What is the reason behind spending £1000 on a motherboard and 128GB of RAM?
What is the reason behind spending £1000 on a motherboard and 128GB of RAM?
My son is finally going to, consider, thinking about (
that's Autism for you
) getting a new computer built.
He has had the one he uses for 8 years now, that is how top spec it was back then at £6000
All he does is game, with others, doesn't smoke, drink, or go out, and he has saved all his money for the past years.
He is NOT new to PC building, and knows them and the components inside out.
This is more of a question for me:
Why do you gamers need
a £1000 motherboard,
128GB of RAM, and a £1000 graphic card ?
He says the build will cost about £8000, running 3 monitors etc.
Holy moly! 128gb ram is way more than needed. I'm a regular gamer and 32gb ddr5 works fine for me. A £1k motherboard also seems excessive. A £1k GPU makes perfect sense since he wants it to last.
No regular gamer requires 128GB of RAM. 32GB is sufficient.
£1000
motherboard? Is such a product even available? A €200–€300 motherboard is more than enough. No extra cost needed.
Graphics cards, however, can be costly. The top RTX 5090 model costs around €2500.
I don’t have the specifications for this £8000 setup.
Still, I’d think your son might be getting taken advantage of.
(unless this price also covers three OLED monitors, which would still be too much)
When it comes to gaming, the GPU is everything. The most powerful GPUs, such as the 5090, still cost around $3000. Performance really varies by game; cyberpunk might demand more power than even a 5090 can handle. Other titles generally perform adequately on less. The overwhelming majority of users don’t have budgets that cover the entire system.
You don’t need an enormous CPU either. The top "gaming" CPUs are often AMD’s X3 models. Even older versions work well when paired with a capable GPU.
Memory capacity and speed are usually not the main factors affecting gaming performance. Most people stick with 32GB because it offers a good balance between cost and performance.
Some people get confused by focusing solely on raw frame rates. They often run videos at low settings, believing that 600 frames per second is better than 120 frames of high-quality video. This mindset shifts focus away from the GPU and makes CPU power more critical.
If you plan to play at 4K or use multiple monitors at 4K, the video card becomes the most important component. Spending more on this part can make a significant difference.
Affordable motherboards around $1000 are mainly for enthusiasts who want their name on overclocking forums. These aren’t true gaming boards—they have quirky features like power settings for liquid nitrogen cooling, which nobody would use while gaming. You’d definitely not invest in such a setup for actual gameplay.
4K Gaming Monster Configurations (Intel vs AMD)
🧠 1. Intel Setup (~£7500–£8000)
CPU
Intel Core i9-14900K
Leading choice for top-tier gaming, though it generates a lot of heat and requires robust cooling solutions
GPU
NVIDIA RTX 4090
Offers the best performance for 4K visuals, though at a high cost
Motherboard
ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero (~£700-1000)
Solid choice, but may feel excessive unless you need advanced features
RAM
128GB DDR5-6000 (such as Corsair Dominator or G.Skill Trident Z)
Required mainly for demanding tasks beyond regular gaming
Cooler
Corsair iCUE H170i Elite (420mm AIO)
Essential to maintain stability with the 14900K
Storage
2TB NVMe Gen 4 + 4TB Gen 3 (Samsung 990 Pro + WD SN770)
Provides quick boot times and ample space for large drives
Case
Lian Li O11D XL or Fractal Torrent
Excellent ventilation and room for powerful components and cooling units
PSU
1000–1200W Platinum (Seasonic, Corsair, ASUS)
Power supply must match the system’s demands
RTX 4090
Requires these components to function effectively
Monitors
3x 4K 144Hz IPS displays (e.g., LG UltraGear, ASUS ROG Swift)
Budget for this can reach £1200–£2000 depending on brand
Overall cost around £7800 (varies with selections)
Adjustable if you reduce motherboard and RAM specs
Yes, it contains the monitors. The list you mentioned has been reviewed over several days; his preferences will change as new releases become available.
I don't know the source of this information. It appears biased and outdated. Both the 14900k and 4090 are no longer considered the newest technology. This might be from a company promoting computers or possibly an AI-generated misunderstanding.
In most reviews, AMD x3d CPUs are highlighted as the top choice for gaming. A 14900k can get very hot when overclocked with all core loads active, but real-world performance usually involves only one or two cores running heavily while others stay idle. After chip issues arose, Intel stopped recommending running CPUs without power limits. Using the new guidelines means you won't need large AIO coolers.
For gaming, it's better to opt for an AMD CPU if possible, or stick with Intel—it won't be significantly different. Avoid water cooling unless you specifically want it; modern air coolers usually keep systems cool effectively. This advice is especially relevant for gaming, which doesn't put excessive stress on CPUs.