I’m already in way over my head…
Posted by gloucma@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 77 comments
…and I haven’t even started yet. I’ll keep it short so I’m sure there will be questions. My s/o’s disabled daughter wants a’ real’ gaming computer for her only gift for Christmas, and she’s been so patient and happy with her current set up that we feel she deserves an upgrade.
She is trying to load games that require a better graphics card. And this led us down a path where we decided her current set up is too old to upgrade.
She wants: 1. An updated system that won’t be obsolete in two years. 2. RGB case (preferable pink or adjustable colors). And that’s it
She has a decent monitor and keyboard, so we need a nice box with good parts.
Also, single mom and myself are on a budget, so money plays a factor, although we are realistic to the cost of meeting the specs spelled out above.
Thank you in advance for any help. I’ve started looking at suggested sites for parts. I know I don’t want to just buy what I think are good components because I know they may not be optimal together even though individually they are good…help! :) Thanks!
Low-Blackberry-9065@reddit
Pcpartpiker is a graat site to plan a build, more so if it has localized content to your country.
What resolution is the monitor is very important as it determines what GPUs would be good performers.
Depending ok what you mean you're on a budget you could get a current gen platform (AM5) or a cheaper older gen one (am4/lag 1700) but it would be slower.
AM5 PCPartPicker Part List
The GPU is good for 1080p and cheap, if you can spend a bit more get a 6750xt.
gloucma@reddit (OP)
I would guess it is not AM4. I just learned what that is. If I start from scratch should I definitely go for AM5? what are chipsets (Don't yell at me, lol)<-yes I'm older than you :)
heavry@reddit
i was originally going am4 (i literally JUST built my computer) but am5 is going to be supported for a while. it is a bit more expensive, but more future proof. am4 is definitely not a bad option! if she wants her case to have lights, i got the lian li evo rgb case but BEWARE, she’s big. you could most definitely find a cute pink or purple case and get rgb fans that would give her the lights she wants! i highly recommend using pcpartpicker.com. when you click on the part, you can see reviews and other people builds + the price! mine was a bit more expensive than i was originally budgeting for, but she looks pretty and i won’t have to touch it forever
heavry@reddit
also, i got the lian li infinity fans but the cables were a nightmare. granted, it did come with a controller (you plug the cables from the fans into it and control them all) and i believe there’s corsair ones that have a controller that only have one cable that might be easier to use!
gloucma@reddit (OP)
Ok. Thank you for more info. I’m all about buying a little more now to make a more future proof machine
Low-Blackberry-9065@reddit
AM5 is the best currently available platform:
Current gen Intel is very inefficient (lot's of power and heat generation for a given perf) and had a very serious issue that caused CPUs to degrade, Intel has said they've fixed it multiple times so it's uncertain if it's actually fixed now or not.
They will launch their next gen CPU and platform shortly so if you don't need the system today it's always a good idea to wait and see. The rumors talk about similar or slightly lower perf than current intel gen but much better efficiency (which is a huge issue for the current gen), tbd.
Don't be so sure, my first phone had a rotary dial! :)
carpeggio@reddit
I was going to suggest, if they're ok with buying used parts, that AM4 platform has incredible platform. Despite it being at the end of the upgrade path, a 5700x3d and some decent GPU will easily last for years to come. I wonder what the savings would look like.
Underwood914@reddit
Just did my Final Am4 upgrade (5900x) and was able to snag it for sub $200 new, I think AM4 is going to be a killer value for the next few years.
Low-Blackberry-9065@reddit
5700X3D is a faster gaming CPU than 5900X, should be cheaper or around the same price. Maybe you can return yours and get that instead.
Underwood914@reddit
I do more than game, I know what I bought :)
R3xz@reddit
I like this setup, it's a reasonable budget build. If /u/gloucma doesn't mind buying used, /r/hardwareswap is a great place to get deals on a used CPU/Mobo/GPU. You can probably get these three parts on there, or even better ones, for much less than the retail price suggested on this PCParPicker list. If you decide to make a buying post on there, make sure to link this post too. The HWS discord is also a helpful place to price-check used hardware, and you can make a buying post there as well for more visibility.
Once you have all the parts, there are PC repair places that you can commission to put together your parts for you if you're not very tech savvy and don't have time. Just call them up and ask if they offer such service and get a quote to compare.
Naerven@reddit
When you are looking to build-a-pc you need to start with a budget. Without knowing that budget it's very difficult to give advice since a new build can range from $550 (US) to over $3000.
If you are looking to just purchase a computer then r/suggestapc is probably the better place for this question.
gloucma@reddit (OP)
Thank you. I’m so new that I’m getting a feel for what you can buy for what price. I’ve seen a few people asking about their bills. I’d say our budget is between $600-$1200.
bong-water@reddit
With $1200 you can get a pc that'll max anything at 1080 for the next few years if you build it yourself. It's not as hard as you'd expect but I'd understand wanting a prebuilt
gloucma@reddit (OP)
Thank you. I'm up for building one if it means more bang for the buck.
bong-water@reddit
I built my first PC at 13, you got it brother. 7600, tcreate 6000mhz cl 30 ram, 7700xt, 750w PSU, a 2tb nvme ssd(I recommend the sn770x) and an ASRock mobo is the best you'll get at a 1200 budget. It'll last you years, 3-4 maxing anything out
Durenas@reddit
With that budget you can do a lot. The list provided by /u/z2810 up above is decent. There's room to go down if you want to save money, and go up if you want to spend a little more for more power, but if you want RGB that adds complexity to the build. I would advise you find someone nearby that can consult in person with you and the daughter to find a good colored case, and some nice RGB fans.
gloucma@reddit (OP)
I actually thought the case was going to be the easiest part, considering (in my mind) it's just fans and lights and a box for the stuff. I do have a trick up my sleeve, a 20 year old son who installs servers in data centers around the country. He's very busy but he's trying to help too. He's my consultant (and I can pay him in pizza or burgers)
Admiral_peck@reddit
Enough to build a high end 1440p gaming pc or a mid-low end 4k gaming pc if you spend that on tower only. I'd recommend a used B450 or B450m motherboard, a cheap 32gb kit of ddr4-3600 RAM (from a reputable brand such as teamgroup, corsair, crucial, etc), a ryzen 5 5600x cpu, a used rx6750xt (or similar) GPU, a decent new power supply like an ADATA core reactor or core reactor 2, and a new teamgroup MP44L 1tb SSD(or similar). slap that in a case of your choice and pair it with something like a Samsung odyessy G5 1440p/165hz monitor off Amazon (they're suprisingly cheap right now and I love both of mine, though initial setup is a shitshow) a case of your choice and your taste, and a good keyboard and monitor, and you have a 1440p monster of a build that will be great for a few years
bong-water@reddit
With 1200 he could get a 7600 and 7700xt if he's in the US.
Vapprchasr@reddit
I like your idea, though I'd opt for a 5700x, most times it's around $50-60 cheaper and half the power from the wall for great performance ;)
Confident-Luck-1741@reddit
I think the Dell G2724d is also a solid option for 1440p
Raku3702@reddit
That. Closed.
TransientEons@reddit
PCPartPicker Part List
xamomax@reddit
You can get a nice idea of budget vs power by looking at each tier over at logicalincrements.com
I am sure folks here can build a better pc, but I find that site as a great starting point.
LayceLSV@reddit
What are the specs of her current system? And what, generally, is your budget?
gloucma@reddit (OP)
Current pic is an old office pic that we kept alive for the past few years. It should probably be in a museum!
Lucian3Horns@reddit
You didn't answer the more important question. What's the budget?
gloucma@reddit (OP)
oops yes, up to $1200 us, but not over. that's the top of the top end.
BeneficialSide1475@reddit
If you want something under 1k here’s a list with nice white aesthetics, the cpu is from AliExpress since it’s a china exclusive but great value. Here’s the list https://pcpartpicker.com/list/qKNsbL
Z2810@reddit
What is her old setup? Also, a better subreddit for this is r/buildapcforme or r/buildmeapc. This is technically against the rules in this subreddit.
AndrewFrozzen30@reddit
I mean, I'm not saying you're wrong, but 90% of the posts I see are basically randomly thrown parts together and people ask for an opinion about the PC. Being pretty much "Build me a PC"
tonallyawkword@reddit
These are definitely not random. What would you change with this list? https://pcpartpicker.com/list/x4mWVW
(holy crap @ the premium on that monitor)
TBF, OP may have just been looking for some CPU and/or GPU suggestions as a baseline (5600/6700 ?, then the 5700x3D might be worth it, then DDR5 w/am5 could be worth it, 16GB of VRAM could be nice I guess..)
AndrewFrozzen30@reddit
Tbh I didn't look over the specs and I won't say I'm good at it either.
I didn't mean OP's build specifically, but most of them seem super random.
tonallyawkword@reddit
just clicked all the top options on Partpicker. aside from an over-priced 7800x3D and an $8k 120hz monitor it actually may be pretty solid.
Z2810@reddit
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/WjprJy
surfnholes@reddit
If you're gonna buy a 6750xt you might as well spend 20$ more for a 6800 with 16gb vram and much better 1440p performance. Just recently the 6800 was $339. And had been $349, not sure what price is now.
Z2810@reddit
When I looked last night, the 6800 was 450. For that price you should probably just grab a 7700 XT.
Prestigious-Map-1387@reddit
Just looked it's $359 on Amazon. Also, if OP is tight I would order a 7500f off aliexpress if going am5. I got mine for $135 after tax and shipping. No issues.
Z2810@reddit
Pcpartpicker just doesn't have a listing for the card that is on Amazon for around 350 for whatever reason. 7500f is definitely an option but considering this person is not the most technically knowledgeable, buying from a normal retailer is probably going to be much easier in the long run.
surfnholes@reddit
I guess, you just buy it like any other website. Just takes like 2-3 weeks to get. szcpu is a good vendor.
tucketnucket@reddit
Are Gigabyte PSUs good nowadays? I'd consider getting the Corsair rmx shift 750W for $5 more.
Luezanatic@reddit
In my own personal experience, Gigabyte has been the only manufacturer whose products I have put my hands on that have been DOA or defective more than 25% of the time. Their RMA process, at the last time I used it(admittedly many years ago now, as I detest them), is abysmal and will almost always likely result in you being burned for the money you spent on the product+return shipping.
There is a reason that Gigabyte gets by on undercutting their major competitors for every product they offer in the market. For the past almost decade I have refused to buy a Gigabyte product.
And I'm sure there will be many other redditors that will have nothing but positive things to say about their experiences dealing with Gigabyte recently, and I would give their opinions more weight than my own. I'm just a crabby old man holding on to a very souring experience. But when you take me for a ride for $800(in a time where that was about the best component money could buy)... that kind of experience influences your future purchases for a lifetime.
PiotrekDG@reddit
Fine-ish, it seems. Nothing special, but shouldn't cause house fires anymore.
PiotrekDG@reddit
Gigabyte PSU is questionable
niallmul97@reddit
I was so confused, I thought this was the old system 😭
Hungry_Reception_724@reddit
Really depends on the budget and how hands on you are willing to be. A system that wont be obsolete in 2 years if you have a 500$ budget isnt going to happen. Same thing if you have an 800$ budget and get someone to build it for you
areax91@reddit
PCPartPicker Part List
This build will get your daughter what she needs without breaking the bank for you or your s/o. Key takeaways is for her to have access to a graphics card with substantial VRAM to handle games that will drop this year and in the future, and to have a PC that supports a current platform to mitigate wholesale replacements down the road.
For the CPU, you can get a 7500F for roughly $140 on AliExpress. It should also be available via eBay and Mercari for that same price if you aren't comfortable getting CPUs on AliExpress.
thelovebat@reddit
PCPartPicker Part List
iceandfire9199@reddit
I would go with the pink Lancool and the pink galax 4070
TactualTransAm@reddit
So. I have a pink case I got for like 50 bucks off eBay. It's not horrible. 🤷 I think the brand is diypc. Sure it's lacking in some creature comforts that come with a 150 dollar case but it's pink and I wanted pink. Also a brand called Vetroo has pink RGB fans that are good, and they have a pink cpu cooler that performs very well for its price point. I hope that helps :)
LenoVW_Nut@reddit
You don't have any other parts? The old computer doesn't have a CPU/motherboard/RAM or a power supply? Usually when saving money it's best to list your assets so you can focus on upgrades that are worthwhile.
I usually go Intel. You just missed a killer deal $166 12700KF this last week on Amazon. Used Z690 or B660 are usually $60-80. You can find DDr4 or DDR5 boards.
You can go with a $133 Ryzen 7500F from AliExpress https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805937115185.html. Get a $100 B650 from Amazon https://www.amazon.com/GIGABYTE-B650M-D3HP-Warranty-Motherboard/dp/B0CH92B3S2
RAM https://www.amazon.com/TEAMGROUP-T-Create-Classic-PC5-44800-Supports/dp/B0BPHRVYX9
I agree a $220 6650XT will be a good idea. see what the local marketplace has for sale too.
For SSD I like the Silicon Power US75 for a fast drive, also the XS70 or Adata Legend 960 Max. But if it's a budget look at the used 1TB from ebay for $40 and up https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_udlo=40&_fsrp=1&_blrs=recall_filtering&rt=nc&_from=R40&LH_PrefLoc=3&_nkw=nvme+1tb+-512+-128+-256&_sacat=175669&LH_BIN=1&_sop=15&LH_ItemCondition=3000%7C2030%7C2020%7C2010%7C2000%7C1500
gloucma@reddit (OP)
Thanks. I was thinking about that. Being autistic she probably has attachments to the old one that will eventually fade away. But we want to keep the old one running for now.
Personally, I want this to be solid and not obsolete so newer parts are better. As long as it’s worth it. I’m not into buying ‘the best’ or newest just to have it and not have it make much difference in performs.
iceandfire9199@reddit
Lian Li has a Pink Lancool 205 which would be the best pink case you will find most likely
TakenByVultures@reddit
Why haven't you answered the multiple questions on current PC specifications and budget?
LenoVW_Nut@reddit
I scope deals on eBay. When you realize a 12100F is as fast as an i7 8700 you start to see things a bit different. 12100 should be about $70, if you can grab a 6-core like 12400 or 12500 for less than $100 that is pretty good too.
Local or eBay for RAM is also fine. 2x8GB is still fine for most stuff today, and should be around $30 or less.
Local marketplaces can have decent $80-120 video cards like the 5700XT or the 1660 Ti or Super. Or a newer card like the 6600 or 3060 and up should also be fine for no more than $200.
I notice an outfit in NY is unloading some nice cases for cheap. I built one last week and am getting another this week. https://www.ebay.com/itm/296574998991 See what other cases they are selling too.
TactualTransAm@reddit
I'm not OP. I was just recommending a few parts I've used to help OP with the Pink color request.
Admiral_peck@reddit
My gf has a DIYPC q3 in pink. Loves if but it lives on the floor because the footprint is MASSIVE
airtrooper@reddit
If she wants minecraft with shaders youll want at least a 32gb ram and a decent Intel CPU Intel runs better for minecraft than amd, Minecraft is a CPU intensive game so you will need to keep it balanced if on a budget
Cloudmaster1511@reddit
Hey op. Please message me ❤️ i will design you a few systems to choose from. Entirely free of charge
Vapprchasr@reddit
Depending where your at in the world I'd your some what local to me I'm happy to chip in some parts, I have spare ssds, gpus, cases etc...nothing particularly fancy, that said what I have laying around might not be an upgrade per se, feel free to pm me if you'd like I'm also happy to help shop online or somthing if your more comfortable with that, I've been in the i.t industry for a smidgen over 20 years as a bonus
Matasa89@reddit
I'll throw my hat in the ring. At 1200 USD, that's a very doable price for a decent PC.
PCPartPicker Part List
Since many people have offered you AMD focused builds. i went for a Nvidia build for you to consider. The 4060ti won't have as much raw rasterization power as the 7700XT, it does get very close, and it has more VRAM, which is something to consider as future titles will be very VRAM hungry. You also get Nvidia's superior GPU drivers, which gives you better stability, less issues, and better compatibility with the most games. Nvidia also has better legacy support if your S/O's daughter likes retro games.
The case has pink/violet interior, and ARGB. She can opt for any other colour variant, or just get the Fractal Meshify 2 Compact, and add her own ARGB fans, if she would prefer that route. There's also the option of going Fractal North for some hardwood aesthetics. Note that the Fractal Pop Air does not come stock with a front panel USB Type C connector, and you'll have to get that separately and install it. It's not hard and there's already a cutout on the case for it (not sure why it wasn't just included stock...).
Let me know if you got questions about the part choices or assembly.
premiumuser7@reddit
I'd take a look on your local second hand market, a lot of gamers with slightly larger pockets are upgrading their PCs regularly or don't have the time for gaming anymore. So sometimes you might get a pc that was 3000€ a year ago for something like 1200€. At least here, in middle-europe this surely would be the way to go for your budget. And if you ask nicely, there might be even more room - me and my friends have given away a PC for charitable cases more than once.
AggravatingAd1233@reddit
Do you have a local microcenter? They usually have great deals on bundles that can save a few hundred.
edude45@reddit
I too am building a Pc for a kid. Although he doesn't know he's getting it. I had a used 5700xt (gpu) and 3600x (cpu) Im building with. So I'm going with an am4 (the type of socket you put the cpu into) motherboard that is compatible with the cpu.
I'd recommend used parts if you can get your hands on them. Kids don't appreciate anything until they're older anyway.
I'd recommend AMD, because they seem to be the most inexpensive brand for CPU and gpu.
Buy a brand new psu (power supply) gold rated and I'd make sure it's at least 600w and preferably gold rated. Gpus today seem to suck up more power than ever before.
At minimum two sticks of ram that at least adds up to 16gb. So two 8 gb ram sticks. If you're setting it up, make sure xmp is on in the bios, youtube can help with that, "how to enable xmp in bios." 16 gb is/has become the new minimum ram amount for running pc. If you can do 32, then yeah 32, but that's such a minimum upgrade that you can start off at 16 to just save up to $20 dollars.
Motherboards must be compatible with the cpu. So ryzen cpus from 3000 to 5000 series is an am4 Motherboard. Anything with a number above that like 7000 is am5 (which would require ddr5 ram. Am4 takes ddr4 and below ram.
Storage, an ssd will do or an m.2 nvme drive. Hdd, are just for mass storage like pictures or music at this point. You'll want to run the operating system on an ssd.
As for the operating system itself... most use windows. For that... I can recommend a site because windows is crazy expensive on its own.
Oh and a cpu cooler. Need that for the cpu. I'm not familiar with what's good. Noctua has always good praise but their colors are usefully only black or brown and beige.
A case? I bought an Asus tuf gt301 (I foget the numbers) from some kid on offerup. Look around because it sounds like you'll want a glass sided case with lots of space and nothing inside it. Some cases have racks for drives, you won't want that. Bare minimum case for what it sounds like you need is an atx mid tower. A full tower if you just want to shove as much bells and whistles into the case as possible but an atx mid tower is what you'll want to look for if you want the smallest tower possible.
A lot of people are talking about stuff and it's like they're throwing math equations at you. They are being helpful, but I felt just telling you how I see parts can help not be overwhelming with the things I see these guys trying to help with.
gadentist1994@reddit
What types of games does she play, want to play in the future? This will be the determining factor for graphics card.
Confident-Luck-1741@reddit
Here's a pretty decent spaced PC. Similar to the one u/Admiral_peck listed below. It should be able to play most games for a couple of years. You can maybe change up the case and add some RGB fans. I was just trying to not go over $750 USD. https://pcpartpicker.com/list/
donkey_loves_dragons@reddit
It strongly depends on the games she likes to play and the resolution of the monitor. If it's Sims, then you can go cheap. If it's first-person 3-D games. Cheap is not an option, really. Monitor in 1080p is what she hopefully has. If the resolution is 4K though, change the monitor to a 1080p. That way, you can buy the 600 Dollars graphics card and not the one for 2 grand.
quapa1994@reddit
Here’s an option:
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/BYPKPF
BobtheArcher2018@reddit
You always start with the screen and work backwards. What size do you need (if any) then determines rez to some extent. Rez then determines everything else. OFC what games she is playing helps determine things as well.
Strikes me that you probably want to stay 1080P @ 24-27" and 144HZ+.
Admiral_peck@reddit
It might be worth checking out zach's tech turns prebuilt page, you can either A just buy the computer straight up as a prebuilt from them, or B use them as inspiration for your own fresh build. They also have an entire section for their website dedicated to helping inexperienced builders.
yourmom555@reddit
get her a white case with RGB fans so she can get the pink aesthetic while also having options if she wants to change. i’m doing that currently and it looks great
Bust3r14@reddit
Are you planning on building it yourself? Sounds like building service would be preferable.
DardS8Br@reddit
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/6BWfsh
How's this?
bcblues@reddit
If you live near a MicroCenter, they offer some great combo deals with CPU,MS and RAM.
Vantamanta@reddit
I'm in Canada, so I might've made an error with value, but this AMD build is pretty solid for the price at around $1350.
It's got a solid CPU (AMD 7600) with a great cooler, a good value GPU (AMD 7700XT), plenty of fast storage (5 TB), a good modular 750 W power supply which leaves room for upgrades, 32 GB of DDR5 RAM, and a black/pink case with RGB fans + 1 extra.
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/qJkjYN
If she plays in 1080p or 1440p resolution, this PC will have good FPS on high settings.
Anyway, non-required reading mostly aimed at other users: CL36 isn't too much of a big deal, as you really only see performance loss at higher values. RTX is not even remotely budget, don't even think about it. Not sure if I should've gone with an mp34 for the boot drive, it's cheap but it's pcie 3.0
candaianzan@reddit
https://www.reddit.com/r/buildapcforme/comments/1fkhpn1/autumn_2024_pc_best_buy_guide_300_6000/
Theres a list at the bottom with price points. You can always add a few arbg fans to any build and make them pink.
https://www.reddit.com/r/buildapcforme/