and taxes included, and the total comes to $661.13. Selected parts were chosen based on specific criteria.