PC Build Advice/Review II: 3090 or Bust.

[Kalmado]

Considering the processor retails at $310, if you could get the system for a little over that it would be a good buy. There have been a few similar builds like that on slickdeals and /r/buildapcsales. They are weird workstations with high powered processors and weak video cards. However, since it's preloaded with W10 and has a 500w PSU you could replace the GPU if you wanted with a 1660 I believe and have a solid 1080p machine.

[Tokitoki]

That's kinda what I was thinking. Make an offer rather than buy it out and see if I can get an open box video card from Micro Center or something.

[Gredival]

My wife has access to a modified silent auction of tester products through her work. One of those items is an HP Omen 880-157c. It retails for $900, minimum offer is $360, can buy it outright for $585, but I can't see what other people offer. Was wondering what you guys thought about it.

i7-8700, 3.2 GHz, 6 cores
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050Ti
16 GB DDR4-2666 RAM
256 GB SSD
1 TB HDD (7200 RPM)
500W PSU
Standard OMEN case
Windows 10 Home

I actually have a modular EVGA 650W (I think) PSU NIB and a closed system liquid cooler NIB (Hydro 100i maybe?) that I had bought a long while ago with the plan to buy parts over a long period of time and piece a PC together, but scrapped it when I sold my 1070 FTW at the height of the video card hikes. I'd have to dig them out of my closet to confirm.

Think it's worth it? My inclination is to go for it, maybe offer a little less than buy out, and replace the video card if I feel the need.

I think you can make a better custom build for $600

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor ($194.00 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Scythe Mugen 5 Rev. B 51.17 CFM CPU Cooler ($44.49 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI B450 TOMAHAWK ATX AM4 Motherboard ($110.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 970 Evo Plus 250 GB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($56.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($44.99 @ Adorama)
Video Card: MSI Radeon RX 570 8 GB ARMOR OC Video Card ($134.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design Focus G ATX Mid Tower Case ($55.88 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Corsair RMx (2018) 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $777.31
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-11-21 14:22 EST-0500

Take off $100 instantly for the case/PSU (I included for the sake of comparison for making a true scratch build; there are of course cheaper options for coolers and cases if you are shopping around).

You can easily shave off the other $100 off this build by shopping deals or subbing parts).

Example: The 3600 can be found for $175 on sale (the 2600 can be found for ~$110 if you want to step down). There's a current deal on the R9 Fury for $80 (used) which is a better card and cheaper than the listed RX 570 (or you can easily get a 980Ti B-stock from EVGA for $100 if you wait a while). Stepping down to DDR4-3000 C16 can get the ram down to $50. Going with a cheap MicroCenter brand Inland 1TB SSD to combine your storage can save you another $20 (I figure the quality of the drive would be around what you'd be getting with a pre-built).

That would be $115 off combined, which with the PSU and cooler being taken for granted, gets you to $562 with a much more powerful GPU and better RAM but with the standard Ryzen caveat of worse single core turbo max. If you have the patience, you can probably find deals that tune that better in line with your priorities or shave even more money off the top.

You mentioned MicroCenter, if you live near a Microcenter and can get the in-store deals you can take it further. Switch the 3600 for a 3600x+Mobo bundle which will come out to the same price for a better CPU plus gets you Xbox Game Pass 3mo. plus a game (Outerworlds or BL3) that you can keep or flip. They have the ASRock B450 for $80 which isn't as great a board but saves you another $30, bringing you down to $530.

Of course the valuation changes depending on how far under the buy-out price you can get the Omen. Plus if you value the fact you don't want to mess with building yourself.

[Kalmado]

That's kinda what I was thinking. Make an offer rather than buy it out and see if I can get an open box video card from Micro Center or something.

I forgot you live near one. That is exactly what I'd do. I tried pricing up a build on pcpartpicker using an AMD six core and while it would be close to a similar price to buy this one outright, that Intel processor is stronger. If this isn't a must have and you could get this for under $450 I'd go for it even tho it's going to be a HP board and some weaker ram simply for having an official W10 copy. If you wanted to you could get a different board and call Microsoft to get a transfer key probably.

Something I've done recently is I've been checking Micro Center's open box GPU section again multiple times a day because my local had easily the cheapest AMD RX 5700 XT as an open box deal. You'd need to double check which Nvidia cards would work, but it is the 16XX line that is very low power consumption and you could use it in that HP build. Or, if you do need a build and this one doesn't work, get an AMD R5 1600 from Micro Center and go from there. They are fricking $80. That is a damn steal for that processor.

[Tokitoki]

Guys, you were supposed to agree on something and now I'm not sure.

I'm not opposed to AMD versus Intel. I'm also familiar with building my own PCs or parting them together. I'd be looking for 1080p gaming with high FPS (doesn't need to be like 200, but 120-144 would be nice) and my wife would use it for some graphic design work on the side. Adobe Creative Suite basically.

[Gredival]

It's hard to pin down since we don't know exactly what you can get this Omen for. At near max price, it's not a good deal imo vs. what you can make. But with a $100 discount you can just buy the R9 Fury I talked about and have a PC that does exactly what you want.

[Kalmado]

Or if you can get lucky and grab a killer deal from an EVGA b-stock sale. Yesterday they had a 980 TI for $100. That is hands down the best deal on a GPU from a reputable seller I've ever seen. Of course it was sold out by the time I checked, which was around 9:30 AM EST. Which Micro Center are you near Toki?

[Tokitoki]

Yonkers Micro Center.

Basically, if I can get it for minimum price to what threshold do you think it'd be worth it?

[Kalmado]

If you got that HP at the minimum, absolutely go for it and just sell the 1050 TI and put in something better. Below is what I came up with based on your Micro Center. I'll put links below for the motherboard and GPU. One thing to note is the motherboard price includes the extra $30 off bundle. You may have to fight for that depending on your store and managers. I've heard certain stores will not give the $30 off on open box boards. I've never ran into that personally. Oh, and another thing I saw which is weird is the webpage saying there isn't a warranty. I cannot see any reason the factory warranty wouldn't apply. For that board at that price that is crazy good.

The GPU is the only thing where you can go down in power and price. I looked at this specifically as I am a Vega 56 owner and it's a bad ass card. Your MC actually has a Vega 64 for the exact same price. However, it's a MSI Air Boost (I have the 56 version). I personally would buy the Power Color Vega 56 over it because it's not a blower cooler, the Red Dragon is a higher binned card, and once you undervolt and OC you can get better performance anyways.

CPU
https://www.microcenter.com/product/...h-spire-cooler

Asus X370 Rog Strix
https://www.microcenter.com/product/...therboard?ob=1

Power Color Red Dragon Vega 56
https://www.microcenter.com/product/...ideo-card?ob=1

MSI Air Boost Vega 64
https://www.microcenter.com/product/...ideo-card?ob=1

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 1600 3.2 GHz 6-Core Processor ($79.99)
Motherboard: Asus STRIX X370-F GAMING ATX AM4 Motherboard ($47.96)
Memory: G.Skill Aegis 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Team MS30 256 GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($27.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda Compute 2 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.99 @ Walmart)
Video Card: PowerColor Radeon RX VEGA 56 8 GB Red Dragon Video Card ($239.99)
Case: Corsair 110R ATX Mid Tower Case ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $535.90
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-11-21 17:48 EST-0500

[Draygon]

*mistakenly replied to older post

[Buffy]

I have like 2k (can be more or less) to drop on a new computer, I'm able to build it myself so I I don't need a pre-made. I like to build a computer and hold onto it for a while (my current build is about 7 years old but received ram and video card upgrades along the way) so reliability is key for me.

Last time I played around in pcpartpicker I made: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/3jKDcq

I want a shit ton of RAM.

Soliciting alternative suggestions/solutions and general input. I haven't stayed current on hardware, so I'm not sure where to land on intel/AMD.

edit: I have easy access to a Micro Center

[tyven]

Bruh I’m so curious about what you need 64gb of ram for

I don’t know shit about computers but mu expert advice is to get whichever gen 3 ryzen processor is equivalent to the 9900k and 32g of better RAM.

Also is SLI even a thing anymore?

Idk I’ll let one of the smart people handle this.

[Gredival]

AMD is committed to this socket for at least one more generation so going AMD gives you the most future proofing. Ryzen has more value for the price but Intel's single core higher speed is more important for gaming. That being said I'm not really sure if there's really anything that sees a difference between 5.0 GHz and 4.6 GHz (comparing the 9900K vs. the 3900X) and if you drop down to the 3800X at 4.5GHz you save nearly 35% in cost.

If you go with Ryzen, you should look for faster RAM if possible. If you're willing to tinker, get a B-die set and do manual clockings with the Ryzen RAM timer. I agree with Tyven that very very very few people can/will use 64GB. 16GB is overkill for most users.

SLI isn't well supported anymore. It's better to have one good video card. With 2k to drop and if you want to future proof, you might as well get the RTX 2080. If the GPU is the one place you want to leave headroom to upgrade in the future, then again AMD leads in value -- go with the RX5700-XT if you're after 4k or a Vega 64 if you just want 144+ FPS on 1080p.

I would go with a Noctua for the cooler if budget isn't a concern. There are many high quality competitive air coolers including the Dark Rock and the Scythe Mugen, but I think Noctua remains the cream of the crop. There is a black version now if aesthetics are an issue.

[Tokitoki]

If you got that HP at the minimum, absolutely go for it and just sell the 1050 TI and put in something better. Below is what I came up with based on your Micro Center. I'll put links below for the motherboard and GPU. One thing to note is the motherboard price includes the extra $30 off bundle. You may have to fight for that depending on your store and managers. I've heard certain stores will not give the $30 off on open box boards. I've never ran into that personally. Oh, and another thing I saw which is weird is the webpage saying there isn't a warranty. I cannot see any reason the factory warranty wouldn't apply. For that board at that price that is crazy good.

The GPU is the only thing where you can go down in power and price. I looked at this specifically as I am a Vega 56 owner and it's a bad ass card. Your MC actually has a Vega 64 for the exact same price. However, it's a MSI Air Boost (I have the 56 version). I personally would buy the Power Color Vega 56 over it because it's not a blower cooler, the Red Dragon is a higher binned card, and once you undervolt and OC you can get better performance anyways.

CPU
https://www.microcenter.com/product/...h-spire-cooler

Asus X370 Rog Strix
https://www.microcenter.com/product/...therboard?ob=1

Power Color Red Dragon Vega 56
https://www.microcenter.com/product/...ideo-card?ob=1

MSI Air Boost Vega 64
https://www.microcenter.com/product/...ideo-card?ob=1

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 1600 3.2 GHz 6-Core Processor ($79.99)
Motherboard: Asus STRIX X370-F GAMING ATX AM4 Motherboard ($47.96)
Memory: G.Skill Aegis 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Team MS30 256 GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($27.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda Compute 2 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.99 @ Walmart)
Video Card: PowerColor Radeon RX VEGA 56 8 GB Red Dragon Video Card ($239.99)
Case: Corsair 110R ATX Mid Tower Case ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $535.90
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-11-21 17:48 EST-0500

Thanks dude. I'm going to go through this in a few.

[BerenTebogo]

Absolutely everything I have is out of date and I regret most of my last small changes (~2 years ago) to downsize according to my needs because apparently that was stupid. I don't like working with only a SSD and externals, CPU not powerful enough, blah blah.

I have an RTX 2070 sitting around still in the box since last xmas because I'm not wasting it on my current setup. I think I'd like to build a new rig for around $700 or so which I think should be possible given that I already have the expensive card.

The PC right now is used like 80% as a plex streaming machine (won't stream 4k no matter what..I think plex pushes everything through the CPU despite that being stupid?) and like 20% macroing stupid games in emulator. The need for an upgrade is pretty much 100% driven by plex being poorly optimized.

I'm probably going to go back to at least 1TB internal HD and keep my OS on my SSD.

Needs:
1) enough CPU power to overcome plex being shitty
2) built in wifi / bluetooth (is this a thing now?)
3) good options for 1-2TB internal HD
4) new case since my current one is shitty and 11 years old
5) probably new PSU
6) probably new mobo

I think I have like 8gb of DDR4 in current build so I'd probably like to double that at least too I guess.

Any suggestions?

Edit: These were my most recent upgrades that I'm really not very happy with

Spoiler: show

[Weltall]

Not sure what issues you're having with PLEX because I built a rig with a cheap Ryzen and can transcode multiple 4k steams at a time, quickly and flawlessly. Plex is my favorite software to come out in ages.

[Tokitoki]

So it looks like the 3600X is on sale now at MC for $200 plus the $30 bundle discount. The "eligible Mobos" they show on their site are like $200 on their own. Kal, you said you have to fight them sometimes with the bundle. Is the fight getting the discount in general or about which mobos you can bundle? I'd prefer not to spend $200 on a motherboard.

EDIT: I know you said open box, I was wondering if you follow their eligible mobos or you've been okay selecting the ones you wanted.

[BerenTebogo]

Not sure what issues you're having with PLEX because I built a rig with a cheap Ryzen and can transcode multiple 4k steams at a time, quickly and flawlessly. Plex is my favorite software to come out in ages.

I've never been able to push 4k so yeah, idk. It's not like it's the internet either since I pay for one of the higher end packages. I've been using plex for like at least 5 years.

[Yabby]

Remember you can also pre-encode things in plex beforehand. When you do that, the only bottleneck is your network.

[BerenTebogo]

Remember you can also pre-encode things in plex beforehand. When you do that, the only bottleneck is your network.

While this is true, it's not what I want out of life. I want to walk to my PC, start download something illegally, and walk away from my PC.

I don't know if upgrading hardware is the right solution, but I've fucked with every setting in plex over the years and I'm not getting anywhere with it.