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Tips for purchasing a desktop computer?

Tips for purchasing a desktop computer?

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G
GussyMakingFun
Member
56
08-08-2021, 07:57 PM
#11
TechPowerUp says otherwise,
link:
https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs/ge...bile.c3684
Check the Relative Performance chart. There, RTX 3080 Mobile is equal to RTX 5060 Ti 8GB.
Well, you can ask but when the PSU is low quality unit, then what? I don't think they are going to replace it for you. Unless you pay markup for the better PSU (given that they even have any good choice when it comes to the PSUs).
No.
Vice-versa. Most prebuilts are following the standard ATX components and each component can be freely replaced. That is, when you don't buy a prebuilt that uses a lot of proprietary components (like Dell prebuilts are, including their Alienware lineup).
But the thing is, when you replace the components in the prebuilt, you'll loose the warranty PC had, since for most prebuilt PCs, the warranty covers the whole PC, not just individual component. Though, you need to read the warranty policy to know for sure, but most of the times, when you have issue with single component, you have to send the whole thing (entire PC) back.
On one instance, it is nice, since you don't have to deal with disassembly and component replacement by yourself. On other hand, it is pointless to send the whole PC back when just one component (e.g SSD in it) goes bad during warranty period.
In that sense, DIY is better since then, individual components have their own warranty and you can remove and RMA individual components on your own. Also, individual components, for the most part, have far longer warranty than the 2 year warranty you could get with the prebuilt (e.g Noctua and Arctic have 6 year warranty, good quality PSU has 10 year warranty, Samsung SSDs have 5 year warranty etc).
As far as AIOs vs air coolers go, you won't gain any cooling performance if you go with AIO over air cooler since both are cooled by ambient air.
For equal cooling performance between AIOs and air coolers, rad needs to be 240mm or 280mm. Smaller rads: 120mm and 140mm are almost always outperformed by mid-sized air coolers. Single slot rads are good in mini-ITX builds where you don't have enough CPU cooler clearance to install mid-sized CPU air cooler.
Here are the positive sides of both (air and AIO) CPU cooling methods;
Pros of air coolers:
less cost
less maintenance
less noise
far longer longevity
no leakage risks
doesn't take up case fan slots
additional cooling for the RAM
CPU cools down faster after heavy heat output
Pros of AIOs:
no RAM clearance issues*
no CPU clearance issues
CPU takes longer time to heat up during heavy heat output (about 30 mins)
* on some cases, top mounted rad can give RAM clearance issues
While how the CPU cooler looks inside the PC depends on a person. Some people prefer to see small AIO pump in the middle of their MoBo with tubing going to the rad while others prefer to see big heatsink with fans in the middle of their MoBo.
Main difference between AIO and air cooler is that with AIO, you'll get more noise at a higher cost while cooling performance remains the same.
Here's also one good article for you to read where former king of air coolers (Noctua NH-D15) was put against 5x high-end AIOs, including former king of AIOs (NZXT x61 Kraken),
link:
http://www.relaxedtech.com/reviews/noctu...-coolers/1
Personally, i'd go with air coolers every day of the week. With same cooling performance, the pros of air coolers outweigh the pros of AIOs considerably. While, for me, the 3 main pros would be:
1. Less noise.
Since i like my PC to be quiet, i can't stand the loud noise AIO makes. Also, when air gets trapped inside the AIO (some AIOs are more prone to this than others), there's additional noise coming from inside the pump.
2. Longevity.
Cheaper AIOs usually last 2-3 years and high-end ones 4-5 years before you need to replace it. While with air coolers, their life expectancy is basically unlimited. Only thing that can go bad on an air cooler is the fan on it. If the fan dies, your CPU still has cooling in form of a big heatsink. Also, new 120mm or 140mm fan doesn't cost much and it's easy to replace one. While with AIOs, the main thing that usually goes bad is the pump itself. And when that happens, your CPU has no cooling whatsoever. Since you can't replace pump on an AIO, you need to buy whole new AIO to replace the old one out.
3. No leakage risks.
Since there's liquid circling inside the AIO, there is always a risk that your AIO can leak. While it's rare, it has happened. It's well known fact that conductive liquids and electronics don't mix.
G
GussyMakingFun
08-08-2021, 07:57 PM #11

TechPowerUp says otherwise,
link:
https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs/ge...bile.c3684
Check the Relative Performance chart. There, RTX 3080 Mobile is equal to RTX 5060 Ti 8GB.
Well, you can ask but when the PSU is low quality unit, then what? I don't think they are going to replace it for you. Unless you pay markup for the better PSU (given that they even have any good choice when it comes to the PSUs).
No.
Vice-versa. Most prebuilts are following the standard ATX components and each component can be freely replaced. That is, when you don't buy a prebuilt that uses a lot of proprietary components (like Dell prebuilts are, including their Alienware lineup).
But the thing is, when you replace the components in the prebuilt, you'll loose the warranty PC had, since for most prebuilt PCs, the warranty covers the whole PC, not just individual component. Though, you need to read the warranty policy to know for sure, but most of the times, when you have issue with single component, you have to send the whole thing (entire PC) back.
On one instance, it is nice, since you don't have to deal with disassembly and component replacement by yourself. On other hand, it is pointless to send the whole PC back when just one component (e.g SSD in it) goes bad during warranty period.
In that sense, DIY is better since then, individual components have their own warranty and you can remove and RMA individual components on your own. Also, individual components, for the most part, have far longer warranty than the 2 year warranty you could get with the prebuilt (e.g Noctua and Arctic have 6 year warranty, good quality PSU has 10 year warranty, Samsung SSDs have 5 year warranty etc).
As far as AIOs vs air coolers go, you won't gain any cooling performance if you go with AIO over air cooler since both are cooled by ambient air.
For equal cooling performance between AIOs and air coolers, rad needs to be 240mm or 280mm. Smaller rads: 120mm and 140mm are almost always outperformed by mid-sized air coolers. Single slot rads are good in mini-ITX builds where you don't have enough CPU cooler clearance to install mid-sized CPU air cooler.
Here are the positive sides of both (air and AIO) CPU cooling methods;
Pros of air coolers:
less cost
less maintenance
less noise
far longer longevity
no leakage risks
doesn't take up case fan slots
additional cooling for the RAM
CPU cools down faster after heavy heat output
Pros of AIOs:
no RAM clearance issues*
no CPU clearance issues
CPU takes longer time to heat up during heavy heat output (about 30 mins)
* on some cases, top mounted rad can give RAM clearance issues
While how the CPU cooler looks inside the PC depends on a person. Some people prefer to see small AIO pump in the middle of their MoBo with tubing going to the rad while others prefer to see big heatsink with fans in the middle of their MoBo.
Main difference between AIO and air cooler is that with AIO, you'll get more noise at a higher cost while cooling performance remains the same.
Here's also one good article for you to read where former king of air coolers (Noctua NH-D15) was put against 5x high-end AIOs, including former king of AIOs (NZXT x61 Kraken),
link:
http://www.relaxedtech.com/reviews/noctu...-coolers/1
Personally, i'd go with air coolers every day of the week. With same cooling performance, the pros of air coolers outweigh the pros of AIOs considerably. While, for me, the 3 main pros would be:
1. Less noise.
Since i like my PC to be quiet, i can't stand the loud noise AIO makes. Also, when air gets trapped inside the AIO (some AIOs are more prone to this than others), there's additional noise coming from inside the pump.
2. Longevity.
Cheaper AIOs usually last 2-3 years and high-end ones 4-5 years before you need to replace it. While with air coolers, their life expectancy is basically unlimited. Only thing that can go bad on an air cooler is the fan on it. If the fan dies, your CPU still has cooling in form of a big heatsink. Also, new 120mm or 140mm fan doesn't cost much and it's easy to replace one. While with AIOs, the main thing that usually goes bad is the pump itself. And when that happens, your CPU has no cooling whatsoever. Since you can't replace pump on an AIO, you need to buy whole new AIO to replace the old one out.
3. No leakage risks.
Since there's liquid circling inside the AIO, there is always a risk that your AIO can leak. While it's rare, it has happened. It's well known fact that conductive liquids and electronics don't mix.

M
mifaso20
Junior Member
14
08-14-2021, 05:15 AM
#12
I believe the choice hinges on where you focus, as it mentions a 4060 being superior at 1080p while the 3080m performs better at higher resolutions. This seems unusual to me.
M
mifaso20
08-14-2021, 05:15 AM #12

I believe the choice hinges on where you focus, as it mentions a 4060 being superior at 1080p while the 3080m performs better at higher resolutions. This seems unusual to me.

T
TheAmericanGuy
Member
69
08-16-2021, 05:16 PM
#13
The same location indicates that the RTX 2070 is comparable to the RTX 3080 Mobile, according to the provided link. Initially, benchmark scores favor the RTX 3080 Mobile across most tests (passmark, 3Dmark, specviewperf12), showing an average improvement of about 20%, with the exception of Cloud Gate. However, the overall FPS numbers for the RTX 3080 Mobile seem slightly lower than those for the RTX 2070. When checking performance in popular titles and presets at various resolutions, it appears the RTX 3080 Mobile consistently delivers higher FPS. It’s worth noting how reliable the technical city site is.
T
TheAmericanGuy
08-16-2021, 05:16 PM #13

The same location indicates that the RTX 2070 is comparable to the RTX 3080 Mobile, according to the provided link. Initially, benchmark scores favor the RTX 3080 Mobile across most tests (passmark, 3Dmark, specviewperf12), showing an average improvement of about 20%, with the exception of Cloud Gate. However, the overall FPS numbers for the RTX 3080 Mobile seem slightly lower than those for the RTX 2070. When checking performance in popular titles and presets at various resolutions, it appears the RTX 3080 Mobile consistently delivers higher FPS. It’s worth noting how reliable the technical city site is.

D
Doddero
Junior Member
27
08-17-2021, 12:50 AM
#14
Hello once more. I wasn't able to locate the exact model for the PSU that matched the PC I was searching for, but I saw some PCs in the shop. The PSUs I found were 550w or PSU550. It seems they are similar, with both being air cooled. Now I have three more questions... How will I determine the quality of the PSU? And someone suggested I should choose Intel, since if I pick another AMD model, the heat output would be comparable.
D
Doddero
08-17-2021, 12:50 AM #14

Hello once more. I wasn't able to locate the exact model for the PSU that matched the PC I was searching for, but I saw some PCs in the shop. The PSUs I found were 550w or PSU550. It seems they are similar, with both being air cooled. Now I have three more questions... How will I determine the quality of the PSU? And someone suggested I should choose Intel, since if I pick another AMD model, the heat output would be comparable.

J
jamesmader1993
Member
81
08-21-2021, 05:59 AM
#15
Well, looking at PSU's label and trying to identify the unit inside.
The logo on PSU at 1st glance reminded me Cougar. But it is not that. Also, that logo is similar to Gigabyte Aorus logo. And it also looks like mirrored logo of OCZ Fatal1ty. But it is none of them.
It took me solid 1+h to find what that PSU make/model exactly is (holy hell....
).
Did find the closest match, with essentially identical label, except the logo on it;
Performax Gaming 550W, PG-550W01.
Direct link if image doesn't load:
https://cdn03.ciceksepeti.com/cicek...17...f72423.jpg
Performax PSU lineup (in Turkish):
https://www.performaxgaming.com/urun-kat...aynaklari/
Either the PSU in your prebuilt is also Performax (due to the identical label), or the Chinese factory where those crap quality PSUs are produced, uses the same label with slight difference, by printing another brand name on the label, while the innards are the same crap.
Other than the specs page, i could not find any other info about Performax PSUs. They seem to be Turkey exclusive brand. (Also, never heard of that PSU brand before.)
No good info about PSUs = red flags raised. That, and if you look the +12V rail, it has 37A, which makes 444W. But somehow, even their math is wrong, by listing it 440W. And in no way on earth, the PSU is 550W. One can not magically combine PSU rails to increase it's max output wattage. A true crap quality PSU.
I would not buy any PC with that kind of junk PSU.
So, your options are:
1. Buy that prebuilt with junk PSU, DO NOT turn the PC on. Rip out that junk. Buy new, good quality PSU and install it.
2. Buy a proper prebuilt from StarForge, where PSU can easily be confirmed and let them to ship the PC to you in EU.
Option #1 downside is; that you most likely loose any warranty your prebuilt has. But if you turn that PC on with that junk powering it, then i only send you my condolences. 🪦 Because with that junk of a PSU, it is just matter of time, when the PSU goes "pop", releases magic smoke and fries everything it is connected to.
This here is actually a great example why prebuilt PCs doesn't list PSU specs. Since PSU in it is complete crap. And if people would find it out, no-one would be buying those prebuilt PCs. Only thanks to my hard work and considerable time spent, we found out the hidden truth about those prebuilts you're looking at.
Completely depends on the CPU in question.
But overall;
Intel Core Ultra 200-series? If so, waste of money. You'll get FAR better price-to-performance ratio with AMD Ryzen 9000-series.
Intel 12th, 13th, 14th gen? Older CPUs with firmware issues (CPUs die on their own over time, except when installing latest BIOS). Also hot running CPUs. Even then, you'll get better price-to-performance with AMD Ryzen 7000-series. Heck, even AMD Ryzen 5000-series would do, despite their age.
J
jamesmader1993
08-21-2021, 05:59 AM #15

Well, looking at PSU's label and trying to identify the unit inside.
The logo on PSU at 1st glance reminded me Cougar. But it is not that. Also, that logo is similar to Gigabyte Aorus logo. And it also looks like mirrored logo of OCZ Fatal1ty. But it is none of them.
It took me solid 1+h to find what that PSU make/model exactly is (holy hell....
).
Did find the closest match, with essentially identical label, except the logo on it;
Performax Gaming 550W, PG-550W01.
Direct link if image doesn't load:
https://cdn03.ciceksepeti.com/cicek...17...f72423.jpg
Performax PSU lineup (in Turkish):
https://www.performaxgaming.com/urun-kat...aynaklari/
Either the PSU in your prebuilt is also Performax (due to the identical label), or the Chinese factory where those crap quality PSUs are produced, uses the same label with slight difference, by printing another brand name on the label, while the innards are the same crap.
Other than the specs page, i could not find any other info about Performax PSUs. They seem to be Turkey exclusive brand. (Also, never heard of that PSU brand before.)
No good info about PSUs = red flags raised. That, and if you look the +12V rail, it has 37A, which makes 444W. But somehow, even their math is wrong, by listing it 440W. And in no way on earth, the PSU is 550W. One can not magically combine PSU rails to increase it's max output wattage. A true crap quality PSU.
I would not buy any PC with that kind of junk PSU.
So, your options are:
1. Buy that prebuilt with junk PSU, DO NOT turn the PC on. Rip out that junk. Buy new, good quality PSU and install it.
2. Buy a proper prebuilt from StarForge, where PSU can easily be confirmed and let them to ship the PC to you in EU.
Option #1 downside is; that you most likely loose any warranty your prebuilt has. But if you turn that PC on with that junk powering it, then i only send you my condolences. 🪦 Because with that junk of a PSU, it is just matter of time, when the PSU goes "pop", releases magic smoke and fries everything it is connected to.
This here is actually a great example why prebuilt PCs doesn't list PSU specs. Since PSU in it is complete crap. And if people would find it out, no-one would be buying those prebuilt PCs. Only thanks to my hard work and considerable time spent, we found out the hidden truth about those prebuilts you're looking at.
Completely depends on the CPU in question.
But overall;
Intel Core Ultra 200-series? If so, waste of money. You'll get FAR better price-to-performance ratio with AMD Ryzen 9000-series.
Intel 12th, 13th, 14th gen? Older CPUs with firmware issues (CPUs die on their own over time, except when installing latest BIOS). Also hot running CPUs. Even then, you'll get better price-to-performance with AMD Ryzen 7000-series. Heck, even AMD Ryzen 5000-series would do, despite their age.

I
IceAgeBear
Junior Member
19
08-21-2021, 06:49 AM
#16
I'm really sorry you had to spend so much time looking for that 😊. Now I feel even more confused than before! I don't know what to do next. Thank you for your help and advice!
I
IceAgeBear
08-21-2021, 06:49 AM #16

I'm really sorry you had to spend so much time looking for that 😊. Now I feel even more confused than before! I don't know what to do next. Thank you for your help and advice!

W
WhatsThePack
Member
215
08-22-2021, 07:46 AM
#17
Well, i actually find this kind of investigative journalism interesting.
Why else would i spend a solid hour searching a needle in a haystack.
(Unless i'm a crazy person
, which some may call me.)
🤔
But i digress.
I gave you two good options. Another option would be looking for 3rd local PC shop that sells prebuilt PCs and ask them what make and model PSU the prebuilt comes with.
But there's always a DIY option, by buying all components separately and assembling the PC yourself (aka the "true" way).
It isn't hard actually, since we can help out in terms of guidance and there are in-depth guides to install Win as well. Or if you prefer GNU/Linux distro (cost is 0), then there are guides for those as well.
W
WhatsThePack
08-22-2021, 07:46 AM #17

Well, i actually find this kind of investigative journalism interesting.
Why else would i spend a solid hour searching a needle in a haystack.
(Unless i'm a crazy person
, which some may call me.)
🤔
But i digress.
I gave you two good options. Another option would be looking for 3rd local PC shop that sells prebuilt PCs and ask them what make and model PSU the prebuilt comes with.
But there's always a DIY option, by buying all components separately and assembling the PC yourself (aka the "true" way).
It isn't hard actually, since we can help out in terms of guidance and there are in-depth guides to install Win as well. Or if you prefer GNU/Linux distro (cost is 0), then there are guides for those as well.

R
RocketMan109
Junior Member
44
08-23-2021, 03:00 PM
#18
For a DIY project, this setup might work well:
PC Part List
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 9600X 3.9 GHz 6-Core Processor (€229.19 on Amazon Deutschland)
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Royal Knight 120 80.45 CFM CPU Cooler (€35.89 on Amazon Deutschland)
Motherboard: MSI X870 GAMING PLUS WIFI ATX AM5 Motherboard (€275.39 on Amazon Deutschland)
Memory: Kingston FURY Beast 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-5200 CL36 Memory (€81.90 on Amazon Deutschland)
Storage: Samsung 9100 PRO 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 5.0 X4 NVME SSD (€165.90 on Amazon Deutschland)
Video Card: MSI GAMING OC GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16 GB Video Card (€506.79 on Amazon Deutschland)
Case: MSI MAG FORGE 100R ATX Mid Tower Case (€62.00 on Amazon Deutschland)
Power Supply: SeaSonic Focus GX V4 ATX 3 (2024) 750 W, 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply (€131.33 on Amazon Deutschland)
Total: €1488.39
Includes shipping, taxes, and any available discounts
Created by PCPartPicker
2025-06-07 01:59 CEST+0200
This list comes from Amazon.de for EU delivery. I’ve selected parts from Amazon.de before, even though I’m not based in Germany.
With DIY, you achieve a great balance of price and performance, letting you pick your own components.
For now, I assembled a solid mid-range build using the newest parts.
Such as the R5 9600X CPU, 32GB DDR5 RAM, RTX 5060 Ti 16GB GPU, Samsung Pro 9100 PCI-E Gen5 SSD (1TB), MSI MoBo with strong VRM setup, MSI Gaming GPU for efficient cooling and quiet operation under 60°C, and an MSI PC case. All powered by a quality PSU from Seasonic (ATX 3.x, 10-year warranty, 80+ Gold).
This serves as a reference if you decide to build yourself. Alternatively, you can purchase identical components.
I omitted the operating system since I’m unsure whether you prefer Windows or a Linux distribution.
With the RTX 5060 Ti and 16GB GPU, the graphics card would outperform most laptops’ RTX 3080 Mobile. However, the superior CPU and ample RAM still provide noticeable gains.
R
RocketMan109
08-23-2021, 03:00 PM #18

For a DIY project, this setup might work well:
PC Part List
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 9600X 3.9 GHz 6-Core Processor (€229.19 on Amazon Deutschland)
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Royal Knight 120 80.45 CFM CPU Cooler (€35.89 on Amazon Deutschland)
Motherboard: MSI X870 GAMING PLUS WIFI ATX AM5 Motherboard (€275.39 on Amazon Deutschland)
Memory: Kingston FURY Beast 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-5200 CL36 Memory (€81.90 on Amazon Deutschland)
Storage: Samsung 9100 PRO 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 5.0 X4 NVME SSD (€165.90 on Amazon Deutschland)
Video Card: MSI GAMING OC GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16 GB Video Card (€506.79 on Amazon Deutschland)
Case: MSI MAG FORGE 100R ATX Mid Tower Case (€62.00 on Amazon Deutschland)
Power Supply: SeaSonic Focus GX V4 ATX 3 (2024) 750 W, 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply (€131.33 on Amazon Deutschland)
Total: €1488.39
Includes shipping, taxes, and any available discounts
Created by PCPartPicker
2025-06-07 01:59 CEST+0200
This list comes from Amazon.de for EU delivery. I’ve selected parts from Amazon.de before, even though I’m not based in Germany.
With DIY, you achieve a great balance of price and performance, letting you pick your own components.
For now, I assembled a solid mid-range build using the newest parts.
Such as the R5 9600X CPU, 32GB DDR5 RAM, RTX 5060 Ti 16GB GPU, Samsung Pro 9100 PCI-E Gen5 SSD (1TB), MSI MoBo with strong VRM setup, MSI Gaming GPU for efficient cooling and quiet operation under 60°C, and an MSI PC case. All powered by a quality PSU from Seasonic (ATX 3.x, 10-year warranty, 80+ Gold).
This serves as a reference if you decide to build yourself. Alternatively, you can purchase identical components.
I omitted the operating system since I’m unsure whether you prefer Windows or a Linux distribution.
With the RTX 5060 Ti and 16GB GPU, the graphics card would outperform most laptops’ RTX 3080 Mobile. However, the superior CPU and ample RAM still provide noticeable gains.

S
SkaxDK
Junior Member
47
08-24-2021, 06:22 AM
#19
I think I'll wait a while and handle it on my own if that's the case. At least I'll be certain about what I include.
😀
Thank you very much for your time!
Have a wonderful day!
S
SkaxDK
08-24-2021, 06:22 AM #19

I think I'll wait a while and handle it on my own if that's the case. At least I'll be certain about what I include.
😀
Thank you very much for your time!
Have a wonderful day!

L
ladymorepork
Posting Freak
791
08-25-2021, 06:18 AM
#20
The 3080 mobile performs more like a 4060 than it resembles a 5060 ti. It's about 30-40% slower than the 5060 ti and slightly quicker than the 4060. I haven't seen Techpowerup actually test a 3080 laptop, so their claim of it being close to a 5060 ti isn't something I can verify.
L
ladymorepork
08-25-2021, 06:18 AM #20

The 3080 mobile performs more like a 4060 than it resembles a 5060 ti. It's about 30-40% slower than the 5060 ti and slightly quicker than the 4060. I haven't seen Techpowerup actually test a 3080 laptop, so their claim of it being close to a 5060 ti isn't something I can verify.

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