Question Budget mini-itx build parts list review please?

[Coyle]

Hello, I am building a mini-itx to sit on a shelf above tv/monitor, will stay on 24/7 usually just for general pc usage, occasional game play by my young child, just kid games. Can you please look this over and let me what you think? Thanks.

 

[skyking]

what OS?
I just put together a home server with a little quad core @1.5 ghz all in one Asrock. Probably not what you were looking for, but it runs fanless @45C doing server things in linux.

 

[Coyle]

Updated parts list: Windows 10.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Parts list looks OK to me, but with one question: RGB RAM? I didn't take a good look at that case, does it have a Windows? Because you can get cheaper 16GB kits of DDR4-3200, Team has one on special nearly every week.

Likewise, since you are buying a non-overclockable Intel Coffee Lake i3, and a B365 chipset mobo (no RAM overclocking!)... I think that you will be limited by chipset and CPU to 2667 RAM speeds anyway.

Remember, Intel platform DOES NOT allow you to overclock CPU and RAM to your heart's content, like AMD's AM4 platform DOES.

 

[Coyle]

Yes, it has a window on top which is where it will be on a shelf against the wall up above tv/monitor along with my surround system. I thought would give a touch of effect without being too much. I may change it to 2666mhz, the price is about the same for either. I'm not a gamer, never used amd; the rgb & gpu is for my child's benefit, but am hoping to find some games we can play together and that may require a decent gpu.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

I will go on record yet again, saying I would not build a 4c/4t anymore. BTW, There are better values from AMD. You never use them? Fine, you will be stuck with an under performing, dead platform, at roughly the same cost to build AM4.

This post can serve as a PSA for anyone not suffering from brand trust and/or loyalty syndrome. Do not build 4c/4t, just don't. Sacrifice someplace else, but don't cheese over, in the above case, ($20-30 dollars which could be gotten back simply by picking different ram), when it will get you much better performance and longevity. General use? kid's games? Whatever the usage, it is irrational to build an inferior system at a given price point. Particularly when a minimal investment, 5-8 percent of the build cost in the above case, will get you much more CPU very soon.

All that having been said; I agree with the tech tubers i.e. I would not build right now. Wait a few weeks, now is the worse time to build.

 

[Coyle]

I just said that I have never used amd, that's not to say I never use them. Actually I was set to buy the ryzen 5 1600af before it disappeared. What would you recommend in an amd cpu?

 

[DAPUNISHER]

I just said that I have never used amd, that's not to say I never use them. Actually I was set to buy the ryzen 5 1600af before it disappeared. What would you recommend in an amd cpu?

Well heck, you are being reasonable, and you posted back to your thread. That is practically unprecedented around here, when it is a new member. 😉 Pardon any undertone of salt in my previous post, and I will do my best to be of service now.

I would say wait and see how the new 10 series i3 line up compares with the Ryzen 3 3100 and 3300x. However, it does not look as though value conscious ITX mainboards will be launching with them. Unless that changes by the time the Ryzens hit next month, that is the way I'd go on a ITX budget system. Which is a weird phrase, since ITX brings a substantial premium over mATX, but as it has to fit on that shelf over the display you talked about, the cost difference is acceptable to you? mATX would save you quite a bit on the board, case would cost about the same. The 3300x is the best bang for buck, but if you can find the 3100 for MSRP of $99, it would still be worth the extra money to get the extra 4 threads, over a quad core lacking hyper threading/SMT. You can get some of the cost difference back by waiting for 2x8GB RGB 3200DDR to go on sale for around $65 again. That should happen before the new Ryzens hit. I buy the OLOy Warhawk and Team Nighthawk series for builds, when it is going for that price. Both have run their rated speeds, issue free, in the 3 and 4 series AM4 boards I have used them with. And maybe it is just me, but I would not spec a 3.5" HDD with an ITX build. sub $100 1TB SSD will be much faster, quieter, use less power, and produce less heat. I have seen a couple of brands in the $90 range from newegg the last couple of weeks.

But the best advice is wait; stock levels are terrible right now, and we are in transition to new hardware from both companies. It may help pricing on current stuff, and at the very least, stock levels on existing stuff should improve.

 

[Coyle]

Food for thought. I didn't even know about the ryzen 3 3100/3300. Perhaps the rx5500xt would pair up better with the new amd 550 motherboard being pcie4.0. I can hold off for awhile; the sff pc out here works fine; I had originally planned on putting new pc in a different room where there's room for a tower, so will see how it goes. Thanks for the info.